What Am I Doing

Creating. For my sketch book, I like to use tombow brush pens. I adore the pens, not a good idea to do any finished work as they are not light fast. Frustration comes in when I’ve gotten a sketch to come out really nicely and I can’t manage to get my paintbrush to do the same effect -especially when high detail is important. Mostly, this is lack of practice with brush technique and I could solve it by putting down the tombows and dedicating time to practice.

Anyway, I have an artwork that needs completing in the near future and I really have no idea how to do it. I’ve consulted books and online chats but ultimately it is going to be up to me to figure out the puzzle and have a final piece. I have a solution. It’ll make experienced artists cringe but it is going to work. I’m using smooth bristol paper (my graphite drawing paper of choice), spreading a thin layer of gesso and using sandpaper to smooth out edge marks made by the pallet knife, printing a very light outline of the piece I’ve already sketched (the final piece is 8″x10″), and using a combination of prismacolor markers, acrylic markers, and paint brushes dipped in denatured alcohol. The gessoed paper is because I tend to be really hard on paper surfaces when I’m using ink or paint. Lifting off paint or scrubbing areas is easier for me with a gesso layer. The acrylic markers are for blocking off areas to prevent ink spreading and feathering where I don’t want it while also laying down color, the ink markers allow me to do quick detail and slowly build up color and dimension. The alcohol is because ink will pool on gesso making dark unattractive lines, it can also help with blending. It has to be applied sparingly or it’ll push the ink or make its own rings. I’m pretty darn sure there is a much easier and time efficient approach and I’m pretty sure I’ll learn it eventually. Okay future self, am I screaming or did it work out?

The entire point of sharing all this is that the act of creating is a learning process, ALWAYS. I’m trying something because I don’t know any better and I’m okay if it fails. If it fails, I’ll try something else, read more blogs, bug more artists.