Keeps the dentist away? LOL No, that’s not how it goes. No, this post isn’t for one doodle, it’s for a lot of doodles! I’ve been dealing with a broken tooth causing severe nerve pain over the right side of my face, and a lack of my normal 8×10 wood panels to paint on. So what’s an artist to do? Doodle. Familiarizing myself more with my iPad and Adobe Fresco, and just having fun-while also trying not to think about the pain. I finally found a dentist, about 40 minutes away, that takes Delta Dental. So, that’s something, but I don’t see them until the 18th, and since I’m a new patient they probably won’t even do anything that day. But hey, this whole experience has ramped up my creative process, so that is something!
So I keep doodling. I have a surplus of 9×12 wood panels, thanks to repeatedly being sent the wrong size (Arteza please, I love your product so much, but I need those 8×10’s!) but 9×12’s sell slower probably because of the price, but 9×12 uses more paint. They also take 6 scans because though my scanner bed is 9×12, it doesn’t scan the whole glass, so I have to move the painting around to get all the sides, and then photomerge them all in Photoshop. It’s just extra work I’d rather not have to deal with, you know? I’m thankful I made the decision to buy an iPad during times like this, and grateful for Adobe and the ease of using their products like Fresco. I taught myself how to use Photoshop over 20 years ago, so jumping into the Fresco app was super easy.
So doodle I do. I am currently addicted to looking at “What day is today” to see what holidays are happening/coming up. It is a nice bit of inspiration for what to paint, since somehow I found myself painting very seasonally, very holiday-oriented themes. Could I paint Halloween every day, all day, every year? Probably, but I think I might lose some people if I did. Honestly I think I’d get bored on the same thing repeatedly.
One thing I’m trying is text on designs for t-shirts. It is NOT my forte. Like, at all. I don’t get along with fonts or text. I have access to a library of fonts, thanks to Adobe subs, but I just don’t have the eye for it. I’m not sure if it’s because personally I would never wear a shirt with text on it, or a t-shirt other than to sleep in. I don’t like the look, and maybe that’s partially why I am not great at it? I was watching this video Teepublic suggested not too long ago by a designer Michael Essek, and his thing is text, funny text on art tees. Yeah I learned nothing from it, but I really wanted to.
When I make little doodles for a day, like National Lazy Day, I give up with fonts and just write it with my janky lefthanded handwriting. ha! Though, to be fair I did use the same font I used for the crows on this one saying, “Not Today.” I hate it. I don’t know if other people like it, or if they’ll buy it, or if it would just be better without the text. What do you think? I super appreciate any feedback, btw. I think that’s all the doodles I’ll share today, will make another post tomorrow with more that I’ve recently worked on. Don’t forget, click the photos to go the my Teepublic shop if you’re interested in a print or shirt with my art! Thanks <3
