I have been writing about burnout for years now and I'm happy to say I'm out of it now. How'd I know? Random ideas just pop in my head without any effort, just like how it should be. I'm motivated to do things - even doing makeup and some other stuff at the same time. During the burnout years, literally no ideas. Blank lol. And now I have the energy to be visualize them. :D
This is a work in progress that I'm doing. I miss painting on canvas too (traditionally) but it's just not efficient now that I don't have anywhere to store them and no physical exhibitions ahead. So I'm continuing digital art.
With the equipment and knowledge that I have now, there are a few adjustments I needed to make to have better output and process. I'm utilizing my knowledge with lighting and photography, something that I learned when filming makeup haha. Before that, I was just thinking about the pose and perspective when I'm taking photos for my references... I don't even think about the lighting at all. But now I realized having a dramatic lighting makes the work so much better and easier for me to draw. It's such a "duuuhhhh" process for me because lighting is literally the first thing every artists think about especially in those live drawings and such. :P
Right now this drawing doesn't have a plan. I just started taking photos of myself (like I usually do) in random poses and just picked whatever resonated with me at the moment. I'm more into planning kind of artist. An example of that planned work will be this. But right now I'm being spontaneous because I want it to be chill so I can manipulate my brain to not be afraid of mistakes. :P
I'm also refreshing my use of brushes and techniques in digital art. My process is still programmed like traditional painting even though I'm using Photoshop - like I barely use contrast, selection tool to fill colors, and all the other digital tools. So it would be nice to just develop that habit first before having a planned work and having expectations for myself etc. :P
Anyway, I'm not sure how this will turn out or what the idea would be but so far, enjoying the process is more important. :D
I love this picture. If it were on canvas, it would be on my wall. I adore the colours and the juxtaposition of the figure being both prone and its outline sitting. It's just a fantastic piece, and this from someone who is most definitely not an art lover.
As I have your attention, may I ask what these drawing tablets are like, please?
A friends little girl, who is an amazing artist, has bagged a scholarship into a good uni in Bangkok to study art and she only has a crappy old laptop. Would a new laptop be more useful, do you think?
TIA :-)
Thank you very much! Yeah I can imagine it would look good on canvas :D When I get my own studio for traditional art, I would definitely put it up on the wall. :D
Oohh those tablets are good and from a good brand too. Compared to other brands, they are one of the most affordable ones but does its job pretty well. I had one before from this brand haha then someone from the house threw the pen away (the one you need to draw like a pencil) cos she thought it was useless so I wasn't able to use it again.
That's so amazing for her!! I'm happy she got that opportunity. <3 Hopefully they will provide those materials cos I know art materials can get expensive.
Drawing tablets have different models. Some of them can be used alone without a computer just like an iPad... and some of them are just drawing tablet that you connect to the computer - kinda like a mouse - except for tablets you have a pen instead of a mouse. So what it does when connected to a computer is that when you hover the pen on the drawing tablet, the cursor on the computer will be on the same spot. And when you press it, it does the click similar to a mouse. So just draw how you'd draw on paper and it will mirror on the computer.
The one you see on the table has a drawing tablet (right) connected to the laptop (left) and that is so much better (or an ideal one to get) since you can draw and see the result directly on screen. Some tablets aren't like a monitor, more like a pad with no screen so that means you'd have to look at the laptop monitor and at the drawing tablet from time to time. The one on the table seems really good except it might be a disadvantage if she has to carry her stuff to school everytime. So a smaller one would be better for her at the moment.
Honestly yes. I was able to survive using programs on a tiny notebook in college but it was not ideal cos it would freeze a lot and slow haha. Whenever possible, a newer laptop is always better considering the amount of new apps nowadays and how much processing power they consume. I could imagine an old laptop in an art school in 2025 would be a struggle.
You're a superstar! Thank you for bothering with such a detailed answer. Laptop it is then. Saves me having to listen to the sales girl in the tablet shop going on and on and me trying to look knowledgeable as she does!
That little shop was in Zeer Rangsit Hub mall, they have a great area there for gaming and collectors too. I also saw something you're other half might like...
Thank you once again.
Best wishes to you both and have a wonderful weekend
I still have a mountain of unsold pieces. Few of them I intend to frame a hang at my own walls. But I keep delaying that. I could still store more art pieces but I don't really see a point in making traditionall physical art because people almost never buy them. So making digital art is both cheaper and saves space.
I use program called Clip studio paint. I have downloaded pretty much all the free brushes I could find. So it is a bit overwhelming but I still enjoy trying them all.
This is what I worry about too. You can't sell everything and right now we are in a temporary place, storage is a really big problem. But if you have a place honestly just continue doing it. There is always a buyer somewhere, just have to find your right audience. But I do agree, digital is a lot cheaper and you can print them anyways if you want (or redraw on canvas).
Ohh I heard about that before too but Photoshop really is just something that I gotten used to since I also use it in photography. I think Clip also have 3d? That would be nice for you to explore as well. It is indeed very overwhelming, same feeling I had when I first tried it haha probably why I didn't really like using it.
In 7+ years I only sold 5 normal pieces and 1 nft. I wanted to sell this piece to local pizza place:
But when I came in I was embarrassed to ask money for it so I just gifted it away. I guess I am better artist than I am a seller.😛
Yes, Clip studio paint has 3D figures and poses. I have done a few pieces with 3D already(1, 2,3...)
I don't understand the sitting figure, is it an alternative to the lay down one? Is it to be completed? It seems like a mask for something else
It's just going to be a line like that. I like combining realistic figures with doodles or lines, so I just did here. :D
🎉🎉🥳 Congratulations 🥳🎊🎊
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Coming from a photo background I'd say that you are probably better off sticking with lenses between 35 and 50 mm for reference photos, otherwise you'll have foreshortening issues if you try to 1:1 a painting.
Thank you for the suggestion! I didn't even think about that, although I was aware of the distortions from the side when you use a wide angle lens. I did use a 18-55mm tho I forgot which focal length I used, probably about 20+.
But yeah my photo references are only for poses, human anatomy, ang lighting and I'm not strict about the proportions at all. I do love it when I distort some parts a little bit cos I like it more on the expressive side. I'll make sure to keep that in mind if I'm planning to do 1:1 tho I don't think I'll be doing that soon yet. :D