First Day of Inktober: DREAM/Procreate

 Inktober 2023 is Here

Every year I find out about Inktober too late to join but this year I was on time and plan on drawing or painting something every day!

Today's Prompt: DREAM

Inktober 2023: Dream/Done in Procreate #tatyworks

Today's prompt was dream so I did this dreamcatcher in procreate, following a tutorial by the talented Genevieve of Genevieve's Design Studio, on Youtube. 

Dreamcatcher tutorial

It was a wonderful tutorial and I really like Genevieve explains all of the steps because it's been awhile since i used procreate and I've forgotten how to use it, lol.

I used watercolor brushes to get the soft, dreamy look.

I had a lot of fun and am looking forward to this challenge.

July is World Watercolor Month, here is Week 1, completed (watercolor, gouache, painting)

 World Watercolor Month

Himi Gouache

So this first one was done a week before #worldwatercolormonth. I'd just purchased a new set of Miya Himi Jelly Gouache and wanted to try them out.  I really like it. I followed a tutorial by Ruth Wilshaw.

Maimeriblu Venezia paint on dollarama paper, lol; 19 year old paint!

This second one was my first time trying out my 19 year old Maimeriblu Venezia paints, to see if they still worked. They were fine!  I just used Dollarama watercolor paper because I had no idea what I was doing, and the paper curled. I followed a tutorial by the Frugal Crafter.

Nancy's Kayak, Himi Gouache on Dollarama Paper.

I still didn't know that World Watercolor Month was a thing, or that the prompt for the day was 
"sunlit",  but I just happened to paint this, based on a photo my friend Nancy took while out kayaking.  It was Canada Day, July 1st and I wanted to paint a Canadian scene (this is Lake Superior).

First time trying Plein Air painting, Belleview Park, the wind turned the page and made a mess, lol

Redoing the scene from Belleview Park at home, with a photo I took while out trying to plein air paint.  

On July 2nd, I went out to our local park to get photos of the sunset,but more importantly, to wait for the moon rise. It was the night of the Buck Moon, and it also would have been my Uncle Buck's 92nd birthday (he passed away in late June).  On  a whim, I took along my mini (palm sized) sketchbook and my Winsor and Newton Cotman field kit. I forgot to bring a pencil or a clip for my book, and sat down to try to paint. The sun set AND the wind turned the page, leaving me with a mess, but I still had fun. When I got home I tried again in my sketchbook, using a photo I'd taken at the park. I started it but it was very late so I finished it on the 3rd. I was very happy with my first "original" artwork in watercolor.

The next day July 3rd, I discovered World Watercolor month was a thing, and that the prompt of the day was "raspberry". When I started my sketchbook, I'd left the first page, front and back blank as I didn' want to ruin it, lol and started my first painting on the second page (see above).  I finished it and decided to use the back of the first page for the raspberry. I followed a tutorial by Julie Lis Art Tutorials for the berry.

"burst" 

July 4h, the prompt was burst. Since July 4th is Independence day in the US, I did some fireworks in watercolor with a crayon resist.

"startle"

July 5th was Startle so I did owls, as they always seem startled. I made one much fatter and he broke the branch, but the snapped branch doesn't really show, lol. I put the wrong date in my sketchbook. 

My second try at plein air, Cotmans in tiny sketchbook, Whitefish Island

On July 6 I took my little sketchbag on my walk to Whitefish Island.  I sketched this quickly while sitting on the boardwalk over the beaver pond.  I remembered my pencil, and a clip to keep my pages from closing this time. I also brought a pen. I was much happier with this experience.

"flavor", watercolors

I did an extra painting on July 6 because the prompt was "flavor" and I wanted to try out my Mozart Komorebi Watercolors 

"Lemon" Miya Himi 

Day 7, July 7, the prompt was "lemon", so I painted these lemons using my Miya Himi Gouache, from a reference photo.  I was really happy with this one and discovered I prefer gouache to watercolor for painting more detail.  I have more control with gouache; but not as much as I do with acrylics (which I still prefer).  The gouache is fun and I am learning a lot. I do love the watercolors; I just need more practice.   Which I will get if I keep going, painting every day.  It's an excellent challenge and a fun way to learn, but a LOT of work, lol.

Well, that's it for week 1. See you at the end of week 2.

Today's art: Poppy in Alcohol Marker & Pencil Crayon: My 1st Time using Alcohol Markers

 My First Time using Alcohol Markers

Poppy done in Alcohol Marker and Pencil Crayon

I bought a set of Bianyu Alcohol Markers off Amazon.ca on sale for $36.99 for a set of 72 markers complete with carrying case and blender.

Bianyu Markers

The above pic is from Amazon and this is exactly what I used.

