Baby Bighorn-first procreate painting of wild animal-April 2019-taking a look back

3 years ago I began the digital painting journey using my apple pencil on my iPad Pro. Procreate is the most intuitive and sophisticated drawing program on the planet and I never imagined I would be able to create drawings of critters and cuteness digitally. This baby bighorn was an attempt in April 2019 and I’ve been hooked since then. My plan is to keep honing my dog and cat drawing skills everyday with a bit of wild forest critters then graduating to even wilder animals. I have a fox painting that’s in the works-traditional acrylic on canvas-poor guy has been pushed to the wayside but I will pick up my brushes very soon to complete. In the meantime I look at this sheep and am pretty proud of what I was able to accomplish with the minimal training drawing on a tablet. I love it so much. One day I’ll trade in for a 13” which would be mind blowing when I get there. Bigger is better when drawing and painting. (Soon I’ll paint on 20x20 or 30x30 canvases) big art is my dream project…..
 

Only Cute Art work in progress

 These are the the cuties I plan to use in a series of nursery art/modern pet art for display in nurseries, kids rooms and the like. The whole process of this is definitely consuming my valuable time. Working on these forces me away from current world events which are indeed beyond my control. I only want to create cute and small things. Since I was a small child growing up in the states, my first favorite book that has inspired me and brought pure joy and safe cozy feelings is a book by Gyo Fujikawas Baby Animals,1963. 1980’s baby animal stickers and Hello Kitty toys at It’s A Small World at the westroads mall was my LIFE!

 Ultimately to make this art sellable as digital downloads available to the proper target audience. Which does not make them limited art-I’m ok with that-custom commissions is possible although the lengthy process of a final print from digital drawing/painting worries me simply because of the print output would be inconsistent. I’m focusing on traditional painting of commissions. That way I can really take the painting process a step further from semi realistic to abstract modern. Which is my ultimate goal. Currently I’m completing a 30x40” acrylic/mixed media-trusting the lengthy process that it is and all of the important steps that need be taken throughout the creative painting process. 

Above image of a nursery snapshot I copied and placed my image within the room. These sophisticated wall guides are from Ariana Falerni. I purchased the couch set years ago and added some final images on display on my up to date website-today I wanted to play more but since I’m working on a newer computer I’ve lost the downloads and just have to make a purchase of the new and improved newborn/kids room templates-it’s superior wall guides that work flawlessly with photoshop. This is my goal for 2022. I only want to make cute stuff. That’s all. 

Believing in a greater purpose

One of the many important quotes I love from Martin Luther King Jr.!

The inspiration and reason I wake up every day!

Highly nutritious for 3$ at ALDI-not organic but close!

It’s your moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. 

In the spirit of MLK day, I’d like to pause and dig deep in what matters most

This blog is absolutely not political in any shape or form. But this is a new year. A new beginning. And sometimes moments in our creative lives require reflection in order to keep our creative juices aware to function and why I do what I do and the freedoms that I have in America to be able to think and do what I do. 

My top 3 things I do to keep myself sane, healthy and on track with my daily life. 

1 diet, exercise and health in order to ‘stay safe’-this is what I drink every day: cold pressed juices including whole foods, minimal processed and fast food-(do not deprive yourself-you’ll go insane).

Dog walking, yoga and working in a warehouse environment keeps me fit and never sedentary!

2 open mindedness understanding and compassion-freedom to respect other peoples opinion. MLK looked at the world with compassion and understanding! Respecting other peoples opinions even if you disagree is how we are a democracy! Without it we are doomed. Government overreach has grown and taken us down a dangerous and dark path-being aware of this and always on your toes for multiple sources of information is crucial-independent media is the path of the future. 

3 creating art is my therapy and the freedom to share and create whatever I chose -no censorship. Always learning new ways to create and new artist ideas and inspiration is what motivates me-the pets I live with bring my stress levels down and are also my inspiration-I could never function without a dog by my side. 

I’m going to die one day and if I don’t hold to my convictions while I’m here on this beautiful blue earth-I serve no purpose. 

This is my daily life. Only here for a short time-making the best of it-dig deep about those who are gone and no longer with us. It will gut you and force you to believe in yourself. 

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!!