Starlight Posted January 19, 2020 Posted January 19, 2020 On 1/16/2020 at 5:15 PM, Raggydoll said: Thank you so much! I do both of those things. I start off with a vision and then I browse for inspiration. For faces I try to find some sort of reference that I can base the features on, but I always make changes so that it becomes a new individual. For outfits, hair etc then I go from imagination. With those mountains in the background I plan on using reference photos because I have never drawn mountains before. The same was with my previous card - I had never drawn a raven or a crow (I once did a quick illustration of an owl and that is it! No other birds in my repertoire 😁). Sometimes I use multiple references for one item, especially when I can't find something that looks the way I want it to. You've got wonderful skill, Raggy. That coupled with your unique vision and deep understanding of the cards is going to make for an amazing Tarot deck whenever you get round to creating yours! On 1/16/2020 at 5:15 PM, Raggydoll said: I once made a portrait of my parents and I had to use multiple images to create a scene that never really happened (well, I am certain that it happened at some point in time, but it just never got on camera). And in those cases it becomes tricky to get the proportions and the angles right. Plus the lighting has to make sense. But it turned out really good and now it is one of moms most treasured depictions of my dad who passed away some time after I made that portrait. That's a really lovely story. Your mum has a portrait of her and her husband that her daughter created. That's special. On 1/16/2020 at 5:15 PM, Raggydoll said: But I do want to stress something. I find that so many people seem to think that if someone is good at drawing then they can simply depict ANYTHING from their imagination and it will look fabulous at first try. Well, I am sure there are some people that might be able to do that. I am not. On 1/16/2020 at 5:15 PM, Raggydoll said: The only thing I can draw fairly decently from imagination is people. I have made so many portraits that I am pretty good at anatomy and how to render hair etc. I think that's it. Practice makes perfect. I would LOVE to be able to draw realistic people, but I know that it takes lots of practice and a good knowledge of anatomy to do it. I am content to admire your work!! 😄
Starlight Posted January 19, 2020 Posted January 19, 2020 Love your take on The Fool, @Wanderer. The journey into the unknown is not always a happy jaunt and you've captured that really well. 👍
Raggydoll Posted January 19, 2020 Author Posted January 19, 2020 32 minutes ago, Starlight said: You've got wonderful skill, Raggy. That coupled with your unique vision and deep understanding of the cards is going to make for an amazing Tarot deck whenever you get round to creating yours! That's a really lovely story. Your mum has a portrait of her and her husband that her daughter created. That's special. I think that's it. Practice makes perfect. I would LOVE to be able to draw realistic people, but I know that it takes lots of practice and a good knowledge of anatomy to do it. I am content to admire your work!! 😄 And I admire your work!! Your drawing really speaks to me and I am absolutely delighted that it will be part of this deck! ❤️ I can’t wait for the moment I will actually have this treasure of a deck in my hands!!
Wanderer Posted January 19, 2020 Posted January 19, 2020 1 hour ago, Starlight said: Love your take on The Fool, @Wanderer. The journey into the unknown is not always a happy jaunt and you've captured that really well. 👍 Aww, thanks, @Starlight - much appreciated! I was bouncing around a few ideas before settling on this one, but given the positive responses I'll get on and do it.
geoxena Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 (edited) I'm just popping in to say that I'm cautiously excited about my Hermit. I've had the basic idea for the card for a long, long time, so I was glad that the card was available for me to claim. I'm new here, so I'm grateful to have the chance to participate in the community's deck! So, about my Hermit, although I had a basic central starting point, some of the details that will surround it or be in the background were vague in my mind. Since having signed up to create this card, I've been sketching away and going back and forth on ideas for these details - mostly what kind of setting the Hermit will be in. I've also been learning and practicing new-to-me techniques for the medium I am using - colored pencil. It's been an enjoyable challenge. And I am happy to say that today the setting for the Hermit came to me and I started on the actual drawing, not just studies and sketches. Several of my ideas all kind of gelled together and, now that I know what I'm doing, it just feels right for how I want to express what this card means to me. I just hope I can get the colored pencils to do what I want them to do! Edited January 20, 2020 by geoxena
Raggydoll Posted January 20, 2020 Author Posted January 20, 2020 35 minutes ago, geoxena said: I'm just popping in to say that I'm cautiously excited about my Hermit. I've had the basic idea for the card for a long, long time, so I was glad that the card was available for me to claim. I'm new here, so I'm grateful to have the chance to participate in the community's deck! So, about my Hermit, although I had a basic central starting point, some of the details that will surround it or be in the background were vague in my mind. Since having signed up to create this card, I've been sketching away and going back and forth on ideas for these details - mostly what kind of setting the Hermit will be in. I've also been learning and practicing new-to-me techniques for the medium I am using - colored pencil. It's been an enjoyable challenge. And I am happy to say that today the setting for the Hermit came to me and I started on the actual drawing, not just studies and sketches. Several of my ideas all kind of gelled together and, now that I know what I'm doing, it just feels right for how I want to express what this card means to me. I just hope I can get the colored pencils to do what I want them to do! That is super exciting!! I can’t wait to see it 😀❤️ Colored pencils are really cool, I’ve seen people do some very creative things with them!
