Sketchbook Project 2017

I finally finished my 2017 Sketchbook Project Book, with the theme of hand-drawn, repeating patterns. It was a really nice project to work on in-between other commissions and illustrations. And because I kept it simple and just used ink over watercolor backgrounds I found it quite relaxing to do. If you haven't heard about the Sketchbook Project before, check out more details here, it's very cool!

I also got the chance to test out Instagram's newest feature where you can upload multiple photos and videos as part of one collection. This could be really fun for us artists, giving us a chance to show a piece in progress, and add both videos and photos to really tell a story, rather than just choosing the best image to try and portray the whole thing. Let me know in a comment if you can think of any other ways you'd use the new multiple photo/video upload to show off your work?

If you haven't played with the new feature yet, here's how I used it.

A post shared by Jessica Mack 🎨 Colorado Artist (@brownpaperbunny) on Feb 22, 2017 at 1:56pm PST

And here is the video from Instagram, explaining how the new feature works.

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Balls of Yarn

I've been working away in my Sketchbook Project book, creating hand-drawn patterns over watercolor — and trying to get it finished before the return deadline. 

If you're not familiar with the Sketchbook Project, it's a cool initiative run by the Brooklyn Art Library where you sign up, they send you a sketchbook (which you can use as-is or re-bind like I've done). You fill it with your art, collage, drawing, whatever you like really, and you can choose to follow a theme or just see where your creativity takes you. Then you send it back to them before the deadline and it goes on a mobile sketchbook tour, around the USA and the world, the following year. People who visit it on the tour can 'check out' your book from their little mobile libary and look through it. Then after the tour your book goes to live in the Art Library where you can visit it (and thousands of others) whenever you're in the neighborhood. 

I've been doing the project for years, since I lived back in Australia, and am completely in love with it. The first time you have to send your book back it can be a little sad because you feel like you're saying goodbye to something you worked so hard on, but then once you start seeing other people enjoying your work, it becomes really fun. Plus you can go visit it anytime you happen to be in Brooklyn, so it's not really 'gone'. 

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Pattern January

Anika, over at @AisforAnika put together a month of pattern challenges / inspiration to get the year off to a good start, and it's been wonderful seeing how differently everyone interprets the prompts. 

This January has been busier than usual for me, so I haven't participated as much as I would have liked, but here are just a few that I've done so far. 

Greenery

Greenery patterns in my #SketchbookProject book for #PatternJanuary with @aisforanika Learn why video is so important to a successful social media strategy: http://bit.ly/videoforartists (link in bio)

A video posted by Jessica Mack 🎨 Colorado Artist (@brownpaperbunny) on Jan 14, 2017 at 8:00pm PST

Pomegranate 

Sketching Pomegranates for #PatternJanuary with @aisforanika ❤

A video posted by Jessica Mack 🎨 Colorado Artist (@brownpaperbunny) on Jan 24, 2017 at 5:19am PST

Rain

A little bit late posting my 'Rain' entry for #PatternJanuary 💦

A video posted by Jessica Mack 🎨 Colorado Artist (@brownpaperbunny) on Jan 26, 2017 at 9:29am PST

Did you participate in any group challenges or projects this month? It's number 13 on my list '21 Social Media Prompts for Artists' — if you haven't download the list already, you can find it here (it's free). 

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Creative Bootcamp with Lisa Congdon

Please note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which help pay for the upkeep of this site. That being said, I will never, ever promote anything I am not 100% in love with!

To start the year off right I'm taking Lisa Congdon's Creative Bootcamp over on CreativeBug. I'm trying to loosen up and let myself experiment more with colors I wouldn't usually use, and exercises that, at first, feel very foreign to me. And I'm having a lot of fun! 

Here are just a few of the creations I've made so far, following each week's exercise.

