Happy 2015

Sick End of the Year

Well, I had hoped to post at least one last finished picture but I have been sick since the day after Christmas. The flu/cold is a real pain, been coughing so much that my stomach muscles now hurt. Really bad when you feel horrible and it means you are feeling better than you were!

Ah well, 2014 has been a strange year, my son is now living with us and that is good and bad. He has issues and needs to get himself help but he is trying and I am happy no matter what just to know my boy is safe and alive and that he is where I can do what I can to help him. I hope 2015 is the year he gets himself on track and happy.

Hope you all have a great New Years Eve, I am sure I will be home sick still.

Last Picture of the Year

I suspect this will be the last picture I finish before the end of the year. I started it a while back and just got back to it. Not 100% sure where it is going, but I like it so far. "Elf Spirit" working title, 15 x 11 Acrylic and Micron pen on Canson board.

Coronet Design WIP

I was just contacted via email about doing new coronets for a Barony in Northsheild  (look up SCA kingdoms for more information). After discussing some ideas I came up with this rough idea. The circles and white dots would be jewels when done, not sure of the colors on those yet. I will be doing at least one more design idea before they settle on what they want.

Little Leaf

My tiny BJD now has wings and hair (still waiting on his new eyes). I made the wings out of recycled plastic from a package. I cut and shaped them then painted the lines with Acrylic and use Iridescent Acrylic medium and tiny jewels to finish them. I am still not 100% happy with the hair, but I am working out the problems. Leaf is only 4 inches tall and is a Fairyland PukiPuki.

   

Book End Books

Here is the side view and side view from above of the rest of the bookend I painted for my friend Karen. Which in the Woods is the upright book, the front of which I posted earlier.

Book Cover Sort Of

Our friend and former roommate, Karen, asked me to repaint a bookend she bought. It is a stack of books and she wanted the titles etc. painted on the spines and I decided that the full book front needed a cover.  This was a commission that is now going to be a Christmas present.  "Witch in the Woods", 4 x 6 1/2 approx. Acrylic on wood. There is glare at the top from the flash. (I will post the side and show the rest of this bookend once it is finished. Picture 73.

Transformation Finished

As always, I could work on this for hours or days longer, but I will stop now. "Kirin Transformation", 8 x 14, Acrylic, Pro White and Prisma Color on Canson board. Original and prints available. Picture 72.

Good Article

http://freethoughtblogs.com/godlessness/2014/12/07/jesus-was-not-a-queer-ally/

New Picture Needs Background

Here is the newest picture I am working on, the figure is not done yet, but I have no clue what I am doing for a background. Any suggestions will be appreciated. "Kirin Transformation" WIP, 14 x 8, Acrylic on Canson board.

Japanese Ox Finished

I think this is done, I am fairly pleased with it and hope the person who commissioned it likes it. This is based on prints from the 1500's and the background is the Kagoshima Volcano (as requested by the client) and it is also based on Japanese prints of the volcano. "Ox Samurai Archer", 8 x 18, Acrylic, Micron pen, watercolor colored pencil and ProWhite on Canson board. Prints available. Picture 71.

Propper Art Practices

(I wrote this for one of the online art communities I am involved in but feel this simple thing which should be common knowledge needs to be spread to any and all artists who might come across it. Feel free to repost it wherever you think artists may benefit from the information).

OK, I have seen this so many times on here and other sites I just have to say something. Many very good artists, many who I am sure consider themselves professional, fail to leave room on their work for matting and framing! You should ALWAYS leave at least 1/2 inch border around your work that can be covered with the matt/frame without cutting off any of the picture! If you do traditional work you should have been taught this from the start.
NO art should EVER be framed/put under glass without a matt! The matt keeps the glass from sitting on the art and prevents condensation or heat from making the art stick to the glass! If you value your own work, please NEVER frame without a matt if there is glass (of plexiglass) and ALWAYS leave a border to allow matting/framing without covering up part of your work!!

