from idea to art...

Just for fun, I thought I would share a little of my process on the most recent art print that I completed for my shop.

I have often been asked where my ideas come from when creating my art. My ideas mostly come from life...just every day occurrences or thoughts or experiences. Every artist's process is unique but mine often starts with a sketch. This sketch is often done in my sketchbook and then other times it may occur on a napkin at lunch or sometimes it will even come about in the middle of the night and then I have to get up and write it down so I don't forget it before I wake the next morning.

Here is the rough sketch from my sketch book where the idea was born for the Giraffe print late one evening right before bedtime. As you see...it is VERY rough but from here I scanned in this rough and revised and revised using my Cintiq.

 

After I get the revisions to my liking, I then print out the revised sketch directly onto watercolor paper. After that I paint traditionally using Winsor & Newton paints and paper.

And voilà! :)

I am offering this art print in 3 sizes. The largest size is of course, my favorite. :)

A short break..possibly a new art print?

Even though I am busy, busy, busy working on painting my illustrations for a new children's book for Tyndale House publishers,(more on that later when it's ok to share) I just needed a short break just to paint something for fun. It helps keep me loose and motivated when working on a project.

It's not finished...still adding the giraffe's spots but I might end up offering this one for a new print in my shop. Should I? What do you all think?

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My art has gone global! :)

As many of you know by now, I opened my Etsy shop in May 2012 where I am selling some of my art prints and once in awhile I will even sell an original, although those are very tough for me to let go of. My art is such a part of me, it's like losing a part of myslef...yikes! BUT, I know, eventually I will get the hang of it. ;)

I am SO excited about the fact that my artwork now hangs on walls all across the globe. My husband and I recently did something fun and marked all of the locations where my art now resides on a world map. Most of my sales have been to the US but I have also had some success in Australia and Europe, too and even one sale to Taipei City, Taiwan!

I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all of those kind folks who have supported my shop!

Here's to a new year of many more map pins marking new homes for my art!

For the whole month of January I am offering 20 percent off on everything in the shop! Coupon code: JAN20

4 NEW stamps at Unity Stamp Co!

Happy New Year!!

What a year!! 2012 will go down as a year of awesomeness!! :)

• I turned 50 in March.
• I opened my Etsy Shop in May.
• Our daughter got married in late June.
• My husband retired in July.

That's only some of the awesomeness that took place but I want to keep this short so...

Happy 2013! May it be another year of wonderful blessings for everyone!