Scorpio.

Sketch for Scorpio.

(Note: This post was written before the last post. Because I had been in a sickly state, I felt the need to whine about my being sick and post that one first. I am happy to report that after attending work for only two hours on Friday, and after a fully swollen face on Saturday, I am very-muchly recovering. Though I do find my hearing to be a bit funky still.)

This sketch went through a bunch of changes, and I think it's very close to being done. I'll most likely revise it when I create the final drawing in prep for inking. I know of at least one thing I'd like to change, that strap across her chest. It completely makes the eye just get stuck on it. And once it's stuck, it doesn't move.

Almost all the sketches are complete now. I'm reworking Cancer and only have Pisces to finish. What was to be a simple task has turned out much bigger than I planned. I'm not sure why I can't keep things simple. This was to be a bunch of small doodles, teeny, tiny, simple drawings. But they're already growing both in idea and physical size.

I have to keep reminding myself that it's okay to let things go and let them develop. I'm not only trying to apply this principle to creating stuff, but also to my life in general. Kind of a go with the flow mentality.

And onto other news...

The lemon is operable once again! Many monies, and a tax return later, it drives in superbly buttery shape. Meaning smooth and flowy. I can no longer hear a deadly rattle emanating from the rear of the vehicle, and am reporting fewer bone rattling, road bumps.

Zodiac.

Leo

Aquarius

Gemini

I've been working on some sketches for the store pieces I want to create, which are based on the zodiac. I figured that this is a good project to work on for a few reasons. One, I'm in the middle of moving living spaces, and also setting up the art studio the way I want, and still moving into that space too. Because I've got so much going on, these pieces are relatively small so I can have them travel with me and work on them whenever I have some time. This is only because I can't sacrifice as much time as I would like at the studio on some of the larger pieces I've started back up on (which now are on hold again). I think this may end up being a crazy month. I'm trying to accomplish a lot of things quickly.

So these zodiac pieces just started out as random little sketches and doodles, and I thought, why not do all twelve, keep them small and quick. Though the thought of doing them as quickly as I would like is fading. I tend to fall too easily into details and perfectionistic tendencies. I admire artists who don't put too much thought into their process and let it happen naturally.

Wait, I'd like to rephrase. My process is detailed at times, but the creation does happen naturally. I never take pencil to paper and say, "this is what I am going to draw, and this and this have to be in the image". I may say, oh "Aquarius, let's see what happens" and then whatever comes out is what I channel onto the paper. Though, the medium I use, however slightly different, changes the effect of how the idea presents in itself in the end. The three above are all about the same size, but even though the weight of the paper is relatively close, the texture is slightly different. Aquarius is on a very, very, silky smooth paper, almost a semi gloss, where the pencil travels skid-like across the surface, which gives itself easily to a type of flow, like water. Leo, was on a standard sketchbook surfaced paper done with the exact same pencil. And gemini, on smooth, higher end, copier paper (i draw on whatever I can find).

Leo (detail)

Aquarius (detail)

So if you can, follow these random thoughts: I don't think about characteristics I'd like to present, I think about the people or situations I know who do represent, in this case, each sign. For instance, I don't have religious tendencies, but let's say that possibly, if God was the creator of all things then he could be a Leo I guess. Look at all the attention he gets. Leo, the sun. Look at at her, creating her world, becoming the center of her world. Leo, the creator, the attention whore, and I say that with love. I love Leo's. Some of my closest friends throughout life, they're quite brilliant people.

Aquarius. I'd like to paint her, she bears water, like a mother giving birth. A pure form of nature. Aqueous, she becomes the water she has to bear. Many close family members are Aquarians. They become what they strive for. It's an odd way of describing them, but it makes complete sense to me.

Gemini, hmmm. That was about line and form, and will need more development.

Gosh, I wish I had some cookies.

Some things in development. . .

I've been creating smaller pieces lately and not working on the larger ones due to funky arm spatula muscle syndrome, or something similar sounding. I have the actual syndrome name written down somewhere, but can't read all of it due to my doctor's hand writing. I can hardly ever read anything he writes. So, hopefully this scapular thing won't last too much longer because even just sitting at times can make it ache uncomfortably, and sitting at a computer can make it worse.

The post before last, I posted photos of finished pieces. Sorry if the photo quality was off. I'm trying to figure out what's up with that. But those will do. I took some additional photos a few nights back to show some of the gold effect in a warmer, low light. But then, I can't trust what I see on this monitor. The first one is Ennui, and is 6.5"x9". The other is Earth II and is 12.5"x10". These are both meant to be enjoyed up close. Close, close. Clossseeee. (I'll post more photos of these later.)