Watercolor Therapy

I haven't felt myself lately.

Not to knock all graphic design-centered classes, but they just aren't my cup of tea. I've been taking a web design class this semester, and while I have been learning a lot, it's been monotonous, headache-inducing work. Sometimes, after that, all I want to do is paint.

So occasionally I go visit my friend in watercolor class (4th session-after my classes are over) and paint with them for a while. It's fun, stress free, relaxing. Watercolor for me is fun. I enjoy it, I do it as both a project and a hobby. It's therapeutic to just mix a bunch of watery colors in a palette and splash them all over a sheet of hot press. I just love it.

So yesterday, I sat in on their class (which is a Watercolor Figure Painting class) while they painted a reclining nude. It was a gorgeous pose and a great opportunity for me to work with skin tones, which I haven't done much. I worked on my small Hot Press block and this was the result:

I tried to make it more of an illustration piece with the addition of ink and again keeping with this new-found splashiness. I really like how it turned out. For a 2 1/2 hour painting, I think it came out well.

Let me know what you all think. Should I sit in on this class more often? It doesn't hurt to get some extra practice, especially if you enjoy doing it.

What's Your Sign?

My latest project for Advanced Illustration somehow morphed from cosmetics into Horoscope icons to be used in a teen girl magazine (ie: Seventeen, teenVOGUE...) I just wanted to show you all. I actually did a mock layout in Adobe InDesign as well, but I don't think it's the correct format to post from my home computer, so that might have to wait for another time.

But anyway, here they are. I like some of them more than others, and trust me, it's nothing personal.

 Aries

I redid this one only once and trust me, it looks a lot better than the original. The original was just too generic and didn't have the spunky, fiery attitude that is associated with this sign.

Taurus

I also redid this one, for the same reason as Aries. I think this one is a little bit sweeter and earthly, like I imagine most Taurus girls are. She reminds me of the Mona Lisa.

 

Gemini

This one was not redone. Of course, I drew and erased it a few times, but once it was inked and the watercolor added, it was finished and I was happy with it. I like getting to use not normal hair colors every so often, especially with a spot illustration for a teen magazine! Things need to pop! I think the pink is perfect for bubbly Geminis.

Cancer

Sorry about the variations in size. They all scanned differently. But anyway, Cancer was what one might call "the problem child" of the bunch--not in personality, but as I was drawing them. I redrew her three times before I was pleased. I did this one I think on a Monday night when I got home from school and it looked world's better than the ones I had spent class periods on. This one is actually one of my favorites.

 

 

Leo

This one was adorable from the get-go. After just penning it in, it looked great. Then I added the paint and it became my favorite. She embodies everything I think a Leo should: in your face personality, warmth, and fun. Another favorite.

 

 

Virgo

I'm not sure how I feel about this one. I redid it once and it probably could have stood to be redone again. She has this glazed over expression that I don't like. I've known a few Virgos in my time and none of them were glazed over. Though she does look earthy and peaceful which I guess is good.

 Libra

Another that could have been redone more than once. But take my word, it is an improvement from the original. My instructor said she looked like Wednesday from the Adam's Family. I have to agree with him a little, though all the Libras I've known are very theatrical with bright personalities.

Scorpio

Could stand to be redone again. I know that Scorpios aren't all tough, punk-looking people, but that's what I think of when I think of Scorpio. They are supposedly secretive, though. I don't like how I did the necklace, it looks awful and the unicorn horn hair doesn't help either.

 

Sagittarius

I was born under the sign of Sagittarius, so I knew I had to just nail this one. I actually really like how it turned out. This is the first one I did and I think she embodies the spirit of adventure and fun that we Sagittarians are known for.

 Capricorn

I like how this one turned out. It was another that was not redone. I took a bit of a risk using green for her hair and skin, but if you use it on both, she doesn't look like an alien, she looks like she's bathing in green light. Since Capricorn is an earth sign I think that works. 

Aquarius

Never mind how silly the water pitcher might look on top of her head and this one looks alright to me. I maybe should have approached the pitcher a different way, but it didn't bother me until my teacher mentioned it in the critique. I like the monochromatic color scheme. Very watery, like Aquarius should be.

Pisces

I always think of Pisces as dreamy and imaginative. That was the inspiration for this icon. Notice her head is in the clouds. Not sure how I feel about the fish earrings, but I don't think it's awful.

Anyway, feel free to let me know what you guys think! Please comment.

 

The Cutting Room Floor: Splashy icons

Hello, all

I've been neglecting again, but in my defense, I haven't felt all that great lately. I don't know if I'm sick, or if it's just the Winter blues, or whatnot. But I've been tired and stressed and just not in a good mood in general.

I've been working on various projects for Advanced Illustration since I last posted here. My critique for the food icons went well. I hope that I can someday use them for real life things--although that might be sooner than I think since I used one of the teacups on my business card that I made for portfolio class (which I intend to have actually made), as well as the cherries on a cd label for the same class.

After that project, I decided to do cosmetic icons to be used in a similar way (as stickers, to be put on journals, address books, etc.) But for some reason, I just wasn't feeling them. I'll show you anyway, for the heck of it. I do like them, but something just didn't seem natural about painting them. Art is also about feeling and emotion to me as much as it is making money in the future. If I don't feel right about it, then I move on to something else.

Then I wanted to do some fashion portraits, but I also wasn't feeling those.

I don't know, I've been really into water and oceanic things lately. I've never even seen the ocean in real life.

And jellyfish. I just love jellyfish!

Anyway, I just wanted to show you some icons/paintings that maybe didn't make the cut right now, but possibly will in the future. Tell me what you think of them!