NannerDizzy

I started sketching a series of straight lines with minor variations earlier today. Twenty minutes after I started I had a pretty cool design in front of me. These lines don't seem to convey topography the way the sketch does. However, I think it was kind of cool to sit down and think about how to convert the sketch into a vector.

A really cool thing starts to happen when you learn more about your craft - you don't have to think quite as hard to accomplish things you once thought were impossible. I assembled each piece of this sticker in my head before I even picked up my stylus. I could think less and do more.

It's just lines. It's not all that complicated (it would have gave me an ulcer when I was still a beginner though). I'm already picking apart things I don't like about it. But it really felt like a break-through after two of those lines hit the page.

NannerClaw

It's a lobster claw. Not sure where that thought came from. I guess it's sort of scary...so...Halloween? There are a few notable things about this piece. First, I made this with only two ideas in mind: lobster claw and large. Second, this didn't take a long time to put together.

Looking at something complicated like this and thinking about how difficult it was just to draw (and it wasn't the most detailed or accurate drawing), this was hard to start. I'm glad I was able to start and finish. Still lots to do.

Nanpersand

Realized just before posting that I actually have an ampersand sticker already. It's part of the Sword & Sworcery logo and it's amazing. Also realized that letterforms are still incredibly hard to make by hand. Initially, I wanted to say that I hate this sticker. The more I look at it, the more flaws I find. But thinking back to my fledgling days as a vector fan, I can remember many terrible shapes passed off as letters.

This is just a step. There are lessons to be learned still. I would be crazy to assume I mastered my craft already. I've barely ventured out of these three colors or messed with "realism".

I'm off to design a pumpkin. Come to think of it, I have a lot more letters to design soon...

NannerColumn

Recent thought about classical Greek architecture and art history inspired this sticker. I was thinking to myself, "what's the difference between the Doric and Ionic style again?". This was actually a bit more difficult than I imagined it would be. Regardless, here's my sticker based on the Ionic style Greek columns.

I'm still not sure what the best practice is for creating curls like this. Drawing a curving line and leaving it alone leads to an uninteresting curl with one line width ending in a weird square or round tip. Trying to draw a shape just leads to a messy curl with unusual undulating lines. This time I made a line, but copied it and merged the endpoints together. This may be the best way so far, though it did produce some weird results in places.

I really like the shadows in the flutes, though.

Nanneradius

NannerCandyCorn and NannerBatwingThing

Nanner #219

There's nothing particularly special about my 219th sticker, except that it probably should have happened sometime in June. I look at a project like this and give myself a lot of grief for not getting myself to do it everyday. However, I should be proud of all of the breakthroughs and knowledge I have gained at every step.

This hasn't been easy. There are distractions at every turn. I doubt myself. I talk myself out of it. My living situation drains me physically and mentally. I panic. I become frozen with thoughts of inadequacy.

Sometimes though, I can shake it all off. I become aware of resistance. I remind myself that I only have today to do today's work. I put something (good or bad) on the page. I do the work.

NannerPerspective

NannerPuddle and NannerHypnos

NannerPhant

Attempted to make something very simple using only only two shapes (the "eye" is a bonus). I'm not sure where the elephant came from. I was starting to take an unplanned nap in my chair when suddenly, I caught a glimpse of this sticker before jolting awake. The original version seemed a bit more sophisticated - somewhat more angular with some cool, but incidental, hatching.

My portfolio is still progressing. I've thought up some ideas and got some inspiration from an old-ish basic design text book. Right now, I am mostly sitting on a stack of hypothetical projects from school assignments. Frankly, a lot of them are embarrassing to look at. I'm becoming more confident with my illustration as I gain awareness of my style, fill sketchbooks with doodles and ideas, and master the tools I've chosen.

NannerChain

NannerCat

NannerZilla

NannerDragonFly

NannerStop

Decided to catch up on the vector part of my stickers today: didn't realize how complicated this one sticker would be. I'm glad I did this, though, since I have a similar design lined up in the future. I learned a lot about these balloon letters and what not to do with vignettes.

The upcoming weekend will give me time to do more stickers...and read...a lot.

Sketches for the week

These are a few ideas that have been kicking around for a while now. The first two need some major assembly. The third sketch is almost there, I think (I just want to refine/add the small flame shooting out of this nostril).

I've done quite a bit of reading lately, and I've learned a lot about myself in the process. I should get back to work. Stickers are on their way.

NannerTopHat and NannerTile

I'm working on some new side projects- nothing big, just working no a portfolio. There are a few of these stickers that would work as great jumping-off points for sample work. I'm still trying to figure out what I have to say - what my work even means. My thoughts are so disjointed in general, forming them into one message should prove challenging.