I have never used Alcohol Markers before and was worried about the smell, but unless you stick them directly under your nose and sniff, they weren't strong and I didn't even notice any smell for the entire time I was drawing/coloring (about 2 hours). 

I used this photo by James Lee as a reference photo, found on unsplash, which has royalty free photos. You can find it here: poppy reference photo.

I sort of followed this tutorial by The Frugal Crafter, Lindsay Weirich, on Youtube. You can find it here: Poppy tutorial

I say sort of because Lindsay is a real artist and she's really good and I am just learning, so I wasn't able to follow exactly. For one, I need more practice with sketching lol.  I really like her tutorials though; she's really good.

Today's Art: Watercolor and Derwent Inktense, Happy Halloween!

 Happy Halloween!

First time using watercolor in over 18 years

I am so happy with the way this painting/illustration came out!  I used my new Winsor & Newton Cotman Field set for the background, and Derwent Inktense ink pencils for the foreground.  I also used a white gel pen for the eyes and stars and signature.  It was a lot of fun, but wow, does it ever take longer than using procreate.  I waited for the first background layer to dry naturally, but then after I added more color, I used a blow dryer to dry the second layer. So funny to need water and blow dryers to make art, lol.  

I had a lot of fun and I followed a tutorial by Draw with David, on Youtube to make this. You can find it here: Halloween Cat with Spooky Tree

Procreate art: Pumpkin Farm

 

Pumpkin Patch Farm on Procreate

Pumpkin Farm Procreate Art

I was in a fall mood today and decided to try my hand at pumpkin patch. I googled for images of pumpkins, pumpkin farms, barns, and ended up looking at at several photos in order to put this together.

I love painting without a tutorial because I enjoy the creative process, but my art always looks so much nicer when I use tutorials.

I accidentally switched art styles part way through this, lol.  I did the fields and fence and pumpkins in a sort of story book illustration style before supper, then took a long break and suddenly switched to more realism with my trees clouds, and the roof of the barn.  The base of the barn is more cartoony so it looks weird, but I love the colors and am happy with how this came out. Using these colors makes me very happy.  I hope you guys like it too.

Kalimbas are AWESOME

I Discovered Kalimbas!

I am super excited because I used to play the guitar (years ago) and I haven't been able to play for a long time because of injuries and a wonky finger. So earlier this week I googled "musical instruments that don't require index fingers" lol, and a Kalimba was recommended.

I had no idea a Kalimba was, so I googled it, and instantly fell in love.  I also fell down the Youtube rabbit hole and spent way too much time watching everyone playing Kalimba.

Then I checked on Amazon and was shocked by how affordable they are.  So I bought one. And then another one. And then one for my best friend lol.

My clear acrylic Cat Kalimba arrived first, on Wednesday night. I was super excited and couldn't wait to play.  But then on Thursday my uncle Carlo passed away unexpectedly.  I spent the day with relatives.  

On Friday I finally pulled out my Kalimba, and my best friend's Kalimba arrived, so we both started at the same time (she LOVES hers too). 

Anyway, I decided to record my Kalimba journey.  Here is the first song I learned; Kumbaya, my Lord. 

I also learned how to do a greenscreen video, except I do not own a green screen and used a turquoise towel, so it's not perfect.  Neither is my playing, but I LOVE it!

 

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. 

My First (VERY Short) Comic Strip

 So this is Day3 of learning digital art on Clip Studio Paint.  

I'm still having a blast. 

First Life with Smokey Comic strip

I learned how to do speech and thought balloons; yay!

I also learned how to put backgrounds on text (the white surrounding the word "crunch") and although it took forever, I learned how to change the text into a raster layer so I could select it with the lasso tool and rotate it .  Happy days, lol.

I just hope I can retain the info.  I'm learning so much, and if I can even retain one thing out of every 3 things I learn, I'll be happy, lol.  

Smokey HAS actually chewed my books before, and she does know how to say "No" and responds to my questions, so this is semi realistic, although to be honest I just added the book because her wing/arms looked weird without holding something.

I had a bit of a hard time with the book but I sketched everything out before doing the line drawing (the black lines).  My hands are still shaky but I discovered the STABILIZATION tool, which really, really helps.

It takes me way longer than I'd like to do these little drawings.  I watch real artists on YouTube and am blown away by how fast they can draw.  It's amazing...like watching magic.  I'm sure I'll get faster with practice, and that I'll get better with practice.  

Watercolour paintings

I did these paintings a few years ago...I was just learning how to do various techniques.  I want to use these photos with my poems, to create a book, just for myself, of my work.

LOL, my notes are on the bottom of most of these, and you can see the word "ultramarine" in the bottom right hand corner of this one, lol.