geoxena Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 8 hours ago, Raggydoll said: Colored pencils are really cool, I’ve seen people do some very creative things with them! Yeah, there are quite a number of artists whose colored pencil work is so skillful that it looks like a photograph. Mine won't be that realistic, but hopefully will turn out fairly well. Well, I'm giving it a shot anyway!
joy Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 @geoxena sounds great, they way it all comes together. Love the process, it starts with a thought and keeps changing shape until it finally is being born. And sometimes the art takes a turn on its own 😉 Looking forward to your Hermit!
Raggydoll Posted January 20, 2020 Author Posted January 20, 2020 Tiny update. Clothes and labyrinth pendant done. And now I’m going to start working on the background.
Raggydoll Posted January 20, 2020 Author Posted January 20, 2020 Just now, joy said: @Raggydoll ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you!!! When this card is done I will want to start sketching on my own deck. I’m very excited for it!
Saturn Celeste Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 2 hours ago, Raggydoll said: Tiny update. Clothes and labyrinth pendant done. And now I’m going to start working on the background. I love it, the mountains behind her look like wings! She's stunning.
Raggydoll Posted January 20, 2020 Author Posted January 20, 2020 30 minutes ago, Saturn Celeste said: I love it, the mountains behind her look like wings! She's stunning. Hopefully it won’t look like wings when I’m done. This woman is super grounded; she is the Elder of Earth after all 🙃
Saturn Celeste Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 22 minutes ago, Raggydoll said: This woman is super grounded; she is the Elder of Earth after all lol I'm sure you'll make the mountains nice and earthy. The card is going to be awesome!
Raggydoll Posted January 20, 2020 Author Posted January 20, 2020 2 minutes ago, Saturn Celeste said: lol I'm sure you'll make the mountains nice and earthy. The card is going to be awesome! I really hope so!
geoxena Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 3 hours ago, joy said: @geoxena Looking forward to your Hermit! Thank you! I made some progress today. The hardest part is knowing when to stop adding another layer of color. I was happy with the Hermit's hand, then tweaked it and was disappointed, then tweaked it again and liked it, then tweaked it a little more and hated it.... ad infinitum it seems!
joy Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 14 minutes ago, geoxena said: Thank you! I made some progress today. The hardest part is knowing when to stop adding another layer of color. I was happy with the Hermit's hand, then tweaked it and was disappointed, then tweaked it again and liked it, then tweaked it a little more and hated it.... ad infinitum it seems! Yes that is the typical artist overdo. Sometimes it makes sense to just leave for hours and look at it the next day. Or you can ask us here for opinions 🙂
Starlight Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 12 hours ago, Raggydoll said: Tiny update. Clothes and labyrinth pendant done. And now I’m going to start working on the background. Beautiful! 💗
Raggydoll Posted January 21, 2020 Author Posted January 21, 2020 8 hours ago, geoxena said: Thank you! I made some progress today. The hardest part is knowing when to stop adding another layer of color. I was happy with the Hermit's hand, then tweaked it and was disappointed, then tweaked it again and liked it, then tweaked it a little more and hated it.... ad infinitum it seems! If I may give a little advice then I always back away from the table and look at something entirely different and then I go back to look. I also often take a picture and study the picture instead. For some reason those things give me back the perspective. But I can totally relate. I used to have what I would best describe as ‘art dysmorphia’. You know, like how some people never see themselves correctly in the mirror. Well, I got so perfectionist that I got hung up on tiny details in my own work (I could see everyone else’s work right) and then I would never be pleased. I remember how I almost threw away some drawings that I had spent 10+ hours on (and seeing them now - they were really good!). It was so sad. What helped me was to stop thinking that I was creating art for my own sake, but I instead started making art that others had asked me to. (Like, a picture of their deceased pet). And when I saw how they described and how they reacted to the imagery then that became a healing process for me. (I was really young at that time so I think that aging has helped too.) Sorry for the ramblings. Just wanted to send you some encouragement 💗 Very often it helps to share your art with others and allow them to mirror it for you!
