Art Factory

Avocado

2010-02-08T04:00:00.001-08:00

This Painting really POPS!!! Oils on Canvas, 8x10, and I paint just so MUCH faster now :) I guess I don't have that fear to screw up anymore, I donno. But it was a fun little piece, painted from life in one quick sitting - I kind of intuitively came up with the olive/yellow background and pleasantly surprised myself. I'm very happy with this painting, everything really "works"! :)

Got Milk? Kitten in acrylics. 11x14

2010-02-06T16:24:00.001-08:00

Baby kitten on Strathmore paper - in acrylics. Kittens are just adorable and fun to capture on paper :)

Smoking Diva - mini painting on cardboard

2008-10-12T14:10:00.000-07:00

This is about 4x6 on a cardboard box. (It's a neat box for storing your paints).
And here I decided to paint in the actual smoke (which I've never done before, and I think it should be done in airbrush)

Nude in acrylics

2008-10-11T16:19:00.000-07:00

You can see that I have a newfound fondness towards acrylics. Now that I'm working fulltime, acrylics have been a saving grace for my artistic expressions, quickly and on a whim. I've been using my Very expensive Kolinsky brushes with them, which is probably not the best thing to do to your brushes, but so far I've been enjoying the process: it's quick and its easy! A child could do it! LOL

"My Sexy Gums" Song Lots Of Fun!

2008-10-07T00:13:00.000-07:00

It's a little fun song I wrote -- you can play it on your guitar and entertain your friends with, especially at our age and time, when 15 year old girls are rushing to become the sexy divas that their dolls are; and in our modern day of artificiality and Botox-for-all.

Some people have sexy chest, now,
Some sexy buns,
Some show off in their black dress, now,
...But, I have sexy gums. Yeah, yeah. I have sexy gums!

They always call me for dinner,
Call me for lunch,
My sexy gums are a killer,
Other girls don't look like much. Yeah, yeah, They don't look like much.

Some people brag with their frame now,
Flattest of tums,
But I'll have none of their game, now,
Cause I have sexy gums. Yeah, yeah. I have sexy gums!

What they ve've got flashing will clock out,
Its not to stay.
My sexy gums are are a knockout,
At the end of the day. Yeah, yeah, At the end of the day.

Some people sway you with high brow,
Wrinkle-free chums,
But I don't have to be shy, now
With my super cute gums. Yeah, yeah, With my sexy gums!

"A quick bite" (Apple and grapes) - in acrylics!

2008-10-01T00:11:00.000-07:00

I painted this in acrylics on a watercolor paper! I don't do acrylics very often; I really do enjoy the blendability of oils, and even their messiness. But it takes time to paint in oils! In comparison with my previous post's painting, it took me almost 8 hours to paint in oils; and just about an hour - in acrylics! You can see this was fast and spontaneous painting - "a quick bite" at apples and grapes. Acrylics are awesome!!! I have small issues with acrylics though - ones I have are not opaque. They are very, very transparent so it was really hard to get anything dark on. Think layers upon layers and really just working with the paint. Especially those initial layers, they never even looked dark enough, more like the transparent ghosts of the objects. In oils I don't have that struggle, in fact the colors mix way too easily and too permanently - but its harder to layer, b/s the paint is still wet, days or weeks on end. I still have to premix all my colors, though.
Since I started a new job, I have declared a hiatus on planned painting. No more. From now on, I allow myself to paint whenever I want, whatever I want, I "fire at will" :))) We will see what will come out of this spontaniety!

Green And Red (Oils on canvas, 8x10")

2008-08-30T10:29:00.000-07:00

I'm back to painting! After painting a beach right on top of my door(glass door that connects my bedroom to my living room), I dreamily wake up to the imaginary sounds of turquoise waves splashing all about within foot's distance. And then off to painting I go! "Green and Red", is a work in progress on a gallery wrap canvas. Gallery wraps are canvases that are extra thick on the sides so you can paint those also for all intents and purposes. Give your painting an ultra dimensional look -- no framing required!

A Clown Fish (Oils on canvas, 8x10)

2008-02-22T18:38:00.000-08:00

A New Art Project!!! -- it is a New Year, after all!!!
And a New Year for me is a year of daring ventures, it is full of surprises, mischief, and new beginnings. I am shooting for the stars, and maybe I have a particular one in mind -- just watch me, armed with inhuman determination, persistence and solid-as-rock commitment. Commitment -- a scary word, capable of making a grown man cry, running towards the edge of the Earth, perhaps even hiding behind the "brickle bush".

I want to share the beauty of the aquarium( I call it a Piece of the Ocean) with the world - I was talking to a friend recently and realized that most people don't know very much about fish.

"Do fish have sex?" :)

"Do they poop?" (shock!) (and how dare they?):)

"And are they stupid? They are really so small there must not be enough room for the brain?" :)
There is a certain amount of stereotypes, relative to "wives tales". Just like us people, fish are of various intelligence, character, aggression level. There are "loners" - and then there are ones who die if can't have companionship. It's a Whole Mysterious World, only quiet and unheard. Behind that cheerful, glittering color -- is an illusion of Harmony and Peace, Serenity and Dreaminess. You heard me right - an illusion, i.e. how we perceive it, as the truth of the matter is -- There's more Life in the aquarium than we have ever imagined. We just have to look closely. Behind that black furniture decor and a water splattering tranquilly, lies the imitation of the Ocean with it's dark, deep, uncovered secrets, with it's gravity defying powers of self healing and evolution.
In conclusion, I hope you enjoy the painting! And Happy New Year to You, my reader!

Poems in my Head!

2008-01-29T22:19:00.000-08:00

I've got them, and I bet you do too! Here's a song I wrote.......

1. I am a fresh air, I am your surprise.
I burn up in this music until a sunrise.

I am left hungry I am left on fire,
Silence is twirling me around.
Silence preparing, scheming, raising higher and higher,
Ready to make a sound.

2.Fluttering like the flames, like a long bridal gown,
I am left to the winds to cool me down.

And to the rains to mess up my unruly hair,
Longing for more, wanting too much,
I am a meltdown without rules or care,
Anticipating your invisible touch.

3.I am the earth, darker then the iris of your eye,
With the headspinning speed revolving by.

I am dancing on the edge of the highscraper,
Fallen off the edge, way past the edge I fly,
I am not afraid...like a scribble defying its paper -
In excitement, I forget, where's the ground and where's the sky.

4.Beautiful and sharp, like a noble metal,
I swing with the force ever so gentle.

Landing somewhere between the fifth and sixth dimensions,
In an array of colours spashing all around,
Swimming in heavenly light rays, filled with good intentions,
I channel my love to this rhythmic sound.

5.I am the dance, the rhythm - the pulse that you feel,
I am a fantasy brought to life too real.

I knock in your heart, like a dream I wake you,
Playing with billions of platelets in your blood,
In my palm I hold you, I make you, I break you,
I am the Devil, and I am the God...

Ref:
The music of Love,
This is,
The Music of Love,
Whenever I bleed,
I need, I need,
The Power of Love.

