Me & Mac in Rowboat Painting

I Had to Try the Rowboat Again...

Me & Mac, digital art, my take on the tutorial

I had so much fun painting the rowboat for my cousin that I had to try again. 

I had a little red and white rowboat twice in my life...once as a child, and once as an adult when I rented a riverside home for over 8 years.  I miss both of my rowboats.  I used to row the dogs all the time...mostly my little dogs, Annie and Sandy, but sometimes Mac.  Annie and Sandy were white and sand color so I tried to draw Mac, who was black, for contrast. 

I also turned the person around to face the back of the boat, because that is how I row.  I also gave her long hair, and a hat.  I had to totally redraw the figure for facing the back. It's hard to do a top down perspective, but I'm happy with the results.   

Done on my Veikk VK 1200 and Clip Studio Paint Pro.

Rowboat Painting turned into digital Birthday Card

 Rowboat Painting

I made this by following a youtube tutorial by Gal Shir.

I made this cool rowboat painting by following a short "tutorial" by Val Shir online.  It was done on an Ipad with Procreate.  I was able to figure out how to do it on my Veikk with Clip Studio Paint. I couldn't do it exactly...procreate has a great feature that let's people draw perfect lines, curves, and circles by just drawing them freehand and then holding the pen in place.  Can't do that with my Veikk, but Clip Studio has some special rulers that I was able to use. 

I turned it into a digital card for my beautiful cousin

It's my cousin's 30th birthday today so I chose this because it had a lot of empty space where I could write, turning it into a digital card. I'm really happy with how it came out. 

I would like to make it again, but change the colors. I want a white rowboat with red trim, like I had when I was little. I also want to give the character long hair, and put a dog in the boat with her. 

The Sims 4 Cottage Living /A New Country Home

Happy Pill/Beach Pill

This Beach Pill is a Happy Pill, lol.

My results, following tutorial by "The Lazy Illustrator" on YouTube.

This beach pill illustration too several days to make.  I followed a tutorial by "The Lazy Illustrator" on Youtube.

I LOVE the results but it was kind of out of my league.  I had to stop and restart several times, and it was hard to follow because she was using Procreate and an Ipad, and I was using Clip Studio Paint Pro and my Veikk.

Still, I'm very happy with the results, and I'm glad I stayed with it and finished. 

 Cup of Flowers

I followed another online tutorial for this cute cup of flowers.  I don't like the shading underneath; it looks like the mug is falling into a hole, lol.  

The Sims 4/Cottage Living/CAS Making Grandma & Grandpa Haines

Panda Art

I love this cute panda!

My Panda, from following a Tutorial by Art With Flo on Youtube

I think he turned out really cute!  I had to do this tutorial twice because I was more than half way through when I realized I'd messed up on some of the layers and it just wasn't working.  It's really easy to accidentally draw on the wrong layer.

Flo is a great art teacher, and I love her tutorials, but man, I wish I had an iPad and Procreate.  Too pricey for me...the apple pencil is over $170 dollars Canadian and the iPad is anywhere from $1000 to $1700 Canadian...crazy!  But wow, everything seems easier on the iPad with Procreate than it does with my Veikk on Clip Studio Paint. Once I learn how to use the software more, things should get easier though.

Sims 4 Cottage Living/CAS/Making Hubby and kids

Sims 4 Cottage Living/Create a Sim/ Hannah

Calm Sunrise on the Lake Art Tutorial

 Another Great Tutorial by Art With Flo

My version of Calm Sunrise on Lake, from Art With Flo Tutorial

I'm really enjoying Youtuber "Art With Flo"; she has amazing tutorials.  I did this pretty artwork today, following along with her tutorial.  The tutorial itself is only 24 minutes and 15 seconds long, but it took me hours and hours to do this because Flo used Procreate and an Ipad and I'm on my Veikk with Clip Studio Paint, and I kept having to stop to learn if it was even possible to do the same thing with my gear.

Luckily, it was ,sort of.  My boat is different.  Flo provided people with a brush that sort of stamps her boat in place.  Hers is a more Asian influence type boat, very cute.  I couldn't use that brush so I imported a rowboat photo and traced the silhouette and filled it in.  I would have tried to draw it on my own but I was exhausted and have a migraine after hours of staring at the little screen, wearing my reading glasses (they always give me a headache).  I added a hat, lol, but that's it. I also used Flo's technique to duplicate the boat layer so I could flip it upside down for the reflection.  