Helping Another Artist

On Weasyl an artist I follow posted a WIP and needed help on their human figure/face. This is for them and will be removed when they are done with it. Finbar WIP redraw. Aricla, I drew in pencil over your work and then did a red marker of it to help you see what I did. The eye shape and position is lower and the eye lid is actually on top of one of the lines you had for the eye. The head as you can see needed a lot more roundness. The wings I am less detailed with but I hope I give you enough of an idea of what I think would work best. Look at real wings to do your version and get them more realistic...position is the main thing my drawing is trying to show you on them. Hope this helps!

Japanese Ox Commission WIP 3

Well, I have only part of the color in, but wanted to get the costumers OK before continuing...that pattern is a PAIN and if he doesn't like it, I would rather not have done all the work and then have to cover it on both sides. So here is WIP 3.

Japanese Commission WIP 2

Here is the mostly finished inks for this commission. Micron pen on Canson board.

Japanese Commission Start

I was commissioned at Pennsic to do two Japanese style pictures, one was the Samurai Turtle Archer posted earlier this year and now I have started the second one. This is a Samurai Ox Archer, done in 1500's style Japanese armor. This is the first rough sketch. 18 1/2 x 8, pencil on Canson board.

New Book Cover Help

Early next year I hope to have my next art book printed. It will be all female, mostly Elven or human but also with a few anthros. I need to figure out which (if any) of these work best as the cover. Everyone's opinion is welcome so please let me know what you think.

New Faerie

Sometimes I get inspired and do work that is not planned. I have commissions to do but this wanted out...not sure I am thrilled with it, but it is done. "Faerie Amazon", 8 x 11, Acrylic, Watercolor colored pencil and gel pen on Canson board. Original and prints available. Picture 70.

Another Possible Card Design

I don't think I have ever done this many pictures to possibly use as our holiday cards. Here is yet another one, I like it for several reasons. My mother's maiden name was Fox and when I was born there were 4 real live baby foxes in the house with me (my father's boss had killed the mother and found the kits. He gave them to my dad and he brought them home. One stayed as a pet for a long time, even moved to an apartment with us. One died, one ran away and one was given to family as a pet.) So when I did the background of this picture with no figure in it and my husband suggested I put a fox in it, I loved the idea. So here is "Winter Fox", 8 1/2 x 5 1/2, Acrylic, ProWhite, watercolor colored pencil on Canson paper. Original and prints available. Picture 69.

New Holiday Card Idea

OK, I think this will be one of our cards this year. It isn't very Christmas or Holiday related really, but I like it and so does my husband. "Saint Wolf", 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, Micron pen, Acrylic and Pro White on Canson paper. SOLD, prints available. Picture 68.

JAW Cooper Art Giveaway

http://jawcooper.blogspot.com/2014/11/original-drawing-give-away-thank-you-so_17.html

New Art Naked Woman

I finished this a few days ago but the weather has not cooperated in letting me get a good picture of it, so I took this one inside and will have o get a better one when the weather clears up. The title has no meaning, it was just all I could think of when trying to name this (if you have a better name idea I would love to hear it). The somewhat odd size is because I did it specifically to fit a lovely frame I found. This is "The Kingfishers Wife", 10 x 21 1/2, Acrylic, Pro White and watercolor colored pencil on Canson board. SOLD, prints available. Picture 67.

Another New Doll Pic

I am still trying to figure out his name, and he still needs hair and wings, but here is another picture of him in a small tea cup. I got the cup at Goodwill a while back, it is really very nice.

And Yet Another Card Design

Another card design that I fear doesn't work. I am still trying to come up with a Holiday card design, I have 2 more in the works...not having a lot of luck this year. "Cardinals in White Tree", 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, Acrylic and white jell pen on blue paper. Original available.
 Picture 66.

