Hello, I'm Amber!

burvantill

@Amber-Lynn-Benton LOL! I can imagine. I have a board specifically for the dream portfolio with only 10 images in it but about 100 more favorites scattered throughout several other boards.

Tamisha

Hi @Amber-Lynn-Benton, Great to meet you. You'll love it here!

Jon Anderson

Welcome! It's neat that you already have a graphic design component to your art to build on. I wish I understood graphic design better. I think you'll have a blast growing the illustration part.

Amber Lynn Benton

@Tamisha Thanks, Tamisha, I love it already!

Amber Lynn Benton

@Jon-Anderson My graphic design is self taught and learned through hard knocks. And you can 'know' things but remembering to apply them in new situations takes effort. The creative composition class has many of the same elements used in any kind of design. Perhaps a future 2D design class is in the works for here?!

juliepeelart

@Amber-Lynn-Benton your work is darling! I love your enthusiasm too! I had the same thought about my portfolio. I need to finish bigger stuff. Thanks for sharing!

Amber Lynn Benton

@juliepeelart Wow, Julie! I love your piece, 'Reaching'! Thanks for your kind words. It is good to have a community to help you keep striving and moving forward.

lmrush

@Amber-Lynn-Benton Thank you Amber, I am in a bit of creative block currently. Hopefully the Mermay contest will help. Cheers!

JennyJones

@Amber-Lynn-Benton I did my dream portfolio a year ago and I am just seeing now how it has evolved and is ready for an update. I think it’s such a wonderful tool. I love your idea of making it a screen saver. I have mine printed and hanging around my art desk. I also printed several and made them into “postcards” to hang up in my preschool classroom. That way when I am at my day job I can still be inspired by my art goals.

Amber Lynn Benton

@JennyJones Those are great ideas!

Sophie Lawson

Hello Amber! I'm liking your art a lot

You've made me interested in that Lee White class now, I'll stick it on my list … there's so many cool SVS classes to study from, it's exciting

Amber Lynn Benton

@Sophie-Lawson Thanks!! That’s a quick class and I think it helps set a target to aim for not just in style but in portfolio project ideas as well.

Susan Marks

@Amber-Lynn-Benton Hi Amber! I join the crowd liking the way you put your dream portfolio together. I have a pinterest board and pulled them together a little differently. I use one of the images as my monthly calendar-and 2 months so far, I've used that image for a master copy. I'll give the "finding your style" class a go-so many great classes here at SVS. I also think you've mapped out a good course for your journey. Have you listened to the SVS podcasts? The episode on "Am I too old for art school?" has good pointers for mapping out a plan.

MOO

Welcome. I like your art!

Amber Lynn Benton

@Susan-Marks I’ve been doing a total immersion I think! I’ve listened to several of the latest but don’t think I’ve done that one yet - though I think Will has a YT vid on that same topic.

Amber Lynn Benton

@Marsha-Kay-Ottum-Owen Thanks, Marsha!

Amber, your work is wonderful. I did that course too and I found it a massive help (I'm currently trying to figure where to go next with my work!). You've got really nice style and I commend you for trying o make your dreams a reality, with 6 boys that's tough going too I bet but you are making fantastic work.

Amber Lynn Benton

@lovetherobot Thanks so much for your kind words! Yes sometimes it is hard work but the boys appreciate the time I spend in my studio and time I spend working. And they are willing to pitch in so that I have more time. They are an inspiration, too - they have a lot of good ideas.

Amber Lynn Benton

My first master copy. J.P Miller on the right (because someone asked) and my copy on the left.

Copy done in watercolor, gouache and colored pencil. My printer cropped 1/4” all round which is why my copy is cropped.

The drawing upside down trick from @Jake-Parker ’s Draw Everything really helped me get those silhouettes as close as they are. I had a lot of problems placing the eye and had to correct with white paint. I feel like I would have caught this if I had done a value study instead of just a line drawing.

I’m currently working on a portfolio piece inspired by this one.

MOO

@Amber-Lynn-Benton Nice job!