2010 year of Tiger

Here is a tiger. I drew it yesterday in Photoshop.
I wanted to make a card out of it, but words just seem out of place here.  I want all attention to be on the tiger.

Happy New Year!

"Kalendar" again.

This time i didn't submit it, because they have a "day for wrapping up gifts". And as you can see, I drew unwrapping...

Happy unwrapping to all of you!

Another "Kalendar" illo

they spelled their site "kalen-dar" that's why I spell it this way.

This one is for the "day of looking for the forgotten gratitude"

Here is another one for Kalendar

This one is for the "Day of Lemon Candy Passion". I already did it once. It was last year. I think it was one of my first, the one that inspired me to try more.

Here is another try.

Kalendar

I recently posted an illustration for the Illustration Friday and also decided to post some for the Kalen-dar site.

Here is one for the "Day of looking for the Northern Deer"



Here is for the "Day of the Snow Angels"

More sketches

A couple of other sketches that I colored in photoshop.

IF: Pioneer

I haven't been posting for a long long time. But now I feel an "urge" again.



---------

Merry Christmas

My warmest wishes to all of you, no matter of whether you celebrate Christmas or not!

Hugs and kisses, my dearest friends! I love you all!

-----------------

I've been making these small avatars for my friends. I hope they like them. I just found a bunch of my older pencil sketches. I decided to make them in Photoshop instead of the Illustrator. It is easier, but also more difficult. I can't seem to find how to draw straight. Most of my lines appear squiggly :)

I'm back (click on the name to expand)

Hello my friends! I am back from vacation. We went to the Dominican, it was great! The weather was awesome, a bit windy, but just right.

The ocean was warm, the palm trees and the sand were there, food and drinks all included. I still have the resort bracelet on my wrist.

I made a few photos, I'll show them later. I brought my sketch book and my pencils with me, and was sketching away on the beach, in the lobby, and in the airport.

Here they are. Actually, I will start with a photo from my phone (I brought my blackberry with me, downloaded 6 books and was reading them on the beach. I don't need a separate reader, I can totally use my Blackberry for anything! I love it!)

Tooth

They took out my tooth today. Now I am in pain. All day long. Can't really open my mouth, can't speak, can't eat. Well, I ate a little, only soup. Still hungry..

Just a girl

I started making this girl for a project, and by the time I finished, I realized that she is totally wrong for it.

But I still like the girl. So here is just a girl. For nothing.

Winter

I have updated my blog design. made it more "wintery" (if i may say so).
i only started decorating for Christmas today. anybody else is ready?

Color: Purple

A friend of mine gave me a task to find some purple things around me and write about them. Here they are:



(In the magazines they usually add numbers to the corresponding photos, but I hope that my collage here would be easy to follow).

1. Klimt coffee book. My inspiration and my good mood. Somehow I am always in a good mood after I flip its pages. We don't have a coffee table really, so I keep it among other books in my art room (I don't call it my office any more), or sometimes on the floor of my art room. My desk is usually too full.

2. Oil paint. I don't care that there are only 12 of them, at this time 12 is enough for me. Check out my another attempt here (not original no... copy of course)

3. A book about pastel and how to paint with pastel.

4. A broach. Remember this IF illo? I used it there.

5. A gift from my Italian friend. She brought it for my wedding. It is a special Italian thing, made of candy. Very pretty.

6. A book about marketing by Seth Godin, "Purple Cow". Awesome book! The idea is explained at the beginning. Seth tells, how he was traveling by car with his family around Southern France, and how they were admiring picturesque views with fields and cows. But after a while they got sick and tired of those cows, as they all looked the same. So he had this idea, if at least one cow was for instance purple, he would definitely notice it. The rest of the book lists examples of how to promote small and average size businesses without spending a fortune on advertising.

7. A coffee set from Roberto's grandmother.

That's it! No more purple things in my house. None at all!

If you are interested in playing let me know. I will give you a color to find!

Hello everybody! Long time no post..

... sorry. I some time post a few pictures on my livejournal blog, but that's in Russian, so no interest here.

Recently I've been drawing girls. Various faces and races.
I finally came to a decision, that I do need a proper drawing pad. Anybody uses any? Suggestions? I can't afford $400 ones, so I need something cheaper. But I need it. Suggestions are appreciated. Brand names, and pros and cons. Worst case scenario, I might look them up on craigslist or ebay?

Here are a few girls

Are you ready? We are..

My husband carved a pumpkin, and it is all ready for the Saturday. We live in a neighborhood with 2 schools and countless children, so we are expecting lots and lots of visitors.



A few years ago I participated in my husband's family home Halloween party. Everybody was dressed up, lots of kids stopped by. I was dressed up as a she-devil, and one child started crying when I tried to talk to her :)
I didn't think I was that scary!

Window

A few days ago we finally installed our frosted windows stickers. My husband came up with the idea, like a real art director, I designed it in Illustrator, like a freelancer, and his brother installed it like a production manager :)

It's a family art team



Looks really nice from outside too!

Our wedding anniversary

2 days ago was our wedding anniversary.
What a beautiful day it was!

So another blog I have set up

Check out Candy:



(Yeah, yeah, I know. I just can't stay away from my little faeries :) )

Tried myself in oil...

i mean, i tried oil paint. i really really wanted to try. i realize i gotta learn and be more patient, but this was my first. so here it is.

Renoir had this as "two sisters", my girls grew up a little, and turned into "mother and daughter". (hmmmm.. Freudian slip on my behalf? :) )

Kiss

I feel like creating something again. For now, this little thing

We finally moved and more or less settled...

Hi everybody!

