Keyword Sketch cards

Clockwise: draconic, ecstasy, phoenix, performer, phoenix, foxes, dragon

Back from travels

Back at home now! I'm looking forward to doing some painting. It's been over a month since I've had serious time for it, due to show preparations, and my daughter's recent napless schedule. But conventions are done for this year, and preschool has started. And so my paintbrushes should be seeing much more use from here on out.

Dragoncon, as always was a great time. It's my favorite show, and I love getting to meet everyone, fans and artists and friends! I had very little downtime this year in the booth, and so I only got one drawing done (and some keyword cards for shipping this week).

clockwise from top left: foxes, transformation, wolves, sprite, apparition, lioness, gryphon, moonlight, key, deer, grace.

Keyword Sketch Cards

It's been a while since I uploaded any of these keyword sketch cards. So here's a big batch of them!

clockwise: amber, protection, ivy, Parisian, humility, angel, leopard, Odin, love, inspiration
left to right: accelerate, chronology, growing, mystery, turtles
left to right: feline, cantabile, help, passion
clockwise: melody, phoenix, phoenix, within, cat, miracle, octopus, breakthrough, whimsy
clockwise: dust, serenity, trust, Weatherwax, wise, healing, daughter
clockwise: limnal, solitude, respect, lotus, fiddle, energy

Keyword Sketch Cards

Some more keyword sketch cards (clockwise): unique, mermaid, Avalon, quilin, fertility, release, cat, fox, hope, spontaneity

Black Knight progress & keyword cards

Finally got started painting this yesterday. I find it frustrating that the less time I have to paint, the more I procrastinate about finally setting brush to fresh sketch. These days I only have a couple hours that I can snatch in the middle of the day, and then evenings. But often by the time evening rolls around, my brain is too tired to really engage in a piece.

It's not as hard to get myself sketching, but for some reason getting the colors in mind and actually starting to paint starts to get intimidating. As if too much time to think about it, just gives time for the anxiety to start ratcheting up.

I've been frequently asked in emails what do I do about artist block, and I never really had an answer for that in the past, because I didn't ever feel like I got blocked at all. But I think now I do have an answer for it: If you're feeling blocked or unmotivated, perhaps the answer is just that you're not drawing/painting enough.

When time spent art-making becomes too precious, then the pieces themselves start to become imbued with this sense of "preciousness" -- this need to be perfect. One can't get caught up in that, because then a painting becomes about the expectation, and not the actuality of doing and creating. Sure it's nice to have a finished piece at the end of the day, that you're proud of. But as soon as a painting is done, it's on to the next one, the next story to grip and involve, the next process and evolution.

My minutes and hours have become precious, and it forces me to feel that each line and stroke and color choice has to be important. It has made staring at a white sketch laid out on a board intimidating, and it surprises me that I can revert to such a state after being immersed in creating paintings day after day for so many years. It reminds me that I can't take for granted the ease I have with creative processes. It's something that comes with practice and has tto be maintained.

It's why last week I did a couple of quick paintings, trying a spontaneous shakedown to just jump into mini-paintings without over-thinking them. I think I'll need to do those more often!

Despite a couple of scheduling setbacks, I've managed to make some good headway in this piece. And after the initial dragging of the feet, I'm eager to dive into it now!

* * *

And a few more keyword sketch cards for a batch of orders going out next week.

left to right: dna, unicorn, yeehaw, wolf, fulfillment

Night Magic

I was reviewing some of the keyword card sketches I've done in the past year, with some thoughts of starting to gather together ink drawings for the next installment of an Inklings book. I came across, for keyword "nostalgia". On this evening when the cricket-orchestra is loud outside my screen door, it stirred some thoughts.

My own nostalgia frequently coalesces from my memory in the form of fireflies.

I left Summit, New Jersey when I was 7 years old, and there are no fireflies in the places I have lived in California. I remember nights that seemed so black and muggy you were swimming through them. The voices of the older kids I played with bounced from the trees around me as we delved into the darkness. Were there flashlights? I don't remember. I remember the blinking pinpricks of light. I remember the pine trees, and fragrant needles underfoot. And fireflies piercing the fabric of the night. I remember catching the sparks in our cupped palms, and watching them glint from inside the glass jars.

I was squeamish of bugs. Elizabeth was the tomboy, the oldest girl, and the alpha of our group. She would pick up caterpillars from the tree outside my house, hold them between her fingers as they slowly curled up into a tight fuzzy black and yellow ball, and then wriggle straight and arch again in a mesmerizing fashion. She would try to put them in my palm, and I would just stare at her with my fists clutched tight behind my back, shaking my head emphatically, "No no no." She would casually pass her hand across the thread of a dangling emerald-green inchworm, and offer me that living writhing jewel. Sometimes I would tentatively take the proffered gifts. I wanted the older kids to like me and didn't want to be excluded from all their games.

But the fireflies needed no social prod to fascinate me, to entice me into chasing after their sparking flashes, and capture their blinking lights in my hands. They transcended being insectile. They were summer magic. Inevitably, after capture, they would glow and flash in our jars for a while, but then the lights would fade, like banked coals. We watched hopefully, but when they lay dark and still, merely insects once again, we reluctantly unscrewed the jars and let the cloud of lights lift up into the night.

