Glitz Ink

NEW POSTS COMING SOON!

2010-08-31T14:26:00.000-05:00

I've decided to get back into blogging, as my art will be changing directions.... i should be posting some new stuff soon, and hope to post fairly regularly.

looking forward to getting back in the swing of things!;)

Splatter

2009-12-30T16:14:00.001-06:00

,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

It's been a little minute since i could just sketch. I took advantage of the time i had last night waiting for my haircolor timer to go off by sketching some photos out of a mag i found. I actually really like the looseness of this one....i gotta get better at profile lips...mine suck. but i couldn't be more pleased with the messiness and splatters...this one was a fun spread to do

2009-11-10T17:06:00.000-06:00

my sneak peeks for Gina...these are detail shots of what I've done in her journal, "color your days", so far...

follow along at http://confettiisfun.blogspot.com/

Enter At Your Own Risk

2009-10-26T09:41:00.000-05:00

part of my journal exchange I'm doing with Gina...you can follow along over at http://www.confettiisfun.blogspot.com/

Dreams & Nightmares Sign-In page

2009-10-11T10:07:00.000-05:00

so this is the Sign-In page for my art journal exchange... I've added a bit more detail since I photographed this, so it'll still be a surprise when Gina gets this. I'll post the rest of the pages after I know she has it, so she'll have a few complete surprises when she opens the book! Follow along at http://www.confettiisfun.blogspot.com/

Someone's Watching Me

2009-10-06T17:52:00.000-05:00

Here's a detail shot of the inside cover page of my Moley that I'm going to be trading with Gina. I picked the theme Dreams & Nightmares for mine. I have plans for the 1st few pages, and then I was thinking i might start some backgrounds on a few random pages, so we can collaborate on some pages together. This is a large watercolor Moley...I almost used a little one, but I think it would be easier for me to work larger to start with. Once I finish the rest of my starting pages, and Gina gets it in the snail mail, I'll post the rest of the pages, and the full opening cover of this spread. I'm glad I picked this particular theme....so many ways to illustrate this! Gina and I will be blogging our exchange on confettiisfun.blogspot.com if you'd like to follow along!

Lucky Dog

2009-08-17T09:15:00.001-05:00

Lucky Dog,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

i am fascinated by the Lucky Dog carts, and I want to paint hundreds of pictures of them. I don't know why. anyway, did this out in Jackson Square in the French quarter...getting a feel for the watercolors.... i've got a couple ideas for some mixed media pieces with the Lucky Dog cart!

This one got kind of muddy and overworked, but what the hey...it's my sketchbook afterall, and if you can't overwork something in there, where can you? LOL

Fontainbleu State Park Marsh

2009-08-16T14:28:00.001-05:00

Fontainbleu State Park Marsh,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

here's the full page.. i like this sketchbook i'm working in for this one... it's a keeper! the pages hardly buckle at all, and blieve me, i'm not one to use the water sparingly!!! plus i like the long landscape spreads....

detail of my marsh page

2009-08-16T14:25:00.001-05:00

detail of my marsh page,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

i like this one.... it's my 1st landscape with watercolors, i think, but i do still like it... i can't wait to learn more and try more techniques to get it even better!

Lakefront

2009-08-16T14:24:00.001-05:00

Lakefront,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

one of my sketches from my long distance sketch crawl with my friend Gina

i kind of wish i hadn't used that ink in this one, but, i guess it's alright. i'm still working out landscapes and watercolor...

Starbies

2009-08-16T14:22:00.003-05:00

Starbies,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

a quick sketch of my Starbucks cup...it was at a weird angle......

Gazebo Cafe band

2009-08-16T14:22:00.001-05:00

Gazebo Cafe band,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

This guy moved around a lot!!! i tried to be as quick as possible sketching him, but I definitely need more practice with that!

Gazebo Cafe band 2

2009-08-16T14:20:00.001-05:00

Gazebo Cafe band 2 ,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

trying to get out and sketch around town when i can. This is one of the members of a very cool blues band that plays at Gazebo Cafe over in the French Quarter. Sketching the band made for a nice lunch...
My new Holbein watercolors in blues and browns worked perfectly for this sketch!

back online

2009-08-13T16:43:00.001-05:00

finally got a new computer! yay! working from the phone is impossibe. as soon as i finish hooking the scanner and stuff back up, i'll be good to go....but 1st the speakers, so i can have a little music....

