Tag Archives: children
Tiny Knives
Child Portrait 9/25/18
I discovered a tool in Procreate that I’ve never used before. It’s called Dry Ink and MAN it’s a beautiful tool. It ends up feeling like ink and oil pastel simultaneously, offering the precision and responsiveness of a great pen while blending with the sensitivity of paint. My daughter took a few monster naps this week so I got some solid blocks of art time. My tank has been refueled! At least for a minute.
Just Once I’d Like to—
Before I had a baby and I still had some semblance of a life, I kept a fairly substantial number of completed comics in the queue. At any given moment, I could post a comic. It’s like having a fat savings account: most of the time you never need to use those funds, but knowing you CAN just feels damn good.
Then I became a parent, but I was still able to maintain a cushy queue during those first couple months while my daughter was still in the larval phase and slept most of the day. Much too quickly, though, she started sleeping less, requiring more, and leaving a trail of soiled items in her wake, ready to launder. Now I blink and a week goes by, my art untouched in seven-plus days. The comic savings account has dwindled. I’m livin’ on the edge, paycheck to paycheck. I’m always low on funds and can never seem to get ahead. I save up a little and then it disappears.
So, this is my little joke with myself. When I’ve stopped and started a piece twelve times, when I never have a substantial chunk of time to make headway, when I save a little only to then spend a lot…
This is my life now.
Down by the Bay
House of Worship
I is a Goddess
Preliminary Sketches
Sometimes I end up enjoying the preliminary comic sketches more than the final product. It has become an ongoing focus to try to maintain the energy and movement from the under drawing in the final rendition, which is not always a straightforward task. The finished versions of these drawings accomplished that fairly well.
Also, this week I geeked out on another comic artist’s work and it inspired me to play with a different style. Coming soon, so stay tuned.
The War is On
Portrait: Slinging BB
I adore the reference photo that I used for this piece. The Girl tolerates slinging for only twenty-minute chunks max, and when we do sling it’s the sweetest, coziest thing. (She does enjoy being cozy, just like her mom. She also gets real pissed off in the heat… Just like her mom.)
At the moment, she’s luxuriating in her morning nap. It’s rather thoughtful of her to give me a window of time during my “creative hours” to work on projects and ponder the existence of the universe. The rest of the day will be spent examining mom’s face, attempting to get that pesky foot in her mouth, and contemplating whether she really is ready to roll.
Runs on Coffee 