IF: Burning

Wow, it's been a month since I've updated. I've heard many times that freelance illustration work is very much "feast or famine", and true to the saying, my past month or so has been very very busy with projects!

After working long hours on the tablet for the past several weeks, my right wrist is starting to bother me when I'm drawing at the computer. I've ordered a new stylus grip as well as new drawing nibs, and hopefully they will alleviate some of that repetitive strain. In the meantime I'm sticking to a good regimen of applying ice, seeing a massage therapist, stretching often, and using muscle relief patches on my arm. I'm really picking apart the way I draw and sit at the computer, too, so I hope to resolve this issue before it gets any worse.

Anyway, because of the wrist pain I started experimenting with my process (for personal projects only - clients, please don't worry!). Drawing with anything other than the tablet doesn't hurt me, so I brought out my pencils, lightbox, and watercolours. I tried this week's Illustration Friday piece, "Burning Up", using this method.

Sketch, (drawn during my daughter's swimming lesson):

Watercolour underpainting:

And the finished piece:

Ultimately it saved a bit of time on the tablet, but I think that the style is too different to act as a substitute for my fully digital work. Still, I think this process and style have potential, plus it's FUN, so I'll keep playing around with it.. When I have time, that is!

Thanks for your continued patience with the sporadic updates on my blog. :)