Bamboozled:: LCC Goods

It's really difficult to draw on a tablet versus in real life! Here are some (old) projects of mine, all to do with LCC. I mainly use it to make things for this group because I normally don't have other opportunities to submit my work. Check it out!

This is the cover I designed for my theater group for our Winter show (almost a year ago!) I'm surprised I never posted it... I drew all of this from scratch about thirty minutes before it was due and somehow it got chosen. Font used: Geosanslight & Market Deco.

This was supposed to be a shirt design for our theater company but later turned into a print because it wasn't chosen. I just had fun with an idea that two people had (Ivy and Yannan) and played around with our logo! Once again this was made about 30 minutes before and I have no idea how I managed to work that fast. Thank you Wacom! Fonts used: Market Deco & Pupcat.

Lapu-ception... This Halloween drawing was originally posted onto LCC Theatre Company's Facebook Page. I'm rather proud of it because I whipped it up in no more than 5 minutes! This was also done on Photoshop. Fonts used: Honey Script.

I've been doing a LOT of designing over the summer and recently. It's the only thing that keeps me entertained and tirelessly working! Still got a long way to go with the Wacom, though, but I love using it for almost every project I do. All pictures are copyright The Little Willow Blog, so please do not reuse/steal anything. Thanks! 

<3 Linda

Bamboozled: Getting Back to Business

I cannot believe I've neglected my blog for so long! I'm finally back at home; the past two weeks were filled with all-nighters for finals. No matter how early I study for something, I always feel too anxious to have a normal sleep schedule during finals week! Needless to say, you can expect to hear more from me in the next few days-- Sorry for the unannounced hiatus!

Here's an updated version of the (still in progress) "Air" painting:

I really like it and can see what I want to do to take it to the next level. The colors are still a little off because I was using F.Lux at the time, but it's nothing Photoshop can't fix. I'm hoping it'll involve some kind of lace texture, pinstripe, and glow. However, I have some bad news, mainly for myself: In my hurry to pack for my flight back home, I left my drawing tablet, art supplies, and watercolor paper in the dorms! I'm really upset about it because I was planning on doing a lot of fun things for the blog over winter break like holiday tag printables and whatnot. I will probably attempt to make something anyway and scan it, but it's going to take a little longer than normal. It makes me so sad to think that I could've caught up on so much painting that I haven't gotten a chance to do! Sigh. All I can ask is that you be patient with me. In the meantime I'll be putting up pictures of Christmas Party and whatnot, which was super fun :)

Hope your holidays are coming along swimmingly! I'm so excited to finally start mine!
<3 Linda

Bamboozled: Rough Draft

Today through Monday, I will be crafting and drawing like a maniac. Thanksgiving Holidays, as well as any other holidays, are my opportunity to do the things I love to do (but never get a chance to--thank you, College). Here's an in-progress shot of the second in a set of four digital paintings based on the elements: "Air".

I previously blogged about "Earth" here. I just really like the idea of creating nymphs because I find them to be peaceful and serene creatures. Or I imagine them to be so, anyway. Hopefully this one gets done soon and I can post up the result! Can't wait to see how it'll turn out. I'm still not used to using a digital tablet, but all I have to say is that this is the best piece of technology I could've ever invested in. (Then again, apart from the computer, I'm not very attached to technology at all, so take this with a grain of salt!)

Hope everyone's having a good weekend so far! I'm finally back in my own element after being creatively deprived for so long, and I'm more content than ever.
<3 Linda

Bamboozled: Semi-Portraits?

Hello everyone! I've been so busy making programs for my theater group that I haven't been able to do any actual drawing for the blog! I can't wait to show you the work I've done on it though... But I will have to wait until it's actually printed and given out at show. I don't want to ruin the surprises for anyone who is in the group who reads this! I must say, it was quite the challenge to do about 8 pages worth of design in one day, but we managed it and I am so proud.

For today, I wanted to post a printable for you, but once I took my tablet to the lounge, everyone wanted me to draw pictures of them! Here are two of them, using Corel Painter.

Clearly, this is not how either of them look in real life. Haha! Both of them wanted me to draw them as historical figures... On top is "Lewis the Dashing" and on the bottom is "King Vivek the Jolly". It wasn't bad for a speed drawing, but I can definitely do better... they look so cartoon-y, like a child drew it! And yes, there are some really random objects in the background, as per their request.  I love how they look, just because I know how silly these guys are.

Expect a printable or something of the sort from me by the end of the week!

