Pretty Poisons GIVEAWAY!!

One luck winner will win a complete set of 5 x 7" prints of my Pretty Poisons Series!

To enter use the form below!

Please give the form a few seconds to load, and let me know asap if you have any problems entering.

The "tweet about the giveaway" and "easy entry for all" options can be done once a day to increase your chances of winning!

Good luck!

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Pretty Poisons Series Complete!

#8 Aconium

Here are the final two pretty Poisons in the series!! "Oleander" and "Aconitum" which is also known as wolfsbane, monkshood and the queen of poisons. I hope you all have enjoyed this series!! Prints off all of these can be found on my website, ebay store, etsy... the usual. :)

False Hellebore

"False Hellebore" -- Pretty Poisons #6

Here is the sixth one! Just two more to go now! I hope you like her!  I liked the idea of doing green flowers. I'm trying to vary the colors of these as much as possible, though there will be two pink flowers in the series but they are very different shades. :) I'd also like to note that False Hellebores (aka Veratrum album, Veratrum Virde, Corn Lily) are a completely different species of flower than Black Hellebores (Helleborus niger) that I did as #1 in this series. Both are toxic. They have similar names, but aren't related at all.

Watercolor and white gouache. ACEO (2.5 x 3.5")

The original is for auction HERE!
Prints are available on my website.

Candy Hearts -- New Art!

"Candy Hearts"

I have a new painting to share! Here is a simple and sweet little Valentine's Day fairy! I hope that you like her!  This is my second Valentine's-themed painting. The other is my "Thinking of You" angel that I did a few years ago. Maybe next year I'll do an anti-valentine painting. :) I did give this fairy a little edge though with dark tattoos and make up. I couldn't resist or risk having her turn out too sweet.  lol ;)

7 x 9" watercolor and white gouache.

Prints and the original painting are available on my website HERE

The other day, I splurged on a large art supplies order from Dick Blick. I got some stuff that I needed, such as some erasers, watercolor paper, and an extra gatorfoam board from stretching my paintings on. I figured that I should have a spare for the occasions I have more than one painting going at once. I really could have used one for this fairy painting since I have a larger painting stretched on my foam board waiting to be painted. So in order to paint this I had to tape it to an old panel I have in my old way of painting. It works, but the paper doesn't stay quite as flat as when stretching. Annnyway... I got an extra so this shouldn't be a problem in the future.

I also finally got some more gouache paints! I think I've mentioned before that I'd really like to try an all gouache painting. Some years ago, I tried to get used to using acrylics. I have 4 or 5 painting that I made using them, but I just never really enjoyed working with them. I liked how some of the painting turned out, but I didn't really like the process. I'm thinking that gouache might work out for me, since they're opaque like acrylic, but handle somewhat like the watercolor that I love. Obviously there will be different techniques to use when working with an opaque paint than with transparent watercolor, but I think that it will be similar enough that I'll enjoy it more than acrylics.

Another neat thing is that since they're opaque, I'll be able to try out some paintings on different color papers (which I also bought). I did some colored pencil drawings on colored paper in the past, and it can create a nice atmosphere. I'm excited for my new supplies to arrive so that I can try them out! :)

And last of all, I'd like to share what will probably come next, the painting of this sketch which I completed back in November:

2013 Calendar GIVEAWAY!!

One lucky winner will win a The Art of Rebecca Sinz 2013 Calendar!!

The calendar is a spiral-bound, full-color, 12 month calendar. It features 12 different fantasy/gothic paintings, some of my newer work from the last year or so. It measures 8.5 x 11" (or 11 x 17" when open).

Artwork Featured in this calendar are: Midnight Travelers, Bleeding Hearts, Dead Sea, Cecaelia, Spring, Steampunk Assassin, Summer, Sea Swept Series Mermaids, Despair, Harvest Moon, Spellbook and Hope

To Enter, use the form below and follow the instructions. There are several ways to enter, including one easy entry that you can just click to enter. A couple can be done daily until the giveaway is over. GOOD LUCK!!