I also learned how to use the opacity sliders and blur tools to make it look more like reflections.  I also FINALLY learned how to use the ruler tools in Clip Studio.  I mean, I knew how to use them before, but the trouble was, I couldn't figure out how to turn them off so I could STOP using them before today, lol. 

Here's the same painting before I put in the boat.  I saved it like this so I can try to draw a boat freehand when my migraine goes away.  

On that note, I'm off to take a tylenol 3, and grab a bite.  It's almost 6 pm and I haven't eaten since my toast and coffee early this morning.  I lost time in the world of art today...the entire day went by, lol. Last time I noticed the time it was noon, lol. Oops. 

Goldfish Painting

 I'm SO Pleased with my Goldfish, lol!

My Goldfish, thanks to a cool tutorial on Youtube by Art By Flo

A Youtuber named "Art With Flo" has this adorable Goldfish Tutorial and I decided to follow along.

It's supposed to be easy, and maybe it is, for people with Procreate and an Ipad, which is who the tutorial is meant for.

It wasn't quite so easy following along on Clip Studio Paint Pro with my Veikk VK 1200 display tablet, attached to my laptop.  Mostly because I am still learning how to use both the Veikk AND Clip Studio AND how to draw, lol.  For people who already know how to draw or how to use their art tablet and software, I'm sure this would be an easy tutorial.  It took me hours, lol.

The Youtuber is great at explaining things so it's totally not her fault that I had to keep stopping to google "how to do XYZ on Clip Studio Paint" because it wasn't the same as on Procreate. 

I'm really happy with how my fish turned out.  I think it's my favorite art piece so far. I love goldfish, and had many growing up. They were the only pet I was allowed until I was about 12 and snuck home a gerbil and hid it in my closet, lol.  My childhood goldfish, named Charlie, lived for years and years.  

This is a fantail, or maybe a swantail Goldfish, and Charlie was just a run of the mill ordinary goldfish.  I am babbling because I am exhausted and I have a bad headache, so I'd better stop here, lol. 

Self Portrait from a Photo Reference

 Self Portait

Self Portrait using Clip Studio Paint Pro

So today I learned how to import images to use as either tracing practice or references or both.  I chose to quickly trace the lines of my face, hair eyes, and backgrounds to try to learn proportions properly. I'm still not ready to free sketch as my hands are very wobbly and I'm not used to me Veikk VK 1200 tablet yet. 

I wasn't totally happy with the cheek on the first try so I redrew my line art and tried again: 

Self portrait cartoon try 2

I played around with the lasso tool and blurred and changed the hue, saturation, etc. of various spots, then darkened everything. 

Below is the real photo, of me at the beach.  The first one looks more like me.  When I redrew the lines, it took away from "my" look, but it did give me a more cartoony look. 

My reference photo, this is me at the beach at sunset last summer.

I really have to learn how to shade properly. I tried but it just looks like my face is dirty in the photo, lol.

I had fun doing this though, and I'm still learning a lot.  I have to turn myself into a comic somehow. I'm pretty overwhelmed because I don't really know how to make the comic look like me, other than giving it a side pony tail.  Also, I'm not sure which age/weight etc. I should make the comic because the time span I'm using for my stories if over 30 years.  

,,,

Dark Tales/ I'm a Grumpy Bear

Catizens,/Build and Adorable Cat Colony

One Ball from Pool

 Another Lesson from Udemy Class on Clip Studio Paint Pro

One ball, learning Clip Studio Paint Pro

This is from Lesson 60 of my Clip Studio Paint Pro Class on Udemy.  Here I learned how to use the "make a circle" tool which isn't actually a circle, but an elipse, how to make an oval in the circle, how to add and change text (still need practice on that), how to add a shading and highlights layer and how to add a Gradient background layer, choosing my own colors.

I also used the magic wand tool when adding the shading, so that I could draw inside the lines.  

Learning a lot today! I had to stay inside with air conditioning because of my asthma, so it was a nice way to spend the day, learning and practicing art.

