I’ve hired myself :)

May 12, 2015May 11, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

A while back I mentioned that I started a marketing/graphic design blog for my business. What I didn’t mention is that I’ve been creating illustrations for most of the posts! I did share one of the illustrations here, in the post Painting Digitally. That illustration set the tone for the style I’ve used for the rest of the illustrations. I decided it was wise to keep things somewhat consistent and I like the motivation to work digitally. I usually avoid the computer when I’m illustrating, because I spend enough time on it when I’m doing Graphic Design.

Although it takes time, I enjoy creating the illustrations and I think it is good practice if I’m to have a future in editorial illustration. Plus I only charge myself a small amount – ha ha.

Illustrations for Marketing/Graphic Design blog:

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Happy Mother’s Day!

May 10, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

Hope you are all enjoying this beautiful day! 🙂

Which pattern is your favorite? {Online poll!}

May 4, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

I’m curious…here are the patterns I’ve designed so far this year. Which is your favorite? I’d love to hear! Just a simple click to fill out the poll below. Thanks for your input! 🙂

#1. Dahlia revised. I couldn’t help tweaking the Dahlia/April pattern!
See image above.

#2. Original Dahlia Pattern (April)

#3. Gardening Pattern (March)

#4. Love Pattern (February)
valentine'sdaypattern

#5. “Draw, Paint, Create” Pattern (January)

Thanks for participating in my poll!

Dahlia flower pattern {My pattern for April}

April 29, 2015April 29, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

Whew! Just in time! I’ve been contemplating April’s pattern for awhile now. I originally thought I’d use some of the flowers I created separately with watercolor and put them together in Photoshop. But it wasn’t working – too stiff looking:
otherpattern

So I went back to what has worked in the past. I sketched some flowers and leaves with Sharpie on Bristol (nice and smooth) and scanned them in. I pieced them together in Photoshop, added color, and repeated the pattern. I’m happy with how it came out. I love the loose sketchy feel.
dahliasketches

I tried to stay true to the colors of the plant I picked up at the supermarket. I think it’s a Dahlia. This little plant has been my inspiration all week! I do feel the color comes across a little Christmasy. Maybe it’s the shape of the leaves? I tried adjusting the hue in Photoshop and liked the results, especially the blue!

If you’d like to see my other patterns click here. 🙂

Where is this leading? It’s leading where I want it to go!

April 24, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

Every couple of months I experience doubt and think to myself, “What is the point of all of this?” But this time I didn’t let negative thoughts stay around long, before I started thinking of all I have accomplished.

I’ve kept My Creative Resolution, and have been living a “creative life,” for well over a year.
I’ve developed a style with watercolor and ink that feels like me!
I paint/draw and share my work on Instagram almost every day.
And of course, I love sharing my process and inspiration (and random thoughts) on this blog!

So when I start asking, “Where is this leading?” I need to rephrase the question and ask myself,
“Where do I want this to lead? Where do I want to go?”

Answer: I would love to do editorial illustration. I would like to create illustrations to accompany magazine articles.

How do I get in there? I don’t really know, but I have to start figuring it out. I need to start reaching out to people. I can’t expect that they will come to me.

Case in point:
As you may remember, I’m a Graphic Designer. and this Summer I struck out on my own. In November I saw an ad for the opening of a local clothing boutique. A new store usually needs a new website. So, stepping out of my comfort zone, I called them and left a message, telling them who I was and what I could do for them. A few months later, I followed up with a postcard. Last week they called me! If I hadn’t made that phone call, I would never have gotten the opportunity to design their website.

As Abby of “While She Naps” says, “ASK.”

So, instead of feeling negative, I’m feeling good about how far I’ve come on my journey and I am excited to take the next steps. You have been a HUGE reason that I’ve come this far without giving up and I appreciate that so much!

Thank you!
Eileen

April = Art Supply Shopping

April 15, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

Wow, April is flying by! The first couple of days I spent preparing to host Easter. The following day we took the kids to Washington, D.C. The last couple of days I’ve been busy celebrating my birthday! Okay I don’t love that I’m 45, but I love my Birthday! Yesterday I took my Birthday money (I sound like I’m twelve) and went to Blick.

