Can you get this tongue twister to roll off your tongue— rhymes and embellished spellings and all? I’m having fun over here inventing new critters and their tails and tales. Have you got any silly willy furry friends to share with me? The key to success here is, you got it, have FUN and get SILLY!
“The Zuzzy Zzama” by Kristy Biscuit
This whimsical children’s illustration is the result of the second lesson of Lisa Bardot’s “How to Draw Fur in Procreate” tutorial that I’m following on Skillshare. Find more of Lisa’s tutorials and Procreate brushes at www.bardotbrush.com
Experimenting with different ways of how to make FURRY, FUZZY, HAIRY creatures come off the page as though you could reach out and pet them is especially exciting for me. Not only do I love furry creatures (and indubitably petting them) but I’m also thrilled about incorporating my learnings into my upcoming children’s book, “My Very Hairy Monster Friends”, featuring nonsense poems similar to the one above! Make sure to follow the blog for updates on this and other uberly creative projects…and last but not least, have a ssuper dduper dday!
Hey all, I hope you had a relaxing and joyful weekend. Today, I wanted to share one of my very favourite REAL-LIFE monsters: the sloth! This very hairy creature, who has giant claws for fingers, and moves so slowly he grows moss on his back, is something right out of a nonsensical storybook in my opinion. Cute as anything and strange as can be, I can’t help but obsessively love sloths! What is your favourite “strange” and furry creature?
Kristy Biscuit’s Furry Sloth
I had a lot of fun trying out a new style by following a tutorial on Skill Share by Lisa Bardot called “How to Draw Fur in Procreate.” She also shows you how to make fluff and feathers! I can’t wait to apply these techniques to some of my make-believe monsters! I highly recommend this and other tutorials, free brushes and more by Lisa at http://www.bardotbrush.com
The Grim Bitter sneaked into my home last week, and asked me, please, to play. The Grim, you should know, is the gnarliest soul, and not in a cool ol’ way. I know not whether the Grim is more bitter than grim, or more grim than the bitterest thing, But when I denied his request, what did manifest, was nothing that I was expecting! He sat down on his rump, with a roar and a thump, atop all of my chores and to-dos, His face in a frown, he crossed his arms proud, and when I asked him to leave— he refused! “I’ve got things to do, oh why won’t you move!?” but my cries only pleased him much more, “Fine then, I’LL go—” and I tried, but oh no, where he sat, he was blocking the door! So I huffed and I puffed and I shoved and I snuffed until I felt completely enraged, Then I chased him about with a broom and a shout, until my whole house— rearranged! On this went for a week, without food, drink or sleep, to the point that I gave in and sat, And together we groaned, and we pouted and moaned, ’til at last we had no more to add. Then when we were done, he said, “Thanks for the fun!” and went off on his unpleasant way… So if the Grim Bitter calls, it may be wise not to stall— but instead to appease him and play!
The Grim Bitter
Sometimes you just have to acknowledge your frustrations, sit with those uncomfortable feelings, and let out your upset so you can move on and get back to living your life! Whether it’s throwing paint at a canvas, letting yourself cry, taking a day off for yourself, talking to a trusted loved one or a professional— or anything else than helps— well, as the old saying goes: better OUT than IN! What’s your favourite way of blowing off steam when you’re feeling grim or bitter? Let me know in the comments below!
If you’re having a bad day, I’m here to say, That you aren’t alone, and it’s ok! When you need a little pick-me-up, Remember the Down-Upper and his down-going butt, Who, no matter how much his bottom might weigh, Holds his head high, always scouting the way! Because if you go down and forget to look up, You might miss out on the most beautiful stuff!
