Digital doodles & piano (& photos)

[Nia]

I bought a tablet 6 weeks ago because my laptop camera kept malfunctioning and my parents wanted confirmation I wasn't just a disembodied voice on our family zoom calls. The tablet has a pretty good artsy app and a stylus and stuff, so I've been playing round with it whilst I've nothing else to do.

The stuff I've done so far has no relation to LotR, but I feel like I should start with at least something relevant, hence the below. I basically used Google images as my inspiration, and I have no idea how to write in Elvish script, so sorry for butchering it.

And then this was a practice run I did, essentially copying one of the app tutorials.

[Fairy Nuff]

This is good for someone who only just started playing with it. Love the sunset with the pastel pinks and purples, and the plants silhouetted against it just make it seem so peaceful. I just went and assumed sunset, it could be sunrise also.

Also, the 3D effect on the ring is really good. I won't comment on the script as I am not an expert either (tbh it looks fine to me!)

What is the app called?

[Marceline]

The sunset is beautiful, @Nia! I love the detailed script on the ring, and the perspective on it looks great. The story of why you bought a tablet is great and also wow what times we live in.

[Oak]

For one does does not know rip about elvish script the ring looks really good. It pops out of my screen and does look 3D The black background makes it stand out.

I do not have a good photo editing, digital program or App. I am going to have to stick with traditional artwork. I don't even have a scanner bed anymore. I have a Chromebook and a cell phone. So when I actually start making new images, I will have to photograph them with the cell and save them to my cloud before posting them to here.

[Nia]

Fairy- Thanks! The app's called PenUp - I think it's a Samsung app, but probably works on androids generally. Good to see you around again btw! :smiley8:
Tara - Thank you! Haha yeah, there have been some funny old lockdown purchases in this household; including a ukelele, a rubrik's cube, a chess set, some adult colouring books, and an inflatable mini paddling pool Some strange times indeed!
Thanks, Oak. Really looking forward to seeing more of your stuff!

Also I have just figured out how to share the full, rather than thumb nail versions...

This was again my trying to copy one of the examples they have in the app's gallery.

And now an original - I took a photo of the sunset from our little rooftop a couple of weeks ago (will add the photo later from my phone) and then tried to replicate it (in a slightly abstract form)

Original photo (thumbnail to save space, but I think if you click on it you might get the bigger version? Or maybe that's just for me? Who knows).

[Burnt Toast]

Hello! Going to have to join those not knowing much about the script, but either way the ring looks great-- the colors and shading of it really make it pop.
And yes-- clicking on the bottom picture brings me to a bigger version!

Do you mind if I ask what kind of tablet you got? Was the app free with it? I've been wanting to dig into digital art, but I'm a total newb. I had been recently looking at apple products, since I know they can be good for that kind of thing, but they are also quite expensive. Have you worked with digital art before?

Thanks for sharing!

[Nia]

Hey, thanks for dropping by! So I bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab S6. I kinda splashed out more than I was planning to on a tablet, but I really do love it and would highly recommend it as an option (not just for the digital art stuff either!). I think a lot of the Samsung tablets which comes with styluses are actually really well rated though, even for the slightly less expensive tablets (and the benefit over apple products is that the Samsung tablets designed for artwork/stylus use come with the Bluetooth enabled stylus as part of the price of the tablet).

The app (Penup) also comes free with the tablet, and I've been able to download it on my phone too, to view the work on my mobile (although obviously not create it). The app is absolutely fantastic. Got a variety of different mediums you can use and they all work really well (including e.g. mixing painted colours on the 'canvas' itself as I recently discovered), and the pencil lines just look so realistic to me (see the green pencil lines on the stem of the tulips for example). Also, what I absolutely love about it (given I am also a total newb to digital art - or any art really, for that matter!) is the 'live drawing' feature. For this essentially you can watch (in either real time, or sped up) the tablet create a piece of artwork - it shows you the types of brush or pen it uses and the colours and the order it does things in etc). I found that so useful - even just to watch how certain effects are created so I could try to emulate it myself.

