Entries tagged with art

Current Mood: artistic

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Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, everyone! Christos anesti! Glad to add a little drawing for the occasion. angel smiley with a halo and wings

So, today is that day where Jesus got up with all power in his hands. Also today, I was mainly working in the church kitchen making sure the breakfast biscuits were ready for people at church to feast upon for our big Easter brunch after service. I enjoyed being with everyone after some stressful weeks I've had with a health issue, but I am staying positive about it until this week is finished. Hopefully, I will see more positive results of it wearing off soon.

Otherwise, a lot of stuff has happened since my last journal: my birthday happened (that was a fun outing), my mom's birthday happened (that's when I had my emergency, but she was okay with it), I was featured in my local magazine, and I've got some opportunities here to locally help out more, so I am in need to get in touch with people a bit more...which is good! I look forward to these things.

Meanwhile, I haven't updated much to my things online. Though, I've gotten into a soap opera lately called Beyond the Gates, which I've been enjoying a good bit with my mom. I didn't think I'd get into one, but the subplots are genuinely interesting besides the whole “someone's in an affair with someone.” Rather, you see the fallout of said affairs play out with those affected by it, and the way others react to it as a community. Otherwise, my favorite subplot is that of the results of Ted's affair with Dana, also known as Leslie, and the supposed child that resulted: Eva, who now works as an assistant for Ted's wife, Nicole. As much as Eva was in on Leslie's plan to expose Ted, her heart has softened towards Ted and Nicole to not harshly expose the truth to the community when it could cost her everything...and not just her alone. Maybe I'll actually draw some fan art of Eva, since I also appreciate the makeup and styling of her clothing on the show. The actress, Ambyr Michelle, does a phenomenal job as Eva Thomas, probably does better than most of the younger actors on there.

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Opportunity and Rest

So, I'm glad to say that I've got an opportunity through a friend. I'm praying that this falls through in a good way, and I look forward to really proving myself with this. I'm also a little afraid of asking so much, but an illustrator's gotta make money, right? So, I'm trying not to overthink it.

Otherwise, I struggled trying to paint a picture I wanted to do for my Carrd page. However, I used an old picture that I updated here of an old OC, Megumi, from yeeeearrs ago. I am rather surprised how quickly I finished it in a good two days in trying a different technique from a tutorial online to use an underpainting first, which is a good sign of me adapting. Also I'm becoming very fond of using texture brushes these days, so I hope to use that more in the future for more artwork to be more expressive this way. I still feel like I don't challenge myself more with line art, so I need to work on construction and movement.

But I am glad I worked on this little piece to not make myself struggle unnecessarily on something larger. That makes me think that I could have a different approach to it when it come back to that piece. Maybe my brain needed to sleep (from me being tired) and a break from something a bit more challenging? Or I just wanted a smaller one to work with after I was finished with merwoman!Yona. a confused emoticon

Megumi, a young girl, is dressed with a veil crowned with roses and a robe with a pattern around her shoulder and wrist. She holds a small lamp that illuminates her face.

Megumi here is dressed up (cosplaying, I suppose) as one of the five wise virgins from Matthew 25. I think that parable is a very useful one to note among a lot of Christians who claim faith these days, but they aren't watchful of what the Lord will do. I pray to be watchful and have a faith of my own, which is why I won't let anyone sway me easily.

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Satisfying Progress, Now Finished!

I'm pretty happy to share that I've gone back to a technique for shading that I used to make a really effective looking picture, mostly with better contrast than what I usually may put in an artwork (that always feels like the struggle I have). Recently, I've been working on this sketch of Yona as a merwoman from last May that I hadn't finished, and finally, I put in some time to gently paint it. I'm rather excited to get it done soon, hoping that I will use it as a commission example.

It may be a bit hard to believe I have some more to paint, but I am very happy with it so far!

Now, I'm happy to share the final result:

Current Mood: chipper
Current Music: The Holy Post Podcast

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It's the Little Things that Count.

Finally finished this piece from last year. I'm so relieved that I really took the time to fix things that I was a little too overwhelmed about, and took those head on to get it done. Trying to be reasonably consistent in finishing some stuff from last year, though I need to take time with each part of the process instead of dancing around towards the little details I may miss.