Hello fellow fans of Nonsense. It was a week inspired by watching the 2019 series “Dickinson” about the infamous poet. Seeing Emily’s conflict with confidence in her poetry had me reflecting on how many artists (including me) struggle with their self-worth, feeling “not good enough” and a fear of being seen. The following poem ensued, as well as this silly little self-portrait, both of which I actually quite love! Be warned that I may exaggerate slightly in the poem and that it is by no means meant to be self-deprecatory— quite the opposite rather. It is meant to be empowering! Wouldn’t it liberating to just celebrate the joy of creating and what it means to you, rather than being pulled down by the weight of perfectionism, expectation, and judgement? Create whatever makes you happy, dear ones. And remember, if you create, you are already an artist. So go and claim the title! I challenge you to create a quick 20-30 minute self-portrait this week, and share it on social media with the #drawyourselfchallenge
Kristy Biscuit Self-Portrait
“A Bad Artist” by Kristy Biscuit
Some may call me a bad artist, Not because the work I create is mediocre— But because I don’t obey the confines, I like to colour outside the lines In the most literal sense. I love imperfection. I don’t stay inside the box Of what it means to be a “good little artist”. I don’t need to fit in, I don’t like to characterize My work by comparison to genres, Or to other artists, Be them classic, contemporary or whatnot. What I create is beautiful, But not perfect enough to fall Under any fancy terms. And what I create is original, Yet not different enough To be called revolutionary. Some may call me a bad artist, Because I don’t know the trends. I don’t walk the walk, I don’t talk the talk, Whilst visiting fancy art shows. I don’t pay hundreds or thousands, or more, To hang art on my walls To honour those “more” talented than me. My walls drip with my own creations, Proudly. Yes, I prefer to create Over viewing other’s work— Though I occasionally do, And am sometimes inspired— But my preference lies In my own muddied hands, Muddled face, Crumpled pages. Yes, I prefer to create. For creation is my fire. Creation, my air. Creation, my water. Creation, the earth I tread upon. Some may call me a bad artist, But I say, I am a Great One, Because what I create is mine. It is my joy, And nothing matters more.
Whether you’re currently out there dodging, seeking, or tending to cupid’s arrow, you’ve probably noticed that it’s February— and February is a month abundant in reminders of love, hearts, chocolate and otherwise festive symbols and gestures. Despite any prevalent customs, Valentine’s Day is still a very different experience for each and every one of us. For some, yes, romantic and exciting; for others sorrowful; and for certain people, dull or meaningless…and the list goes on. Like any other day on planet Earth, we don’t know what our fellow humans are going through, how they’re feeling, or what they’ve endured. May this time of year remind us to be gentle, compassionate, and loving: to ourselves; to our loved ones; to the strangers we pass throughout our day; and to all people and living things outside of our bubbles, our cities, and even our countries.
Love knows no bounds. And in order to celebrate LOVE from whatever position you’re viewing it from this February, I’d like to offer you this sweet and loving Heart Monster! Feel free to print him out, colour him brightly, and fill in the hearts with people or beings you’d like to send love out to this month! Let this Heart Monster be a reminder that love is in our own hearts first and foremost, and that we can extend it outwards into the world just by setting the intention to do so. I hope you enjoy this fun monster colouring page and I would love to hear about who you filled your hearts with (and I recommend including YOU!) in the comments below…
Whether you’re a student of art, a professional artist, or a creative dabbler, it’s important to step away from the confines of projects and end results once in a while (or even more often than that preferably). Giving yourself time to experiment, scribble, scratch, doodle— and otherwise mess around— can not only be fun and therapeutic, but it can also give way to creations and ideas that could inspire a future project. You never know just what you might find: an outlet, a new technique, or a wacky character that jumps off the page and steals your heart! Here’s the little one born of my scribbles this week… what do you think? Should this Scribbler have his own story?
What Will Your Scribbles Give Life To?
Take some time out this week to do something creative just for the sake of doing it! No means to an end. No agenda. No perfectionism. No erasing or un-doing even! Hide away from distractions and technology while you do it. Give it your full attention. Run wild with it! Take special notice of how you feel during the process— I’d love to hear about your experience and see what you end up with!
Happy Monster Monday! I hope everyone’s had a great week. Here in Victoria, we were blessed with many sunny days and I’ve had a tough time staying inside to work (it’s been so much fun playing outside with the bobs of seals and the romps of otters— which, I’ve learned, are real terms for the families of these marine mammals! How cute is that? Oh, by the way, you can find me at “Kristy Durst Photography” on Facebook if you want to see glimpses of those adventures and more to come).
