March Recap

 

It’s hard to believe tomorrow is April already! March went by so fast! I know this is because most of my time has been spent engrossed in Immersion, but I still managed to find a few moments here and there to do some drawing just for fun. Below are a few of the challenges I participated in this past month! ☺️

I only managed to complete a few entries for another challenge called #meowgicalmarch (hosted by @everything_a_cat and @robotdancebattle), but I had fun creating these two illustrations with cats in mind! Speaking of cats… these two are patiently waiting for the snow to melt. They can’t wait to go outside! 😅

 

First Day of Spring! | A Little Immersion Update

 

Happy first day of spring! I hope the snow is gone wherever you are from. Here, winter likes to stick around a bit longer, so it doesn’t feel like spring yet, but the hope of spring has definitely arrived! ☺️

I am now a few weeks into Immersion! I have been enjoying it so much and I wanted to share with you how it’s been going! A little disclaimer… I went into this course with a background in Adobe Illustrator, but I went in with the preconceived idea that it was a frustrating program (for me). Illustrator was only used for very accurate lines and shapes and the odd design assignment… but not much else. It was never a place where I felt I could freely express myself. My instincts always took me to Photoshop for my more elaborate illustrative work.

After working through the first couple modules, however, my eyes have been opened to what Illustrator is capable of. I have barely been able to sleep because of how excited I have been, thinking about how my illustrations can be translated into this program (and all the possibilities that come with it)! I have been reminded of the power of vectors and how they allow you to work with your artwork in countless ways for any application you can think of.

I am a big fan of using colour in my work, so I enjoyed taking my time with the lessons on creating colour palettes. I even created one using pictures of my sweet little kitties as source images. I just love the different colours I pulled out (the amazing neutrals from Matcha, the sweet pink from Paska’s nose and the gorgeous greens from his eyes). I also feel more confident in putting together a strong colour palette, increasing my understanding of balance and contrast, and this is something I will be able to apply across my entire practice.

Also… the recolour artwork tool is SO much fun! I could spend hours playing with that one… 😅 My sweet little Matcha has been keeping me company while I work through each lesson, which I’m thankful for! 🥰

One of the book recommendations is “Show Your Work” by Austin Kleon. I was able to snag it from my local library and it has been such an encouraging read. I feel more prompted to try and document my days in the studio, paying special attention to my process work. Picking up pencil and paper again felt so refreshing, and sketches also make for very interesting process photos. It has also been fun to start thinking about my first collection and what kinds of motifs I will need. For now, I’m just sketching some leaves and berries! 🌿🍓

The final lesson in Module 2 prompted us to create an art print using all the knowledge we’ve gleaned and combining motifs we’ve created along the way. The first image in this post, as well as the one below, are the result of that exercise. I still cannot get over the fact that these were made in Illustrator. The idea that I can still get that painted, hand-drawn look in such a concise and unforgiving program still blows my mind a little bit! I am so excited to keep exploring further to see how my illustration style will adapt with these new tools I’m adding to my toolbox. ☺️

 

New Spring Products | Etsy Shop Update

 

Spring is almost upon us (according to the calendar, at least) and I’ve just added some new products to the Etsy shop! Click on any of the images below if you’d like to check them out, and thank you so much for your support!! 🥰

 

February Recap

 

Today is the first day of Immersion! I’ve already gotten through the first few lessons. Not only do we get right into learning all about Illustrator, but Bonnie also makes sure we are coming into the course with the right mindset. Mindset is so important for an artist because the creative journey is NOT an easy one (putting artwork out into the world can feel extremely vulnerable). I love that Bonnie sets this foundation before we hit the ground running. I’ve already learned so much! ☺️

In February, I was able to participate in a few more drawing challenges and I can definitely see something happening in my style (but I’m still having fun exploring)! March is going to look a little different for me (with most of my efforts being put towards Immersion), but I’m hoping I will still find some time to do more of these challenges… they are such a good opportunity to practice.

A Debonair, Well-Read, Tea Drinking Tiger
#drawmoor prompt hosted by @beckamoor

I’ve also been doing some sketching for a new batch of products for spring! They will be listed in the Etsy shop around mid-March, so stay tuned! Here’s a little sneak peek in the meantime! 😉

In other news… my orchid has bloomed (which always feels like such an event)! It’s so pretty! Do you have any plants in your home that you get excited about when they bloom? 🌺