As you know 2016 wasn't the best to the hubby and I. All that has been straightened out and my "vacation" is officially over as of today. All site are updated. As much as I was missing it, it was very hard to get back to the weekly updates without completely overwhelming myself. No surprise there. I was arting the entire time I was supposed to be vacationing, but art is something I need to do on a daily basis. I get all snarky and discombobulated without my daily arting. I'm still typing and writing 2015 ((sigh)). That will probably continue for the next few weeks. I'm not clinging to the past, really I'm not...
The goals this year are lofty ones. I try to make goals every new year. Will they happen? Well last year was a mixture of success and failure and I'm okay with that. I am hoping for more of a success rate this year, but who knows what will happen? The goals and plans are kind of lumped into the same category in my noggin'. One step at a time. Here we go:
I've been missing traditional art. A lot. I've had the itch for a few months now, but I'm still learning the program (Painter 16) and I still have a ton to learn and I need more brains for my PC to be able to learn more. So the PC upgrade is for sure on the table in the next few months. A bit more brains so I can play with other "mediums" and push myself on the digital front and grow as a digital artist. I digress back to traditional. I have been missing it. I got to do a bit for a present for my niece and I thought to myself, "Self you really need to do more traditional, this is a lot of fun." So I have decided to get a sketch journal and do daily doodles/sketches. I haven't gotten the sketch journal yet, I am hoping to secure one on my weekend which will be Monday or Tuesday. A nice one, snazzy, with good paper so I can use all of my traditional tools. When the book is filled is where I will leave you guessing. I will say that I will either be selling it or perhaps it will be a promotional give-a-way. It's way too early to decide the fate of the journal that does not exist at this point. That is the plan, in a nutshell.
I feel a bit torn with my digital work and the longing for traditional. I'm hoping the daily sketching will help fill that gaping hole that inside of me...and I do want to do some traditional arting this year. Many say that abstract work cannot be done with the traditional tools I use, so I want to prove them wrong and do the neener neener neener dance. I am also shifting a bit away from abstract...calm down, there still will be abstract pieces...I promise.
I've been experimenting with more surrealism. Which is always fun. Anything goes. I've also noticed that 2016 may just be the year of the "creepies". I do tend to run on the creepy, darker side of the art and I want to explore it further and push myself further. It's a bit scary for me on a personal level. Feels like I'm putting myself out there for the first time. I will triumph over the fear (grabs armour, sword and shield...drops sword on foot, needs bandages and antiseptic). One of the pieces I put up this week is where I seem to be heading, in a lot of ways. I have a ton of ideas...too many. I need to get them down on the sketch pad. Which will bring me back to the daily doodles...some days it will be the ideas I have stuck in my head and you will be able to see where my finished products come from, if you are the lucky winner or purchaser of the sketchbook...remember I've not decided what I'm doing with it, yet. I know a lot of people do ask where the ideas come from and I do sketch a lot of my ideas out in my normal journal, which will never see the light of day, because that is mine.
The shenanigan's will still be around. It's just a part of who I am. I don't plan on changing at all...growing and evolving, yes...but what you see is what you get. There is no "mysterious artist" swirls around me. Swirls make me dizzy and they are pesky and trip me up. I am reaching levels (experience points and new skill points to spend!) where I'm not caring so much about what people are going to say about my art and more about what I want to express and try, learn and grow. Maybe it's that pesky 10th anniversary of my 30th birthday coming up, or maybe it's just I am tired of fear holding me back. I am not focusing on the why, I'm focused on the getting S#%! done.
So I guess this blog was a bit more on the serious side...odd for me, maybe I did not consume enough of the glorious liquid that goes by the name off coffee. I did want to lay out the goals and the plans for this year, for you, my loyal minions. So you can be a part of my shenanigan's, my goals, and plans. To help keep me motivated and inspired. No pressure. =P
On that note, I thank you all for following me and wanting to keep up with me with all the other artists' out there. It's always humbling. It never loses that feeling of awe I get..ever. Each and every one of you are appreciated. Or just one or two of you. I have no clue how many people read this blog. I know of 2 for sure...lol. I'm really excited for my plans and goals for this year. The re-branding that happened late last year was a scary leap, one I'm glad I took. I consider my re-branding a fresh new start for this year.
Until next time my minions!