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Part 5 of Drawing My Reads 2024 was Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

#my art #ninelivesart #art #procreate #digital art #art 2024 #drawing my reads 2024 #I loved this book #I’m still finishing the second one now though #I tried some older coloring techniques and I still can’t figure out if I love it or hate it #😩😭

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Just an oc doodle that I really liked

#my art #ninelivesart #art #procreate #digital art #art 2024 #I’m trying to completely overhaul his story and it’s been a bit of a challenge #but I love him

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Part 4 of Drawing My Reads 2024 was Zatanna: The Jewel of Gravesend by Alys Arden and Jaqueline De Leon

#my art #ninelivesart #art #procreate #digital art #art 2024 #drawing my reads 2024 #I’ve followed Jaqueline for years on YouTube #she’s an amazing artist #this graphic novel was SAD AF tho #‘I already had her’ is going to stick with me for the rest of my life

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Part 3 of Drawing My Reads 2024 was In Nightfall by Suzanne Young.

This book was basically the Lost Boys but if the vampires were a gang of teenage girls.

#my art #ninelivesart #art #procreate #digital art #drawing my reads 2024 #art 2024 #in nightfall #Suzanne young #I reused my own art for the reflection in the glasses #because I’m lazy and I don’t feel well #and still have art block #anyway I liked this book #I listened to the audio so I forgot what her dress was supposed to look like #pretty sure it was pink but I already returned it so I can’t look it up #I just made this look like the cover too #kinda same concept #because my brain just is not it #anyway so I have POTS and that’s why sometimes things just don’t be doing right

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I just wanted to show y’all my scrapped January Scaller drawing.

I loved this book so much and really wanted to do something for it. But for the life of me I just can’t get this drawing to work.

#my art #ninelivesart #art #procreate #digital art #art 2024 #drawing my reads 2024 #ten thousand doors of January #January scaller #this is why I wanted to practice backgrounds this year #but I just suck at them so bad it ruins the drawing and makes me not want to work on it #I ended up cutting out the background and focusing on the door #but I still hate all the color rending I did #this was actually the second book I read this year #so I’ve given it another go multiple times and reach the same conclusion each time #throwing in the towel

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Part 2 of Drawing My Reads 2024 was A Gathering of Shadows by VE Schwab

#my art #ninelivesart #art #procreate #digital art #art 2024 #drawing my reads #drawing my reads 2024 #shades of magic #Delilah bard #kell maresh #I’m still reading book 3 #but I love this series #anyway I’m still finding my rhythm #but I think I’m getting there #happy with this one

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I just got done saying I had art block and then turned around and did something.

Anyway…

Drawing My Reads 2024: Part 1 was Unfamiliar by Haley Newsome

A cute YA graphic novel about a witch moving into a haunted house.

#my art #ninelivesart #art #procreate #digital art #art 2024 #drawing my reads 2024 #unfamiliar Haley Newsome #this is actually my seventh read of the year but I’ve been struggling with other drawings #and this one had such a cute character design that I couldn’t wait #tried a few different things with coloring this time #works really well for her but not sure how it’ll work with my darker stuff

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Drawing My Reads 2024

I'm still debating on whether or not I want to continue the challenge I started last year. I very much do want to, however, I've been dealing with extreme art block. I'm also planning on changing my self appointed rules a bit.

I have started a few sketches and then scrapped them because I hated them. SO here is a comprehensive list of my 2024 reads. Which will link to the drawings. At some point. When I no longer hate them, I guess.

As usual, books that are sequels will have an asterisk followed by the first book in parenthesis. Links will take you to the completed art for that book (I don't draw for every book). A ~ indicates that it was an audiobook.

January

When She Dances* by Ruby Dixon (When She's Ready)

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas (Reread)

Bookshops & Bonedust* by Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes)~

House of Sky and Breath* by Sarah J. Maas (House of Earth and Blood. Reread)

February

House of Flame and Shadow* by Sarah J. Maas (House of Earth and Blood)

Unfamiliar by Haley Newsome

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix

Halfling by S.E. Wendel

A Gathering of Shadows* by V.E. Schwab (A Darker Shade of Magic)

Choosing Theo by Victoria Aveline

A Conjuring of Light* by V.E. Schwab (A Darker Shade of Magic)

In Nightfall by Suzanne Young~

March

Freeing Luka* by Victoria Aveline (Choosing Theo)

Zatanna: The Jewel of Gravesend by Alys Arden and Jaqueline De Leon

The Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo

Court of the Vampire Queen by Katee Robert

Miles Morales: Suspended* by Jason Reynolds (Miles Morales: Spider-Man)~

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Ruthless Vows* by Rebecca Ross (Divine Rivals)

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher~

Bride by Ali Hazlewood

Saving Verakko* by Victoria Aveline (Choosing Theo)

April

The Prince of Prohibition by Marilyn Marks

Total so far: 25

#drawing my reads 2024 #honestly my biggest issue rn is that I hate my coloring

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I’ve been struggling to make art lately. But here’s some spooky sharp friends and their human (maybe?).

