Now that I’m not using wi-fi and not using my iPad, I inked this picture on my desktop computer with my Wacom tablet and Affinity Photo. I felt like a clumsy beginner. But I will get better as I do more work. I used a plain round brush with no personality except for the characteristic wobble that my lines normally have. Wobbly lines have become the hallmark of my style.
Today was chore day. We pulled weeds under our four 90-foot deodora cedars, pruned some branches that were dropping over the gate to the driveway. I wielded the weed whacker and cleared the walkway. I love to whack weeds. The artist in me left a few dandelions on the pathway to achieve a wabi-sabi effect. Then it was off to do the laundry. Between loading the washer and dryer and folding clothes, I had time to tweak some pictures that needed attention. I even played with a little color while I was at it. Now, I’m ready for Saturday family time.
This drawing is 100% digital. I had to recreate the “Buddy Takes the Blame” picture because I used the original version for the “Buddy Asks to Join the Jay Family” picture. I got lazy, and today was payback time. This picture took about one hour to draw. Momma Jay looks a little upset!
Posting everyday has been a boon. I’ve learned to honor my limits. When it’s 7:15 I stop whatever I’m doing — inking, painting, drawing. When the day’s time is gone, my day’s work is over. I export the image and write a little post like this one. I call it a day and move on to family time.
My new attitude has carried over to my day job. In the past I’ve worked extra hours to finish up some incomplete project. Sometimes I would toil away until midnight just to be able to check the task off my to-do list. But I don’t do that anymore. Now, when it’s 5 PM, I check out. Whatever is left undone can wait until tomorrow. I like this way of living.
Here’s Momma Jay Warning the Kids in it’s final form. I may yet tweak some of the line work. In this project, nothing is ever complete, perfect, or finished.
I’ve got nothing witty to say today. Re-inking is a heads-down, nose-to-the-grindstone thing. The more I ink, the faster I grind my nose. Speaking of which, my nose was the feature I hated most when I was a teenager. I would look in the mirror in the boy’s restroom and say to my nose, “Nose, you’re ugly. You’re the reason everyone hates me.” Once someone told me that I had a Roman nose, and I took it as an insult because I’d never heard the phrase before. I thought it meant “big, ugly nose.”
Today’s picture is a work in progress. I created the blue line layer by creating a layer above the layer I’m retracing. I filled the layer with blue and set the blending mode to screen. I think the blue lines look cool.
