my favorite place is open again!

 

On March 14, 2020, Disneyland closed due to the coronavirus outbreak and ever since then I've been waiting to go back!!! My family and I were planning to go in September for my birthday last year—so that was kinda a sad birthday lol.

My inspo for this doodle was pushing my 1-year-old niece in her Little Tikes car some time last year in June. As I pushed her, I was singing "It's a Small World After All" and she loved it (despite the fact she hasn't even seen the real thing yet). I got tired of singing so I started playing the music for a good 15 minutes, and she was pretty upset after I stopped. I also thought of Mary Blair and wanted to try something similar to her style.

"Actress"

 

Jean Seberg, November 13, 1938–August 30, 1979

Laurie Bird, September 26, 1952–June 15, 1979

Marilyn Monroe, June 1, 1926–August 4, 1962

Hide my pain, I can never admit

That I'm sick of all this

It's easier to be an actress

It's been a while since I picked up my sketchbook!! I started a new job at the beginning of this month and it's been super chill (right now). I've been wanting to sketch some portraits, so I figured I should make use of the free time that I have :)

I've never listened to Tori Kelly, but I heard a song play in Old Navy during the holidays back in 2019 and I was really digging it! Looked up the lyrics on Google and it was "Actress" by Tori Kelly. Since then, I've been listening to it as well as the whole Inspired by True Events album.

One day as I was listening to the track, I had this urge of creating portraits of actresses who were suicidal (yeah, I know that's pretty dark). But with the simple instruments that intertwine with Kelly's voice, "Actress" carries a wistfulness message that I wanted to capture in the portraits. My latest obsession has been washi tape and I wanted to incorporate it in the portraits, contrasting it with watercolor pencils. It was my first attempt using watercolor, so please excuse the mugginess in them lol.

"Over Those Hills"

been playing with After Effects with my new fave jam for the year so far

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Wanted to try the ink splatter transitions in After Effects feat. a design I might sell for my church's craft faire ... but we'll see how it goes 😬 hope you all have a wonderful day with your loved ones!

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

26, the Golden Year

don't let it go for nobody

I was told that your golden year is when you turn the same age as your birthdate. And honestly, I only found that out like seven years ago. Turning 26 was my golden year ... but it felt more alarming than what I anticipated on lol.

I've had this idea of a doodle of myself looking back at myself when I was younger. Sometimes I think what would 17-year-old me think of me now? Or what would I—if I even had the chance—tell myself ten years ago? Sounds pretty vain to be thinking about, and ultimately it's God who keeps me accountable, but it's a thought that comes and goes through my mind.

Here’s to the beginning of 27.

TAKE HEART

It's been a while. COVID is still around and I got a new job so I haven't really been sketching things as much :( but I'm trying to pick that up again!

I saw this quote on Tumblr a month ago—"Make it your ambition to take heart" from Rainer Maria Rilke. Not sure why, but I wanted to make a Rugrats title card for it. I also wanted to make my own backgrounds, but why not use an actual rugrats' drawing? My niece got into coloring during quarantine and loves it, so I used her drawings hehe.

Honestly I don't know who Rainer is, but I love this quote from a biblical perspective. On their way to Gethsemane, Jesus focused His ministry to His disciples before He was arrested. He said,

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
(John 16:33 ESV, emphasis added)

Also, fun fact, I found out today was the release date for Rugrats 29 years ago!

"Jesus wept."

"The Greek word here has the connotation of silently bursting into tears in contrast to the loud lament of the group (John 11:33).

"His tears here were not generated out of mourning, since he was to raise Lazarus, but out of grief for a fallen world entangled in sin-caused sorrow and death.

"He was 'a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief' (Isaiah 53:3)."

—John MacArthur, ESV MacArthur Study Bible

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,

Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a

high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in

every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with

confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and

find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:14-16