"Black and white illustration of a happy black cat laying on its back with one front paw stretched out as if it's waving surrounded by wild strawberry plants" The alt text is pretty uncomplicated, as is the illustration. It is a black and white drawing of a cat, with the most important features created in simple ink strokes. The cat looks happy and content. Maybe it has just been frolicking in this field of wild strawberries before throwing itself on the field tummy up, as cats sometimes do. While any artist wishes their art speaks for itself and one image tells worth 1000 words, sometimes...
Drawing hair used to be one of those things I really didn't get. It seemed more like magic how some illustrators were able to create such deep, detailed and real looking hair. I was astonished by the textures, lights and shadows, and how someone could possibly do something like that. Of course I thought it would be difficult and take perhaps days and loads of patience. Then I decided to learn it. After finding out how drawing hair can be fun and easy, I haven't looked back. You can see and purchase my drawings at Society6. This isn't the only way to draw hair, there are no rights or...
I started with a photo. I found it some place online, a photo of a nice braid. I took the idea from it, the wholeness of the picture. I outlined it, drew basic guides on where the hair would fall. Then I added the first layer, just strands of hair, lots of them, with a hard pencil. I smudged all of it with a blending stump and then I took a softer pencil. I sharpened the pencil and draw the second layer of strands. I blended that layer too, and went for my eraser pencil. Yes, it is an eraser, but cased as a pencil. Great for detailed erasing. I erased strands, bigger areas, adding light and...
A tip for all of my fellow amateur aquarelle artists: If the paper gets all crumbled because of the wetness of watercolours, iron it straighter. Yes, with that iron you would use for your shirt. Try first on a less significant painting if unsure. You won't be likely to get the paper as straight as before applying the paint and water. I'd recommend letting the paint to dry first. You may try otherwise for effects. Iron on a hard surface, such as a table, instead of the ironing board. Use low temperature. There's no need to burn the paper. Don't use steam. Iron the backside of the...
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