Two more sketches for Inktober

Here two more sketches done in Crescent Rendr sketchbook.

Day 2

Day 3

I think I will start doing pencil work first and then ink them. Also, I will take my time with the drawing.

#inktober2016 #inktober

My first InkTober

This is my first time participating in the InkTober challenge. Last year I shied away from it because I am not good at inking, or ink work. This year I decided to embrace the challenge for what it is, an opportunity to practice, create healthy drawing habits and improve my skills.

If you don't know what it is, InkTober is a challenge created by artist Jake Parker, where artists from all around the world create a daily ink drawing during the month of October. The drawings have to be done in ink; pencil is allow for the under drawing. Post it online and hashtag it #inktober or #inktober2016.  If you need prompts, there is a prompt list for each day. I am not using it yet, but I might.

So in the month of October you might see some of my messy drawings, but hopefully at the end there will be some good pieces that will show improvement. I am not planning of do this challenge completely blind, without researching and study a bit. That is why I will be using some books to get some advice and techniques about drawing with ink.

Join me and other artist this month to create and to grow as artist and creative people.

What other challenges do you know of? Which ones have you been part of?

So far I know of 29faces challenge by Ayala Art and Inktober.

Cheap DIY Holiday Decoration

Inexpensive ways of decorating jars, candles, and more for any holiday season. Many of use buy lots of decorations and crafts materials and forget them in a drawer or just use them once. This short video will jumpstart your imagination with a different approach to using your materials. Great for home, office or as a little way to make your gifts prettier.





Music: "Deck the Halls B" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

DIY cheap canvas panel alternatives

Cheap, light and a great way to recycle and use the materials you have around. They will help you to go past the fear of messing up a good and expensive canvas panel when trying new techniques. 

Hope this video jumpstart your creativity and help you come up with more ideas to create your own canvas panels or painting surfaces. If you don't have canvas fabric you can use a few layers of a thinner fabric layered over your substrate or a thicker fabric and simply prepare it the same way I did here. 

There are other ways to create nice and inexpensive painting surfaces. Check some of my other posts for more ideas:

Painting surfaces: Art wood panels and how to prepare them for painting

Chipboard art journal

Digital portrait study and speed up video

 Here is may realistic digital study portrait, drew with Manga Studio 5x. I wanted to keep it within a one hour frame, but still went 5 minutes over. This was a great exercise to do and it was fun to learn a bit about how the program works and what I can do with it.

For reference, I used Rembrandt's Portrait of Haesje van Cleyburgh. There are many issues glaring back at me in terms of resemblance, but I am happy with what I have accomplished with the program so far.


Here is the speed up video, enjoy!!

Painting surfaces: Art wood panels and how to prepare them for painting

Art wood panels were used by the Old Masters, before stretches canvas appear and are still use by some artist today. They are a nice, although sometimes an expensive alternative to paint on. I found they are also a good option for painting studies and practice; depending on the medium used, both sides can be used saving money (as long as you find a cheap alternative) and space in your home .

They are also great for finished pieces, but I would recommend a good quality wood and careful preparation for that. It is important to seal and protect all the wood exposed surfaces.

Painting  on panel is a gratifying experience and proof to be a good support for different styles of painting. As long as it's surface is prepared with the appropriate medium (pastel ground, gesso, watercolor ground, oil ground, etc) it is a very versatile support. Also, the possible shapes are a great jumpstart for the artist creative imagination.

It is always interesting and gratifying to explore different art supplies and mediums, and so it is with different painting surfaces.

Here is a quick video briefly showing how I prepare my panels for painting and some of the other alternatives I have found to the most expensive art wood panels in the market.

Watch me paint a bit while I review a new canvas notebook and new brand of acrylic paint

Check out this speed up painting while I review Cottonwood Arts canvas notebook and a new brand of acrylic paints, Twinkle Verse The Essentials (available in Amazon).

Final faces for the 29 faces challenge

These are way overdue, I finished my 29 faces challenge a few days ago. I decided to practice with small faces, trying to focus just on the shadow shapes. It was challenging for me to work this size, because it forced me to look at shapes and I kept trying to go for details. A very good exercise though, it helps to teach observation and to work from large shapes to smaller ones.

 Faces 21-26

Faces 27-28

Face 29

I think I will keep doing this as warm ups as well as to teach my self to observe and have patience.

I really enjoyed this challenge, and I am planning to enter again next time. Click on the link above if you want to know more about it.

Growing in the imperfection

I have been having a hard time giving value and recognizing my quick and experimental sketches as something important and worth showing. Just because they don't fit the mental image I have of how I wanted it, doesn't mean they are not good. Nor the fact that I was just experimenting and playing around and things didn't work out as I thought they would.

Warm ups for figure drawing

 

 

Every little sketch, word, musical note, sculpture that is created, regardless of our opinion on it been successful or not, is worth something. It mark a step closer to our goal, to the final product, to something maybe even better than the first image we have of it in our heads.