2009-07-27T13:10:00.001-05:00

I am finally figuring out how to post from the phone since the computer is down. We shall see how it goes!;)

OPI Doodle

2009-06-21T11:24:00.004-05:00

I just started a new job, and some days are super quiet, so during those slow times, i'm trying to doodle. This little polish was sitting on the register, so I sketched it and colored it at home.

Washbucket

2009-06-21T11:18:00.002-05:00

This was an example in the book "Painting Weathered Buildings in Pen, Ink & Watercolor" by Claudia Nice. The book is really great...especially since I love all things rusty and crusty! ; ) I would liked to have a little bit more value range, but I didn't want to keep putting more layers and make it muddy.

Geronimo

2009-05-17T12:01:00.002-05:00

This is for one of my groups on flickr. They post a photo to use as a reference and everybody posts their versions of it. Love it! They post some really random pics so far! LOL!

Mixed Media in one of my hand*book journals.....

St Louis Cathedral Mary

2009-05-06T09:38:00.001-05:00

St Louis Cathedral Mary,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

I figured out i have enough photos of different Virgin Mary statuary to fill a couple Moleys, so here is Mary Moley #1! I love religious iconography as much as i love my pin-ups.

This Mary statue is in one of the entrance doors to the St Louis Cathedral in NOLA

I almost think the background needs a little more grunge...like the "ink." page....maybe i'll journal on each page a little about each individual piece or about symbolism used for Mary and whatnot...

ink.

2009-05-06T09:36:00.001-05:00

ink.,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

this one is in the pin-up studies moley. I like the grungy background...it adds a little bit of extra interest to me. The brown charcoal pencil works well on the moley paper.

Mardi Gras

2009-05-02T15:00:00.001-05:00

Mardi Gras,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

24"x24" mixed media on canvas

available for purchase....
will be available at Element Salon or contact me directly....

Michelle Obama

2009-04-27T21:01:00.001-05:00

Michelle Obama,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

There's a group on flickr that posts a photo to use as reference for you to paint. The 1st one was a photo of Michelle Obama, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I did this pretty quickly, so I like the loosness of it. I don't know how much it really looks like her, but i still like it, either way! ; )

watercolor and ink in my hand*book journal.

Pin-Up Study #15

2009-04-27T18:43:00.001-05:00

Pin-Up Study #15,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

Mixed Media in my Pin-Up Moleskine. I got a little grungier with the background on this one, and I really like how that came out! I'd like a little bit more realism in the facial features, but i rather like this loose style. These little studies are really helping me learn the human figure and helping me figure out a painting style.

Wine & Cheese

2009-04-23T18:17:00.001-05:00

Wine & Cheese,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

Decided to paint my lunch today....I've seen so many cool journal pages about food that inspire me, I thought i'd try my hand at it.

Swan

2009-04-23T18:16:00.003-05:00

Swan ,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

page 3....one of the lovely swans. They move around a lot, so it was bit tricky to catch this one, but i do like the looseness of the sketch! For a 1st timer to sketching "live" i learned a lot, and I am completely hooked. I will still take my photographs to use for reference for some other artwork, but I will definitely be a sketcher outdoors from now on! I probably would have sketched over by this lake a little longer, but this really hateful little goose kept running and snapping at everyone out there. He did that last time, too. He's like a crotchety hateful old man...stupid goose! I have photos of him...he will get a full spread at some point, but maybe not from life....i don't want that mean thing to bite me. LOL!

City Park, NOLA

Lord and Taylor Rose Garden

2009-04-23T18:16:00.001-05:00

Lord and Taylor Rose Garden,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

page 2 of the "New Orleans" journal. This is my 1st journal where i have actually sketched and painted on site.

The rose garden is really amazing. 2 fountains in the path, and then another hige fountain and statue off to the side. The amount of different roses is really astounding! And the colors.....breathtaking, to say the least!

City Park Botanical Gardens, NOLA

Covered Walkway

2009-04-23T18:14:00.001-05:00

Covered Walkway,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

page 1 of the new "New Orleans" journal I started today. This is my 1st journal where I have actually sketched and painted on site, so i really enjoyed my day!