However, I'm pretty satisfied with this piece with Teresa (red-haired, left) and Rhoda (green-hair, right) on the way to school. Teresa tends to to be more of the jokester versus Rhoda, but Rhoda has her place in their pranks and experiments together. Though, she's a bit more self-controlled.

Teresa: Are you trying to be cute for someone today?
Rhoda: ...

Teresa jokes around with her hands on her hips while annoying her friend, Rhoda, while they're walking to school in their uniforms, carrying their bookbags on their shoulders, passing by an old antique shop with three posters advertising local events in their town.

Teresa jokes around with her hands on her hips while annoying her friend, Rhoda, while they're walking to school in their uniforms, carrying their bookbags on their shoulders, passing by an old antique shop with three posters advertising local events in their town.

No comment...maybe something else is on her mind.

Current Music: The Holy Post Podcast

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Happy New Year!

A drawing of Johanna, a young woman dressed in a black 80s style suit with a long coat decorated with cheetah patterns inside, on cuffs, her bandanna, and the side of her pants, smiling at the viewer, holds her lavender guitar in the midst of pastel colored stars.

Happy New Year, Dreamwidth! Glad I actually finished this today, though I wasn't feeling it much last night.

I was glad to draw a new picture of Johanna, an OC who plays in a band with three other women, who happen to have names from the Evangelists, the writers of the four Gospels. I'll have to draw and share them soon.

Current Mood: hopeful

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Reorganizing WIPs

Lately, reorganizing my works in progress has been helping me to realize how much stuff needs to be done before I get another idea popping up in my head all of a sudden.

In the meantime, enjoy a bit of Yona & Teresa. I miss drawing in greyscale sometimes, and maybe I should do that more, especially for my speed.

Yona (a middle aged Black woman who is dressed in a clerical shirt and collar with a skirt)and Teresa (a mixed Black teenage girl in a high school uniform), who are cousins, hugging against a light orange background and white painted spots all around them, who are colored in grayscale.

Yona (a middle aged Black woman who is dressed in a clerical shirt and collar with a skirt)and Teresa (a mixed Black teenage girl in a high school uniform), who are cousins, hugging against a light orange background and white painted spots all around them, who are colored in grayscale.

Current Mood: artistic

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A Pleasant Guiscard

We love a peaceful gargoyle in his element, praying. I know I do. This was pretty relaxing to do, especially when I didn't work with as many layers as I thought, more so by using the various brush modes like there's different layer mods. It helped me to get in a more painterly mood for something quick like a portrait. I should resort to that more often in getting over some perfectionist tendencies. I think I can get more done this way.

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Reflecting on My Work Ethic

So, the last few days, I personally notice of myself that even though I have a mindset of planning versus pantsing with writing, I still see value in having some sort of structure with respect to my tendencies to be distracted for the sake of comfort.

That's where that awful cycle of beating myself up comes from. Though, there's a value to just giving that up for a time to at least focus on what's important to me. When I do focus on that, getting the results I want or even resolving things that work better for me, I am a lot more satisfied with not only the results but also my own self. I am proud of my own personal best because of the work I put into whatever project.

That's where feeling rewarded feels the best. I think that's where I need to feel like I'm striving for at times, though sometimes I romanticize it to where I am surprised if the work isn't hard or challenging enough to the perfectionist in me kicks in negatively to make me rethink what I am to do. This is also a part of that negative cycle.

Really rethinking the way I approach my work ethic to myself is more than just thinking about it, but it requires solutions to long term problems that have been lurking about my own self image. Hopefully, being mindful of how that comes across for myself and others will improve how and why I work the way I do.

Today, I'm glad I made myself "study" my visual references for my character, Stanley, a Bernese Mountain dog owned by Feivel and his wife, Edith. I never draw animals a lot, but I'm glad I took the time to try something new (and adorable) so I may be more comfortable in the future drawing this cutie in the coming days.

Stanley, a Bernese Mountain dog, sits on the ground with his hind legs relaxed and his front legs supporting him to sit up. He looks happily at the viewer.

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art,
hermedoodling

Sketches

Decided to pull out some recent and some past drawings that I've worked on to at least share and be consistent on here.

Maureen, looking like she's gotten a wonderful compliment.
A drawing of Maureen, wearing a bandanna on top of her neck long braids and a Christian cassock with crosses on top of the cape and the cuffs as well as a scarf around her waist, and a pair of thick boots. She's smiling with a hand on her waist and a hand behind her head.