It was super hot out, 90 degrees with the humidity today and my asthma has been really bad.  Yesterday I triggered my asthma badly by sitting outside with my best friend all afternoon in the heat.  It was nice out and I wasn't sweating or anything; I actually would enjoy the heat if it weren't for my stupid lungs.  I have severe chronic asthma and any extreme of temperature badly affects my lungs.  So the heat makes my airways constrict and I can't get enough air.  It's awful because it actually hurts, trying to breathe.  I wouldn't have sat out but it was the first time I got to see my best friend since the pandemic started.  She's Canadian but lives in America and she waited until her Mom was fully vaccinated to come.  Laurie is also fully vaccinated, but I don't get my second shot until tomorrow at 1 PM, so we had to sit outside and stay 6 feet apart.  We could have sat inside with masks on but I can't wear a mask when my asthma is bad.  

I'm hoping I'll be OK when I go for my second shot tomorrow, and that it won't be so hot that I'll get sick waiting in line.

My Single Tree Forest

 I turned my tree into a forest :-).  

My single tree forest, assignment from Udemy Class: Clip Studio Paint Pro

I had so much fun with this exercise, and I learned so much!  I hope I can retain it, lol.

First I made a single tree (see earlier post).  Then I learned how to squoosh all those layers into one layer.  Then I duplicated that layer and moved the tree over, while resizing it or flipping it horizontally.  I repeated these steps until I had a forest.  

Then I used the selection tool to select the white space above the forest, inverted that selection so it chose the trees instead of the white space, and used the fill tool to make a solid outline of my forest.  Repeated it with two lighter colors and rearranged them. 

I thought that was fun so I used the lasso tool to select various parts of the photo to adjust the brightness, hue, luminosity and contrast. I made some brighter and some darker, and blurred it all.  I kept playing with it until I thought I understood what I was doing (not sure yet if that's true, lol), and stopped with this.  I like the feeling of light coming through the trees.  I love walking in the woods and I love it when the light streams through.  

Multiplying Images in Clip Studio Paint Pro

 Back to My Veikk VK 1200 drawing tablet and Clip Studio Paint today 😁

I painted a simple pine tree on my Veikk VK 1200 using clip studio paint pro and the watercolor and pen brushes.

I'm still working on my Udemy Class, Clip Studio Paint Pro, by Brian Jackson.  In the past few lessons, he's been showing us how to paint simple trees.  I don't like his technique so I just painted in my own style...a very simple pine tree.  The purpose of the lesson isn't the painting though, it's to learn how to paint on different layers and then smoosh the layers into one so that the finished item can be selected, copied, and pasted, and altered to look a bit different.  Every time you use the selection tool to copy and paste, you're given a new copy layer, and you can move the copied selection to a different spot, flip it horizontally or vertically, and resize it so it's bigger and smaller.  Very convenient, and very easy!

Here's my little tree copied, pasted, resized, and flipped horizontally so it looks like a small forest.  I also added a very simple background.  Having fun!

Here's my tree copied, flipped, resized, and pasted into different positions, so it looks like a mini forest.  I also put in a very simple background.

I'm having so much fun with this!  Yesterday I couldn't use my Veikk and I was having withrdrawal, lol, so I had to download a free drawing app onto my phone so I could quickly try something while i was waiting for my friend.

I am so addicted to this!

Ibis Paint, a free art app for Android Phones and Tablets

 Ibis Paint Rocks!

Finger painting on tablet with Ibis Paint App

I followed a Procreate tutorial, from memory, lol, and did the above finger painting on my tablet using Ibis Paint.

Ibis Paint is a nifty art program with lots of brushes and materials, layers, etc., and it's totally free on the Google Play Store.  They do make you watch one add every day to unlock ALL of the brushes, but there are so many brushes.  You can pay a small fee if you don't want to deal with ads.  

I couldn't draw yesterday because my best friend was in town, and I was going through withdrawal so I searched the google store for drawing apps and found several. I downloaded a few but this was my favorite one.  It reminds me of Procreate...not that I've ever used Procreate, lol.  It just feels familiar to me from all of the Youtube Videos I've watched.  Anyway, Ibis Paint is amazing!  