City Park Botanical Gardens, NOLA

Ceramic Palette

2009-04-18T19:59:00.001-05:00

Ceramic Palette,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

i almost got all the shadows right to make it look like it has depth, so i'm pretty stoked about that, because the shadows were a lot harder to paint than expected. this is my fave-o gouache ceramic palette....awesome Talen's gold in the center, with some Daler-Rowney, W&N, and M. Graham pinks, oranges and reds all around. i need to get another one for my blues greens and purples i guess. this is my nifty little square hand*book journal....maybe my favorite one....maybe

Take Flight...

2009-04-17T16:01:00.001-05:00

Take Flight...,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

i'll probably add some sort of quote to this later, but for now i can't decide which one. i also like it for a possible tattoo design...hmmmm....

watercolor, gouache and ink in my hand*book journal

Pin-Up Study #14-Peter Driben

2009-04-13T18:37:00.001-05:00

Pin-Up Study #14-Peter Driben,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

i went back to pencil for this one...wasn't quite sure if i could pull off that cute little wink in straight pen-not yet anyway! ; )

I love these Moleskines, however, the watercolor does bleed through, which it does not do in my hand*book journals, so that'll be a thought for my next one. I haven't tried out the watercolor Moleskines with any regularity yet, so that may be an option over the sketchbook. The pantyhose looked like a much warmer toned black in the book, so i'm thinking i should have mixed some umber watercolor in with the black? hmmm... haven't quite grasped the warms and cools of watercolors yet, or how much lighter they dry...but i am learning, so it's all a matter of time.

Pin-Up Study 13(a & b)

2009-04-10T21:08:00.001-05:00

Pin-Up Study 13(a & b),
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

The Smith's sang a song called "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" ...well, some pages are better than others. but you have to make a lot of junk to learn how to make something good, so i don't mind my junk pages. (too much)

this is 2 attempts at drawing the same picture in pen...realllyyy missing my pencil and ERASER! ; ) but , indeed there are bits on each that i like, and i see where the big mistakes are, so i learned, and that's what counts.

the good thing about messing up is that you can just let go completely and try things you wouldn't normally, since "it's already messed up anywho", and then sometimes your boo-boo, no matter how badly misproportioned, still makes you say "cool!" ; )

Pin-Up Studies 11 & 12

2009-04-10T17:49:00.001-05:00

Pin-Up Studies 11 & 12,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

another sketch of Dita Von Teese and one from Playboy Blondes.

i am trying to sketch in pen rather than pencil. it's hard to break pencil-drawing habits! i know the correct proportions will come the more i draw, so i'm not worried so much about that. i like the looseness of the marks i make with the pen. this pin-up moley is all about playing and learning, so i do no expect "perfect" pages. i expect lerning and new ideas and fun. still trying to figure out the watercolor, but i am enjoying playing, good color combinations or no! ; )

i like the rapidograph a little more than i like the micron 005...i don't know why. they pretty much the same. i felt like the micron was a little more fragile though.(probably because i wore it out so quickly!)

even though it's messy, i like the addition of the lettering in this page, and i'll probably add more of that to future pages.

Pin-Up Study #10

2009-04-09T22:09:00.001-05:00

Pin-Up Study #10,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

April's issue of Inked magazine had some great photos of Dita Von Teese in it that i couldn't resist trying to draw in pen. ahhhh, pen....with no eraser. It's quick and sorta messy, but i like the colors, and it has loads of possibilities for something a bit more refined later...

I got a new rapidograph pen today, and wanted to try that out. I used to draw with one years ago, but my barrel on it cracked, and for some reason i just never bothered to replace it. it sketches quite nicely in the moleskine sketchbook...it drags a little on my other sketchbooks. Instead of gouache, I used watercolors on this one...a mix of my DS and my Holbeins. they bleed through the pages a little more than the gouache, but i think that's just me using too much water.

the left side of the spread started as an attempt to draw one of the other photographs, but it was super craptastic, so i did a little boo-boo fixer upper with some crazy flowers! i don't mind them so much...it adds to the circusy bordello flair of the colors! ; )

Coffee Bar...

2009-04-07T18:24:00.001-05:00

Coffee Bar...,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

a sketch in my art journal...having lots of fun with my watercolors. the DS Kyanite that i used in parts of the coffee pot are VERY sparkly...awesome!

in a side note...i had used all the memory on my computer(it's super old) and so, being the rocket scientist i am, decided to clear me up some space by deleting programs i never use....apparently somehow how i deleted the crappy but workable editing program for my pictures. awesome. now i can't crop or chage the file size...nothing. yayyyyy me! LOL anywho, so for now it all will be posted from flicker, so that at least the picture will fit on the screen.

