Painting digital

As I become more and more involved in the digital world, using the mouse and touchpad has been disappointingly imprecise for my increasing demands. And because I’m not going to give up just yet, I decided to buy a drawing tablet and open a whole new chapter.

Although I only have a small tablet without a display, it has quickly become my cyber-pet. We spend a lot of time together and learn from each other. I feel more freedom in drawing, but I still haven’t found my way of painting or coloring.  Also, it seems I have underestimated the PC requirements. Despite being relatively new, it is woefully slow on graphics. And that slows down my progress and reduces my enthusiasm.

For today I have three completely different results from my digital experiments using variations of the painting technique. I would appreciate your comments and recommendations as I am lost in many internet tutorials that do not match what I am looking for. Which is mainly a way of coloring the hand drawings, so it doesn’t look too digital. I realize how crazy that sounds.

For now, I’m using a layering of semi-transparent layers or a watercolor texture, both followed by clipping. I keep looking for other ways.

Thank you for reading, commenting, supporting and recommending.

With love and hugs,

Ivana

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Between worlds

The field of fabric design made me stuck between the analog and digital worlds.

I love to hold a pencil or a brush, touch the paper and perceive the process of creation with all my senses. However, the desire to show off to friends made it necessary to scan. And when I wanted to create a fabric pattern, much more was needed.

Being happy from the “crazy faces” fabric and jacket, the next path was clear to me. I will continue drawing and painting as before, scan the final images and then assemble them into a pattern on the computer. If I learn how to use graphics tools better, it can’t be that hard, right?

I put effort and time into this method, but I still ran into some limits, mostly because of resolution and file size. Look and judge.

Colored pencils origin:

Watercolor origin:

Because I wasn’t satisfied enough, I tried to create simple things digitally. The first success was the mandala, which I presented in one of the previous posts. Unfortunately, it was also the last success for a long time.

I realized that drawing and painting digitally is a completely different discipline that requires a change in mindset. I seriously doubt I can do it. Despite the fact that digital creation never attracted me.

Look at my early attempts.

Something inside tells me it’s too soon to give up and the desire to create fabric design is still strong. I would like to find a way to combine the best of both worlds and still be myself.

Be sure I will keep you updated on progress. In the meantime, I welcome your comments and recommendations.

Love and hugs,

Ivana

Over challenged

I needed a break because of too many challenges at the same time. I didn’t even finish Inktober, my computer crashed without saying bye. Still not sure if all data can be recovered.

But I did complete my personal artistic challenge!

It was the second year of the challenge, from birthday to birthday. One topic every week regardless of the amount of work or health status. I’m afraid some of the images show a lack of inspiration or mood to paint the subject of the challenge. Or exhaustion due to several other challenges on daily basis – painting forest in March and April, and Inktober recently.

I will try to focus more on quality instead of quantity next year.  

Thanks for watching my gallery!

Hugs and love,

Ivana

window

plant

food

winter

document

butterfly

lantern

temple

chariot

monster

forest

mosaic

suit

spring

night

heart

connection

market man

fragility

wasteland

sportsman

boat

fable

book

summer

hood

independence

collage

ornament

ear

postcard

stairs

insect

fountain

pearl

city

castaway

figure

battle

family

container

harvest

thief

rain

autumn

mask

laziness

mushroom

nymph

vegetables

fear

shield

Playing with palettes

How do you select colors for your drawing or painting? Do you make a palette first? I would expect YES.

I’m ashamed to admit it, but I started from the opposite site. When I grabbed colored pencils as an adult, I did so with my eyes closed, wondering what it would bring to my drawing. It was surprisingly good and harmonious, which encouraged trust in my own intuition, neglected for many years.

Later I choose colors more consciously, but the old habits continued to work. In each set of colored pencils I first used the yellow – orange – green tones, probably the colors of my soul. Colors that my intuition gravitates to, whatever I’m drawing. All the blues and purples were piling up almost unused.

Exceptional play with blue, pink and violet colored pencils.

Something changed when I bought watercolor paints two and half years ago. I discovered the adventure of mixing colors and fell in love. Conclusion? I need to work with colors consciously, I need vibrant colors on my pictures.

Colorful flowers – watercolor and Inktense pencils, intuitive color selection.

Recently, I took my old colored pencils and tried to create a range of beautiful combinations just for fun. I spent hours creating them and cannot wait to use them all. I’m not sure yet, but it looks I’m currently leaning towards a combination of watercolor in the base, ink or colored pencils in the final layer to get closer to one of the color palletes.

That’s called evolution, right?

Mushroom in earthy tones. Watercolor background, colored pencils above.

I hope that your life brings you pleasure and the joy of change.

With love and hugs,

Ivana

Path to patterns

I’m still a newbie, but I can look back and make a few notes about the path. If you are familiar with digital graphics, don’t read any further or you will burst out laughing.

The first step was to understand how the seamless pattern works. Believe it or not, I did it completely non-digitally, using scissors and masking tape. It was a huge test of patience, but I succeeded! The only weakness was that the borders between the quarters of the paper, which I moved on the masking tape, were visible in the final image. Which led the non-digital method to digital retouching, unfortunately. And I had no idea how to do it in the beginning.