Inktober 7 Revised

I did a line drawing in ink of a Leaping Koi for my 7th Inktober  picture. Looking at it for a while I decided it needed color, so here is the revised/colored "Leaping Koi". It is Micron pen, white jell pen and Copic marker on grey toned paper. Original and prints for sale.

New Tiny Doll

I just got my first PukiPuki from Fairyland. He is very tiny only 4 inches tall. I did the faceup/face design (all subject to change).. He still needs hair and new eyes. He is going to be a faerie and I am working on getting or making him wings. Amazing how articulated and detailed he is at such a small size. I hade to use a magnifying visor to see clear enough to paint him. No name yet.

New Kittens

My camera and computer finally worked together again. So here are pictures of our new kittens, Jaeger and Kaiju. Jaeger is the boy and the one with the uneven markings, Kaiju is the girl and has the beautiful leopard/ocelot like markings.  

Second Design Idea

OK, here is the second design idea I did for this years Holiday card. I am not sure what I think of it yet and will have to see what my husband thinks before we do them up as cards. "Frost", 8 1/2 x 5 1/2, jell pen and Acrylic on blue paper. Original and prints available. Picture 65.

Failed Christmas Card Design

Well, trying to figure out what to do for our holiday card this year I wanted to try a Winter version of the green man. I used my old friend Jay as a model and gave it a go. In the end I was just not happy with how it came out and it doesn't work for our card this year. I will try something else next/soon. "Winter Greenman". 5 11/2 x 8 1/2, Acrylic and jell pen on blue paper. Original and prints available. Picture 64.

New Kittens

Well, we have two new kittens, one of my husband's coworkers husband found them in an abandoned building after animal control took away the adult/other cats. They are about 8 weeks old according to the vet.
We need names for them and have not yet settled on anything. One is male and one is female. Any name ideas are appreciated. Our current cats are Corum, Aphrodite, Aurora and Berrel .
The pictures I took are not coming up on the computer for some reason so here is one we got before getting the kittens.

Inktober 31

My final picture for Inktober is inspired by the works of H.R. Giger creator of the Alien from the movie of the same name. "I had this nearly finished before Midnight but not quite, so it is a little late but oh well. Doing a picture for each day of the month was an interesting exorcise, I will have to do it again sometime. "Giger Tribute" (not a great title but all I could think of), 6 x 9, Micron pen and white pen on grey toned paper. Original SOLD,  prints available. Picture 63.

Inktober 30

This was just a quick white pen sketch that I thought would be good for Inktober and would also be a nice experiment working on the black again. "Minotaur Head", 6 x 6 1/2, white gel pen on black board. Original and prints available. Picture 62.

  

Inktober 29

This took longer than I expected and while I like it and will use it as one of my Inktober pictures, it is not as much ink as I had hoped it would be. Photo reference was used (as is almost always the case to some degree with all my work). I love working on black and this has a great feel I think. "Spirit of the Night Woods", 6 1/2 x 10 1/2, White pen, white Prisma Color and Acrylic on black board. Original and prints available. Picture 61.

Inktober 28

This is a small quick silly picture for Inktober 28. "Frosty Jack O Lantern", 4 x 6, Micron, Copic, white gel, Acrylic, ProWhite on grey toned paper. Original for sale. Picture 60.

Inktober 27 Now in Color

So here is the previous post now in color.  This is Acrylic, Micron pen, white pen and Copic marker on grey toned paper.

Inktober 27

Todays entry for Inktober is just the start. I plan to paint this so color will be added soon, but I wanted to show the ink part before adding color. "Woof", 6 x 9, Micron pen on grey toned paper. Picture 59.

Inktober 26

This was inspired by an actual lamp that someone found posted on the Internet, it is very cool but apparently a one of a kind hand made item. This is a variation on the lamp, "Bat Light", 6 x 7 1/4, Micron pen and white pen on grey toned paper. SOLD, prints available. Picture 58.

