Bardic Kitty's Land of Artistic Lunacy

Been a while since I've posted about being at a convention! But then, it's been a while since I've been at a convention, so I guess that explains it! All set up at #yamacon for the weekend and have really been enjoying myself so far! If you're in the Pigeon Forge, TN area and love anime, maybe I'll see you here. 💜 #yamacon2022 #artistalley #artistalleytable #chainmailjewelry #chainmailleartisan #animeconvention #animeart #conventionartist (at Pigeon Forge, Tennessee) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmAJnkuODwH/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

It occurs to me that I never actually posted the few days with of Outfit August that I did finish. So I'll be doing that now. ^_^() I only managed to get 4 of them done, but I'm still very happy with how they turned out! Day 1: Base Day 2: Racing Day 3: Oh My Goth Day 3: Date Night Hope you enjoy them!! #artchallenge #outfitaugust #outfitdesign #outfitaugust2022 #originalcharacter #originalcharacterart #originalart https://www.instagram.com/p/CkYoNTNrL5O/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Been a while, hasn't it? Figured I would start with something sure to get your attention. XD Okay, so joking aside, the end if 2019 was an extremely horrible time for me. And then 2020 happened... so there really wasn't an opportunity for anything to get better. But so far I'm making the best I can out of 2021! And I figured that one of the best things I could do is start catching you lovelies up on what little art I did manage to force out over the last couple years that I wasn't able to post already. Dovewing with this fun project. I tried participating in a fun community art challenge run by the amazing @zombie_octopus called Outfit August. Day 1 was the base / underwear so that you don't have to worry about losing and whatnot each day instead of just focusing on outfit design. Day 2 was traveling clothes. This seems a lot more appropriate for the character and more practical than the sleeveless, long and billowy silver dress that I had her running around in when I first created her. ^_^() Day 3 was In the Garden. This one stumped me a bit, but I like her big floppy hat and kinda too small apron. XD And then Day 4 happened and all bets were off... Ruffles and Frills. So obviously I had to do the missy complicated style of dress in history. XD So here is my angsty, gothic horror setting character wearing a Rococo dress. Complete with WTF hair. I can not tell you how much time went into this, but I can tell you that the reason I only did for is because this one took most of the month. I included doone details for anyone interested in a slightly closer look! Love you all, and I look forward to sharing more with you again soon! #originalcharacterart #originalcharacter #originalart #rococo #rococostyle #outfitaugust #digitalart #characterdesign #ravenloft #dungeonsanddragonscharacter #dndcharacter #outfitdesign https://www.instagram.com/p/CNduK95jUDx/?igshid=1hycidpoxv1

~~ When she first made herself known, she was simply a voice from the sea. He thought he was going insane but each night they met he grew more certain of her existence. They talked into the night almost every day. Sharing their thoughts, their troubles, their dreams, and eventually their hearts. When she finally let herself be seen by him, it was always with a fabric draped carefully to cover her head and face with only her mouth visible. When he would ask, she insisted that he must never look upon her face. She made him promise her that he would never try to see her face. One night, he crouched near the edge and begged for a kiss. Her heart soared as she lifted herself up and felt his hand tilting her head back... then plummeted as she felt the fabric shift. She was not fast enough to stop him. And as she stared into dead stone eyes, frozen in an expression of shock and fear, the only farewell that passed between them was the silent tears that spilled from her own cursed eyes. ~~ . .. ... .. . I finished this one yesterday, the story blossoming in my mind even as I began the sketch. It might just be my favorite one so far this year and I definitely want to do a finished piece based on this concept. #mermay #mermay2020 #mermaidart #mermaid #medusa #medusaart #lovers #starcrossedlovers #betrayal #lostlove #tragedy #sketchbookdrawing #sketchbook #sketch https://www.instagram.com/p/CAIqQVjD1CF/?igshid=zyp25kc8btlq

It's been a rough few days with headaches and other minor physical complaints. But I'm doing better now and finally remembered that I should post more of the MerMay sketches that I've done. So here they are! I'm still a few "behind" but honestly, no stress. One thing that I've been really working at this year is to not try to pressure myself all the time or feel like everything has to be perfect. I do want to work on my productivity and working habits. But after what I'd been through for those really bad months during the end of last year and into this year... a bit of self care while I'm getting back into things is important. If you have any questions regarding the individual pieces, please feel free to ask! Also, please let me know what you think in general of the overall scenes. I'm seriously leaning towards taking these ideas and turning them either into finished pieces or possibly coloring pages. Maybe both! Please let me know what you think and which of those ideas you like more. ^__^ #mermay #mermay2020 #mermaids #sketchbookdrawing #sketchbook #sketch #colorsketch #fantasyart #mermaidart https://www.instagram.com/p/CAEsXNtD_Dw/?igshid=1k4gs1rt1z7zx

