Watercolors

Did a few watercolors with mom when she visited.  It's nice to be able to share this hobby with my mom.

I think working smaller is helping me with watercolor a little.  I still screw up a lot, but at least now I can tell where I screwed up, and can think of ways that may work better next time.

Visual Library?

In real life, I can be a very oblivious person.  My lazy brain enjoys seeing color and light, but does not care much for trying to do complicated tasks such as remembering details or figuring out how machine parts fit together.  I've vaguely guessed that this was going to become a road block for me a couple of years ago, and tried a few times to force myself into drawing stuff I absolutely hate.  At the time, I gave up in frustration because it was so painful for me.

Here I am, attempting to throw myself at the problem again.  Funny thing is, it's actually a lot less painful to do than I remembered.  Maybe the failed previous attempts weren't a total waste after all...

Anyhow, for starters, here's a sketch of a strange machine that came up in my google image search.

Gargoyles

Last week's sketch group title.  I've been a huge slacker and haven't done a lot of these lately, so here it is...

Just as I thought I've come out of a major artist's block, I found myself mired in my most hated habit: noodling and over-smoothing.  I love confident marks and loose painting, yet somehow I couldn't stop myself from rendering the details lately.  It's like I'm too scared to screw up the bigger picture so I zoom in and work the details instead.  What in the world.

So hopefully this speedy will help breaking me out of this mindset.  I guess I feel like the trapped knight right now, haha.   TO BATTLE!

New card, plus new exercise

My new WoW card, plus a study with only 100% opacity brush with no shape/opacity dynamic.

Long weekend at home.  Going to try to be productive... Just spent over $200 on art books too!  Gotta at least get my money's worth :)