Inktober 25

This was an experiment, since I now have a cheap and an expensive white pen (the expensive one is an Acrylic paint marker), I decided to try a picture done mostly in white. There are parts I like but overall I am not happy with the outcome. Maybe it is just because it is not very Japanese looking. Oh well, this is "Cloud Dragon", 6 x 9, white gel pen and Acrylic paint marker, Micron pen on grey toned paper. Original and prints available. Picture 57.

New and Improved Inktober 23

Death Bird, the picture I did as my 23rd Inktober picture was nice, I liked it, but it was missing something. So I finally got a white pen and have made some slight improvements to it (at least I think it is better this way). Inktober 23 "Death Bird" now with highlights.

Inktober 24

I used to be known for my stippling, I enjoyed the subtleness and easy of reproduction of the black and white. I could spend hours more refining this but I need to move on. This is also my first use of a white pen, so far I like how it looks. I considered adding a background but I think it might be best as is. Photo reference was used. "Big Beautiful Black Booty", 9 x 6. Micron pen and white gel pen on grey toned paper. Original and prints available. Picture 56.

Inktober 23

This was influenced by the works of John Jude Palencar, I love his stuff. "Death Bird", 6 x 9, Micron pen on grey toned paper. Original SOLD, prints available. Picture 55.

Inktober 22

This was inspired by a comic called Sky Doll, not that this picture is anything at all like anything from it, but looking at one of the covers is what sparked this idea. Odd but fun, "Little Black Bird", 6 x 9, Micron and Copic markers on grey toned paper. Original and prints available. Picture 54.

Inktober 21

Inspired by an "action figure" that comes from some game or other, this is some strange satyr creature (the figure it is inspired by is not a satyr). "Strange Satyr", 9 x 6, Micron pen and Copic markers on grey toned paper. Original and prints available. Picture 53.

 

Religion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRLPr5biDhs

Inktober 20

This one is inspired by a Poster for Faust by Louis Galice circa 1900. "Faust", 6 x 9, Micron pen, Acrylic and ProWhite on grey toned paper. Original and prints available. Picture 52.

Inktober Art for Sale

Since I am doing one picture for each day in October I think I should put them up for sale .I am thinking of making them $10 each, that would be matted and framed. Most are small (no larger than 6 x 9 in most cases). There will be a few exceptions to the $10 price, Inktober 6 and 10 so far will not be for sale for $10. Since 10 (the line art for Kitsuna with Lotus) is larger and full colored it is more. 6 (BioRam) is more complex and is $20. This does not include shipping.
If you would like one of my Inktober pictures message me and we will work out payment, etc.

Inktober 19

I hope this is the last of this style, I need to do other things. Inktober 19 is "Android Maintenance", 6 x 9, Micron pen and Pro White on grey toned paper. Original and prints available. Picture 51.

Inktober 18

This did not come out as well as I had hoped, guess this style works better with humanoid figures. Anyway, Inktober picture 18 is "Biotec Dragon", 6 x 9, Micron pen on grey toned paper. Original and prints available. Picture 50.

Inktober 17

Finally caught up again...based on a cool photo I found. "Rose Blind", 6 x 9, Micron pen on gray toned paper. Original and prints available. Picture 49.

Inktober 16

This is what for me is truly "old school", I have not done this style since 1992. I enjoyed it and like how this came out . I did consider adding a bit of color or white, but wanted to upload it as is for now. "Android 2", 6 x 9, Micron pen on grey toned paper. Original and prints available. Picture 48.

Inktober 15

Another ACEO, I really like working on tiny pictures sometimes. "Rose Fairy Dragon", 2 1/2 x 3 1/2, Micron pen, Acrylic and Pro White on watercolor paper ACEO. Original SOLD, prints available. Picture 47.

Inktober 14

This is an ACEO and my 14th Inktober picture. "Egret", 3 1/2 x 2 1/2, Micron pen and Acrylic on Bristol card. Original and prints available. Picture 46.