#464

I got mail! Yay!

I know I’ve been a bit absent from here and Twitch streams for the last couple of weeks. This is partly because I’ve been sore (nothing new or unusual about that) and I’ve also been working on my website and coding some more random prompt generators over at RaspberrySheep.com. It’s still under construction, but it has some working parts and links, so feel free to have a look. If it’s broken, I’ve likely been trying something new.

As for the mail I received, I bought some things from eBay last fortnight, so they’re arriving slowly. First thing that arrived was my Touchfive markers.

The Touchfive markers are an alcohol based marker, like the Copic markers, but a fraction of the cost. I only bought the set of 40 markers to see how I liked them, but there’s 168 markers in the full set, which I will be buying soon. I was very pleased with the quality of these markers, considering the cheapness of them. At approximately 50 cents per marker (compared to 7 dollars for Copics,) they not only have great colours, but I’m not as worried about using up the ink. The pens are dual ended, with a chisel tip and a bullet nib, and have been said to run out of ink quicker, as the flow of ink is faster than other alcohol based markers. This is not a flaw in my opinion, as there is better coverage in the first application of colour, and with the price, you could replace the marker fourteen times to match one Copic marker.

To try out these markers, I have been drawing on label paper to make my own stickers. The bullet nib makes small pictures fairly tricky, but I have been trying out colouring before inking the image. This was mainly to avoid issues with the ink smudging, but this allows some room for correction, as you can modify the line based on how the colouring goes.

The other item I received this week was a spirograph. Most of you will recognise these, and they are returning in popularity lately in force. Unfortunately the official brand name kit is about twenty dollars, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to spend that much on it, so I bought a cheap one for three dollars online. As fun as it is, I am way out of practice and my spirals are inconsistent. It’s very hard to hold the large piece in place, as my hands cramp before i finish the pattern. I tried some bluetack, but it lifted and the circle snuck underneath the stencil. I found ballpoint pens to work the best, and luckily, I had a few colours to try out. These would make cool designs to put on cards and making patterned paper. I keep forgetting which holes on which circles make which designs, so hopefully I can come up with a diagram to remind me, as the kit didn’t have any helpful information. All trial and error I guess. 

Now, go forth and try new things.

#463

We had a great stream on Tuesday, where I scanned in a comic that I drew and coloured it in over the two hours. I didn’t quite finish at the time, so here it is completed.

I used both Paint Tool SAI for the linework, and used Photoshop for colouring and text. My friend attempted to teach me how to used clipping masks, after she was appalled at how basic my skills were. I’m mostly self taught, so I tend to do things the hard and tedious way.  I really should but some effort into learning the programs, so I can use that extra energy and time on improving my art skills.

I am very enthusiastic at the moment towards improving my digital art, as I would like to sell prints one day. There is a plethora of obstacles between now and then, and the easiest to control is practicing and improving my art. I have been looking at websites like CGSociety for inspiration, where artists submit their high quality digital art. It’s easy to be jealous and feel inadequate when looking at these galleries, but I just remember that I’m striving to be better and am constantly learning. Just because I can’t stand up to the standards of them yet, doesn’t mean I never will, and gives me a goal to aim for.

At least I’m a good drawer.

#462

My computer is back up and running, with half of the files salvaged! Yaaay! Unfortunately, the half that was lost included all my Photoshop and Paint Tool SAI digital art as well as my streaming layouts, so quite a heavy blow to the system. But hopefully I’ll be all ready to stream on Tuesday with renewed vigor, and inspiration due to a meet up we had with other local streamers on the weekend. Now that I have a void in my portfolio, I have twice the motivation to get cracking on some new pictures and perhaps old ideas revisited with my current skills.

As well as this, I have been able to experience letting go of some art, which I have been unable to do up until now, which has impeded me in the selling of art, as I’m always too attached. I’ve learned that life goes on. Life after Art, I suppose.

Anyway, I’ve been drawing some pictures to scan in and work on. The one above was based on a pose in a set by Sellenin on Deviant Art. I was discussing that I feel unusual copying poses, but then, I was using​ as a base to layer on a design of my own. I guess I should use my drawing mannequins, or real life more often, to help with this issue.

Posers gonna pose…