Painting Sketchbook

For the longest time I've wanted to learn how to paint. Not just fumble around in the dark. But to really learn a practiced technique. Or at least become acquainted with one. 

For the longest time fear and over saturation got in the way of picking up a brush. Desperation began to set in as years rolled by with out dedicated action. There were too many false starts to count. Book after book went on the ol' Christmas list and YouTube videos played till my eyes bled.

Painting was always just a dream.

Odd isn't it? To have such a crippling fear of a medium. At the time it wasn't odd. But as I stand here now, typing this, remenicing back to those moments. It's all becoming laughably strange. And the path is still so new.

One fateful Christmas, a husband stepped in. He got me the  gift of a schoolism oil painting class with Tomas Fluharty, a master in the Dutch/Flemish style. 

That was for Christmas and the supplies were for the "push present".

Ladies... if you don't know what a push present is, then quickly school yourself! And log it away in your gift receiving calendar.

Two pieces were done...

First, to shake hands with the monochromatic under painting process.

Then we did the whole thing again and took the second piece through the color and correction stages. Unfortunately, it's taken more than a couple tumbles. And somehow... I got white paint on his snooter. Not a even the hint of a clue as to when it happened. The thing's been up on the wall for ages. A constant wonkey reminder.

Walked away with an "Excellent" from the class. Which, if I remember correctly is like a 4 out of 5 score. But me thinks Mr. Fluharty (who was a great teacher!) is just a kind person. Compared to most of the others in the class my work was a solid 3 at best! AT MO-FEGGIN BEST! Maybe a 2.5 / 2.75 as I stand here eyeing the two paintings now.

Regardless, once a direction of study was had, most fear was lost. Then a skin allergy to the paints developed and everything stopped for a couple years.

She mentioned they were produced using slow drying acrylic... One that worked similar to oils.

The game was back on! 

But an instagrammer by the name of @sirenitadolls refurbished hope. When she began posting her works. And she mentioned they were produced using slow drying acrylic... One that worked similar to oils. Golden Open Acrylics. 

Oh-ho-ho the game was back on and two sets were slapped on the ol' Amazon wish list. Awaiting the gift giving season. I was not let down.

Thanks bro and sis in-law!

Best rescue to date. Thanks hoarder instincts!

Here we are. New paints, that don't erupt sensitive flesh in to hives. And a nice sketchbook with thick handmade paper to use as a practice book. Rescued it from the trash bin at a previous job. Best rescue to date. Thanks hoarder instincts!

A ding dang toddler pulled the button off the page marker. I'll reattach it one day. Toddlers... 

Tried to make it a point to write down the amount of time taken, brand of paints and techniques used.

I.E. 1 Hour / Under painting / Glaze or Direct painting.

11-26-13 Regular craft acrylics, Direct Painting, 2 Hours
These two, I was toying with atmosphere. 

12-5-13 Regular craft acrylics, Direct Painting, 1 Hour

10-15-14  OPEN acrylics, Under Painting / Glaze, (no time)
Tried to figure out cool tones with hot lighting angle edges.

10-16-14 OPEN acrylics, Under Painting / Glaze, 5 Hours

10-22-14 OPEN acrylics, Direct Painting, 1 Hour 20 minutes
Focused on cool cast light. And warm reflective light.

Just to address the fact of there being three unicorns of a similar pose... I was also experimenting how to handle a painting of the floral unicorn sketch that was done so long ago. Hadn't a clue how to tackle white fur. We'll see if it happens. I'm so G D flighty, things get abandoned for long periods of time.

Carry on.

10-24-14  OPEN acrylics, Under Painting, 2 Hours 30 minutes

OPEN acrylics, Under painting, No date, no time. 

11-20-14 OPEN / craft acrylics, Under painting, 3 Days
This is the photo taken the day of completion.

Real quick... 

A cautionary tale.

After each page was done and dried for several weeks. I'd finish it off with a coat of Golden high gloss glaze. Let it dry for several days between glazing and put the book away. Things were cool. It would come off the shelf for this n' that or to be scrutinized harshly from time to time. Until one moist, tacky floored humid day. I took it down and found it glued shut! Particularly the pink lady page. As she got the thickest coat. Devastation, rage and heartbreak were all the feeling that welled up at once.

After a couple days of moping about it, I remembered a stack of scrapbook page inserts that'd been laying around. Again, saved from the trash. Snagged em from a warehouse clean-out several years ago. Never had a single use for them... I don' even scrapbook. Want to, but never will. Who'm I kidding?! Only myself.

They just sat in a box, not a single use to be had. Till that moment. These pages have a "wax paper" like dust sheet. Ripped those suckers off, cut them down and glued one between each used page. And haven't had a sticky problem since.

Bullet dodged!

By the way, I did refrain from showing two pages. Why?... Because I don't like them and you're subject to my whims and rules! Nya'hah!

While I have a little time before the next gig starts I've gone back to working on "Pegasus Rising" or maybe I'll call it "Rise of Pegasus" Not much difference between the two, I know... Which do you think?