Having some more fun with lines and circles as part of @lisacongdon's #cbugbootcamp on @creativebug 😃

A video posted by Jessica Mack 🎨 Colorado Artist (@brownpaperbunny) on Jan 11, 2017 at 8:43pm PST

Making paint swatches of my most used colors, for @lisacongdon's #cbugbootcamp with @creativebug 🎨🖌

A video posted by Jessica Mack 🎨 Colorado Artist (@brownpaperbunny) on Jan 12, 2017 at 9:28am PST

Having fun playing with color combos I don't typically use, as part of #CBugBootcamp

A video posted by Jessica Mack 🎨 Colorado Artist (@brownpaperbunny) on Jan 15, 2017 at 1:04pm PST

I hadn't done any collage since I was a kid, so it was really fun to get out the scissors and glue and go to town!

Are you trying anything new this year?

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National Bird Day

I painted these little geometric guys for National Bird Day today. Creating content in line with 'Days of the Year' is idea number 11 in my free guide '21 Social Media Prompts for Artists'. 

Throughout January a group of us are participating in a challenge to lift our social media game, and posting ideas from the guide. If you want to kick 2017 off right, get more attention for your artwork and grow your community, join us! Here are the details for the January Challenge. 

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Portland Sketches

Over the Christmas break we've been traveling around Oregon, and I started sketching quick snippets of our activities to remind myself what we've done and seen on the trip. 

We've eaten a lot of delicious food, spent a LOT of time at Powell's bookstore (and bought a lot of large books we aren't sure how to get home), bought some of 'baby's' first toys, books and clothes, and strolled around some super cute Portland streets and neighborhoods.

While this isn't the sort of art I usually create, I wanted to share it as a way of showing you 'behind-the-scenes' and what I've been up to lately. In fact, Behind-the-Scenes Content is idea number 17 in my free guide '21 Social Media Prompts for Artists' — if you haven't downloaded it yet, you can get it here. 

So, have you ever used a travel sketchbook to record your adventures? Let me know in the comments.

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Travel Sketching

This week we've been in Vancouver for some meetings and other things. We tried to get out and explore as much as we could but it's been non-stop, heavy rain the whole time, so we've mostly stuck to indoor activities. In fact, the first few days were so grey I started the Instagram hashtag #NotBlackAndWhiteJustVancouver ;)

Of course the sun came out and it was completely gorgeous, 20 minutes before we had to leave for the airport. Here are a couple of pics if you're interested...

While we were there we visited the Juxtapoz x Superflat exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery, which was really cool, and took a sea-plane flight around the area. And we also had a lot of lazy mornings in our hotel, eating breakfast in the lounge and sketching. 

Here are a few of my favorites from the Juxtapoz show. I wrote down who each of the pieces was by, and now I've managed to misplace that note. Sorry! Click on any of the images to see them a little bigger.

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Oh Big Bird, you saucy fellow!

So, my question to you is what art supplies do you take with you when you travel — or what is in your handbag every day? I always take WAY more than I'm going to be able to use, but I was almost glad for the rainy weather, which meant I got some creative time in this trip!

In my carry-on I had two sketchbooks, a handful of Tombow markers, a bag of Prismacolor brush markers, stash of Micron Fineliners, Liquetex Paint Markers, some brushes, pencils, and my home-made travel watercolor tin! 

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Be Yourself

We've been having a lot of discussion lately, about authenticity and being your true self as an artist, in an art journal group I'm a part of.

With the internet comes ready access to other artist's work, and also praise and criticism of our own creations via social media and other online channels. Does this seep into our subconscious and ultimately influence what we create? Leave a comment and let me know what you think? 

This quote by Judy Garland always sums it up well for me — I just have to keep reminding myself.

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. —Judy Garland

Inktober Day 31: Halloween

I can't believe we've reached the end of the Inktober Fall Fashion Challenge! A whole month of drawing and painting using only ink. Even though I fell behind at times, I always had a lot of fun catching up, and creating all of these fashion illustrations! 

The very last prompt was 'Halloween' so I drew these four cute costumes I found on Pinterest. Cactus, Popcorn, Cotton Candy and Ice-Cream. And it just occurred to me that they are almost all food-themed — maybe I need to go eat something. ;)

What are you dressing up as for Halloween this year? 