<3 Linda

Bamboozled: This is a Sketch

This was drawn on my tablet on 8/23, actually, but I didn't get a chance to upload it to Blogger. I started out trying to draw myself and ended up drawing someone who looks uncannily like one of my old classmates. Since I was going for a sketch-y feel (har har. I'm not funny), I set my paintbrush on a thin setting and just tried to sketch it out. I was going for a flying or dancing feel, but I don't know if I achieved that.

And a little of the in-progress lemur!

I'm half contemplating not finishing him because he looks a little too weird! I've grown attached to him though, oddly enough. So far this one's been fun and I like the clean lines that I can create.

<3 Linda

PS. Quick notes: The site is under construction so the DIY button and L'Histoire de L'Art button on the left are just placeholders for future categories; All the other buttons work but I might be getting rid a couple. I'm thinking of scrapping all the buttons altogether and redoing them to match the banner, since they're a little vibrant. / Perfectionist speaking. :(

Watercolor Fantasies: A Sneak Peek

The title of this post is a little phrase that's been stuck in my head for ages; it might make for a good band name or something, but I have no idea where it came from! 

A little bit of the watercolor work I've been doing as of recent. Some of them are likely going to make it into the shop, but they're all still in their first raw edits and are going to have other drawing elements added, as well as text! I can't decide on whether I want them to be stickers, prints, or tags yet. The only one near being done is the cupcake one, but I decided to cut it to show a little peek of it for now!

It was my first time(s) using watercolor and I loved it! It's cool that you can always change it by adding water, and how the colors bleed into each other, creating a dreamy vibe. It's definitely a medium that I want to use more of in the future.

Hope you all had a good weekend!
<3 Linda

Bamboozled: Take 1

Guess what?! My dear mum bought me a Wacom tablet and pretty much made my dreams come true! I'm ecstatic and seriously cannot believe it! And so I would like to introduce yet another new feature: "Bamboozled"! It's named after my tablet (Bamboo). I'm thinking of naming her but I don't want to get too attached. Oh who am I kidding, I spent all of yesterday doodling!

Here is my very first drawing:

Yeah yeah, I know. It's not that great. but at least I figured out how to draw lines that connect! Does anyone know how to turn on the pressure sensitivity thing on a drawing tablet? (I sound really clueless. Hence the confused look on my drawing counterpart...heh.) Also, is there a way to change colors in the middle of a stroke? Alas, it seems I have much to learn. Can't wait to start coloring too!

This new feature's goal: To help me get better at using this thing. I'll update whenever, wherever. Each will be dated and uploaded to Flickr, and hopefully after a year or so, I can say that I've finally kind of gotten the hang of it and see the progress I've made!

<3 Linda
PS. Even more updates: The blog is slowly coming together, note the button on the left and the widget on the right. Now I just have to add some more buttons of tagged posts and links, slap an "About Me" button on that sucker, and I will finally be done with it!

Ocelot, Take 2

I attempted to color my ocelot sketch on the computer for the first time. I don't think it's a complete flop, but I don't think it's a complete success either. I really want to learn how to do digital prints properly, though. I think using a clear marker and avoiding shading would help me get a cleaner line on my next drawings, if I do try to draw something to color using Photoshop again.

Does anyone have any advice for digital coloring?

<3 Linda

Drawing Daily is a Challenge!

Today, I decided to join http://papersparrow.typepad.com and begin drawing Daily Animal Doodles in July. It's such a great idea! I love drawing animals. The plan is to draw one animal for each day of the week-- hopefully I can stick to it! 

My goals for this challenge are:

To meet fellow artists.
To learn how to draw quickly while maintaining quality.
To improve my drawing skills.
To create a trademark style unique to myself.
To learn how to draw with little reference. I often need to look at the subject every so often if I'm depicting something real.
To get myself to upload pictures more often.
To use my sketch book more.
To stop being so negative about my own work, and to start being constructive.
To stop feeling insecure about showing my own work to other people.
To sit myself down and draw for a month!

I'll be drawing daily but more likely than not, I will not be posting up pictures daily (I am simply terrible at posting anything online on time, photo-wise). I may do a collage at the end and upload them all at once. Or maybe I'll post my favorite one each week every Saturday. 

Here's my very first drawing. This is from yesterday, Day 8: Goose. I wanted to play off of the whole "Mother Goose" thing.

Here's the Flickr Group if you want to see others' drawings! There are 44 members currently in the group. If you don't find my drawings on this blog you'll probably see them on Flickr. 


Join us! It seems like it's going to be fun.
<3 Linda