HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Don't you just love a holiday that promotes eating all the candy that your stomach can hold?  LOL

Chihuahua Continued

Yes, I am still here! ;)   I had to devote some time to getting my Etsy Store off the ground before the holidays. (Another personal goal to check off the list!)  So these last few weeks have been filled with felted wool, gourds, paper clay and acrylic paints.  It is so nice to get back to a normal schedule at the drawing board and transfer this little guy to Bristol.  Tonight was mainly devoted to bringing the flower blossoms into view.  Did I ever tell you that plants are really NOT my favorite subject?  Due to this flaw in my character, the background is going to go first on this drawing.

Look at my sad attempt to the left. LOL  I started to map in the darks but lost interest.  My mind always wanders to the right.  What does that mean??  *sigh*  ... Other than I lack discipline! ;)   

Chihuahua Work in Progress

This puppies photograph almost has a celestial feel to it.  The composition is a tiny Chihuahua puppy held up in front of flowering plants.  Its little body is curled up as it sleeps on the palm of a hand.  As you can see by the sketch, not much of the human hand will be seen by the viewer.  But I feel, the hand has enough showing to represent itself in the composition and give a sense of scale to the size of the puppy.  I had two different pics from this photo shoot, and it was difficult deciding which to draw first.   I cropped this one pretty tight and will see how it progresses in graphite. 

The finished size will be approximately 7 x 8 inches.  My support will  be Bristol board, and I will be using a 2b mechanical pencil, blending stumps, and various erasers.

 Ahhh... Nothing like the feeling of beginning a new piece of art! :)

Business Cards ~ Goals of 2011

Remember way back in January when I was setting my years goals?  Seems like forever ago to me... *sigh*  Well, third on my list was to create and have printed my own personal business cards for my graphite art business.  I am so happy to say that I achieved that goal as of last Wednesday when this package arrived.

I had been searching for a site to create my own layout and business cards.  The girls over at the Blog Guide Book ran a promotion for UPrinting.com .  Their endorsement was all that I needed. :)  I did a photo layout (with some free help from Picnik) of a few of my drawings and began to create my first business cards.  It was so easy and fun that I decided to do another set for my Pumpkin Hollow creations.  Since my cards arrival, my hubby wants me to design some for the tree business.  Did I ever tell you that my original reason for going to college was for graphic arts?  LOVE IT! ;)  

The clarity of my graphite drawings on such a small format is incredible... better than I could have imagined!  Originally, I thought that I would have to jump to a postcard size for such clear details, but this little card is absolutely perfect.  And lucky me, they were running 15% off of business cards!  Oh... and on the back there is my contact information - name/addy/phone/email/blog, a little bit about my art, and my self portrait.  It is amazing how much could fit and still be legible while staying within the cutting lines.
 

I am toying with the idea of creating some folding pamphlets to put into local businesses.  If it goes as smoothly and looks as cool as these cards, I will be one happy artist... Onward to the rest of my goals!! :)

Double Yorkie Portrait ~ Finished

Here they are finished and ready to be matted!   (As with all my pics, you can click on the image to enlarge them.)   I opted to go with a blank background that dealt only with the light source and shadows that were created.  Shadows add so much to the dimension of a drawing.  I just love the impact that they have on pushing the subjects forward.

Although this is a terribly bright photo, I had to take a quick pic of these two that I matted for the purpose of protection on their travels home.   I am in love with black core mats.  Bristol, although very light, is far from being white.  The black core of the mat brightens up the Bristol by kicking up the highlights and bringing out the darks. 

Well, "graphite" Bella and Chester are in their new home now and are awaiting the moment to be given as a birthday present.  It almost seems like stillness has fallen over my house, since the excitement of final touch ups and delivery are over.  I took a moment before writing this entry and read back through the posts on the creation of these two.   I laugh at how much was happening in my life while this commission was taking shape.  It has been quite a journey... :) 

Double Yorkie Portrait 9

Ready for the background.  As you can see, Chester is a handsome little dude all blended and highlighted. :)  His dark eyes and muzzle stand out well next to Bella's long hair.  I hoped his strong features would be his strength in the drawing.   Both Yorkies complement each other well with their unique looks.  I love Chester's wide eyed look, and  Bella will get some more dimension to her once the background goes in and stray hairs are put in place. 

So much time gets spent looking at these little fur balls and studying their faces.  I really feel that I know them.  I am a firm believer that every animal is as unique as we are as humans, pertaining to looks as well as personalities.   It is fun to walk into the back door of my studio area and be greeted by these sweet faces.  I feel that I am lucky to get to work with so many different subjects and be able to live with their presence in my home if only for a while.  Makes me feel like I have more pets in my life.  I'm sure that my little black monster (aka Mew) likes it that way, since she doesn't have to share her kibble or comfy pillow with these "graphite" pets! ;)

Double Yorkie Portrait 8

Just thought I'd let you catch a glimpse of Chester in the rough stage! ;)