Christmas Shop - Winter is here!

Whilst it seems like we've barely said goodbye to autumn, the festive period is approaching us once again. Exciting times! Christmas is my absolute favourite time of the year; everything from the wintery weather, hot chocolates, and giving gifts just makes me so happy!

Thoresby gallery in Newark are opening their annual Christmas shop, and I'm pleased to say I have one of my original drawings for sale there. Featuring some incredible artists and works of a wide variety, the gallery is a great place to look for a lovely thoughtful gift for someone in mind or yourself!

This is one I drew last year, which I featured on a previous blog post. To me, deer seem synonymous with Christmas. Perhaps it's that deer are closely related to reindeer, but they are one of my favourite things to draw/paint whatever season it is, because they're such beautiful animals!

'Stag' Ballpoint pen, A3, Original Framed 


Head to the Christmas shop which will be open to all from next weekend Saturday 8th Nov – Sunday 4th Jan. 
Read more here...

Thank you! ^_^
  

Instagram snippets

I am working hard to regularly update certain things that I enjoy at the moment, like my Etsy shop and Instagram. I am always on instagram! It's my place where I go and post most of my new pieces of artwork, work in progress shots, or something that has inspired me. Oh and you might find the occasional snap of my dog too! But uploading a snap of my artwork is often my first thought when I create a new piece as I love the how instantaneous the feedback is on there. So if you're wondering what I get up to on a regular basis feel free to follow me on instagram.

Here are a few little snippets from my instagram feed @theinkydeer :)

5 Tips to combat lack of inspiration...

Hello! 

It seems I have been neglecting this blog lately! I can honestly say I just haven't felt inspired enough to write anything interesting or worth reading (if anyone even reads this!?). Very often I find I have little motivation to draw or paint and I'll end up with wrecked pieces and slowly diminishing patience. Everyone doubts themselves from time to time and sometimes I just don't feel that creative spark in me. I start to fret about a painting that went wrong and assume I'll never be able to make art again! I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels this way from time to time. Often it is just a matter of taking a rest for a couple of weeks to help refresh the imagination. However sometimes it's a case of actively seeking new inspiration from somewhere different, to cure that stubborn 'artist's block'

1. Re-engerise; take a break 

You can be sat staring at a blank page, waiting and contemplating what to draw and before you know it you've spent a whole hour doing a few useless scribbles. Firstly, try listening to some of your favourite tunes, personally music always helps me focus. If you're still stuck, get up from the workspace and sit in another room or different space. If your environment is quite dull, uninspiring or cluttered, your mind will feel like it too. It may help to go outside for some fresh air, or even do some stretches! But I often find the best way to refresh, is to take a short 15 min nap if possibe. Forget about everything and often you will wake up with a new perspective on things and you'll find that with less fatigue, you will be able to think more clearly and come up with your best drawing yet. 

2. Look at books, galleries, etc....

Sometimes just looking at artwork that you love can motivate you to feel like drawing. I particularly love books on contemporary illustration and 'Illustrators Unlimited' is one of my favourites. Going to galleries can also be really inspiring, or even looking on tumblr, etsy and instagram, which are essentially online galleries in themselves. Look at the techniques and media your favourite artists use, and read about what inspires them.

3. Don't put too much pressure on yourself

Make art because you want to, not because you feel you need to. Sometimes the pressure of wanting to impress others makes you feel like you should constantly be doing something exciting, new and inspirational. Try and tell yourself this can't always be feasible and by trying to do that you will just disappoint yourself. Try not to create work solely to please others, just do something because YOU want to and hopefully in turn, others will appreciate it as well.

4. Don't be afraid to make mistakes

The very reason I find it hard to commit to something in the first place is because I'm scared of ruining something, but that's never going to promote creativity. If you're a perfectionist it's hard to overcome, but what helps is to experiment on rough paper with loads of different media to be sure you know what you are doing. If you end up ripping loads of pages out of sketchbooks, you're probably putting too much pressure on yourself to do something perfectly. If all else fails, make an abstract piece out of it instead of ripping it out!