Hand studies

  

That is the reason why I decided to start counting the faces I am making or struggling to make as part of the 29 faces challenge, regardless of how much they represent or not my best skills and art. This is not easy, I feel raw, exposed and vulnerable. Why? Because I want to show you my best, I want my art to touch you in the best way possible. And it is with that thought in mind that I am showing you the not so perfect, because I want to inspire you to practice and keep moving forward regardless what your art is; I want to grow in this artistic endeavor with you.

Faces #16 & #17 (Distress and Tombow watercolor markers)

Face #18 (Inktense blocks on Stillman & Bin Beta Series Sketchbook)

Face #19 (art journal page in progress)

Face #20 (Study for future painting)

Not everything is perfect, we are not perfect, but there is beauty in the imperfect and the possibility to grow. Looking at how we progresses in our respective arts is very rewarding and fill us we pride and even more motivation to continue honing our skills and craft.

Markers and more markers!!

The 29 faces challenge is almost over and I am still trying to catch up. This is a goal I set for myself, so I am really trying to finish all 29 faces, even if it is after the challenge ends. As with all of the other faces, I have been experimenting and practicing with a variety of media.

Face #14 is another alcohol marker (Copic markers) on Copic marker paper, this time, as you can see, with inked lines.

I have always admire those beautiful line and marker illustrations, so I decided to stop postponing it for a later time and start practicing. I am way far from where I want to be, however I am feeling more inspire to continue practicing and see how much I can improve. 

Face#15, the same approach as with face #4.

Here I tried to get a better blending. I really like how the face came out. It is fun and challenging at the same time, such an unforgiving but also liberating media. 

Finally, 13 is here!!!

Here is face #13 "Bold" for the 29 faces challenge.

 She went through many changes for the last 3 days ( 1 hour each day), and I wish I would have been able to make her eyelashes better, and that my glitter paint were in a better condition, even though I just opened it for this project. Another thing to my liking is that some of the paper shows and compliment the piece very nicely. 

In a way this is a good study for painting drapery, something I really need to practice. 

More and more faces and grounds to play with!!!!

Here trying to catch up. I stayed behind a bit again, because the grounds I am trying out needed 24 hours to dry before using them.

Face #10

This cute "Fae Princess" is a mixed media piece. I used Caran D'Ache gouache studio set, colored pencils, Sharpie paint marker and a bit of acrylic over a paper treated with Daniel Smith transparent watercolor ground. Here I used the gouache very diluted, making it transparent like watercolors.

I still don't know how I feel about this ground. I didn't find it to be too absorbent, although I did not use a very thick layer on the paper. I put two coats of this ground on the papers. It is indeed better than untreated paper; maybe some more experimentation, on other surfaces, is in order to give a final verdict about this. It does dry clear, which give you the advantage of using the substrate color to your advantage. It does comes with a white finish though. 

Face #11, "Forest Fae" was also created on paper treated with Daniel Smith transparent watercolor ground  but with this one I only used gouache. I really like her too, she looks innocent and sweet to me; maybe is that huge bright eye.

 Here I took advantage of the green of the paper, as it also inspired the color scheme. So the fact that the watercolor ground was transparent helped me here.

For face #12

The surface Martha Stewart stucco ground was used. I really enjoy working on textured surface. I feel it give a certain character and interest to the pieces. This ground too need 24 hrs to dry before using it.
I wish I would have applied it more uneven, an also used less concentrated acrylic so it has more dimension. Even though, I like the old weathered look it has. I will continue exploring this idea in other pieces.

Face 9/29 faces

Here is a 10 minutes sketch in graphite pencil for my face #9 of the 29 Faces challenge. Again, I prepared the paper with Acrylic ground for pastel from Golden.

I am thinking about exploring drawing facial hair more in depth.

Playing with acrylic grounds and mediums

Here are my faces #7 and #8. I fell behind and now I am trying to catch up. Still experimenting with my supplies.

Face #7 was done in acrylics over a red canvas fabric treated with clear gesso. I used Liquitex Slow-Dri Blending gel. I like how it helps me blend better, but I am still playing with the medium/paint ratio. I have some tackiness due to too much medium.

In the case of #8 I used acrylic grounds for pastel by Golden. It can be use with any drawing media plus they say also acrylics and oil. I did found difficult and almost impossible to erase the graphite from this, however it provided a nice texture to the smooth paper I have there.

"Prayer": face 6 of 29 faces challenge

Here is my face #6, titled "Prayer". I prepared the paper with two thin coats of clear gesso. I was going to do it in color but then decided to go for a grey monochromatic color scheme. I think I worked great because the hearts from the paper stand out a bit and direct the eye to her. Plus the blueish undertone of the paint symbolized the "feeling blue" sentiment. When I feel blue I pray and then I am back to color.

