My day job in entertainment is awesome and fun 95% of the time and really stupid and frustrating the other 5% of the time. Luckily, I work with a really great, smart, funny group of people that make even the terrible days awesome. I really wanted to buy them all something for the holidays, but unfortunately, I've spent all my $$$ on art supplies for myself (classic ...) rather than gifts.
So I decided to make all 14 people on my team handmade holiday cards instead, and I'm going to show y'all how I did them! Honestly, this is a terrible introduction to my process, because I've done everything differently than I usually do. But whatever, it's the holidays, I do what I want.
(I apologize ahead of time for all the photos I'm about to post that look like I took them in a Siberian prison. My apartment has really terrible lighting.)
Turn on music
I always draw with a soundtrack. I figured I should be festive, but there's only one kind of Christmas music I like (the old-school-hymns-in-a-church choir type).
Gather supplies
Here, I'm using a pan of Grumbacher watercolors. I don't actually use pan colors at all anymore — they're too rough on my brushes, and I can never pick up enough pigment to get good saturation. But since I knew I'd be switching palettes very quickly 14 times, I didn't bother getting out my tube colors.
I'm also using Escoda Prado brushes, which were my latest art splurge. They're really nice and water like nobody's business.
The paper's just some whatever paper I picked up at the art store. It's cold press, which I dislike painting on, but they were perfectly card-sized, which is nice.
The process
Normally, I wouldn't draw directly on the paper, but since these were quick and easy little drawings (< 10-15 minutes each), I pencilled in the design right on the paper.
Then, the paint. I didn't get too fancy at all. You can see the exact palette I used. Purple's my go-to for adding depth — you add it to anything, and you get a great shadow color!
Then the ink. I used a Micron brush pen to do the lines, which is utter CRAP. The end of the pen frays really easily and doesn't hold a point, so it's impossible to get a smooth, clean line. Why do I keep using it, you ask? Because momma raised a fool, that's why. But if anyone has suggestions as to a good brush pen that'll actually, y'know, act like a brush, I'm open to suggestions!
There it is! That's one card, right there. For some reason, my paintings always come together after I ink it, so whenever I feel like giving up halfway through because the colors look bad or I've messed up the paint, I remind myself to stick it out and see how it looks at the end. Okay, time to do the rest of them.
4 hours, a lot of paint, and many Christmas carols later ...
I've decided these would all be holiday animal themed. Here is a holiday corgi!
A peppermint lion!
This guy on my team has a pet opossum that he found in a shed (don't ask), so he gets a holiday opossum.
Holiday fox!
And here's the entire set. Once they're all dry, the backside of them is where my message will go. Now, all I have to do is write a bunch of nice things about everyone and then deliver these.
Hopefully my coworkers like these, and hopefully you guys enjoyed this little process post. Next time I plan on doing a proper introduction to my process, so stay tuned!
This is awesome!!! Wish I was getting a Christmas card from you!!! Merry Christmas!!!
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Wow these cards are lovely, and your watercolor skills are impressive... keep up the good work :)
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wow very nice amazing nice sharing @evacprocedure
upvoted you
@asfi
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Estoy fascinada con esas hermosas y delicadas tarjetas. Son un trabajo finísimo. Te felicito, es muy artístico. En contacto
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Son demasiado tiernas, que hermosas! Quisiera tener una. Me han encantado.
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i, also, enjoy using purple as a shading color. if you're looking for different ink pens, I use faber castell. You can buy the 8 pack at barnes and noble (and probalby any actual art store) and be set for life. (They do dry out faster if u go pen to watercolor paper without any paint in btwn)
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ooh. i'll check those out, thanks for the recommendation!
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Awww so cute cards!
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This is a really fun art post @evacprocedure. I really enjoyed your ability to weave a backstory around your art, before getting into the actual art process itself. The light heartedness of your words made this enjoyable to read.
I also think your cards are really cute. They are quite simple in design, but making 14, unique, animal-themed Christmas cards is not an easy task. I think you did a really nice job with this collection. To me, this is an example of the sum of the whole being greater than the individual parts.
I hope your colleagues enjoy your work. I would love to be on the receiving end of something like this.
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thank you, thank you — the hardest part of all this was actually thinking of 14 concepts, so you're right about that! it was more a creative challenge than a technical one :)
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Those are amazing :)
I love the colors :)
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thanks so much!!
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Such a fun concept! Love the peppermint lion :)
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thank you!! i love your stuff as well. doodlers ftw! :)
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congratulations very good illustration you have a lot of talent I invite you to go through my blog
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Congratulations @evacprocedure!
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This makes me want to learn to use watercolors. Great work on these.
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hey, thank you! i 100% encourage learning to use watercolors, they're a ton of fun and really low-stress (and a pretty low cost of entry).
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nice work, I liked the animal look and the way of colouring.
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These are gorgeous. Your coworkers will LOVE them!! thanks for sharing!
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ooh, i hope so. thank YOU for the kind words!
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Very original and fun. They also have a very unique style. Congratulations for that talent.
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Woow this is so cute. The peppermint lion is my favorite, I love it. You're amazing! :D
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Nice artwork! You would probably make a killing on something like Etsy. Scan them before you give them away!
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Intetesting and they are cute and nice , :-)
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Beautiful designs. I would prefer to get one of those than anything from the shop. Well done!
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