Moving On

2008-01-12T10:44:00.000-08:00

Despite my recent divorce(on New Years) I am still finding time to paint. Here's the newest creation, this is an interpretation of Elvgren's timeless work, and I don't claim to be anywhere near his genius, but it's a fairly large 24x18 piece, oils on canvas. I had a ball painting this, especially her face. Instead of a donkey and an en elephant, I placed a cute kitten on her lap.

Dazzle Rose, WIP

2007-12-23T23:51:00.000-08:00

I decided to rename the piece from Decadence Rose to Dazzle Rose. The truth is I don't really know what "decadence" means, other than it sounds very mysterious and ancient. And I do prefer to give a positive, shining attribute to a painting rather than a mysterious darkness...And yet, there's plenty of velvety, seductive darkness in this painting...Oh well! As you know, a painting has a life of it's own - much like a child that you give life to, no matter what you nurture into it, there seems to be a character there, from the very beginning.
I've been asked how do I make the photo's on my website look so good? The answer is: I always take the photo's during the daytime, when it's nice and bright. As you can see, the second(finished) piece has a lot of glare on it, even know NO fill flash was used. That's because the photo was taken after dark, and still I managed to pull it off, by taking my picture at an angle, rather than directly in front of me.
An Update: I've received THE CARDER METHOD DVD this weekend! I am looking at this painting with "new eyes". For I have sinned: I gave in to the temptation to "turn on" the contrast on the painting, and as a result, it is too bright, not enough mid-tone. In the same time, I've tried to capture the mood and to see beyond the obvious, -- from The Painter In Oils by Daniel Burleigh Parkhurst, a student of William Bouguereau,(The Painter in Oil has become one of the most sought after books on technique and the science of painting. Read this rare treasure for FREE at Art Renewal Center: The Painter In Oil)

Untitled, 9x12 Prismacolors on Fabriano

2007-12-20T15:46:00.001-08:00

Face - study

2007-12-20T11:01:00.000-08:00

Before I move on to a big canvas, I draw a study with several color schemes. Here's one. Can you believe that I never actually used Cad.Orange for this??

Robert De Niro, Pastels

2007-12-19T22:00:00.001-08:00

This is a tutorial I've completed. Recently, I have ordered a pack of "Pastel Paper Sampler" from Dakota pastels -- this is a Velour paper from a pack of 8 1/2 x 11" specially coated pastel papers. Velour is an unusual surface to work on - soft and velvety, it soaks the pastel right in. You can put your hand on it without a fear of smudging. All the strokes are very soft, so to get a hard edge, you have to really apply pressure, using pastel's edge that is broken in half. For background, you have to really "work it in" and sort of rub it in. It's a totally different experience.

Coral Sea Island - WIP - 2 Ft x 3 Ft Oil painting

2007-11-20T20:13:00.001-08:00

Front View

Closeup

Side View

Pastel Portrait

2007-11-20T20:11:00.000-08:00

Butterfly. Pastels on Wallis.

2007-11-20T20:06:00.000-08:00

Pinup work in progress

2007-11-10T11:41:00.000-08:00

Having almost an illustrative quality, and being painted on a small support, this pinup has been a challenge. The image is a total fantasy, so I changed her look a few times, her hair has gone from short to long, and she has undergone some major plastic surgeries as well as glazes all over her body. I used Venetian Turpentine to glaze. It takes about two weeks for the painting to dry and I will try to bring the values up, especially on her legs and her back.

ARTicles-Monday Color Talk- CMYK Color Wheel intro

2007-11-09T13:46:00.000-08:00

(After the wheels dry, the images will be scanned for more accurate reproduction.)

Here's my CMYK wheel using just the three primaries, Cad. Yellow Lemon, Magenta, and Thalo Blue. Notice how "orange" resulting from Yellow and Red is rather subtle. Primaries: Magenta, Yellow, Cyan. Secondaries(result from mixing the Primaries): Indigo=C+M; Red=M+Y; Green=C+Y. Tertiaries(result from mixing a primary and a secondary): Blue=100%C+55%M=Indigo+Cyan. Purple=55%C+100%M=Indigo+Magenta. Rose=100%M+55%Y=Magenta+Red. Orange = 100%Y+55%M=Red+Yellow. Lime=100%Y+55%C=Yellow+Green. Aqua=100%C+55%Y=Cyan+Green.

Real Pigment Color Wheel.

In comparison, I decided to take the ready-made tubed colors and compare them to the above wheel. I left the primaries as they were. As Orange, I used Cad. Orange, and when it reproduced on computer, notice how it has almost pink quality. Beside, is the mixed version

which replicates the Mix-It-Yourself(MIY) color precisely. Red: Cadmium Red. Although a little brighter, the color comes very close. On computer though, it looks darker in value now and the MIY red looks more true to what red should look through a prism. Rose:Scarlet Crimson and beside the mixed version; Purple: Dioxazine Purple and side-by side the mixed version. Wow! Exact match. All colors are also mixed with Lead/cremnitz White at one end, and Ivory Black on the other. Purple, mixed with black, makes a very deep black. Indigo: Ultramarine Blue. Tertiary Blue: Cobalt Blue. Aqua:Turquose Blue. Compare it to the above wheel and it's a precise match! Green: thalo yellow green is too dark for the wheel, more yellow needed. Lime: Yellow Green.

Yes! I am with the Boundless Gallery

2007-11-05T16:15:00.000-08:00

Yes! I have signed up with an online gallery. I love their site. This is me at Boundless! It is super easy to navigate, and you can even "preview" the painting on the wall or sort by color. There are cool features, like "my collections" buttons which allows a user to "bookmark" your favorite art. My website, Angela Leppard's Fine Art at Boundless Gallery (ALFA@Boundless), can be found here: http://alfa.boundlessgallery.com/
What's more, I am now also with a physical gallery/studio. We just opened so there's a lot of work to be done, but it's actually coming along beautifully. I'll keep you posted!

I found Amy Lee's soundtrack Good Enough on You Tube and couldn't help sharing. It's so inspiring it sent shivers down my spine. I would love to paint Amy! Maybe one day I will. Alternatively, I have heard this track on Jay Leno's show with Jerry Seinfeld and I found that the sound quality was MUCH better on the show than on the video. The high notes didn't seem to "dissapear", she didn't hold back, and her voice intensity just seemed to touch my soul.

Pastel Portrait, 14x17, Flower Girl

2007-11-02T15:52:00.000-07:00

Golden Gate Bridge, 16x20", Oils on canvas

2007-11-02T15:19:00.000-07:00

On the photo it's really hard to make out details, unfortunately. This is done in a "painterly" technique, with thick impasto brushstrokes(the paint is raised in high peaks, this is done wet-in-wet manner). The concept behind the picture is romance, so this is an atmosphere I was going for. A friend told me a symbolic story of how one side(of the bridge) represents a woman, and another a man. They are holding hands despite the distance, rainy weather and fog. The painting, of course, stands on its own merit and does not tell a story, as an artist is not a storyteller; however I was inspired by the emotion of the story and this is where it took me.

Airplane in the Night Sky, 20x16

2007-11-02T14:23:00.001-07:00

Airlpane in the Night Sky, 20x16", Oils on a smooth Panel. I was going to add yellow lights on the ground, but we'll see. Right now I like how it is monochromous, and I don't know how introducing yellow will affect the whole picture.

