Okay, after this post, I'm totally DONE talking about my Rapunzel illustration. I promise. But today is Friday and with that comes a Flashback Friday post and I thought it was only appropriate that I flashback to five years ago, when I set my colored pencils aside and pulled out my watercolors.
Can I just remind you that I hate watercolors?
Okay, not hate. I actually love watercolors very, very much and am in awe of the folk who do them well... I am not one of them. Marisa and Watercolors are not BFFs.
But I digress, because this post is a flashback and I wanted to share the days when I used to paint... what did I paint, you may be wondering? Rapunzel, what else?
Its funny, I remember being so darned proud of myself when I finished this one. When I say that I find watercolors challenging, I'm not kidding. They are hard! Mostly because they take a million years to dry and I don't have the patience to wait, so I wreck everything... but this Rapunzel one was a painting I admired.
??? I know, right? Its awful. I mean, I do think the style and colors are sort of okay... not well planned out, but not too horrible. And I like how Rapunzel is off to the side, not in the middle of the page, like my new one... But my technique? Pretty awful. About a week after I finished, I took another look and the reality hit me: I am not a water-colorist. I am a colored pencil artist. Though I like to step out of my comfort zone to challenge myself, I'm not going to kid myself.
And, though it took me five years to do it, I made a promise to myself that I would re-illustrate my fairy tale watercolors and this time do them right - in colored pencil.
Here is another one of my fairy tale watercolors... Does it look familiar?
How 'bout now?
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Do you have a flashback of your own that you want to share? Head on over to Tia's blog (http://ChristopherandTia.blogspot.com) for the best meme in town.
Happy Friday, folks!
xoxo,
11 comments:
This made me laugh. You are the colored pencil artist extraordinaire, my dear!
I looked at the watercolored Rapunzel, and thought, "Wow! That's good!" But when I saw the colored pencil Rapunzel, I thought, "Oh WOW!! That's amazing!" I think you are good at watercolor. You are just better with colored pencils. And your style has evolved and improved over the years. But your watercolor was not awful.
To put things in perspective... Your watercolors are like a TRILLION times better than anything I could hope to do! That being said, you are the master of the pencil!
You do great things with colored pencils.
Sweetie, have you tried watercolor pencils?
I have a set here that I haven't used, and probably will never use, but I refuse to get rid of them, out of fear that I might one way want them... haha.
I'd be happy to send them to a good home if you'd like to try them out.
♥
I love looking back at how we have evolved as artists. I was wondering the same thing as DancingMooney, have you used watercolor pencils?
Aw, thanks everyone!
And about the pencils... Yes, I have used watercolor pencils and I don't like them very much. They are too scratchy and not at all blendy... so a little more trouble than just plain painting, or just plain colored-penciling.
But thanks!!
You should see some of the watercolor monstrosities I come up with, and my colored-pencil creations are not any better! HA!
This reminds me of writing. Do what you do well and stick to it, but don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try something else every so often. ;-)
Looove the new gal Marisa! I'm also trying to expand the envelope with watercolors, but find myself much more confident (and comfy) with my plain ol' #2 pencil and/or ink :o)
I gave you [foisted off?] an award for your blog, as you always have such clever and charming posts. It's on my blog, if you wish to pick it up.
Oh, and in case you are confused by my current [and unfamiliar] appearance - It's Wysiwigs from Etsy (and long time no see girl, right? ;o)
Ok, you can still do WAY more with water colors, than I ever could.
You're an amazing artist, no matter what tools you're using.
Given that I can do nothing with either watercolors or colored pencils, I think they all look great! My girls particularly like the mermaids. :-)
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