My little update: we finally have moved to a little house in a quiet children-friendly neighborhood. The move went rather well, very stressful, with a few furniture damages, and sweat and tears.

People who lived here left the house in a rather poor shape, they didn't care much about it. So now we are finding little and big things here and there that need to get fixed. And our plan to save a little bit of money here and there to fix the house little by little might receive a few interruptions due to unexpected expenses, like a thermostat or a suddenly leaking kitchen sink.

Oh, the beauties of the move!

I wanted to make a drawing of the house, but really had no time. I am planning on making one soon. Here is a little photo for now.

Cheers everybody!

... once a year

Accepting best wishes for my today's birthday here! ;)



translation:

let the people run
on the wet streets
they won't understand
why is that i am so happy
in such a bad weather

i'm playing my accordion
for everybody to see
unfortunately
birthdays only come once a year

a wizard will come
in a blue helicopter
and will show me a movie
free of charge,
he will wish me happy birthday
and will leave
500 packs of ice cream
for me

i'm playing my accordion
for everybody to see
unfortunately
birthdays only come once a year

And here is me and the flower cake! My parents sent it to me. It got delivered, and we all hoped that it is actually chocolate underneath, but there is nothing under the flowers, just that stuff, they stick the flowers into.

And there is no other cake :)
I guess I am bound to lose weight!

One more update

I also have met several awesome writers. And I even got a few of them to start blogging.

Please, meet:

Angelique La Mone

and

Amelie Court

Update

So, I have started working. Hurray!
I started working part time for a publishing company. Promoting, designing, stuff...
I may even do some illustrations. You know...

Anyways. Have been working on a website for them. It is not finished, but I'll show you fellow artists the work in progress. You guys, of all people, can understand what "work in progress" means. :)

Thank you Voz :)

I will make something too. something.. i'll think of something...

Ink

Bought ink and tried a few ink paintings.



and



and



A question to all real artists i know: am I crazy? I mean, crazy because I cut my brushes? Some of them, after a certain type of paint I use, the bristles start sticking out everywhere and won't combine in a pointy one piece any more.

I understand. Those are probably bad brushes. Or it is just because I don't know how to take care of them. How do I take care of them? :) Whats your secret?

Not drawing anything recently

You think i'm lazy? 'cause I'm not drawing anything recently?

Well.. you are right yes. Although I'm not drawing anything because... my creativity is trapped in one of these boxes we have all over our house....



I guess not only my creativity got trapped in a box :)

Ice cream...

We are lucky today... Rather hot outside, with promises of more clouds and even rain later on...

I am into drawing girls :)



Here is a funny story. I posted 3 pictures for sale on ebay. They were not selling and I stopped checking, hoping to receive email notification if they sell.

And then forgot.

And then 7 days later I found out that I need to send a quote to the buyer!!!! OMG!

I sent invoices. I meant to give the guy a shipping discount and instead of discounting, I accidentally double charged him for shipping.

I sent him 2 apologizing messages, but he has not replied yet :)

What a mess..

Hello again

Hello, dear bloggy friends! I disappeared again. sorry. was busy.
We finally bought a house ('ve been looking since February), I finally left my tech.support job (yay!), and I have found me an online gallery to sell some of my paintings. Here (over 21 years old only) ...(oh,yeah!)

Got inspired...

... by this blog here...

I fell in love with those cute girls and decided to make a few for myself :)

IF: worn

I meant to show a worn out dress, ripped to shreds and all faded. But then just ended up drawing an every day situation at home. When I think what to wear. Everything seems to be so worn.

Journal ball pen sketch: F.M.Brown

Just a relaxing time not watching TV...

More faeries

I want to make more faeries, and also more non-faeries art. But I am stuck again, because between work, looking for a house and maybe even another job, I have no energy left for anything else.

Here are 3 more little magical creatures.

IF: drifting

I haven't participated in IF challenges since... I don't even know how long. Now I feel the "itch" again. Here is "drifting"...

Dear Bella...

I am so sorry for your loss... I wish you all the strength for yourself and your daughters. Hang in there... We are here, when you need us.

Mint fairy

Remember the other one, pulling poor plants, "trying to make them grow faster"? LOL

Now, looky how big they are now! Huge! We've been having mint and oregano every day in salads and with onion and peas, and I even add a few leaves of mint into a jug of water, to give it some flavor. Much healthier than... oh well.

Something positive. For no reason.

I realize I have been slacking recently. Not posting much. Not commenting much.
To be honest, I have been busy taking pictures and studying the environment around me. I am amazed how much beauty is around me! If I didn't start looking, I would have just walked by, as if it doesn't matter. But it does. It does matter. I want to notice every little detail. And make my life full of color, beauty and positive experiences.

Here are a few posts with photos from my LJ blog. There is no need for words really. Pictures are worth hundreds of words. Take a look:

Some everyday patterns

Riverdale Art Walk (1)

Riverdale Art Walk (2)

flowers

I promise to come back with some illos soon!

Have a great day!

Sketch of Rembrandt's "Pallas Athene"

"Rembrandt's passion for rich materials and the opportunities they gave for effects of chiaroscuro and of lighting led him often to this use of precious armour and of cloaks. This picture and the "Mars" in Glasgow were probably companion pieces. In both, the crimson and gold flood the shadows with warmth". (From "The Outline of Art")

Anyways. I tried to translate the Rembrandt's genious of chiaroscuro into a little ballpen sketch..



And then I went crazy and .. just couldn't stop being crazy. I just felt so bored and decided to give this masterpiece a little twist. yeah... hm.... Call it "remix" if you wish :^)