Noteworthy: I have now a couple of people asking me how to buy my art. That's great! The truth is I am not set up for payments(yet) but I am working on it. I have applied for eBay account and their payment system, and once I'm approved with all the paperwork, yes, I will be selling my art in the near future! Obviously I haven't thought about the business part of art, yet, but that's about to change. Tune in! Right now you can "subscribe" to email newsletter(right panel) to receive the latest paintings/blog entries right in your mailbox!(powered by feedblitz, so make sure to mark them as your "approved" senders)

Watercolors, Tree Lovers

2007-11-01T10:01:00.001-07:00

I don't work in watercolors that often. I do have watercolors, but I use them mostly when I travel or sketch. This one amazes me though. I've found leftover Arches 16x20 paper that I use for my portraits and just went for it. The result, is this concept of the trees trying to reach out to each other - like lovers. You can make out a female figure in one of the trees, and all of the trees have wacky "hands". I have to admit that I love trees, especially the spooky, twisted type. We have lot's of those in front of the De Young museum, and especially after they trim them, it becomes a true Halloween spectacle. Trees look to me like sculptures, still figures of people frozen in motion by some wicked wizard. Maybe also because I am a Fire by Feng Shui, trees feed my fascination, they grow, they reach out, they come from the depth of the earth and end up high in the sky! In this painting they are naked, their "autumn clothes" scattered all around. Very romantic picture, and watercolors are brilliant and luminous.

Margarita, Oil on canvas

2007-11-01T09:34:00.001-07:00

The hummingbird is drinking from Margarita glass. The strawberry margarita remains a focal point as the bird is pointing down with its beak to it and leading the eye toward the center. Celebration, happinness and cheer. Very pleasing composition, and bright scarlet colors make this painting stand out.

If You Like Pina Colada, nude, Oil on Cavas

2007-10-23T16:31:00.000-07:00

"If you like pinacoladas and getting caught in the rain!" What a very bright painting! Eye candy. A nude red haired woman in the glass of Pina Colada appears to be showering herself in the rain -- under the orange cloud. Around the glass, there are orange butterfly wings...This is a Summer painting of pleasure and delight.

Heavenly

2007-10-17T21:39:00.000-07:00

Not finished yet; wings still need feathers, but I really like the composition. This is an older painting.

Golden Sunset - Oils on cradled hardboard

2007-10-14T16:13:00.001-07:00

This a very bright painting, with a sense of glow, where the lit parts stand out even in the darkness. Look for all sorts of shapes in the clouds! Since this is a digital photo of an actual, still-wet painting, this image desires to be reproduced better - the colors are still brilliant but on the photo are much darker than in reality; and yet when I brightened it in Photoshop the photo has become washed out, losing most of it's rich orange and mahogany colors; in a week or two I will try to scan it. Here is a good example of a direct, one sitting painting. Since I don't use any mediums or chemical dryers I will let the painting dry on its own and then will apply another layer of transparent yellows and oranges and will perform minor adjustments, and then sign it. This is number 9 in my Liquid Creations series, which is all about drinks and where they take me. I think this is the brightest painting I've done so far.

Monster Tea - Liquid Creations - Oils 8x10

2007-10-08T22:11:00.001-07:00

With Halloween approaching, I thought "Monster Tea" would be a perfect addition to Liquid Creations series!

I am listening to:

Child Pastel Portrait, 15x17, IF OPEN

2007-10-06T11:46:00.000-07:00

Child's ability to look at the world with the eyes wide open, sweet innocence and sophistication, acceptance of the world.

I am listening to: Akon "Don't Matter"

Pomegranate Bliss, 8x10 Oil on Canvas

2007-10-04T11:09:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows that both pomegranates and wine are good for your heart -- in fact, they are so loaded with antioxidants, they are called "a miracle drug for aging". I see a lot of cheer in the darkness and richness of shadows, this velvety darkness adds a mystery to the painting. The brightly lit sides contribute to the"singing colour" and create a simple, yet subtle beauty with an internal glow . The three seeds of the pomegranate contrast beautifully with the white of a tablecloth. They look delicious even from up here. The canvas was specially primed and sanded to an eggshell smooth surface, thus a superior handling of the paint. There are quite a few glazes that helped me achieve this glow, and it took about 8 hours to complete this painting.

Airplane painting, Oils - Aviation -

2007-09-30T23:56:00.000-07:00

20x24" Oil on Canvas
Now, not many people know this, but I actually studied in Ukraine in a pilot prep school. I happen to love the skies and the airplanes fascinate me. Everyday, when a big metal bird rushes by in the heights, I look up like it's an angel waving hello at me. I always smile and wave hello back!

The Good Life, Oil Painting on canvas, fish in a martini glass

2007-09-15T23:23:00.001-07:00

Ahh...think the Good Life. A happy little clown fish is swimming in a martini glass(possibly, blue curasau?) 'neath what looks like sparkling, icey mountains; and the glass itself appears to be glowing in the dark! Part of my Liquid Creations collection.

16X20 pastel painting on canvas, nude "The Mask"

2007-09-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

It seems like eyes are a recurring theme in my paintings. Eyes in this painting are one blue, another one green which was hard to capture with the camera(the colors in real painting are even more brilliant). When I started the painting, it occured to me that I wanted to see her eyes; of the things I considered were mirrors in the background; then bubbles(the soapy colorful kind that shine like Swarovki's) with her reflection in it; and then came "mask" which allowed me to transfer the intensity, strangeness, depth, and of course, the passion.

Eye See You! Oil Painting on Canvas.

2007-09-12T16:22:00.000-07:00

Eye See You is an Eye candy. Now it is hanging in my living room and it adds so much dimension to my wall that it is like a 3-D image, you can't take your eyes off of it, it draws you right in! Originally started as a cup of coffee, I did not plan the eye in it, I just waited to see where the painting will take me. The background is sandy beach and the seashore with waves crashing in the distance. I must confess I fell in love with this painting and will have hard time parting with it!

Cupid - Sweet Little Baby Angel - Pastel Painting

2007-09-06T17:10:00.000-07:00

11x14 Pastel on watercolor paper; framed.

Lovely Pastel Cupid Painting, on Arches watercolor paper. I just love his fluttery violet wings! I find myself returning to this particular violet color again and again (in portraits, and in backgrounds).

His mouth and eyes are wide open; he seems surprised; maybe my Cupid is contemplating his next victim, or maybe his arrow just unexpectedly shot somebody unintended. In heart matters, there are many surprises and our little Cupid has a lot of work to do!

Definition from Encyclopedia Mythica: Cupid -- The Roman god of love and the son of Venus. He is a small, winged boy, carrying bow and arrows. The arrows, once struck the heart, makes the victim fall in love. He is also portrayed as a young man with his beloved Psyche, with Venus or with a small group of winged infants (the Amoretti or Amorini). Some traditions say that he was born from a silver egg.
His Greek equivalent is Eros. The name is derived from the Latin cupido, "desire".

