I have had a few people ask how I complete my artworks and ask me to put together a tutorial. Never was good at tutorials so I am going to start posting up a jpeg of a self illustration of me (how corny I know!!) and give a quick explanation as I get each step done. Now remember, this is just my technique. Everyone has to make your own that you feel comfortable with

First! THE SKETCH!!! — Scan it in, make sure in photoshop to play with the white and black. Make it to the size you like. Remember to play with taller or wider images for a more dynamic image! Best thing to do if you have a crappy scanner like me, play with the levels in photoshop until all the gray graininess is out of the photo but do not wash out your pencils! You can duplicate the layer and turn it to multiply so you can get your lines darker. You can even add a little guassian blur to the above layer to soften the marks. All up to your preference!

I have had a few people ask me for tutorials on what I create or advice on what to do in their strive to make art more of a career. The key goal is MAKE MISTAKES! The more you create, the more you have great pieces or failures, the more you learn. There are so many artists out there that if you see their work from 10 years ago until now, you would be astounded at how far their talent and artistic skills have grown. Its why you always look at other artist’s work and get inspired but NEVER compare them to yourself. They all started somewhere as well. And even if you stare at your first stick figure and wonder what you are doing, you are STILL making that first step. Once you compare it to people who have continued to push themselves to be better each year, you will just frustrate yourself. Instead, look at their mistakes and their follies and how they grew. Mistakes and errors are the building blocks of life to become better at anything you do, not just art.

So the best advice I can offer to those that are striving to do more, make lots of mistakes….. and make ART!

So I realized, I need to make a goal. I have a lot of major projects in the works. I have my children’s book that I have written and need to illustrate. I have ideas for products I want to design and illustrate and sell. I want to make a store that will sell mugs, shirts, bookmarks of my own design.

The problem is… I need to practice, practice, practice. I am making it a goal that each week I need to at LEAST sketch 6 things and get them uploaded. 6 sketches a week. I think that is reasonable. I need to get myself to have time to finish other pieces. I don’t care if I am working on 20 pieces at a time. At least I am working on them.

I read up on an artist I follow and she actually had to quit drawing that her fingers got swelled up for drawing too much……when was the last time I did that? I mean that, is how I used to be. So, working at doing so again…just without as much pain hopefully.

So sketchbook blogging will go into effect even more so this week!