A look at my 3 year progress as a digital artist

 

Year 1-2019-oil paint in procreate 

Year 2-2020-oil paint in procreate 

Year 3-2021-oil paint in procreate 

I purchased an iPad Pro in the beginning of 2019 with the idea in mind that I could teach myself to paint digitally. I’ve been painting traditionally with acrylics and gouache for a few years alongside the photography and felt in 2019 this was the moment to invest in this 1400$ piece of sophisticated equipment. Let’s review!

First screen shot of 2019-first year of painting digitally-rummy the lynx point Siamese is ok-it’s flat and loose and kinda seems like no direction-absolutely too many layers because I thought that’s what I needed to do in order to go back and ‘fix’ what needed to be fixed. Like I said it’s ok. But there is no depth or feeling so it’s a good first try!

Second screen shot of 2020-pandemic year-second year into painting digitally. This is the year where I feel I may be on to something. The photo of the street cat from Norway- this one has some bigger brush strokes where you can see the contrast and texture more. Still using waaaaay too many layers. But the highlights and depth of a digitally painted cat are there. It shows I’m progressing and improving!

Third screen shot of 2021-I’m about 3 years into painting digitally coming up here soon. Seriously still obsessed with my iPad Pro and using procreate to paint with mostly oils and some inks and gouache and oil pastels and some acrylic. But I’m in love with the oils. This lil darling kitten is a photo I took a few years back and chose this as a one of my favorites because I’m slowing down. With painting. My focus is the detail in the eyes then nose then lips. Then I can take my big brush and be loose and abstract. I also have felt it may be time to finally add a background to all of my portraits. At first I needed learn to get the animal painted well. And I’m more confident now. More careful about where the strokes are landing and they are intentional. I’ve quit adding all those needless layers. I paint on 5/6 now not 23! So there is finally more interest and consistency and way more depth in my work. But I’m still learning with so much more to go. Procreate has definitely changed my view of painting digitally. Also tracing is not cheating- it’s simply a step in the whole process. Digital drawing/painting is the new medium of the future and should never be diminished in any way-an artist still requires skill judgement and time. You have to know your fundamentals and you have to be able to conceive a composition in every painting. I’d like to find some oil paint flavored incense while I’m creating. Now that would be something. 

Shifting my mindset in my style of painting

 I’ve been shifting the way I normally paint. These past couple of years of painting on the iPad Pro using procreate has elevated my sense of creativity. I do notice my improvement and am simply thrilled when I’ve completed a final pet piece! When I find a photo of a cat or a dog that is a pleasing composition I never plan right. I never sort through a color palette or think of cropping or pick the perfect medium. I just wing it. And it always seemed rushed but acceptable. But here’s the thing-I need a sense of wonder. I need the piece to speak to me. And each stroke needs to be intentional. The piece has to be somewhat compelling to look at? 

I discovered an artist on YouTube because naturally I travel through its clickbait algorithms and after watching multiple pet painted portrait videos-I stumble on to a terrific German painter named Alpay Efy . His portrait painting presentations are simply delightful and straightforward. He explains that starting with painting the details in the eyes, the nose and then the mouth are the most important to begin with. So I took his advice and painted my photo of a hairless kitty cat also known as a Sphinx. It was the eyes! I may have elevated my art finally. I do plan to paint traditional pets in oil one day. But for now I’m very satisfied with my piece I created in 2 hours tonight. The background I struggled with a wee bit but hey. I’m on a better track now!!

Time Lapse Art Progress Procreate Videos youtube/instagram

   

   

  

                                                  

   

 Here are a few of the black cat videos I created on my iPad Pro using Procreate that I've uploaded to my youtube channel and instagram. Blogger seems to struggle with uploading any type of video so fingers crossed these turn out. This is a selection of the black cats I've appropriately posted for this October month. The bottom photo is my set up creative workspace - jimmy rigged whatever it takes to get something worth looking at - tape assists a busted made in Japan tiny tripod - natural light from the west facing window - foraged seasonal plants/faux plants/tropical plants - as props - pile of patience and voila. I LOVE the process of recording the art process and I remind myself to always TRUST the art process. 

Ginger kitty cat Milo

Razzy relaxes in the cat window

Layers of acrylic paint on repurposed 16 x 20” canvas

Blocking out the values always begins to look like crap

Milo the ginger orange tabby kitty cat

Milo the adopted ginger kitty cat has been on my mind to paint digitally and traditionally. I have done both and can appreciate each form of painting! With traditional you have the planning and prepping and purchasing and gathering and focusing just right in the just right space with the mixing of the just right now paints. Touching and blobbing and scraping and wetting the colors are a fantastic way to mentally free your mind-creating something tangible that includes sweet textures and interest is deeply satisfying. 

Procreate oil painting of Milo

Traditional painting for me has always been using acrylics-however this digital painting I created in procreate on my 11” iPad Pro using my Apple Pencil was painted using the oil paints which has a lovely feel about them-the pressure and colors and textures can result in something quite unique-I get in a comfy spot on my sofa and spend about and hour - no layers - no blending - dark to light - patchwork method - random texture to maintain the abstraction! This is key! So I love them both. Ginger cats are sweet and silly. So I’m obsessed. 

New home. New pad.

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Put up a gallery wall of my completed pieces today in hopes that it motivates me to get moving on my painting projects! I still have a big mess to sort through before I can get started but sometimes you just have to get going. And just do it for crying out loud. Dougie is super settled in and loves the backyard! The new smells are driving him crazy and I love that! Mental stimulation is gooood! I’m almost settled in my new pad and I truly love it!

 

Fur-bruary 14: Rum Tum Tugger aka Rummy The Lynx Point Siamese

 

I’ve been meaning to paint a new picture of Rummy the cat. I’ve been at this digital painting for 2 years now and every year I’ve painted a portrait of him. I feel like I’ve improved about every year that goes by. Which is the goal obviously. I spent an awful long time drawing just because I needed to practice sketching and erasing to create the proper shape before I actually through on some oil paints. Happy with the color palette and pleased with the final!!!

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

Fur-bruary 10: Storm and Sensei Two Pals Furever

    

 I had the pleasure of painting these lovely buddies together because they are like siblings. Sensei is totally chill and wackadoodle and storm is the shy but curious cat. Painted with gouache and ink. These lovelies have some delightful fur patterns!

Fur-bruary 6-Calico Nabo Katten aka Neighborhood Cat

 

This photograph was shot in my old neighborhood in Oslo Norway a few years ago. I loved the dappled light that sprinkled over the neighborhood kitty cat so I decided to paint his charming loveliness. Oil paints in procreate on my iPad Pro. 

Fur-bruary 4: Simon The Sphinx Kitty Cat

 

Taken at a pet photography workshop from back in the day, Simon was a well behaved model for the day. Flash photography isn’t my favorite but it was a great learning experience. The painting is oil and soft pastels. Love the chalky texture of this medium. 

Darling Lil Bub the Cat Painted Pet Portrait 11X17" Acrylic

Lil Bub has been one of my favorite cat animals to follow on  instagram. Her precious purrsonality has captured all of our hearts. She's Royal (still working on the crown part) and deserves to be treated as such. Of course she's got loads of precious purrrsonality. The fantastic photos of her prove that. And cat whimsy. I don't know her purrsonaly (haha) but I'm willing to bet she's a whimsical cat. Which I tried to capture with the fun 'spatter dash' elements (fave word to describe some of my paintings) and lost and found pops of color. This is my version of her. Lil Bub Love.