Friday 29 November 2013

Step by step



Old sketch done in my Moleskine with gouache! I wanted to practice with thin layers back then. I don't know why my Moleskine accepts better thinner gauge than watercolor itself... I actually use almost the same amount of water for both techniques... what? I love the soft colors!

But I have good news!, so don't worry, this will be a happy post! This little girl just needs to practice a little more, step by step ;).

Tomorrow is party time!! I'm invited to a party celebrated by Sus Pasitos (here is their Facebook), you can know about it here (both in Spanish!). I'm collaborating with them with a present for the people there :). I was really happy when they proposed me to participate with them... thank you, I had lots of fun! You were really kind to me! My work is ready for tomorrow, I can't wait for tomorrow (even more after saying, "in the shade", a little of how it was being organized :)! I'm sure it will be perfect!!

So, have fun! I don't know if I will post something here tomorrow, so, see you!

Thursday 28 November 2013

Whale sketch



It's the sketch of one of the illustrations I finished coloring with pencil colors. I love this little one, it was so fun to draw... I will show the finished version soon :)

I love to sketch and plan illustrations. This one, started as a very little sketch, and at the end I decided to give it color. I love to draw little sketches everywhere. I always have with me a little sketchbook or every time I have an idea I can capture it as soon as possible. For example, there I have some new cups waiting to be colored ;)

One of my teachers while I studied photography, really liked my small sketches. He told me it was impossible for him to draw so many little details. I prefer small illustrations, I can lose myself in them really fast, so relaxing!

I have many sketches to finish, now I need to find time to start coloring them... but I'm sure before that I will start sketching some new and I will end whit more to finish... well, too bad!

Nothing else for today! Have fun and tomorrow more!!

Wednesday 27 November 2013

Gardener hedgehog



I created this little one at the same time I sketched some of my animal-object... though this one isn't exactly an object, but a hedgehog-bush :). This hedgehog is sweet and loves to grow flowers on his back. He won't hurt you if you touch him, that's the way he wants to be!!

Nothing else for today!  Have fun and be yourself ;)

Tuesday 26 November 2013

Shouting



This is the illustration I used for my About.me account. I thought I already posted it here... my bad!

Busy week for sure (and the next one will be more or less the same)!!, but I'm happy with it. I have many ideas for things I would like to start drawing, but duty is first ;). I hope I can write about it soon!!

Have fun today!

Monday 25 November 2013

Saccharine power!



One of my cup series again!!! This one fights with saccharine!

I have been sketching more of them, now I need dome time to finish them digitally... but I'm very busy these days (which is always welcome)!. That's why I couldn't post anything here yesterday :(, but I will try to keep my old rhythm little by little...

So, have fun! and see you tomorrow ;)

Saturday 23 November 2013

About photography


This photo was made in class, together with my classmate
Nisicrita. They gave us a "word"and we made a photography
like if it were an image to publicity a product. In this case "line"

I decided to study photography because of I really enjoyed it in my Illustration studies. There, I learn to see the image with a different perspective, and learn from observation about color and perspective, but I knew, I had a feeling, that I could learn more about it.

Also, photography is being a hobby I really enjoyed before starting my Illustratration studies, just that I centered it in a more..."familiar way". I loved to take photos of my friends, and film them (till the point they got tired of me).

So, I decided to give it a chance. I knew I would have studied it sooner or later, so why not then?. There, I learn in depth a lot that now is helping me a lot in my illustrations, like the effect that lighting can have on the environment, how can it be affected the weather, hour of the day, place, objects around... Those little things that can create a difference in an illustration.

There was also, in the second year, an as signature where we were told about a photography project and we needed to develop it from the start to final photographies. I really enjoyed the sketch stage! I loved to capture my ideas in the paper. My teachers knew I would go to them the next day with a pile of sketches. I think I sketched and worked on my idea more in Photography than when I was studying illustration (showing them here is useless if you don't see the final photo).

Something that impressed me back then was the need to work with people (when this not necessarily exist in illustration, where you can work in your place, look for references in books or the internet (if you need to draw a tiger you can look for images or even go to the zoo, but if you need one for your photo you will need to be NEAR it, and what it involve), finishes the illustration with guidance and send it. I'm sure that there's other cases in which their work need more help, but I'm talking generally about illustrations for books).

For photography you need to move around a lot, to look for models (sometimes a dear classmate could help, but for others it was impossible), you need to buy clothes, accessories, to decide beforehand where you want to take photos and to ask for permissions if needed, even decide the hour you can start and to finish (in case of outdoor sessions). With photography you depend a lot in other people, but not only in people like the models, you also need assistants for reflectors and lighting, you need to take care of the model (is it cold? are they hungry? do they feel comfortable? ...). In some cases, you need to travel... so you need to get a car at least and to spend money on gas and be prepared to buy food or for any unexpected event...