Hands are always a challenge for me, and at first I wasn't sure to add it or not, but it was asking for it. It didn't feel finish nor did it conveyed the emotion and story I wanted. So I decided to add it. Not the best hand, but it does help to make the picture complete.

Face #5 29 Faces challenge

For this one I decided to try a set of CretacoloR oil based colored pencils. It is a very limited color set as you can see, but I have had it for a few years and never use it. So I decided to give it a try. 

They smudged a bit and stained my hand, specifically the black one. However I think they might be good to use with watercolors, because I will not loose my sketch lines and it might provide a nice look. I guess I will be experimenting with them again. 

I tried to see if the white would look white on top of the others but it mostly blended and lightened the other colors, so I don't have the lightest lights in this one. But I think that my witch came out okay. I am having fun trying to create different expressions and perspectives. It has been a good practice. 

Pretty and useful Origami

Origami can be more than just beautiful pieces of folded paper with no other use what so ever. Not that I am good at it, I always need to follow instructions, and even then I have trouble making it. However, for a long time I have wanted to do one of those pretty kimono girls that I have seen online. So I finally decided to do it. 

After some mistakes and some perseverance, I mange to make the two girls you see here. Now what? What can I do with them? Then I remember that I was (still am) in need of lots bookmarks. So I decided to make them bookmarks. In order to protect my origami girls and to keep them intact as well as functional, I decided to laminate them. 

This part didn't went smooth, I did mess it up, but manage to salvage my bookmarks. After sealing it the first time, I cut around the shape (not too close to it), punched the hole for the tread and pass it one more time through my laminating machine. This will also allow for the pretty back of the kimono to show.

 

If you don't have a laminating machine, you can use wide clear tape or a clear self adhesive paper (for example: Con-Tact paper).

Face #4 29 faces challenge

Today was a busy day but things got accomplished. Falling asleep every now and then I mange to draw my fourth face. I lost the gesture I was looking for and since my challenge today was to sketch with markers first, I couldn't erase. I din't want to give up on her, so I just pushed it and ended up learning a few things.

I used alcohol markers, colored pencils and gel pens on Copic paper. I glued it in my journal.

Trying out some grounds

Hello there!! Hope you are trying out and experimenting with new things. Today I had some fun experimenting with fiber paste as a ground in order to prepare my page for my third face from the 29 Faces challenge.

This medium give the surface you apply it to nice texture, one similar to handmade papers. You can sand it a bit if you want, I did it bit, but then some of the nice texture was lost.

I think it is a medium worth playing with and trying it with different materials. For example, I used Prismacolor colored pencils, but I think it would be nice to pastels, charcoal, pencil and even paint. Anyway, here is my third face from the challenge. I decided to add more fiber paste over it to give it a different look.

As you can see, fiber paste doesn't have to be use just as a ground.

Patterned paper as inspiration

My new schetchbook/art journal for the 29 Faces 2016 challenge have prove to be a great idea. The patterned paper have been a source of inspiration at different stages of the drawing/painting process. Although this is only the second face, my sketchbook have provided me direction, inspiration and freedom.

Since I first saw the paper used for this face, I knew I wanted to draw a male. Because the paper is tick and textured, and was already stretched/glued to the chipboard page, I decided to dive right in with acrylic paint without preparing it with gesso. I did a light sketch of the face first, then I decided to use a limited number of colors as part of a challenge and experimenting process. The colors were, scarlet red, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue and unbleached titanium white. From there I mixed all my colors, adjusting with the unbleached titanium white.

In the middle of the process I realized that the paper was looking like the sea and no more like blue painted wood. That motivated me even more and filled me with excitement about this page. I only added a little blue around him to make it a bit darker and make him part of the page a little bit more naturally. 

Once again, I have tones of fun experimenting here. The paper hold up beautifully and I starting to feel motivated, inspired and fearless about experimenting again. 

What are you doing to keep yourself motivated and inspired? Are you been fearless in your art or craft?

And the journey starts!!! First face for 29 Faces challenge

Hello everyone, even though I woke up sick today I manage to make my first face for the Feabruary 2016 #29 Faces challenge.

 I used Polychromos and white gel pen. I am glad that I made my journal the way I did (check video below). It did work for me to be fearless and just start drawing. I did wanted to put some gesso on the paper but since I wasn't feeling well I just went straight to drawing. At first I was like, "oh this is going no where", "it is not nice" and all that blah blah blah. However, since I wasn't afraid of messing up the page I stuck at it and the final result, to me, is not that bad. However, the experience of the moment is well worth it. It showed me that if I keep moving forward I can accomplish something good. So I will keep pushing forward, and I know that not all of them are going to be successful, but I also know that I will learn something from the experience so at the end I will have success. Remember, it all depends on how you look at the half glass of water, do you see the empty space or the filled one?