The other really nice thing is it allows you to import your own photos or backgrounds. One of my flatmates bought an adult colouring book, and I was able to take a photo of it on the tablet, and then colour it in on the tablet using the app, which was pretty cool.

Really happy to answer any more questions - I'm still very much in novelty mode with it and just testing and trying it out whilst I've got all this lockdown spare time in the evenings and weekends!

[Oak]

Nia, these would make great icons. They are bright and show up really well on the computer. They keep there nice clean look when reduce small. I think they would make effective avatars.

[Oro]

I love your ring art design there. The elvish looks great and you put a lot of effort into it!

But I think our real talent is the sun reliefs. Both your sun art pieces are fantastic. Keep it up and cant wait to see more.

[Nia]

Thanks, Oro! I've got a couple more pieces I did a few weeks back so will share another sun/ sky one with you. I must admit, I do enjoy the colours I get to use for them (and there's something quite cathartic about being able to just sweep colours together and not having to worry about being too precise!

This one was another I did with inspiration from one of the demos I mention above. I guess it's meant to be some kind of whacky dilapidated city (the one I was trying to copy was very much a regular city with regular sky scrapers, but i got lazy with my straight lines, so ...)

[Oak]

I visited Bryce canyon a couple years go. This image makes me think of Bryce Canyon at sunset. The rock columns do rather look like a city with wacky skyscrapers like that. I do like the colors you chose for the sky.

[Marceline]

Those sound like some amazing quarantine purchases, @Nia!

I just love these latest images you shared. It looks like a magical sunset sky. @Oak, I totally agree that it looks like Bryce Canyon! It's a very soothing image, that's for sure.

[Oak]

Yes, soothing is very apt. I can just stare at it. I love the color gradient of the sky. It's yummy and at the same time restful

[Burnt Toast]

Nia- Thank you so much for all the info; this is really helpful! I'm going to delve back into some research. It sounds like a really beginner friendly app, which is exactly what I need. It comes pre-loaded with a fair amount of tutorials then?
The stylus coming with it is definitely a huge bonus. Apple is everything separately (as I imagine you know), and not only is the base product expensive, all those add-ons are pretty pricey.
And yes! It's so nice getting to see it in action here; those lines look fantastic! And super cool that you can upload photos and color them on there.

Also- this latest piece you posted somehow reminds me of Steven Universe. Have you watched it?

[Oro]

@Oak Ive been to Bryce Canyon a few times and I think you are right, that piece really makes me think of Bryce. Except for the time it was covered in snow. Doesn’t look like that haha.

[Nia]

Thanks, guys! I'd never heard of Bryce Canyon before, but i just googled it and can totally see that.

Toasty, you'll have to let me know if you end up purchasing anything! I've never watched it, no, but again just Google image searched and definitely see that too in the colours.

I'm very quickly running out of the things I have done during nearly 2 months of quarantine. This is the penultimate piece (until I get round to doing some more). Based on a rose which was part of a beautiful bunch of flowers my family sent me on my birthday a month ago in lieu of my getting to see them in person (which was sad, but the flowers were a lovely surprise!). Again I'll share the photo to compare shortly.

[Oro]

Woot woot more @Nia art!

Love the yellow! Not enough art utilizes yellow well. :) It seems to be one of your favorite color and I appreciate that. I’m not much of an artist so I find all art fascinating, and this piece is much the same. Love the colors and the lines. I like your additions of the leaves and little sprouts. Awesome work!

[Burnt Toast]

Toasty, you'll have to let me know if you end up purchasing anything! I've never watched it, no, but again just Google image searched and definitely see that too in the colours.

I will let you know! It'll probably be a little while before I do so, but if I do-- I would love to compare experiences, maybe pick your brain a bit more. :)

Love the flower-- especially the pencil style brush being used. I'm curious-- how many different 'brushes' did you use in making this one?