Liquid creations - start of the series - OIL PAINTING

2007-09-01T21:37:00.001-07:00

If you've been wondering where have I disappeared in the summer, worry not...I have a lot of wonderful developments on the horizon. I am working on a professional website, meanwhile I have a LIQUID CREATIONS collection of gorgeous oil paintings that I'd like to present over this week, and more! I have been working exclusively in OILS since I have received such an immensely positive feedback, and painting about 8 hours a day has become my daily routine. I also went "knee deep" into pastel portraiture so more about that soon!
What do I like to paint? I don't want to lock myself into any particular niche just yet, but I've found that I like fantasy. I like to take something real and turn it unreal. So this brings me to...
Introducing "Liquid Creations", my August 2008 collection. Everything you can drink of, but with a twist!
I am starting innocently enough, with "HAPPY HENNESSY"
8"x10", length-wise, done in old masters/Flemish technique, "Happy Hennessy" by Angela Leppard. There's a word "Happy" written on the bottle of Hennessy, and a blue violet flower is nodding proudly from the sniffer glass. Founded by Irishman, this cognac has won over roalty and well-known names, linking its image with prestigious places and special events, and earning a reputation of a top quality, luxury product. Through this glorious painting, 240 years of Hennessy history are shining through and the viewer is mesmerised by colours of golden glow and blue reflections.

This ageless masterpeice will cheer many hearts and will fill any room with a feeling of "HAPPY"! Objects in the painting appear to be glowing with a warm, orange colour against a completely black background.

The canvas is a highest quality portrait grade duck cotton, which I sized myself and primed with 50% acrylic primer/ 50% modeling paste, making it very strong and eggshell-smooth, like a panel board. I do not use any extenders or thinners for my technique, and the paints I use are a combination of Maimeri Puro and Robert Doaks, which have the highest pigment load and handle exceptionally. Notice the intensity of reds. All pigments are extremely lightfast, even the black one - they will never discolour over time.

How I paint: I am very passionate about painting, so I paint fast, the paints are literally flying everywhere and stuff is falling around me constantly. I am always painting in the "momentum", and I take breaks before I lose it, tire, and before my heart stops beating fast. I think this is the key to inspired, fresh painting, -- a painting that I feel has a life of it's own. If I stopped to doubt, to read a book, to open a computer file, it would not work. I let the painting do the teaching, while I enjoy the process, that's all there's to it.

Liquid Creations...When I came up with them I hoped to put more emphasis on "creations", rather than "liquid". After all, drinks are just a human factor, which does not belong to the sea. They can be enjoyed in space, in the air, in the water, and on the ground/and under! We like them everywhere. Drinks have become essential part of our living, a ritual of a certain point in time and space. Where would the wedding be without a champaigne? What ballgame can you imagine without a beer? Who would be murdered without my morning coffee?
Anyways, I've been told to NOT interpret my paintings, so why don't YOU see your world in them and read them for me?

Pastel Paintings - "Loving Dolphins"

2007-08-04T12:09:00.000-07:00

Did I tell you that I fell in love? Only you and the whole world! Pastels have been there for me whenever I was on the go, suddenly inpired, tired, or curious. Unlike Oils, they don't take 6 -8 hours to complete; they are a pleasure to work with; they are pure colour that feels like an extension of my hand; and they always seem to run out on me.(Yikes!) I say "pastel paintings" because you can't call it drawings - the process looks more like sculpting - I lay out a series of masses and shapes, layer them, glaze them, and "sculpt" my creation as if I really felt every grove, bevel, texture and form; I am like a blind person that is touching every inch of surface and recreating it in their mind; sometimes I don't even have to look up at my subject. I will try to cover my technique on another occasion.
Loving Dolphins - I know for sure that dolphins can love; but more than anything they are very playful, interactive creatures who are as happy as can be in their element.(Kind of like me? ;-)) I wish ,my friends, rather than constantly complain, people around would joyfully flip their fins/arms and shared this "I'm the luckiest creature in the world" mood with one another!

