Not So Technique-Driven Techniques

It hasn't rained here in a while, and being a "cloudy-rainy day" person, I always feel a little bit off and forlorn waiting for the droplets to fall from the sky. It's amazing how the weather can really affect you...it's like some people are built for certain climates, don't you think? So while I anxiously eye the sky every now and then, I've also been keeping myself busy with some deadlines and playing away with Photoshop. Now, for many people who know me well, they'll tell you that I'm not a very technique driven person. I don't do too well with manuals and tutorials, hopeless with gadgets (which drives my husband crazy!), and prefer to use the only reliable tool I have in me. My feelings. :)

You can pretty much see my point by following the way I work with Photoshop to transform this painting into a new form of life...

For a start, I picked three templates to help me create the depth and textures I want for the piece. Many times I would go crazy and paint my own templates, but sometimes I just scan real pages and then alter them into something more to my likings.

Of course as anyone who are familiar with working digitally, most artists and designers usually have their own tricks and techniques of "layer effects" that they use to achieve the right characteristics needed for the work. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them. Why? Probably because I usually change the layer effects so many times that I lose track of what I've done so far. Haha! Like I said, I rely on my feelings....

Other than the layers, I also like to play around with the brightness-contrast tool, and especially balancing the colors. With this particular painting, I wanted the old antique feel to it but still show some brilliance of the colors. So I added some sheer blue and pink to the robe and the lady's cheeks for a richer look, then painted a little yellow light across her hair for a vivid glow.

Lastly, I added some crackling effects by using the crackle-texture template to the overall piece, and there you have it...a new form of painting created using my very, very simple steps and techniques.

The Guardian, watercolor, pencils and digital mediums

I wish I could show you one of my more complex pieces that involves dozens of layers, but that would probably just drive us all insane! :) Well, I think I'll go back to my sky watching now. Thought I saw a little grey cloud hovering above the trees somewhere....

Hugs,

Amalia, oxx

**The original painting of The Guardian is available at my Etsy shop, and fine art prints (of the rendered piece) is available over at RedBubble**

Little Star

Little Star, watercolor, pencils & digital mediums

A painting inspired by one of my all time favorite songs, Little Star by Stina Nordenstam...

I hope you like it too! :)

Amalia, oxx

Fine art prints of this painting is available in my RedBubble shop, and the original art is available at Etsy.

To be Something or Everything?

I often wonder about my profession and what it is that I do. Most of the time I just 'label' myself as an illustrator, you know, a commercial artist or someone who illustrates... as the dictionary puts it. But then what kind of illustrator am I? I mean, does it even matter? Apparently when you've plunged in and currently swirling in the pool of the so-called professionals, it does. And professionals being...? Well, basically those working specifically in the field, making money out of it and rubbing elbows with the others to get to a certain level of recognition (...which just adds to the things I need to ponder on). To be honest, at first all I wanted to do was to become a children's book illustrator, earning a proper income from making children happy.

...my much, much, earlier work in the old days...

  
But surely enough as humans do evolve, my interests shifted little by little and suddenly I found myself creating work that selfishly revolves more around myself, mainly as a medium to translate all those scattered little pennies of my thoughts. So what sort of illustrator exactly am I? I now ask myself, especially after this nice gentleman laid down the same question the other day (as if there should be a specific genre where I prefer to map myself...)

 ...attempting what used to be the unknown (digital mediums)...

Am I...
A children's book illustrator?
Novel covers enthusiast?
A digital illustrator?
Perhaps a traditional one?
Or maybe none and all of the above because I do a lot and also very little of them, depending on my moods and needs. It's funny isn't it when sometimes you are forced to present yourself as a specific type of  'something' when your heart tells you that you can be just about 'everything' you want.

 ...a new found love of mixed media art...

 Andromeda the Stars Keeper, pencils, watercolor and digital medium

 ...my latest work, which I created solely from watching a Nat Geo's program on galaxies (^_^)...

One thing I know for sure. Creating art, whatever the form, makes me feel alive and happy. I have absolutely no idea what's the next agenda for me... would I find myself facing a giant blank wall to paint a mural? Getting tangled in threads attempting my first piece of embroidered work? Or maybe even carving a statue out of wood? Illustrator, artist, art maker, whatever the label people or myself might pin on me, I think I would be happiest thinking of myself as a student. Preferable one that never graduates! :))


Happy weekend, my lovelies!

Amalia, oxx
 
PS: Original work of Andromeda The Stars Keeper is available at The Wish Forest, prints available at RedBubble