AbyLockhart

1. How long have you been on DeviantArt?

I've been on dA for for 9 years, on my way to 10 years (in November).

2. What does your username mean?

It's just a name I picked for myself. I usually go by Abigail Lockhart, but as a joke I shorten it to Aby or Abylockhart. A misspelled version of Abby, because people always remember your mistakes more than your properly typed words/names.

3. Describe yourself in three words.

Clumsy Loyal Perfectionist

4. Are you left or right handed?

I'm right handed for art and most stuff, but I'm occasionally left handed for some things like sports.

5. What was your first deviation?

I honestly dunno anymore, since then I've cleaned my gallery and I don't remember what it was anymore. Probably either a very bad looking fanart or a drawing of a Lusco. Traditional art for sure, cause I didn't have a tablet back then. My digital art is fairly recent when you consider my 9 years of dA.

6. What is your favourite type of art to create?

I love both digital and traditional art.
Lately I've been doing more digital art than traditional. Even though I started as a traditional artist and I do want to keep a balance between my digital and my traditional art and expand my skills in both. I don't have a good camera or even any decent camera to capture my traditional work anymore, and so I'm not really posting the little traditional art I've done. Then there's also the art-block and the rushing from deadline to deadline on digital works. Overall I wish I was drawing more on both sides. 

7 .If you could instantly master a different art style, what would it be?

Painting. In my process, I always sketch, clean up the sketch, ink the lines, color in and then do the lighting and shadows and such. I admire those artists you really paint, who just do a light sketch and then paint on it without needing a really defined lineart to color in. I admire it and I wish I could do it, but I always feel a bit lost without my lineart.

8. What was your first favourite?

One of my dear sis' drawings. 

9. What type of art do you tend to favourite the most?

Digital art. I'm still amazed at what people can do with it. I love traditional art, but I find that I'm most amazed at digital art.

10. Who is your all-time favourite deviant artist?

Hard question, I admire so many. Probably missusruin and Mireys

11. If you could meet anyone on DeviantArt in person, who would it be?

Probably all the artists I'm following. I love their works and I'd love to meet them, even though I'm shy. 

12. How has a fellow deviant impacted your life?

K-Kaito and ang3ll introduced me to dA.
They helped me get started and grown as an artist. They motivated me to try.

13. What are your preferred tools to create art?

Digitally, I use PaintToolSAI and an old wacom bamboo pen tablet on a netbook.
Traditionally, I use Sakura micron pens and Faber-Castell colored pencils. Sometimes I use ballpoint pens, love them for sketching and more messy drawings.

14. What is the most inspirational place for you to create art?

I don't know, I don't really have a place.
I don't usually work outside home and I completely lack a proper space to work. I miss having a good desk with my own space. But when you don't have anything else, the dinner table or a a drawing board on your lap will have to do. But I really wish I had a big pretty space like I see so many artists showing...

15. What is your favourite DeviantArt memory?

I honestly don't know. I don't think I have a defined favorite memory, but I've been better and happier on dA than lately.
I miss the times when I had active watchers, friends that dropped by and commented. I miss feeling the community and not feeling like I'm posting art and writing journals for no one to look at, for no one to really comment on them and give me feedback.
That's probably it, I miss the time I would get feedback and active watchers, those were my fav times. 

Hey, it's been a long time since I wrote a journal. It's the end of the first month of 2015 and already so much has happened. Time for the update.

I started the year well, making resolutions to draw more, dedicate myself to improving my art. 
I joined a group as contributor. After the fail the last group was, I decided to give small starting groups a second chance and try to help this new group for improving art. It went well with my new years artistic resolutions.


So I joined
It's a friendly corner with monthly study subjects where we try to improve our art as a team, adding tutorials and giving friendly suggestions and encouragement.

Sadly, soon after all that, and before I could really get into drawing lots, the family member I live with had a stroke. With that came problems, full afternoons spent on ERs, more problems, more bills and more problems. 
Now I have a family member completely dependent who I have to help take care of, and a huge pile of problems to deal with.

For those obvious reasons I haven't been drawing at all, but I still come to dA as much as I can, and try to help the group I'm a contributor at as I had promised when I joined.

It's a complicated time. 
My commission slots are still open (the 5 of them), but bear in mind I'll take longer to complete them. (commission info here: Info on Point Commissions and Kiribans)


I'll do my best to get over this, sort all of these problems, and return to my drawings as soon as I can.

This is a reminder that I keep holding kiribans regularly, though the last few ones weren't claimed by anyone.

Whoever catches my kiriban wins a free request from me. I'll draw anything I usually draw for commissions.
You have 2 weeks to claim it. (Please note me with the proof that you caught it)
After 2 weeks I'll assume no one caught it and the kiriban is void. 
So do try to catch it, and do note me a screenshot and what your request is and we'll discuss it.



Now about the Point Commissions. STILL OPEN

So far only had 1 commission, even with the prices really low. The new prices are fairer to me. And if you didn't get one when I was charging 10 points each, which is $0.10 for hours of work then it wont make a difference to you. If you ARE interested in commissioning me and cant afford it, then note me and we'll discuss it. Otherwise I'm done with under-pricing. I was selling hours of work cheaper than a plastic bag from the supermarket. 

The 5 slots are open.
 
 
 
 
 


There's info on my profile, but I'll post it here as well.



 

I joined deviantART almost nine years ago, November 2005, thanks to two good friends of mine K-Kaito and ang3ll.
Back then I was in high-school, not even in arts, and I only doodled occasionally until I met those two girls who would later be my great friends. With them, I started paying more attention to art and drawing, all traditional cause I couldnt even afford a tablet back then nor did I have a pc to draw on. 
It was back then that, with K-Kaito's input, I created my Luscos. The cute, weird shaped, simple looking creatures that I kept through the years.

   

Even though I didnt have internet at home, I made sure to check dA every time I could in the school library. I spent hours going through galleries and favorites.

I kept drawing and I met more classmates and friends that were also on dA.
Did art trades, gifts, collabs, memes, started drawing fanarts.

  

Then I got my first tablet and tried out digital drawing after wishing for a tablet for years. And at first, it was kinda tricky...

  

But now I enjoy it and dont feel as lost as when I started, and dA had a big hand in it, it was here I found tutorials to guide me and awesome artists to inspire me. 

Here I entered collabs, contests and projects. A fun way to improve your skills.

    



And though it saddens me that most of my watchers were friends and classmates that moved on and left dA, I'm still here and will be, and I think I have improved a good deal and hopefully will keep improving.

   
  


Even on my quiet times when I dont post as much, I'm still here.

Happy Birthday deviantART.

Things are going slow, but here's an update.

The personal projects mentioned on the last journal were done within deadlines and a success. I wont post it here or go into details about it, just know I handmade a sort of artbook.

I didn't win the contest I mentioned (and showed the entry) on the last journal, but it's ok, it was a nice challenge and practice. I had fun doing it and tried new things, that's the important part.

It took me a long time (I'm really sorry it took me so long) but I finished the illustration for project. I wanted to do the best I could and I wanted to try some things so it took me longer than usual (plus other things got in the way). I'm happy with how it turned out, even though it took longer than I wish.

And that's about it for now.