The Do.

Hairdo that is.

Actually, it’s not just about the (hair)do, it’s about ‘doing’ something too.

I was watching the documentary Martha the other night, about Martha Stewart, and she said something that inspired me.

“Learn something new every day, and when you’re through changing, you’re through.”

It’s not like that’s some new idea or anything, but it was all about the timing for me. I’ve been feeling stuck lately… as far as creating anything, that is… so when Martha said that, I had an aha moment.

I’ve been in a rut because I keep doing the same things over and over. I’m not learning anything new. No wonder I feel stuck.

Anyone who’s followed my illustrations knows that I have a problem with “hair.” I can never get it right. Hands as well, but that’s another story for another day.

I decided that, if I really want to get unstuck, I need to follow Martha’s advice. It’s time for me to learn.

So… I know the ‘do’ here is pretty wild, but it’s from a tutorial on how to make cartoon hair. It’s a mop-of-a-do, but I was quite pleased with it because I’ve never made hair like this before. Ever. And now I know how!

Ok, Ok. It looks like she might have stuck her finger in a light socket. OR, maybe she’s punk and she uses lots of mousse and hairspray. Either way, it’s fun and it’s NEW. And super easy!

When I followed the tutor (who sounded like a British robot?), I went with a yellow gradient for the hair and it was WAY too yellow for my liking. I toned it down with a black and white filter, and then added a dash of color to make her pop.

I’m going to continue “learning something new every day,” and for the time being I’m focusing that learning on hair. So… you should be seeing some new dos in the next few days. I’m excited!

Anyway, I think that’s all for now. I just wanted to share my image – and my enthusiasm – I hope you enjoyed!

Until next time,
Peace & love.

“You never know what you can do until you try.” -C.S. Lewis

Here’s the tutorial link, for anyone who’s interested!
Illustrator Cartoon hair tutorial Adobe illustrator