yiddlenet

I needed a diversion from the moon bunnies. I know I need to just sit down and finish that one, but it feels flat and icky and I don’t know exactly what it needs so I’ve been putting it off. Tonight I thought I should at least paint something, and this is one I’ve wanted to start for a while; my sister, doing what she does best, loving up one of her babies. I got a good start (see first image) but there’s a bunch of shape changes I still need to make before I start refining (see second image).

I had a prof who told us you should do a self-portrait once a year. quick one. don’t spend a lot of time on it. this took about an hour. getting better at skin tones and highlights, need to work on hair techniques. (ugh, both painting AND my real hair. i’m so clueless about some girl things)

Sketched in Painter X, checked proportions against photo reference in Photoshop, returned to Painter X for painting. Was pleasantly surprised that my proportions were almost right on the first time.

Painting #3 in the Natsuko’s Nap series. In this dream, Natsuko’s found a penguin friend. Haven’t you always wanted to hug a penguin? Scanned origami paper, Painter X and Photoshop CS3.

I’m calling this one done. I’m still not entirely happy with her hand or her hair, but if I keep going I’ll just keep going and going and going.

This is the first in what I hope will be a series of 12 digital paintings inspired by some gorgeous origami paper. I used Painter X and mainly focused on the Artist’s Oils and Sumi-e brushes.   Tonight I finished off her feet and hands and cleaned up some edges.  I told @ToddGallina I’d have her done by the 15th, and I squeaked in just under the deadline.  I should have him make imaginary deadlines for me more often.  I worked on the Cintiq at my new desk and I think I’m going to have to rearrange things a bit, my right arm and shoulder feel really tired even though I only spent about 2 hours on it.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted any real attempts at artwork.  Colors! paintings don’t count, not because Colors! isn’t a real app, but because those are more of an attempt just to make myself do some kind of art. Sometimes I get that icky “there’s no way I’ll ever have enough time to devote to being good, so whatever I produce is going to be crap” feeling. It’s horrible. I want to paint, need it so much it’s a physical feeling, but something stops me from starting.

That’s where WTCFF comes in. Thank God I have him around to believe in me. I tell him I’m in a slump, and he plays coach and cheerleader. He reminds me that I paint because I love it, and he gives me an assignment. And he follows up to make sure I’m doing it When I told him I was stuck again, he gave me this assignment: Ender’s Game. The formic queen OR the battle room. GO! (continue reading…)