If you want a fun way to pass time while you're waiting, it's a great app! It works on phones and tablets, as long as you have touch screen. And you use your finger to draw instead of a pen so it's like being back in kindergarten, lol.

Seeing Cartoons Everywhere, lol

Cartoon Face in a Lily Pad

I went for a walk with a friend the other day and posted some photos on facebook.  One was of lily pads in the beaver pond.  There's a face in one of them...can you see it?

It's at the top right, but not quite the corner. In the corner, I swear I see the letter K, lol

I cropped the photo so you can see the face. My friends on Facebook love it, lol.  It sort of looks like Peppermint Patty from Peanuts, lol.

Digital Watercolor Tree

 I painted a tree!

Watercolor tree on Veikk VK 1200

I found a wonderful art teacher on Youtube. I love her tutorials and her art style too.  I just wish she wasn't drawing on an Ipad with Procreate.  I follow along as best as I can on my Veikk with Clip Studio Paint, lol.  So far, I think she's a way better teacher than the guy who's teaching the Udemy class I bought yesterday.

The artist's channel is called Genevieve's Art Studio, and her video is called How to Draw Watercolor Fall Trees in Procreate

Mine isn't as pretty as hers but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I learned how to do so many new things.  Now if only I remember them tomorrow, lol.

Another Box from Amazon with More Art Books

 I love Amazon Prime, lol.

Today I got another package, with four items I ordered arriving together. 

I ordered some anti static gloves for use with my tablet, 2 books on art, and a cover for my tablet.  The cover was super cheap (4.99 Canadian) and it works great!  It even lets me stand my tablet up at an angle. I'll have to take a photo of it later.

Unboxing always makes me feel like a kid on Christmas morning!

Both books were amazing!  One, the Art For Kids; Cartooning, by Art Roche, was fantastic!  I know it was for kids, and it was so short I read the entire thing in probably half an hour, but it is full of great tips and beautiful cartoon style artwork.  It will take me ages to get through the lessons inside.

The second book, Draw 100 Things that Make You Happy by Christopher Hart is also beautiful, just chock full of gorgeous artwork.  I got it because I think the style I want to draw for my cartoon is somewhere between simple drawings and his style. Maybe fatter less stylish versions of his style, lol. 

I did more of my online art class from Udemy today, and am looking forward to doing some of the actual drawing lessons later today.  I have to eat supper first.  

My best friend is coming to town tomorrow. She is Canadian but married an American and lives in the US.  She can finally come to visit.  She only lives an hour and a half a way, but because of the border restrictions, I haven't seen her in a year and a half. That's the longest we've ever gone without seeing eachother.

She's only coming for the afternoon tomorrow; and will be spending most of her time with her Mom for this first visit.  Her Mom is now fully vaccinated, and so is my friend.  I am going for my second shot on Saturday.  Then it will take 2 weeks until I develop the antibodies, so I'll get to spend time with Laurie next time she visits. Tomorrow we'll just stay 6 feet apart and visit in the back yard (her Mom lives next door to me).  

Learning Digital art with Udemy, Youtube & Books (Oh My!)

 Udemy, Online Learning

I am a BIG fan of Udemy, an online learning platform that has GREAT sales.  Seriously, never buy anything there for regular price because if you wait a few days you'll get the same course for over 100 dollar off, lol. 

I've been watching Youtube videos for hours every day, and I ordered some art books, and they're great. I love them.  But then I remembered Udemy, and I remembered that a few years ago I started an art class on Udemy and never finished it.  You see, the pandemic hit, and I totally forgot about art.  I just obsessively read the news every day all day for about 6 months or more. My brain just couldn't learn new things at the time.  I'm so glad that things have changed and I'm now able to learn again.

So I found my old sketchbook and was impressed by what I'd learned.  Also impressed by my sketches. I wanted to follow the rest of the course using my drawing tablet and clip studio paint, but I really don't know enough about how to use either one yet.  So I did a search to see if Udemy had any classes on learning how to draw on Clip Studio and found 2!  And they were both on sale. So this morning at around 8:30 AM, I bought both.

The first is called Clip Studio Paint Pro/Ex and it basically teaches students how to use Clip Studio.  The course is a few years old and Clip Studio has updated quite a few times but I'm still learning a lot.  

