I haven’t had much time for personal projects lately, but I did sneak in some time for the above sketch yesterday. I had a cup of this Polish tea the other day. It unfortunately contains no blooming roses, but at least it fuels the imagination.
And this review for Itzhak: A Boy Who Loved the Violin just came out and I couldn’t be happier.
I’m slowly adding artwork to my portfolio, including this piece I created last fall for Taproot Magazine, Issue 36 / WEAR. Working on this illustration was a real delight and I loved painting all the little details. The photos on the cupboards are a hat tip to my grandmother, who covered every square inch of her kitchen cabinets with family photographs. And the snoozing Sheltie is mine, back in her puppy days. If you’re eagle eyed, she also makes an appearance in Fort Building Time.
Art supplies I like/love, in no particular order:
Paper: I use cold press watercolor paper for original art. It works well for details and I’m a fan of these blocks. For pieces that I’m going to scan (book art, surface design, editorial, etc.) I use Bristol Board. There is some warping, but it can handle an okay amount of mixed media and minimal paper texture shows up in scans. If my painting involved huge swaths of washes and lots of layering, Bristol Board wouldn’t work. But as my illustrations are finished up in Photoshop, and I’m not using tons of water, it’s a system that works for me at the moment.
Paint: I love Winsor & Newton and Daniel Smith, but my budget sadly does not. My workaround has been gradually phasing out the student grade brands I’ve used, replacing them with higher quality paints as finances allow. That said, I’ve found Van Gogh watercolors to be a cost-friendly alternative and I’ve been happy with the quality overall. I also have a Pelikan set from high school (!) that I use mostly for sentimental reasons (and the pretty terrific cad red). Aside from watercolor? I occasionally use gouache, very thinly. I like the texture it allows me to create with pencils layered on top. And speaking of pencils…
Pencils: I love, love, love Staedtler’s watercolor pencils. I actually use these like straight up colored pencils, with no water. They aren’t waxy and I’m able to get fine details with them. I have some Prismacolor from college also, as well as my late grandfather’s collection (which is mostly made up of sadly-defunct-but-amazing pencil brands). And for graphite, I’m all about the Mars Lumograph from Staedtler and just use generic brands for mechanical pencils.
Sketchbooks: I’ve tried a lot of brands over the years and always come back to this Canson sketchbook. It’s economical, spiral bound and you can get them pretty much everywhere. When it comes to a day to day sketchbook, this ticks all the boxes and I find because it’s affordable, I’m not as apt to become overly precious as I would with something pricier. That said, I do have a Handbook sketchbook that’s pretty amazing. It’s a splurge, but for travel I can’t recommend it enough. And I also have a small Moleskine that I keep in my purse.
So that’s that, in a nutshell.
And one important caveat? Art making doesn’t need to be expensive — this artist creates amazing portraits with Crayola markers and here’s a bunch of artists working in ballpoint pen. Start with what you have, add on as you can, but don’t get too hung up on the cost and quality of your materials. Nice art supplies can be a hugely helpful, but there’s lots of student grade options and products at your local craft store that will do the job nicely. Use what resonates with you and what helps you make the art that you want to make.
Happy art making!
How about another free Valentine printable? It seems like the world could use a little more love. So if you use this, how about just paying it forward with an act of kindness and we’ll call it even. Easy peasy, right?
The download includes the card above, which you’ll need a PDF reader to open. To print, adjust your printer for highest quality output or have printed at your nearest office supply store. I recommend using card stock. Cut, fold, seal shut with the included seal and you’re good to go. Give to your significant other, best friend or secret crush, the choice is yours.
Happy Valentine’s Day! And I’ll update the links in the last post to include a few more designs from previous years.
It’s the kind of February where it’s ten in the morning and I realize I still haven’t eaten breakfast. So there’s oatmeal in front of me and a desire to avoid being sucked into the internet, so how about a blog post instead?
* I’m putting the finishing touches on a Valentine printable that’ll be available to download early next week. If you’re looking for a free Valentine, though, here’s one from 2019, 2018 and 2016.
* I’m about a third of the way through Little Dorrit. I’m fascinated by the social commentary and the intersecting plot elements, but I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite Dickens. Although to be fair, I’ve still got quite a ways to go.
* My next fabric collection Cozy Up, comes out with FIGO Fabrics this coming August! You can see the collection here. I 110% want to sew a skirt with the patchwork inspired design.
* And the paper whites are all in full bloom. One decided to take a flying leap off the windowsill, though, but I managed to take a snap of it before said disaster.
I have a backlog of 2019 things I made/drew/painted/sewed that haven’t made their way yet to this space, including this illustration. All that green feels like the perfect antidote to the grey and cold outdoors. I’m trying to hate on January less this year. I’m making myself go for a daily walk and am growing paper whites indoors, attempts at embracing the season. That said, I wouldn’t weep if there wasn’t another snow flake for the remainder of the winter…
Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020.
2019 (in no particular order):
* Created art for Itzhak, a picture book dummy with my sister, illustrated an article for Taproot Magazine and worked on assorted other projects that I’m looking forward to sharing about later in the year.
* Traveled to Portland for a signing, Squam Lake to teach, a library for storytime and Prince Edward Island for a book event.
* Made a day trip to quite possibly the most peaceful spot I’ve ever visited in Maine.
* Visited the Museum of Russian Icons.
* Sewed and knit and sewed some more.
* Tended a garden, read 27 books and started studying Polish.
Misses? No 5K this year after a minor injury made me reevaluate if I really liked running (narrator: “she didn’t”). And no summer beach day, but plenty of trips during the off season to the seaside are fun, too. In short, it was a good year, full of wonderful people, work I loved and a slower pace of life. I’ve come to the realization that I’m no longer cut out for marathon work weeks, pulling all nighters and countless weekends (especially after a certain, gulp, milestone birthday). Acknowledging that reality has made life a whole lot nicer, even if I still sometimes secretly wish that I could subsist on two hours of sleep.
So for 2020?
I’ve just started working on illustrations for a new book, I’m planning to create a calendar for next year, there might be a trip or two out of town as work permits and I’m knitting a new sweater. My goal is to read ten books this year. It’s less than last year, but Little Dorritt and Fatal Shore are both on my to read list and are going to take awhile. I want to start playing piano again more regularly. And that’s that. Slow and steady. Away we go.