Why talent is irrelevant

 Illustration for Kamratposten, made in 2013. Photoshop CS5.

This is a never ending topic. Most of you know this already, but not everyone does.. I often think, or talk about this. Or well, not all the time but it happens that I meet someone who starts talking about talent. Or says that I'm talented. It's pretty natural to me, but it often feels that it's not always that clear for others. That it's all about talent. "Of course they can draw well, they got so much talent!". Oh really?

I always disagree.

Nobody's born with super powers. We all start out as slow, helpess little blobs who need to learn everything from square one.

It was the exact same thing for me. I was just lucky. Lucky to discover drawing at a very early age. I mean, I've been drawing since I was 2. Nothing spectacular of course, and I've been hooked ever since. It became a part of me and it started to feel natural. And I know that many of you share a similar background. Then it just... Escalated. You develop a hunger for improvement. Learning how to draw better, how to express yourself. Then slowly but steadily, you'll become better.

I'm not that talented. If you only knew how many hours I've been drawing haha. Nerding away during my school years, while everyone else went out partying and so on. That's the only trick to it.. Persistence, stubborness and most importantly: having fun along the way.

Why did you draw as a little kid? Try to find that magic again.

 Approved sketch for the illustration. Photoshop + Wacom Cintiq 12WX

///////

Svenska :)

Gamex and Comic Con in Stockholm

Hellooo!

Ah, sitting here all tucked in under a blanket. I've finally had some time off between work and I'm ENJOYING IT! These past weeks I've been working like a maniac, but could finally take the weekend off and chill out. Went riding earlier today as well, so I'm le tired...

Yesterday I visited Gamex and Comic Con here in Stockholm(thursday to sunday). It's the annual game expo here in Sweden and this year they also launched Comic Con. It's nowhere near the original one(Honestly, I think it's just a knock-off...) and it was kinda poor to be frank. It has much more potential, and I was expecting more exhibitors and things to do... I guess it's still rather small here in Sweden. Nothing beats CTNx though.... :P

And the crowd was huge. Wasn't even worth standing in line for screenings or to try any of the games. So I was just cruising around, networking a bit and greeted people I knew. That's something that I really enjoy :) I feel the urge to exhibit there next year though, perhaps selling some prints and meet new people. If you're going next  year - GO ON A WEEK DAY! Cause after that, the place will be crammed.

The cosplayers were really cool too! I was impressed by the costumes, some people went all in with that.

Yeah, we'll see if you'll see more of me there next year... :)

Were you there? What did you think?


//////

Svenska :)

Happy Halloween!

Photoshop CS5 + Wacom Intuos5 + Wacom Cintiq 12WX

See you at Gamex tomorrow??


///

Ses vi på Gamex imorgon??


- Andrea

Moar work??! // Mera jobb??!

Good evening amigos!

Guess what I'm doing, working?
I'm still not done with the freelance gigs!! Argh. One deadline is tonight.. Right now, it feels like I'm gonna be stuck in this room forever. Almost forgot that I have more space that that in this home.

Java hates me. He screams, presses his butt against my face and thinks I'm such a bore who whon't play with him right now.

Aight, chin up Nouks it's not much left now!

So what are you guys up to on this Wednesday-evening?

 ///

Svenska :)

Mischievious me // Busig jag är

 "Sun bathing" Photoshop CS5 + Wacom Intuos4 + Wacom Cintiq 12wx

Haha, damn I can't stay away.. I just had to paint this today, despite all the work I still need to conquer. I've discovered gamut masks, in other words, different ways to limit your colour palette for more efficent painting. It's a real time saver!

I used this site: Click!

I picked this colourscheme:

Made a sun bathing fellah. Thinking about creating more paintings with this theme. Animals enjoying the sun. Ghah, I miss summer and the sun already! Fall just has begun here in Sweden. It turns dark and gold very fast, and it will last for about six months..... -.-

Aight, gotta get back to working! For as long as I can.

 The sketch, step by step.

