Still Cranking Away

It's been quite some time since my last post. I've been busy teaching swim lessons and getting a job in a local school district. I'm still looking for a teacher position, and I have great hopes that one will come along by next fall and possibly even this coming winter. I've managed to do some art here and there, mostly on bits of paper. A few I've seen through to a digital rendering! Apparently I'm really liking green right now. ;)

This piece is a self-portrait created in Procreate.

A portrait of my son in Philmont. He had a great time! Also in Procreate.

Facing the Day

This piece was fun to do because I worked really quickly and worked the brush closely to how I would've on a traditional acrylic painting. Of course, then I put overlays on it for more texture!

I call it "Facing the Day" because the person at the top could be seen as freed and glorious/chosen or as trapped and despondent. At least, that's what it means to me! 

Same Pose, Different "Heroes"

My sister teaches high school and decided that she wanted a new way to group her students for certain activities. I created 10 different "heroes" using the same pose. I kept the images in grayscale so that they would photocopy well. I had so much fun doing this that I ended up creating a second pose with the same hero types but different looks and clothing. Fun!

Pirate

Native American Warrior

Gladiator

Energy is Elementary!

I was recently asked to do something I'd never done before: Give a presentation about different types of energy and how they are used in the illustration process, with a particular focus on communication and illustration for publication. Phew! What a mouthful!

Of course, my first question was how long the presentation needed to be. About fifteen to twenty minutes was the answer. I'm used to speaking anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour when I am demonstrating how I do my art on the computer. So, naturally, I made a mind map on poster board (which looked quite confusing but really worked!) and tried to figure out how I could do the topic justice and still leave time to demonstrate art on my new love--the iPad.

I had a lot of fun giving the presentation! I managed to pull it off since the students at Chandler Oaks Elementary had such exemplary audience manners. I was pleased that they were so interested in my digital art and how I used my iPad with just my finger. One of the classes wrote thank you letters (a real treat!) and asked several questions. The images here comprise the newsletter I sent back to answer their questions. Oh, and in case you were wondering, the energy used was well worth it. : )

Mod Podge Screen Printing!

Ever wish you could design your own t-shirt or have you ever needed to create t-shirts for a group, say a group of friends wanting to do a race together? Make a homemade silk screen!

a few of my past screens

I created the "Cheetahs Rock" design above, and I have already had several people say they want one for their school, too. Since I love creating silk screens using embroidery hoops and Mod Podge, doing so will be a lot of fun! The materials for this project are readily available, inexpensive, and allow for many possibilities for the budding print artist. The resulting screens enable multiple prints (while the screens are still wet) and multiple uses/colors (after being rinsed and dried).

 

MATERIALS: CHECKLIST!

Pen/pencil/marker, Paper (to create design and cover work surfaces), Ruler, Scissors, Embroidery hoop (to fit design; they come in sizes from 4"-10"+), Assorted brushes, Mod Podge (gloss or matte work well), Fabric paint (or any acrylic if flexibility of printed surface is not a concern), Plastic "credit" card for squeegee (I used an old library card!), Iron, Painter's tape (optional), Iron-on embellishments (optional), shirt, and SHEER FABRIC.

SHEER FABRIC is in all caps because it is of utmost importance. There are different sheer fabrics out there, and many of them work well. I'm in the process of testing different fabrics to see which ones give the best print. What I currently use, though, is called "Curtain Voile" or "Curtain Sheer." There are also "Costume Sheer" and even "Organza." Each one of these have something in common: TINY holes created by the weave of the threads. If you want a more pixelated look, there are meshes available with larger holes (sometimes square, but usually diamond or hexagonal). What I use in this tutorial is called "Curtain Sheer," and when I hold it up to the light and give it a stretch, I can see tiny holes in the weave of the fabric. That'll work!

ONE: DESIGN!

Created in GIMP

Create your design. I created my guitar design using GIMP (click on it to find out more) and then printed it off in black and white on letter-sized paper. Make sure the design lends itself to one or two colors. The more colors you use, the more screens you will need (unless you decide to hand paint in places).  Pay attention to the black areas as those are usually where you want the color to be.

TWO: CREATE SCREEN!

Put hoops on top of the printed design to see which size fits best. Try to keep at least a half inch between the design and the hoop's rings. Separate the hoop halves. Leave the smaller ring on your work surface. Place the sheer fabric on top. Place the adjustable ring over it and tighten.

Trim fabric around the outer edges (leaving 1-2 inches for adjustments). Pull the fabric gently all the way around the hoop. Tighten the hoop as you go. The goal is to have no wrinkles and to have the screen be nice and taut.

THREE: TRANSFER DESIGN!

Place your design on a flat work surface. Place the screen so that the fabric is in direct contact with the design. Grab a writing utensil that won't bleed, and carefully trace the design. (If I'm doing more than one color, I place a symbol in the areas with the non-dominant color, but it's even better to use another hoop to create a second screen for the second color.)

FOUR: MOD PODGE!

