Digital Art

I used to do digital art a lot, but I think I just sort of gave up on it a while ago. That's kind of stupid, though, so I decided to just start practicing with it again. I still need a lot of work, but I think I've already improved a ton. I never understood using layers in coloring, but I found that I started using that idea just in my traditional art and it has gained so much depth comparing to the way I used to color things. It made it a lot easier to transfer my style through digital art too.  So here are some things I've done.
The top one (The Joker) is kind of super experimental and I don't know how happy I am with it, but it was fun.

M.C. Escher Inspired

This was just a little project we did in Painting last year. The idea was to draw something with no negative space. I, at first tried to tie everything together, but then I just kind of threw stuff together. It was super fun. I drew this all with different markers and then went over it with pencil.
It's on a 9" x 12" paper.

Redhead

This one started as a sketch that I wasn't actually thinking of finishing, but I did. I wanted--and still do want--to get a lot better at creating different skin colors with depth and variation. No one is the same when I look at people in reality and I want to show that through my artwork. Honestly, I stick to my default face/expressions a lot when I draw. I really want to get away from that.
Anyway, this person is sleeping just because people look so calm to me when their eyes are closed or they're looking down and I love that, but it's really hard for me to capture. I also love red hair a lot.
I did this in markers and colored pencils.

Yellow

This is just a sketch I did while I was trying to teach my little sisters some ways to color a while ago.
I used markers and a couple of them were sort of dried out. I think I had some star-lyric-ed (I definitely just made that up) song in my head at the time or something.

Comprised of Stardust

I just was drawing an eye and partial face when it turned into this. I like the thought that we're made of star stuff. It's just a poetic thing to me I guess. Maybe that's why this is what it is. A family friend now has this in her possession.
I used colored pencils, pen and marker to color this.

Wishful Thinking

An older drawing. I was just doodling in classes and then it eventually turned into this. I have really been trying to push myself to draw more houses and more detailed everyday things for the past year or so. I am pretty proud of the color in this as far as the girl goes, but this took me a really long time to actually finish completely and I don't know if that really shows through the whole thing? It was fun, though.

I used colored pencils, markers, and pens, as per usual.

Gateway Chalk Art Festival 2014

This is what Annabelle and I conjured up for the Gateway Chalk Art Festival this year. I wish I had gotten better pictures, but all I had was my phone. I worked mostly on the two squares on the right hand side and Annabelle worked on the two to the left but we ended up helping each other out at the end with the shoe panels.
Honestly, I feel like I could have worked harder on it, but this year's festival was weird to me and I kind of just gave up near the end, I guess. I am proud of how it turned out though. The quote that we formed the idea from is pictured at the bottom: "I'm afraid of what happens to children if no one took the risk to love them." --Liz (Utah Foster Parent)
I like to draw things that have a sort of hidden and personal message that you just have to think about a little. This one is just kind of like "picture a world without parents", but I wanted to keep the drawing itself light.
The Gateway Chalk Art Festival is an annual event and it's super fun if you're into chalk art. It benefits Foster Care too, so check it out for next year!

Red and Gold

These are all products of experimentation, really.

 The first wasn't really inspired by anything I just wanted to try drawing someone looking up with really crazy, pretty hair. The next one was kind of inspired by matadors and Carmen. The very last one was just me trying a new pattern besides triangles.

I will be trying to make my posts more weekly now!

For What's Just

 

Happy Thursday and good afternoon. It's almost Friday! 

So, this was a sort of practice for another larger painting I will put up later. It's based off of one of Banksy's New Orleans works. I really wanted to paint something red and black that day.

I painted it in acrylics and, of course, found myself splattering it with them as well.

9" x 12" paper.