ATC Card 1 - Ribbons

Ribbons

I started this ATC a while back at a (motorcycle) race. I was sitting in our pit listening to a radio that should have been buried about 20 years ago, trying to make out the announcer's voice, waiting for the 5 minute call for the next next class. I was trying to draw an ATC for an element themed LMAO for nervousness.org. This was an attempt to design a "Water" themed card. I was enjoying the organic flow of it but I stopped drawing it because we had to get the tire warmer's off the RS125. When I returned to it, I thought it would be a little too simple for the theme and I didn't know how to tie the other elements into a similar style.

I got the idea for the water from this picture from http://www.art4spirit.com/Lg-Elem.html

I went through a few more cards after trying water that looked like this before I drew "Ribbons" but I started with this style of water.

I precut all my ATCs. I have been using fine grain white cardstock so far (I am still new at this so I have been sticking with them base until I feel comfortable to move one).

I started by drawing the flowing lines across the card in pencil. Then I started drawing the shorter wave defining lines.

I really like playing with shadow although I am the first person to admit that I pay little attention to having "one light source". (Light generally comes from many sources when I draw. I think I must come from a planet with many suns.) I like to draw with very sharp pencil crayons and apply colour in successive layers. I work on areas I want darker first, starting out lightly and gradually adding more layers. I work on adding colour to the lighter areas last. Some of the folds are more succesful (more realistic shadows) than others. I'll update a picture of the next stage.