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W.I.P. of “Merlin”…
I have seriously beat my record of ‘fastest’ painting from start to finish (well…almost). I started this painting at 8:15 a.m. and plan to finalize tomorrow night. I cannot wait to get prints and start selling to help-out Hockman Ranch. More details to come.
Painting with a purpose…
…for a cause, for an organization, to help others. Painting WITH purpose surpasses the basic level of accomplishment any artist could ever comprehend. “Merlin” (pictured above) is the first in a mini series to raise money to help Hockman Ranch, a farm sanctuary located in Oregon, that takes-in abused and neglected farm animals that would have suffered a slow, painful death and/or slaughtered. As an animal lover and artist with a passion to help others, I will be donating all sales of my prints to help feed, shelter and care for Merlin and his friends. I will be posting the link to Hockman Ranch and it’s First Annual Artist Event.
Adding some finishing touches tomorrow…
I got sucked into this illustration and hope to finish tomorrow night. My next project involves horses, chickens, goats and the beauty of an animal rescue farm I will be helping. Too tired to delve tonight (ran 7 miles and have been up since 6 a.m. doing my domestic diva and mommy thing).
Sight for sore eyes…
…or fingers. Not sure where my mind will take this one, but I am feeling like I needed a little diversion. My little “break” comes in the form of participating in a 48 hour cyber sketch fest with random prompts (inspiration) from other artists. I claimed “Monster Fingers.”. A bit of a 180 from my usual whimsical fantasy genre, but it felt liberating to explore the possibilities as I literally, stared at my hand. The minute etchings of my fingerprints made me think of eyes…thus the creepy eye balls glaring from my flesh. The blue sky in the background provided a tranquil stage for the finger freak show. I think I will sleep with the lights on tonight…or, with mittens.
Sketch Fest #30…
Timed sketch: 43 min. Prompt: Finger Monsters This is going to be a bit creeeeeepy!
Portraiture and perceptions…
How do YOU perceive yourself? If an artist were to paint your portrait, what defining facial features would you want showcased? It is interesting to think of such open-ended scenarios when attempting to capture the “essence” of a human subject. For example, when I painted my daughter’s fairy portrait (pictured above) I emphasized her large, blue eyes. When creating fantasy portraiture, compared to traditional/realist portraits, I always focus on my model’s dominant feature(s). I am not into tracing a light table version of a person. If that is the desired effect, fine. However, I personally feel it is not a true essence of one’s energy. If you want a picture for your photo album/wallet, fine…go to a photo studio and get snap shots. If you want something original, sentimental and magical…have an artist do a portrait. I’ve grown to love the portraits created by my fellow artist friends depicting memorial portraits of a loved one, the painting to announce the birth of a new baby, or any lifetime milestone. There is just something special about the human creating and capturing the likeness and life of another. Just my humble opinion.
Parting is such sweet sorrow…
…but I have business expenses. The time has come and I need to start selling off my original paintings. It is like saying goodbye to a dear friend, but as many artists know; it is inevitable. The late nights, the time spent hunched over the drafting table, and hours of your life are sold for a monetary amount. I’ve struggled with this aspect of being an artist since I was first asked “how much are you selling that for?” The very question sends my right-brained, number impaired artsy brain into a confused state. How does one put a price on their work? How do you quantify the value of your vision on paper? What is “acceptable” and what is plain lunacy? So many questions. Artistic rhetorical ramblings…
Mission complete…
I have to admit I am a little sad to finish the final illustration in my ‘Fairy Tale Fantasy’ series. The journey started over a year ago and has spanned from the lonely tower of Rapunzel’s land, to the troll castle in “East of the Sun, West of the Moon.” While the plans of a second fairy tale series are already in the works, I already miss their world. From the time I was a little girl, I read every version of my favorite stories possible. I escaped into their realities through art, writing my own versions, and penning poems inspired by their plights. Maybe, when I feel brave enough I will share…
Progress and emotional paralysis…
Still feeling pretty under the weather and a bit bummed-out, to say the least. Not really in the mood to delve, so instead; I will share my current WIP…
Purple Eggplants 