Wanderer Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 Totally agree about the need to step away for a while, sometimes! And also being willing to change your mind. For example, I've decided I can't get the effects on the mountains that I want with ink, but Mrs. W. was given some very nice Palomino pencils that I'm now putting to (hopefully good) use! Out of interest, what scale are people doing the drawings at? I'm working at 1.5x final, but using quite a lot of detail.
Raggydoll Posted January 21, 2020 Author Posted January 21, 2020 5 minutes ago, Wanderer said: Totally agree about the need to step away for a while, sometimes! And also being willing to change your mind. For example, I've decided I can't get the effects on the mountains that I want with ink, but Mrs. W. was given some very nice Palomino pencils that I'm now putting to (hopefully good) use! Out of interest, what scale are people doing the drawings at? I'm working at 1.5x final, but using quite a lot of detail. I’m working in double the size! Great that her pens are coming to use ❤️
Wanderer Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 5 minutes ago, Raggydoll said: I’m working in double the size! Great that her pens are coming to use ❤️ Double is sensible! I tend to use a lot of minute detail, though, and was worried too much would get distorted on reduction if I did it at that scale. At least in pencil, as I'm using for this one... If/when I get onto a second card, I'll try pen for that one, and probably work at larger size... but we'll see. I haven't finished this one yet, so it might all go horribly wrong!
joy Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 I plan to do double size and hope the reduction will make it stronger. Will see! And @Wanderer do not think it could go horribly wrong 😉
Jewel Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 (edited) OK so here is my concept for the Novice of Water. I am no expert artist so please don't laugh too hard I selected this card because on a soul level I have a connection with it, which is the premise for my concept. CONCEPT FOR THE NOVICE OF WATER: The Novice of Water is Earth of Water elementally, so she is shape shifting if you will from her water form into an earthly form (hopefully I can make the bottom of her dress look like water when I color this) She is imaginative, intuitive, sensitive (emotionally as well as to the other-world influences) and creative. The Undine represents her ultimate bond with the element of water and her inner self (intuition), and her sensitivity to the other-world. The art palette and paint brush reflect her creativity,emotional expression, the fish in the cup talking to her speaks to her imagination. Through her intuition, imagination, and creative expression you experience her sensitivity. Her smile reflects the joy and wonder with which she sees the world. Even in her innocence she carries the sensuality of the element of water. She is a dreamer. I am hoping that in the coloring I can add in some "crystals", like the connector from the top to the bottom of her outfit those will be pearls, and the dark sections on the cup are designed to be Paua Shell inlays. The Undine will be blue as she is water. I will most likely try to add in some red coral, probably as jewelry or perhaps even as the heart on the cup. If those look OK then I will of course add about their symbolism to the description. This is an evolving concept but the picture above is the central picture. P.S. if someone more talented would like to turn my concept into real art I am all for it!!!!! 😆 Edited January 21, 2020 by Jewel
joy Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 15 minutes ago, Jewel said: OK so here is my concept for the Novice of Water. I am no expert artist so please don't laugh too hard I selected this card because on a soul level I have a connection with it, which is the premise for my concept. CONCEPT FOR THE NOVICE OF WATER: The Novice of Water is Earth of Water elementally, so she is shape shifting if you will from her water form into an earthly form (hopefully I can make the bottom of her dress look like water when I color this) She is imaginative, intuitive, sensitive (emotionally as well as to the other-world influences) and creative. The Undine represents her ultimate bond with the element of water and her inner self (intuition), and her sensitivity to the other-world. The art palette and paint brush reflect her creativity,emotional expression, the fish in the cup talking to her speaks to her imagination. Through her intuition, imagination, and creative expression you experience her sensitivity. Her smile reflects the joy and wonder with which she sees the world. Even in her innocence she carries the sensuality of the element of water. She is a dreamer. I am hoping that in the coloring I can add in some "crystals", like the connector from the top to the bottom of her outfit those will be pearls, and the dark sections on the cup are designed to be Paua Shell inlays. The Undine will be blue as she is water. I will most likely try to add in some red coral, probably as jewelry or perhaps even as the heart on the cup. If those look OK then I will of course add about their symbolism to the description. This is an evolving concept but the picture above is the central picture. P.S. if someone more talented would like to turn my concept into real art I am all for it!!!!! 😆 Jewel I love it!!! ❤️ Not sure what you mean about 'real' art, this is real art! Maybe we have to start a thread where we can talk about the meaning of art 😉 I love love love it!!! And look forward to see it colored!
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