Steph's Uploads

I’m 32 days into a 100 day project of little paintings to reclaim moments of creative joy with no strings attached – a daily reminder of what made me want to be an “artist” in the first place. I’m posting daily on my Instagram account @stephdillondesign

Designed some new cards expressing my current outlook

Mixed some crochet work with digital doodles.

My contribution to a draw Cloudia #dtiys challenge from Crocodile Jackson on Instagram.

Hummingbirds are my favorite. Whenever I see one of these little “birds of joy” everything else like worry, stress, and getting somewhere on time

With ample hammock potential.

When I grow up I want to draw pictures that make people smile. -Stephanie

My painted interpretation of a large quilt my grandma made and stitched by hand decades ago using upcycled shirts. It’s gotten a lot of use and is showing the wear and tear that a well loved quilt will show on a long enough timeline. Still, I can’t bring myself to put it away for long. While a piece of me thinks I should keep it safe and preserved, my grandma is a practical woman that likes knowing something she made is getting good use. A sentiment I can appreciate. And so, maybe I can extend it’s life through watercolor.

It was absolutely necessary that I sit still and paint today and here are the unfinished results so far.

Drawn in procreate.

Working with watercolor and India ink.

Drawn in Procreate.

A page from my sketchbook: Watercolor, ink, and acrylic paint.

Another wobbly neighborhood. Focusing on color and composition and leaving behind perfect perfective and detail. Ultimately, putting fun first in my personal work moving forward.

Watercolor and India Ink on Yupo paper. If there is any single way to let go of detail and think simply, it is by using watercolor on Yupo paper. You basically have to surrender control and just see what happens.

I have never loved drawing anything city related because I am lazy when it comes to perspective. However, I have learned that I actually like the wobbly nature of my more recent attempts. Or, I simply embraced my laziness. Either way it has been fun!

My 100 day project has basically switched over from digital drawings to watercolor. This is a spread in my sketchbook from the transition. Took a few days but, I am starting to feel like myself when using the medium again. Just needed to reactivate some muscle memory.

45/100 of my nature illo themed 100 Day Project. I started my challenge drawing only on my iPad but hit some bumps when I forgot my Apple Pencil in Florida (I live in California). With that, I have been getting reacquainted with my sketchbook which has been set aside for a few months until now. Feels good to get back into it. Everytime I come back to painting, I wonder why I ever paused in the first place.

I was gifted a pad of Yupo watercolor paper. The color vibrancy is unreal! Definitely a learning curb but the results are so fun. Plus this got me painting again. Working digital is such an easy fall back, but nothing beats a brush to paper.