Dream....

2009-04-03T18:32:00.001-05:00

Dream....,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

playing around with my watercolors, i just started looking at the shapes the puddles of color made, and i traced around this cute little cloud, and then used white gouache to highlight it....

square hand*book journal

Sculptures in NOMA, City Park

2009-04-03T09:05:00.001-05:00

Sculptures in NOMA, City Park,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

The 3rd floor of NOMA is the Asian, Oceanic, African, and Native American Art....it might be my favorite part of the museum. Some of the walls are painted the most gorgeous shade of aqua blue, so it's very peaceful up there. SOOOOOO much cool stuff to look at!

This is done with my cool NEXUS pens. I've had them for a bit, but never really put them to use, so I thought i'd give them a try...plus, i found an aqua one at Dixie the other day, and had to have it. It may be my new favorite pen! AND they don't bleed when you put a watercolor wash over them...good stuff! I really enjoyed sketching in just ink without doing a pencil sketch 1st. It makes you draw a bit differently though....i'll definitely be doing more pen-only sketches! ; )

square hand*book journal

Spider, City Park Sculpture Garden

2009-04-03T08:58:00.001-05:00

Spider, City Park Sculpture Garden,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

this giant spider is in the sculpture garden in City Park. It's all spindly and crazy looking...I did get a photo, so I'll have to upload it. There were a ton of other cool sculptures in there that I can't wait to go back and sketch.....would have sketched all day, but the rain forced us inside. That's ok, though...there was plenty to sketch in there, too! ; ) I used my very cool NEXUS pens for this one. I don't think it shows up very well in this scan, but i found a very cool aqua one the other day at Dixie...I should have bought like 3 more of that one, because I'll use all the ink out of that in a quick minute! I love it!

square hand*book journal

Flowers....

2009-03-30T19:25:00.002-05:00

...would brighten the day of your close friend. That was the fortune in my cookie yesterday, so i just had to put it on this postcard. This is on the way to friend.....

Shhhh....detail

2009-03-29T18:51:00.002-05:00

here's a little bit closer shot so you can see the cool textures....

Shhhh....

2009-03-29T18:44:00.002-05:00

TA-DA!!!!! Here she is, all finished! I think i really like how she turned out. and getting there, while scary, was also fun! and i used supplies i totally didn't plan on, so the end result was a very unexpected surprise. I still have a few angles on the face i'd like to perfect for the next painting, but it'll get there, and today was definitley another hard lesson in patience....and in letting go. all in all i really enjoyed the process, and would like to do a few more pieces this way, but with maybe a little less charcoal muck....perhaps i'll perfect the drawing on paper and then transfer it to canvas. but maybe not...that oil pastel is brilliant against charcoal mucky-muck.... ; )

Shhhh.... Stage 5

2009-03-29T18:38:00.003-05:00

Holy Dead Corpse Bride, Batman! what have I done! Yes, i fixed the angles of her nose and eyes, but now she's just creeptastic Now it occurs to me to take a break, it couldn't have been BEFORE i recreated an autopsy scene with her face......I really didn't know if it was fixable. I had to remind myself that it didn't matter, that i WAS JUST PLAYING....

and then....cha-ching! I remembered my oil pastels!!!! and thought how much fun they would be to play with...that i might get some interesting textures.....

and i did! ; )

Shhhh.... Stage 4

2009-03-29T18:32:00.002-05:00

Here I added that same lavendar i had originally painted the background with to the sash, neckline, and wings. I like how these colors go together, a lot. I also added some raw sienna and burnt umber glazes to her to make it more dimensional. Here's where i should have stopped to review the pictures and taken a step back for a minute. the face was not totally horrific here. the neckline is at a much more graceful angle, and it's still relatively unmucked with charcoal dirt. but, alas. I am very impatient. .....

Shhhh.... Stage 3

2009-03-29T18:27:00.002-05:00

Hmmm, the face is not so bad...Here I added a bright tangerine glaze to the upper right and lower left corners, topped that with a glaze of my Irr. Antique Copper, and another layer of the tangerine glaze. I also added some white glaze highlights to her arms dress and hair, and right along the profile of her face. Added a very thin bit of the copper glaze to the wings to try and bring back some depth.