Dragoncon, keyword sketches, and rethinking black knight

A couple more days until Dragoncon. Packpackpacking. It's a little bit easier that I just had a show this past weekend, so at least all my print inventory is in order. It's just a matter of figuring out how to distribute everything into my suitcases and carry-on. Heavy bags -- augh.

* * *

Bunch of keyword cards I've been negligent about uploading.

clockwise: beauty, siblings, journey, dragon, submission, guardian

from the left: jewel, dragon, tree, oblivion, dreams

harmony, fox, medusa, beauty

clockwise: weatherwax, butterfly, joy, monster, sweetness, roots, oak, hedgewitch

* * *

Rethinking the black knight sketch. I think I like the other composition better. Going with this one instead.... Though who knows, after a week away from it at a convention, I might come back to change my mind again. I'm beginning to think that when I have more time to paint, paintings are just EASIER. I don't have time to question my own judgment - which can be a good and bad thing!

Keyword ACEO cards

A batch of keyword custom ACEO cards. Left to right: dragon, sirius, lemuria, gardener, solace. The dragon will be up on etsy when I have a chance to make the listing. The other 4 were custom ones.

Keyword Sketch Cards

A few more batches of keyword sketch cards.

awesome, pisces, elf, skullbunnies (for my artist friend Ben Seto), dance

sacrifice

clockwise: god, teacher, water, push, orchid, hope, griffin, psyche

Shadowscapes Tarot (cards only edition), & more keyword sketches.

Llewellyn has released a new edition of the deck, with just the cards. For those who don't want or need the companion book, or just want a spare deck of the cards themselves. Signed copies of it are available -here-.

Also, some more keyword sketches: reincarnation, creativity, reincarnation, freya, release

And to moms out there, happy mother's day! Hope you're enjoying a lovely Sunday afternoon.

Keyword Sketch Cards & Some New (& Old) Etsy Originals

A few newly listed pieces on etsy. Left two are new ones. The mermaid was what I did as a demo at an art expo in Pasadena years ago. She had gotten lost in my drawers and I came across her last week. These, and other little originals can be found -at my etsy shop-.

This week's keyword sketch cards:

left->right: dragon, angel, muse, healing, dichotomy

left->right: will, apparition

Keyword Sketch Cards, & Oakland appreciation

clockwise: empty, outdoorsy, eternity, bats, sorrow, soul

* * *

It's called Oakland, but we actually have a whole lot of redwoods here too. I've wanted to go hiking for a week, but it's just been rainy and drizzly lately. Had my opportunity today when the sun broke through the solid gray screen of clouds. Hetaded up the road to Joaquinn Miller preserve, just around the corner from where I live.

I don't take advantage of its proximity often enough, and I was reminded of this as I started down one of the trails and that spicy scent of redwood quickly enveloped me. The recent rains were evident in the lushness of the undergrowth, the damp pine needles underfoot, and the verdant draping of moss along the tree trunks.

The trails closer to home (across the street) are a bit inundated with alien species (blackberries and ivy), but higher up on the ridge, it's mostly native plants.

Claire got impatient about a mile along the trail, so we had to turn back at that point, but it was nice to stretch my legs.

Keyword Sketch Cards

Felt it was time to change things up a bit. You might have observed that in this and the last installation of keyword cards and aceos, that I've started incorporating grey brushpen into the mix as well.

Clockwise: Enchanter (aceo), solace, Oya, cricket, patience, hope, panda, growth

Keyword Sketch Cards

clockwise: devotion, stars, moon, isis, foxcub, foxes

Keyword Sketch Cards

Next few batches.

clockwise: Scottish, angel, gourd, hedgewytch, faith, inspiration

clockwise: inspiration, light, dowsing, hawk, transformation, Thor, owl, snow

daisy, apocotastasis, doll

Keyword Sketch Cards

Happy New Year! It feels weird to sign these first few drawings of the year with "2011". Anyway, after a few weeks break and enjoying familytime, here are some more keyword sketch cards.

Clockwise: Saturn, artist's choice, freedom, changeling, Aslan, spiritual, protection, selkie, owl, halloween, ancient, overcoming

Big Batch o ACEO and Keyword Cards

Oops, I've forgotten to upload these for a while. Here's a bunch that I've done in the past month.


ACEOs (clockwise): koi, Astraea, devotion, enchanter, monkey, monkey

Keyword cards: absolute, bravery, dragon, bard, Ganesha, compassion, orca, bliss, determination

Keyword cards: spire, Morrigan, universe, duality, wisdom, goddess, calla, owl
Keyword cards: path, dryad, stag, heather, fun, blessed, mischief

Keyword cards: spider, hope, fairy, sagisou, selkie

ACEOs & Keyword Sketch Cards

On the Tarot Special Edition front, I've finally gotten caught up enough with the backlog, that a waiting list is no longer necessary. However, it still does take about 3 weeks from when you place an order for me to get it processed, due to the customized card.

Due to the popularity of the keyword sketch cards, I've decided to offer ACEOs along that vein. I accept a single keyword to inspire the drawing. They are done on 3.5x2.5 inch archival bristol board, and protected with a clear plastic sleeve. For more information and pricing, -click here-

Keyword sketches going out in the mail this week:

Clockwise - butterflies, dreams, wolves, raven, cups, fulfillment, way, always
Clockwise: seiner, forest, vampire, dancer, passion

Clockwise: writer, chaos, shaman, destiny, tree, mask, hummingbird, passion

Clockwise: owl, fantasy, lion, grace