I'm back!

I know, it's been a while. I was going through my blog yesterday to see if there was anything I wanted to save before I kill it for good, but it just started to feel like a bit of a waste. It was a big part of my life when I was writing it five years ago, and although looking back I seemed to do a lot of whining I also enjoyed having a forum for my illustrations. Now with some distance I almost read it like someone else's story and felt a bit sad because I would have wanted to see what it all would have evolved to, even if it had been just a pastime and not a means to support myself. It's not insignificant.

So in the present I'm not making my living as an illustrator or a designer, and haven't even maintained it as a hobby really. I draw occasionally, but rarely on purpose and rarely on paper that doesn't have notes or something on it. I think I should though, so I'm not killing the blog. Maybe you'll hear from me.

While waiting for the comeback here are some pieces I saved from my other illustration blog that I did kill (referred to as "new blog" in the previous post):

I've moved!

You may have noticed that I haven't updated in ages. I'm not dead or in a coma, I just didn't feel like blogging for a while. I have been drawing, especially a lot of patterns (so much fun, and it seems like everybody's making them lately), and I'll be posting new stuff in my new blog very soon. Thank you to everyone who read my blog and commented on it, I really appreciate you all. See you in my new place!

Spygirl

Caught red-handed.

Birdgirl

This is just for fun. It's full of cliches, but I'm standing by it defiantly! The background was heavily inspired by the wallpaper in the upstairs bathroom back home, I always kind of liked it.

The fix

This one isn't quite ready yet, I'm still thinking about the colours and stuff. I thought I'd post it now though, because I'm going to Lapland for a week to visit my parents and I propably won't be posting anything during that time. So, to keep the illusion of a steady stream of posting, here's The Fix!

Royal plague

I've been thinking about this image for months and now I finally got it done. I'm very happy with how these came out, I really like the floor and the cape!
Here's the digital version:

And here's the original watercolour version:

Ice princesses

I was going through some old stuff and came across this unfinished piece. I don't remember if I've posted this or something similar before, but I don't think so. I don't know why I tossed it aside when I did, I guess I just got tired of working on it. Anyway, it's definitely not one of my best drawings, but it's got some interesting elements, so I here it is. Maybe it'll inspire someone to make something actually good!

Revolver

New work.

Voodoo madonna

I wanted to make an icon-like painting with a voodoo theme, this is how it turned out! It had a lot more voodoo related stuff in the first scetch; knives, feathers, beheaded chickens, but they were kind of eliminated in the process. Now there's just the wide-horned bull. Here's the computer aided version:

And the real-life version:

I made the halo and the frames with tin foil to give it an icon-like look. The scanner made it look a bit funny, it's a lot less crappy in nature.

The sword

Of lately:

Here's the hand-coloured version of it:

Although my aquarelle-technique is embarrassingly bad, this one has some home-made charm to it. I wasn't sure about the colour of the ocean first, but now I love the coldness and crispness of it. And I will get better with water colours, I just have to.. It's kind of nice to have a finished piece that you can actually hold in your hands.

Cats, bags and new addresses

I've drawn a few birthday cards lately. First one is for my sister's 30th birthday, that's her with a Louis Vuitton -bag ready for countdown. She loved it! The other one I drew a couple of days ago for a friend of mine. I'm a bit obsessed with big cats at the moment.

It was a big change to make something that has to be ready as it is, no tweaking or colouring with software (and no undo-button..). I liked it, it forces me to make desicions about the colours and other stuff very fast, it usually takes me forever. Now it's just you and the material, the possibilities aren't endless like with a computer, and the piece comes together very organically. I'm planning to do some water colouring very soon, I'll be posting it if it turns out any good.

Primitive

My submission for Illustration Friday. I've been away for a long time, but I'm planning to be posting a lot in the near future!

Octogirl

Another one in the same series as the "plain" -entry for IF. I think I'll add some kind of a tattoo in the girl's back, once I figure out what to do.

aaargh! my eyes!

i have been thinking about this picture for a few weeks now and i finally got it on paper. the drawing came out ok, but the most fun i had in photoshop colouring it. i know it is eye-wateringly insane, but for me, it kind of works in a perverse sort of way. i cant get enough of that blue! i recommend shades if you are going to stare at it for a long time though. my vision is kind of blurry from working on it for hours...

Plain

Stitch

I'm finally back in the game! I'm quite happy with this one, and it was relatively painless to do.

Backwards

I always do this backwards; first make the picture and then start thinking of a way to make it fit the Illustration Friday -topic.

Thanks to Sven for featuring one of my button badges in his blog! Go visit, it's a great source of inspiration.

The Great Blondino

My submission for the Monster Mash 2007.

I suck

I've been having a small crisis here for a while now, explains the lack of posts and the low quality of the work I produce. I haven't done anything good for quite some time, I feel like I can't even draw anymore (or if I ever could), I'm completely lost with colours, my compositions are dull, pretty much everything sucks. I've really questioned wheather I even have what it takes to pursue this illustration thing. I know I'm pretty new at this and it takes time, but I feel like I'm going backwards. I know it's partly because I feel I don't really have a style, and that makes me try too hard and try to be something I'm not. That never works out for anybody.

I feel like crap. I hate to complain, but it seems to be the only thing I'm good at at the moment, so I'm sticking with it.

If something happens between me and the pencil again, you'll know about it.

Figure skater

I'm confused about the colours again, but I'll just let it go for now and look at it again tomorrow. That always seems to help me see clearer.

edit:
I knew I couldn't leave it alone, I'm such a nerd. I drew a slightly different version of the skater.

edit2:
I can't stop.. somebody slap me!