A drawing of Maureen, wearing a bandanna on top of her neck long braids and a Christian cassock with crosses on top of the cape and the cuffs as well as a scarf around her waist, and a pair of thick boots. She's smiling with a hand on her waist and a hand behind her head.

Aziza, Hazem, and Yudit are three characters I shared with a friend of mine from years ago. They're originally in a historical fiction story about Al-Andalus (Islamic Spain), and they're of the three well known Abrahamic faiths. Aziza is a Sunni Muslim, Hazem is a Mozarabic Catholic Christian, and Yudit is Jewish with a Sephardic background. However, I put them in a very modern time period in this piece.

Aziza, a Muslim girl wearing hijab, a strawberry themed hoodie, and a skirt, is grouped with her friends, Hazem, a Christian boy holding a rosary, and Yudit, a Jewish girl who wears a Star of David necklace. The three stand in a market stall with vases propped by a suitcase and a table. There are other people in the festival at various market stalls for food with their families.

Shiloh, from a drawing I did awhile back to help me share my sketches. I'm glad I completed the background in this as I have for the one above.
Shiloh, a young woman with curly hair, sits at her table in her bedroom, filled with posters, a plant, awards, a cross on the wall, and books. She is attempting to write something with scattered supplies on her desk, looking tense.

Shiloh, a young woman with curly hair, sits at her table in her bedroom, filled with posters, a plant, awards, a cross on the wall, and books. She is attempting to write something with scattered supplies on her desk, looking tense.

Perhaps I should update my other social media and forums for sketch-related art such as these. I may update the Maureen one to add Yeva and maybe Guiscard to interact with her.

Current Mood: chipper
Current Music: The New Evangelicals

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David's Youth & Mine Own

When I was in middle school, I used to draw David a bit here and there, usually as a shepherd boy. I never really drew him as a king and a soldier. Perhaps I was more so interested in David's piety and care for his sheep back then in relation to my own age at that time. I've only ever drawn David as an adult once, and that was from a mere sketch last year...

In the meantime, I've been working on some art related things, including getting some profiles on some other sites that I'll probably link onto here sometime soon. Though, I must admit I like the quietness of Dreamwidth. Social media has its changes in what people get out of it as well as how people feel emboldened from certain behaviors fueled from what we really value. As for me, I'm a bit too tired (and maybe it's me just being grown and Christian) that I choose my battles carefully in the form of not interacting with folks with bad intentions, period. The battle is not mine; it's the Lord's. Don't try me because I haven't been saved all my life. Try Jesus instead. Though, trying him may result in being transformed, and that's why some are afraid of doing so.

Current Music: Leaving the Message Podcast

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The Spirit Upon & Within

A little drawing of Maureen, Guiscard the gargoyle, and the Holy Spirit. I learned recently the difference between the Spirit of God upon someone versus within someone concerning gifts and fruit, but I wanted to show the Maureen has both and the communion that results in what God is about between believers.

One reason why I thought of this is because of how there can be some type of pride with some Christians believing they are accepted because of the gifts of the Spirit showing signs and wonders, yet some people are lacking in the fruit from not taking care of their relationship with the Lord. It makes me think a bit more intentionally about myself in relating to God in welcoming and acknowledging him more in everyday tasks.

Maureen, a young black woman, leans on Guiscard, a winged gargoyle with ram horns and large winged ears, who sees the presence of the Holy Spirit as a fiery dove above Maureen's head..

Maureen, a young black woman, leans on Guiscard, a winged gargoyle with ram horns and large winged ears, who sees the presence of the Holy Spirit as a fiery dove above Maureen's head..

Current Music: Theology in Pieces podcast

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Some Yona Things.

Some nice little doodles of Yona. I thought her initial drawings were a little serious, but I like her more relaxed side.

Multiple depictions of Yona, who is a middle aged Black woman with short hair and usually having a pair of earrings, with varied expressions and with a few of her chinchillas with her.

Current Mood: artistic

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WIPs from the File Cabinet

So...we meet again with a few little works in progress. I realize some of my perfectionist tendencies tend to hold me back from sharing, so here's a few that I'm working on, featuring Yona & Leviticus:

Leviticus looking towards Yona (offscreen) in front of an old porch and woods.

