Doing Things!

I haven't actually been a giant slacker for the last...nearly year...since I last posted, I promise. But I haven't been working on the Wild Swans project. I have been working on an etching commission which is three etchings based on Frank Lloyd Wright houses.
I also have been working on starting a business and buying a new etching press. Obviously, I want to edition all my new prints on the new press because yay new press. Also because my current one doesn't work so well. But that means I have to wait until I get the press to finish the project. But it shouldn't be too much longer. :D

In related news, I opened an Etsy shop to sell my prints. It's right here!
There should be even more things added soon!

Second of the Swans

I finished the second illustration for my Wild Swans project, the original version of which is in my last post. 

"The light of hundreds of glow-worms shown amidst the grass and the moss, like green fire..."

 I do love gold Gouache. So shinyyy.

The printmaking project I mentioned last time is still in the works, and I got a new job that will start in about a month. It's an actual 9-5 type job, and I'm hoping that will help me structure my time instead of interfering with these projects.

Return to Days of Yore

Well, mostly projects of days of Yore. (Does that word have to be capitalized? Probably not, but I like it that way (Also Yore is a fun word to use, especially during the holiday season.).) [I'm feeling creative with punctuation. Be warned.]

I started this project illustrating The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Anderson almost five years ago when I was recovering from major surgery, because I felt I needed a huge project to take up some of the hours I was spending sitting around otherwise staring at the computer or reading for months. Turns out the project was too large though, and I didn't even really get that far into it. So I decided to finish it now.
The project currently entails about 15 ink and watercolor illustrations, which I may cut down to 12 or so. These will then be used in my illustration portfolio. About 8 of these are somewhere in the sketch -> full blown drawing stage currently. One is (probably) finished and one more is currently in progress.

The finishedish piece:

The probably-needs-a-major-overhaul-because-i-hated-it-and-ended-up-playing-around-with-it piece. Obviously, unfinished:

Both of these drawings reached the "full blown drawing" stage when I originally started the project, and I'm trying to balance that with the artistic progress I've made since. There are some things I really like about them, but sometimes, as with the original version of the unfinished image (in which she looked like she was in a park rather than a forest. I still think it looks more like a park after a bad thunderstorm), I'm realizing that they don't translate very well to paint, or don't fit my current style or vision or could be better executed. Or all of the above. So even the things which I felt before were mostly finished need tweaking or even overhauling. Luckily, because I don't have a deadline I'm feeling pretty free to use this as an opportunity for play.

Also It's becoming more and more clear to me how dearly I need a better camera. That's not going to happen any time soon, however.

I'm hoping I can keep this project going steadily and am trying to develop good work habits around it. I have another printing project creeping into my brain also so hopefully I can balance them. The printing project also depends on another person, however, so it's going to remain vague for now.

The Art Show is Opened

And I have some pictures that other people took!

Loose prints

 I also have framed prints, of course.

The newest embroidery is all the way to the right. I will post better pictures of it later. It was a fun surprise for my fab friend who is the subject

The artists

Fun with energy drinks

This man liked my embroideries enough that he went home and brought back a piece his grandmother made for me to look at. It was beautiful, and he was awesome!

Art Show Opening Next Week

My next art show is opening next week. I'll be showing my etchings and the embroidery series - there's one more finished one but I want to debut it at the show so no sneak peaks here!
It's a group show with two other fabulous local artists. I'm getting excited!

 

I also cranked out two new small linoleum prints to sell as cards, and may get a third done before the show. If so, the design will be a surprise. ;)  Here are the two I have ready:

 

Not all the detail comes out in the scan, as the embossing is an important part of the images. So these need to be seen in person.

I spent today getting labels and displays figured out, and generally getting pumped. :)

Portrait the Fourth

This one is of a friend, from a few years ago. Aww he looks so young ^_^

Once again, 18x24 inches hand embroidered on unbleached muslin.

Portrait #3

I'm not quite sure if this is finished, but I've moved on to the next one so for now I'm going to say that it is.

Embroidered portrait of my mother and cousin, 18x24 on unbleached muslin.