Later, once you take them, you need to select the best ones and retouch them. What if the one you finish your client (in case you have one) doesn't like them? If you don't come to terms, maybe you will need to start from zero, or the client will go to look for someone else (of course, it also happens in illustrations, I think it's obvious)

If you love photography you will enjoy it for sure anyway :)
Thanks to photography I learned that I loved teamwork, to get advantage of what everyone was good at and adapt yourself to the others (and the contrary), to create something unique and special. Surely it was easy because of all my classmates were lovely, there was a good feeling in our class, I'm really proud I was part of that, they are the best :)

There're more things I would like to tell you about Photography, but this post is long enough! so maybe next time! See you!

Thursday 21 November 2013

Yummy Sketch



Today I'm busy! so this post is a little late!!

It's a sketch I made some days ago. I'm coloring with pencil colors really slowly, in my spare time, but it's going slowly, just to relax! I'm really enjoying them, but to finish illustrations with them take a long time, because I love using them very very softly and slowly, to be sure I get the color and texture I want (and feeling of course!) It's almost therapeutic in some way :). But now I have some pending works that don't leave me time to use them!

Nothing else for today! Tomorrow I will be out, and I'm not sure if I will get any time to post here, so have fun and enjoy your almost-here weekend :)

Wednesday 20 November 2013

Hungry bat



Today's post is late, sorry!!

I drew it on Halloween, a little bat that loves to eat garlic, why not? I had a lot of fun while drawing it with pencil colors :)

Busy day! no time at all, but I need to make up for lost time, but I can do it!!

Tuesday 19 November 2013

Picnic time!



I have sketched this illustration this summer and it's been on in my computer finished till now.

It reminds me of how will be today... food is involved and will be some guests (not ants of course!). Surely this week will kill me!! In one way or another. I want it to finish as soon as possible (and tomorrow another thing! just great :(, when do I draw?).

At least, lets do our best little by little like these ants, they're so hard-working! Have a good day!

Monday 18 November 2013

Sugar love



One of my "cup series" again! :)

This week will be hell... responsibilities. And last week I couldn't draw as much as I had liked, but I got work advanced, at least. Once this week ends I will get time again!

See you tomorrow! Have a nice day!

Sunday 17 November 2013

[Book review] Babayaga



A book again!, this time, this book is about Babayaga, and it's illustrated by Rébecca Dautremer, a french illustrator I adore for sure. I met her works before Benjamin Lacombe's.

Actually, this is one of the last books I got (it was a present), but it was originally published around 2003, if I'm not wrong. I always wanted to get this book, but I never found the chance.

It tells the famous story about Babayaga witch, and her big hunger. The text is written by Rébecca's husband, Tai-Marc Lethanh. He participates in many of her books (I have a few), and these are always written humorously, some of then are even a little surrealistic. His writing style reminds me of what a kid would think while reading the book, or being the principal character. A good mix for sure that creates a "new" story or vision, of this book.

What can I tell you about Rébecca's illustrations? They are beautifully done, very detailed and textured. Some of them look like out of a dream. I like how she adapts her style a little according to the story, I love that fact about her. I also love her concepts, the way she uses the format, and how she interprets the text. I think the fact of being a mother helps her a lot with her work (even if she has some work that are destined for a young audience).




If you like the illustration world, you will love it for sure. Her work is very detailed, and you can see all the effort she used in it. I love Babayaga's big design, and her personality in this book. I also love those little illustrations you can find between the text. I think one of the aspect I like the most about this book is its setting and the use of colors.

Again a really big book: 24,5 x 36,5cm, I just wish I had a beautiful place to show it :(

I bought months ago a book I really love about her, and also other of her works I really love! but it's enough for today. Have fun and tomorrow more ;)!

Friday 15 November 2013

Commission



Again a commission, this time for a photographer friend :). I drew her with part of her equipment to take photos.

I'm very busy right now, so nothing else to say today! I have some works left to do that take all my time!

Have fun! ;)

Thursday 14 November 2013

Wood mother



Old sketch from my first Moleskine done with graphite. Trees are growing up from her shoulders and their leaves are her hair.

A lot of digital illustration these days! I just hope everything will turn out right! I will try my best with this work!

Have fun and see you tomorrow!

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Meadow



Illustration done with pencil colors. I wanted to draw a little girl playing in the meadow, but without shoes. It was fun to do! :)

Nothing else to tell you about, just that I keep trying to find time to finish some pending works as soon as possible, just as always, but I'm doing my best!.

Have a nice day and tomorrow more!

Tuesday 12 November 2013

Redhead prince



This is the companion/partner I drew for this illustration I posted here last week :). His cape was fun to draw! But also tedious...

If you have any idea of how to stop time, tell me please! Today  is going to be a busy day in my house and I don't know if I will get time to draw at all. I will try it, if even a little... I hate those days when you want to do things but all around you is trying to stop you :(

Hope you have a nice day! See you tomorrow!

Monday 11 November 2013

Relax cup



A relaxing cup, that's what I need right now :)!

My little cup series... so fun to draw... I want to draw more of them (I already have a few sketched, though they are not colored), but I'm very busy right now with other things! Sometimes I wish I knew about yoga, I think it would be helpful for me :(

Have a fun (and relaxed) start of the week!! Energy and peace :).

