For the first time in a long time I’ve been looking forward to writing my yearly round-up, and I think that is because 2018 has been one of the best creative years I’ve ever had. It’s been inspiring, and I think I’ve grown a lot as an artist and gained some direction. For those of you who would rather have a quick summary, 2018 was a real mixture of old and new:
I branched out and tried so many new mediums, materials and techniques, and I’ve also learned how to use my old favourites in better ways to get different results.
I started learning how to balance work with my art, as well as how to split my time between experimenting and working on my skills with starting and completing proper finished pieces.
I began to work on recognising when to healthily push myself and when to take a step back. I also adopted an attitude of just getting pieces done - I always have ideas floating around in my head and from the start of the year I really pushed myself to get them down on paper.
For those of you who’d like to hear more about my artistic journey this year, or just want to see some more pretty pictures, keep reading :)
Tools/Supplies:
I won’t bore you with a long list of all the supplies I’ve re-used or been introduced to this year. Instead, I’ll just list the main ones that have been the most notable over the year in my work:
Derwent Water Brushes - Not every artist likes water brushes, but these have revolutionised my appreciation for watercolours because it’s enabled me to work on the go so easily. Admittedly, I tend to use them for pieces with a simple colour palette so that I don’t have to refill them so often, but they have been amazing for sketchbook art and some larger pieces. I’d recommend them to anyone, particularly if you work more than one job or travel a lot because they’re super convenient. They also come in a range of sizes, letting you do flat washes across large areas as well as smaller detailing.
Atelier Watercolour Palette - This was such a thoughtful gift that changed my art for the better. This palette is the perfect travel size, and these watercolours are beautiful; they are pigmented and blend beautifully together, making working with them so easy and effortless.
Alcohol-Based Markers - These were a real game changer, as before 2018 I’d never used markers before. I love being able to use them in the most basic way to get flat, bold colours with intricate linework, or to really work on blending colours together and creating depth and texture. I would highly recommend the Ohuhu markers for anyone looking to get into the medium, as you get a lot for your money (if you enjoy them you can branch into the other brands that have a higher price point) and they come in a really diverse range of colours.
Masking Fluid - I started using masking fluid last year, but I really started working with it properly this year. There is nothing as satisfying as peeling off an entire layer in one go, and it makes working with watercolours so easy. Be careful of spilling it onto your clothes though…it is not easy to get out of material! My favourite so far has been from Jacksons, but I’m looking to try other brands to see how they compare.
I put these tools to good use by taking advantage of challenges and opportunities over 2018. This is something I used to do a lot, but this year I really had to learn how to juggle this with my work life and the desire to want to expand my techniques as an artist.
3 Marker Challenges - I’ve done quite a few of these this year, and I can’t wait to do more in a similar vein because I think they are amazing for getting you to think about colours and concepts with limited resources. Sometimes I use additional tools like a white or metallic pen, and sometimes I limit myself to just the 3 markers to see what I can come up with, and this has been a practice that, above everything else, has gotten me to draw a lot more.
Mermay - Mermay was a bit of an impromptu decision for me - I don’t really like mermaids as far as my fascination with mythological creatures go. But this was one of the best things I could have done this year to not only keep me inspired and focused on producing art, but also in terms of working on anatomy and with new tools and materials. I also made more of an effort with my social media, and I really did enjoy the entire month. If you’d like to see all of the designs you can click here, and if you’d like to buy prints or stickers, feel free to check out my Redbubble shop!
Lambeth Heritage Festival - Every September I find myself wanting to get involved in some way with the Lambeth Heritage Festival, and this year I managed to fulfil that goal by producing an illustration for every district in the borough. I had to work to a brief and an extremely tight deadline, and whilst I was exhausted by the end of it I really enjoyed doing the Art Drops all over London and getting involved with the local community. It also gave me an opportunity to draw more buildings and landscapes - something I would like to explore more in 2019.
Illustrated Poetry Week - Illustrated Poetry Week on Puddles of Ink is a project I first started in 2017, and I aim to do it at least once a year. I choose 7 poems and illustrate them, uploading one each day of a week I’ve blocked out. I’m inspired by words more than anything else, and this gave me an opportunity to play with materials and scenarios I usually wouldn’t. It also gives me a chance to read a load of poetry! Check out all of the pieces from both years here!
Draw this in your style - When We Are All Corrupted asked his followers to draw one of his illustrations in his style, I couldn’t resist. He is one of my favourite artists and I couldn’t wait to start inking. I loved thinking in different ways about the features I wanted to include and how to incorporate my style into the composition so that it would feel like a new piece, but I also really enjoyed looking through everyone else’s pieces and seeing how other artists interpreted the stimulus. This is definitely something I will do more of next year.
Inktober - And, finally, Inktober. If you’d like to hear more about my inspiration, plan and process for this year then have a read of the blog post, but I will say here that I really learned a lot from this year’s challenge. It was fun, difficult and eye-opening - for someone who puts a lot of pressure on herself, it was a necessary lesson in what happens when you take a step back and go at a slightly slower pace: the world doesn’t end.
So all in all, it’s been a really good artistic year for Puddles of Ink, but there are so many things I want to explore and improve on next year. I don’t have specific goals like last year, but I have an ammendable list of things I would like to make sure I work on in 2019:
Work on my anatomy - and, as an extension of this, the fluidity of my figures.
Have a better understanding of colour theory and tonal values - even if I do pieces in one colour or with a very limited palette.
To get better at drawing both animals and human portraits - I don’t need to be amazing at this, but I definitely haven’t had enough practice and I don’t feel as confident as I would like to at the moment.
To do more Artist Studies - I haven’t done this in well over a year, and I’d like to do at least one every 2 months or so.
To get better at digital art as a whole - with my Xp-Pen Artist 12 tablet, I’ve been having a lot of fun with Rebelle 3 recently, and I’m excited to experiment more.
Let me know what your art goals for 2019 are, and which goals you accomplished in 2018.
Remember, until the 5th of January, EVERYTHING in my shop right now is £3!! I’ve picked my 10 favourite pieces from the year, and you can choose the size and format you’d like to receive them in, so click here to pick your favourite :)