Category Archives: Copic Markers

Three Copic Art Cards, a Fae and Two Cats

Post #150. Where does the time go?!

Amy Fae
2.5″ x 3.5″ markers, pen and ink

Amy belongs to the Northern River Pixie Clan. The Northerners can speak to more of the animals than any of the other clans, though they are poorer at gardening and plant speak. Amy has a particular affinity for small wildcats. And she is Maiden #67.

Next, more cats! For a cat swap at illustratedatcs.com. (I may even do an art card cat project after the dogs. Or maybe it will be sheep. Or llamas. Or farm animals. Oh dear.)

The Patron Cat of Saints, and Ed Cat
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ art cards. Copic markers.

First scrapped title: Enigmati-cat. Second scrapped title: Saint Gretchen.They call her Gretchen though none know her true name. She has been depicted in holy ancient artworks spanning two centuries and sightings continue to this day, usually near a site of religious significance.

The grey cat with the fancy tie is Ed Cat. He does not like you. Or rather, he wants you to think he does not like you, to retain his haughty cat street cred. But really he does like you, and he will sneak onto your lap (or possibly your head), if you ignore him properly.

I really must get back to Illustration Friday! I don’t know the word yet but I will definitely do the next one! Thanks for stopping in!

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And the Dogs Played On, More Copic ATCs

I know you didn’t think I was done with dogs yet!

Clockwise from top left:
Blue Sebastian, Lizzie, Booda, Harrington
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ art cards, Copics.

Since being told he is a “mixed breed”, Sebastian has taken to wearing archaic accessories of the landed gentry. In fact, he will be more than happy to provide you with many peculiar facts about the fashion choices of the upper crust from ages past. He makes a lot of it up, I think.

Lizzie is about 10 months old. We’re not sure where she found this little monocle and leather cap, but she won’t give them up. Her favorite book is “Harriet the Spy”.

Booda is a quiet, reflective fellow who teaches meditation to dogs with aggressive tendencies, to great effect. He lived for a time in the Northern California foothills with a small group of Tibetan monks.

Harrington comes from old money, all the way down the line. Or at least, that’s what he’s been telling everyone. He’s also been watching Downton Abbey with something approaching religious fervor. He does look smart with an ascot!

I also did a cute little cat today, intentionally leaving off the thick black outlines I usually add.  She is part of a cat ATC swap:

Agatha with Toy
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, Microns, gel pen

Thanks for visiting! I hope to join Illustration Friday this week, but “Storm” hasn’t inspired me quite yet. Not as many progress shots this time, but it’s just an anomaly, not a trend!

Oh! And one more thing. I have been told I have fans in the form of a 9th grade class in Canada. Thank you so much for the lovely note! If you let me know what you’ve been working on, maybe I can join in.

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More Goofy Art Card Dogs in Copics

Clockwise from top left: Beatnik Bruce, Flower the Environmentalist, Eddison, Professor Gabriel Each 2.5" x 3.5" art cards. Copic markers on smooth Bristol.

Clockwise from top left:
Beatnik Bruce, Flower the Environmentalist, Eddison, Professor Gabriel
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ art cards. Copic markers on smooth Bristol.

Bruce started off as a hipster (in the sketch) but his Beat credentials have won out. He’s published three chapbooks of poetry and is a canine lit professor at a tiny liberal bark school.

Flower is an older student working towards a Masters in Environmental Law, and Gabriel was her Sociology 1200 professor. After completing the class, they began meeting socially for coffee.  I understand they are quite smitten with each other at this point.

Eddison is a bit of a mystery because he doesn’t say much. He keeps a beautiful garden however, and is rumored to have a slight crush on the local librarian.

Four new pups for my 30 Art Card dogs project. I am slowly replacing some of the older dogs with newer dogs that better reflect my current ability (and include more detail/accessories). Many of the pups are available in my shop, or possibly visiting for a while in my personal stash before they make it to the shop. ;)

Speaking of current ability, I thought I’d post some dogs from the very first art cards I did about two years ago, having just gotten back into drawing after many years away. Apparently I was quite fond of green backgrounds then!

Three Early Dog ATCs
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″, markers, pen and ink.

