What's on My Easel...

With the Tribute to Francis painting completed, I decided to try my hand at an animal portrait, of sorts. This drawing is from a photograph I took in the Cal Poly Canyon. The painting is being painted in Corel Painter XI, using the Artists/Impressionist brushes for the underpainting, and Pastel brushes to finalize. The painting will be called, "A Little Bit Country".

Step 1 - the drawing...
Step 2 - underpainting (Artist/Impressionist brushes) and beginning detail on the cow...

Step 3 - work out the colors and detail using Pastel brushes...

From the Jewelry Box...

The jewelry box is filling up fast -- following are a few of the latest designs...

Cover to Cover...

Work on the book continues. The text is divided among the pages and I am working on rough draft sketches. I've been drawing the sketches into a sketchbook in random order and at this point they are just "gist" sketches. I now need to scan them and add them to the text pages to see how they look. Once I have a visual, I can see what sketches need to be "revised" to ensure that some images take up the whole page, some cover a spread of 2 pages, some have a margin around them, some are toned differently, etc. -- in other words, to ensure that they are not all the same. We want to make sure that each page is different and catches the reader by surprise.

Today's Quote...

"One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art." ~ Oscar Wilde

A Tribute to Francis...painting completed!

What's on my Easel...

Let's start at the very beginning... I met Francis one year at my friend and mentor, Deb Festa's Open Studio Art Tour. Francis was out in Deb's courtyard, greeting everyone and making them feel welcome. I didn't know Francis well, but I know that he was a warm, generous man with a huge heart. Over time, I got to know him better, as Deb would share with me about her Dad. Francis was a very creative man -- he was a photographer, writer, gardener, and he loved making and improving upon things.

Francis is no longer with us on this earth, but his memory lives on today in a single flower -- an iris. Francis evidently had a love for irises, because he had a huge iris garden. After his death, his daughter Deb, dug up some of the irises from his home, and brough them to her home to plant. Deb in her typical generous way, shared some of the irises with my husband and I, and we planted a special iris garden in the front of our home. When the first iris bloomed, it was a beauty. It's funny how a simple flower can spark so much thought and emotion, but it did and I was prompted to paint a special tribute to Francis. I'm thankful for my friend Deb, for her open arms and open heart. I'm thankful for Deb's family -- they truly are an amazing family, and I'm thankful for Deb's Dad, Francis. I think of him and I feel lifted up. He lived fully, encouraged much and was so very warm and kind. This painting is my tribute to Francis...

It was painted on the computer using Corel Painter 11 and a Wacom tablet, following traditional painting methods. the painting started with a line drawing, followed by basic color choices for the finished painting...

Once I had the basic design and color choices made, I started on the background -- yellow, to allow a nice glow to the finished piece, followed by some random squiggles...

I then blended the squiggles, added more color, and blended again to make it look like undefined flowers and leaves in the background...

Then, I started sketching out and detailing the leaves...

The next step was to block in the yellow iris and start detailing it out...

With the yellow iris in, I then blocked in the purple iris and started adding details...

With the background, leaves, yellow and purple irises painted, it was now time to tie it all together. I added some yellow to the purple iris, some purple to the yellow iris, color to the leaves where needed, and darkened the background just below the irises (to ground them).

The completed painting follows:

Memorial paintings are quite an honor to paint, and it was certainly an honor to know Francis and paint this tribute to him.

From the Jewelry Box...

I had fun making this pair of earrings for Samantha, in honor of her 30th Birthday. I needed something special to package her earrings and painted this earring card with watercolor paints on 140# Arches watercolor paper, outlined the painting with a black waterproof marker, then punched two holes to hang the earrings. Happy 30th Samantha!

©2009 Deborah Jeffrey

Today's Quote...

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." ~ Anne Dillard

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas...

I know, I know, Thanksgiving hasn't even been celebrated and I'm already planning for Christmas!

My family draws names for our family gift exchange, and then we purchase or make something for the individuals whose names we have drawn. We all start out with great intentions of buying or making our gifts early, but year after year SOME of us end up in a mad rush. I am so thankful that last year I followed through and got things done early. I was so relaxed and as we gathered together, I was truly able to celebrate the REASON for the season. I like that peace and joy that I was able to experience, and fully intend to get things done early this year also.

What's on my Easel...
I'm amazed at how many people collect snowman "things," but that knowledge helped me focus on this year's offering of handpainted ornaments and Christmas cards. Each ornament is an original, hand signed, miniature painting. Each original painting is framed in a hanging ornament frame, and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Following are some examples of the framed, miniature originals -- they will be added to my Etsy shop tonight, and more will be added throughout the holiday season.


Snowman Christmas Cards will also be offered individually and in sets...


From the Jewelry Box...
Today the jewelry box holds three new simple, but elegant earring sets. Each set is made with Sterling Silver ear wires and Sterling silver, glass, and Swarovski Crystal beads.


