CrashOctopus Blog

I can’t show you the cool art I finished for the illustration contest last week, but I can show you a peek. I used gouache for the color and then outlined it with a big, thick india ink brush pen. I loved experimenting with this style and will probably do it again, especially for childrens’ work.

Gotta run, just captured a stray cat that was in my backyard, wigging out in my catnip plant.

Snoozy Anteater by Meg Lyman

Gouache on notecard

$25 - e-mail to buy

I need to go to an art store for burnt umber gouache and masking fluid to replace the masking custard I found last week. Going to art stores is dangerous. My wallet cringes.

Make sure to check out Lisa B’s awesome alphabet sketchbook project. It’s inspiring.

I got two paintings finished this week to close out an illustration contract. It rocked. But I can’t post them here because all the rights were purchased. That also means I can’t update my website with them yet, and my update for May is going to be pitifully small. Sigh.

I doodled this anteater in the airport last year, promptly lost it, and found it again last week when pawing through stacks of illustration board for the aforementioned project. I got out the typical browns and blues to make a grey anteater… but then I sort of lost control of it, and now he’s ready to go to a rave when he wakes up.

When I start a painting, I don’t usually plan to push the boundaries of color. But when I’m successfully able to drop my “I’m going to ruin it” fears, I always end up unintentionally experimenting with color. And it usually turns out well. I encourage the lot of you to do the same, because it’s so fun.

May all your anteaters be fluorescent.

Drag Queen by Meg Lyman

5×5″, colored pencil

Sorry I’ve been quiet this week. I knocked my head on the ground at softball and have been sleepy and achy ever since. But here! Have a cross-dressing cuttlefish!

Did you know? Some small male cuttlefishes wear “girl” colors to sneak past the big male guarding his mate and do her before anyone realizes what’s going on.

Sneaky.

I’d only ever used masking fluid once before, and it didn’t go all that well. I learned a lot, though, and when I tried it again this week, it worked splendidly. I feel that this qualifies me to give you advice.

Before the advice, though, a question: How long does masking fluid stay “good?” I ask because when I bought the fluid, it was… well… fluid. It’s been almost two years since then, and I didn’t open the jar once. This week, I opened it to find a custardy paste that didn’t budge, no matter how long I held it upside down and shook. The brush went right in, and after diluting it with water, it worked OK (save for a few chunks). I threw it out after that, because life’s too short to mess with chunky art supplies. But does anyone know the shelf life on the stuff?

Gooey questions aside, the experiment went surprisingly well. I used cold-press illustration board, masked an area, waited until it was dry (still sticky to the touch, though), and painted over and around it. Incidentally, I flattened out a piece of wax paper on the painting while it dried, which is how I got all those cool textured areas.

Once the paint was dry, I attempted to de-paint the masking fluid. Last time I masked something, I ended up smearing the paint that had dried on the mask all over the white area while I was removing it. This time, I tried to clean it… but the paint was stuck. So I recommend cleaning off the mask when the paint’s still wet.

I used this gummy eraser-type thing to remove the mask. It worked fabulously. I used a dragging motion in big swaths, much like you’d use a kneaded eraser on large areas of pencil. Some of the mask stuck to it (see red corner), but I can always cut that part off for next time. I don’t know what it’s called, but it’s designed specifically to remove masking fluid.

So, masking fluid + gouache + illustration board works great. The end. Questions?

I was out buying beer a few weeks ago and lamented to the cashier that they didn’t have many dark beers available. Apparently people prefer stouts and porters in winter, and once the weather warms up, they want something lighter.

Whatever.

But they did have one new stout: Ten Fidy from Oskar Blues Brewery in Colorado. (If you check out their page, they also make Old Chub, a Scottish ale which sits in my fridge waiting to be taste-tested.) It’s only available in cans or on tap. I bought one can for a dear price of $4, but it was tasty enough that I tried it on tap at a Taco Mac.

It’s a nice dark stout. It has very little carbonation - in fact, it was so almost flat that it was just… weird. A bit like drinking Kahlua straight. It’s smooth and a bit tangy, with a sweetness like dark chocolate (although there’s only a hint of actual chocolate taste) and the aftertaste is quite bitter. On tap, it’s smoother and less bitter.

Ratings:
Can: 8.5
On tap: 9

Hippopoctopus by Meg Lyman

Free sketch commission

On several art gallery websites, you are given a statistic called “pageviews.” It’s an inaccurate counter of how many times your main gallery page has been viewed. It’s also tradition on these sites to offer free art (generally sketches) to people who can “screen-capture” a nice, round number on the pageview counter. Typical numbers include 1000, 10,000, 55,555, 100,000, etc. I decided to participate and offer a free sketch for the 5,000th pageview on FurAffinity.

I’m not doing it again.

Due to those aforementioned inaccuracies, four separate individuals captured 5000 on their screens. Being the kind-hearted, wanting-to-please-everyone person I am, I did free art for all four. It was fun - no outlandish requests, hippopoctopus included - and it ended up being great marketing. Plus, I know I have at least three more pageviews than that stupid counter says.

Sometimes you can really get your sketch on. Other days, not so much. Warm-ups help, but even so, some days you’re just not feeling it.

Recently I’ve been frustrated with my lack of ability to imagine a certain perspective or viewpoint of something that exists only in my head. Practice makes perfect, but I’m fairly sure I’m never going to have a racquetball squid to draw from life. Still, drawing from life really helps hone your skills… and you can apply that to drawings of real or imaginary things.

So, to ease my frustration, I headed off to the zoo this morning to do more life drawing. I really didn’t have my sketch on today, but I made myself keep doing it. I didn’t improve much throughout the day, but the general practice really helps. I noticed it was easier for me to sketch today than it has been in the past. Go, me! Experience points!

The best part of being a zoo member in Atlanta is that you can get in half an hour before the general population. I was the first guest inside the zoo today and got some great one-on-one time with the animals who usually have crowds of screaming children blocking the view and idiot parents telling their children “look at the bobcat!” instead of reading the sign right in front of them that says Clouded Leopard.

Ubuntu Penguin - commissioned piece

Gouache on Bristol

I recently had some opportunity to donate art prints to various causes. In celebration of the almighty upcoming Tax Day, I wanted to remind you that any art you donate can help lower your tax bill. I’m still unclear whether you can claim the market value for said donations, or the cost of making them… but either way, donating art to a worthy cause is a great idea. The tax benefits, sure, but also promotion! It’s a great way to get your name out there.

I donated a few prints to the charity auction at OmegaCon, and two matted cat-themed prints to the recent anniversary celebration at Furkids, where I volunteer. Charity auctions are great exposure - people go prepared to spend money for a good cause, and small, lower-priced items like prints are a great option for people who want to donate on a budget.

Good news, everyone! I have begun a foray into merchandising. T-shirts with Meg art on them are now available for sale. They feature cephalopods with attitudes!

Visit my LiveJournal for photos. Prices range from $10 to $22 plus shipping. I accept Paypal and credit cards. Send me an e-mail if you’re interested!

Also, feedback on them is appreciated. Critiques will only help me with next round. :D I’ve already sold three, and I’ll let y’all know how well this foray goes in a follow-up post.