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June 2024 - Present [WORK IN PROGRESS]

An incorporation of newfound inspiration as visual motifs.

Mediums

Watercolor
Pencil
gouache

Inspiration

Shells, spirals, and anything with nautical notes. I’ve grown a sudden yet steady appreciation for the sea over the past 6 months. I’m not completely sure as to why—but perhaps its partly from my desire to reconnect with my southeast asian roots. Or maybe it was fate, considering my birthstone is the pearl.

From winding branches to the repetitious grooves of the common mollusk, nature’s patterns are now a heavy fascination and have slowly integrated itself into my work.

Expanding mediums

Unlike previous pieces, I wanted to attempt the incorporation of more hues. I was still quite hesitant while applying colors to the paper with the worry of ruining the color harmony—color theory was never my strongest suit.

I enjoy watercolor for its build-ability and transparency. The idea of sheerness and translucency has always intrigued me. However I wanted to experiment with opaqueness, and so darkly-tinted acrylics and gouache became options for my palette.

July 6, 2024

The individual strands of hair were therapeutic to draw.

July 6, 2024

July 28, 2024

Working with layers

A rough, uneven wash of shadow blue helped to create some underlying texture for the shell. Shades of earth green, violet, indigo, & terra cotta worked beautifully for adding depth and subtle pops of color.

August 8, 2024

Finer line work

I find that crisp yet softer lines make for a more fanciful look, especially when looking at the piece from further away. Drawing in the details with watercolor pencils and then partially washing it away works great for creating the subtle suggestion of a line.