by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Digital Art |
30 Paintings 30 Days, day 25
Once upon a time, like three days ago, I did a really sucky painting. Today I decided to do it again, sans the sucky part.
Women in Red # 25 2014 Susan Lobb Porter
She’s much better now. Nothing is the same here. Different digital brushes, different composition. The only similarities are the red dress and the beach.
But it’s STILL a do over in my head. Don’t you think?
This image, as well as others from the Women in Red series, is available as a gallery quality giclee print. Click the link on the sidebar for details.
Technical info: Created entirely on an iPad 2 using procreate.
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Digital Art |
30 Paintings 30 Days, day # 24.
Women in Red # 24 © 2014 Susan Lobb Porter
Women in Red # 24.
She sits in front of the window, soaking up the afternoon sun like a cat. But in the beginning it was just the woman (made somewhat in my image) and the room. And the room was dark until I said, “This is not what I want, let there be light.”
And lo, with another layer light was created to shine upon her. And though it is a digital world, it is good. And I am pleased.
In lieu of the collection plate I will gladly take comments.
Amen and XOXO
Technical info: This image was created entirely on an ipad 2 using procreate. Gallery quality giclee prints are available of this image and the other Women in Red through the link on the sidebar.
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Digital Art |
30 Paintings 30 Days, day 23
What a difference a day makes. Yesterday I struggled, positively struggled to create ANYTHING remotely interesting on the ipad. Actually, I take that back. I made an awesome background, lots of wonderful scribbles and texture.
But you’d never know that because I covered it all up with, lets be honest here, a sucky painting.
I was out of my comfort zone, using digital brushes I hadn’t used before. It was an intentional discomfort, taken on because, well…why not learn something new?
Let’s face it, this whole 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge is an intentional discomfort, one I’m uber glad I took on.
But still, making a sucky painting sucks.
That’s why I’m doing handsprings and black flips over what I made today.
Women in Red # 23, 2014 Susan Lobb Porter
This lovie flowed, simply flowed from my fingertips. Was I inspired? Yes. But mostly I was informed. I finally got around to downloading the Procreate Artist’s Handbook. Imagine that, an app that comes with directions!
Not only directions but a community of users that ROCK. Man, these guys share what they know on the forum. They also share custom digital brushes that they’ve made. Because you can make your own brushes in Procreate. Is that cool or what???
So after soaking up as much as I could in one sitting, I downloaded some brushes and began playing. I hadn’t planned on another nameless portrait but when da muse speaks. I listen. It’s either that or get whacked upside the head by the voice inside the head.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more Women in Red. As always, I’d love to hear what you have to say in the comments below.
xo
Technical Info: Created on an iPad 2 using procreate and Nikko’s brushes (Rull). Thanks Nikko!
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Digital Art |
30 Paintings 30 Days, day 22
Technical info: Created on an iPad 2 using Procreate.
So far in this series of digital exploration, I’ve found myself most comfortable with using the pastel and charcoal tools. Tonight I decided to switch it up and try the paint tools.
Women in Red # 22 2014 Susan Lobb Porter
Another learning curve…sigh… I can see the potential here, see glimmers of what I can do. But I’ve been playing around with this all night and this is as far as I’m taking this one for now.
I’ll be back tomorrow with another Women in Red. I’ll be using these ‘brushes’ again because I fully intend to figure them out.
Till then–
XOXO
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Digital Art |
30 Paintings 30 Days, Day 21
Women in Red # 21 2014 Susan Lobb Porter
“Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.”
–Eleanor Roosevelt
Technical info: Created on an ipad 2 using Procreate
by Susan Lobb Porter | Art, Digital Art, Process |
30 Paintings 30 Days, Day 20
I took some screenshots today to give you an idea of how I created today’s painting.
How this (arrow pointing up) became this (arrow pointing down)
Women in Red # 20 2014 Susan Lobb Porter
Disclaimer: I’m not going to show you all the layers and all the tools I used to make marks. I go back and forth with tools and colors so much it would make you dizzy. And there isn’t enough room in cyberland for all the screenshots that would entail.
First thing I do is choose the size canvas and resolution I want to use. It’s always white and the next thing I do is change the background color (first photo). I never paint on white. I. Just. Don’t.
After that I use a variety of digital ‘brushes’ as I scribble, erase, smudge and have a good old time making marks, just like I do when working on a real canvas.
As you can see from the screenshot, I did this in a couple of layers. I do that so I can erase into the later work and not lose all those lovely scribbles.
When I’m satisfied with all the scribbles and texture I merge the layers into one. Then I rotate the canvas iPad, looking at it from all directions to see if there’s a painting in there waiting for me.
Aha! I saw the shape of a shoulder and an arm. I opened a new layer and did a rough sketch.
Blocked in the composition.
And stuck with it during the ugly teenage stage when digital death was just a click away. Trust me, it was tempting.
But some refinements, way too many app crashes and half a bag of Pepperidge Farm to die for Coconut cookies later, Women in Red # 20 is done.
This screenshot shows the final open layers. You can see that there are three for the composition. The early layers have already been merged with the original color blocking.
The reason I open new layers as I’m working? Experimentation. If I want to try something, even a major shift in the image, working on a new layer allows me the freedom to protect what I already have. Because sometimes experiments don’t work. And when that’s the case, I can just delete ’em.
So there you have it, the condensed version of Drama in Arty Life: How I create My Digital Paintings. For those of you who have been following this blog for any time, you’ll see that the tools and technology are different but my painting technique remains pretty much the same.
That should give you a general idea of the process involved. Thoughts? Questions? Have at it in the comments below. You know how I loves me my comments!
xoxo
Technical info: This was created on an iPad 2 with the Procreate app.
