Imagination Tree or, Maiden of the Wood

Maiden of the Wood, 8.5″ x 11″ Copic Markers, digital sky

For “Imagination” at Illustration Friday. Have you joined yet? Why not?

This is the Maiden of the Wood, sometimes called the Dreaming One, another daughter of Gaia. One night for this maiden equals one thousand years for us. She makes her bed underground and dreams of magical things while hundreds of human years pass overhead. Often her dreams come to life on the earth just above her slumbering form.

Like the footie socks? I’d like to tell you they were planned all along but no, I tried and tried to do feet. I need to practice feet!  In any case, my favorite bit includes the socks and the underground reading room above them.

Tons of progress pics below (including some close-ups of the final), in case anyone is interested in the way the sketch changed as it went along. I could not get the colors right on the computer – arrgh! – but this is close. I’m not sure I love the greens. I think the underground should be darker. Also may go back and do a trunk design like in some of the sketches. Though more likely I will just move on to the next thing!

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Figure reference photo.

Leah the Mystic for Illustration Friday

Leah the Mystic, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copic ATC multiplied and adjusted in paint.NET

Leah the Mystic is another denizen of the Many Wonders Woods. Nobody is quite sure where she lives or what she knows, but if you happen to see her wandering the shadowed pathways, follow along for a little while. She might tell you a secret. She is also Maiden Number 20.

For “Identical” at Illustration Friday. The original is the image in the top left, and the rest were created in paint.NET using the hue and saturation sliders. I used a lot of different colors which make the changes more distinct.

I know opinions may be mixed but it does feel like cheating, and perhaps for IF it is a bit! Completely changing the colors with the touch of a button. And it turns out, despite my love of bright colors, it is the lower saturation settings (the bottom right) that I like a bit more than the original. So, I need to figure out how to achieve those subtler colors, which remind me of an Art Nouveau palette.

Blue Horses, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copic Markers, fine liners, white gel pen.

Leah is also a friend to the Blue Horses. Born lavender, the Blue Horses turn blue by the time they are two. The lavender helps them blend with the purple undergrowth in the Wonder Woods, and the blue helps camouflage the adults among the Blue Willows.

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Whimsical Robot Swap and More Maiden ATCs

 

For the Whimsical Robots Swap at illustratedatcs.com, each 2.5″ x 3.5″.
Copic markers, fine liners and white gel pen on smooth Bristol Board.

Hermes, the dog, is a very agreeable robot and will also serve as a beer opener. He makes a great companion for amiable-type hermits. Chelsea, the cat, is much more ornery, and suits the sarcastic hermit personality somewhat better. Of course the manufacturer insists that for optimum mental health, everyone should have one of each.

The pony is Gladys. Not recommended for hermits, because she is really too sweet-natured and were a hermit to go into a diabetic coma – nobody around to call 911! She makes a most excellent companion for small children, especially loners. (A blue version with a ball cap called Carlos is available for those opposed to purple.)

Roland the highland cow robot is a deluxe model companion. He performs admirably on guard duty, can detect gas leaks, put out small fires, and will alert you if you’ve left the stove or faucet on. Can also perform minor plumbing and electrical repairs. On pet mode he has a charming and goofy demeanor.

Modern Shaman Maiden (Bree), Green Gele (Nadi), The Nose Knows (Autumn)
Maidens 17, 18 and 16. Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copic markers and white gel pen.

These are maidens 17, 18 and 16 for my 100 Maidens project. Is this too many images and stories for one blog post? Feel free to let me know!

#17:  Bree’s mother was a missionary in Africa who went native and moved in with a tribal shaman. Bree was born less than a year later and grew up learning the shamanic arts. She spent many summers in Sheffield, England with her aunt’s family, but always preferred the tribe she grew up in. Reference photo.

#18:  In Nigeria, a tall elaborate head tie is called a Gele. On her visit there, Nadi got to try on several in a strange little shop lit by lanterns made of green glass.