Leviticus looking towards Yona (offscreen) in front of an old porch and woods.

Yona looking at Leviticus at an old porch.

Leviticus and Yona share a kiss in front of a shopping district.

I will share some character sketches I have laying around...soon.

Current Mood: okay
Current Music: Bare Marriage Podcast

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Accepting the Grace and Serenity of Unfinished Work

Tzadkiel, a brown skinned angel with a purple ponytail and cool color schemed clothing, reads a scroll with a serious expression.

Posting works in progress, art or writing, is good in fighting my perfectionist tendencies. Today's feature is of Tzadkiel, an angel that I love drawing a lot for an idea of them being a guardian angel for a youth minister they're protecting on account of the potential the minister has for helping his church and community...until something is revealed to ostracize him. I was just simply thinking of Tzadkiel being addressed by another angel (perhaps Raphael) when said detail is mentioned before he goes on their mission, perhaps.

That old serenity prayer may annoy some people, but it makes a good point:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Though today, I learned that Reinhold Niebhur wrote it. He's definitely a familiar name in theology circles I've seen, but I'll have to consider his works sometime...if I bother to remember.

Current Mood: calm

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Lighter Day

Something about this day feels a bit lighter than the day before. For me last night as I was praying and confessing my feelings before God to handle them. In the very least, the honesty of how I felt to say them before God helped me to see (and perhaps feel) that it's not bad that I feel those things, but giving up my burdens to him can lighten the load of how oppressive it can be on my mind.

In the meantime, here's a couple of drawings of some other characters in The Secret Things:

Feivel, who is mainly Yona & Leviticus' supervisor at the Epworth Detective Agency. He's Jewish (Conservative Judaism), though he's always had a curious ear for the supernatural and studying various religious traditions. Yona being a Christian pastor with the gift of exorcism doesn't bother him; he sees it has an asset in resolving paranormal issues that plague the community of Blumhardt and even elsewhere.
Two portraits of Feivel, an elderly man in his 70s

Two portraits of Feivel, an elderly man in his 70s

Amata, a medical examiner and friend to Yona from her college years. Amata returned to Blumhardt with her husband and son from their time of living in England. Amata works closely with Epwoth Detective Agency in case of any deaths that may have supernatural connections. She's best friends with Yona, and she often playfully teases Yona and her relationship with Leviticus, but is still an encouraging and thoughtful friend nevertheless.

Amata, a middle aged woman with a chubby face.

Current Mood: peaceful
Current Music: Bare Marriage Podcast

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Mermay Sketches

A few sketches of Yona & Leviticus as merpeople I did last month but haven't bothered to post until now. It's kinda fun to imagine them coming together in this sort of alternate universe.

Yona, a middle aged merwoman, carries bags of flowers around her.

Leviticus, a middle aged merman, finds a pearl.

Leviticus & Yona as merpeople come together to kiss with flowers whirling about them. It's implied that Leviticus proposed to her with the pearl from the prior picture.

Current Mood: artistic
Current Music: Alecia Renece on Slowing Down

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WIP Thoughts - Shiloh at her desk.

A sketch of Shiloh at her desk in her bedroom

Trying to put some of my art class knowledge to work (as well as my own accountability for my art) for a scene of Shiloh, a technical college student who wants to be a writer and has the Christian gift of prophecy. Yesterday was funny, though, seeing that it felt like a struggle to draw something decent compared to today! The sketch certainly isn't finished, and I hope to color it soon with a technique I tried once with a portrait a while ago. I may adjust the ratio of the picture tomorrow to get a sense of the environment more (and perhaps draw more items). Though, I feel more comfortable drawing environments like above than how I used to avoid them. Also, I hope to draw another Dreamwidth icon of another CO, and I should post some old doodles of Maureen for some OC lore...

Current Mood: cheerful

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Brainstorming The Secret Things

The Secret Things is paranormal drama surrounding a pastor navigating the tough sides of ministry, family, paranormal investigations, and her romance. I plan this to be a short, episodic story that takes place during different seasons of the year, mostly because I want to avoid making it too long. But I hope to love to process of sharing this as I write and draw it out.

