mailowlearnstographic-blog

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Hello again today Tumblr, today I have for you another example of my progress while learning about digital drawing and playing with color. 

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Here is something else random I did while working towards improving my skills. I wanted to work with something I enjoyed and there’s this cat face I draw a lot that I feel a connection to. I drew I different variation of it then practiced color changes and copy paste editing. I love how trippy it came out <:

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A small piece I did while brainstorming a comic I’ve been writing and working on with a few people. My digital skills were only just beginning to improve at this point. This is still very much a baby stage from where I am right now. I want to just show some progress to everyone.

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So I’ll post this here since it is already a part of the tumblr I made specifically for the comic. These are a couple characters. I can’t wait to share more about my comic as I finish up with writing part 1. I finished the first rough draft, in the editing process for it now. Who knows how long that will take but meanwhile I hope to work on conceptual things concerning the project. <3

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Wowzers!!!

Well, it has been AGES since I’ve used this profile. I’ve been taking steps to learn how to create art on my computer. Since I’ve been gone I acquired a new laptop to work from! A surface! I can draw directly onto it and such. Over time I plan to share with all of you the progress I have made and some of the pieces I have done. I’ve been working on other things too, such as a comic I am presently writing a script for, some three dimensional pieces, jewelry...Just many things. That being said my next posts along the way are going to be sharing some of the things I’ve worked on in regards to digital work only. If you want to see any of my three dimensional art or otherwise I’ll maybe create a post down the line for that. I have a website as well that I am still perfecting so that will be shared down the line as well. I doubt many are reading this! Mostly this update is to keep myself posting on here. I want to maintain a proper Tumblr for a change! As well as other media pages where I can share my work. <3 

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It’s me <3

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haven’t posted in a while. I got a  new computer and I’m elated. The kind of art I’ve been able to do is pretty rad. I’m improving! I think. 

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I finished another piece today and I couldn’t be more proud of myself. Never thought I would have had time to do this. I’m working hard to complete a good portfolio of pieces. This will go in what I hope to be at least a 4 to 5 piece set of a passion project. After this I hope to add examples of work that show a more broad skill set. This is the road I’m taking to become a professional and I hope I can get there. The struggle is real but the road to success is long and hard and hitting success won’t make things any less hard. Despite this I want to get there, I’d rather spend my life following a passion. I refuse to settle for anything less than what I want to do (knowing full well I’ll have to do things I maybe don’t like to earn money while getting there. I still put passion into that too and remain positive at all times.) Anyways, enough rambling, I don’t even know who I’m rambling to <3 this blog is more of a journal than an attempt to get a following. -Mailow <3

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It has been a while so I figured I would drop something I’ve been working on as I’ve had time.  I’ve been heckin’ busy so practice has been scarce. Once I make my move in with my partner and once I get settled into my new job I’m pretty positive I can continue this personal curriculum of mine. For now I’m just focusing on making things. I’m working on building a digital sketch book as well so that I can have my processes recorded adequately. I want to go paper free for the environment and for my own sanity as physical sketches often get buried and lost or damaged. Anyways, this is a portfolio piece I’ve been working on using the skills I’ve been learning from various free resources. I think for now I may put personal projects aside and perhaps do some fan art. I need a creative outlet for all of the stress in my life and I think small side projects like that could be good for practice/skill building. Anyways! this blog isn’t dead (but I’m dead inside from all of this life chaos). 

-Mailow <3

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About this blog.

Initially when I started this blog I wanted to update it every day with my progress. However, with how insane life is becoming I'm sad to say it will be going down to twice a week. I hate that this is what it has to come to. But I may have more to say in those posts than what I've had to say so far. That's good. The reason for twice a week?

I'm off work twice a week at sporadic times (yay retail). I want to hold myself accountable for this. I want to keep learning and creating. I'm determined to fit this curriculum I've made for myself into my schedule.