I usually try to restrain myself at Blick. I know you can easily go overboard with art supplies and buy everything. And end up not using it for months, if ever! I usually try to buy only things I have an immediate need for. But with my Birthday money burning a hole in my pocket I bought almost everything on my list:

More Tombows for hand lettering. I love the one I bought previously, but it’s getting frayed.
2 square pads of watercolor paper. I love square and they didn’t have any last time
1 large pad of watercolor paper. I used up the last one.
Canvases! I want to paint in acrylic paint again.
Acrylic paint in a beautiful aqua and a sand color. I have a vision for a 2 canvas painting!
Gouache! It’s on my 2015 list of things to try. So I finally splurged on a beginner mixing set.

I didn’t buy a set of watercolors. My last set is a mess, but I’m still working off what I squeezed into my palette, so I really don’t need a new set. Also, I think I should just replace colors as I need them and not buy a set. There was a limit to the Birthday money!

All this new stuff is definitely helping to motivate me. My trip interrupted my streak of painting everyday, so I’m trying to get back into it.
Happy Spring! 🙂

Love this Sketchbook!

April 4, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

Since I bought this sketchbook I’ve been busy filling it! I love the heavy paper. It works so well with watercolor. If you follow me on Instagram (@mycreativeresolution), you’ve probably seen some of these illustrations. Lately I’ve been posting everyday which helps keep me motivated. I setup my sketchbook and paints in the morning. Throughout the day I sit down to tweak or add to my painting. I’m going to need a new book soon!

Watercolor Swimming Pool

March 31, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

It feels really good to finish something that I have wanted to do for a long time – paint a pool. I have loved pools since I was a little kid, especially outdoor pools. I grew up in a beach town (I know poor me) and our local pool was an indoor pool. I was a swimmer and occasionally during the Summer we would go to a swim meet at an outdoor pool. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.

My kids are lucky enough, during the Summer, to have practice and all their swim meets at outdoor pools. Our pool even has a high dive. Spoiled kids! During the Summer, while I watch my kids practice I always think about painting the pool and the swimmers. I’ve taken pictures, started, sketched, but I always struggle early on and never finish.

Last Saturday we were at a Championship swim meet at an indoor pool and I was sitting high up in the bleachers. I took this photo. I thought it was so cool how the pool was crowded with swimmers warming up. I posted it on Instagram and wrote “I’d love to paint this!”

Yesterday I gave it a try. I realized that if I did the bodies first and painted the blue over parts of the body, that part would look like it was underneath the water.

In this first version I didn’t like that you couldn’t see one of the lane lines (the kids are sitting on it in the photo). The lanes were also uneven. And once I added the ink, I didn’t like it at all.

I decided to try again. I see my willingness to “try again” as growth as an artist. I used to sit down and expect to get it right the first time. Can you imagine if a photographer only took one photo! I now know that I need to warm up, try things out, not get discourage, and keep working and trying.

I purposely kept things simple without a lot of detail. Both my sons liked my first attempt better! But I like the second one. I’m hoping to do more of these, now that I finally got started!
lanelines

Watercolor: Building up the Layers

March 22, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

When I first started working in watercolor I was intimidated by paintings with highlights and shadows. I thought I couldn’t possibly paint several layers. I hoped I could paint one layer and make it good enough. As I got comfortable with watercolor, I realized it’s all about building up the layers of paint. You start out in the ugly stages and as you add, and add, you [hopefully] turn the ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. I liked that you built it up, because mistakes could be covered or fixed. Each brushstroke wasn’t make or break. It’s a process.

This is what I was thinking about when I painted this sunflower this morning. How the ugly stage was awfully ugly! And how each layer of watercolor I added made the painting better. Originally I planned to add ink to the flower when I was done painting. As I got closer to finishing, I liked it the way it was. My daughter agreed.