One of my big goals for the year 2023 is more pictures, less words! I spend way too much time trying to think about words to go with sketches, and not enough time posting sketches.
Today’s mermaid is a free-hand gouache painting that I finished by adding some details and contrast using colored pencils. My aim was to fill the whole page, so I’m not sure why I left a gap at the lower right, but my aim was also to complete it in less than three hours and avoid the specter of perfectionism, so that’s probably why.
Overall, it was a fun exercise, despite some weird decisions and a really wonky hand. I limited my palette to mostly cool colors, which is probably my favorite thing about this piece, other than the fun energetic texture that you get when you go over flat gouache with scribbly colored pencil!