Inktober Day 29 (Fringe) and Day 30 (Accessories)

In a bid to catch up on my Inktober Fall Fashion Illustration Challenge prompts I combined Day 29 and Day 30, to create this gold 1920s Flapper dress — with jeweled hair clip and two-toned shoes. I had a lot of fun with this one, and I used to have a black dress (and shoes) just like this. :)

Check out all my other Inktober drawings here. 

Inktober Day 26 (Blazer), Day 27 (Plaid), Day 28 (Skirt)

Please note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which help pay for the upkeep of this site. That being said, I will never, ever promote anything I am not 100% in love with!

Maybe it's the touch of Scottish heritage in me but I love a good tartan or plaid. So I combined Day 26 of the Inktober Fall Fashion Illustration Challenge, which was 'blazer' with Day 27 which was 'plaid' and Day 28 'skirt'. 

I used Tombow Brush Markers as watercolors (more on the technique here) and then outlined it in Micron Pens. 

You can see all of my inktober entries here. :)

Inktober Day 25: Cardigan

Please note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which help pay for the upkeep of this site. That being said, I will never, ever promote anything I am not 100% in love with!

I love a good cardi, and when I saw this cute picture of Atlantic-Pacific's outfit I knew I just had to paint it for the Inktober Fall Fashion Illustration Challenge. 

I used a combination of Dr Ph Martin's Liquid Ink, Tombow Markers, and Sakura Micron Pens. 

Uploaded by BrownPaperBunny on 2016-10-31.

You can see all of my Inktober entries here. 

Inktober Day 24: Coat

Please note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which help pay for the upkeep of this site. That being said, I will never, ever promote anything I am not 100% in love with!

For Day 24 of the Inktober Fall Fashion Illustration Challenge I drew a coat I wish I owned. Soft pink, military cut, but with a feminine bow. If you ever see a coat like this will you let me know? ;)

I used Tombow markers to get a watercolor effect (see the tutorial here) and then outlined it with Sakura Micron pens. 

You can see all of my inktober entries here. 

Inktober Day 22 (Belt) and Day 23 (Poncho)

Please note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which help pay for the upkeep of this site. That being said, I will never, ever promote anything I am not 100% in love with!

I combined Day 22 and Day 23 of the Inktober Fall Fashion Illustration challenge because what's a poncho without a good belt to give it some shape!?

I've been using Tombow Markers by blending the color on a palette and then using water and a paintbrush to paint them onto my picture. There's a little tutorial here if you're interested. 

Check out all of my other inktober entries here. 

Inktober Day 21: Sneakers

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In my books, brighter is always better — and if your sneakers aren't burning your retinas then they probably aren't bright enough. ;)

I wish the fluorescent pink Liquetex Marker came up as bright in my photo as it is in real life. It really, really pops! For all of the other colors I blended Tombow brush marker ink on a palette and then painted it on. (Click here for a tutorial on marker blending).

How about you, do you go for bright or more muted colors when you buy shoes?

You can see all of my inktober fashion illustrations here. 

Inktober Day 20: Jumpsuit

Please note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which help pay for the upkeep of this site. That being said, I will never, ever promote anything I am not 100% in love with!

The prompt for Day 20 of the Inktober Fall Fashion Illustration Challenge was 'jumpsuit'. So I used Tombow markers, blended and painted onto the paper (tutorial here), to create this military-inspired version. 

You probably don't know this about me, but I've always been drawn to all things mechanical and have a love for technology, and driving. Combined with my background in Marketing, this led me into a job where I used to sell and demonstrate tanks and armored vehicles. I had to be licensed to drive trucks and other heavy equipment, and know more about the vehicles than any of the Army boys - just to hold my own in that industry. 

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I don't think it shaped my career as an artist in any way, but that job certainly made me thicker-skinned which helps from time to time. And I got to travel all around the world (business class of course) from Switzerland to Singapore and everywhere in between!

