Wintery

Last week, Virginia Beach was declared in a “state of emergency” while we received more than the usual amount of snow at a whopping 7-10 INCHES!  Kids were sent home early yesterday and even the library was closed early for everyone to go home and prepare for this massive “snow storm”. Geez. Ridiculous. I know we don’t get a lot of snow here, but people were buying everything out at the stores like it was the end of the world, when usually no one does anything when we are faced with a hurricane. I guess all we can do is laugh at everyone going crazy. haha

I did go to the store and grab some munchies to last for a day or two, mainly chips, soda, pizza and lets not forget chocolate donuts for creative purposes. I bunkered in for the night, and was introduced to “snow cream” and I am apparently one of few who have never heard of it. I quickly learned it was fresh snow mixed with either milk, half and half, condensed milk or creamer mixed with sugar and viola!  SNOW CREAM. It reminded me of the little blizzard kit my daughter got for Christmas a few years ago and it was almost like a milkshake. Pretty tasty.

I have stayed in all day mainly because the roads are not plowed and I do not want to risk getting hit by someone who has no idea how to drive in the snow. I am thankful I do have experience from driving in the snow thanks to good ol’ Fort Drum, NY where I was stationed for 4 years. Oh, if only I knew where some pictures were. hmmmm. And how could I forget the many winters I have spent in Denver, Colorado. I have had my fair share of snow and I cant wait to move south in a few years.

I have kept myself pretty busy thanks to be confined to my house and even though I do not have internet at my house (which is probably for the best, so I do not get distracted) I have finished a few drawings and now working on some other projects.

Check out these:

 

I am pretty proud of myself for being able to stay focused for longer than 15 minutes. haha

What have you guys been up to?

Same ol’ me, just a new year!

Hello my loves! Happy New Year 2014! I am so happy to say goodbye to 2013 and move onto a new year! I took a break over Christmas and now that I am refreshed and recharged, I am back! I hope everyone had a good holiday with their family and friends, I know I did. I spent most of the “Christmas Break” at my mom’s house with the kiddos and the pup! Here’s a few pics.

I made out pretty good with some slippers, an electric blanket, and a Kuerig Coffee Maker, which I am stoked about….like I need more caffeine. hahaha The kids had fun and even Jacob got a nice BIG BONE, that he demolished in like a day. hahaha

New Years Eve was spent with good friends and my black eyed peas were eaten for good luck!

I have been painting, doodling and drawing and planning other special projects. Here is a bit of progress:

Above: A tray I painted. (front and back) Still deciding what to do with it.

Above: custom tattoo design for Createmytattoo.com

Above: See that lily drawing? I drew it! It is being published for this book! How exciting is that??? The publishers found it on my deviantart and contacted me a few months back, but it is finally going to print!

Below: a doodle or zentangle is what it is being called lately. I was having pretty bad artists block and cleared my mind but just letting the pen flow. Here is what I came up with.

Above: A new school type of tattoo design. This design is open if anyone would like it.

 

Oh, I almost forgot, one of the tattoos I designed for a client earlier this year finally got it tattooed and she sent it to me to share! How awesome is that? I love when clients are excited and get a design they love. It is a rush!

I am at the library right now, and its getting late. I am off to go get something to eat, Thanks for stopping by and see ya soon in the next post!

New Pup adventures and VINE

Good afternoon my lovies! How is everyone doing? I just got back from taking the pup for a walk and sweating my butt off because the humidity is kickin high today, at least in my area. I live about 2 1/2 miles from the beach, so its not too bad, but it’s a bit muggy.

We picked up our new puppy, Mystique, last night and she was a lil out of it due to her surgery. She is such a lovie dovie dog, and she slept with us all night long. She was afraid of the stairs, so she has been avoiding them, but the kiddos trained her by bribing her with food.

I already have a funny story! So, you know I am a hairstylist and I have a few mannequin heads lying around, I threw one of the old ones on the floor and she went full frontal attack on it! It was actually quite hilarious. I managed to get a small video of it. I posted it on my new Vine Account, so if you wanna check it out, Find me I am user Sweet Surrender!

Also, for any fellow artists that are reading, Check out Jerry’s Art-O-Rama Summer giveaway with Pinterest!

Check out more details by clicking on the picture below!

I have a busy week! I am in search of a salon that is close to where I live, (at least in the same city) and also that suits me and my style and of course, my clients. I have a few interviews set up through out the week and next and I will more than likely be going back to my shaved side and bright colored hair, because I simply cannot stay away!

I have tons of tattoo designs to draw up for clients and I have been a bit behind. Oh yea, before I forget, I did a couple more tattoos, just did some filler, which I am not done, and did my first cover up. I am still practicing, so please bare with me!

I am slowly building myself up and my skills.  

Thanks for stopping by and see you in the next post!

Friday Awake and Wired

Good morning yall! I just finished editing a video that I filmed earlier this week that I kept putting off, and actually I didn’t even have to edit it so yay! This week, like almost every week has flown by! I wanted to share some photos and a video of my past week and some of the things I have been working on. Arabella and I and had some good mother and daughter time last weekend at the Chesapeake Jubilee, she was my lil helper. While I facepainted, she put temporary tattoos on the kiddos that came by our table with Executive Tattoo. It was a good time although it had rained on and off on saturday and things were a lil muddy, but we didn’t let that put a damper on our weekend!