/////

Svenska :)

Me in a nut shell // Jag i ett nötskal

Me in a nut shell when I work.

////

Jag i ett nötskal när jag sitter och jobbar.



- Andrea

Posting in Swedish and English from now on!

 

Old tutorial from 2013. Photoshop CS 5 + Wacom Intuos4

Yes, you got it right. I've been thinking.

Ranted a bit about this on my other blog, the one I used to post on a few years ago, it was only in Swedish though. I closed that blog over a year ago due to lack of time, and went back yesterday to look around. Ahh, nostalgia...

The thing is that I've been missing ranting in Swedish, so I was thinking, maybe I should start posting there again? Plus, I know that some of you actually are from Sweden! :)

Then I thought a bit more about it and realized that, nah. I'll never be able to moderate two different blogs at the same time. And I don't like posting half-assed stuff either.

So let's try this: I'll start blogging in Swenglish! Isn't that good? Then you get to pick in which language you wanna read my posts. Yeah, and then also I get to blog in a language that I feel most comfortable with.

I'm still insanely busy, can't you tell me something cool in the meantime? Gimme some coziness to read before bed tonight :D


//// 

Svenska :)

Life update and forgotten art

Stopping by before I dive into work again. Whoah I have SO much to do these coming weeks!

I just finished up one of the gigs, so I have to more to go. For now... Every hour counts at the moment, I even installed SelfControl on my mac, which blocks all the websites that tend to be distractive. Works like a charm! Especially for people like me, who's got an extremely short attention span. I'm not kidding when I say that I check my phone every second minute. Yeah, I swear, it's that bad.

Meanwhile, I can leave you with a piece that I made for Kamratposten earlier this year. I totally forgot to show it, I blame the fever during that time... Haven't been that sick for years. It was an interview about a girl and death. Her grandpa died, so the art had to be emotional.

"Grandpa's funeral" Photoshop CS5 & Wacom Cintiq 12WX

Perhaps a bit unusual compared to my other work, which tend to be warm, happy all innocent. Enjoyed working on it though. Sorry for the crappy quality, ghah it looks really low res on my screen.

 
 See you again in a bit!



///

Svenska :)

I talk about games and concept art in Swedish

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to leave this here. I was invited to Spelbloggen(The game blog) yesterday, it's in Swedish unfortunately but I think it's the first time that I participate in something like this!

We talk a bit about games(horror games like Slenderman and PT, one of my fav games Heart of Darkness, and more) and I got interviewed about concept art, my workflow, background and other artistic stuff.


It was a lot of fun, and I didn't feel nervous at all :) Or well, I felt really nervous about hearing my own voice once it was published but now I realize that it wasn't a big deal.


Online tutorials/recorded videos with me speaking shouldn't be that far away anymore.... ;)



/// 

Svenska :)

Who are you?

Hey heeey!


I've been thinking. Been blogging, posting, updating for soooo long... About me and my work.
Ego ego ego. So like I said, It got me thinking...

I barely know who's here reading. So let's have a post about YOU guys. I know some of you already, but who are the rest? I can see you lurking. The statistics are there, some of you comment, some of you hide. I'd love to know who all of you are, please show yourselves. Don't be shy! It would mean a lot :)


Who are you?

How old are you?

Do you draw?

Why do you follow my blog?

Where are you from?

Are you a professional/student/hobbyist?

Any secret super powers?




I can start :)

Hi! I'm Andrea, also known as Noukah(been using that name online since I was 15).
I'm a professional living in Sweden, working as a concept artist and illustrator. Been drawing since I was 2, and I'm 28 now.

I enjoy creating content for my blog/portfolio on my spare time. And just love drawing in general(duh...), so that's basically what I fill my life with. I also live with a mogwai and a gremlin, and love horseback riding. And going to the gym. Oh, and I have some sort of a fourleaf-vision, been picking nearly a thousand. Yeah, I know. Useless super power number 1.

Now it's your turn, bring it on!
(Svenska går också bra ;) )



////

Svenska :)