Pretty Peculiar is a collection of digital portraits that depict obscure creatures that are bizarre in appearance. When making these portraits, I made them appear painterly; a quality that is normally associated with aesthetically pleasing subjects. By pairing this quality with subjects some may consider unappealing, it creates a sense of visual conflict or duality.

 

I used the “SKETCHBOOK” application by Autodesk on my Microsoft Surface Go. This digital painting is still relatively new to me; most of my previous work is done in watercolors. I travel between Louisiana and Arkansas frequently, so I started practicing digital painting because it was easy to take with me. I also really enjoy the layering option the application offers and utilized it in all my pieces.

           

I chose to paint these peculiar creatures in a “pretty” way, because I want my viewers to be able to visualize something ugly in a way that enables them to find beauty. I hope viewers will adopt open minds and an eye for unusual beauty. I believe that if we        can find beauty in even the most unattractive or boring things         in life, we will live with much more joy. In addition, I also hope to share my love of all bizarre creatures and provide interesting information about them.

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                                                                                   -K.C.M