So, as a new mom, I've come to the conclusion that everything takes 3x as long to do when you have a little one in tow. I am so glad I was able to at least get out to the Tampa Outdoor Artists plein air meet up (albeit 20 minutes late) and get my sketching hand exercising. It was nice having the freedom sketching allows and getting together with other local artists. I honestly forgot how much I used to love carrying around my sketchbook back in the middle school days all the way through college.
Times have changed though, for better or worse. My hands and time are tied up a little more often than not these days, and as necessity is the mother of invention, or at least the catalyst in my case, I decided to bring my iPad to sketch with Photoshop on the go. Digital painting allows me the possibilities of various media without the trouble and mess using the actual material would cause. It was so much fun experimenting with Adobe's iPad apps in creating custom texture brushes that I subsequently used in my sketching in the very same session.
I first warmed up with some figurative work which allowed me time to adjust to the interface, brushes, and updates since my last sketch. The little man allowed me enough time to set up a texture brush and start a sketch of the palm tree I could see from my seat in Blick. Later luckily, the excitement of the day was enough to wipe him out at 6:00 that evening which afforded me time to go back into the piece to experiment with the color and lighting a little further.
All in all, I've learned the moral of this new experience has taught me Time Is Precious. Learning to make the most of it!