[Marceline]

I meant to post in here a while ago!

Nia, I love the detail on the little flower sprigs surrounding the big flower in this latest post. I also think you've given the main flower gorgeous depth with the shading! And yay for receiving flowers for your birthday! I hope you continue to create more art for the rest of quarantine and even after it ends.

[Fairy Nuff]

Well done on your rose Nia, roses are notoriously difficult due to the way the petals furl into each other, and how many petals there are - plus being so iconic everyone knows what they look like so you have to do it well to make them look realistic, but you have done a great job with this one with some lovely shading, and nicely capturing the shapes of the petals.

[Nia]

Thanks everyone! Really nice to have somewhere to share these - makes my lockdown activity feel like it had more of a purpose!

Oro - yeah I do actually love using yellow, hadn't really thought about it before.
Toasty - I think I used maybe 4 different brushes for that one. It's quite a lot of trial and error haha.

Stonehenge. The original, followed by a few where I've applied some of the optional filters. To save space, I've done the others as thumbnails.

I think my favourite is the first of the filtered ones, using the Vincent Van Gogh Starry Night filter.

[Liläth]

Funny, I was thinking about getting a tablet myself. Do you have the one that comes with a pen? I might have to look into it.
The art looks beautiful by the way, really loved the ring and the flower!

[Burnt Toast]

I bet it is a lot of trial and error- it sounds fun!

I love the Stonehenge piece-- do the filters come pre-loaded with the app/program? They are gorgeous. The first filter makes me think of Starry Night; I think the last filter might be my favourite on this piece.

[Nia]

@Liläth yup it's one which came with a stylus (which handily sticks to the back of the tablet magnetically). I'd really recommend it if you are considering getting one! And thank you!

Toasty - it is a lot of fun :smiley8: . And yup comes with about 12 preloaded filters, all based on other well known artworks. So yup, that first one was done with the Starry Night filter! The filters don't always work so well (I think it must depend on the brushes and colours you use as to whether it translates well into a filter).

So this is the final artwork I can share which I created pre new plaza existence. From here on out I will probably be somewhat more sporadic. This was inspired by a photo I took skiing several years ago.

[Marceline]

@Nia, your Stonehenge variations are lovely! The original's color scheme looks spot-on based on my one trip to the English countryside in college. I like how the shadows come out differently in each of the variations, too. @Mor Toast I had the same thought about the Starry Night filter!

I adore this latest image! I think snowy mountains are some of my favorite sights in nature, and I cultivated that love through snowboarding while I lived in Colorado recently. This looks like such a familiar sight. May I ask where you enjoy skiing the most?

[Burnt Toast]

Aha! Of course it was a starry night filter.
Excellent work with the color work in this last piece to achieve the sunlight effect. It's a really cool look at light and shadow.

[Nia]

Thsnks both!

@Tarawen I'd love to go skiing in The States or Canada, I've heard it's a really different experience to Europe, which is all I've known! This image was based on a photo I took in Val Thorens in France. It's the highest resort on Europe (probably not a patch on Colorado!!). I love it, and it's probably one of my favourite resorts, but it's above the tree line, and I do love seeing the pine trees.

Now for a totally whacky abstract thing I did the other day. My initial plan was to try to do some sort of Northern Lights piece, but it went wrong and I ended up just testing out a ton of different brush effects.

[Burnt Toast]

@Nia That's trippy. XD Honestly, I feel like I'm looking through a kaleidoscope, down through the clouds from a plane window, and onto fields and trees below. (I realize that is really specific, but it looked so much like exactly that to me.)

[Marceline]

@Nia - Ahh that's so cool! I have never gone snowboarding outside of Colorado, but last year we met some folks who had traveled to Colorado from Europe just for the Rockies! It really is quite the experience - our favorite place to ski, Arapahoe Basin, has its base at ~10,500 feet elevation. I'd love to go on long ski trips in various places one day, and your drawing makes me think France might be near the top of that list. Also, pine trees = <3!