Please allow a few seconds for the form to load...

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Dead Sea - New Art!

"Dead Sea"

Here is my newest painting! This is a commissioned painting. I was given free reign with a photo the client gave me. I love commissions like this! Since I've been on a mermaid kick lately, here is another! :) I believe this will be my last mermaid for a little while though.

5 x 7" watercolor and white gouache.
Prints are available on my website, eBay and Etsy!

I discovered something simple but neat while working on this painting. I discovered that there is indeed a difference between using zinc white gouache and titanium/permanent white. A while back I'd done some reading about gouache painting because I was thinking and still hope to do some all-gouache paintings someday. I'd read that zinc white isn't as opaque as titanium white, but it is good for making tints. When I first began combining white gouache with my watercolor, I mainly used it to add some white highlights here and there, so for that I wanted the most opaque white. Over the years my techniques have changed some. I paint in watercolors in transparent and opaque techniques. I know the traditional watercolor approach is to use watercolor and let the white of the paper show through. For the most part I do paint that way, but I do like to use other techniques such as bodycolor, which is the use of opaque watercolor (either all-gouache or by mixing opaque white with transparent watercolor). I usually do this by mixing a little of a color (watercolor) with white gouache. I was never a stickler for tradition and am more concerned with the final result.

I've been using this technique with titanium/permanent white for several years now, since that was the white I had. While at Michaels last week I saw a tube of zinc white and remembered what I'd read about it being good for making tints. Since that is basically what I've been doing I bought the tube and tested it out on this painting. I have to say that I love this white so much better for my technique of painting! It is a more sheer white, but this works so great for building up subtle layers! And it can become very opaque when desired. I only used zinc white for the gouache parts of this painting, which includes much of the skeleton fish, the bright highlights and detailing in her hair and scales. It seems like it blends better with the watercolor and looks more natural and less chalky. I've always wondered whether it would really make a difference... now I know. :)  I'm sure there will still be times when the opaqueness of titanium white will be better suited, but I'm glad that I made this discovery about zinc white for my bodycolor techniques!

I hope everyone has a great weekend! :)

New ACEOs!!

"Mina"

This first ACEO was a commission that I finished at the end of July. I mean I finished it on the very last day of the month, so it counts as a July painting, just barely! ;)

I wasn't going to do any commissions for a little while but I am sometimes willing to take on ACEO commissions even when my commissions are closed just because they're so quick and fun to do. This one was particularly fun since I pretty much got to do whatever I like with it. A freedom that I enjoyed! :)

I named her "Mina" since she reminds me of the character from Dracula.
Watercolor and white gouache. 2.5 x 3.5"  Prints are available on my website.

"Bleeding Hearts"

Next is my newest Pretty Poison ACEO!  This is number four in the series. I wanted her to different from other pink flowers that I've done and I think I managed to pull it off. I like her pink and white hair! :)  I hope you like her too!
Watercolor and white gouache. 2.5 x 3.5"

The ORIGINAL ACEO is for auction on ebay right now! View the auction HERE

Prints are available on my website.

Deadly Nightshade

"Deadly Nightshade"

Here she is! #3 in my Pretty Poisons series!
I hope you like her!

ACEO (2.5 x 3.5") watercolor and white gouache.

The original is now up on eBay! View the auction HERE


Prints are also available on my website. They can be found HERE

Gothic Moon

"Gothic Moon"

This is the ACEO completed for the winner of my recent giveaway!! It is now on its way to her! Congrats again! I really enjoyed working on this. :)

Prints of her are available on my website and ebay, as usual. Now I'm off to do some commission work. :)

The Succubus Gift and Newer Art

I've been really busy on commissions lately that I've only gotten one personal painting done since January! Luckily I've really enjoyed working on everything so much! So I'd like to share my three newest paintings.

"Cecaelia"
First of all is a small commissioned painting of a Cecaelia, or a human/octopus hybrid. You know, kind of like Ursula from The Little Mermaid. ;)  I was very intrigued by the subject since I have yet to paint a Cecaelia. I also would like to add more sea creatures/mermaids to my portfolio. Ideas for them just don't come to me as often as other things.