Anyway, I always like hearing about how people's varied backgrounds shaped who they are, and I love how contradictory people's interests can be so I thought you might get a kick out of knowing that about me. Sure my favorite color is hot pink and I love to paint fashion illustration, but I've also owned more motorcycles than cars, and I used to drive tanks for a living. ;)

Leave me a comment and tell me two seemingly contradictory things about yourself!

Inktober Day 19: Football Jersey

Please note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which help pay for the upkeep of this site. That being said, I will never, ever promote anything I am not 100% in love with!

Day 19 of the Inktober Fall Fashion Illustration Challenge was 'Football Jersey'. I'm still trying to work out American Football, the rules etc. and while I find it quite slow compared to Aussie Rules and even Rugby, I'm determined to give it another go this season. I always enjoy games more live, and with the Broncos stadium just down the road, perhaps I just need to go to more actual games rather than watching them on TV. ;)

I've been using Tombow markers to get a watercolor look on my inktober paintings lately, and today's prompt was no exception. 

If you'd like to see how I do it, check out my step-by-step tutorial here or watch the video below and you'll get a pretty good idea. 

Inktober Day 18: Chambray

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I've never been brave enough to buy a Chambray shirt — having no idea how to style it. But because Day 18 of the Fall Fashion Illustration Challenge for Inktober was Chambray, I went in search of cute outfit ideas. I found this on Pinterest, and loved it paired with the leather fringe clutch. 

Have you ever owned a chambray shirt? And if so, what did you wear it with?

I used Tombow markers as watercolors, mixing them first on a blending palette, watering them down, and using a paintbrush to paint the ink onto my paper. You can check out the technique in more detail here. 

And check out the rest of my InktoberFF entries here. 

Inktober Day 17 Flats

The prompt for Day 17 of #inktoberff was flats. Of course I had to paint these fun rainbow ballet flats I found on Pinterest. 

You may not know, but I did Classical Ballet for 19 years, along with Jazz Ballet, Tap Dancing, Street Funk, Hip-Hop, Bollywood, Ballroom, Swing and Ceroc Dancing. So I'm always drawn to dance shoes of all types! 

Going to the ballet is still one of my all-time favorite things, and I've been lucky enough to see the American Ballet Company, the Russian Ballet, New York Ballet and a whole host of other amazing companies perform. I love to dance, but I've never been all that good at it, so I'm in awe of professional dancers and how effortless they make it look.

Rainbow flats #fashionillustration for #inktoberff — as part of #inktober https://t.co/0FykgHTwpz

— Jessica Mack (@BrownPaperBunny) October 22, 2016

How about you, did you ever do any dancing or take any dance lessons? 

If you'd like to see all of my entries for Inktober so far, click here. 

Inktober Day 15: Sweater

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Today's Inktober Fall Fashion prompt was 'sweater' so, inspired by Blake Lively, I drew this little number.  

I don't know about you but Fall (or Autumn as we call it in Australia) is my favorite time of year. I'll take sweaters over tank tops any day. And the chance to curl up in front of the fire with a good book while the leaves change outside — yes please! 

Not to mention Fall is ridiculously beautiful here in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The air is fresh, but still warm, the trees turn every shade you can imagine from greens through to purples, and the sky seems to be extra blue. Unlike other parts of the country Fall is super sunny and gorgeous here in Colorado. 

And I didn't even mention the array of delicious hot drinks available at this time of year! ;)

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Inktober Day 16: Long Sleeved Dress

The prompt for Day 16 of the Inktober Fall Fashion Illustration Challenge (and also my birthday) was long-sleeved dress, so I painted this dress from the '40s that I wished I owned. I've always been obsessed with late '30s, '40s, and '50s women's fashion. How about you, do you have a favorite fashion era?

I used Dr. Ph. Martin's Bombay India Ink in Teal, mixed with a little black to give it more depth. For the outlines I used Micron pens. 

If you'd like to see all of my Inktober Fall Fashion Illustration entries so far, visit: http://www.brownpaperbunny.com/blog/inktober-fall-fashion