2014 Week 3: More Inks

2014 Postcards Week 3 

I was trying to duplicate a few cards which I gave away, and draw some subjects again. Unfortunately many did not come out so great this week :( I guess I was just being sloppy and not as careful as I should have been.

Drew my friend and had a good laugh. I tried to capture chapped lips. We're all a bit chapped.

Japan is dry in winter. Didn't come out so close.

 Nesting Lovebird Try 2. Didn't come out as well as the first >.< (which I gave away as a gift) 

 My husband. Came out looking more like one of my Japanese friends.

 Cockatiel. Trying to go for minimalist and bold with lines. It came out alright. Not perfect, but it was fun.

Brush and ink.

 Brush and ink. 

I don't quite like this one as much, so I think I'll color it with watercolor later. 

And again my friend, I don't like the result but I sure had a good laugh messing it up. Looks like he's 100 years old but he's only 24. 

Gang gang Cockatoo Fountain Pen Sketch

Scanned week 3 cards today. Some of them were duds so there will be less than seven. Also enjoyed doing these Gang gang sketches with the fountain pen.

Cockatiels fountain pen sketches

Peach face Lovebirds Nib pen Sketch

Peachface lovebirds normal and lutino coloring watercolored.

I'm experimenting with nib pen and ink.

My daily sketch on watercolor postcard is coming along well too. I've finished through week 3 and even through week 4 so they will continue to be posted. Enjoying experimenting with the inks.

2014 Week 2 Collection INKS

WEEK 2-3#1 INKS

Made with basic Higgins multipurpose Ink with a Japanese brush. 

Couldn't decide if I wanted to color them or not, but I figure I can do a colored version anytime so I tried to do them black and white to begin.

 A Beautiful Elf (ink)

A Japanese Motif Bearing a Deer

This motif is in a set of Japanese seals/symbols found on a wikipedia search. I was practicing copying in hopes I will develop a few techniques for designing my own. 

 Horse Seal (ink)

I used what I learned about elements to try to create my own, for a horse, since it is the year of the horse. But it did not come out very well. 

 Kappa in the Moonlight

Trying to draw a kappa in ink at nighttime. 

Nesting Lovebird (ink)

 Nesting Cockatiel and Three Eggs

 My Husband Max Study #1

He was disappointed.  I have to try to make him "sexier." 

 My Husband Max Study #2 

Attempt at a Red Squirrel

Not experienced with animal drawings.

Or Landscapes.

Will work on it...

The ink was fun but I'm definitely a beginner! 

2014 Week 1 Full Collection

Week 1 Collection: Kappa 

The Kappa Leads Noa Home (non-inked) 

This was the 2nd attempt, and an attempt to be freer and looser with colors and less tight with line, and experiment using fewer colors which I find is an effective strategy for water color compared with other mediums. "Less is more" approach.

 The Kappa Leads Noa Home ( pen-inked) 

 Kappa Gathering in Pond in Springtime

 The Kappa Discovers Noa

Old Kappa

First Year Uniform
A brainstorm for the first year uniform. I have written further on it but a sensitive project is in development right now and I should not write further in public on it.

2014 Week 1 Watercolor Postcards Kappa PREVIEW

INTRODUCING KAPPA

So I didn't get around to doing many more postcards in 2013. We downsized from a house to an apartment and the moving bit and year-end committments were a bit hectic, but I'm back and really enjoyed being active during the winter break. In fact, I finished two weeks of postcards in advance. So I hope to continue the activity and see to what day I'll make it this time! 

Day 1: Old Kappa

The Kappa is a magical being which lives in rivers and ponds. They say it has the back of the turtle and is roughly child size with human like arms and legs but webbed hands and feet. It has a reptilian head and a beak and has a dish on its head which should be full of water. If the kappa's dish goes unfilled for too long, they may die. There are both friendly and unfriendly kappa. For a new fiction I have in development I am researching the magical creatures of Asia, most specifically Japan but am open to learning about Korea, China, India, Thai, Vietnam, any interesting stories which may surface, as I know the mythologies likely feed one another, though Kappa appear quite unique to Japanese folklore. This week's pictures are studies of the Kappa and explorations of scenes I may write into the fiction.