Hi there! I have created this brief tutorial for this painting. Please follow along, I have some handy tips!

Here is my art desk with the Creative Earth Wave ink/sketch all ready to go on my Arches watercolor paper block (hotpress = smoother surface). I've got my colored pencils in my pink box to the right, ruler, paints/palette, to the left, brushes by the top of the painting.

The great thing about a watercolor paper block is that you don't have to worry about taping it down, you can paint right on the block if you'd like (which is what I did). I started with using cadium yellow to apply an overall wash to the surface.

You can see my palette to the left to reference the color choices I picked. Working with the background for subtle blends of colors works great if you wet the surface first and then apply the pink and green colors (in this case I did pink on top and green on bottom). I went over it a couple times to intensify the color in certain spots. Then I used the purple as a shadow base on the figures. Painting shadows first, then skin color afterwards is a very helpful technique.

I then applied glazes over the whole painting (pink on top, green bottom, yellow all over) and added the initial blue glazes to the Earth. I also added a blue base for the mermaids hair because I want to paint her hair black. Blue makes a great undertone.

Now the fun part begins! I read about this technique and decided to give it a try: using watercolor, then colored pencil, and another watercolor glaze helps smooth out the colored pencil. When using colored pencil, you can only do so much before it becomes too waxy and color won't build. Painting over the pencil with another layer of watercolor makes the surface useable to add another layer of colored pencil!

After I have applied colored pencil shading, I go over the areas with their corresponding watercolor glazes (remember the colors I had on my palette?) I painted pink over the fairy, blue over the mermaid and Earth, and purple over the angel. The watercolors dry really fast using hotpress paper! You must work quickly to catch any runaway colors.

Next, it's time to work on the clouds for the background. As you can see, I have selected nice bright colors for the areas that I will be shading to make cloud formations. Making spontaneous blended clouds is a challenge. Luckily, the watercolors I put on made their own little shapes and formations. I used the colored pencil to shade in these areas - creating a cloud formation base that I don't have to make up...it's already there!

Almost finished. I went back and yet again darkened the dark areas with colored pencil after my last watercolor wash.  After shading in the clouds, I went over the whole background with a yellow wash and it blended the pencil nicely so that you don't see pencil lines. To blend the angels dress and other dark areas like the mermaid's hair, I used the favorite technique of a white colored pencil to blend in the colors nicely.

Here is the finished piece with digital adjustments. My scanner makes my images look a bit grainy so I fix them with my digital art program. I used a blending filter and brush to blend rough areas. Then I had some fun and used some digital sparkles and flares. I also touched up the highlights a bit on the hair and skin.

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial! I plan on using this combined technique in the future.

Winter Holly Fairy 12/09

I am finished with my fairy for this holiday season, and I think she turned out great! I've been in the mood for doing colored pencil instead of watercolor - maybe because it's less of a mess. However, I am returning to several watercolor paintings I have outlined all ready to go and paint!

I have just recovered from pneumonia (which I got from the flu), and then I coughed and pinched a nerve in my back. What a mess - but I'm doing much better. I have to take breaks now when doing art work because it is hard on the shoulders, back, and my hands.

The creative wave is here once again and I'm ready to take advantage of it! Seems to be a pattern with me - I create several works of art within a month - and then nothing for a while. Perhaps it is also because I spread my creativity around to music, making crafts, baking, etc.

Speaking of baking, I just made 5-6 batches of cookies for my husband to take to a work party tomorrow! Wow, what a busy day I've had. I ordered lots of books to read over the Christmas break, got an electric blanket and a gift certificate to get a massage at a local spa.

Hope you all enjoy a wonderful holiday!

Pumpkin Surprise 10/09

Happy Halloween everyone!

I am finally updating with a new piece of art. My muse had left me and attended some convention somewhere, because it has been a while since I last created a piece of art!

I tried a different technique with this piece, I used my new illustration board paper with ink and colored pencil. The uploaded picture doesn't do the color or blending justice, that is why I tried to adjust it a bit in my digital art program. I used a lot of pressure with the pencil and I feel like my hand is cramped and my fingers permanently dented from grasping so hard! Ouch!

I have decided to make available art prints using an outside source like art.com or my zazzle shop because it provides more options than I can offer: sizes, paper, styles, etc. I hope to update my zazzle shop with products featuring "Pumpkin Surprise" before I go.

I am going to be helping my sister with her new baby for several weeks, so I will not be around online or checking my email as often. I definitely plan on teaching my nieces how to draw (last time they learned butterflies). We will also do lots of fun fall stuff like baking, carving pumpkins and probably take the girls trick-or-treating!

Enjoy the rest of October and Halloween!

"Sitting Pretty" digital art 7/09.

I have finally decided to test out uploading a sketch into TB and then digitally painting it from there. This is the result of my first attempt. It was difficult to cover the pencil marks, but I figured out an easier way for the next time (making the lines as light as possible and then retracing them with increased density/opasity).

This was all done using my mouse which is proving to be difficult and tiresome. That is why I want to get a Wacom tablet for around $200. (Edit: I got a great deal at new egg for $50!)

I just downloaded Infranview for free, which is easier software for resizing, etc. If you notice on this image, I have finally included a watermark (I watched a video tutorial on how to make one on the Pixarra site).

This means I have to go back and watermark all images on this site and that will be a work in progress. (Yes I realize I should have done this in the first place) :P

I have found an awesome digital fantasy artist and I aspire to make creations as wonderful as she does! She definitely is my inspiration. I have this figurine on my vanity.

Thank you Nene Thomas!

Also thanks to Jessica Galbreth for her Artist Manual which has helped start the fire under my art business once again. Many useful tips and resources!