And thanks to my computer slowing down... I mean way the F down. Like a "Hit Ctrl+S, walk away, go pee, grab a drink and brows six blogs, then tab back over to Photoshop, see that it's not done, got check on a napping toddler, take a picture of a little angel face you never get to see when he's awake, go back to Photoshop, glare at the screen for another half minute and finally go back to scribbling." kind of slow.
And I can't understand what it's G D problem is... I haven't filled it up with large JPEG and Raw files of my first child. So much so I could make an animating flip book of his first year. I also haven't crammed tons of fonts and PS brushes in its pie-hole. God knows that's a dumb thing to do. And one of the most common reasons for arting computer slowdowns.
I'll tell you right now that I know better. Am lazy and have done just that.

Anyway, while the computer is contemplating how to free itself.  I can turn to the side while I wait and pick up a tiny frame to paint on.
Found it on one of our junk ship excursions. Got two of em. Thought they were wood carved when I first got them. Turns out they're pressed paper Mache.

And then from time to time I'll pause a bit on those two to do a little pose sketching for another project.

Froud Faerie My Little Pony

Remember this? From the first Whats on my plate post.

This project is the one that constantly gets pushed to the side when life comes-a-knockin. So Progress has been slow. Very slow. Apologetically slow.

Here what we have at the moment.

Sketch dump Sunday.

A few weeks ago I was invited aboard the good ship "Moon Crisis" To participate in an upcoming Sailor Moon gallery show.
Excited? Ya darn tootin!

The very first thing I thought I wanted to do was something with all of Usagi's (that's right I'm using the original Japanese name. No-weeaboo bro! I called it.) Transformation brooches. Something that would use the brooches as a border frame.  I knew she had a few, but no clue what was hers vs. her daughters. Nore exactly how many.
After all, I only made it through two seasons and was left so far behind I gave up on trying to catch re-runs. Fast forward to the early-2000's. Sailor moon pops up on Netflix. Did I catch up then?...No.
Quick to "SAILOR MOON WIKI"
...
What the hellaciuosly convoluted story line saga?! Seriously, trying to read up on SM is like reading a modern day Greek or Roman (take your pic) mythology. Mysterious happenings and objects have the same amount of reasoning explaining them. Vaguely little to none. Things just happen and you're enjoying it.
Anyone want to lend me their entire collected box set? I could go for a series gorge.
Not only are there several dozen brooches but all manner of things that steadily get upgrades into new things that make new transformations.

It took three nights. Three brain-throbbing nights to get all this algebra-esque mess straight.
Here's the first rough idea. Some flap jacking was done between the one on the left and the one on the right. Again the one on the right would have been set in the same ribbon / brooch frame.
The idea for righty was for a suggestion that maybe Serenity was having sexy time. Maybe. I don't know, really. It's simply because there are several other projects going on, all with varying number X's in their rating. So it can be considered a kick at the moment.

Before moving on, credit has to be given where it's due. Both my husband and a dear artist friend of mine, Diana, were a huge help in trying to settle on something to do for this show. The duo will often act as independent art managers during a project. And for no pay. The lovely tools they are.

Once they echoed the sediments that the ribbon frame thing was too middle-road. It was out of the running. Though the general idea could come into use one day. For something completely different. One never knows. It was also easily decided to drop the "O-face" idea.
Sketching continued.

 

 

Believe me, all these pages are only half of the thumbs and pose sketches done just trying to get a feasible idea. The four above solidified the second concept. This time centering on Nehelenia's story arc. Took ages just to read her name. Not a good name if you're dyslexic, let me tell you.
With so much progress made I may try to finish this one anyway. Maybe sell it at cons if I ever hit the circuit again..

This one was the final idea for a couple weeks. There's actually a good bit of work done on it. But it just didn't sit right. Didn't seem strong enough. It's good if it's being made for a fan poster. But that's all it is... another middle of the road fan art. And sure, this is a tribute show, which could be considered as a fan art show. But in the end, it's probably best to make something that doesn't need the source material to hold it's hand.
Enter concept number three. A huge step backwards. Now this is fan art if I ever saw it

 Time trudges on...And I begin to dry heave in my sketchbook.

Oh wait, this one's kinda interesting. The initial idea attempted didn't work but the composition is jiving.

A few tweaks, some duck tape and there. If you know the characters and where they fall in the saga then great. If not... It doesn't matter. This is the final working piece.

So how was your Christmas/Chanukka/Kwanza? Did you get what you wanted? How's the family? Your creepy uncle still creepy? Mine too!
Through the Christmas break... Not that I really got one. My full time job is working from home, making sure a toddler doesn't kill himself. Oh how he tries. I simply took some time away from horsin around (pony commissions) to do some illustration work.
And this is the one.

It's actually the 3rd in a series that's been in the imagination stage for ages. like most of my work.
Why the third first?
Pff... F if I know. It just started to flow the easiest. Besides I doubt It'll matter much what order the series is seen in. Who's to say all three will even be completed in my lifetime. Cause I'm that slow.
Here the sketch stage is just about complete. Then it gets printed and inked with a dip pen.
I know that sketch is probably static to look at. Some color blocking might help.

Here, have a detail shot for the road.

Whats on my plate.

Generally, I've always got several projects going at one time. Most sit in thumb nail hell. while any active works constantly rotate. 

If I get stuck on one I shift gears to another. The idea is to keep things moving, to constantly be making progress on something. Even if I only eek out a couple lines at a time. And It does progress that way sometimes.

Especially now that time has become such a rare resource, thanks to a toddler.

Here's What I'm currently staring at night after night.

• Crowned Unicorn.
• Brian Froud custom MLP 
• Brain storming invite cards for Son's upcoming birthday.