This latest one is awesome! It kind of reminds me of a topological map. For some reason the blurry parts make me think of higher altitudes on such a map. Regardless, I really love the color scheme! It is quite spring-into-summerish.

[Nia]

Toasty - Ahaha, yeah it's super trippy isn't it. Definitely got the kaleidoscope thing going on!
Tara - Wow that's awesome, so high! Yeah pine trees are great :smiley8: .

Speaking of trees, here's one:

[Burnt Toast]

I love the line / texture work and use of different brushes in this-- I'm especially drawn to the various twists of the tree trunk. I think the layering of colors was really effective for the grass/ground work as well.

[Lirimaer]

I love some of the colour mixes and effects you've been trying out with your tablet to make the different skies. Makes me want to get paints out. What I love though is that willow! A delightful waterfall of green, so pretty.

[Marceline]

Lovely textures on this latest one, Nia! I can see how you've layered color to achieve that and I must say I'm impressed. I definitely do not have the patience to create full images like this from scratch!

[Nia]

Thanks everyone. It's really nice you're all stopping by! :smiley8:

I said I'd design something for the new Entish Blessings thread, so this is that. The original first and then the filtered second.

[Oak]

@Nia Very nice digital work again. I specially like the treatments you gave the Stonehenge image. I do digital work also myself, but its aircraft, so I won't be sharing those on here.

The Entish blessings header is very nice.

[Burnt Toast]

Lovely! I really enjoy your line work-- especially the fluidity of the lines that thicken and then thin out again; it gives it a very organic look. I'm impressed by the amount of texture you're able to give your pieces.
I'm really intrigued by the filter-- it gives is a really beautiful glow.

[Marceline]

Ahhh everything I said before about your skill with making textures x10 with this image, Nia. I also love the way you positioned the tree and branch so that most of the tree is out of frame - that's really creative composition!

[Nia]

Thanks again so much everyone! So this next one was one I did to distract myself from the horror film my flatmates had on. Based on a photo I took a few days ago.



The original.

[Burnt Toast]

Woah, this is really cool. Again, I'm going to comment on texture, because particularly in this one, there are so many different kinds of texture going on. You've captured the sky in a really lovely way with a a really soft and more ethereal look, and I think my favourite part is the pencil stroke- like quality of the bike.

I am more and more tempted to finally bite the bullet on a good drawing tablet. Ahh! Looks like such fun to play around in. Thanks for sharing these!

[Marceline]

@chronicles of narNIA - GOSH it took me about 5 tries at mentioning you to remember your new name. This is gorgeous! Before I looked at the original, I thought the dark outlines on the horizon were some seriously cool (and spiky) mountains. Amazing work!

[Nia]

Thanks :smiley8:

@Burnt Toast - yeah I actually had a lot of fun adding the bike. As you can see it's a bit (okay, a lot) abstract (there is no engineer on earth that could make the pedal, as depicted there, do anything remotely useful), but I enjoyed having a play with sketching features. (p.s. doooo ittttt)

@Tarawen yeah I keep nearly panicking that I must have had my account deleted, because I forget every time I login . Was very surprised to see a notification, denoting the success of someone finding my name!


Am aware applying a filter requires no artistic skill at all, but I quite liked this particular filter on this particular bit of work, so am milking it for what it's worth.

[Nia]

So I called this thread 'doodles and stuff', and so I guess here is an example of the 'and stuff' part. This is 2 years old now which is terrifying.

a somewhat unpolished performance

[Androthelm]

Has it really been that long since that movie came out? I went on a first date to see it--she's sleeping in the other room.

A beautiful song and a beautiful cover, more than polished.

