Dryad WIP
I have finished most of the painting in the center and end panels of the Tam Lin tryptich, but I can't show them because the scan looks so cruddy. I feel rather 'accomplished' having now filled every teeny tiny spot on those panels with paint. What's left is to do the same on the first panel, and then go back over all three and add details, patterns, and little fixes here and there. That last step only takes a day or two (assuming I get a full day to work on it).
I've been spending a lot of time over at my sister's house, so I have also been working on two smaller paintings (Tam Lin is too big to take anywhere!). "Dryad" is meant to be a replacement for "Chantel" in my art line-up. Chantel is one of the best sellers, but it's gone around to all the conventions and shows at least twice, so it's time for it to retire. I have been trying to figure out what is different between Chantel (which sells) and the other fairies (which don't sell as much). I think the difference is that she's looking right at the viewer, and that she's scantily clad, and the painting has a full background. My other fairies are either in long gowns and have no backgrounds.
I definately welcome anyone's opinions on this! "What sells" vs "what doesn't sell" totally mystifies me. My favorite paintings are usually duds, while the ones I do as "quickies" or paintings done as gifts for family often sell well. And then there's the ones like the "Hunting Pheonix" that I spent a lot of time/planning on, but absolutely hate with a passion, that sell well.
Anyway, here's the underpainting for the scantily clad, fully backgrounded dryad.
Off the topic of art... Eric has hit the five-year mark at his job, which was celebrated with a big huge security clearance renewal application. UGH. I had to fill the forms out because Eric is still working 60 hour weeks, on swing shift. It's really hard for an anti-social person like me to come up with a list of three close friends (that are not related to us or used as a reference elsewhere in the application) that Eric had seven years ago that I still have contact with. And we had to track down all our relatives (birthdates, addresses, and phone numbers), which, while not painful, was stressful since I have not kept up contact with everyone like I should. This sort of thing really reminds me how neglectful I am as a friend and family member. :( It's particularly sad to realize that we've lived here in this tiny community of about 35 families and still don't know a single person well enough to use them as a personal reference. We've made only a couple friends in the last five years, and at this point, they've all moved away, and neither of us has gotten up the courage to go out and "replace" them.
Thank goodness that is over! Turned it in yesterday on time. Whew!
I've been spending a lot of time over at my sister's house, so I have also been working on two smaller paintings (Tam Lin is too big to take anywhere!). "Dryad" is meant to be a replacement for "Chantel" in my art line-up. Chantel is one of the best sellers, but it's gone around to all the conventions and shows at least twice, so it's time for it to retire. I have been trying to figure out what is different between Chantel (which sells) and the other fairies (which don't sell as much). I think the difference is that she's looking right at the viewer, and that she's scantily clad, and the painting has a full background. My other fairies are either in long gowns and have no backgrounds.
I definately welcome anyone's opinions on this! "What sells" vs "what doesn't sell" totally mystifies me. My favorite paintings are usually duds, while the ones I do as "quickies" or paintings done as gifts for family often sell well. And then there's the ones like the "Hunting Pheonix" that I spent a lot of time/planning on, but absolutely hate with a passion, that sell well.
Anyway, here's the underpainting for the scantily clad, fully backgrounded dryad.
Off the topic of art... Eric has hit the five-year mark at his job, which was celebrated with a big huge security clearance renewal application. UGH. I had to fill the forms out because Eric is still working 60 hour weeks, on swing shift. It's really hard for an anti-social person like me to come up with a list of three close friends (that are not related to us or used as a reference elsewhere in the application) that Eric had seven years ago that I still have contact with. And we had to track down all our relatives (birthdates, addresses, and phone numbers), which, while not painful, was stressful since I have not kept up contact with everyone like I should. This sort of thing really reminds me how neglectful I am as a friend and family member. :( It's particularly sad to realize that we've lived here in this tiny community of about 35 families and still don't know a single person well enough to use them as a personal reference. We've made only a couple friends in the last five years, and at this point, they've all moved away, and neither of us has gotten up the courage to go out and "replace" them.
Thank goodness that is over! Turned it in yesterday on time. Whew!