Daily Doodles

© 2022 // Illustrations + designs by Ardith Ibañez Nishii

I’m drawing again!

I decided to do a doodle every day for 40 days. The last time I attempted a self-imposed Lenten daily doodle challenge, I only made it to Doodle #27. Below are some of my ballpoint sketches from that time period.

For this year’s daily doodles, I’m using my iPad, Apple Pencil, and Adobe Fresco. Would love to try Procreate. So far, these digital doodles are taking about 30 minutes to 1 hour. The outlier was #5. That Duran Duran one probably took about 3 hours — 2 for the portrait and 1 hour obsessing over the type and color of the number 5. My goal is to limit my time to 30 minutes. We’ll see.

For the full story on each doodle, check out my ardith_the_ardith Instagram feed. You’ll notice that the last posts were from 2015. I have been locked out of that account and finally figured out how to log in recently!

It feels good to create art again.

© 2015 // Illustrations by Ardith Ibañez Nishii

Today’s 4-min Doodle (for Liz)

Today’s doodle is inspired by my good friend, Liz, whose birthday was today. I love that she always makes time to send traditional snail mail greeting cards and thank you cards. She alone probably keeps Papyrus in business! (Their logo is a hummingbird.)

4-min Daily Doodles for 40 Days

For Lent this year, I’ve decided to draw a 4-min doodle every day. Today’s doodle is inspired by my friends, Tom and Thomas, who I’ve known for 18+ years. They are 2 of the sweetest people on planet Earth. I love how they make time for community work despite their busy schedules. (Tom has owned a few Boston Terriers over the years in case you were wondering about the dog.)

Drawing Again!

I always need a deadline to push me to draw more than a doodle.  Tonight’s final deadline for the 2015 Communication Arts Illustration Competition was as good a reason as any… The piece is inspired by the tendency of feeling like I have no ideas when I need them the most.  It’s as if my mind were completely blank with the soundtrack of crickets in the background.  Ironically, when I want to try to relax and put my mind to rest, that’s exactly when my brain starts buzzing with no off switch within reach.

It feels good to draw again.

Interview with Ardith on “The Art Directed Life”

I am proud to be featured this week on the art blog, “The Art Directed Life.”

(The story behind the photo: Here’s a collage that I created with one of my illustrations.  I felt weird submitting a picture without my son, Cedro, so I included his sippy cup.  (a) He is obsessed with Lightning McQueen right now, and (b) I have been known to drink the rest of his drinks at the end of the day straight from his cup.)

Superhero Character for the Stan Lee Foundation

Super Happy Baby!!!! © Illustration by Ardith Ibañez Nishii

My latest drawing is a submission for the Stan Lee Foundation creative invite to design a superhero.  Of course, this is a perfect excuse for me to use Cedro as a muse.  My superhero is Super Happy Baby!!!!! He can fly!  He can dance!  And he can make ANYONE happy just with his laugh/giggle and golden, sunshine-like radiance.  PLUS he has the ability to make anyone an amazing dancer!  Imagine that!  Wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone were happy and knew how to dance well?

(Voting starts on February 8th, 2011 and ends on February 14th, 2011.)

Pacquiao Shirts are Here (Again)!

 

Revised Pacquiao: Living Legend design © Design by Barkada(ko) Art + Design

Still Christmas shopping?  Look no further!  We’ve redesigned our Pacquiao shirts to comply with the Zazzle content guidelines.  (We think.)  Hopefully, the new shirts will be up there for more than 24 hours!  For those of you who tried to purchase shirts for the Pacquiao vs. Margarito fight, we apologize for the inconvenience. 

Revised Pacquiao: Pride of the Philippines design. © Design by Barkada(ko) Art + Design

Pacquiao: Shadows Boxing design © Design by Barkada(ko) Art + Design

Tito Manny is My Hero! © Design by Barkada(ko) Art + Design

Exhibition One Hundred Exhibit Closing Day

I wasn’t able to attend the opening reception so I feel fortunate that I had a chance to swing by the gallery space today.  The experience means so much to me on so many different levels.  First, it’s a thrill to see my work on display IN PUBLIC.  It’s the same feeling I get when I bump into someone out and about who happens to be wearing a Barkada(ko) tshirt.  Second, it’s an honor to see my work alongside those of esteemed artists.  Third, it simply makes me happy that I’m drawing again.  Fourth, with my new muse, baby Cedro, in my life, I feel so inspired and motivated to create more art. (Just need to find a way to do it with this breastfeeding lifestyle!)

original charcoal drawing

And last but not least, the act of going to Hollywood with Cedro on my own is a BIG deal!  Leaving the house lately tends to require a 2-hour ritual of feeding, changing, diaper-bag-prepping and emergency-bottle-prepping on top of changing myself into a presentable nursing-friendly outfit, putting on a little makeup to disguise the fact that I’m sleep-deprived, packing some water and a snack for myself, packing whatever I need for my final destination and looking up directions in case my navigation thingie on my phone poops out.

Thanks to my husband, Brian, we were able to get out the door together in 35 minutes!  So, out we went in the Nishii-mobile minivan.  We dropped off Brian at his audiobook recording gig in Studio City so I could have access to the car and continued on to Hollywood at the A & I Gallery.  I feel more and more empowered to run errands on my own with Cedro and generally live life beyond our little apartment!  It feels like yesterday when I felt like it would be next to impossible to leave the house at all!  I’ve definitely come a long way.

Cedro, my model and muse

So here’s to new beginnings!  To the rebirth of my artistic career and to my new life as a mommy.

While today is the closing day of the exhibit at A & I Gallery, you can continue to purchase a print at the Exhibition One Hundred website.  I must give a shout-out to Barkada(ko) supermodel and superfriend, Cat Jimenez, founder and curator of Edition One Hundred.  Thank you, Cat, for believing in me.

Edition One Hundred Art Show

"Love Comes First" by Ardith Ibañez Nishii... featured on Edition One Hundred

I am pleased to announce that (a) I am drawing again! and (b) one of my drawings has been selected to be a part of the Edition One Hundred “Freedom + Revolution” show!  What is Edition One Hundred?  It’s a curated online gallery of limited edition art prints.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend the opening art reception on October 2nd.  (I’ll be in norcal for a cousin’s wedding.)  The LA launch party sounds like another spectacular event put on by my dear friend and founder of EOH, Cat Jimenez.  I encourage you all to attend!

For more info:

• Edition One Hundred
• Edition One Hundred Launch Event
• About My Piece

Kors d’Oeuvres Launch!

Now that Pacquiao has won, let’s eat!

Our friend, Korey Provencher, from Isaac Mizrahi has been working on his own side project — Kors d’Oeuvres!!! Isn’t that cute! We helped him with his logo and label designs. Hope those of you in the NYC area will check out the launch this coming Saturday, November 21st, 2009!  Hope to see you then!!!!