Hello July!
While I’m still not comfortable with re-opening my shop just yet, I’ve recently started to imagine what it would look like when that finally happens. It feels like kinda sorta starting to maybe get ready to re-open, which feels hopeful.
I mean, I have a lot of art work I’ve made recently that I’m excited to start turning into prints! But I’m also looking into eco-friendly packaging options and moving away from the plastic covers that I’ve used for storing and shipping prints. I always enjoy a good research project, and I’m glad to see there are so many resources available!
So alas, I don’t have plans to re-open my shop just yet…but it feels encouraging to consider as a possibility for the near-ish future-ish…
In the meantime, of course, I’m keeping plenty busy with writing poetry, watercolor painting, and drawing. I recently started a small series of watercolor abstracts inspired by our solar system. It’s been a fun little challenge to give myself a theme to work with, each planet inspiring a 5″x7″ painting. I’ve only made it to Earth, so I still have a bit of a way to go!
I’ve also been revisiting ink drawings again more than I have in a long while. I started with a space-themed landscape (go figure) that was a lot of fun. I really tried to add more detail than I’m used to, and added color with my watercolors. I think it turned out well, and I’m hoping I’ll come up with new, similar ideas to approach in this style.
Right now, I’m also working on learning (once again) how to draw faces and figures. It’s something I’ve always wanted to be able to do, but I’ve been terrible at learning. But it can feel pretty limiting as an artist when the subject matter of “people” is just not available…
I guess I somehow missed the stage as a kid where you draw your favorite cartoons or comics or manga characters. So it seems a little ridiculous to be starting that now at this age — I’ve started studying manga in particular. But I’m really enjoying it and learning a lot, so who cares?! …I’ve read a lot on figure drawing in all kinds of styles (it’s really the practice I struggle with), but I recently started Mark Crilley’s Mastering Manga series. It’s been super helpful with the techniques it uses, so much so that I’m actually enjoying the practicing part… so yeah, highly recommend! And I’m excited to see what new visuals I’ll be able to create as my practice evolves!
Okay, so admittedly, a huge part of the inspiration for my art lately has been thanks to the anime show Dragon Ball Super! Haha!
Right before quarantine began we started watching Dragon Ball Z Kai. My husband watched it as a kid, but I had never seen it. So we made our way through like seven seasons of ridiculous fights in gorgeous scenery. After Kai comes Super apparently, which luckily is on Hulu, so we’ve been watching it now pretty regularly. Kai was good but in a totally ridiculous over the top way, but Super seems to have leaned into the ridiculous making it genuinely funny and entertaining. Plus the artwork is STUNNING. I still don’t care about the fighting sequences, but the linework and color use is incredible, so I keep watching (also fighting isn’t even the main story for Super, thank goodness!) … And I don’t watch a lot of anime, in general, we also watched Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt so I’ll Max Out My Defense on Hulu this year, and it was fantastic. Can’t wait for season two!
As for reading, it is staring to feel like I’ll never actually finish a book! I can’t focus on any one of them, so I currently have a stack/list of half-read books on my desk and my Kindle that I rotate through. I tend to do this now and then, but this time is especially bad… Anyone else struggling with that right now, or is it just me??
Oh yeah! I almost forgot — time to share a poem!
The sky doesn’t feel blue
when the light shines through
yellow from the sun into
the glimmering green of the trees
I see outside the windows
and everything glows
with the lime light of nature’s
constant stellar performance.
Thanks for joining me in The Shallow End!
Summer Child Designs 