This is the first foray I've made into the monthly update arena. Some artists, I've been following and admiring do something similar, so I wanted to give it a shot! Specifically, I've really been enjoying Megali Franov, Taryn Knight, and Raquel Russo's posts and newsletters. I've found those entries helpful to learn both about processes and places where people are finding inspiration.
So here goes nothing!
~ New Growth ~
Part of my journey this month has been to seek out places to do on-location sketching. Especially during colder months, it's very easy to stay inside a comfy artist box and only use images online as a reference. This can be very limiting because when you draw from photographs, you're referring to an image that has already been flattened. This can make it hard to truly discern the depth or the way light interacts with certain textures.
Drawing from life teaches your eye to pay attention to the imperceptible details that make a subject unique. In the words of my high school art teacher:
"Learn to draw what you see, not what you think you see."
Even if your illustration practice branches away from realistic drawing, understanding how to draw things as they truly are, is an important skill. Essentially, you should know what the rules are if you want to actually break them.
"Learn to draw what you see, not what you think you see."
Even if your illustration practice branches away from realistic drawing, understanding how to draw things as they truly are, is an important skill. Essentially, you should know what the rules are if you want to actually break them.
Luckily, I'm in Chicago so the places I can visit on weekends are pretty endless. Lately, I've been taking the time to go to Lincoln Park and take advantage of the many publicly available resources.
Lincoln Park Conservatory's Spring Art Show!
Fuchia
I've made it a point to try and visit the Lincoln Park Conservatory regularly and draw. This was a very nice routine to fall into. During art school, I visited the Field Museum and the Garfield Park Conservatory often throughout my senior year to draw the taxidermy and plants there. This new habit brought me back to that time in my life and helped me reconnect to a more realistic style of art.
Since taking these sketching treks, I've noticed myself paying more attention to texturing and subtle shifts in light. Conveying the softness of a flower petal or the complex delicacy of moss has become a fun and fascinating challenge!
May, 2022
April, 2022
April, 2022
Being able to visit often and see plants come in and out of bloom was a really nice experience. It helped me notice new facets and details of the same flora each time. I feel like this has pushed me to see new patterns and examine the world more closely.
~ NEW WORK ~
Aside from the expansion of my sketchbook practice, I've also been excited to work on formal design projects. My day job is as a Graphic Designer, and in April I had the exciting opportunity to work on an Earth Day sticker sheet for Ello. Ello is an eco-friendly water bottle company, and as a special promotion, they wanted to include a unique sticker sheet with purchases during their Earth Day sale.
You can learn more about the specifics of that project here:
It was exciting to work on a Girl Scout themed project because it brought me back to some of my happiest childhood memories. Even though this isn't the first sticker sheet I've made for Ello, this is probably my favorite so far!
~ UNTIL NEXT TIME! ~
That's all for now, hopefully, these updates will be able to help other creative folks the way similar content has aided me!
For more frequent updates on what's going on in my practice, you can follow me on Instagram or simply check out my Sketchbook Round-Ups here on this site.
For more frequent updates on what's going on in my practice, you can follow me on Instagram or simply check out my Sketchbook Round-Ups here on this site.