Sunday 10 November 2013

[Book review] The Butterfly Lovers


French and original edition of the book

"The Butterfly Lovers" was, if I'm not mistaken, the fist Illustrated book I bought from Benjamin Lacombe.

It tells the story of an intelligent girl called Naoko, whose father wants her to learn good manners in Kyoto, for when he decides to marry her. She goes there, but decides to dress up as a boy to study literature. In Kyoto she meets a boy and both fall in love... that's till she is forced to marry someone else.

I can't remember exactly how I got to know about Benjamin, but when I did, I decided to order this book in a bookstore (in Spanish). My surprise was huge when the bookseller brought me a book of great size (it's 27x39cm!!) I was speechless for a moment because of I had no idea of its real size, but that big!?.

After trying to assimilate it, I loved the fact of its size. The illustrations were huge and you could see every little detail. I loved it from the start. It welcomes you with a pretty die cut that shows the next illustration as if it were a window.




 
The rest of the illustrations (most of them full page) inside are beautiful, with a little vintage touch and oriental feeling I really love. The text is fast to read, as the importance is in the illustrations. Also, I think this book is more for young people or adults who like art or illustrations, because of its quality and size.



 
Since then I have bought, once in a while, one of his books. Most of them are that big, and it makes me to love and to hate them at the same time. These books themselves are like a canvas paint, which you can show their covers as a piece of art. I wish I had more space in my house, and a big bookshelf to keep and to show them, because they are really beautiful. But for now it's impossible :(

It's one of his earlier works, but his newer's are just as beautifully and detailed done, some of them with very interesting.

I will try  to tell you about some of his books in the future, some of my favourite. See you tomorrow!

Friday 8 November 2013

Welcome home


 

"Welcome!" would tell you this elephant-house ;).

It was one of the designs I dismissed from my little objet-animal series (another one I made and that I posted here was this), but that I felt like coloring it anyway (I need time to plan more  for this series and to color them).

Have fun, and don't forget your home is always waiting for you ;).

Thursday 7 November 2013

Look sideways



A sketch from my old Moleskine. I like to try different styles according with my mood, and even if it's a little old now, I felt like it was the right moment to show it to you!

Today is cloudy and a little cold (what, I'm sensitive to cold...), but I'm not in a bad mood at all!! I feel like I want to work as much as I can!. Also, right now I'm surrounded by really nice people, and that's great to cheer up!! ;)

Hope you have a nice day! The weekend is almost here :)

Wednesday 6 November 2013

The Lion



It's one of the first pencil color illustrations that I have been working these days. A little boy dressed up as a lion.

At the end, yesterday was a non stop day! Half of the day taking photos outside and the other half was indoors. It was fun, it was like I was studying photography again. But I forgot how tired a photo session can be... But lots of laughs and that's what matter :)

This afternoon I need to keep drawing, as today I couldn't. Have fun and see you tomorrow!!

Tuesday 5 November 2013

Redhead princess


 

I drew this illustration at least a month ago. It was so entertaining to do I drew this redhead girl a partner after finishing it. I will try to show you this other  next week ;)

I will programme this post, as tomorrow (5th November), I will be out with a photographer friend taking some photos, a little indoor photo session. It's been long since last time I went out with my camera, so it will be fun! Maybe my sister will share this on Twitter at least for me.

I've everything ready to continue working with some new digital illustrations these days, I won't have time to be bored ;)

See you!!

Monday 4 November 2013

Fast breakfast



Another illustration of my "cup series"! This time, a glass of chocolate milk running... maybe to work, to class? I think I will add new characters little by little to this series ;)

Today I'm busy. I hope at least today I can start a new illustration, but it looks like it will take time :(

Have fun and see you tomorrow!!

Sunday 3 November 2013

Color pencils


http://instagram.com/p/cKLEsjNCiO/


These days I have been drawing a lot with pencil colors. It had been a long time since I used them so much!

Because of my cold (I'm almost fine right now!), soon I got tired to be in front of the computer, so to entertain myself, I decided to sketch a little and to color it with pencil colors. At the end, I spent all my afternoon coloring, and part of the next day. The day after that I decided to try another more detailed, and so. Now I have finished a few I really like.

Wip of one of these illustrations.

I forgot how much I enjoyed drawing with pencil colors when I was a child, how I don't care how long it takes me to finish. I love to mix colors to get the exact tone I want, and to give the drawing volume. The difference now is that I'm playing with at least two different brands, and for the one I'm working with right now, I plan to add to the mix a third one.

I can't stop using them! I really like traditional art :). As soon as I publish this post here I will continue with the one I started yesterday. I will show them soon. I think next week will be more digital again, but I will try to use pencil colors more often from now on ;).

See you tomorrow!

Saturday 2 November 2013

Little walk



Fast digital illustration to play with colors.

These days I'm drawing some traditional illustrations, and I'm having a lot of fun! Can't stop right now! :) I will try to tart a new one today.

Hope you have fun!