Sketcheria was originally a blog born in the organic era of social networking back in early 2008, that eventually grew on me and became my studio brand. As a starting blog, it has experienced rapid growth with 700+ daily views, and It felt like opening the doors of my studio, inviting everyone to watch and engage with my creative journey.

A lot has changed since then, with algorithms reshaping the digital landscape. After a decade-long hiatus, I've decided to return to the blogosphere, this time with more modest expectations and, hopefully, a wiser approach to content. The focus remains on the subject matter that initially brought you here: the art-making process.

Now, with the digital dust wiped off, I want to post regularly and extend an invitation for you to peek over my shoulder and join me on this artistic ride. As a storyteller who paints, I'll begin by sharing the portrait of Joana, one of many commissions I undertook during the pandemic lockdown.

Dealing with isolation in this tough period of social distancing, I sought connection with people online. I challenged myself to establish a painting routine, refining a mixed media technique I was developing. The structure of deadlines and the expectations of clients helped me fighting procrastination. I took 55 commissions right off the bat, but as the lockdown days concluded, a shift in working hours and working on location presented new challenges. I still find myself with a handful of portraits left to produce and deliver.

In the upcoming posts, I'll provide glimpses into the process through video clips and some close-up photos. While standard YouTube videos demand considerable time and effort, I've opted for a simpler approach: no fancy vignettes, just a clean cut making-of edition, accompanied by background music. Let's have some fun and enjoy the ride together.

These portraits have all been painted on mixed media, using pastels to block out the drawing, fixing it with matte spray, then painting over with watercolor, guache and colored pencils.