#16:  Autumn was born to wildly hippie parents in the early 70’s. She is a caffeine addict who does tedious technical writing by day, and titillating Star Trek fan fiction by night! Reference photo.

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Thank you for stopping by!

Milliner Maiden for Illustration Friday

Milliner Maiden, 9″ x 6″ Copics, fine liners on smooth Bristol

Those very fortunate, and very few, who get to meet the legendary Marta the Milliner are imbued with a mystical power of millinery and a haunting habit of haberdashery. Serious hats, is what I’m saying. This is maiden number nineteen.

For the topic “Tall” at Illustration Friday.

I have been saying for ages I wanted to do a cityscape or streetscape of some sort. Also, I like hats. So this is what happened! I still need to do lots more maidens to get the face just right. Or at least more interesting. Also had a few muddying issues. AND the background is a lovely gradation into peach but the lightest colors are always rough to perfect when scanning and then bumping up the contrast. (Any suggestions appreciated!) Thank you so much for visiting!

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Professor Tortoise and Druid Cat, Illustration Friday

Professor Tortoise, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, white gel pen

Professor Tortoise is a meditation instructor. Now, maybe you think that’s just a dodgy way to slip in under the Illustration Friday topic, “Teacher”. And maybe you’re right! But I did have two days of horrible unable-to-draw-anything funk, and the Professor – Henry to his friends – taught me that if I kept at it, I would eventually draw another thing I liked. (There were many wretched and frustrated hours spent thinking otherwise. It is a poor strategy for art or anything else.)

A few days earlier I finished a certain druidic cat:

Druidic Cat, 3.5″ x 2.5″ Copics

Liam is a Tree Tending Instructor in the Many Wonders Woods. That’s right, another teacher! He teaches tree healing to young cat druids as well as forest sprites. Liam and Professor Tortoise were traded at illustratedatcs.com.

Thank you for stopping in! And here’s a progress slideshow!

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Romani Maiden and Spook the Cat, ATCs

Romani Maiden, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, gel pen

Her family discovered Nadya had the gift of fortune-telling at age nine when she convinced them not to take a ship that was lost in a violent storm two weeks after leaving port. But she always preferred horses to people, and by sixteen she discovered a gift for training horses.  Nadya is number 14 in the 100 Maidens Project and was made for a trade at illustratedatcs.com

The topic I chose from the ATC preference list for this trade was “gypsy or bohemian woman”, and in reading about “gypsies” I was reminded that some Roma consider this an insult. My imperfect understanding suggests “Romani” is the feminine adjective, and I hope anyone reading this post who knows otherwise will correct me.

Spook, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics and fine liners

Spook’s mother was the goddess Bastet and his sire a powerful Sphynx cat, companion to a ruling pharoah. Every October, this ancient and magical creature rises from a deep slumber and begins his search for thirteen worthy black kittens on which to bestow the magic of All Hallow’s Eve. Made for a Halloween swap at illustratedatcs.com.

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Reference photo.  Cat reference photo.

Hooray, you visited again! Or potentially for the first time! Thank you. ;)

Ice Maiden and a Magical Fish for IF

Kuura the Ice Maiden, 4×6 Copics, fine liners, gel pen

In an attempt to dovetail Illustration Friday with my 100 Maidens Project, an Ice Maiden with a bit of a steampunk twist. (The eyepiece was initially supposed to be more snowflake-like. Alas!) If you look at the progress slideshow you’ll see how much I messed with this. To death. Particularly with the gel pen. On the other hand, I kind of like her in the end. For the topic “Freeze” at Illustration Friday.

Kuura* is a Maiden of Ice who lives in a frozen palace at the bottom of the sea. Her favorite companion is a  magical fish called Phylliss who delivers messages across the world. Phylliss likes to play racing games with young dolphins and manta rays when she’s not working. She was made for a trade at illustratedatcs.com.

Phyllis in the Deep, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

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Thanks for visiting!

*Kuura means frost in Finnish.

 

Fancy Goldfish are Fancy. Also, Sheep.