Robert Doak Catalogue

2007-07-03T22:06:00.000-07:00

I've gotten the new, updated catalogue from and by Robert Doak!!! I've highlighted my favorite colors. Tell me what you feel when you hear the beautiful and magical names of these delicious colours, and be reminded that we artists are in love with Colour!
Specialty+Rare Colors. 40 ml/140 ml Tubes $$.
Vermilion MS Genuine $34/80; Rose Madder Gen 34/80; Magenta Rose Transparent 18/42; Florentine Lake 18/42; Pyrol Ruby Deep 20/45; Pyrol Ruby Red 20/45; Naples Yellow Gen. 34/80(I probably have this color in every brand!); Lead Tin Yellow Gen. 34/80; Bristol Yellow 16/40; French Ochre Ex. LT. 12/32; Aragon Yellow 15/40; Golden Orange Sienna 16/40; Frangelico Blue 24/59; Cerulean LT 25/65; Alger Blue 24/59; Wellington Blue 24/59; Smalt Blue 25/65; Manganese Blue 34/80; Egyptian Blue 18/42; Egyptian Violet 18/42; Trans.Blue Oxide 18/42; Blue Ochre lt- med -dk 14/35; Mineral Turquose 16/40; Yves Klein Blue 20/55(is this suppose to be the color of the jeans?); Sinopia 14/35; Terra Rosa 12/32; Venetian Red Trans 12/32; Burnt Red Earth med-dk-xdk 14/35; Tuscan Red Trans 12/32; Jasper - dk Sinopia 12/35; Aubergine 14/35; Raw Olive Umber lt-med-dk-xdk 14/35; ; Ceret Green 15/40; Celadon Green Gen. 12/32; Bluegreen oxide 18/42; Verdaccio 12/32; Cad. Brown Dk. 10/30; Trans. Sepia 12/32; Gen. Ivory Black 22/55; Trans.Purple Oxide 12/32; Transparent Black Oxide 10//30; Cobalt Blue Black 12/32; Galena Blk Lead 14/35; Flake White w Leaded Glass 12/27; Flake Transparent 12/27; Flake Blanc Fixe 12/27; Flake+Mica 12/27; Cad. Green Pale 15/35; Cobalt Yellow 18/38; Indian Yellow 12/30; Cad. Primrose XL 15/35; Cad.Lemon 15/35; Cad.Yellow lt-med-dk 15/35(Wow, what a great price), Indian Orange 12/30 (I'm very curious what it looks like?), Azo Burnt Orange 17/38; Pyrol Rose Orange Shade (!!!) 16/38; Baroque Red 16/38; Madder Lake Permanent 15/35; Alizarin Crimson (fugitive color) 10/25; Quina GOld 16.38; Quina Coral 15/35; Quina Red Rose 16/38;Quina Magenta 16/38; Quina Red Violet 15/35; Thio Red VIolet 15/35; Cobalt VIolet 19/40; Carbo Violet 12/30; Trans. Yellow Med. 15/35; Ultramarine blue lt-med-dp 8.50/19; Cobalt Blue 19/42; Cerulean Lt 19/42; Dp 17/38; Cobalt Teal 15/35; Cobalt TUrquose 19/42; Thalo Tuquose 12/30; Thalo Blue Rs+GS 10/25; Milori Blue 12/30; (is this the same as midori?); Indanthrone 16/36; Indigo 12/30; Olive Green 12/30; Azo Green Gold 12/30; Thalo Green 10/25; Veronese Green 15/35; Cobalt Green Dk 15/35; Perm. Green Lt. Dk. 15.35; Chromium Oxide 12/30; Green Earth 12/30; Sap Green 12/30; Ash Green 12/30; Viridian 15.35; Thalo Yellow GTreen 13/32; Emerald Green (for those seascapes!) 15/35; Gold Ochre 10/25; Green Ochre 10/25; Lemon Ochre 12/30; Yellow Ochre 6.50;16; Brown Ochre 10/25; Titanium Yellow 8.50;20; Transparent Yellow Oxide 10/25; Transparent Red Oxide 10/25; Trans. red ox. dp 12/30; Trans. brown Ox 10/25; Trans. Brown Grey 10/25; Trans Pink Grey 10/25; Turkey Umber 12/25; Mauve Umber 12/25; raw Umber 6.50/16; Burnt Umber 6.50/16; Raw sienna 6.50/16; Burnt Sienna 6.50/16; Mars Orange 6.50/16; Mars Red 6.50/16; English Brown 6.50/16; Red Ochre 10/25; Charcoal 8.50/19; Manganese Black 6.50/16; Ivory Black 6.50/16; Mars Black 6.50/16; Adobe Med. - Lt. 12/27; Burnt Red Earth - 12/35; Raw Olive Umber 12/35; Unbleached Titanium 8.50/18; Titanium Zinc 6.50/16; Flake=Titanium 12/27; Flake 1C 12/27; Flake 2S 12/27; Flake Super Pearl 12/27; Flake Lemon Pearl 12/27; Flake Copper Pearl 12/27.
Flake 1C = standard creamy white w alumina stearite;
Flake 2s = Denser consistency; add thix-o-gel for even thicker;
Flake+Mica = Very creamy, refractive, produces a nacreous look; most popular white;
Flake+glass - soft melted wax appearance like the white Rembrandt used for impasto; extend with leaded glass medium; Flake+blanc fixe = Very loose, sticky, stringy, moves easily, stay put for light impasto;
Transparent Flake w Calcite = Spanish white like Valasquez used for translucent effects;
Flake+titanium= Good bodied white for coverage/reducing;
Super Pearl Flake - Very lush creamy white w/ex-high refractive qualities;
Flake Primer - with mica but leaner, flexible, w linseed oil - Pt. $65.
Ask about old world Flemish White.
Naples Yellow = warm, earthy pale yellow, opaque w good body, cont. lead.
Lead Tin Yellow - lighter than N.Y., used by Vermeer, Velazquez, Rembrandt, refractive quality.
Vermillion genuine- some love this color, but it's not my favorite Red and it's not the most brilliant of all reds- Historical Red, brilliant, doesn't gray out, totally permanent.
Rose Madder - Historical beautiful warm translucent rose red, glows internally like no other; Permanent as all Madders.
Florentine lake - a cool transparent burgundy red, a classic for glazing, permanent(like English red); (I am told to avoid all lakes as fugitives)
Frangelico Blue - the truest, brightest of all blues, rich chroma, great for skies, cobalt base-calcined formula;
Alger Blue - a beautiful Azur blue with a greenish cast, clean+glowing undertone;
Wellington blue - missing blue in the modern palette, assimilates asurite in its full purity like Lapis Lazuli with flake white; (must be very light)
Egyptian Blue, Egyptian Violet - reconstructed pigments, brilliant dark transparent reddish blue, with blue violet cast, doesn't gray out.
Smalt Blue - historical blue pigment with a very delicate tonality, a purplish blue, lightfast, high cobalt content;
Transparent Blue Oxide( I just love the word "Oxide"! They should put it in a magic spell-casting book!) A low keyed grayed blue, good for underpainting and glazing.
Blue Ochre - one of my favorite colors - historically used in the 13th century for painting church facades, a cool gray color with a subtle blue green cast!!! A must - have!
Ceret Green (Ceret green...are there poets around? Doesn't that sound like music to your ears?) A soft dark gray green cobalt, no blue or yellow tones, opaque, strong. (Sounds like Davy's Gray, anyone?)
Blue-green Oxide - a wonderful dark blue-green unlike any other green. Examples would be in Titans "the sacrifice of Isaac", many of Dalroix's rich greens. Possibly the best "tube green" of all. (This sounds promising, but I still don't find greens out of the tube any good; you will have to mix them on your own and breathe life into them...)
Sinopia (Sinopia sounds dreamy! I would name my boat Sinopia.) An ancient Roman Earth, transparent cold red, when white is added it produces a pinkish grayed mauve for mid-range flesh colors. (Sounds like Burnt Sienna)
Terra Rosa - a transparent Orange earth with an internal glow. A good compliment to Sinopia.
Bristol Yellow -Missing Yellow in the modern palette, translucent light yellow, very delicate tonality, mixes well, doesn't overpower.
Transparent Sepia - a cold blackish brown, good for glazing and underpainting, with white it has a brown-mauve cast.
Cadmium Brown Dk. - a very dark opaque brown, almost black, with white it becomes grayish.
Adobe - Adobe is made from Flake white, lean tin yellow, raw umber. Great neutral tint.
Call Rober Doak at (718) 237-1210 or (718)237-0146

The power of expression

2007-06-01T23:37:00.000-07:00

We are not just carefully placed features in a anatomically correct places -- the power of expression is such, that we tend to make our "statements" unconsciously...for example, women may pucker their lips and raise the brows...on the contrary, mens brows will go lower and there's and unconcious frown(in order to look manly and tough, I guess). Charcoal is a powerful medium to express that subtle emotion, and when should you notice that emotion? Right away, or it will be lost in translation. First features that we notice: the nose, the eyes, the correllation to the mouth. For the sake of excercise, ask a person to completely relax their features, and THEN pose. The difference is your expression, and it will get lost, when the model gets tired.

Dreamy

2007-05-24T01:48:00.001-07:00

Signs. Look for them in your dreams. Or look for them all around. Or maybe they've been there all along, maybe etched on your skin.
So...This is the last time I took a picture with my digital camera at night(2 in the morning:-)))I am a regular nightcapper)-- it gives you a terrible quality picture, but here it works...almost as if she is sleeping as the candle flickers nearby.

DVD REVIEW Mastering Portrait Drawing, vol.1 M. bRITTON

2007-05-23T02:18:00.000-07:00

I've got the CD today. I ordered it from Michael Britton who is a great instructor. I've never done it this way before so for me it was very different. "I will teach to to draw like a master!" He promises.
Striking the arabesque means striking the outlines first and then, "feeling your way" towards all other facial features which is pretty linear approach to painting. If you're a scientist who also happens to be an artist, this is a great method! Once the features are identified within a "facial map", the rest is just falling into place. Michael talks about how everyone has problems, including him. My face here turned out too wide.(which is easy to correct) One eye was placed slightly lower than the other one. What can I say? Science was not kind to me. It felt strange to " guess the arabesque " -- don't we all start with an oval?.The ears should be held off until the face is completed. Michael likes to be very precise with his guessings: "Everything must be just perfect". One thing I respectfully disagree with, is his claim, that eyes and mouth are not as big as they seem. They might not be big, but I didn't like his look on the model...the model was beautiful, but on the picture she looks like she's trying to stay awake. It's not a crime to draw eyes just a little wider. Anyways, my tutorial (which I had to complete in one breath)was done on a Watercolor paper, which was not designed for Charcoal but worked beautifully for this drawing. Notes: Michael's method didn't grow on me. It got rejected like a foreign tissue after operation. My perception is spatially different from his, it is less about the line, more about the form. I draw a face as a 3 dimensional object, drawing in masses. My method is more intuitive and less scientific...after all, I draw with my heart!

