Anatomy of An Artwork: Heather Bellino-McCabe
Anatomy of An Artwork is a new series featuring images by artists of their work surrounded by the tools and materials that went into creating their finished pages. We reached out to a handful of artists on the #sbpprocess tag to share the bare bones behind their completed sketchbook spreads! The first artist featured in our series is Heather Bellino-McCabe, who is currently based in Ibiza, Spain. Read below to find out more about Heather’s work and to see the beautiful images she shared with us!
When did you participate in The Sketchbook Project?
I began my sketchbook on March 5 and finished it on April 2, 2020.
What tools and materials can you not live without?
Right now I am obsessed with Artistro (Extra Fine Point) Paint Markers. They allow me to create the finer details, textures and patterns that I need to achieve the maximalist feel that I aim for. Because we live on an island in the middle of the Mediterranean, it’s not always easy find the vast choice of materials that you would on the mainland or in America, and availability often dictates what I use. I try to experiment with as many different brands as availability allows.
Can you explain some of the materials featured in your photos?
Thoughout the books, I primarily use acrylic paint markers and pens for the color details. I generally start with a pencil sketch and find the Arteza premium pencils to be a great texture for my style of sketching. Then I apply a background layer color using either Amsterdam Acrylic Markers or KoI Coloring Brush Pens. I build up from there by layering more Amsterdam Acrylic Marker and Artistro colors. The more layers I use, the more alive the work becomes. The last thing I do is add black to the pieces to give them a graphic look.
Do you have any tips or tricks to share for artists who want to try out these materials?
In Spain we have been in a mandatory lockdown for almost 4 weeks and any “non-essential” shopping is very difficult, even online. I can’t restock the pens as they are running out so I had to use a bit of acrylic paint work toward the end of the sketchbook. By adding a layer of texture with the Artistro Paint Pens I was able to prevent the pages from sticking together.
What are your favorite subjects to draw?
Birds are a recurring theme in my work but not in the traditional sense. I lean toward a more whimsical style where the birds exhibit some emotion in their eyes or some tension in the way they are presented.
What inspires your vibrant color palettes?
From the beginning of the project I made a decision to incorporate a limited color palette so as to combat decision fatigue. I have always been drawn to vibrant colors. I worked as a Graphic Designer and an Art Director for over 15 years, grew up in South Florida and lived in South Beach. The color palettes exhibit the influence of both as they lean toward the CMYK color model used in graphic design, and also take inspiration from the graffiti, Art Deco, and iconic Miami Vice colors of Miami itself.
How are you staying creative during this time?
The very first thing I do after I grab a coffee in the morning is sketch. I pick up a pad and literally whatever comes up on the paper, comes up. I don’t think about it or anything else and whatever the subject is, it is for me and no one else.
I have loved art since I was a little girl. Art has always been a refuge for me and I would spend hours drawing and painting. However, I was plagued with the curse of perfectionism which became paralyzing. Recently, I have tried to overcome that and just create. I still spend hours fully immersed in whatever I am working on but am newly reacquainted with the process and the experimentation that comes with fine arts. I often find myself hyper-focused on my work to the point that when I am finished with a piece, I am not sure where it came from. I have used this focus in my process during these strange times and have found that it has become meditative. It's even more important than ever to keep creating as a form of therapy.
Do you have any advice for artists who may be struggling with creativity right now?
I think it's easy to feel stuck right now and not know how to exist. There are a couple of things that helped me personally. One thing; one day at a time - even if it's one tiny, little thing a day that takes you less than 10-20 minutes, make something. Not for Instagram, not for a client, not to become the next great artist, just for yourself. The other thing I think is that right now everything can feel overwhelming (especially reading the news) so I choose to limit my choices. I set a fixed color palette of colors and create a study of just one or two objects. This is what helped me get my momentum back.
You can find more of Heather’s artwork on her Instagram @heatherb_mccabe!