One of the things that I have a hard time wrapping my head around is perspective. Like, logically I get it and all the principles, but my hand and eyes never agree. So, one of my goals for my MFA is to work on my weaknesses and for my first semester I choose this class. Let me be clear, this class was the most challenging class I have done for a long time. I spent, no joke, four to five days out of the week on this one class. I had many, many different drafts and trash ideas. And don’t get me started on plotting light and shadows. At the end of the day, this was also the class I am most proud of. I am so glad that I pushed myself in an area that I struggle with the most. What do you guys think?
progress
Entry 45: Flowing like a Stream
Hey Crew!
Welcome back! How are you all doing? To those hit by Hurricane Laura, I hope that you and your family are safe. I have a dear friend that lives near Baton Rouge, and I was texting her through the whole thing. Mother Nature is not a force to underestimate or undermine. And to all those that are targets during hurricane season, stay safe and listen to the scientists. The season isn’t over yet. 2020 isn’t going out quietly.
Pisces the Flowing Stream
Basic Facts about this Sign:
- Birth dates: February 19 – March 20
- Ruling Planet: Neptune
- Element: Water
- Symbol: Two Fish
- Pisces are said to be “not of this realm”. They are artistic and lives in dreamland. They go with the flow. This Sign listens to their instincts and tend to be right.
I have never painted water at night, let alone moving water. I think it was a good challenge for me. Though Neptune kind of is washed out, and I’m don’t dislike it. I can still see the movement and feel the coolness. I can hear the stream and smell the night air. I also mixed up 3 different color shifting paint to give it an interesting shift. What do you guys think?
I think I am finding the right combinations for Adjustments in Photoshop to make the digital picture look just like the physical piece. Hazzah!
And that is all I have for Pisces. Which Sign has been your favorite so far? We only have 3 more Signs left! So close! And this week is going to be the start of classes. That means that things might be posted later than usual for a bit. But I think I have figured out a doable schedule. Come back tomorrow for another episode of “The Adventures of a Floof”. Monday I am going to be giving you guys and overview of things to come in September. Tuesday is Fan-Art Day! I have a cool idea that I hope I can get done in time. So wish me luck! Wednesday is going to be an update about the results of the Arteza Awards 2020. I super nervous to see the results tomorrow. Friday is another episode of #BlackoutFridays on my IG. We are going to be talking about another POC artist in history. Do you have any suggestions? Then next Saturday is one of the last Signs. Can you predict which one it is going to be? And classes start Thursday. Things are catching some momentum! Wish me luck! Remember to stay safe and to stay sane.
Until next time,
Suzanna🌙
Entry 42: Time to Rebel
Hey Crew!
Welcome back! How was everyone’s week? Anyone have any good news to share? As for your Captain, it has been the same old, same old. Although, I have been slacking on my self care routine. I have just been grinding so much with my art and prepping for school, I have forgotten to take a moment to breathe. I have tried to convince myself that the hour and a half plus at the gym is enough. But I can tell I am loosing focus and motivation. I need to be better. I have to take care of my mind, body, and soul to be my very best. Don’t forget your self care routine too! We all need some time to disconnect from everything. I think I need to hide my phone from myself. Isn’t there an app that helps with limiting your time on your phone? I need to do some research. I’ll be sure to share what I have found if you are also curious. Now, on to the show!
Aquarius the Rebellious One
Basic Facts about this Sign
- Birth dates: January 20 – February 18
- Ruling Planets: Saturn and Uranus
- Element: Air
- Symbol: Water Bearer
- Color: Blue
- Aquarius is the rebel among the Signs. They hate to conform to the norms. They are free-spirits and hate to be caged. They often are the one that don’t follow mainstream fashion or music.
I sold out. I totally struggled with how to represent Air in this one. So, I caved and made clouds. I mean, it kind of works, right? Like Aquarius is the Water Bearer and clouds carry water all over, so it isn’t too bad…? Figuring out how to represent an invisible force in a still frame visual art piece is a challenge. Also, I didn’t think regular grey clouds would be too interesting, so I made them blue for this Sign. If you also notice in the video, I was struggling with the coloring of Saturn. It started way too much like the Sun. So I had to let that layer dry and go back to it later. The good thing about acrylics, they are very forgiving. I think it ended looking a whole lot better. How do you guys think it all came out?