Shhhh....Stage 2

2009-03-29T18:20:00.002-05:00

I have such a hard time with this face angle. I am really going to have to keep practicing it, and not in willow charcoal. This stage I added a glaze of my Irr. Antique Copper mixed with a raspberry color to the background, and a white glaze to the wings.I did try to redo the face....a few more times! LOL fix. fix. fix. repair. repair. repair. LOL i do like the wings so far though...

Shhhh.... Stage 1

2009-03-29T18:08:00.002-05:00

So, today I decided to just let go and play. I started with a canvas i had painted a lavendery violet, covered with sewing pattern tissue, and then added a wash of liquitex's Irridescent Antique Copper, which apparently they've stopped making. I'm quite pissed about that actually, because it's my favorite color to mix with purples and violety pinks. I have been trying to find a similar replacement color, but no such luck yet. They're all way too orange...this was neutraly brown, almost rosy. It's hard to explain, but it was perfect, so of course now it's gone. Anywho. so I took my willow charcoal and just sketched a quick angel. ugh...she's crappy. she does get better. and then worse. and then, i think, better again. anyway, it's all about playing today! and, fyi. if you've never photographed your progress, it's quite eye opening. I wish i had looked at my photos at each stage before i continued....there are some things that i thought i had done wrong, but looked ok in the photograph, but of course i had already tried to cover over my boo-boo's. NEVER A GOOD IDEA WHEN USING CHARCOAL>>>IT JUST GETS SUPER MUCKY!

Carnivale

2009-03-27T11:27:00.001-05:00

Carnivale,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

I have struggled with this piece for such a long time, but I think i'm finally happy with the results....I was trying to force a lot of things to come out of it, and trying to force different elements to work together, so I had to leave it alone for a good while simply because i wanted to chuck it in the trash, but now I think I have it it in a better, grungier place, which is what I wanted in the 1st place. I started it in painting class, and my goal was to feature voodoo as part of the cemetery culture here in NOLA, but at the suggestion of my teacher to include architectural elements, I got lost.... This is Carnivale...the pattern in the left top corner is the voodoo veve(or symbol) for this, and i tried to make it reminiscent of the porch decorations so prominent in NOLA. The angel is a sculpture in one of our cemeteries, and the repeated circles represent dubloons, which are left at alters honoring Carnivale....I am also working on another piece that's part of this series.......hopefully i won't struggle with that one as much now that I've let go a little! ; )

Hot! Hot! Hot!

2009-03-25T16:34:00.001-05:00

Hot! Hot! Hot!,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

I haven't done any still lifes in a while, and I am really teaching myself watercolor, so this was an interesting page to work on. I am so impatient...i really need to wait until some layers dry before i add other washes of color....but i'm learning! ; ) Glass is a hard thing to paint.....so many reflections and shadows...

These are 2 of my favorite hot sauces(i have several)...the Cholula is great on eggs, and the Louisiana Hot Sauce is good on everything, especially red beans and rice!

Strawberries and Crawfish

2009-03-24T21:33:00.002-05:00

Spring in NOLA....the absolute best time for local food....crawfish, shrimp, oysters, strawberries. yummmmm! I couldn't resist trying to paint part of my dinner tonight....the colors were absolutely amazing and vibrant! I definitely feel like I could use a lot more practice capturing the colors in watercolor, but hey, who could complain? Extra practice means more seafood and strawberries to use for reference...LOL! I could eat this stuff every day! and definitely, the hotter, the better! I can't wait to draw some more tomorrow! ; ) perhaps some hot sauce?.....

The Aldige Angels

2009-03-24T16:50:00.003-05:00

I used a photograph of one of my favorite statuary pieces for this journal page. It memorializes a mother and daughter that drowned in a steamboat accident back in 1848. The base of the sculpture is a boat. I especially love the emotion on the faces in the sculpture. Eventually I'll do a large painting using this sculpture.

a new journal page....

2009-03-09T16:55:00.003-05:00

another page using a photo i took in one of the NOLA cemeteries.....I LOVE how this one turned out! I don't know about mixing the Derwent watersoluble pencils with the watercolors....it may be making the drawings look too dirty, which is totally weird for me to say, since i love grungy looking pages...this combo may just be grungy in a not so good way. but good at least for this page! i love the colors...... this is sure to become a bigger painting......