[Nia]

@Bombadillo ahh that's so nice! What a great first date, and so lovely it worked out! :smiley8: I absolutely loved the film, but Never Enough and Loren Allred's beautiful voice was one of my favourites from it. Also thank you! =]

A much older piece - crikey, getting on for 9 years! - which I may actually have shared on old plaza

[Vorondir]

I like your doodles and stuff. They're really nice.

[Marceline]

It's so cool to hear and see you playing piano, @Nia! You are so good - I took a few years of piano as a kid, and I am still baffled by how much coordination it takes. I LOVE the Titanic and Greensleeves medley - out of curiosity, how did you come up with the idea to fuse those two?

[Burnt Toast]

Really gorgeous playing, Nia! I don't know a lot of the greatest Showman-- though I did teach a camp this year with 1st-3rd graders and they learned a couple songs- that was adorable.

It's so great you have a real piano-- I've been stuck on my digital for years (it's starting to have speaker trouble), but in our house we just moved into, we have a real piano again! As soon as we get it tuned I'm so excited to start playing on a real one again. <3

[Nia]

Thanks Vorondir!

@Tarawen Haha thanks, it's really nice to share them with people (and less scary sharing with people living hundreds or thousands or miles away than with people I regularly see - which is one of the beauties of the internet!) Yeah, I am actually quite pleased with how that one turned out. I think the timings could have been a bit better - the Titanic piece feels like it got a bit rushed, which I think is a result of my getting carried away with the Greensleeves part. I don't exactly remember the thought process which went into it. I think I was playing what I remembered of Greensleeves at the time as it was around Christmas and 'What Child is This', which uses the same melody, had been playing somewhere and was in my head. I'd separately been trying out various film scores of music I liked, which included Titanic, and I think either I noticed the key I was playing in was the same, or I found it easy to put it into the same key (probably the former as I'm not very patient with transposing stuff) and so I just tried to integrate them. I've not really done it since, but have been kinda inspired watching it back, so am now trying something similar with two other pieces I quite like. If it works, I shall share here at a later date, if not, I will pretend I was never trying to do it. :smiley8:

@Burnt Toast Thanks, Toasty! So whenever I go back to my parents house I am lucky enough to have full and unimpeded access to their piano (I'm the only one of my family who still really plays it). In my current house I have a digital piano, which I do love to bits, but definitely isn't quite the same. As you will see if I share any of the few pieces I've recorded on the digital one, it's a bit annoying because the pedal is pretty squeaky, and I haven't yet got myself a midi cable to just record the sound on the digital piano and then transfer to a laptop, thus removing pedal squeakiness (I'm also not exactly sure my technological skills are up to that sort of thing!) Would love to here you play!

This is another one which is a couple of years old now; this was my first attempt at a duet since I did my grade 1 duet exam aged 6.

A good pal of mine is playing the secondo, and I do have her permission for it to be on youtube (indeed she was looking forward to a viral piano duet following which has yet to materialise ). I'm afraid the piano was pretty out of tune, and I think we kinda felt we messed up the end a bit, but it was fun to do, so yeah.

[Burnt Toast]

Heck yes piano duets! I just moved in with another musician friend, and while our piano playing is very rusty, I found and old stack of simple duets and maybe I can convince her to record one with me!

My fav is messing them up royally and just losing it completely and still barreling forward-- I've definitely gotten some excellent and workouts from laughing while attempting new duets.

[Nia]

Yes pester her until she does it with you!! Me and my duet partner in that actually live absolutely no where near each other, so we'd been practising by ourselves, but had actually never quite heard what the other person's part was going to sound like with our part, so putting it together was actually this completely lovely experience - but it did take multiple filming attempts before we actually got all the way through to the end.

This one is 8 years old now, which is freaking CRAZY. I was 20, but I feel like I look like such a kid there, but maybe I'm just feeling super old and nostalgic.

This isn't so much a blend of two pieces as my just forcing two totally different sounding pieces together one after another because I happened to have learnt them around the same time.