I start by blocking out the design.

Put some paper down to protect your work surface. Grab your assorted brushes and "paint" the Mod Podge onto the areas of the screen where you do NOT want paint to go.

The Mod Podge dries quickly.

Don't worry if the glue seems to collect in lumps and hills. It's a good idea to run glue over the wood edges as well. Let it dry in the same position you painted it.

Once dry, hold it up toward light. You may see some holes that you missed. Put Mod Podge on them. Let dry again and retest against light. No tiny holes open where there should be glue? Yeah!

FIVE: TEST ON PAPER!

Put a sheet of paper on your work surface. Set the hoop on the paper so that the screen is in direct contact with it. Squirt a "line" of paint near the design. Grab your plastic card and pull the paint across the design in a couple directions. Press, but don't press too hard. Set aside your plastic card and then lift the screen straight up. Set aside your screen and check for any stray dots or lines that aren't supposed to be there. If you find any surprises, you need to rinse your screen with water, let it dry, and then go back to the "light test" on step four to add Mod Podge to necessary areas. You could also choose to not "fix it"--let it add to your print's character! :)

SIX: PRINT!

Once you are happy with your test print, get out the t-shirt(s). Place cardboard or paper between t-shirt layers to protect against bleed-through. Put the readied t-shirt(s) on a flat work surface. Place the screen on the shirt in the desired location so that the screen is in direct contact with the t-shirt. (If you are using two colors on the same shirt, place painter's tape over second-color areas.)

This picture shows part of the design taped off.

Squirt a "line" of paint near the design. Grab your plastic card and pull the paint across the design in a couple directions. Press, but don't press too hard or paint will get under the screen. Set aside your plastic card, and then lift the screen straight up.

Do the next shirt and the next and so on. (Print one color at a time. So if you're doing more than one t-shirt, print all the yellow first, rinse and dry the screen, and then go back to do the second color on dry t-shirts.)

You'll get better about knowing how much paint is needed.

In the picture on the right, my screen is still wet from the first color. Only do it this way if you're making one shirt from start to finish. You can even use a paintbrush instead of a squeegee to transfer paint in delicate areas.

SEVEN: SAVE THAT SCREEN!

You're going to want to re-use that screen when friends want another shirt, so you need to rinse it. Gently rub your fingers across the screen under running water. Mod Podge is waterproof once it's dry, so don't worry about rinsing it away. It's always a good idea to do a "light test" before using the screen again. Then touch up as needed. Having said this, I've never needed to touch up before a second or third use.

EIGHT: TOUCH UP!

Grab a detail brush and fabric paint to touch up places there wasn't enough paint or to add second-color details. For second colors, work with a dry t-shirt.

NINE: HEAT SET!

If your print is on a t-shirt, follow the paint's label directions for drying times and heat-setting. MAKE SURE that the paint is dry before you iron it. Always use a cotton press cloth (a thin, white dish towel works!) or white paper between the design and the iron or you could ruin both! This is also a good time to add iron-on embellishments (like sparkles or words); just follow package directions and use a press cloth. You can heat set a design by placing a press cloth over it and ironing the design for 30-45 seconds. Wash it following the paint's directions. You might be able to wash on warm and dry it on low, but the print and t-shirt material will look better longer if you wash it in cold and hang it to dry, especially if there are iron-on embellishments.

TEN: ENJOY!

Put that t-shirt on and wear it like you mean it! :)
That's my sister!

OK. I admit that I get really impatient sometimes! See the letter "D" below? Yep. I didn't test the screen on paper first, and I didn't see that the "D" needed more Mod Podge. Fortunately, my sister thinks it adds to the shirt's character!

Oopsie! Lesson learned!

If you have questions about the tutorial, just email me!

More on the iPad

I have been playing with art on my iPad a lot since I bought it in August. I enjoy using Procreate the most; I think it has the best "painterly" effects. But I also enjoy Adobe Ideas because it is simple and is a vector image (meaning it will maintain its crispness regardless of its size). I have yet to try editing my iPad images in GIMP. I will do that in the future, though! Here are a few of my creations.

First Wave

I've owned my iPad for about a week now and have been trying out several different art creation apps. So far one of my favorites is called Procreate. Procreate allows for MANY layers (I haven't hit a limit yet!) and allows the user to merge layers up or down. What's really neat, though, is the brushes. The brushes are incredibly varied and result in realistic artistic strokes. The user can even create (or purchase) new brush sets.

Do you recognize this pose? I took a picture of the sketch I made back in 2009 and put it as a layer into Procreate. Then I "painted" over it digitally, using many layers. Afterwards, I edited it in Snapseed for color and adjustments and more texture effects. I'm really enjoying my iPad, and I look forward to many more works of art.

Batman Needs Cereal, Too!

Yummy!

E with her bear!