Cover to Cover...
The book printers have done an excellent job in providing all of the information we need to move forward. At this stage in the game, I am drawing rough sketches of each page. Once I have a few more done, they will be submitted to the author for comment/suggestions, etc. The rough sketches will then be refined a bit, and once we agree that they tell the story, they will be made into "formal" illustrations.

Today's Quote...
"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." ~ Will Rogers

Show us Your America...

Hi All:

Today's posting is a little different. I haven't painted all week, but I DID enter the Aaron Brothers "show us your America" contest, and I could use your support. I entered the "Day in Morro Bay Painting" (aka the Morro Bay Collage).



If you would be so kind as to go to my entry at http://showusyouramerica.com/uploads/2068 and rate my painting, it will increase my chance of getting selected to be in the final voting group. The ratings are being accepted through the end of today and the voting will begin tomorrow.


As always, thank you for your support!


From the Jewelry Box...

Although I didn't paint this week, I did make a pair of earrings and a bracelet. They were intended to be made for my husbands niece's wedding, but I didn't complete them in time. The day turned out to be one challenge after another and I ended up attending the wedding without any jewelry at all! Oh well, here's to the simple life!

The earrings and bracelet made this week are silver and red stone (although I don't know what kind of stone).
Quote for Today...
"Nobody says you must laugh, but a sense of humor can help you overlook the unatractive, tolerate the unpleasant, cope with the unexpected, and smile through the day." ~ Ann Landers

Cover to Cover

Happy Tuesday to you! I am very excited about today’s posting because I get to tell you about a project that has been on the backburner for a little while now, but it is now something I can share…to a degree. I will be illustrating and formatting a children’s book!

The author is local and this is her first book. The book will be a self-published, 32-page, hardcover, children’s picture book.

Since this is the first book that the author has published, we have been learning about publishing together. Because this is a totally new endeavor for me, I thought I would share the research and process involved in illustrating, laying-out, and publishing a children’s picture book… Starting with my next posting = )

At this time, I would like to thank the individuals who have offered great advice on how to approach this project. Deb Festa, for introducing me to the author of the manuscript, Fay Sirkis, for teaching me how to paint digitally, and for sharing your layout, design and illustration experience; Susan Harrison-Tustain, for teaching me how to paint watercolor portraits and for the advice about how to approach the project and publishing; Karen Sperling, for your advice about self-publishing; Stephanie Roth Sisson, for your advice about illustrating books and publishers; David, Mom and Dad, for your unconditional love and support – THANK YOU!

And now, What’s on my easel…

I have completed the dog portrait. I mentioned before that it ended up being a digital portrait, but I printed it out onto Arches 100% cotton rag watercolor paper and added watercolor paint to it. It is the first time I have attempted this, and I must say, I like it! It added that special touch that makes this a one of a kind portrait!

The Tribute to Francis painting is coming right along. The yellow flower is there, but still needs refinement and finishing touches – these will be done AFTER the purple flower is completed. The purple Iris is started and here are a couple of photos showing the progression…



From the Jewelry Box…

In my last post I mentioned a necklace idea that was inhabiting my brain. Well I must confess, the picture in my brain is not at all how the necklace turned out. I don’t have a photo of it (in it’s current state), but suffice it to say that it WILL be remade!

So as not to leave you wondering if I accomplished anything in the jewelry-making area, I did throw together a pair of black and white earrings to go with another black and white outfit.



I’m not thrilled with the design, but as Thomas Edison once said…

Quote of the day…
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." ~Thomas Edison

Create!

From the Jewelry Box…

I made a pair of shell bead earrings to wear with today’s work outfit, so I thought I would share. I took the photos with my cell phone, so they are not the highest quality, but I think you’ll get the idea…

Also, I completed the bracelet for my great-niece, Drina. Drina is 11 years old and a jewelry designer in her own right. I hope she is encouraged to reach for the stars and “create” jewelry to her heart’s content!

Today’s Quote: It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. ~Frederick Douglass

"A Tribute To Francis" update

What is on my easel...
The acrylic painting, “A Tribute to Francis” is coming right along. Last Thursday’s post showed the background colors being added and blended, the next step is to start building the leaf layers. The leaves are painted onto a separate layer in a flat wash.

Highlight and shadow colors are then added in and all are blended together.

The above technique is used to add the various layers of leaves…

Once the leaves are in, I add a flat wash where the flowers will go…


This is today’s stopping point. Next time I will begin defining the flowers by adding the highlight, shadow and midtone areas.


From the Jewelry box ...

My friend Karen celebrated her ##nd Birthday on Saturday. I put my newly acquired wire-wrap skills into use and made her a sterling silver, Peridot and Apatite necklace. It's funny -- I picked out the stones for her necklace based on the "natural" color clothing she wears. I learned later that Peridot is her birthstone -- I love it when things like that happen!


Okay, by now you should know that I didn't stop there. I made two bracelet and earring sets -- each made with shells and other stones and findings...



Today's Quote: “Painting from nature is not copying the object, it is realizing one’s sensations.” – Paul Cezanne