Angel journal page

2009-03-09T13:25:00.002-05:00

So I have been working on some larger pieces, and also doing a little more photography lately, and my posts have fallen by the wayside. I did this spread just to start messing with my watercolors..... the colors didn't scan very well. But i like the grunginess of how it turned out....i just like grungy things...and i keep doodling this angel(it's one of my photographs, but i keep grabbing this particular photo out of the pile every time...i must reallllllly like it! LOL) This is in my square hand*book journal....

Pin-Up Study #9

2009-02-05T18:30:00.002-06:00

Another study from Taschen's 1000 Pin-Up Girls...proving to be worth every cent I spent on it! ; ) So her head is too big...that, or her shoulders are too small, but I kind of don't care, because her face came out so well on this one...and her hair. I am particularly loving this hair. This one was really fun to do.... I think I need to try drawing the outline with either brown charcoal pencil(although i don't know if I'll get the point sharp enough) or a brown colored pencil....maybe that will help the outline blend a little better...but either way, i don't mind the pencil lines showing through either...i have got to be more patient, though and wait for things to dry before going back into it....ugh! i almost royally messed her up!!! ; )

Product of Lebanon

2009-02-02T20:37:00.003-06:00

I found a wine shop that sells this Lebanese wine, so I bought a few bottles, because my Grandmother's dad is Lebanese, so I'm always interested in family heritage, culture, etc. I was hoping the label would come off easily(and, yay, it did!) so i could use it in this spread.

I have all these fabulous photos of my grandma and her friends cheesing for the camera, just being girls. This is one of my favorites, so I painted it here. She loves to tell me that her bikini was red, so I knew it would be perfect with the colors of the label...

Pin-Up #7

2009-02-01T20:15:00.002-06:00

Just a little quickie partial gal. I've been working on some other pieces, so these got put to the side for a minute, however, i can't improve if i don't practice, so even if it's little, it's going to get done.

I've been liking how some of the old pin-up pictures have just quick brush strokes of color here and there, rather than coloring the whole thing, so I thought i'd give it a try.

Chick #6

2009-01-28T22:33:00.003-06:00

This is a study from Taschen's The Great American Pin-Up. The original artist is Al Buell. Other than making her a little too skinny(maybe she needs some of my Hershey's Miniatures...I mean I'm just sayin...), I'm really pleased with this one.

Thanks to Owen at Everyday Matters, for the tip to put a little soap in my water to help break down the wax coating on the pages....so now any painting boo-boo's are strictly due to the operator of the brush, rather than the supplies being faulty. ; )

Hershey's Miniatures

2009-01-28T18:30:00.002-06:00

So, if you start one moley, why not start 2? ; ) I had a small watercolor one, and i had some hershey's miniatures, so i painted them. I am not an experienced watercolorist, but i had ordered a ridiculously large amount of Daniel Smith watercolors, and there's no time like the present to try them out. I actually like how this turned out. My Special Dark bar is a little rough, but, that's ok. I played, i learned, and that's what counts. I need to focus some attention on learning more about mixing colors, because generally I just paint straight out of the tube...I know! The Horror!! but, hey, sometimes i just like the color that's in the tube. what can i say. the other thing i might need to pay a little more attention to is light sources and shadows...but i have an excuse for this piece...i ate them before i actually painted the sketch...LOL

Pin-Up Study No. 5

2009-01-27T21:28:00.003-06:00

1st off, the pin-ups have a new home...the playboy mansion of journals, if you will...The Moleskine! It's my first Moleskine sketchbook. It's a bit tough to get used to the waxy coating on the paper, however I think once I get over that, this will be one of my very favorite sketchbooks!

So, this little cutie(much cuter by the original artist, mind you!) is a study of one of Rolf Armstong's gals featured in Taschen's The Great American Pin-Up. It's smaller than last journal I was using, so painting that tiny will take some getting used to, just like the new paper, but I think the extra effort will be worth it in the end. It forces me to slow down and really look at what I'm trying to do. I like small detail work, anyway.(most of the time)

Pin-Up Study No. 4

2009-01-26T21:08:00.005-06:00

I am loving doing these pin-ups! Each one, I really learn something new, both with the drawing aspect, and then the painting aspect. I know for sure this sketch book paper is crap! Grrrr! If I put too many washes, and by that, i mean more than one(!), the paper starts scrubbing off. BUT, I refuse to not finish a sketchbook I've started...I just may have to use this one for strictly gestures, superquickie sketches,and notes, because I've tried gouache, watercolor, acrylic, and just plain graphite, and they all look horriffic in here. UGH! So, perhaps I'll move the pin-ups to my 1st ever Moley...