I've always wanted to try one of those "painting parties" where you go to an art studio, drink wine with friends, and paint a picture (with an artist's help) to take home. Problem is that most of the paintings aren't quite appealing to me. Enter "Saturday Morning Cartoons." This event was geared toward kids with a parent present. Instead of wine, we took our breakfast. The artist was a cartoonist, and he led my daughter through painting a teddy bear eating cereal. While she drew and then painted, I drew and colored Batman in the same pose. We were both pleased with our creations; it was a great way to spend our Saturday morning together!

The Tinker

I decided to sketch a robot today. I did this one from start to finish on my iPhone (with my finger!). The apps I used were Autodesk Sketchbook Mobile and BeFunky (for more texture and color changes). I had fun with him!

The pictures here show the actual sketch work and then the finished product after BeFunky adjustments.

Happy Tree at Dusk

 Here is the Happy Tree all colored in. I feel it is very dark, like a dusk kind of feeling. I feel like I need to add a bat in the tree's line of sight. That could be fun! When I continue to experiment with it, I think I'll add different animals and change the tree's eyes accordingly.

Coloring a Happy Tree

I like to color and then use special brushes to add texture and play with the colors. This particular set came from Obsidian Dawn Resources and is called Grunge and Dirty. Their brushes are free (read their terms of use),  but I purchased a license (for $3!) so I could use the brushes in commercial work without crediting Obsidian Dawn.

Do you use any special brushes? If so, where did you get them? Did you know you can even make your own brushes?

Happy Tree

2.5" X 3"

This happy little tree came to me the other day in my main sketchbook. This mini version was done this morning. I found all the repetition and lines to be a lot like zentangle and also quite therapeutic. I will explore this tree more in my sketchbook and plan to color it in various media.

Basic GIMP Tutorial

A basic GIMP tutorial

I've had a lot of questions about how to use GIMP and especially how to get started in GIMP. This link goes to a video I made for kids to watch and learn some basic GIMP commands. It shows a scanned line art image and teaches the learner how to make it transparent and then how to color it in using a few different techniques. There are many other GIMP tutorials on YouTube. Kids--get your parent's permission before you search and watch tutorials!

Elementary Presentation: Make a Mark!

The Plover from A Monster in My Sock

Speaking at an elementary is always a blast. It's great to get to interact with the kids and answer all kinds of questions; everything from "Why do you wear a green belt?" to "What inspires you?" The most-asked question today was, "Where do I get THAT?!" They were referring to GIMP.

Sketch colored in GIMP

I was able to work in time to show them how I use the program GIMP (Gnu Image Manipulation Program) to create and manipulate images. Since it is a free program, it is what I could afford and what I used to create both of my children's books. It is overwhelming at first, but there are tutorials online and an online user's guide.  And it's not just for adults--three kids came up to me to talk about what they have done in GIMP. You can create images directly into GIMP, or you can scan in images and color them. You can also manipulate photos. It's a powerful tool that I am STILL learning more about each time I use it!

I'm hoping that I inspired some kids to get out there, keep a sketchbook, and make their mark. Go here to get your copy of GIMP, access help files and even some tutorials!

Self Portrait

I did this on my phone this morning. I like the lips! I used Sketchbook Mobile, the free version.

3 x 5 Index Cards

One of my favorite things to sketch on are 3x5 index cards. There's something about the limited space, the "carefree" surface, the spontaneity... This one was done while waiting in a lobby. I then took a picture of my sketch and colored it on my iPhone using several different apps.

Scanned Texture

Colored in Gimp

Ah, to be a teenage artist! So much potential! I added an actual sweater texture here. I like it. I'd like to experiment with more scanned textures like this.

Coloring a Sketch

Colored in Gimp

This sketch was done back in 2000 when my oldest was 3. I scanned it and decided to color it. I wanted the details of the sketch and wanted a more natural looking painting--especially watercolor--underneath. I tried in vain to open a transparent image of it into Corel Painter Essentials 4. I had to revert to Gimp. It doesn't look painterly, but the textures are interesting. Overall, I'm pleased with the coloring, though I could've gone darker with the greens.  Next I'll try to watercolor OVER it in Painter, then import it into gimp to go underneath the transparent layer of the sketch. That just MIGHT work.

Bamboo Tablet

My daughter loves to draw!

This is my first attempt at using Corel Painter Essentials 4 with my Wacom Bamboo tablet. I normally sketch, ink, and scan an image and then color it using GIMP with my mouse. It is tedious. The tablet I got came with Painter Essentials 4, and I have heard that it looks like more traditional art. I am frustrated because I'm  having to learn to use a new program and I can't seem to be as precise as I want to be. I'm also frustrated that I cannot save "png" files. It is essential for me to be able to color characters separately and then move them around in an image. There may be some way to do this, but I'm not seeing it. I wish I could take a class on this; then maybe it'd make more sense! But I think I just need to keep saving for Photoshop.

BB Vignette

A small section of a story I'm illustrating. Colored in Gimp.

A Monster in My Sock

A spread from my first children's book called A Monster in My Sock. The red-haired doll is in honor of my two red-headed nieces!