Maureen, A Goldfish
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

This is Maureen. She is best friends with a starfish named Dinky. This is my favorite ATC to date. I don’t know what happened, it just flowed. :)

Emilio, Another Goldfish
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Then, another fish. Emilio wanted to be a seahorse when he grew up. Once he learned it was never going to happen, his expression turned into a scowl which has been with him ever since. Much too heavy-handed compared to the first one. Must stick to the tiniest nibs. Arrrgh! But still happy with him.

Then, after Maureen and Emilio, I did several new cards that I was not happy with. I panicked a bit. Have you ever done something you really liked and then worried you would never do anything good again? Well, I did that. I mentioned it to Leigh of Colorfulleigh and she said the same thing happens to her. So, I guess it’s a thing that happens but we keep pushing forward. ;)

I seem to be doing lots of sheep. Here is another.

Blue Swirl Sheep, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Grant the blue sheep was born in Hawaii. But he is allergic to macadamia nuts. Speaking of nuts, I’ve gone a bit nutty with the white gel pen! I think it’s an interesting effect for this sheep, and I think it also repaired a few ugly spots, but I probably need to lay off the gel pen a bit. Or just practice more. I thought it would be cool to see all the sheep together:

Five Sheep ATCs, oh my! From left to right: Pinky Mae, Patrick O’Keefe, Deeba, Grant, Arwen

Thanks for visiting! I totally skipped an Illustration Friday but plan to do “Freeze” this week. Probably!

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Adventures in Color, More Copic ATCs

Orange Tapestry Sheep, 2.5″ x 3.5″
They call her Deeba because her wool is magically silky. She was born to normal Chokla sheep parents two days after a mysterious shaman passed through the village.

Earth Elemental Maiden, 2.5″ x 3.5″
This daughter of Gaia has a magical chameleon familiar who delivers messages and sometimes heals small animals.

Strange Chameleon Five, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics
Ari is a Wish Lizard. If you catch him (nicely), and know to feed him figs and dandelion, he will grant you a wish.

Strange Chameleon Four, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copic
Her name is Julie Goolie and she is an insect archeology hobbyist.

More Artist Trading cards for various trades at illustratedatcs.com (where my handle is CindyD). These are some of my favorites, though I do think I am still overworking them somewhat. I may need to do another pair of complementary chameleons so I can make a print with all four. But I’ve also got to finish more sheep and foxes and maidens. Oh my. Oh! And I’m up to ten on the 100 Maidens project.

I’ve included some progression pics below (though I’m not doing a whole set for each and every card). And now I must get to work on my “Bounce” entry, for Illustration Friday. Thanks so much for stopping in for a visit! I think I have a pretty good rate of visiting back – but I can only do that if you leave your address.

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Maidens and Foxes in Copics, Oh My!

Water Elemental Maiden Voda, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Fire Elemental Maiden, The Flame Queen, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Air Elemental Maiden, Whisper the Wind Walker, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Elemental Maidens for the Elementals swap at illustratedatcs.com. Haven’t quite worked out “Earth” yet. Tree Nymph or Rock Golem? Mix of the two? Hm.

That makes eight maidens complete for the 100 Maidens Project. Not quite impressive yet, but working on it. The excellent artist Richard Ewing at Visual Cogitations has recently suggested I add bodies to these maidens. To which I say, “One step at a time, sir!” (Check again about number 40.)

And next, a pair of red foxes, made by request for trades. I think I can do better and I expect to, because foxes are seriously popular and more have been requested! The smaller fellow is Sydney, a rare non-mischievous fox. While the other foxes steal things, Sydney naps. But then he will sing to them for a share of the loot.

Red Fox One, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Chelsea is the second fox. She was raised with cats and thinks she is a cat. Except that whole tree climbing thing. And dang, has she tried! (She climbs trees better than other foxes, at any rate.)  Reference photo.

Red Fox Two, 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics

Thanks for visiting! I hope you aren’t sick of the tiny art cards yet!

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