Woodland Magic

New Version ready to paint

I'm going to share some of the progress of the painting I'm working on. I mentioned it briefly in my last post.  This is a re-imagining of an older sketch.  I liked the old concept, which had her as a goblin queen with a goblin king in a forest with goblins lurking about.

Old / Original Version

I don't know what happened exactly, but I just lost enthusiasm for this original concept and couldn't seem to finish the painting.  But I always loved the sketches, particularly of the the queen.

So I decided to do something with her, but a bit different and in a smaller scale.  Still with a lot of detail though.  She had to be in a forest scene again.  That is just the setting that I imagined for her all along and I couldn't imagine her any other way.

I have a lot of work still to go in this medium-sized painting (8.5 x 11"), but I'm really enjoying the process so far.  I'm starting to see it's potential now, so I hope it turns out as well as I'd like!  :)  I'm thinking it might be called, Woodland Magic, but I'm still tossing around ideas in my head.  That's what I like best so far though.  Sometimes, I have a title in mind right from the beginning.  Others, I try to think of it as I work.  Here are some progress shots:

I put some masking fluid over the main figure and the moths and twisty stick.  Then I just started filling in the background colors.

I have the basic foundation down here, so now is time to start adding the details...

Started working on the foliage, and darkening things up...

Foliage is one of those things that makes me a bit nervous to work on. I'm a little intimidated by it.  I try to go by my instincts when working on it, but I'm unsure how well it will go.

I painted in the lantern and stick/pole thing...

I think it's starting to look pretty neat at this point.  Now on to more foliage work...

This is my last and most up-to-date progress shot for the moment. I'll edit this post with more.
The glowy, magic moths are pretty much done, I think.  Now I'm working on adding detail to the foliage... my favorite part.  lol

*July 19th* The background is almost done now.  The photo washed out a lot of the details and the ground isn't quite that dark.  A little more work and I'll be able to start on the girl.  I'm still debating on whether I should make the far background darker or leave it like it is.  hmmm...

*July 20th* I'm pretty much done with the background now.  I'm going to move on the painting the girl.  Once she's done I can take another look at the background and see if anything needs adjusting.

New ACEO Painting and WIP

"Sapphire Angel"

This is a commissioned ACEO that I finished last week.  She's based on a few different elements from some of my other paintings, mainly my other ACEO, Dragon Angel.

I like how she turned out a lot!  But then I always love working in blue!  :)

Limited Edition Prints are available of her on my website.  And also in my Ebay and Etsy stores!

 

While on the subject of Etsy, I have sale going on right now.  Get 20% off everything!!  Including original art and jewelry.  It was just going to be for the weekend, but I'm going to let it run for a few more days!  :)

Enter the coupon code SALE20 to get this deal.

Also, my forth sheet of Rubber Stamps is now available for pre-order!! This sheet includes my painting, "Lilac" "Waterfall Mist" "The Secret Temple" and "Fairy of the Spring Bloom." A very detailed set of stamps! Get them and my other stamps HERE

Some more of my work has also been released as fabric patches at Kat's Magical Patches.  See them all HERE

I created a neat little welcome page for my Facebook Fan Page!  "Like" me there to get all my latest news as fast as possible.  Or sign up for my newsletter on my website.

Next up, I'm going to begin painting the picture to the right!  This is a re-imagining of an older sketch/painting that never got finished.  Originally it had a guy in the picture and some goblins, but I'd somehow lost interest in it and never got it done.  But I've always loved the girl in the drawing, so I decided to take her and paint her in her own scene, which is still in a forest because that is just where she belongs.  ;)  I added in a lantern and some magical glowing moths!  I hope that it turns out like I image!  Foresty scenes aren't the easiest.
I would have begun this today if it weren't for the awful headache that I had all day!  I managed to get together and mail all the orders from over the weekend, but that's the most that I could manage.  Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day!

Last of all, is that I have a new-ish necklace to share!  This was finished maybe 2-3 weeks ago.  It's a multi-chain necklace with a silk ribbon-tie closure!  With this ribbon closure, it can be worn in a variety of different lengths!  It is available in my Etsy shop!  (and can be gotten for 20% off if purchased in the next few days!).

New Fairy Painting!

"Lilac"

A Lilac Fairy! I've always loved lilacs, and I planned to do a lilac painting for a while.  That's why I resisted making lilacs part of my ACEO Garden Series.  I wanted to do a larger version.  :)

8 x 10" watercolor and white goauche.
Prints are available on my website!

My 3rd sheet of Rubber Stamps is now available for pre-order from Sweet Pea Stamps!!  You can pre-order those and see all my other rubber stamps HERE!

I also have a couple new necklaces to share!

"Cyclamen Opal Full Persian Necklace"
The cyclamen opal crystals in this are sooo pretty!  They are a sort of purplely rose color.  I'd say more purple though, with a hint of rose. They're a bit more purple than the pictures seem to show. I love them though, and couldn't resist using them for this necklace!