So we only have 4 more Signs to go! I’m so excited! We have come so far with all the improvements and growth. I am pumped for the next Series. Be sure to follow me on Instagram to see tomorrow’s Sunday’s Special. Monday we are going to talk more in depth about school. Tuesday is another Fan-Art day! I wonder what I’ll do for that? Finally, Wednesday is calling for Part 2 of updating my branding identity. This week looks packed! But I promise I am going to take some time for my self care. I want you to also take some time for yourself. Remember to stay safe and to stay sane.
Until next time,
Suzanna 🌙
Entry 37: An Opportunity has Presented Itself (Part 1)
Hey Crew!
How’s it going? Are you remembering to take care of yourself? I hope so. If not, please take a moment to yourself. You are alive, you are loved, and you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. I believe in you. And I am proud of you. You go out there and grab that bull by the horns and rock it’s world. You’ve got this!
Arteza Awards 2020
“Unleash your artistic spirit and enter the ultimate art battle of 2020 by entering the first annual Arteza Awards. Everyone, regardless of medium, skill level or age are invited to enter. Six participants will have the chance to win amazing prizes up to $5,000 in total. One lucky winner will be chosen as the Golden Artist of Arteza and will receive the Grand Prize—a year-long collaboration with Arteza!”
Arteza Awards
Guys, I have entered a contest. I, SUZANNA, HAVE ENTERED A CONTEST AND I AM hella nervous. Like I don’t even know where to begin with this. However, I am planning on taking you guys with me every step of the way. There is going to be video and bloopers and failure and everything in between. Be sure to follow me on Instagram to keep up to date with it all. I’ll be sure to make a whole compilation of everything after the announcement of the winners on August 31st and I’ll post it here.
So the deadline is August 24th for all entries. That means I have two weeks to get an illustration done. Can I do it? You can bet the farm on that one! The real question is, what is the piece going to be about? At this point in time, pfft I have no idea. But I am going to post some rough ideas up tomorrow to start things off. I am accepting any requests too. We can do this together!
If you want to know more about the contest or even enter yourself, check out Arteza. Don’t forget to follow along on the progress over on my Instagram! I’ll see you over there tomorrow! Come back on Saturday to see our next Sign. I still have so many questions about a goat-mermaid. Like, why even? I hope to see you then! Remember to stay safe and stay sane.
Until next time,
Suzanna 🌙
Entry 33: Sagittarius the Optimist
Hey Crew!
Welcome back! How are you guys doing? Have you been liking all the new content this week? Things are really starting to heat up around here. 29 more days until classes start! I’m super excited to get back to school. I have always been that strange kid that loves school. I think it is mostly about the structure and the social interactions that is appealing to me. I am lucky that my graduate schooling is online, but there are major concerns going on about reopening schools around the nation. Do what is best for the health of you and your family. Contact your government officials and tell them your concerns. And if they don’t listen the first time, basically blow up their phones. Call, write, email, text, protest, do what you can to get their attention. Don’t let them blackmail your schools and community with withholding money because all they want is the adults to go back to work. You and your family’s health is your #1 priority. Don’t listen to the lies. You can get your education anytime and in a bunch of different ways, but you can’t bring the dead back to life. Stay strong. That concludes today’s rant, now back to the art!
Sagittarius the Optimist
Basic Facts:
- Birth Dates: November 22 – December 21
- Element: Fire
- Ruling Planet: Jupiter
- Symbol: Centaur
- This Sign is the poster child of optimism. They can also be very blunt and straight to the point. They can turn any sort of negative event into a positive on. Plus they always seem to be the funny one in the friend group.
When you think of fire what do you think of? Campfire, arson, fireworks, candles, fireplaces, or etc? I could not come up with a composition that was compatible with the rest of the Series. Then when I was taking my pupper out for potty time, I figured it out. Fireflies. (Or Lightning Bugs if you are from the South and Midwest.) I thought it would be a cute little funny. The Magic of Art helped with making it look like they are actually glowing. But in the final piece I added of highlights in Photoshop to make them pop a little bit more. I also love how much Jupiter takes up the canvas. I wanted to make sure to emphasize the size of Jupiter compare to the other Signs. What do you guys think?
