robot illustrations

I’m a WIP

A pencil-esq digital drawing of a robot head among a large bouquet of flowers; including daisies, roses, dandelions, forget-me-nots, and lilacs.
| Leslie Born

I’ve only been using Procreate for a few months now, so obviously there is still a lot I’m learning. But I’m enjoying every step. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve said “that’s what that does?!”, or “it can do that?!”. I’m really enjoying getting to flex my creativity again.

Procreate automatically creates a time lapse video of what is done in each picture and can be exported! I’ve realized that my starting process is pretty clunky and it makes me giggle to watch the video:

Whenever I get a new idea for a new robot friend, I create a new canvas and scribble or sketch my idea. Then I don’t come back to it until I’m ready to do it completely. (“Tie, cliche Father’s Day”)

Then I do a hasty “pencil” sketch. Like most base sketches it’s pretty messy, but it’s a building layer. I figure out placement, guages, gadgets and faces.

After that it’s refining the outlines and filling in colours. A lot more clean. I’m guessing this stage will evolve as I go, but it may not I don’t know. These robot friends are in a very different style that I’ve ever done before, so I really mean it when I say I’m on this supermurgitroid journey not knowing where it’s going!

I recently did a more “formal” portrait of a robot friend, (the feature picture for this post), and it felt nice to make something that felt a bit more like my old style. I have yet to do a robot friend in watercolour paint, not sure if I will or if it will be weird. This is where I’m a WIP. This is all new to me. I’ve got a lot to learn about what I’m doing, where I’m going and what that looks like. But I’m grateful you’re on this journey with me – it’s nice to have company!

Take care,

Leslie

Learning New Things

| Leslie Born

I was very young when I was introduced to Disney, as most of us were. It struck a chord in me that has never stopped reverberating. I instantly wanted to become an animator. I dreamed of one day working for Disney and working on their movies.

Life took other paths for me though, and while I never stopped drawing or creating, I definitely put animating on the shelf and assumed I’d never get to go forward in that path.

Fast forward, many years, to last month when I finally downloaded Procreate. I know it’s nothing new, it’s been around for a long time, but I’ve been talking myself out of getting the app since its creation. I was very good at doubting myself and my abilities, and was very capable of talking myself out of spending the $15 CAD on a “silly little app”. 

It has brought me immense joy though. I am so intrigued with being able to draw digitally and have it look as though it’s with paper and a tangible medium.  Sometimes it feels like cheating, and sometimes it’s hard to get used to – there’s something about seeing the pencil hit the paper.

BUT I had no idea before a few weeks ago that it was possible to animate using the program.  And it’s extremely simple. I wouldn’t say it’s intuitive, I had to watch a couple tutorials. BUT now I am able to play with animation. I’m a learning animator!  I’m beside myself. I giggle when I get something to move the way I want it to. I’m slowly bringing my robot friends to life.

I’ve decided to dub the 18th of each month “Robot Day” and I’ll be sharing an animated robot friend and a little of their back story, what makes them tick, or special little tidbits they want to share about themselves. I cannot wait to share them with you!  Be sure to follow Supermurgitroid_Leslie on Instagram and meet all my robot friends!

Take care,

Leslie

https://media.giphy.com/media/i1NLFI5a1hVhrofsmn/giphy.gif
One of my first attempts with animating Robot No. 3.

Why Supermurgitroid?

Supermurgitroid Robot No. 3 is an atomic, mid century modern inspired robot. They are round, with green and teal accents.
| Leslie Born

I have always been fascinated by Mid Century Modern art (which I’ll get into another day), and recently I was doing some research and came across a website that listed 1950s slang. I found my two new favourite words there: Ginchiest and Supermurgitroid.

Then came my robot friends, and I kept trying to think of something fun to name my artist shop that had to do with robots. 

I kept going back to supermurgitroid because it reminds me of Snagglepuss (Heaven’s to Murgatroyd); it sounds like it should actually be a word relating to technology or science; it’s fun to say; and it’s very cool and exciting that I’m finally sharing my art with the world!

This has all left a mark on my timeline that I am so proud of. I’m proud of my robots, I’m proud of myself for taking this step, I’m proud of the amount of time that I’ve been able to put into this.  The last 2.5 years have been a struggle (as I know they have for most, but this story is also for another day), and spending time on Supermurgitroid has reminded me about what I love to do for me.

Right now I’m revelling in the fun that has come from having some kind of robot portal in my imagination, and getting all my robot friends into the world!

To see more of my friends, they’re all posted on the Supermurgitroid by Leslie page (link below in logo), on my Threadless Artist Shop or on Instagram – please come by and say hi!