-Mailow

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I decided to focus a drawing on something/somebody I’m passionate about. Somebody I love.  I read from a professional digital painter/illustrator that you should not be afraid to suck in the beginning. These things I post are not the best, but I see where I can improve and am ready to receive criticism from fellow digital illustrators/painters. I want to know what tutorials I can learn from best and what books can help me better myself. The whole point of this is to teach myself where I can improve without having to pay thousands to go back to school. We’ll see where things go. I am switching back from putting things into practice to reading and studying tomorrow morning. I’ll be back to talk about what I watched/read and learned.  The concept for this just kind of moulded itself as I drew. Maybe once I improve I can go back to this and make improvements. That would be a neat thing to do in “the end” of this self schooling. I say “the end” because there really is never an end to learning about this stuff. So much knowledge out there to absorb. -Mailow

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Yes, it’s a cartoon, but I think I am getting better control of my lines. Doing little theoretical pieces like this helps me practice certain things. As far as an illustration goes, it could be cleaner, but I can’t be too hard on myself as I am still learning. 

-Mailow

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Still learning and playing with color. I attempted using the same color scheme from the last practice I did. I spent an hour playing with the blending tool to see what I could do with it while trying to be serious about the subject (although it is a creature of unknown origin I still wanted to make a good composition for it.) This time I painted before adding any kind of hardline. More of a painter’s tactic than an illustrator’s. I think what I found was that I either don’t give myself enough canvas to work with or my brushes are too big. I need to learn to keep in mind what is going on with the rest of the subject as I’m zoomed in on one feature. I need to work more on light sourcing. While using the blending tool is fun I don’t want to rely on it too much. I’m going to continue my practicing with this computer but I long for a new set up. Too bad being poor means you can’t afford the latest gear. Oh well. I use my resources as I’m able.  I think these practices are serving me well in my learning and I need to work on convincing myself that they are not a waste of time but rather my way of getting myself to improve. I will be watching more tutorials and implementing more strategies. This blog, while I haven’t been able to update it daily as I intended, is serving a purpose in helping me keep track of myself and keeping myself in check. All pieces I am working on now have potential to be used in future portfolio pieces. I think my next practice will be sketching using the computer. I need to work on being able to draw lines more comfortably and be looser as an artist rather than tight and hesitant.  -Mailow

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Another Couple Days Gone

Yeah, a couple more days with no studies to report went by again. I just had a lot happening all at once. I'm hopeful that my attempts to make myself make time daily from here forward will be fruitful. I'm positive they will be! Just figured I'd post to remind myself that I haven't given up. I cleaned my apartment a bit on Saturday with a new mind set of a clean home means a clean mind. Maybe that will help my studies!

-Mailow

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After a few very messy warm ups and getting used to how my brushes functioned I got something together in practice that started making sense. I’m trying to use what I’ve learned so far. Considering how different my tech is from other more professional types, I’m having to make adjustments and find my own way around in digital painting and sketching. I’ll be practicing more and continuing my lessons. I figured as a project I’d put something together using the brush and reference lessons I’ve had. It is an incomplete piece but it uses all elements of what I have learned. More practice is required but I have potential to be a professional if I keep at it. I’m trying to abandon “doodling” and do art with a purpose now. Purpose of practice and acting upon what I’ve learned. Anyways, blah blah blah.  -Mailow

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Mailow's Coffee Shop Rules

1. Sit down at decent sized table near an outlet.

2. Plug in computer, set up, etc.

3. Leave an open chair and room in case anyone wants to join.

4. Maintain friendly demeanor in case a new friend happens.

Always in the market for friends but let's be real, this never works, but I do it anyways.

I didn't forget about learning, I promise, life just got crazy for a few days. I'm attempting to get back into it now!

-Mailow

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Yup.

I didn't do any learning today, got carried away by life. So I suppose it was a day off and I'll just attempt taking advantage of tomorrow the best I can. Between work and a movie night with coworkers there must be some time. Maybe I'll just pull myself out of bed heckin' early. Who knows right? The world is mine to make of it as I please. However I seriously do intend on continuing my pursuit of knowledge tomorrow. I'm posting this because I want to hold myself to it. Until next time...

-Mailow

#oopsiskippedaday