She was 5 x 7", watercolor and white gouache. Prints of her are available on my website.

"Spellbook"

I feel like I paint in blues much more than any other color, and while it is one of my favorite color schemes, it is nice to switch it up a bit at times. And fiery red and Autumn colors are probably my next favorite! And what better for a witch reading her book of spells! This painting seems a bit off-season to be painted in February instead of around Halloween, but it's my favorite time of year. :)

8.5 x 11"  Watercolor and white gouache.

"The Succubus Gift"

I'm excited to show my newest commission! This painting was done as cover art for an an urban fantasy/paranormal romance novel by BR Kingsolver. You can read more about this book on the author's website: http://brkingsolver.com
It isn't out yet, but should be sometime next month.

I tried a new technique on the background of this painting. I couldn't quite get the background as smooth as I wanted the coloring to be for some reason at first, so I had to completely scrap it and start over. This time around I tried an airbrush technique. I got a cheap airbrush kit on ebay, the air is even propelled by canned air and not an air compressor. I knew that it would suit my needs because I didn't intend on doing anything detailed with it. I just wanted some soft coloring effects in the background, so I didn't need any fancy, expensive equipment. It worked very well! I just used some darker blue watercolor in it and sprayed in the darker blue areas of the background. I think that I will be using this technique again in the future.

9 x 12.5" Watercolor, white gouache, colored pencil and airbrush.

Prints of this painting are available on my website: http://www.elvenstarart.com/Galleries/Misc/TheSuccubusGift.html

Below is the complete cover design, with text, also done by me.

I currently have two special auctions going on ebay! These are for two LARGE sets of ACEO prints. Each set contains 20 different prints and they both started at only one penny!! See both those auctions HERE!

In Licensing news...

For all you cross stitchers out there, my painting, "Shadow Dragon" is now available as a cross stitch pattern! Get that HERE!  Also, "Spellbook" and "Cecaelia" are available as tubes on Dreamscape Imaging! Get those and any of my other tubes HERE!

Next up... I have possibly one more commission to go! After that I hope to start a new ACEO series that I've been planning for several months now. I just haven't gotten a chance to start it yet due to other projects. All I'll say, is that it's a sort of spin off to my garden series, but with a theme of it's own. :)  I have some other larger painting ideas too that I want to do. I may do one of those first and then do the ACEOs. Not sure yet...

New Halloween Painting!!

"All Hallows' Eve"

My Halloween painting for this year! Last year, I finished "Pumpkin Patch" the day before Halloween. I didn't want to wait quite so long this year. :)

She is done in Watercolor and white goauche and is 4 x 6"

The ORIGINAL painting is up for auction on Ebay for the next week! You can view the auction HERE


The Auction for my ACEO, "Stealth" still has a couple of days left! "Stealth" auction HERE

New Auctions!
I have yet another bunch of hand-embellished canvas ACEO prints up for auction this week!!

See all 9 available HERE

Cross Stitch Charts
Heaven and Earth Designs released a couple more of my paintings as cross stitch patterns!!
Dragon Angel
Winter Magic

Black Tiara -- New Art!

"Black Tiara" -- my newest gothic fairy!  I'm really happy with how she turned out; I hope you like her too!  :)

7.5 x 5.5" watercolor and white gouache.

Prints and the original are available on my website.

Details:

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! :)

Broken Halo WIP

A couple days ago I did a couple of quick, messy concept sketches.  I almost always do these before doing my more refined sketches, just to get my composition planned out.  Then I wasn't sure which I wanted to start with, the angel or the mermaid, so I asked my Facebook friends to help me decide.  The majority voted for the angel, which truthfully I was leaning toward myself.  :)  But I fully plan on doing the mermaid soon too, if not immediately after the angel.

So I got started on the angel sketch.  I worked on it for several hours yesterday.  While I was working on it, I took some progress shots.  While this isn't really a tutorial, I thought some would still find it interesting to see how it came together.

