and the sketch book exchange continues

As I have mentioned before, I'm doing a sketchbook exchange with Sarah Atlee. This weekend, I worked a little bit on it. And here are the results. You can really see our different styles in these pages. I'm really enjoying this experience. Feels like we are having a conversation through the pages. Instead of word and sentences, we talk with drawing and collage.
Hope you like the results as much I as like doing them
You can see the previous pages here

The Quest for the Perfect Pen

I have been looking for the perfect black pen. With a really fine tip to do some fine details that has good quality ink and that can last through anything. I decided to test my pens and see which one is the best. Here are the results.



First up, the Uniball Vision, fine:
The tip is way too big for me. And it spreads a big amount of ink. I can actually go back on the stroke and spread the extra ink with my quill. I use it to cover medium-sized areas that I want completely black.


There is also the Uniball Vision, micro:
but the tip is still way to big.



Now for the Staedtler:
So I tried different sizes from 0.5 to 0.1
I am pretty happy with these pens
And 0,1 is my favority of all the pens tested
The ink is dark, the tip is really fine. They are waterproof and pretty tough compare to the Sakuras. The only problem is that since they have a felt-tip they have a tendency to dry up when they get in contact with gouache or other mediums. In my illustrations, I use a lot white gouache and when I want to redraw on it with my pen most felt-tip dry up.
But still the Staedtler are still my favorites.



Sakura micron:
A lot of artists use these pen. The tip is really fine no complaints there. I use mostly the 0.05. But I have big durability issues with these pens. The tip gets broken easily and they dry up super fast. And if they get in contact with my gouache... it's instant death. That's why I don't use the 0.01. It had a very fine tip and did a nice thin stroke. I was so happy when I first got it... but it lasted 2 weeks and now it barely writes and the stroke is inconsistent.

Dollarstore pen:
I have to mention this pen. My boyfriend got it at the dollar store and gave it to me because he hated the pen. but I love it. It has a medium fine tip. It's supposed to be a 0.5 but feels more like a 0.3. I have lost the cap to this pen a while ago and it's still working wonders. And I can use it on gouache and it doesn't have any problem with it. It just keeps on going.

I am still looking for the perfect pen. So please send me your suggestions.
I'll test them and see what works best.

Zodiac: Libra

version 1

version2

version 3

Finally a new image for the zodiac series, Libra.
As usual, I did many versions. Why do 1 when you can do 3. I really like version 2 but I am wondering if people might take an offense. So I did version 3 to be politically correct. What do you think ? Is a bare breasted women wearing a scarf on her head offensive ? From my point of view, it isn't but nowadays you never know.
So here is Libra ! Which one do you prefer ?

New Sketchbook Exchange

I just started an sketchbook exchange with this amazing artist from Norman, Oklahoma. Her name is Sarah Atlee. She does a lot of beautiful acrylics and I strongly recommend you visit her website or flickr.

Back to the exchange, yesterday, I got home and I had a surprise in the mail: Sarah's sketchbook. With many pages filled with her drawings. It already looked amazing. Now I have to add my touch to it. This is so exciting! Sarah and I have very different styles and having to work with her drawings greatly affects my own drawing... everything feels more artsy (in my point of view)
And there's no blank page syndrome. Her work inspires mine.
This whole experience is great, very inspiring and fun.

Here is a sneak peek of the sketchbook. It's still work in progress. I'll keep you posted.

i'm back

hey everyone
sorry for my silence but i was away on vacation in Germany
It was a very fun and inspiring trip. I brought my Holga (lomographic camera) with me and I'll post the photos as soon as I can. Can't wait to see them, lomos are just so fun!

sketch book Heart Attack

Here is another excerpt form my sketchbook. This was pretty fun to do... some color finally.
The idea behind this piece is that we often say that we love with our hearts, that our loving hearts bring us together. But the paradox is that for a vast majority of people, their heart is what is going to separated them from their love ones. Heart failure is the number 1 cause of mortality.
Something to think about...

miss scarab gets colored...it's done

So I finally finish Miss Scarab. I am pretty happy with the final result. It took a lot of time and questioning to finalize it but I am happy to get my hand on a paintbrush and away form the computer. With your encouragements, I decided to try to illustrate the whole book. I think it is going to be fun. I love doing books and having a final product in my hands.
So I hope you like My little Miss Scarab. I'll be really happy to get some feedback... so don't be shy

ps: this piece is also available in my etsy shop
http://karodesign.etsy.com

money or tears

inside my sketchbook again, this piece was inspired by the idea that sometimes we do stuff for money that makes us unhappy. I was just thinking of the balance between happiness and money.
And it translated into this drawing.
So do you follow your heart or do you follow your bank account ??