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I learned on my own, by watching Youtube and reading tutorials. I didn't think I knew much at all yet, but I had already learned a lot of the first few lessons, which was great.  There was also a lot that I didn't know, which is handy.

After doing the class for HOURs today, I thought I must be coming near to the end of the class.  Boy, was I surprised to find out that I was on lesson 32 of 216, lol.  

I've just gotten out of the "how to use the basics" of clip studio and am getting into the intro of how to actually draw on clip studio, which is great.  I got the class on sale for $16.99 US...so about $20 or so Canadian.  The regular price is $119.00, which I could never afford.  But like I said, NEVER pay full price on Udemy, unless you're rich and want to support the instructors. If you're rich, go for it, lol, but if you're like me then wait for a sale :-). 

The second class I bought is called A Pro's Guide to Coloring with Clip Studio Paint.  It was also on sale for  $16.99, down from $54.00.  It looks really good and  I can't wait to get into it, but I need to get the basics down first. 

Tomorrow some of the books I ordered online should also come in, lol.  I'm going to be super busy for a long time.  I plan to download the second course, pack up and take my drawing tablet, laptop, and a bunch of books (and my parrot) out to our cottage for a few weeks.  We don't have cable or internet out there so I'll be able to keep busy with drawing.  I'm so looking forward to it. 

Still Life and Scenery on New Art Tablet

 I've been practicing on my Veikk art tablet some more, and having a blast.  

Digital painting of apple, following a Youtube tutorial

I followed a Youtube tutorial to do this apple, and I'm really pleased with how it came out, especially since the tutorial was done on an Ipad using Procreate and mine was drawn on my Veikk using Clip Studio.  I hope I can find more tutorials like that.

Just playing around with various brushes

The dock photo is just one I came up with on my own...just playing with brushes and trying out different effects. I forgot to put in the reflection of the mountains...oops, lol.  

Lesson 1 from my new art book

The simple shaded sphere was lesson one from my new book, How to Draw in 30 days. 

Simple cartoony style, practicing with the tablet

Lastly, this little house drawing was just me practicing how to use layers and the reference tools.  I think I still like this simple style the best, although I did have fun doing the apple.

I'm really enjoying this :-)

Catie in MeowMeowland, Beautiful and Quirky Puzzle Game

Uncle Buck's 90th Birthday

 My Uncle Buck Turned 90 a few weeks ago

...and yesterday I was able to go visit  him because he was finally fully vaccinated.  I had to wait 2 weeks after his second shot to go over.

I actually didn't HAVE to wait as nobody else did and the rest of the family had a big indoor party for him 2 weeks ago, just a few days after he had his second shot. I was so angry with my family members, because he's 90 and needs to be kept safe. It was a nice day on his birthday and I suggested people visit individually or in small groups out on the deck, outside, but nobody listened to me and everyone went in. 

I sent him a balloon bouquet and dropped off a gift but didn't go in until 2 weeks later.

Yesterday I dropped off his other gift.  It was nice to see him.

I had a photo mug made for him.  His beloved wife, my aunt Cobie, passed away 6 years ago, and he was thrilled to see her on his new mug.  He told me that now he can have coffee with her again

I also was able to set up his other gift, the Echo Show 5.  I got him the Echo Dot a few years ago and he LOVES it and uses it all day every day to play his favorite music from Amazon Prime, and to ask Alexa questions.  So this year I updated him to the Show.  I was just going to buy him the newest echo dot, but this show 5 was only 10 dollars more.  He really loves it, and was amazed by how much it can do.  I showed him how to watch Youtube videos, and lots of other stuff.  He loves that he gets videos or still photos with his music now.

When the Echo Show is at rest, it shows a clock radio type face with the time and date, and weather. I also uploaded a bunch of photos for my uncle, so he can ask to see them and it will play a slideshow.

I asked the rest of the family to download the Alexa app to their phones so they can video chat with him, but so far nobody has except for me.  Plus I'm not really sure how that feature will work as my uncle doesn't have his own mobile phone so his show is tied to my phone, and my amazon plan.  That way he gets the free music because my family pays for the subscription.  We have the family plan.

He was really happy with his gifts.  I'm so glad.  I can't imagine being 90 years old.  He was around before TV! 

New CheapTablet, Book, and Tablet Case Arrived

My New Stuff Arrived, Yay!

