WIP: more black and white!

Yes, my answer to K's challenge continues, this time with a piece that I really like quite a bit:



In fact I am thisclose to posting it up on Etsy, BUT- it needs...something. More of a white highlight? Should the faun fade to dark at the side of the pic? I do not know.

So, comments most especially welcome! This is all digital, so I can handle even pretty radical revision...

I'm not dead!

Honest, I'm not!

Things that have died in the last five days, however, include
my AC
my tablet drivers
my toilet
did I mention my AC?

Now, I am a heat-resistant native creature, but my laptop and tablet apparently have issues with being asked to function above 94 degrees. So I am way way way behind on everything. Again.

But I shall return, with Works! in Progress! This Wednesday! And maybe even a New Thing in the shop, if the gods do not once more smite me for my hubris.

Works in Progress: Black, White, and Color with Cages

My Sphinx is coming along:


but I don't know how happy I am with her background. This is of course part of why I do things in stages. While I was working on this Monday, I *hated* the background; now i kind of like it, but I still feel there's something else I might be able to do that would be cooler.

And she has a friend:



Whose background I really *am* dissatisfied with, but I don't know exactly what I want to do differently. So...another afternoon spent playing with background scribbles, I think!

That said- I am *this close* to actually posting something new in my Etsy shop again! Rejoicings!

Still, this black and white is getting to me! I need to play with colors:




Look at all the empty cages! What do you think belongs there?

Mondoodle!

These aren't very much doodles- or rather they are, but that's the nature of the project:




I actually want to use these as card designs. I've got a lot of art I intend for cards! The only thing stopping me is that I can't find a decent cardstock. All the cardstock I've tried is just too dang flimsy. Anyone have any good paper recommendations..?

I'm Back! Well, sort of...

Akon was huge! A lot of people ask me if they should attend Akon, and being honest, I have to say: Maybe. It's a city of a con, with mass crowds of people and something happening every single moment. If you like cheerful near-chaos and throngs of giddy geeks, Akon is totally the place to be. If you are of a more sedate nature, you may want to check out more...sedate cons, first. Or hide behind a vendor table all weekend, from which you can view the really amazing costumes in safety!


Sadly, a vendor's table, while strong protection against the teeming throngs, offers no safety to wee little computers. And so my poor innocent laptop was brutally viciously and I do hope not fatally attacked. My laptop being my digital paintbox and editor, I am rrrriight back off the updating spree I was just barely on until I get that sorted out. On the bright side, I should be able to do lots of painting in all the time I'm not on the internet! I'll try and share it, with the Magic of Flash Drives, but be patient, Net People! Lappy 600 and I will get back to business as soon as possible.

I Am Missing A Word

Actually, I think our entire culture is missing a word at this point.

See, what I need is a word that means "I'm going to be gone for a few days, but I might still be able to get online and say howdy". Disconnected isn't right-- I probably will be able to get online at least briefly over the weekend-- and "gone" or "bye" are both totally wrong. Semiconnected? Hemiavailable? Anyone know the neologism I'm looking for?

Anyway, folkses, yes, I'm going to be out of town, and away from my own home net, because I'm heading to Dallas! For Akon! If you're going to be there too, come say hello-- I'll be in the Artist's Alley with my mad husband, taking commissions and everything! By my excessively green wardrobe you shall know me, that and my scooter. And if I don't see you there-- dang it, I'm still missing that word!

Work In Progress Wednesday: Black and White

On my Monday post, the ever-commenting K said, among other things:
"You need to make owl WOMEN.

A series of owl women of different colors, breeds...a moonlit meeting or gathering of these wise women.

Hmmmmmmmm...I like that concept alot. I may have to tackle some version of that over time.
But! YOU should give it a thought too!
I think your bold style should be given a try in pure black and white.
Expressive and bold areas of negative and positive space. "

And my first thought was "Hey, that's a great idea! I love drawing Bird-People! And owls are wonderfully insane, it would eb a great challenge to try to anthropomorphize them and still try to get across the species differences!"

But I also thought: "Black and white, though? Me? No way, K!"

See, I LOVE good black and white work. It gets overlooked and undervalued, because color seems to be much more eyecatching to most folks. I'm not saying color is easier, because it's certainly not. But color is distracting, and it IS easy to hide minor structural flaws in bright cheery colors. Good black and white requires a very different skill set, and leaves nowhere to hide. And I am, basically, not good enough to pull it off.

And that's why I'm doing this, here. Because "But I don't have that skill!" is a great reason to avoid attempting surgery, but the worst reason ever to avoid an art project. And hey, who am I to argue with someone who thinks I have a "bold style"? I mean, the guy's clearly delusional, and it's bad to get in fights with crazy people.

So , K, this is your fault, here:



Aaaalll your fault.

(and hey, everyone! Go look at K's awesome art on Etsy!)