Forgot to post these last night, but here's a bit of MerMay catch up that I sketched out yesterday afternoon. I'm being very "no pressure" with my art these days because with everything else going on in my life-- and the world in general, really-- there's more than enough stress and anxiety right now. ^_^() #mermay2020 #mermay #mermaid #originalart #postapocalyptic #postapocalypticworld #moon #freckles #sword #warrior #sketchbookdrawing #sketch #sketchbook https://www.instagram.com/p/B_5CX7yDltA/?igshid=18tha9v36lo7o

I finally decided what I'm doing for MerMay this year! I'm being good to myself and letting it just be sketches. I have a brand new sketchbook I haven't been using for anything else yet, so I'm using that! I think it will be my challenge specific sketchbook moving forward. I have a bowl of prompts that are all just one word (there may be a couple that are short phrases) and I'm going to pull out as many as I feel like on a given day and go from there. I'm specifically going to be trying to sketch scenes, because I've always had a hard time with not just doing the character floating in space thing. ^_^() So, self improvement! Today's prompt words: lake and biscuit (which I went with the U.K. meaning and she is stealing cookies from picnickers) #mermay2020 #mermayday1 #artchallenge2020 #mermaid #lakemermaid #picnic #biscuits #cookies #thief #lake #summeractivities #summertime #sketch #sketchbookdrawing https://www.instagram.com/p/B_qx6vmDgI7/?igshid=16ejnv48l5elm

So in amongst everything else, my friend @valoriepurdycole insisted that I start trying to make art on my phone. So I downloaded Ibis Paint X and gave it a shot. Turns out, I really enjoyed it! These are two lovely ladies that I just need to do some shading on in order for them to be complete. Backgrounds for each were created using various free "materials" available through the program. The angel's background took overt an hour despite that. #phoneart #ibispaintx #digitalart #digitalillustration #wip #workinprogress #fantasyart #angel #demon #monstergirls #wingedwomen #originalart #originalcharacter #myoriginalcharacter #myoriginalart #myoc #bardickittyart https://www.instagram.com/p/B97jDCdD7XH/?igshid=r9z34inanjix

I mentioned briefly in my last post how last year started out bad for me and just got worse. I started this piece at the end of last year, having finished the sketch sometime in thw first few days of December. I have picked it up here and there since then, usually not being able to work on it for long. Tonight, I finally felt that I could finish it. So I did. I still have some healing to do. And Valentine's Day will now always be the day that I recieved my finalized divorce papers in the mail. But, you know what? I've got this. I have been picking up my pieces and I will continue to move forward. #nevergiveup #neverlookback #iamstrong #kintsugi #mykintsugiheart #brokenheart #brokenbutbeautiful #inkpainting #metallicwatercolor #originalart #artistsoninstagram #bardickittyart https://www.instagram.com/p/B95dtF3Dudf/?igshid=8fk4fh99u2bo

So, confession time. ... There's been a lot going on in my life, which is why I have been essentially inactive for the past year. There's been a lot of physical/health issues which then caused a lot of mental health issues and then some really bad personal life things went down. All of this has added up together to make for the worst year of my life. The cherry on top is the cyst that I currently have on my wrist/hand that had made it so that making chainmail is now prohibitively painful. To help cope with that-- and with my life falling apart around me-- I have returned to one of my forever favorite crafts. Cross stitch. So here are some teensy tiny cross stitch pieces turned into necklaces. I'm hoping that when I finally get in to see a specialist, that I'll be able to get it fixed and start making chainmail again. But I've also been preparing myself mentally for the worst case scenario. So, now that I've been horribly depressing, (( XD sorry about that!)) I hope that you enjoy this new type of project. ^__^ You can find them this weekend at #louisvillearcadeexpo #crossstitch #miniaturecrossstitch #crossstitchjewelry #handmadejewelry #geekyjewelry #arcadegames #qbert #digdug #galaga #louisvillearcadeexpo2020 (at Louisville Arcade Expo) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9cLdPwDVYw/?igshid=1n79dywynv49r