One of Yan's models

2007-05-23T02:07:00.001-07:00

You can see that I am very loose. I only get the general shape of the brows, which is always the best way. I don't like ears, so they are suggested. The hair is done by a special makeup brush I have, I always use it for blond hair with that middle value. This is a model from Yan's Henry book, which was smaller than half a page.

Charcoal Series

2007-05-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

You are probably wondering where have I been and if I have found Nemo yet. Here's some Charcoal portraits I drew. What I've learned so far: I am not going for realistic. People have cameras for that. I am looking for a style. I am looking to make you appear better looking than you really are. I am looking for a mood. Nathan Fowkes, whose blog I've recently bookmarked, intrigues me. What's truly interesting, is how versatile his art is. He does charcoal, he does watercolors, and then he suddenly surprises me and goes all classic Old Master's! Is there anything he can't do? Nathan if you're ever in San Francisco, or considering an online class, give me a holler!

Post APE thoughts

2007-05-20T13:06:00.000-07:00

I have recently gotten a Charoal how-to book by Yan Henry at the APE, in Oakland. APE surprized me, as the art has gotten so much better there...maybe this has something to do with the rizing costs. Maybe people have refined their art. Maybe there's something in the air. But I definitely enjoyed it. I finally met one of my favorites, Annie Owens! She was very charming, her website, www.ouchclub.com sounds a lot like this site's name, ouchart.blogpot.com. Her art is very cool, with a dark, mysterious theme, and her style is like no other - and yet she has such a sunny personality. In addition, she is the face behind HI FRUCTOSE magazine(along with Attaboy) - currently you can pre-order a Vol.5 here.

My first go at Pastels

2007-04-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

I had a chance recently to get a Rembrandt soft pastel set on a Craigs List for $15, so I decided I had nothing to lose and 60 soft pastels to try. I've been concentrating on portraits recently, so this is a fantasy portrait(not a real person) from my imagination. My first complaint: pastels are messy! If you have decided to make your imminent world a mess free space, and have a long standing war on mess, this medium is not for you! There's dust, dust, dust! I am also tired of blending with my fingers, and charcoal stumps absorb pastels! The blending surface must be soft and non porous, non absorbent. I'm going to have to experiment. For eyes/brows, I used Prismacolor pencils, the rest is all pastels. I am willing to invest into pastel pencils or some hard Fabercastells, so that I can get into the tight spaces, which it seems to me, that the portrait is lacking more layers, but more important, more refinement. But pastels can be a great "fast" medium for me to do a color mapping/studies for my oil paintings.

Pencil Sketch, baby

2007-03-18T23:57:00.000-07:00

Color explorations

2007-03-17T17:16:00.000-07:00

My art is more about the art, the vision, the passion, and the idea behind the art, then the technicalities which can be really important...but if I focused too much on them, they would drag me down to the level of a crafter, and I tend to think that art is a higher profession, and its all about life discovery and the spiritual. Well, I am right AND wrong here - the medium IS a form in which I clothe my thought. While my own old good color explorations are made out of spontaneous accidents, than a methodic and scientific research you'll find on handprint, occasionally I do bump into highly technical and educational websites, where one can find all sorts of discoveries and loads of very useful info. One of my favorites, is All The Strange Hours and recently, I've added Tad Spurgeon's site . to my bookmarks. So far, I have not settled on any favorite brand of oil colours, I have some Michael Hardings, W&N, Daniel Smiths, Grahams, and although I disagree with the claim "they are very inexpensive for such high quality, pure pigment, whatever, paints", I've recently went ahead with the trend and ordered Robert Doaks, just out of curiosity, from New York's totally unadvertized, off-Internet shop. The cheapest Doak 's oil goes for $10 a 37ml tube, which I do not find cheap at all! Just another sales pitch, "when you are getting the highest quality, price is of no essence", when I can tell you with confidence that each and every brand has their best, thier good and their ugly! While it's exciting to have all the world at your fingertips, having a world of choice at my actual, real, flesh-and-bones feet is coming back to me now! So I just drive to our native Dick Blick's in San Francisco, and still get my 20% off the entire order, minus shipping.(What? Am I an American?)

I meet Jim Warren

2007-03-16T00:45:00.000-07:00

Well...let's just say it was not what I expected at all. He showed up at the gallery/not his gallery/in a company of friends as a prospect, and was very rude, drew some weird fantasy nude pictures, and was generally very disrespectful of women. I thought he was Middle East sort of totally demeaning attitude toward women. And his photos are all so serious and thougful, almost spiritual. The real Jim was loud, fun-loving and cocky, and unless you're a similar-minded, obnoxious, self-absorbed man too, then there will not be a conversation -- which shocked me because I just love his paintings. Coinsidentally, I watched Borat recently, and there was this scene where Borat accompanies a bunch of college students in an RV, and they talk about how women are all beneath and such -- I got the same air from Jim..., I am very disappointed!

I meet Thomadro

2007-03-08T17:26:00.000-08:00

The next morning "after", post-comicon, I headed off to an art show with Thomadro. We had beers, cheers, and a lot of fun at the gallery./where I work/. To every madness, there's a method, and to Madro's art the method was an amazing 3-D process filled with bright, contrasting colour play of pixels, dots, and patches that make up the "big picture" of wildlife animals. Thom, you are the greatest!

Hurray for Comicon!

2007-03-08T16:40:00.000-08:00

This year's Comicon I was able to attend one day...It was exciting, as always...No Hillary Swank, but I did meet lots of familiar faces(David from Davidsdoodles; Stephen Silver who is going to be teaching here this year, and, of course Raphael Navarro, the father of Sonambulo, who is doing a lot of animation work as well), and then some new faces too(last year, I discovered Michael Gagne, and this year this very peculiar lady caught my eye, and wouldn't let go of it). (Hey! Give me back my eye!) Dark's art is chilling, and she already produced a lot of giclees, to my surprise. We also got to win some plush toys, teeshirts, and of course, i had to try out Wacom's Cintique(sp?) tablet. The screen is really smooth, and it's just like drawing on the computer display with a real pen - only the screen is HUGE, and size really does matter! Everything was at my fingertips! Of course, it comes with a steep pricetag of over $2,000, and I'm saving for a new Fuji S5 Pro as of right now. After the con, we took Rafael out for dinner at Tommy's(yes!I know!On a Saturday night!)Mexican Restaurant, who has the best margaritas in town.

I dig you!

2007-02-28T10:12:00.000-08:00

This is a Valentines I got, isn't it lovely?

