Chipmunk Business

So, I have been living in Guelph Ontario the last few (9) months, back at the old homestead. To all of those who know my mother, you know that the woman keeps a lushes and wild garden. The birds get feed better then the house guests. And since the beginning of the warmer weather I have spent my lunches sitting in the midst of a tiny Oasis! 
If you've seen my twitter or facebook or instagram, you already know that I have fallen in love with one particular backyard creature. My little Chippy friend. I have posted NUMEROUS photos, because I think she's a handsome little gal.

Look at her stuffing her face! My kinda girl!

 

Waiting for her to come by. Have nuts at the ready.

 

True happiness! (see last drawing to see what I'm actually thinking)

I've found her a source of joy the last few months, and a source of inspiration.
I started a drawing of her today:

 

As you can see it's very light and sketchy... I figure I'll build it up slowly and see how it goes.

And here's a doodle, maybe you can relate to the same feeling... or maybe you're normal.

The Timid Boy

My creative adventures, have been a bit slow these few months. But I have been super happy with my drawing tablet. I spend so much time at the computer, at work and at home that having it there plugged in makes it easy to draw a little hear and a little there.  I do find the finished products satisfying, mostly for my personal accomplishment. I feel "Wow I did that on the computer?!"
I'm enjoying my return to a quick doodle here and there. So the other night I did a little one of a shy timid boy.

As I said I'm feeling a little more of a sense of a personal accomplishment over these. But I'm not as satisfied visually and I miss my watercolours.  But for a quick fix this is doing the trick for me. And in my opinion any drawing is good drawing simply for drawings sake.

The Little Pig Ran Home

So, A few little doodles in on my new tablet, and I'm slowly getting a hang for it.

I do find myself doing things that I would do on my mouse track pad that do not work on the tablet, like when I move my finger across I'll pick it up and back track so I can continue with more space. When you do that on the tablet it will take you to the corner of your screen, because (slap forehead) the tablet is configured to match your screen. So a point on the tablet is a direct match to your screen. I knoooooow this, yet force of habit will have me doing it over and over again.

I'm learning right, so it's ok, but it's frustrating.

I was quite bored doing the work I am suppose to be working on (creating musical notes to go into the book I've illustrated and am now putting together roughly in InDesign) So I took a little time (I really don't want to say how much... it was more than an hour...) to play around some more.

And here is the result:

 

Piggy piggy

With a little twiggy

You are fat

but ain't no brat

Happy Piggy

With a little twiggy

Things I find difficult? Utilizing multitudes of layers. It feels unnatural, but this whole process does.

I've been looking at tutorials here and there for advise tips and general knowledge. but was getting frustrated because I felt I knew to much and to little. I was getting impatient hearing the stuff I knew already. And impatient is the WORST state to be in when trying to learn something new.

So my new approach: Figure it out your damn old self!

at least for now...

"NURSE wheres my TABLET?" (inside joke)

So, I've bought a tablet, the drawing kind not the iPad sort.

And I'm trying to figure it out:

So far this is what I have to show for my efforts.

Internet, if you come across this... please recommend me a book that you found helpful.