So we are half way done with the Zodiac Series! The next Sign is a goat mermaid…? How that makes sense, I still don’t know. Come back tomorrow for a Special Announcement! Sundays are going to be fun days! Make sure you also remember to take a self care day. The summer is coming to a close and things are going to get more chaotic. Remember you can’t control the world, but you can control YOUR world. Kick out the toxic things in your life. Choose a day out of the week just to vibe and do you. It is the little things that go a long way. Remember to stay safe and to stay sane.
Until next time,
Suzanna🌙
Entry 29: Scorpio the Mysterious
Hey Crew!
Sorry that this post is a little late. All this week I have been preoccupied with my sick cat. But luckily the vets have patched him up and he is on the road to recovery. How have you guys been? Are you just as surprised as me that it is already August? One more month until classes start. Oh boy. Things are starting to get real now. Is there anything that you guys are looking forward to in August and/or September?
Scorpios Have Come to Town
Basic Facts about Scorpios
- Birth Dates: October 23 – November 22
- Element: Water
- Ruling Planets: Mars & Pluto
- Symbol: Scorpion
- Scorpios feel the most and deeply. They are calm and cool by nature. They are unstoppable go getters.
We are coming full circle with the elements for the Signs. It took me a while to come up with a plan to incorporate water again and not have it look like Cancer. I was also very nervous to do I bird eye view of the reflective surface of water with water ripples. But it came out WAY better than I thought it would have! I also love how Mars and Pluto came out. What do you guys think? I hope you guys enjoyed watching how this piece came together. Did you also catch where I put the hidden scorpion? I’m so sneaky. Tehehe.
So that wraps up this Sign. Things are going to be looking a little different from now on. Be sure to come back on Monday to see what is up. Are you ready to rock ‘n’ roll? It is going to be an epic adventure. See you then!
Until next time,
Suzanna🌙
Entry 23: The Leader has Arrived
Hey Crew!
Welcome back everyone! How are things? I still can’t believe that it is July. I feel like I have lost 10 years of my life and have no idea where it went. Why did humans have to invent time? Like why did we need to start recording daylight passing and such? I feel like we would be better off not knowing. The dream. Having an existential crisis? Check!
Leo the Lion
Basic Facts about Leo:
- Birth dates: July 23 – August 22
- Element: Fire
- Ruling Planet: The Sun
- Symbol: The Lion
- Leos are natural born leaders. They are confident and passionate in their life. They are warmhearted, in love with life, and always up for a good time.
I thought that it would be fun to make the focal point of the piece to be the Sun. I also thought it would be cool to make it look like the actual Sun and how it is on fire. It was a lot of fun working with the make-up sponge. It gave the piece movement and life. It literally looks like it is pulsating. I am still trying to figure out the placement and treatment of the constellation. When I do my roughs it always looks good and well formatted. I am not sure what is going wrong in that respect. I was also having fun with this color shifting paint. As you can see in the video, when I move the piece it has shiny bit sand just adds another level. I love how this turned out!
When I brought the final picture into Photoshop, I normally just make sure it is cropped right and that the colors of the piece shine through like it does in real life, but I kind of got distracted with editing. And I definitely like it better this way. What do you guys think? Did you find the little Lion that is hiding?
This series is so much fun! I’m glad you are with me on this journey. Be sure to come back on Monday for a big announcement! I hope you remember what I said last Monday. Is there a Sign that you guys want to see next week in particular? Or should we stick to the order I have chosen? Let me know what you think! As always, remember to stay safe and to stay sane! See you soon!
Until Next Time,
Suzanna 🌙
Entry 21: Look to the Stars
Hey Crew!
