wip

I’m about 90% done this bookmark, which will be a Christmas gift for a friend. It’s been so much fun to paint, and I’m loving learning more about using watercolors. I haven’t decided if I’m going to paint a background color or not. The Magic card has an ochre yellow background, but I don’t really like it. So, to leave it white, or pick another color? Thoughts?

I sketched out two more bookmarks to paint just for fun! Sorry they’re so hard to see; I tend to sketch REALLY lightly when I’m going to be painting, so I had to fiddle with the levels in Lightroom just to see this much! On the left, a happy little dancing Groot, because who doesn’t love dancing Groot, and on the right a Moriarty bookmark. He is my absolute favorite part of Sherlock, so he definitely needed a bookmark.

This is the very very beginning stages of a commission I just received over the weekend! So this is a little peek into my process – my first step is to do a really rough outline sketch to place everything in for proportion and size. Next up I’ll start revising and adding in detail, then move on to shading.

I’ve had Doctor Who, especially Ten, on my mind lately, so I sketched this up to paint last night just for fun. Very small, the whole paper is 6″ x 8″, but I like painting small.

I sketched this up last night too, after my daughter woke up in the night (definitely based on her). I’m quite pleased with it as it’s 100% out of my head with no reference. I still get nervous drawing stuff that way! But I like how this turned out. It’s very rough, and I can’t decide if I want to revise it to paint, or just leave as a sketch for now. I really need to save my pennies to get a set of Copic markers as I think they would be perfect for it!

This project has taken up most of my crafting time this week. I’ve been working on stitching some plushes as Christmas gifts, and these Doctors are my first attempt! Ten was the the first one I ever made, and though he has some flaws I love him. My stitching is already neater for Eleven – he just needs to be stuffed, sewn shut, and have his details added! These were purchased patterns, but I’m working on making my own patterns for other characters, and animal plushes too.

I actually have a few more drawings and things started, but they are gifts for people so I’m keeping them under wraps. After Christmas they’ll be a giant art/craft dump post with them.

What are you making lately?

Welcome to my first ever WIP Wednesday! This is another step for me in breaking out of my super shy shell (yay alliteration!) that I am stuck in when it comes to my artwork. I have no problem sharing my finished portraits, but sketches, doodles, personal artwork – the idea of showing that to the masses freak me out. But, it’s time to do it! I’ve been sharing WIPs and things on Instagram to break me in, but now every other Wednesday I’ll be sharing my current art projects here!

First up isn’t actually a WIP (boy, I’m off to a great start). It is, however, the piece I drew for the winner of my blog giveaway at the end of June! So much fun to draw – made me happy just looking at those happy faces!

This piece I’ve had started for at least a month, but haven’t finished it yet…for no apparent reason! I tend to hop from project to project when I don’t have a commission, and sometimes things just end up sitting around for awhile. This is one of the first pieces I doodled without a reference for it, and I’m liking it a lot! Still figuring out watercolors, but I’m having fun with it.

Next up is a bookmark for my hubs (who rarely reads my blog, so I’m hoping he won’t otherwise I’ve ruined the surprise). The character, Kiora, is from Magic the Gathering and I just love her color scheme. Having lots of fun layering in her colors.

This is a sketch I whipped up on Sunday after seeing Guardians of the Galaxy. Wheee fanart! Hoping to turn this into a watercolor. As you can see, I definitely struggle with sketching in too many details when I’m planning on doing a painting. This sketch took about 15 minutes and I had to constantly stop myself from sketching in a whole lot more. But, it’s all a process.

And lastly, another non-WIP! I made these Sailor Moon bookmarks a couple weeks ago, and want to have a giveaway for them! Right now I’m stuck on two things: how to laminate them, and then whether or not to have the giveaway on my blog or on Instagram. Normally when I laminate I just use packing tape, but these are wider than the tape, and I’m not wild about having a tape seam on them. However, I really don’t want to spend any money on another method. Thoughts?

The only other big project right now is that I’m completely revamping my art area in our master bedroom. I’ve taken everything off my desk (and disassembled part of the desk!), I’m moving shelves around – it’s quite the task. Most of my art supplies are currently in piles around the room, but it’s coming along!

Do you draw/sketch/doodle/make any form of art? What’s your favorite medium?