5. Don't compare yourself to others

This is the worst thing you can do, but it's hard not to. Whilst looking at other artists' work is inspiring, there's no point getting down if you feel you aren't as good as them. I don't even think someone can measure just how 'good' a piece is, as art is a subjective thing and everyone has a different take on what they perceive is 'good'. Everyone likes different things after all. Regardless of whether you think your work is as good as someone you admire, it really doesn't matter. Making artwork for others to enjoy is not about emulating, everyone's work would look the same and that would be utterly boring. Remember that someone's artwork should never be copied, that your artwork is individual to you, and can never be replicated by someone else either. So whether you think someone likes your work or not, the first thing to do is to make sure you do.

Some of these are easier said than done. But hopefully you might feel a bit more prepared for the next time you feel that brick wall that comes with artists' block. I would love to hear your comments and what kinds of things you do to combat creative blocks, and other ways of finding inspiration. Thanks for reading! :)

Giclee Prints - Available Now! The Inky Deer on Etsy...

Finally, I am excited to say I have some fine art prints ready to go! So far they are available in 5x7", or 8x10" (standard sizes for framing) and printed on heavyweight, Hahnemhule German Etching paper which is 310 gsm. It's velvety smooth with a lovely fine surface texture, which means the prints look almost identical to the original. On top of that the paper and inks used are archival and will last a life time. Yay!

At the moment, I have prints available in five different designs, however I will hopefully be adding more in weeks to come. These are some of my favourites and they will start from around as little as £11.00
As well as giclee prints, I have decided to offer greetings cards. Currently I have four different designs, which are A6 and blank inside; therefore perfect for giving on any occasion, or you could even frame these if you wanted!
I hope that you will enjoy my works as much as I enjoy creating them.  

Head over to my Etsy shop for a little nosy :)

Thanks :)

The Owl and the hummingbird

Hello!

I'm exhibiting a couple of framed pieces at the annual wide open exhibition at Thoresby gallery again this year. They showcase pieces from an eclectic range of local artists, who work in a variety of different media, so there really is something for everyone. My two are watercolour and ink originals involving birds, as I have a ridiculous love for the feathered critters at the moment! I really enjoyed painting these.

'Little British Owl' - Original Watercolour, Ink on 100% Cotton Paper 7x10'  (SOLD)

'Humming' - Original Watercolour, Ink on 100% Cotton Paper 7x10'

It opens to the public from from 5th April - 5th May, so pop over to the gallery at Thoresby Courtyard if you would like to purchase one or just take a look!

More info here

Thanks :)

Find me on Facebook

Please check out my new facebook page Daisy Maude Illustration.
Stay up to date with all my latest pieces and for further information about art prints and other projects.

Thanks :)

Sakura Micron® Pens - Magic in the Ink?

I am a lover of detail and intricacy within artwork in general. I strive for some detail in my own work and consequently, my favourite medium by far is a fineliner pen. So, on my quest for art supplies, I recently discovered Pigma® Micron® Pens by Sakura. I realise I'm late on the bandwagon with these - they've been around for a while. Honestly, I don't know what I did before I had them!

I'm sure all artists would agree that it's extremely important to ensure longevity in the art you make, after all the effort spent on a drawing/painting you definitely don't want it to fade after a few years. These pens contain an archival pigmented ink that's also acid free, so people in years to come can hopefully still see your hard work! 

Obviously, they are amazingly precise. I also think they rival other fine liners I have used in the past, as they come in a good range of thicknesses and are reasonably priced. Sizes include  005 = 0.20 mm, 01 = 0.25 mm, 02 = 0.30 mm, 03 = 0.35 mm, 04 - 0.40mm, 05 = 0.45 mm, and 08 = 0.50 mm. I've found the 005 pen to be the most useful where you need a precise fine-point to add those extra little minute or 'micro' details, even create strokes as fine as a strand of hair.

You can buy them individually or as a set containing the full seven from a variety of art shop, or online at places such as Amazon or eBay for under £20. Overall, I highly recommend them to anyone looking for affordable pens, to add finer details to artwork without compromising on quality!

Thanks,