for tayler

here is the most recent thing i've drawn for a fellow artist and friend that lives way off in the land of the free (america if you didn't get my amazing joke, i'm here all week, people!)
her name is tayler and she is a splendid photographer (here's her flickr if anyone is interested.. ahem, you should be.)
After receiving an amazing christmas present from her (she sent me some prints she developed in her dark room, a key chain, and the coolest hair clip i have ever seen. it's a skull hand people. my science teacher loved it, haha.) i took the time to sent her something in return.
this of course is her, based off one of the many self portraits she takes. she is a very beautiful girl with such stunning strong features and i couldn't pass up the opportunity of drawing her. besides, how can you make your work more personal than drawing a friend?
you really learn a lot after staring at a face so long and attempting to recreate it.
you tend to notice the little things people miss when they just take a glance. especially when the person is someone you only see in pictures and through the terrible quality of a webcam.
now to the colors! i love water colors, so so so much! black ink and water colors is basically my favorite medium to work with (i hope to experiment with different mediums soon though.)
 i use a cut up sponge when i paint which gives that dry, splotchy texture. i also try to keep water color strictly what it is (which is.... well... water, hahah). i let it leak, i let it move. then i blot, blot, blot with my sponge! it's very fun. i could do it for hours.


A CHALLENGE I FACED WITH THIS PIECE:
the hat! ahhhh, oh i am not used to drawing things as structured as that hat. i usually draw people in the most natural of states so this hat was a bitch for me to even attempt to do, ahah. i pulled through though and surprised myself with my "skill", hahahah! i did it the best i could and am very proud of myself for trying something new. hope to challenge myself more in the near future!


that's basically the story of this piece, im happy with how it turned out and it made it to her in perfect condition as well. she loved it. im a very happy girl.