 

 

 

Here are some designs I was working on which I am thinking of putting on a display board for whenever I have any gigs.

Of course, I have to share some of my artwork that I have been working on:

 

Here is A progress shot: the rose on the left is a the first rose I ever drew about 4 years ago while living in Colorado, and then the rose on the right is a rose I did a few months ago. I love seeing how I am improving over the years. It is true to get better you have to PRACTICE!

I have been working on this dragon design for what seems forever, I originally rendered it with a red and yellow dragon, but the client wanted to see more red in the dragon, so I redrew it and stayed up all night coloring it!

Then, I started on this Ohm design for my sister, Nique!

Before I forget to post, check out my latest video on youtube!

And if you missed the video I posted last week, you can see it here too!

Have a marvelous day!

Nerve Wrecking

Hello my lovelies! How is everyone’s Monday? Mine was good, it was more like a Sunday for me because I worked my butt off this weekend painting faces! I worked with Tattoo Skills at the Shake, Rattle and Roll Car Show in Suffolk, VA painting faces! It was actually a HOT day and I sweated all my makeup off! Check out my lil facepainting sign I whipped up for my gigs!

 

Also,  I wanted to let you know that I finally did my first tattoo last Friday. All I can say is the experience was nerve-wrecking, but of course in a good way. I had such adrenaline and I don’t think I have ever been more focused on something in my life. One of my friends volunteered his arm for me. I filled in his cross he already had with more black, then added the year 2011 at his request, then added 3 roses to the bottom, which I will later fill in.

 

 

I think for my first time on someone else, I didn’t do half bad. It’s a learning process for us all. I cant wait to shade it in after this is healed. I used a stencil with carbon paper and stencil spray and of course made sure everything was as clean as possible. I know after doing it, I definitely feel it is my passion and this was just the first step to fueling my passion. I am excited for more to come.

I finished editing this video on Friday and forgot to post it since I was bombarded with doing my first tattoo, so here it is, I made a quick video just showing the artwork I have worked on-which if you read my blog, I already explained some of this and you will see me get shy in front of the camera too. hahaha Enjoy!

Progress and tattoo designer tips

 

See you in the next post!

The only person you should try to be better than, is the person you were yesterday.

I need a lil less caffeine right now

I don’t know if it’s the amount of coffee I have drank today, which was only 2 cups, or that I ate a few sugar cubes through out the day, or that I started taking green tea supplements again, but I have an insane amount of energy right now and it is going on 2AM!!!! I promise, I am not on anything besides caffeine, but for some reason since the moment I woke up today, I have been in my art room just pumping out work. I love days like this! I can only hope that I can keep up this productivity.

Last weekend, I wanted to share with you a few pics from a NATO festival the family and I went to, where Jermie dressed up as a live bush! Sounds weird, but it was pretty awesome. Check out this quick video I filmed and see if you cant get a chuckle out.

They had tents set up from each country and they all handed out pamphlets, maps, flags, yummy snacks and all sorts of free goodies to promote travel to their countries and to learn more about each country. It made me want to take a vacation right then and there! If only I had the Tardis, we could all go. hahaha

 

I cant believe it is already MAY! wowzers! This month, I have tons of facepaint gigs, tattoo drawings and even a few sewing and backdrop projects, and not to mention I’ll be participating in a flash mob. Im super excited!

I worked on two custom drawings, which I will post when they are finalized, but I am really proud of myself for pushing through and focusing on my art. I feel it is really starting to pay off.

I may have already posted this video, but I have been watching it over and over because I feel really inspired by Sara Fabel and I love the videos she posts. She just is a real down to earth girl.

 

I took some tips from her in this video in regards to my artwork. I like to draw my artwork big, only because I love the details in it. She also kinda opened my eyes to using photoshop to help edit your work and to make it much more crisp and sharp and making it easier to design sleeves of bigger pieces that have more designs in it. It makes it easier to scan in your work and then it is easy to arrange them in how the client will want them. So, I practiced with this piece:

This was hand-drawn, nothing traced, I drew them separately, uploaded them to photoshop and then separated them and arranged them to look like this:

 

I am still trying to figure out photoshop and learn how to make the lines better, but this is a start. I am starting to put together my portfolio in a professional way instead of a binder or loose paper. I checked out some of these online from my favorite art supply store, Jerry Artorama: (way cheaper than AC MOORE, or Micheals)

 

 

I rearranged my studio as well, so I think that also has me moving around more, I have more space to get things done. I practiced again on an orange just because I was feeling a lil restless and wanted to practice my color with a 5mag shader….I have a slight issue when I was squeezing the blue into an ink cap, the tip busted open and blue ink went EVERYWHERE! hahaha Luckily, I had a medical sheet laid out, so it was an easy clean up- otherwise my white desk would be a blueberry blue right now. hahaha

I really cant wait to get an apprenticeship, but for now as I build up my portfolio, Ill stick to this for right now

 

I still have a ways to go!

Well, I think my brain is starting to shut down a bit as my eyelids are getting droopy and this dubstep music that was once waking me up has now turned into a lullaby. Goodnight my creative friends! See ya tomorrow!