Reverend Yona Davis
The main protagonist is the Reverend Yona Davis, a Baptist pastor who offers a local detective agency her gift & skill of exorcisms as well as some counseling. She's always had a strong spiritual sense of her surroundings, and she also comes from a family of ministers who are familiar with supernatural, passing down their stories and methods to help others in simlar situations with the unseen. She's also a widow who raises her son, Isaiah (19) and her little cousin whom she adopted, Teresa/"Reese" (15). Otherwise, she and her kids enjoy taking care of a trio of chinchillas, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. Yona is known for be a bit reserved and deeply spiritual, though she has a competitive side when it comes to playing board and arcade games with others. Due to a past accident on the job, her chronic back pain initially made her hesitant in resuming paranormal investigations due to spiritual activity triggering the pain. However, she chooses to use it as an asset to finding spirits (and perhaps cryptids?) to have them transition or cast out. In between investigations and church, she loves spending time with her family, friends, pets, church family, and...her boyfriend, a widower named Leviticus Solomon.

Yona, a female pastor shown in her clergy shirt & collar (with pants or skirts) in various poses & settings.

Leviticus Solomon
Leviticus is a fellow detective and coworker of Yona's who is also a widower and a father of two daughters. He comes from a devout Pentecostal family that's rather peculiar about names, and that's a reason why he's got the name he has. His family also grounded him in ideas of the spiritual realm as well, concerning spiritual activity, prayer, and dreams from his grandmother, which initially he ignored until events in his family made him realize he couldn't deny the need of staying aware of it as well as his own interactions with people. Leviticus has two daughters, Rhoda (16) and Kezia (12), from his late wife, and similar struggles Yona had in her past made the two of them grow closer not only in friendship but also love (thanks to their matchmaking supervisor, Feivel). Among his peers and family, Leviticus is known to be rather daring and fun with some sensibility, even though he and Yona are the only ones in their agency that take on paranormal activity in their little town. Otherwise, you can find him playing cards with his brother Exodus and their friends, support his daughters at a sports event, and maybe cooking for his grandma who is probably going to see 120 years at some point.

Leviticus, a middle aged detective, shown in various poses and scenes.

Teresa Caldwell Davis
Teresa is the daughter of Yona's cousin and was adopted by Yona and her late husband David when Teresa was an infant. As she grew up alongside her older cousin Isaiah, she is a devout Christian teenager who is has the gift of discerning spirits in the unseen realm and how they interact with the natural world. Even though she has such sight, Teresa is still has a goofy and fun streak about her, as she often has much fun with her friends at church, school, and elsewhere, including the paranormal investigations she's now joining with her cousin Yona and Leviticus. She's close with Leviticus' daughter, Rhoda, who's been a classmate of hers since third grade and often enjoys harmless pranks to record for social media with her at their school, St. Catherine's. At least some of the nuns there think they're funny with some of the pranks and media references!

Teresa, a teenage girl, shown in her school uniform and casual clothes, with varied emotions and scenes.

There'll be plenty more characters I'll introduce later that I have already drawn that I need to eleborate in words soon, but I am glad that I have fleshed some things out about the main three.

Current Mood: artistic

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Finally, some little art stuff to share...

So, with the update to my Neocities site, I've finally wanted to share some art!

The first one is with my OC, Takuya. He's a protagonist for a story where he gets some heavenly help with his life's purpose in ministry, his origins, and the childhood friend he's always been in love with.

Takuya walking with a book in his hand with words saying, Uh-oh! 404 Not Found to his right.

Takuya walking with a book in his hand with words saying, Uh-oh! 404 Not Found to his right.

Another is Fathiyya, who isn't a main character, but a recurring character & parent of a main character/supporting cast member (so to say). I've always imagined her working with carpentry one way or another with her husband, Botros. At least I get to show a bit of that here.

Fathiyya, who sports construction gear with a hat, belt, and a long wavy ponytail, looks at her paper for plans as she has her toolbox to her left and her lunchbox and thermos to the right. She also has orange cones to each side of her person.

Fathiyya, who sports construction gear with a hat, belt, and a long wavy ponytail, looks at her paper for plans as she has her toolbox to her left and her lunchbox and thermos to the right. She also has orange cones to each side of her person.

I guess what's funny is that I didn't think of making chibis, which I don't do often. But I thought it was a nice change for once that I didn't overthink it.