clowntownart

[clowntownart]

Update on why I haven't been doing plant drawings, I realized the sketchbook I was using is god awful. Like the paper quality is very sad. I had another collection from about a month ago but the paper just wasn't working.

I'm gonna try to get a new sketchbook at some point and restart (I won't be losing much progress anyways)

Also it's a heatwave in the pnw rn and just impossible to really spend time outside

[clowntownart]

Rahh another art fight attack

It's super messy since I did it with ink but I still like it

(Character is Venn by swordbird on artfight and Tumblr)

[clowntownart]

Fourth art attack that I forgot to post cause I was sleep deprived lol

Used markers for this one and drew it while in a very boring class and I think it turned out very cute

(character is Priniklek from lazyanon on artfight, warriorsofficial on Tumblr)

[clowntownart]

(Reblogging this post from my main account as past of my archive, don't mind me)

I don't draw much but I felt like doing an art study outside for a while. Gave up a little on the jeans but considering I'm normally horrid at shading, I'm really happy with this!

[clowntownart]

Third art fight attack done, hell yeah! (yes I work slowly) I decided to stay up late painting this little lady cause I love goat characters and I've been thinking about what way to draw/craft this lil lass for days now so I ended up just painting her

I did mess up by trying to seal the water color though and it bled and made it all smudged :((

(character is kass by Cheshire-The-Hunter on artfight, hummingbird-hunter on Tumblr)

[clowntownart]

First page of nature sketches is done! A few days ago I went on a long walk and drew quite a bit. I will say that I'm not concretely sure about really any of the things I drew, but being able to identify them perfectly isn't really my goal

(Reference photos and more rambles under the cut + deer I saw. Also tw for bugs)

This session was shocking only about an hour longer than the first one (roughly 2 and 3 hours respectively), despite the fact I drew 3x more and was on a walk as well. Perhaps I'm already getting better at identifying key elements to draw?

Anyways, I went on a lil walk in my neighborhood along my normal route. I live pretty far in the countryside so while there's no sidewalk, there's a hell of a lot of interesting plants to draw and very little traffic. The downside is the horrors (stinky mud, thorns, and the fact that I accidentally spooked some deer and got spooked back, because I straight up didn't notice them. Also lots of pollen)

Note about the deer- I actually saw them twice! And got spooked both times.

It was right at the end of my walk and I had realized I forgot to draw the tiny Marah Oreganus flowers so I decided to rush back to the spot I drew the plant and draw the flowers and write a few notes in a couple of short minutes. While heading back, I saw one deer on the side of a neighbor's driveway. I wanted to take a photo but it leapt away. Maybe two minutes later I was almost home and saw three deer instead of just the one. I decided to take some photos and a video while staying a safe distance. I've never been hurt from a deer but I don't want to give them reason to, nor am I comfortable with the idea of being close to them anyways, especially since these ones seemed like juvenile males to me.

^ That could be completely wrong though because I know nothing about deer, one just had tiny little antler buds and the other two didn't seem to be babies.

This experience was really, really nice. I believe this was also when I finished the book that inspired this whole thing (The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan, very good book with lots of good art) and it was a good break.

At my most recent visit to the library I also got a book about plant drawing, specifically flowers, so hopefully that'll help me out a bit.

I also realized this time how interested I am in local bugs, so I may try to keep more notes or make more little drawings of the bugs I saw. I included it here, but there was a little bug inside of a bindweed I saw, plus many other ones I saw while outside.

I didn't include separate reference photos of the crabapple I drew because I used apples that had already fallen as my references (plus one leaf I pulled off the tree because I couldn't find any fresh ones on the ground)

I think a great thing I didn't consciously expect is that now I notice pretty much all the plants around me in greater detail, and how I want to draw them. There's a lot of beautiful plants blooming this time of year and it's very exciting.

I may be going to a Japanese or Chinese garden soon and I plan to bring my art supplies, so be prepared for possibly multiple pages of drawings from there. If there are multiple pages, I'll probably split them into separate posts since I'll probably have a lot to say

[clowntownart]

Second art fight attack done!

This is Hezekiah Starr by Skulkie (Tumblr and art fight)

[clowntownart]

Inspired by the book The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan, I decided to start my own backyard nature chronicles, starting with Fuchsia flowers.

(photos of my references included+more of my rambles under the cut)

This whole thing has kinda cemented in my mind how much I prefer drawing from live reference. I don't know what it is, but being able to see things in 3d and how they interact with the world just makes it easier, despite things like wind moving and the lighting changing.

Unfortunately the paper I have is pretty low quality and doesn't hold the pigment from my colored pencils well. Whenever I close the book as well, the original pencil sketches smudge. Hence the need for inking. If I were a braver person I'd use markers but I prefer pencils in all honesty.

I finished the book mentioned above a few days after this drawing and I'd highly recommend it. It's one of those books I get from the library and then I want to buy for myself. It's full of art she made herself and some great insight and comedy about the birds she views in her own backyard. And it's extra special to me because I live in a similar area so I recognize most of the birds she mentions, so hell yeah

A note on fuchsias- I don't know the exact strain I have but these are considered edible, though I won't say they're the tastiest thing. They taste like. Plants. Just plants. All parts of them are edible, including leaves and stem

ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK WHAT PLANT YOU ARE LOOKING AT BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO EAT

I am not a biologist. Or anyone else that would apply to plant-eating.

I already have another sketchbook page in the works, I just have to color it and then type up the post for it. Hopefully I'll have it up in a day or two so I can work on a new page. Since it's summer, it's the perfect time for drawing and I've been enjoying it a lot. Plus I live in a place known for having a shit ton of plants so I will definitely not run out of things to draw for years and years

[clowntownart]

My first ever artfight attack, finished and posted yesterday

(character is kibbl by snailbirdseven on artfight and Tumblr)

[clowntownart]

Making this account for art fight, and as an archive for all my art and progress

Art fight account-

https://artfight.net/~Estar