INKandescence 2021: Steampunk

This is a collection of my hand-drawn pen and ink illustrations, based on Inktober 2021 prompts. Inktober is a yearly word association drawing game played by thousands of people all around the world.

This year I approached Inktober in a unique way: I offered my audience a chance to actually appear in my art as characters. For instance, a colorist named Crystal Miller booked the first day with an assigned word (prompt) “Crystal,” and she volunteered her two girls to be featured. I drew the kids growing out of a crystal cluster. In this way the entire book was created with actual people (and in some cases their pets) as characters. 

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The trickiest part was to make every participant somehow reflect their assigned word. Some people knew the exact prompt they wanted, while others just gave me a general idea of their self image, and left me to make it work with the available words. As an extra challenge I set out to do the whole collection in a steampunk style. 

For every day of October, I released a photo of a drawing, done in markers and fine-liners. That is thirty one drawings. The photos below are of my original drawings and a teaser for what will be inside the colorable published book. Enjoy the pics.

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One lucky collector may also purchase the original bundle of signed drawings. Read all the offer details HERE

ORIGINAL INKANDESCENCE ART

INKandescence – my audience reacts

Setting my very personal and vulnerable art, Inkandescence, into the world as an interactive art book was, to say the least, terrifying.

“Lisa, this could be your best book yet. I think it’s genius!” – Dee Myles (fan and artist)

I was fully prepared for trolls, haters, and critics, but am pleasantly surprised by the warm reception.

Dune Dancer colored by Tiffany Kleinsteuber

“I’ve watched you bloom from your very first book all the way through to now. It has been a privilege and a trip to watch and to take part in it. I always knew you were a great artist, but you only grow better! Exquisite art! Bravo Lisa! Bravo!” – Madame Laurie (fan, colorist, art student)

I was also pleasantly surprised by this amazing write-up on my book by Colouring Heaven Magazine. Read article here.

The people who are already coloring the pages, have much praise as well. I found that many colorists enjoy working with colored pencils directly on top of the dark photographs that are featured in the book, while others prefer the grey-scale line art versions of the pages. Likewise, my digital colorists are having a blast.

Inkandescence is available in print as well as a PDF download.

Harebrained colored by Isolina Aviles

I’m a realist though. I fully understand that this book is not for everyone. For some it’s too racy. For some it’s too dark. For some it’s just too detailed. I’ve learned a long time ago that if you try to please everyone, you will please no one.
My aim with Inkandescence wasn’t to release a popular and “safe” book. There’re plenty of those out on the market already. My book is for those who are like me: artistic, daring, different, somewhat on the dark side but not stereotypically gothic, and ultimately positive and energetic.

I’m thrilled that those who don’t fancy this work, just walk on by without leaving hurtful comments, while whose who appreciate the work take the time to let me know.
Granted, it’s only been a week since the book’s release.

I’m thrilled to see how new audiences react in a few weeks when Inkandescence will be reviewed by multiple YouTubers. Stay tuned for those updates and announcements.

Hide and Seek colored by Tiffany Kleinsteuber

Most of all, I enjoy seeing the colorings and reading about your interpretations of my drawings.

I hope to hear from YOU.

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Eye Candy colored by Mel Flay

Stay dark. Stay humorous. Stay positive. These attributes don’t have to be mutually exclusive.