Intro:why im doing this and what im currently up to! :D

Hey reader folk!
This is my first time blogging ever so bare with ;)
Going to start with a bit about me, (you can skip ahead if you want). Since leaving Uni 2 year ago i felt i really need to start pushing my artwork forward. I dont really have an "end goal". I just want to get better mostly for myself but if i can get a job/commissions through it bonus!
Please note; i in no way see myself as an awesome artist, i have a world of info to learn and master (if you can really master something) but i have started believing in myself that i can become good and thats the first step i think ^_^
I also wanted to share my feelings and any useful tutorials tips and hints i may find with you guys!! I know how it feels to self teach yourself going in blind and having no-one to ask. You feel like you are stuck on a never ending plateau and drowning in info or being starved of it! So im blogging and sharing my way of overcoming my art based obstacles and a journal of my journey into whatever the future brings :)
I have a fine art background, mostly dealing with conceptually stuff and Photography. Now im delving into the digital realm, enhancing my photoshop skills, teaching myself Illustrator, Indesign and other 2d software which i may feel will benefit my work. Once i feel comfortable with this ill move into 3d software. Ive dabbled on Zbrush and not much else but ill get there! :)
Dont worry traditionalists! im still sketching everyday by hand and im a big sucker for charcoal so i work on that sort of stuff when im away from the computer :D

So enough waffling i guess, these are some of my fav images i have done from the past year:

Owl in charcoal on A3 paper.4.5 hours. Prints available on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/171230745/charcoal-owl-art-print?ref=shop_home_active_7

Male Sumatra Orangutan. This was done in dotwork or "stippling". Yes its created from lots of little dots! A3 paper Approx 50 hours. Created to raise money for Chester Zoos Act for WIldlife Orange for Orangutan Campaign. Prints available on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/171230927/dot-work-orangutan-in-black-frame?

Female Sumatran Orangutan in Chalk Pastel. A3. Approx 4 hours. Created to raise money for Chester Zoos Act for WIldlife Orange for Orangutan Campaign. Prints available on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/171213614/oranguatan-chalk-pastel-print?ref=listing-shop-header-3

Wolf in charcoal and white chalk. A3 Approx 3-4 hours

Lemmy portrait. Pencil. A3 Approx 5-6 hours. Needs work still

Newton Faulkner Portrait. Dotwork in Pen.A3. 6 hours

So yeah these are my favorite finished/close to being finished pieces ive done in the past year. If you want to see more including my daily sketches, quick composition scribblings and other stufff check out my deviant page: http://valkrya.deviantart.com/

This moves us up to the past week or 2 now :)
I am working on another charcoal sketch, this time of a Lowland Mountain Gorilla silver back.
Heres a sneak peek. Sorry its side ways my phone wouldn't let me rotate :/ (its a close up of eye and nostril area for those struggling ;) http://instagram.com/p/pWwizIMefb/#

I also follow a group called Sketch Dailies on twitter (check them out here: https://twitter.com/Sketch_Dailies) So whatever their chosen theme is i aam sketching up by hand and they will be outlined nicely in illustrator and colored in photoshop! I have a bit of a backlog of these though so please bare with me! Heres a sneak peak of my Merlin ideas http://instagram.com/p/pWwtE_Mefz/#

I had never used Illustrator before up til a few weeks ago. I learnt following along the tutorials by Tasty Tuts. I cannot recommend this series enough!! Check out episode 1 here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKWnkIPur2Q&list=PLYfCBK8IplO4X-jM1Rp43wAIdpP2XNGwP

Although i have used Photoshop for photo editing work ive never really used it for digital painting. but im currently following through CTRL+paints vids (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFRHTs8-KVw&list=PLFxTlZmDIk2_ZDmTQycU5SuqvEnTC83nH)

And ive subscribed to Chris Oatley's Magic Box. Ive only been on it a couple of days and im blown away! Its £10.80 a month or your regional equivalent. Check it! http://chrisoatley.com/

So thats where i am currently with my work :) Please follow me on the following social media sites too, and check out my instagram for sneak previews of my work

Social Media Links:

Facebook      https://www.facebook.com/JMenjaHArt?ref_type=bookmark
Twitter          https://twitter.com/MenjaMist
Instagram      http://instagram.com/jenny_menja_hall_art/#
Deviant Art   http://valkrya.deviantart.com/

Store:

Etsy shop      https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TalonsCreations?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Resources:

Tasty Tuts-   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKWnkIPur2Q&list=PLYfCBK8IplO4X-jM1Rp43wAIdpP2XNGwP

 CTRL+Paint    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFRHTs8KVw&list=PLFxTlZmDIk2_ZDmTQycU5SuqvEnTC83nH

Chris Oatley      http://chrisoatley.com/

Ok Guys.hope my first blog wasnt too dull and maybe useful let me know in comments :)

***I do not get paid to recommend tutorials and other resources. I am doing this for free and just want to help other newbie artists with their own journeys :)


Thanks for reading guys.
Post Soon, Peace
Menja