Nonetheless, I did manage to make some progress on the Curious Critter from last week, and as promised, I’m here to share the progress— so behold the first pass of colour. In case you missed last week’s blog, this is following the “Beginner’s Guide to Digital Drawing in Procreate” on 21-draw.com
And I hereby challenge you this week: go get creative or get out and play! Both are equally as important and nourishing…
Blocking out Colour on my Character Design in Procreate
While I have done digital art over the years, mostly for school assignments, my main mediums of choice have always been physical ones. Whether acrylics, pastels or colour pencils, I was drawn to holding tangible tools and creating something new with my bare hands. I don’t think that the pleasure of paper drawing will ever go away for me, and for a long time, I rebelled against digital art (just as I evaded digital photography after learning film and well, has THAT ever changed! Now I’m a digital photography adorer). There is something pure and simple about the traditional way of doing art and it is an invaluable practice to keep up. Yes— and also, everything has its place…
Over the past several years, I have been honing my skills as an illustrator, but not without frustration and setbacks. I was up against chronic pain, which limited my work time, and a lack of mastery in the mediums I had settled on using for my style of illustration. Yes, I could learn with time and training, but I often got stuck and discouraged in the process and I wasn’t putting out the content or finishing the projects that my heart so longed to get out into the world. It was a bit of a coincidence when I had the chance to try drawing on an iPad for the first time. Yes, I had tried a Wacom tablet back in University and later dabbled with the Apple Trackpad, but I found them extremely imprecise, frustrating and painful to draw with (they work for many people, but I have fussy wrists!).
Now, I’m not oblivious to the benefits, conveniences and beauty of digital art, but it wasn’t until I actually tried drawing with the iPad that I went, “Ohhhhhh, WOW! It’s just like drawing on paper!” Only with layers. And innumerable colour palettes at the click of a button. And so many other options including this artist’s favourite tool— the UNDO button! But wait, do all of these fancy tools and the ability to easily change or manipulate your images mean that digital artists are less skilled, fine-tuned or talented? I admit that I had this judgement for a while, like somehow giving into digital art would discredit me as an artist. But I beg to disagree with myself. To be a good artist, you need a set of creative talents and skills, say like precision, a sense of composition and colour theory, as well as in depth knowledge of your chosen medium. Well, how about that? All of these things apply to both physical and digital art! Knowing how to use your software is just as important as knowing how to use your paint and brush to achieve the effects you desire. Art, by any other name, is still art. An artist, no matter his or her medium, is still an artist.
What I discovered about creating digital art with the iPad is that it enables me to work more efficiently, thus not overdoing myself, while creating versatile art for my many applications (much of which is used or delivered digitally, so it streamlines my process). Procreate on the iPad has been a game changer. It has opened up the possibility for me to create so much more than before! And no, I don’t intend to give up on my watercolour and gouache and whatever other medium I feel like expressing in. It’s that I now know that both digital and traditional art have their proper uses and both can actually be enjoyed more because I can choose the one that is appropriate for my project’s/schedule’s/body’s needs. While more isn’t necessarily always better, it is when doing so makes you happy!
So I’m diving into this digital world, friends, with ferocious excitement and possibility! Over the last week, I’ve started growing my skills through 21-draw.com, an online membership site of illustration tutorials (with a handful specific to Procreate). I’m working through the “Beginner’s Guide to Digital Drawing in Procreate” which is how the first few stages of this little Curious Critter character design below came to be (I’ll post the final stages once I complete them). I’m learning some new tips, tools and techniques, getting some good practise in and, of course, having a blast! When learning is fun, you know you’re learning the right stuff.
In closing, yes, there will probably be controversy on the subject of digital vs traditional art, but these are the questions that I think will give you your own specific answer: what tools and mediums enable you to let your most creative, expressive, artistic self shine through? What will allow you to make art in a way that is feasible, accessible, efficient and effective for you and your unique applications, needs, barriers, skills, etc? So what do I think? I say, who cares how you create your art— JUST CREATE IT!
Happy New Year everyone! It’s 2021, woo! The monsters and I are sending you our best wishes for a magical year ahead…
Many of us are taking this time to look back on the past year and think about what lies ahead. Remember, in this “goal-setting time”, to set reasonable and healthy goals and be gentle and kind to yourself and others! It’s not so much about what you so to speak “accomplish” in any given year (which perfectionists like me need to be reminded of) as much as it is about who you are and what you put out into the world…
So while you’re reflecting back on 2020, be sure to admire how incredible, unique and individualistic you are. Look at how you shone just by being you. What did you share with the world? Whether you consider these things big or small, they all count! A kind gesture, a positive message, care, compassion, creativity, giving to others or to yourself?
Yes, even self-care is extremely beneficial as it sets us up to be our best selves. Every single one of us contributes to those around us with our own wonderful individuality! So in the name of celebrating ourselves and each other, I challenge you to share this post with someone you love, complimenting them on one unique thing you appreciate about them!
Play. Create. Discover... 