Starting from scratch with page 60

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starting from scratch, Clip Studio Paint EX, Children's Picture Book, Easter Island, tiny volcano monster

It was one of those days when starting from scratch is the right path. I’ve been struggling with this page since I accidentally deleted the original about two weeks ago. Yes, I’m spinning my wheels and I’m stuck in the mud. I’m downhearted. And now that my contract job hours are expanding, I have little time to work on the book.

I need to simplify everything. I need to just paint blobs and shapes. I need the work with colors and contrast. I need to paint with fewer strokes, fewer lines, with no hatching and no superfluous details. I make the best of the few minutes I have each day. I have to accept things are as they are. Struggling against adversity only strengthens it. I’m going to take a deep breath now.

Creating a butterfly character

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I’ve been drawing butterflies without considering what a real butterfly looks like. I’ve seen thousands of Monarch butterflies, but when I draw the wing marking from memory, I’m really only guessing. To correct my ignorance, I got a picture of a Monarch and studiously drew the wings with the correct number of orange and black panels and even added the little white dots the I didn’t even know existed.

I ran out of time and thought about doing Buddy’s colors in Photoshop, but the thought made me weary. I’m going to do the coloring tomorrow.