Being immersed in the basic tools of digital graphics, I discovered a simple possibility how to create seamless patterns from existing images. Yes, after such an effort, I needed something simple with a quick result. In principle, the program blurs the edges and blends with the duplicate.

Now, I’m at the stage where I’m learning to work with layers. Selecting segments and grouping them into patterns can be fun for people who know how to do it. I like getting results, but it’s still exhausting for me. Please give me feedback, I need a kick for more attempts.

Thanks all of you for reading and support!

Love and hugs,

Ivana

Back on board

It was quite a long break due to healthy and recovery issues, but I am back!

I was painting almost all the time, but my pictures reflect the lack of energy.

Some of my “painting forest” challenge:

Now, I am looking forward to paint and feel more happiness. I bring it soon to you, hopefully.

With love and hugs,

Ivana

Painting forest

I love walking forest, I love watching little changes every day. Changes that are proof of life. Nobody says which ones are good or bad, everything is natural and alive. Walking forest means a kind of therapy for me, therapy of freedom or therapy by freedom.

What would a professional therapist say about the fact that I like to bring a trophy from a walk? I don’t care, but I do so. A small leaf of interesting shape or color is enough, I can use it later as a reference for painting. Actually I prefer trophies that I can use in some way. Trophies like leafs, bark, herbs, fruits, mushrooms, etc. Why to waste all the treasures?

Painting forest is a part of my personal art challenge for this year, see above. Probably not enough for me, so I joined another challenge in early March. It came to me in response how to improve my watercolor. Paint the same topic every day for a long period of time! Do not spend much time over it, do it as quickly as possible. You will gradually relax and your own style should appear. Yes. I want that!

After a month, I am still at the starting line. I painted without reference picture for the first 5 days and it was a disaster! I hope those scary pictures are not the only image of my mind. Having reference photo is much easier, I have something to lean back and focus on painting.

Do you have a favorite?

At the moment, I would like to apologize to all excellent authors, whose photos I devaluated with my quick painting. I promise not to exhibit them! They are quietly hidden in my sketchbook, thin sheets buckled because I didn’t use watercolor paper for this exercise. I hope to improve next month!

Hugs and love,

Ivana

Anniversary

Two years ago in March, covid-19 came to our country, the first restrictions appeared and then the total lockdown. No one had enough experience, but good enough information was rolling everywhere. At this point, I decided to start with watercolor.

As I have mentioned several times, I have held a mental block to wet techniques since childhood. But fighting this fear was easier than dealing with upcoming pandemic or better to say with scary scenario, served by TV 24/7. So I bought watercolor paints and paper and dived into tutorials. Which really helped, because I discovered a new world.

I didn’t stop living my life except the ongoing restrictions. But somewhere inside me a flame of passion began to burn, and it burns there up to this day.

My painting success is floating up and down, I am still trying to learn new skills and have more practice. Sometimes I push it too hard, but painting is still a great pleasure for me.

I would like to thank all of you, because your encouraging support helps me to overcome weak points. You deserve to know about that anniversary. Thanks for being with me on the watercolor road!

Hugs and love,

Ivana

My watercolor set of March, 2020.

Paint a monster

Many artists paint monsters – many kinds of them, so the monster became a part of my artistic challenge too. It should be easy – paint what you want, no stress with the right proportions, it is a monster!

I was looking forward to discipline with no limits, asking my inner child for help. But either I don’t have enough fantasies or the monsters belong to the list, which is better for me to avoid. My monsters are not scary at all. Maybe bored, maybe cute, maybe a little upset. But not scary.

In fact, I don’t like scary pictures, I don’t watch scary movies, I don’t read books with monsters and a lot of blood. I don’t like violence in any form. Until I tried to paint a monster, I didn’t realize how deeply pacifism is a part of my nature. From this point of view I am happy for my naive monsters and art in general.

Have you ever wondered how your nature shapes the choice of topics, techniques, styles? It is not only skills but also our inner essence which define the art. It sounds clear but I should repeat it often for myself to stay who I am. Your comments help me too.

Enjoy the so called monsters!

Hugs and love,

Ivana

Milestones and goals

Most people analyze the previous year and set up goals when the New Year is coming. I tried to illustrate both, remembering a game I played with myself years ago.

Like the medieval knights had a shield with the insignia of their family, I drew the shield that best characterized me at that moment. Great time to use secret symbols or color language, great time to simplify even deep thoughts, great time to combine art and fun. Have you ever tried to make up your personal shield?

I love when my right hemisphere activates while I draw, and then comes totally different kind of thoughts. That’s why I don’t have a plan in advance, I gradually draw what comes to mind and where there is still a space left on the paper. At least when I’m trying to draw messages from the inner self.

I used the same process for the Milestones 2021 and the Goals 2022 shields. Maybe they look ridiculous, but I precisely know what each part means. This time I don’t only share my art with you, but my heart.

With love, Ivana