How are you guys doing? It feels like every day I wake up and there is more chaos in the world. We are finally in July, but it feels like it has been years. The struggle of 2020. Anyways, it is finally summer! What are you guys looking forward to do this summer? I know most things have been canceled for this summer, so that is a bummer. One of my goals for the summer is to go to the Drive-Ins. I think this is a good time to research your town/city and see what kind of things that is going on. I know living in one place for so long you think you know everything about the place, but trust me you will be surprised. I recommend contacting your local parks and rec offices, they can give you a list of hiking trails, water activities, and local events that are still going on. Also contact your local library, they are a good source of workshops and other activities. Take a drive to a new part of town that you haven’t been to and see what is around. Just some suggestions. Take this time to unplug more and enjoy nature. I also have made a new page called “Pirate Games”. I’ll be posting new activities and things to do together. I am also always open to suggestions as well. Let’s take back the rest of 2020 and kick butt!
A New Series is Here!
I am so excited for this new series! Welcome the Zodiacs into the Crew! Each week I’ll be presenting you a different Sign. The mediums are all going to be acrylic on canvas board. This is going to be a bit of a challenge for me because I tend to work in watercolor or markers. I hope you are ready!
We are starting off strong with Cancer. Little known fact, your Captain falls under the Cancer Sign.
Here are some basic facts about Cancer:
- Birth dates for Cancer: June 21 – July 21
- Element: Water
- Ruling Planet: The Moon
- Symbol: The Crab
- Just like the crab, a Cancer has a tough exterior, but is super soft on the inside. This Sign is the “mothering and nurturing” Sign. Just like the tides, your mood rises and falls with the Moon. But these are just basic traits for Cancer. There is always more than meets the eye.
When I was starting this piece I was a little nervous it wasn’t going to come out the way that I wanted. I haven’t played with acrylic for a while and kind of forgot how things worked. At the same time it was freeing not knowing how things were going to work out. As you could see I was using a make-up sponge wedge to add some texture and dimension. I just ripped up the flat end of the sponge to give it some depth and texture. It gave it some unpredictability and a really nice surprise.
One thing that is going to change in the future pieces is the Constellation. I think making it more subtle and smaller will help with the balance of the composition. I am excited to see how the other Signs are going to turn out! I hope you are too. By the way, I hid a Crab within the painting, did you find it?
What are your thoughts on the new series? I hope this gives you something to look forward to for the next 12 weeks. I know this is helping me to stay in the present day. I hope you stop by on Monday for a chat about what things are going to looking like for us in July. I promise it’ll be better than it sounds like right now. This is our time, let’s make it count!
Until Next Time,
Captain Suzanna 🌙
Entry 20: Where to Next Captain?
Hey Crew!
How’s you all doing? We have made it to the end of June 2020. Well, barely for some of us. And so far, July is just going to be another steal toed boat to the groan. So, let’s take a collective deep breathe. Something is going to give, but we don’t know what/when it is going to do/happen. One step at a time. Just one step at a time.
How did you guys like the Quarantine Challenge Project series? Which piece was your favorite? Just in case you missed it, I put all the QCP pieces together in one place. I know I have grown so much just because of this self imposed challenge. I hope that you have enjoyed the progress and process too.
Update about Present Day Life
Things are still in limbo for me right now. I’m still furloughed from my job at the dental office for who knows how long. They sure the hell don’t know. Plus I am scared to go back there honestly. The dental field has the highest chance of exposure to COVID-19. I know I can’t afford to get the virus. I know I’d survive it cause I am young and don’t have any underlying illnesses, but I can’t got into $500,000 medical debt. So I have been debating whether or not I should go and get a new job.
| Pros | Cons |
| Less of a chance to get COVID-19 | Wasted 7 months worth of training and time |
| Get a part time job so more time for school | Possible chance of loosing newly made friends |
| Don’t have to stress about effecting someone’s health | |
| Can start going back to work sooner | |
| Able to travel more freely | |
| Able to manage time better |
On paper, it seems to be a no brainer. Guilt is an unforgivable vixen. I feel so bad just for thinking about it. But maybe it isn’t something for me. I don’t know what to thing anymore. What would you do?
New Plans in the Works
YouTube Channel:
I am still going to be filming my pieces and working on expanding my content. My plan is to get 100 subscribers and then start doing voice overs. Maybe by then my shyness won’t get the better of me. Hahaha… I am still learning editing and film making techniques. It is defiantly a learning curve. Every one makes it seem so easy. The struggles.