And I had a little visitor while I was working.  Loki had to investigate what the heck I was doing!  I guess he wasn't too impressed because right after this picture was taken, he began to chew on my drawing board!  lol

"Broken Halo" final sketch

Here is the finished sketch!  The photo washed out a lot of the background detail, but I was too lazy to scan it.  This is a fairly large picture, at 11 x 14"  I plan to transfer the sketch tonight and hopefully get started on the painting too.  I hope that the painting goes as smoothly as the sketch did.  :)

Holiday Sales, New Art and Kitties!

I'll start out by announcing that starting today I'm having a huge Holiday sale in my Ebay store!!  This will last until December 5th!!  You can get 25% off all prints, including a brand new size I'm now offering -- large, 13 x 19" prints!!  And get 10% off everything else -- original paintings, jewelry, bookmarks, etc...!

Also if you prefer to shop at Etsy, you won't be left out!  Enter the coupon code HOLIDAY at the checkout and get 10% off your order!!  :)

You can also get 40% off calendars at Zazzle for the rest of November by entering the coupon code: 40CLNDRS2011
I  have 3 calendars available: 

Newest Art

 "Crimson Wings"
This painting was done for the Enchanted Visions Project for the theme, crimson wings.  I took mine in a horror/fantasy direction.  I'm really pleased with how she turned out!  She's probably one of my favorites I've done in a while.
Prints and the Original Painting are available HERE

 "Pumpkin Patch"

This next one I finished JUST in time for Halloween!  I like some things about it but I think I could have improved a couple things if I'd had more time to work on it.  But for the most part, I'm happy with it.  :)
Prints are available HERE


Kitties!

Summertime, outside

In September, we took in a stray cat.  She'd been hanging around all Summer and when it was starting to get a little cooler outside she decided that she wanted to move in with us.  Yes, she decided.  She came in through a hole in our screen door and made herself at home.  LOL  Luckily we liked her so we let her stay.  Isn't she pretty!  :)

Pweese, let me in!

Of course, being a female stray... she had to be pregnant.
On October 30th, she had 3 kittens.  I knew for sure that she was pregnant maybe 2-3 week before she gave birth.  At least she and her kitties have a warm place to stay and plenty of food to eat, plus 4 humans that are pretty crazy about them!  :)  Especially Momma, Freya!  We haven't gotten to know the kittens too much yet, but they get more adorable every day.  They're currently 3 weeks old.  We probably won't be able to keep all three kittens, but plan on keeping at least one of them along with Freya.  Hopefully we can find good homes for the other 2.  :) These are some of my favorite pics of her and her kittens.  I haven't gotten many very good ones of the kittens yet since she has them under my bed!  lol

Pretty Freya

Freya

One Kitten, 2-3 days old

Nursing her babies

babies, 1 week old

2 weeks old

3 weeks old

New ACEO Painting...

"Alexias"

This is a commissioned ACEO painting that I did last week.  I'm really happy with how she turned out!  And it was a nice little break from the garden series, which I really have to get back to now.  ;)

Watercolor and white goauche.  2.5 x 3.5"

Limited Edition Prints are available on my website.

Store Sale!!

I'm having an Ebay store sale for the next week with 25% off all prints and 5% off Jewelry and a few originals! :)

New Embellished ACEO Prints!!

I have some new One-of-a-kind hand-embellished ACEOs for auction on ebay for the next week!! All of these will only be available once, so they are truly one-of-a kind! Click the picture to visit the auctions.

Newest Art!!

"Mischief" -- My newest and favorite ACEO! I just love the cute raccoons!! This is the 8th in my ACEO animals series! This painting is for auction on ebay HERE

"The White Rose" -- A new painting of my character, Elekcis, standing by a stained glass window of a white rose. Every now and then I feel the urge to paint her! :)

"Waterfall Mist: -- A fairy standing in the mist of a waterfall. This one was a love of fun to paint. I love the monochromatic color scheme and am really happy with how the water drops on her turned out. Make sure to click on the detail view!!

Prints of all are available on my website!  :)