I’d say it’s quite a striking difference! Practicing does pay off people, so don’t give up! Lots of progress pics below. Thanks so much for stopping by.

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Spirit of the Forest for Illustration Friday

Spirit of the Forest, Autumn
8 x 10 Copic Markers

For the topic “Wings” at Illustration Friday. The Autumn Spirit has one brother – the Spring Spirit, and they have two sisters, Summer and Winter.

I was afraid to color this because I really liked the sketch. This is a problem digital artists do not face! Also, the solid green in the background was not the best move. Arrgh.

Thanks for visiting!

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Fox reference photo.

Art Card Dogs in Many Colors

Astro Dog and Pierce with Pipe
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ art cards. Copics, pens, gel pen.

Astro was teased for a few years at school until it became clear the girls thought his flowered ears were adorable. He had a lot of attractive lady friends! Finally he settled down with a pink dog called Sophie who shared his love of classical music and mud baths (not necessarily together – but sometimes).

Pierce is a (little bit of a) snob. He wouldn’t even give me two minutes to answer a few questions for this bio! Handsome devil, though. It’s probably what led to his bad attitude. Or perhaps he’s painfully shy. In which case it wasn’t nice of me to call him a snob. Not nice at all.

Rollo the Skeptic and Walter the Scrivener
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ art cards. Copics, pen, gel pen.

Rollo is not a professional skeptic, but he has always been suspicious of food and his food bowl. Have you ever known one of those dogs who won’t eat anything until he’s sniffed at it for a minute? Rollo’s like that, except he will sniff it for much longer. And if it’s big enough, he will carry it around for a while too. Drool is usually involved.

Walter has taken the name “Walter the Scrivener”. He hasn’t actually read “Bartelby the Scrivener”, but he likes the idea of a quiet individual working at a serious, if repetitive, job. It’s a bit of a secret identity, really. Everyone should have a secret identity.

I’ve been trading away SO many cards that I decided recently to put more in my shop, which is where all these went! I’ve been experimenting with the eyes for dramatic effect, with some success, but still working on it.  Thanks for visiting!

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The Other Minotaur, for Illustration Friday

Mino-Taura, 6″ x 9″ Copic Markers

For the topic “Myth” at Illustration Friday.

Historians call her Mino-Taura, though her real name is not known. It is believed she was the twin of Asterion, the Minotaur famously slain by Theseus. Zeus spied her upon her birth, stole her, and took her to a secret island where he would visit her with gifts of servants and exotic fruit. Unlike her twin, Mino-Taura had no taste for meat. Despite these gifts she was a lonely soul and died young, having never met another of her kind. Her death went unnoticed, the same as her life.

So this was another case of trusting to the end product, because as you’ll see from the scans below, she was an ugly thing for a while there! But I have learned to push through to the end, and I’m usually glad I did. I even stopped sooner than usual, instead of filling in more of the solid spaces. (Though that could still change.)

Artist retains rights to text and image. Thank you! Thanks for visiting!

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The Elusive Painted Bulbfish for Illustration Friday

NOTE: I am trying a new email subscription service because the last one stopped working. Please accept my apologies if you get more than one email for this post, though I hope to avoid that. If you are signed up, you should still be signed up, but let me know if you don’t get an email for this post. And if you want to sign up, you can do so on the right side of this page. Thank you!

Painted Bulbfish, 9″ x 6″
Copics and Microns. Digital background.

For “Ocean” at Illustration Friday, I offer to you a glimpse of the elusive Painted Bulbfish, a member of the order of Anglerfish. As far as scientists have been able to tell, the bulb-like lure which hangs from the forehead is not for catching prey, but for illuminating rocky growths on which the moss it eats lives. The distinctive pattern on this individual is due to artistic license, as no live specimen has ever been witnessed.

More items recently completed: two sunflower princesses.

Leona of the Sun and a Sunflower Princess
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ art cards, Copics, Microns and gel pens.

The image of Leona is carved into the largest and most ancient tree stump in The Wonder Woods. She was a princess who captured the light of the sun on her skin and left a trail of glittering motes wherever she went, especially in the summer months. This artist has taken taken some liberties, as the image on the tree has not the slightest hint of its original color. To her right is an artist’s rendering of her daughter, the Sunflower Princess.