#art #my art #ninelivesart #procreate #digital art #art 2024 #not book art for once #I saw a picture of two gators intertwined but one was pure white #and it sparked an idea #I’ve been working on this off and on for like a month but I’m ready to call it done #fun fact! I’ve pet gators #and held them #they were very nice

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About Me (Kind of)

Doing this Drawing My Reads challenge this last year, made me realize there's a lot people don't know about me. You don't have to know anything about me, of course. But since I've had an uptick in followers, I thought I'd share a few things anyway. For context.

I'm a librarian! Technically a Library Clerk because I don't have my Master's. But this last year I got promoted to Programming Clerk. And I specifically run my library's Makerspace. Which means I get to play with cool, creative machines all day. This also means that I sometimes get to just vibe to audiobooks and draw stupid stuff (it's ideal). My primary focus at the moment is our laser printer. So I will 1000% be adding those creations into my rotation soon. Expect to see some SVG files and wooden bookmarks and things on my Etsy shop soon.

2. That being said, it's important to note that I hardly ever pay for books. I have access to a full library 40 hours a week. So please don't think I'm out here spending hundreds of dollars on these books. I very rarely pay for them.

3. My education is in books. I have a degree in English and Literature. I minored in Journalism. I didn't get to go to art school because there just weren't a lot of options for me back then. So I am a self-taught artist. And I'm lucky to have found a job that combines both of my passions.

4. I am a fully adult woman. I read a lot of very adult books. I'm closer to 40 than 20 and I have a teenage son. Please keep that in mind when interacting with me.

5. My reading tastes can sometimes seem contradictory. I love romances but I tend to stick to fantasy and scifi. I don't do contemporaries very often. And I don't read classics because chances are, I've already read it, analyzed it, wrote an essay on it, and read it again. I did my time and now I'm in debt for classic literature. I'm just trying to have fun. So sometimes I might diss a popular book and be very critical about it. And then turn around and wax poetic about alien smut. I don't expect much from the alien smut. I do expect more from serious books.

6. I pick my reads with a randomizer! This is why I sometimes take a long time getting to a sequel. I have made exceptions for a series I wanted to continue right away. And sometimes I roll again if I'm not in the mood for the book I got. I'm going to try to be a little stricter on this in 2024 though. With the exception of the audio books I listen to at work. I always search Libby for what's available now so I'm not wasting my work time, searching every book on my TBR to see if it's in.

7. You are more than welcome to send me suggestions! I'll probably just stick them on my TBR so I can't guarantee I'll read it quickly. But if you think I'll like it, feel free to recommend it. I'm also happy to talk books with you if you need someone to vent to about a book you know I've read.

8. You are also welcome to add me on Storygraph (beautawn) or TikTok (NineLivesArt). I'm stepping away from Goodreads, so you probably won't see a lot of updates on there. But I post drawing videos on TikTok and I update my Storygraph pretty regularly.

9. However, I don't do reviews! Why? They make me uncomfy! Sometimes I really need to marinate with a book before I decide if I like it or not. Rating systems make me anxious. And my mood alters my decisions. I also don't like being mean. I'm fine talking about my feelings with other readers, but I don't like leaving reviews. Especially if I plan to make art for it. Don't want to draw a lovely portrait and then bash the book.

10. I do plan to continue this project into the new year. But I am planning on doing it a little different. I have some other (non book related) projects I want to work on, and I want to push myself to focus more on the things I need to improve. I really want to focus on environments this year, so I'll be drawing scenes from the book instead. Which means I may not draw a book even if I loved it.

Thank you for following my reading/art journey! I didn't expect this silly little project to have such a positive response. I love when people talk books with me and I actually made friends with a few authors this year! So overall, it's been a very positive experience and I'm ready to jump into the New Year and see what it brings!

#frequently asked questions #that weren't actually asked #just thought i'd provide some context #for why i am the way that I am #and why i read what i read

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2023 Draw My Reads

Here is a full list of all the books I read in 2023 and links to the art I’ve made for them.

Just a few quick notes. I didn’t make art for everything I read. I also fell off the wagon a bit toward the end and went through an art block. Not sure if I’ll continue this project into 2024 but I might do some variation. We’ll see.

Also, I read some absolutely filthy (and ridiculous) stuff sometimes. So be warned.

*Sequels will have an asterisk. First book in series will be in parenthesis.

