draws

My original plan was to share that I not only make jewelry and that I'm probably a better artist than a jeweler, but when sorting through the artwork I might share I realized just how much I have let Disney leech into my artwork.



Maleficent (rough sketch)



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I have been trying to acquaint myself with digital art for the past 10 months - well, actually the past decade, but of the past 10 years about 95% of my practice has been in these last 10 months.        


effie

















Digital art has been an exercise in patience for me.  When you draw to relax and let go, a mild frustration will settle over you when you feel as though you're drawing in outer space and that you lack control in something that requires a great deal of it. The image you're drawing is appearing on another surface, your pen feels unnatural and slippery, and you're using software that's supposed to help you, but you have no idea where to begin to make it work for you: making digital art can be very disorienting.  Needless to say, over the years I have started and stopped over and over because of discouragement with this medium, and, really, why carry on with it when I know I can simply use pencil and paper and produce exceptional work?    
I decided it was finally time to push myself.  This time I didn't let the frustration and discouragement overwhelm me.  I have had to take breaks and vacations, but never longer than a week.  



Lupita (as Cinderella)




So I have discovered this medium really wants to draw the Disney out of me. I thought it had maybe been two pictures max, but looking for art today I found the folder full of artwork either Disney themed or stylized. 
Maleficent and Kida are the only two
 actual Disney characters I've shared here, but I do have some rough draft/outlines of others: Merlin, Ursula, Bambi, et cetera. 


... Everything else is simply saturated with the nuance.  For instance, how could I not draw Lupita as Cinderella.  That dress has made her iconic. 12 Years a Slave and Prada may not be Disney, but her appearance at the Academy Awards in that dress was magical, and I wouldn't be surprised to find out she arrived in a pumpkin stagecoach.   



Kida Sketchdump

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The little fox anthromoph (Effie) was something I whipped up for my niece.  The kid has been head over heels for foxes for the past 2 years of her lil life (who can blame her) and she loves her books.  I worry about not being a cool enough aunt for the stinker so I try to relate to her with things we will always have in common: Disney is one of those things.  And while the fox isn't a Maid Marian or a Vixie, she certainly has that look.  

The castle I suppose is a mystery to me. I tend to think my illustration style normally hovers somewhere between "new school" comic art and Bryan Froud/Arthur Rackham illustrations.  I can see those qualities in this landscape, but when I place it next to all these Disney character references I see similarities there too.  Perhaps I'm just seeing me.   



Castle in Ireland



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The good news is the art I produce digitally hasn't even begun to take shape, as far as I'm concerned.  I know I have a long way to go before I am anywhere near as good with a Wacom tablet as I am with a 2B pencil and Strathmore Sketch Book.


Well the day is young and I still have a load of work ahead of me. Probably no digital artwork today, but definitely some photo editing (... you may not know that implies "jewelry's coming", so I'll say that right here ;). Should I post a jewelry pic? I think I should. Cheers!!



I think you've met Mariah before? right? :)

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