My Way Back (Day#1)

One goal of my return to blogging is to be unashamedly myself and honest. I don't want to deny my struggles; and I hope someone can feel a little less alone in their struggles by reading about mine. I didn't expect my first day back to drawing to be quite so heavy, but here we are *chuckles*. Which brings me to today...

I stayed up too late to “just doodle” and found a flood of emotions waiting to engulf me. I’ve missed it so much, I’ve missed the art community I used to be part of. I’ve let my skills get rusty, pens dry up, pencils break. 

Part of me feels like I’m nuts to put myself through this when I could be asleep….and the rest of me knows I crave creating so much. It is the part of “me” I have been missing! In some ways it’s not about choice; I am not “completely myself” when I am not creating! 

So I push through with good music and doodle this. Here’s to day #1 of getting back to “me”.

In the end I am glad for the wave of feelings. It means this endeavor is worth it :)

Welcome 2020!

Happy New Year!

Lots to look forward to this year! Included in the bunches of hopes and goals I have going forward, I am committing to two exciting challenges; the 365art/daily posting challenge on my Instagram (@BriannaLeahyArt) & a weekly blog post here! I will hopefully be able to keep my blog posts on Wednesdays :)

I am excited to take time to draw for myself every day, exploring new topics, media, and generally improving myself and skillset! So, check back often, good luck on your new year goals, and happy 2020!

Pictured:  Some of my challenge posts so far!

Thanks for visiting, as always!

Beauty & Beastly Mer-Mays

These #MerMay sketches were done in pen & marker in my tiny travel sketchbook. I created these ladies a day apart; I like how they contrast with each other. (...and they're such great fun to draw; look for more mermaid for MerMay soon!)

Stormy day on the Cape

On a very grey day, sitting on the rocks of Cap de Nice watching the stormy weather & waves roll by....

I managed to fight the wind and do this small sketch of one section of the coastline...

Sketchbook, ink & Copic Markers for color: 

 

Along a Footpath in Falicon

While exploring Falicon, France, I found that this little entrance was one of my favorite scenes. The community behind this archway was equally as charming, with its winding paths, unique buildings jutting against their neighbors, and small squares filled with a multitude of potted plants :) I definitely want to go back for another visit & hike!

Below:  Small, ink & marker sketch on paper. Footpath & archway in Falicon.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwCkOPmheXA/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

^Above:  Original ink thumbnail in sketchbook.

Learning on the Tram

Kiddos on the tram have been unknowingly helping me learn French, and to train my ears for correct pronunciation :) Yesterday a little one, staring out the window repeated “monsieur, madame, monsieur, madame....” until his mom told him to shhh! 😌

This is the first time in a good while that I have just let myself doodle with ink....oh how I didn't realize how much I've missed the feeling! We hope to be settled into our new home soon so I can really turn my focus back to my personal work (& this blog!)  :)   Take care & see you back here again soon!

Here's to 2018!

🎉What a year! 
I had so many new art-adventures, got married, and set up new plans for the new year! Here’s to 2018, and looking forward to 2019! 

Here's my 'best nine of 2018!' from Instagram:

Oh, Hi! : An Ink Sketch

Oh, hi!
Created this little card to send & surprise a friend :) A happy, waving grizzly bear.

Original:  Ink (via brush pen) on vellum with pencil underdrawing. Below:  Print on creme yardstick paper.


Bye for now!

Rainy Day Doodle

Another rainy day in Oregon, and I am getting back into the swing of blogging! I have been very fortunate to be so busy with commission work, but I have missed this! :)

So here is a new rainy day doodle. Inspired by Oregon's humor, teasing us with a sunny day before making us pick up our rain coats again the following morning!

Back to jackets & rain! Oregon just wont let us have more than one sunny day yet... Day 68 of #365art #briannaleahyart #art #artist #artwork #sketch #sketchbook #ink #doodle #pen #marker #copicmarkers #draw #drawing #illustration #people #girl #woman #red #redjacket #rainyday #design #dailyart #artofinstagram #cartoon #oregon #spring #youngwoman #fashion #pnw

A post shared by Brianna Elizabeth Leahy (@briannaleahyart) on Mar 18, 2017 at 12:35am PDT

Silly Animals in Ink: Art-Friday

Inktober fun! I had a great time getting back to my ink, marker & paper! The following sketches were started in pencil, followed in my brush pen, and then with Copic markers for color. I hope you enjoy these playful doodles.

A Girl & the Earth: Art-Wednesday

Something a little different this week!

I felt the need to relax and enjoyed learning a bit about chakras :) So here a simple Copic marker drawing of the root chakra, or muladhara from my sketchbook. Also, a digital doodle of a daydreamer. Enjoy!

Thanks for reading! Check back next week fore more artwork! -Brianna

Ink Doodles: Art-Wednesday

Catching up on my drawing this week! The first sketch here was a fun doodle I created with gel pen (yes, my inner middle-schooler is way too happy about it)! The set of drawings shown second is part of my never-ending exploration of brush pen and marker.

Nymph Woman Sketch

Shy Girl Brush Pen Sketch 

Shy Girl with Marker

Some Sass: Art-Thursday

Some sass for this week :) A combo of a brush pen sketch from the corner of my sketchbook, and some digital color from my iPhone, the Picsart app.

Brush Pen & Copic Marker Fun: Art-Wednesday

A few fun sketches straight from my sketchbook, done in brush pen first and then color added with Copic markers. It seems to be my favorite combination recently, especially when I get drawing-block.

A re-design of my Mer-lady

A proud Mermaid for Mer-May!

Skeptic Guy SKetch

Brush Pen Sketchbook Pages: Art-Wednesday

Brush pens and Copic markers are great, helpful tools for me! They force me to loosen up, which feels a bit contridictory since they are instantly permanent. But I suppose that's why; I cannot fret about making every line perfect, I just have to visualize carefully and trust my hands.

So, these are a few of my recent favorite sketches.

 

Copic Marker Experiments: An Art-Wednesday

I still consider myself to be new to Copic markers. I have been playing around with them and have been so pleasantly surprised at how easy they are to just pick up and fall in love with! These markers do a lovely job of building up color and give great edges with their flexible, brush-like tip.

I am still getting used to them for sure, but I wanted to share with you some of my sketches as I have been playing around with them.

For the rose study, I did do a preliminary sketch lightly in pencil. To create the other plant, tree and coral pieces, I let myself just start right off with the marker. These flora studies were all done in my small sketchbook. If you are dying to add a bit of color to your sketches, try these!

Rose Study:  Sketched from a live potted rose

   

Plant & Coral Studies:  Half sketched from live plants & photographs, half from scientific illustrations

Tree:  Just doodling & playing with shapes here

Ink: Pig in a Tree?

This was my first time working with a dip pen and ink! To get used to it, I did a copy of a work by illustrator Leslie Brooke. I hope I did her justice, although I do admit I have a more heavy and much less experienced hand (at least at this point) than she, whose line work is very delicate in places such as in the leaves of the tree seen here.