Bunny Love, Watercolors

2007-02-28T00:02:00.000-08:00

A collegue asked me to paint a bunny, so here it is, fresh off the bunny mill! Communicating peacefully with the butterfly, the leaves, the grass, and the whole nature...Greeting card, watercolors.

Topics anyone?

2007-02-24T22:17:00.000-08:00

You might have noticed a few "design" changes in this blog, as well as a newborn Topics link. The topics is my #1 attempt in creating smart "categories", or tags, for the blog. I used a step-by-step from this link. I went as far as Step 5, and the thing is still not pulling through. Maybe other people have been more successful with this tutorial - somewhere. Over the rainbow. Not me! C'mon, Blogger, it's time there was a Category feature built-in - driving normal people to the level of "Hackers". There's a website called "Blogger Hacks"! With tips! Tricks! There, you might learn new terms, like - "bookmarklets" and "fresh tags". Like I don't have enough stuff going on in my life already.

Rose WIP

2007-02-08T23:30:00.000-08:00

I am slowly progressing with this one. This greeting card will be included in my 'GIVE ME FIVE' series. I haven't been posting much lately, but that's not because I haven't been drawing -- in fact, my Aquarello pad is almost filled, and there are many interesting developments for me on the horizon!!! The media I explored this month: charcoal and oils -- no time for experiments right now.

Monday, December 04, 2006

2006-12-04T21:40:00.000-08:00

I may be doing something different to this blog, since the format seems so naturally crude, I am hoping for a makover before the New Years. My basic HTML wishes me well, is all I can say. :-)
Speaking of which, why waste space, if both sides of the greeting card can recieve a little attention, right? So I thought. Thanks to ArtPapa's Flemish technique(where are you, spell checker, when I need you???), this rose was born. I was curious about the whole 7 oil layers thing, plus I had inked in all the little details and the outlines. Is it really worth all the trouble, the time, the waiting??? Its definitely a creative process, however, it's really easy to "lose the love" you initially felt for the painting, just because you haven't seen it in weeks!!! Of course, the reason for this maybe, is that I don't have an art studio in Venice, California, and all you can smell in my home is Martha Stewart kinda cooking. Oh well...Let's see: I have 3 layers completed, and I am dreading the "Dead Layer", because, well it simply is that: dead. unholy. ugly.

Might? It MIGHT be YOU

2006-12-03T00:15:00.000-08:00

Watch out for mister Stork - he might just have an eye on you!

Greeting card, work in progress. Acrylics

2006-11-22T11:48:00.000-08:00

Well, the storks feet and beak still need coloring, plus the flowers on the baby's carriers, and I want to make all of the hat pink.

The sleeping dragon, mixed media

2006-11-12T11:29:00.000-08:00

The background is FW Daler Rowney inks, the dragon is acrylics.

Pears, oh my! Watercolors.

2006-11-11T22:47:00.000-08:00

It's all clear to me now...

2006-11-11T21:29:00.000-08:00

Color me pretty...

2006-09-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

As most of us women, I am a sucker for pretty words. Without them, there's no way to justify it all. Our sinful living. Our greed. I want to live a spiritual life, but am I on a path to righeousness yet? I don't know. People like to have more money. Because...they like to have more freedom. Money is bad allright. But without freedom, how can we be spiritual? Without freedom, there's more sin, there's no beliefs of your own, there's no will. For some, spirituality is yoga, listening to Mozart, or charity. To me, it's art! And theater. And the pretty words...

So here I go...another victim, fallen into a pit of poetry.
1.Life isn't us people just standing in line
And waiting for some happiness;
Life isn't a fabric of dreams pouring out
On naked free willed consciousness.

2.Life isn't a game where you're planning out
To concur or concurred you'd be;
Life isn't a butterfly flying to light...
Or fire to meet destiny!

3.Life isn't a boat with a captain that sails
Through ocean's most devious storms;
Life isn't a theater stage, where a man's
An actor that acts and performs.

4.Life isn't a jungle with animals wild
Who seek for a pray on their trails;
Life isn't an apple tree that only thrives,
If weather is warm and it rains...

5.Life isn't a shopping spree neither, where sales
Are hurried decisions to make.
Life isn't a journey in strange city, where
Each sudden turn is yours to take.

6.Life isn't a fortune wheel, spinning a fate
In powerful, wind driven hands;
Life isn't a place where history rules
With sacrifice-making demands.

7.Nor life is a court with a quick thinking judge,
For everything goes by the book;
And no, it is not superstitions and signs,
That put every step on a hook.

8.But life is fantastic mosaic of glass,
With speckles that form stories plot,
With myriads of hues, life is Muse, life is Love,
A twister of all that it's not.

OK, the idea for this poetry is a dream that I had when I was really little. I dreamt that as I was walking down the street, all I saw was lines and lines of people, and I was perplexed about what were they waiting for, why these lines were so long, and after some more wondering, I realized that they were "happiness" lines. Now I think because I was little, that was my subconscious understanding, that our meaning in life is in finding some great happiness...

In the eye of the beholder...

2006-09-10T00:24:00.000-07:00

I got a book by Don Seegmiller and here's the first excercise in it(a step by step tutorial). I forgot about the bloody veins in the eyes! Let's pretend they're there. Don says to never mind about the details('cause the devil is their resident) and eyelashes. I broke the rule, as I always love to, and attempted the forbidden lashes. What's wrong with lashes and details anyways(Just teasin" - they were my favorite part)

Struck by the Blade

2006-09-06T01:28:00.000-07:00

I've been struck by the Blade - the vampire blade, that is, and it comes closer to my heart than I ever thought. I love the new show(about to end its 1st season), and it's easy to indentify myself with the main character Krista, being troubled and wanting immortality, and simply being so, so hungry for life.
David, too, has been in sync with me, reading the vampire filled book called "Hipiro". AHH, the underworld filled with danger and adventure, it is the most magical and enticing world that attracts young and (other)young.;-)
Here's a sketch I did and then quickly "inked" with Illustrator. It's my version of the new "Blade". There're some probs, and it's not the same as a pencil sketch, which has a lot of drama to it, but hopefully, it will look beter in color(Photoshop to the rescue!)

Websites of interest

2006-08-25T22:50:00.000-07:00

I just found that David's picture was posted on the figures.com website. He's at the very bottom of the page, gleaming happily. Hiya David, the Toy Lord!

I discover a wonderful video show(series), called AMAZON FISHBOWL with Bill Maher, where? Why, on amazon.com's webpage, of course! With surprise(a pleasant one) I find Stephen King's interview, and others, embedded right onto a shopping site. It turns out, this (video affair) was going on for months, from November or so, and it was right there before my eyes all along!

Run, Froggie, run!

2006-08-25T14:00:00.000-07:00

Oh no! Miss Froggie was caught by the paparazzi while shopping. Run, Froggie, run!

Froggie went a courtin'? Or shopping?

2006-08-24T16:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a take on a modern Froggie, who goes on her usual a-courtin' and shops as she pleases. It's my second attempt to tame Illustrator and Miss Froggie has been understanding, posing for me for hours while chewing on mosquito larvaes, her favorite power snack.