I LOVE Getting boxes from Amazon.  I was so looking forward to this one, and it came so quickly!

There were lots of great things inside!

Like my new super cheap tablet, a Dragon Touch Max 10 ten inch tablet, which I plan to use to watch Youtube Tutorials and read Kindle books about art while using my art tablet.

And this cool book by Mark Kistler, called "You Can Draw in 30 Days".  He has a very nice writing style, and is super encouraging and warm.

My new tablet case also arrived. It's big enough to hold both the drawing tablet and the new Dragon Max 10 tablet, plus the cords and pens and anti static glove. I'm really impressed with it, although I wish it was thicker and more sturdy.  It's fine for using in the house but I'd be worried to take this out and about.

Here are all of the goodies, back in the box :-). 

The tablet works great, considering it was so cheap, and it's nice and big so I can more easily follow along with the tutorials than I could on my little phone. 

I'm very happy with it, and as an added bonus, I can use it to follow recipes in the kitchen, and for video chatting with friends.  I'm very happy with it, considering it was only $229.00 Canadian, with a 30 dollars off coupon that brought it down to just below 200 bucks.  The battery life is great too.  The only bad thing about it is that it's not bright enough for outside use in bright sunlight. It's perfect for indoors though.

Back to Simple Cartoon/Comic Style

 I think I like the simple style best so far...

I'm using a book called "How to Draw Cute Stuff" by Angela Nguyen, and it is just the cutest little drawing book every.    It's probably for children, but I don't care, as it really makes me smile. 

The little girl above is my attempt at drawing one of the hairstyles in Angela's book.  I really like how she came out. 

The little doodles above are simple doodles from her book, where she's showing us that circles can be made into lots of differnt animals. I also followed her shading and "use pastel colors' advice for this one.

I bought the book at Coles bookstore, but it is also available on Amazon. It has so many cute human and animal characters, as well as little cars and cupcakes, etc.  It's just really cute.

I also ordered some new art books on Amazon.  

Captain Bones, Fun Survival Crafting Pirate Game

Fred and George Weasley, as Cartoons 

LOL

Learning how to draw faces looking in different directions, second try. 

 Yesterday I drew the two faces below.  I was unhappy with the fact that their eyes were too high up, so today I redrew them.  I lowered the eyes and eyebrows to line up better with the ears.  I learned how to blend the hair highlights better, and learned how to clip layers to the layers below, which was cool...and I guess how Clip Studio got it's name, lol. 

I used so many layers I got confused for a bit, lol, but it all worked out in the end when I remembered I could put layers in folders to help better organize.  I'm still having fun, and still learning a lot :-).  I'm also still forgetting a lot of what I learn, but I guess with time, practice, and repetition, I'll start to remember more.

Learning how to draw faces looking in different directions, first try.

Obsessed with Tablets and Bought ANOTHER New one

 I thought I was done with art practice for today but...

...I decided to try another Youtube Tutorial...one showing how to draw heads.

This is wobbly and I think the eyes are too high, but I'm happy with how much I learned.  It's not easy, learning how to use the drawing tablet, the art software, AND learning how to draw all at once, lol, but I'm having such a blast with this. 

They kind of remind me of Shaggy from Scooby Doo...maybe they are his cousins, lol.

I want to try again right now and lower the eyes and do red hair for the Weasley twins, lol, but it's almost 2 AM and I'm exhausted. 

I watched hours worth of art tutorials again today, but this is the one I tried to follow: How to Draw Simple Faces by Marc Brunet

It's a good tutorial but a bit hard to follow because he kept flipping his work sideways without telling us or warning us that he was going to do it and I didn't always notice and kept drawing on the wrong head, lol.  

To be fair, I was watching on a tiny screen that I could barely see.  It annoyed me so much that I ordered a cheap but large tablet off Amazon.  My old tablet won't work any more, and my phone is just too small.  My drawing tablet requires my computer to work.  If I had to do it all over again I think I'd just get an ipad pro instead of having to deal with so many different screens. They're super expensive though, and I couldn't justify it since I'm not an artist, just a beginner who is having fun learning.  

I was going to buy a new tablet eventually so my Dad can look at recipes.  I'm too scared to let him use my good gaming laptop near ingredients, lol.  