Lots of progress pics below. Thank you so much for stopping by!

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Happy New Year to all my visitors and art blog pals!

As I suspect may be the case with many of you, I have been trying to climb out of the holiday doldrums. Happened last year at this time, too. And it’s not like I have nothing to post. I did all of those secret santa things that I couldn’t post because they were secret. So I am posting my favorites!

Jillian Calavera2.5" x 3.5" ATC, Copic markers.

Jillian Calavera
2.5″ x 3.5″ ATC, Copic markers.

This is my favorite of all the Calavera/Day of the Dead girls I’ve done (which granted is only about a dozen, and all Art Card size.) I wanted to post it as soon as it was done, but it was a secret!

10 Brown Lemur 5x7

Brown Lemur & Friend
5″ x 7″ Copics on mustard-tone card stock.

This is my favorite of the (slightly) larger art I did for secret santa. It was tricky picking the colors because the mustard tone of the paper changed everything. In the end I think the detail on the chameleon’s face might overpower the lemur a bit, but I was very satisfied with the finished composition and color scheme.

And finally, three more ATCs I thought were pretty neat:

Three secret santa ATCs

Maria Calavera, Young Dreaming Tree, Alien Ambassador
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ ATCs, Copics on smooth Bristol board.

Progress pics for some of these below.  Thanks so much for visiting my first post of 2013! I hope we all have a very peaceful and art-filled new year!

 

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Monsters and Mermaids for Illustration Friday

Jeremiah and Devon ACEOs
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

On the easternmost edge of The Wonder Woods is a glowing marsh with a peculiar variety of phosphorescent lichen called Witchlight, which many creatures find quite delicious! Those that help themselves to a bellyful of the stuff emit a yellowish glow, particularly in the cheeks, though only for a couple hours.

For the topic “Glow” at Illustration Friday. (Both original monster ACEOs are available in my Etsy shop – link at upper right! They were inspired by a “Little Monsters” ATC swap at illustratedatcs.com.)

Nari and Ivy ATCs
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

Another enormous colony of Witchlight lichen is said to be located in the dark depths of the Story Sea, or so it’s told. Only mermaids and other deep sea creatures have ever seen it, and as you know, it’s hard to get a straight answer from a mermaid (particularly a cultish Goth one, like Nari or Ivy, above).

Nari and Ivy were made for a “Goth Mermaids” ATC swap at illustratedatcs.com.

Thanks for stopping in! I hope your holidays have been, and continue to be, super great!

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Four More of the 100 Maidens

Cerys, the Hope Queen and Goth Girl Tess ATCsEach 2.5" x 3.5" Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

Cerys, the Hope Queen and Goth Girl Tess ATCs
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

Holy cow, will the ATC madness ever end? (I hope not.) If you’ve been here before you may know I started a project called 100 Maidens on Flickr to catalog my adventures in illustrating maidens (mostly maiden faces, truth be told, but I had been avoiding doing people for years). These are four of those maidens, who now number 49!

Cerys never wanted the crown but when all the other options were exhausted, she wore it justly and little complained. And so she kept Hope alive for another generation.  Made for a “Kings and Queens” swap at illustratedatcs.com.

This is Tess. A few years older, she is a bit like a den mother to the local Goth scene. She is a bartender at the The Shady Maiden and occasionally sells mysterious potions out of a very small room in the back. None of the thieves who occasionally break in hunting for her stash can ever find the entry to the room. Made for a trade at atcsforall.com.

Natasha's New Hat and The Wizard's Daughter ATCsEach 2.5" x 3.5" Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

Natasha’s New Hat and The Wizard’s Daughter ATCs
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

Natasha has always been drawn to strange hats and in her new apartment she has created The Misfit Hat Room. People who visit the room often describe a strange craving for pastries after spending time there. Made for a swap at atcsforall.com

Dahlia has picked up quite a few tricks from assisting her wizard father for so many years. She does not fear walking in the woods alone, and has twice foreseen events that allowed her family and their animals to avoid danger. Made for a trade.

You guys! While I was making this post I was looking through my site stats and saw that several people had come from a particular page, so of course I went to see. And here’s what I found. A big thank you to Dogster!

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