This is for sale in my Etsy Shop HERE

This necklace is a custom necklace that I made for a customer. It is made up of several various types of black and gunmetal chains.  I have plans of doing something similar to offer for sale soon.  :)

And because I love her so much, here are a couple more pictures of my beautiful kitty, Freya!  :)

 

New Jewelry and Magazine Feature!

 

I have a TON of new jewelry for sale!!
I made a lot of new Dog Tag Necklaces! These feature many of my newest paintings. The entire garden series is currently available, ONLY these have a small matching crystal rhinestone attached to the corner of them! :)

I finally have some cameo rings available again! These were pretty popular the first time I made them, but I had trouble finding some of the parts for them. I'd been on the lookout ever since and finally got everything to make them again! :)

And just for fun, I made some other filigree rings that are topped with beautifully detailed resin chrysanthemum cabochons! These are available in a few different colors!

ALL of this jewelry is now available in my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/elvenstarart

Other Art News: My second sheet of Rubber Stamps is now available for pre-order at Sweet Pea Stamps!!  Pre-order yours and see all my stamps HERE!

 I have a feature in the current issue (June 2011 Issue #70) of ImagineFX Magazine!! So keep an eye out for it. It is on sale now the UK, and a month later everywhere else. :) I need to get my hands on a copy! You can buy a digital copy HERE or the actual magazine HERE if you can't find it in a store.

"Black Rose Immortal" and "Black Winter Day" are now available as Cross Stitch Patterns at Heaven and Earth Designs!

I also have a couple new pieces of handmade jewelry for sale!!
I have a chainmaille choker done in the dragonscale weave!  This cute necklace features a butterfly pendant and extender chain!
 The second piece is  a simple multi-strand bracelet made using a couple different types of chain and a chain of wire wrapped beaded links!
Both are available in my etsy shop!!

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And a small update on my kittens... all seem to be recovering well from their surgeries and all cats are now getting along fine again! :)

New Painting and Products!

"From the Dark Depths"
This is my newest painting, finished earlier this week!  I actually painted a mermaid this time!  It is not a subject that I get inspired to paint often for whatever reason.  I just don't get that many mermaid ideas.  :)

I wanted her to me more of a dark mermaid, and even though she is up on the beach, I didn't want it to be beautifully sunny.  So I opted for a cloudier atmosphere.

Watercolor and white goauche, as usual.  5 x 7"
Prints are available on my website!

New Products!
I'm pleased to announce that my artwork is now available on a couple of new products!

Some of my art is now available as Iron On Transfers from Kat's Magical Patches!! These can be used for all kinds of fabric crafts!

Also, You can now get some of my art as Rubber Stamps! Pre-order my first sheet now at Sweet Pea Stamps!!

Other...
We got the kittens spayed this week, and they are now at home recovering.  As it turned out, all 3 off them are girls!  I thought for sure that at least Loki was a boy.  Oh well, I guess we'll just have to have a girl cat named Loki, because I couldn't get used to another name at this point.  lol

They seem to be doing well, except for the fact that they don't recognized each other's scent and keep hissing at each other.  This also includes their mom.  She hisses if one comes anywhere near her.  I've heard this is common and should pass.  I sure hope so!

Spring Sale!!

I have a sale going in my Ebay Store for the next week!  Get up to 20% off on EVERYTHING!!

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I've started the sketch for a mermaid painting, of which I showed a little concept sketch of a few weeks ago in this blog post.  It is kind of slow going because I've been sick with a cold this week.  This cold has been going through my family for the last few weeks, and I thought I was in the clear but it hit me last.  :(  It's actually the first cold I've had in several years, so I've been lucky.  I hope that it will pass soon, so I can get some real work done!  I hate being sick.

New Painting, new website and more...

New Art:

 "Broken Halo"
11 x 14" watercolor and white goauche.
This is my newest painting that I finished a couple days ago!  I'm really happy with how she turned out.  The billowy storm clouds in the background took the longest!  Backgrounds often do take me longer than the figure to paint, maybe it's because I find the figures way more fun to paint!  But backgrounds are a necessary evil.  lol

I was originally going to make her wings turning from white to black, having the feathers falling out being the white ones.  Like after she "fell" everything was darkening and volatile around her, as with the storm clouds building up around her.  But by the time I got to the wings, I just wasn't quite sure how to successfully pull that off how I'd imagined.  And I wasn't sure if it would have looked as good if I'd tried, so I decided just to go with all black instead.  :)

Prints are available on my website!

New Website:
I made a website dedicated to my handmade jewelry! The shopping cart is connected to my main art website, so you can shop at both in one transaction! :)
You can visit  it here:

jewelry.elvenstarart.com


Bookmarks!

I now have the Garden Series available as bookmarks!  They're only $2.50 each!  I also have many other designs available in my Ebay store.









And Just because they're cute:
Almost 5 1/2 months now...

Bear's Pretty Green Eyes

More Bear cuteness

Loki's Sweet Face...

Loki again

Sleepy Loki

Storm

Storm and Loki taking over my drawing table