David meets Tim Biskup and his daughter!

2006-08-21T02:10:00.000-07:00

My husband is always dragging me to these evens, and I don't always keep up: we go and sign something, by someone, forever. This time, we went to see Tim Biskup - he was signing his new Gama-gon toy, but we also brought our Helper and Acid head Dunny, and Dave hang his Gargamels around his neck. Tim was frantically drawing unicorns for his daughter, David's age, which she colored fiercely, and finished faster than Tim could quickly sketch another one. I thought Tim was rather quiet and intro-vertial...maybe, its the effects of fatherhood, or maybe, he's so immersed into his own fantastic worlds. It was the first time I 'd met him, so the first thing I wanted to say to him, when I first saw him , was: "So...Where's Tim Biskup?" There wasn't any aloof air about him, the impression was, here's the nicest , sweetest , (nerdiest?) guy on the block.

Me+Wacom tablet=match made in heaven!

2006-08-19T00:24:00.000-07:00

Jeez, I've done it. I got a Wacom Intuos 3 tablet, and an Adobe software. Here's my first try with Adobe Illustrator - I started with the outline and learned as I went...the "live paint" didn't work for some reason, so I created another layer and just "painted" in the areas. The biggest question for me remains, of course, how on earth do you fill(a background, for example?). Hopefully, I can figure it out with my next Illustrator sketch, where I'll try to draw "closed paths" rather than loose ones.

Here's a girl drinking martini...and a man in the martini...

Opposites

2006-07-22T23:33:00.000-07:00

Opposites...one tiny grumpy bug and a friendly giraffe.

2006-07-19T23:57:00.000-07:00

I am now, officially, an office girl. While learning, I am not actually working on real projects - rather, on dummies. It really makes me feel like a phoney. And it seems that nobody uses the bathrooms except me! The people here are potty trained to go after work. They even move less than me...they seem to be frozen, while my chair is having the ride of its life. I also noticed that the major part of the work is usually done by 3 pm. After that time, I start checking time on clocks for San Francisco, London, and Toronto and play with my jacket zipper...trying not to breathe until 5...and dreaming about Comicon...Everybody, who actually went: curse you!
~~bleeding~~

Inspiration: Illustration Friday

2006-07-07T02:58:00.000-07:00

Sticky!!! It's a comic situation: the fly here is a strong "bodybuilder" type, but he can't get out still, poor soul!

Cute Shark is born!!!

2006-07-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

Just recently I was drawing absentmindedly, when this sharky was born. It sprang to life, kicked me out of my living room and immediately made an unholy mess. Socks and cereal flying in the air and such. And, I am writing this out of my own free will and I solemnly swear that I'm not being held hostage or anything(you can put your Colgate white teeth away now, Cute Shark!) (Somebody, call Animal Control!)

Crop in or out...the leggy dame

2006-06-28T02:01:00.000-07:00

Jesus, this was never meant a "bootyful" image, so please keep ur eyes on the upper part. I am really not happy with the lower one...Everytime I draw a woman, I start off confidently, and in the end that confidence fades like a cotton shirt...I am a woman, for goodness sake. Am I not suppose to know where's what? "...I am tempted to "crop" it.

Don't do it on Yupo!

2006-06-25T02:10:00.000-07:00

Repeat, I repeat: don't do it on Yupo...unless you want a stained glass effect. I finally colored my fishes, but the Yupo paper didn't absorb any paint...So I couldn't put my hand down without getting everything smeared and my hand "lifting off" the paint, even after it was completely dry!

2006-06-24T01:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a greeting card I did in acrylics...with no prior "acrylic" experience. It was fine, only I would get "plastic blobs" sometimes, because the paint does dry too fast...I found out, they now have solved this and released a new brand of acrylics that don't dry immediately -- called Chroma Interactive Acrylics, they give you time to work and blend wet-to-wet. That said, I've had no trouble blending with regular acrylics, just think that this media, like any other, takes getting used to. Also, forget about brillancy of oils, they are not as alive as oils, but again, are quite acceptable for illustration.

Miriam sketch

2006-06-21T16:32:00.000-07:00

Here's a sample of "dynamic posing" -- obviouly, noone runs like that unless they are gymnasts on drugs. Or if its Miriam. Miriam is an alien fighting against Earth''s invasion, and also teaching my son his ABC's (pretty busy gal) . I am a fast feeler and a slow thinker, so it took me awhile to figure that the smile might look too fake...If you too think so feel free to critique.

If fishes were wishes...

2006-06-17T21:03:00.000-07:00

Fishes! Here are two cuties, now I can't wait to watercolor using Dr Martins inks...Inks for background, watercolors for "battleground"!

Nib test! (And other tools comparison)

2006-06-16T18:33:00.000-07:00

I recently ordered many more nibs from John Neal to try out: Rose nib, and Gillott 9050 are the favorite ones, + Gillott 170! Each nib feels different, and for example Deleter pen with the Nikko nib is the more popular one(especially for manga inking) - but altough flexible, it's not flexible enough for my taste. In contrast, I also compared two of my brushes and a Pentel Fountain Pen...They are all my "favorite", but I found that I used the Brush Pen more often than not - you can give nice eyelashes and a nice, smooth from VERY thin to very thick line -- although the ink in this Pentel will not dry right away and will SMEAR under my hand if not given enough time!
That's why I got the "artist's ultimate whiteout" - and if you're one of my Ebay buyers, please don't read this! But the recommended by all Pro White totally sucked: not only it was too gunky, and "unspreadable", but when you put your drawing to the light, the pro white looks bright orange! Is that even reproductible? I now use only Aquacover by Creative Mark.
I now am the happy owner of a scanner, so I'm changing all the rules: to try more conventional illustration,(although I am illustrating my book in Painter) I want to do background first, then color in the lines, and LAST ink. I have recently discovered how to do Gorgeous, seemless backgrounds(and it's not airbrush!) -- now I just have to put these skills to the test.

Picnic: cartoon

2006-06-02T14:08:00.000-07:00

I've had a little trouble scanning this image -- a family on a picnic. I started with a woman and got stuck with her crossed legs for awhile...A man only took me two minutes to sketch, a child - a little longer since I had to "fit" him in between. I think that bottle makes it too crowded, standing right before the woman's elbow. I want more "cartoony" images like this!

Classics reproduction

2006-05-22T22:51:00.001-07:00

Let's face it, we've all done our versions of the masterpieces, so I'm just following the rocky path...I 'm fascinated with William Bourguereau's work, I love the colors, I want to uncover the secret of his realistic paintings! OK, here is stage one of the painting called Thieves(?) - obviously, a girl on the painting was of criminal background, but we can 't tell from her innocent, angelic face.

Stage 1.

Stage 2.

Stage 3.
As you can see, I had to perform a little procedure called...brow-ectomy, where the left brow and ear had to be adjusted a little lower. Now , I know this is scary to see someone with such indian colors, but trust me...I have a devine plan...
Also, the way I work this girl is not going to be finished for awhile...I am compelled to add more falling hair from her hand and other modern things, but I am not keeping the (bright) colors.

2006-01-01T18:20:00.000-08:00