I have also ordered Stephanie's Dreamscapes book, I can't wait for it to arrive!

Gateway '09

I have decided to give my website a face lift as well as customizing it for accessibility for friends and family. Furthermore, my website is now designed towards art development. I will be posting future tutorials and art business matters within my blog.

I will be updating my resource page as I come across other sites, artists or tools that I'd like to share with you.

As for my art shop, I am only fulfilling art print orders at this time. I will also be updating my Zazzle shop to include more recent products.

The main reason for this makeover is for simplicity, communication, and to accommodate my changing future.

Please also check out my new feature Coloring Pages that I have included in my image gallery. This is available to the public, family and friends to print out and color for kids or adults! I only ask that you respect the copyrights to these images under StarseedArt.com.

Thanks!

Here is my new EPSON workforce 600 series printer! I am now able to print my own high quality art prints and send them to you! Please see my products page to order prints. Each print will be checked for print quality, color, and be shipped with proper protection. I will also sign them and add an image description or a nice inspiration quote/message to go with them. Kind of reminds me of the yogi tea I'm drinking right now (Egyptian licorice). I love how you read little inspirational messages on their tea bag holders! It gives that little extra touch.

It feels great to wake up everyday and work on my passion. The best part being that my passion serves others!

Well, I finally got my Zazzle shop up and started with a few products. Most of the products are customizable, so if you don't like the T-shirt style or color, you can change it! I just provide the images. ;)

Is it bad that I want to buy most of the things I created? I'm designing business cards and if I create a T-shirt just for myself with my website...hey free advertising! lol

buy unique gifts at Zazzle


Most of the new products feature my newly finished "Morning Glory Pixie". I actually drew her out months ago but finally got around to finishing her. The products feature edge fading, only because I could not fit the whole thing on my scanner! I will show the original image here. The flowers look off balance but really, there's a whole other inch to the left side! The original looks much more balanced.


Morning Glory Pixie

Speaking of pixies, fairies and the like...the first time I ever kind of wished them to be real (except as a kid) was in college when my roomate had some book that featured a fairy catcher slamming the fairies shut in her book. The expressions were hilarious! Then I got to see a real fairy altar some years later and thought, "Oh that's cute, they think they're real", but I still couldn't shake the mystical feeling I had.


Fairy Altar Circle (photos taken at local Fairy Festival)

I began to think that I knew they influenced my art somehow...perhaps just as a sort of muse or creative guide. However, it wasn't until I started to create my own garden that I decided to get an iron lantern that you put an iron fairy in. She comes with a poem and fairy dust that you sprinkle on her at night, make a wish, then in the morning....when the sunlight greets her, she makes your wish come true. Well, the very next day I created 3 new pieces of art (and was stagnant for a while).


Fairy Face Painting

Once someone said that my fairies literally jump off the page and go with the viewer. That they are particular with whom they work with and it's a pleasure working with me. So part of me is really beginning to feel their influence, even though I haven't "seen" them. I guess others see their influence with me as well because one lady in a store remarked that I had fairy influence about me as I purchased my first pair of fairy earrings. :)


I would love to play harp at a fairy festival!


This qualifies as pure "Airy Fairy" decor


What is a fairy festival without a tea party?

"Going Home" (see bigger size in my gallery)

Do you like my new spacescape? I love these ethereal looking ships. I had fun with this one. I am currently working on a city spacescape and it's proving to be a bit more difficult than I wanted. When I create these spacescapes...all I do is play around with the program, the brushes and techniques until I create something cool looking. The city scape is the only one I've started that had a plan before I started it. I can spend hours dorking around and hardly notice the time. :)

What's up on the art business front?

I am currently creating "stores" at Zazzle and Devianart for print purchases. Yay! I also figured out how to customize my images on the scanner. I upgraded my Digital Art program, Twisted Brush for only $60 (license renewal). There's so much I'm learning how to do with that program. You can create digital art with oil, watercolor and acrylic paint and it looks like the real thing! However, learning the artistic techniques to create a physical painting is completely different compared to digital art. I feel limited with my mouse with detail and movement. Doing physical art has much more freedom and you get something to hang on your wall. Just wish there was an undo button sometimes!

I need to organize my art desk and get my supplies under control. Currently my pencils and watercolors are all over my desk instead of in those neat little drawers. My siamese cat, Nin, is having fun knocking them all on the floor. It's as if he has to test the method of gravity with each new item he sees.

I had time to stop into little shops today, specifically an art store. I was able to pick up some cool new sized paper by Strathmore. It is 5.5 x 12, so it is horizontally long and great for sketching. I also picked up "color books" which have outlined pictures and you can pratice coloring or watercoloring them. I decided to trace one onto watercolor paper and paint with my new watercolor paints.



As you can see, my watercoloring technique is still developing and I also hooked up an old scanner so that I could make use of it for the website until I save up for a new one. The scanned version turned out darker than the original and it really picked up choppy brush strokes. I'm going to see about using some of the software to soften it a little.

I also stopped into an art gallery and the owner talked to me about watercolor classes and I think I will sign up for one that starts in September. We also talked about using the salt technique with watercolor and how she made use of playground sand packed onto the surface to add a great looking texture.

Something is wrong with my lower right arm/hand. It's been tingling for two days now, it's achey and sore. I'm not sure if it is because of all of my art, piano playing, carrying heavy bags in the past couple days or what, but it hurts enough to keep me from drawing and painting. :( So that is why I decided to do a blog entry, I can also scan some more art for my art timeline. Now I don't have to rely on my crappy digital camera!

Welcome to my blog!

Here, I will post tutorials and updated art news. You will be able to follow my artistic progress and development as I continue to improve! Please feel welcome to comment. Thanks for visiting!