I love making portraits.
Here are some sweet ones I’ve made recently.
I love making portraits.
Here are some sweet ones I’ve made recently.
I’ve always been very focused on characters. I love drawing people and creatures. But it also means that I rarely draw backgrounds.
I made a goal to create an image with a very detailed background in order to stretch myself, and then to win a local art contest with that illustration.
Check, and check.
Here it is.
I’ve come to realize the obvious lately. If I only do the same thing I’ve always done (the things I’m good at and comfortable with), then I’ll never grow any better. I’ll just get good at doing the same thing. And I really do want to improve.
So my challenge for myself is to seek tons of opportunities to do new things, especially the things I’m afraid of. I want to make new kinds of illustrations, lead presentations on art and writing, run a Kickstarter, have my own booth at a convention, and beyond. And ever since making these goals for myself, I’ve been much more excited and invigorated about life.
So what are some goals you can make that will bring you through discomfort, but land you exactly where you’ve always dreamed of being?
I recently finished one of the coolest projects of my life! I illustrated a book for my friend Jeri Baird. I illustrated and designed the cover and made 14 interior illustrations. And it turned out beautiful!
Here are some of my favorite interior illustrations:
I was commissioned to create this awesome book cover. It’s a short story about Santa as he goes out to fight Krampus, the demon of Christmas.
To buy a copy of the story, go here!
I was just looking through my art and feeling really nostalgic for the characters in my comics. I haven’t worked on my comics in ages. That makes me pretty sad… These illustrations are between one and two years old.
A while back I painted myself and my husband. Now I’ve painted my baby too!
This is Nina’s one-year-old portrait. I’m really enjoying experimenting with this painterly style. It’s very different than what I typically do, so I have a lot to learn. I wouldn’t mind creating more of these semi-realistic portraits to improve my skills. Maybe I will!
I’m working on a big project. There will be lots of really cool creatures. These first three are Nature Spirits. There will be more to come.
I’ve never really done semi-serious portraits before.
UNTIL
NOW.
The first is a super loose self-portrait.
The second is my sweetheart. It took a lot longer, but it’s more of my typical, rendered style.
I looked at portraits painted by Manet and a few other great painters. It was INCREDIBLY helpful.