Our SVS Virtual Studio FEBRUARY 🙃2021

[braden H]

Middle grade interiors in a vacuum didn't make much sense, so I'm making some mock ups.

[carlianne]

I wanted to fill my Instagram with photobombing pets so I started a dtiys

[xin li]

A sketch I prepared for a watercolour/gouache + color pencil painting. Well, I actually do not know what I am going to use to paint it. I just want to do the painting traditionally.

[K.Flagg]

@xin-li this idea is great! I can't wait to you finish it traditionally ...it will be gorgeous

[Coreyartus]

Late-night doodling. Developing a body of work I can put into a calendar.

[KaraDaniel]

Revisiting an old sketch. First time pre-deciding my color palette in hopes it will make the process go more smoothly. How do y'all decide what colors to use? I saw an image and liked the colors so I'm going to try and emulate them in this painting.

[Valerie Light]

I've been thinking about the new Mars rover, and I imagined it had a personality, and wound up with this. I'm in love with it.

[MissMushy]

Been all over the map this month so far. Taken on the draw 2500 challenge - so been working on drawing heads of mostly kids

Then switched back to pets for a couple days

I am trusting this will somehow help me get better lol

[Mara Price]

@donnamakesart Lee White always encourages us to find an easy process. They are both beautiful. Congratulations have FUN!

[Tiffany Thomas]

Hi Everyone!!! It's so awesome to see what you all have been working on so I figured I'd share a piece I made this weekend. I've been going back and forth between watercolor and digital painting, so yesterday I decided I would try combining the two. I used the watercolor like an under painting and then added the digital painting on top. Overall I think I'm happy with the effect of the layering but I'm definitely going to explore more to see if I can capture a bit more of the watercolor feel.

Here is the watercolor underpainting and the final version with the digital painting.

[chrisaakins]

Painting some clouds. Practicing my digital painting. I think I am getting pretty good, I must admit. Well, at least I am pleased with my progress.

[chrisaakins]

I added some cacti. Ooooooo. I like it.

[Kim Rosenlof]

@carlianne I love the texture on this. So nice!

[carlianne]

@Kim-Rosenlof thank you!

[holleywilliamson]

Working on a few pieces for my daughter’s room, this is the first one

[Melissa_Bailey]

@Tiffany-Thomas I’ve been experimenting with the same thing! Actually working on a book project right now where the backgrounds are watercolor sunsets, then scanning and adding the foreground digitally. So far, really liking the process! How about you?

[xin li]

@Tiffany-Thomas I love this piece. I think the combination of water color and digital is very successful here. Looking forward to see more with similar techniques.

@Melissa-Bailey-0 I have been thinking doing my next book with traditional and digital combo. I will probably bug you and Tiffany for tips soon - All the watercolour scanning, and technical stuff, hehe...

[Tiffany Thomas]

@Melissa-Bailey-0 Yes! I think there is so much potential for exploration here. I've noticed my style changes a bit when I only draw digitally and there is just something fun and unexpected that happens when you use mediums that are a bit unpredictable (such as watercolor). My background is fine art so I'm used to letting the mediums do a bit of their own thing as part of my process. On the other hand I love the control I have with digital, I can re-size, recolor, layer and move things around if needed, but I'm a bit of an over renderer so I think trying to find balance between the two will be good for me. Are you drawing in Photoshop after you scan your watercolor images?

[Tiffany Thomas]

@xin-li Ooohhhh I'd love to see what you come up with, I think the combination would really lend to your style! Feel free to reach out anytime for tips, I'm still figuring it all out but I'll share anything I've learned

[Melissa_Bailey]

@Tiffany-Thomas same here! And I forgot to say ... your piece is absolutely wonderful. Love, love, LOVE it! (Forgive me for not saying so before.)

Watercolor will probably always be my favorite medium and colored pencils were my first love, so these will probably always have a spot in my illustration arsenal. However, since getting my first iPad at the end of 2018 and thinking that it could help streamline the initial sketching & composition phase, I've found myself using it more and more. Never thought this staunch traditional media girl would illustrate a book entirely digital, but it happened! Twice!

Like you, I'm really loving the freedom of using the media I love while using technology to work faster and better. As far as my process goes, I usually start with a digital sketch so I can do all that moving and resizing that you mentioned, print it out on watercolor paper, use my traditional media, scan, and finish it in Procreate, also using Photoshop for its clone stamp, converting to CMYK, and better editing and resizing capabilities. Wow, that sounds really complicated! But believe it or not, it has actually streamlined things for me.

Please share any tips you've found that have worked for you. Absolutely love your work and your style. Can't wait to see more of your stuff!