Keep reading

#drawing my reads 2023 #reblogging this updated and finished list for the new year #not sure how i'm going to go about 2024 #i still want to do some variation of this project #but focus more on the things i need to improve on #for example #actually drawing out full scenes rather than just the characters standing around #but i also shortened my reading goal so that I have more time to just breathe and enjoy the books i'm reading #i've got some pretty big beasts on my tbr that i skipped in favor of smaller books just so i could read my goal #i also went through a bit of a stressy depsressy and hyperfocused on ruby dixons books just because they're short and easy #and then fell of the wagon entirely toward the end #i've mostly just been playing the sims #anyway happy new year

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Part 30 of Drawing My Reads was Throne in the Dark by A.K. Caggiano.

#my art #ninelivesart #art #procreate #digital art #art 2023 #drawing my reads #this book was unexpectedly very funny #I laughed out loud a lot #it did feel like it was a bit longer than it needed to be #so I’m a bit reluctant to start the next one yet #but I did enjoy it

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Final pumpkin update! It’s finished!

Voting starts on Monday so wish me luck.

#my art #ninelivesart #art #art 2023 #sjm pumpkin #sjm books

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Pumpkin update!

We are in the “trust the process” stage of development.

I got the flat colors down and added a bit of shading and blush to the cheeks to give them some depth. Unfortunately I’m limited on colors since I only have the 28 color set. And these markers don’t layer well so I’m afraid to go in with anymore shading or fixing. The ink did crackle in a few places where it came out too thick. But I’m not overly worried about it yet.

I also think the black is just a little too thick for me to get the thin lines I want. So I’m going to try a really fine tip felt marker and see if that works. I’m hoping once I get the lines and background colors in, it’ll start to come together more.

#my art #ninelivesart #art #pumpkin #sjm #sjm pumpkin

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Pumpkin update!

So I’m dumb and idk why it didn’t occur to me that I could just paste the designs onto the pumpkin and paint over them. They don’t need to be perfect. I just needed them as a guide anyway 😅

#my art #ninelivesart #art #pumpkin #sjm #sjm pumpkin #they’re a little wonky because some of them (aelin and Bryce) took up a lot of space #anyway I’m letting this dry and I’ll start painting tomorrow

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I’m having a bit of an artist dilemma and I’m hoping someone might be able to help.

Every year my work does a pumpkin decorating contest (painted, not carved). And the prompt is always “Favorite book character.”

This year I thought it would be fun to do all the main SJM girls. I also bought a pack of acrylic paint pens just for my pumpkin.

However, I usually work digitally and wanted to draw up my designs digitally just to play it safe. Since you can’t really sketch on a pumpkin.

Now I’m stuck trying to figure out how to get the designs onto the pumpkin. Nothing I’ve tried so far has worked. I tried to decoupage the images but they just peeled right off. I then downloaded a paid app that’s supposed to superimpose your images over the camera. Great in theory. Didn’t work out for this particular project.

And now I’m back at square one. I considered the old pencil tracing technique but the designs are just too detailed and I know it won’t come out visible enough to be worth the effort.

The only other thing I’ve thought of is a projector. But since I have no plans to use it for tv, I don’t know what to look for. I still want something relatively affordable. But I’m not looking for something to project big images. The pumpkin is fairly small even for a pumpkin. I know I’ll probably use it for canvases. But I still don’t want to shell out the money for something unless I’m sure it’ll do what I want it to do. And we don’t really have a store here that I can go browse and talk to people.

Also I did consider a home made projector but to get it to do what I need, I’d have to buy so many supplies that I may as well just buy a real one.

So that’s where I’m at. I had this issue last year too and i ended up giving up just because nothing worked out. I’m hoping I can get at least one of these ladies on my pumpkin this year.

If you have any ideas or know of a good projector I can buy, I’d be really grateful.

#my art #ninelivesart #art #procreate #digital art #art 2023 #art dilemma #sjm #yes I’ve used some of these lines already before #Nesta is a full piece I already did #feyres is a redo of an old feyre drawing of mine #and aelin’s was a redo of my drawing of lara from the bridge kingdom #I thought she had the right energy and I’ve been going through a bit of an art block #Bryce’s is completely new though #anyway idk what else to do and I’m already frustrated #I only have about 2 weeks to finish it #last year I just gave up and turned my pumpkin into madame leota #I won 2nd place but we ended up not doing ranking beyond 1st #so I only won the knowledge that I won 2nd #also feyres dress is unfinished because I was going to cover it in silver stars or actual glitter

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Part 29 of Drawing My Reads was Flowerheart by Catherine Bakewell

#my art #ninelivesart #art #procreate #digital art #art 2023 #drawing my reads #flowerheart #Catherine Bakewell #this was a cute ya book #gave howls moving castle vibes #but also a lot of unexpectedly queer characters #which was a pleasant surprise