Painting digitally is not my favorite way to illustrate. With my current skills, it takes me 3-5 times longer to create something to my satisfaction, BUT I can stop easily and quickly. Now, that I have a toddler and a 3 month old, I really-really don't have time to set up and clean up traditional painting.
This Mermaid is a warm up of sorts. There is another piece I'm working on, but I was struggling with it's complexity(also my anatomy has never been a strong suite) and fighting this digital medium. So I thought I'd work on this old sketch, which is simpler to work on shape, color and style. I have learned I have to have a strong sketch to start with and that I can't just wing it once it's in the computer. I still have a lot left to do on this, but I wanted to share it because I'm excited to create again.
I have a few short stories with graphic novel formats that I've been too chicken to work on traditionally... also babies. So, I'm thinking maybe I can attempt to do them digitally over the course of the next year or two, fifteen minutes at time in between diaper changes. Crazy? Probably.