Patreon:
Once I get around 100 followers I plan on opening a Patreon. I still need to do some research about everything that is involved with this platform.
Opening Commissions:
I have to come up with some guidelines for what I will do, how much it’ll cost, how to get the finish product to the client, and how many I can do at once. So it is going to be a touch and go once it gets launched. Thank you for your understanding and patient before hand. I have to figure it out how to create a system for commissions on my website. However, I should be able to get it up and running in like the next 2 weeks. So keep an eye out for it.
Online Store:
Yes, I am going to be opening a online store here. I still have a lot to learn about how it all works, but it will be coming. But I need to get some equipment to do what I need so I can do everything myself. I am a bit of a control freak, so I am not sure if I want to outsource any where. Maybe once I get like people asking for simple merch that I can’t produce myself, I’ll look into working with a merch company. But only if I get tons of requests for it. I am hoping to have a store up and running by the end of the year, or sooner. So get ready for things to get real.
Things are really picking up, aren’t they? So many new plans are in the works! I honestly never thought I would get to this point, so thank you. We can only go up from here! On Saturday you are in for a surprise! The first piece of a 12 piece series will be up. I am super pumped for this! This has been a series that I have been meaning to do for a long time. It is time to start looking at the stars.
Until Next Time,
Captain Suzanna🌙
Entry 19: A Little Bit of Fairy Dust
Hey Crew!
A new day starts a new path. How is everyone doing since we last talked? I know my last post was heavier than what I normally write, but I hope I was able to connect more with you guys. If there are any lingering questions, please ask. I wish I was a mind-reader, but alas I am not. I hope that you guys are remembering to take care of your self as well. July is upon us and things feel like they are just getting started for 2020. I don’t know about you, but I think crying in a corner sounds like the perfect activity for the rest of the year. Unfortunately, life must go on. We can do this. We can get through this together. I’m not going anywhere and I have a lot of things planned to give all of us little eyes of the storms. So stick around, things are just getting started.
The Final Chapter of Quarantine Challenge Projects
So this is it, this is the final piece in this series. I honestly never thought that I’d have all 14 projects done so soon. Although, my original idea was to do a project a day, you know, things happen. Hahaha… And I thought we could end this series on a high note.
Meet Tinkerbell. I drew this piece back in 2010 while I was still in high school. That was 10 years ago. Why did humans have to start keeping track of time? Probably one of the worse inventions ever. Anyways, I was super proud of this piece. I thought I rocked the expression, the proportions, and the shading. I am at a loss for words about how naive I was. The struggle is real. So I realized that I needed to just start over.
I thought I would keep the position Tink is in somewhat. I also really wanted to be sneaky and throw in some fun symbolism. So the flower that I choose is a Crocus. Crocus is linked with cheerfulness, youth, and hope after darkness. Tink is and of herself is a symbol of childlike innocence. And I wanted to make it look like she is enjoying the night with her PJs and bedhead hair. I also wanted to play around with my dip-pen and ink. I used to love inking my pieces with my dip-pen, but after I was introduced to high-quality markers, I kind of forgot all about it.
Mistakes were Made
I am not sure what happened when I started my final piece. As you could see in my video, something went horribly wrong in the head area. Then I just thought that it might be OK if I just push through and finish it everything would turn out OK. Boy was I wrong. I wanted to keep this in the final cut of the video to humble myself. Things were going so smoothly I thought it was only up for now on. But even the greatest people make simple mistakes. #FailureisOK2
I started over. And I am so glad that I did. It came out so much better than I thought it would. I know there are some ink smudges, but they don’t bother me anymore. I hope I made you smile even just a little with this piece. I know I had a lot of fun with it. I can’t wait for the next adventure with you!
And that my friends is the end of this series. I hope you guys enjoyed this journey as much as I did! It is kind of bittersweet, don’t you think? I am so glad that I found myself again. Thank you for following me. This is not the end. I have so many more ideas and things in the works that you shouldn’t go anywhere. On Monday, we will be talking more in-depth about the future and what is going to come. Are you ready to take it to the next level? ‘Cause I am! Remember to take care of yourself. Stay safe and stay sane.
Until Next Time,
Captain Suzanna 🌙⭐
S.E. Illustrator 