I wish I could go back in time and major in painting. Of course what I REALLY wish is that I could go back in time with full knowledge of artists like Aya Takano and other pop-surrealists. It’s the kind of art I wish I had been making but didn’t know was possible, had never seen before, and didn’t know existed or at least personally couldn’t conceive of. THAT is the artist I wish I’d been but all the painting teachers were like ‘No cartoony’. So I did what they wanted and painted abstracts and painted a few of my own terrible characters. I wasn’t good at proportions or anything. Hell, I was NEVER that good. It’s taken me until late adulthood to achieve the mediocrity I function at now. And YES, I have been spending WAY too much time on Pinterest looking at fine art and feeling bad about myself.
And sigh…. I’m pretty sure the tarot decks I ordered are indeed cheap knock offs :( Well, not that cheap! Still $44!! So I’m sad. They are also small, I like a larger deck, the paper is thin and the colors are off. Le sigh…. Anyway, I always wanted to draw my own tarot deck but realized I don’t have the stamina for 78 cards. On top of that I know no one would publish it. I’d have to do it myself and we all know how good I am at self promotion! NOT!!! I am not good at it. In case you don’t know. I am terrible at it!
Anyway, I promised you more art! So here it is- a Trapinch Pokemon trainer. I like the Litwick boy better. I would definitely play the Litwick boy in a game. I would pick Trapinch as a starter but I would work on this character concept more.
ANYWAY, I rather unsuccessfully shaded the hair. I was trying to recreate the Litwick boy’s hair but couldn’t do it.
I am still eyeballing SO HARD water soluble oils. I have heard they still aren’t really like oils, but I am out of options. I read a forum thread on- I want to say the Jackson Art supplies forum that Daniel Smith and Holbein Aqua Duo are the best with Royal Talens Cobra a solid 2nd or 3rd. Some complained about the paint staying tacky for weeks, even months, but most are dry in about 3 days unless a quick dry medium is added. Honestly, quick dry is the OPPOSITE of what I want. Why would you invest in water soluble oils then want them to dry quickly? That’s literally just acrylics!
My main question about water-mixable oils is are the mediums interchangeable? I’m sort of guessing the answer is no as every single brand has their own specialized mediums. Talens has a transparent painting paste to thicken up the paints but if you add too much it reduces the color saturation. Others have their own oils, mediums and varnishes. Of course you all know what will happen- I will spend an appalling amount of money on water mixable oils and then NOT use them because I am afraid to make bad art and I’m worried that I’ve forgotten how to paint oils. If I could steal one artist’s skills it might be Mayocco Anno because she can do it all. When Sugar Sugar Rune came out I was so inspired- it made me want to draw comics again. Of course I didn’t… and I can’t draw that well. But it made me want to draw. I forked over SO MUCH money for the OOP final volume of Sugar Sugar Rune.
It’s funny, every year, after I finish the Square Foot painting I want to paint more acrylics and then I never do! I HAVE practice canvas boards, I have cheap ass acrylics, I have everything I need to just play with paint but I am always to afraid of making ugly art and chicken out. Of course this year I’m packing… so I guess that’s an excuse. There is so much I want to do and I have to get over chickening out before I die! At the same time I feel like I’ve failed at everything and that keeps me from trying more. I dunno, I wish I could go back in time…