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!