I ordered the Dragon Touch Max 10 Tablet.  It was only $229.00 Canadian including the protective cover, and I had a $30 dollars off coupon so it just came to $203.00 Canadian including tax, with free shipping.  

It runs Android 10, and at 10 inches it will be much easier to watch Youtube tutorials than on my little phone.  

It's kind of a pain in the butt that to draw I'll need my drawing tablet, my laptop, and also this extra tablet to watch videos while I draw, lol, but once I learn what I'm doing I won't need to watch videos.  Plus, I don't need paper or paint or pencils or markers, etc.  Plus, it's fun and I LOVE tech.  

I Tried to Follow a Cool "How to Color Eye" Tutorial

 YouTube Tutorials are Amazing!

I found so many great artists online. One, a super talented gal who goes by the name "Loves2DrawManga," has many great tutorials using Clip Studio Paint, and one caught my eye (sorry, "eye" couldn't resist). 

My first digitally colored eye, following a cool tutorial by Love2DrawManga on Youtube

This was a coloring tutorial, and I was drawn to it because I really love the artist's work, and this particular tutorial seemed simple and I thought I could remember the steps. 

I was wrong, and had to watch the tutorial on my phone and pause and rewind a bazillion times. The joys of getting old. What on earth made me think I should get into art at the age of 57, lol? 

 I need my computer to run my digital art software, and it's too annoying to go between the art program and Youtube, so I had to use my phone...which strained my eyes, even with my reading glasses on.   

However it was worth it.  This gal makes amazing tutorials and I learned a lot.  This was a coloring tutorial, so I need to see if she has a sketching tutorial, because my sketches are sketchy, lol.  

I'm still happy with how this turned out, and if you want to try it, you can find the tutorial here: How to Color a Manga Eye Digitally for Beginners

Using 3 D Models as sketch references

 Clip Studio Paint has 3D models

I'm learning new things every single day! Today I learned about using 3D models.  You import a model and then lower the colors so they're muted, and then make a sketch layer on top so you can design clothes right on the model. It's a good way to learn the proportions of the human figure.  Here's my first and second try.  

Using 3D models in Clip Studio

Using 3 D models in clip studio

The models are naked and have no hair or facial features, so you can draw clothes, hair, eyes, noses, lips, etc., right over them.

 I'm still learning, so my drawing is very basic, lol.  The only difference between the two pics above is that I moved the eyes on the second photo, and changed the colors. I also omitted the shadow under the feet because it looked too much like when the Sims pee themselves, lol  

I watched a bazillion drawing and digital art tutorials on YouTube today, and learned a lot.  I've managed to retain some of the info too, lol. 

I like my freehand drawings of my self character better than this, but I wanted to learn to use the modeling tool.  I still need to learn how to do hair, shading, proper sketching...there's so much to learn, but for now, I'm just trying to learn the digital art program and get used to my new drawing tablet. 

Smokey the bird as a Cartoon with Digital Art

 More Cartoon practice...

...all of these sketches were done freehand by me.  First I did a sketch layer, where I do a rough sketch.  Then a line layer were I trace my own sketch.  Then a color/fill layer where I add color.  Sometimes I add a balloon text layer too. 

I've been turning Smokey into a cartoon. Here she is wishing everyone a Happy 4th of July

It's July 4th, so I drew this little cartoon of Smokey wishing my US friends a Happy 4th of July. 

Smokey sleeping and snoring

I also practiced different facial expressions.  This (above) is Smokey's sleepy/snoring face, lol. I love it. I even think I like this simple style better than the one, below. 

Another version of Smokey...

I've decided I want to use hearts in her cartoon design...or sort of heart shapes.  One for her face mask, and one for her chest.  Just loosely based on hearts, but it simplifies things. 

AngrySmokey

I am bad at doing the side view, open mouth (above) so I need to keep practicing.  I think the mask is too severe here so I need to round off the bottom part.  I was going for an angry look here, and I think I got it, lol. 

I used the photos I traced earlier today as references but did not trace them, I sketched them myself. 

I think I'm improving a bit.  I just need to keep practicing.

I'm really enjoying my new Veik VK 1200 pen display tablet. It's not perfect, but it's pretty cool.