I don't think it shows up in the scan at all, but her bikini is gold! ; ) What gal doesn't want a sexy gold bikini and a pair of ridicuously hot purple shoes?!

I still am struggling with hands, feet, and eyes...and getting the proportions of the face right, but it's coming along, so I'm happy...

This another study using my Taschen's 1000 Pin-Up Girls...

Pin Up Study No.3

2009-01-25T18:17:00.002-06:00

Here's today's pin-up sketch. These are proving to be a lot of fun, so I'll definitely be continuing...

Today's wasn't based on a drawing, but on a photograph from "Burlesque and the Art of the Teese/Fetish and the Art of the Teese" by Dita Von Teese...

Still some proportion issues to work on, but the hands are a little better, and so is the thigh! Yay! I do wish I hadn't tried to outline it with a 9B pencil...ugh. Next time I'll try to use one of my micron pens.

The Three Graces, Botticelli study-WIP

2009-01-25T13:08:00.003-06:00

I started this study a long while ago, but had to put it away for awhile. Finally, i'm coming back to it. Even though it's exceptionally tedious, and I have all the detail in the drapes of the gowns still to capture, it's worth it so far. I love this piece. All of the very dark black is this awesome pencil...the side reads "General Pencil Co. Kimberly 9XXB", so it's darker than an 8B graphite, and it is the most awesome velvety black with NO SHINE! Everythime i go to the art supply store that carries them, I buy one or 2, just in case they ever quit making them. I would be devastated! I don't know how long it will take me to finish this one, but I'm not rushing it....too many lovely little details to capture, and as this is one of my very favorite master works, I have to do it justice. ; )

18"x24" graphite on paper

Pin Up Study No.2

2009-01-24T17:56:00.002-06:00

ok, so i could list a million things wrong with this one, however, the face is better than the last one, and even though some of the shading didn't go on as smoothly as i like, i like the coloring of her. i guess that's the point of doing studies, though, isn't it? to mess up, and to learn? it's funny, i started college in fashion design, and abandoned it years and years ago, but doing these studies makes me remember how much i loved it. as a kid, and all the way through high school, i could sit for hours and draw clothes. it was all i did. so it's actually quite nice to sit and draw and paint some fashionable little pin-ups.

Portrait of Christ

2009-01-22T13:55:00.004-06:00

I don't know if i'm calling this one done yet or not. I love the colors, and the grid pattern of the photo transfer, but I am debating on doing a big sacred heart line drawing on top of the whole thing in wither white or silver. I am trying to think on it. This is one of the photos i took in the cemetery...I love using them in my work!

22"x30" mixed media on Arches watercolor paper

The Final Red Abstract

2009-01-22T13:17:00.003-06:00

This is the final panel for a commission I was working on... The 1st shot is a detail shot of the right side, and the 2nd larger shot is the whole painting. I think this one might be my favorite of the 3, but I might need to see them all together to say for sure!

40"x40" acrylic on canvas

Private collection of Mr. A. Allen

pin up study numero uno

2009-01-19T19:52:00.002-06:00

One of my (many!) resolutions is to focus on drawing the human figure, both naturally, and in my favo style...the pin-up. I bought several books last year including Taschen's 1000 Pin-Up Girls, and this is a study from that book, For a 1st attempt, I am more than pleasantly surprised at how it turned out, and at how quickly I did this. I love her, bad feet, skinny thigh, and all! ; ) WHY DIDN"T I TRY THIS SOONER?! LOL

p.s. ...i've mentioned them in a couple of the last posts, but let me mention them here again- I totally heart Derwents watersoluble graphitone pencils. Do a little shading, wash over them with some H2O, and you get the best sparkly gray wash, and awesomely enough, the sparkle will show through your gouache! How can you not love something that leaves a little glitz?

quick sketches for my commissioned pieces

2009-01-19T17:22:00.004-06:00

just some rough sketches for 2 different commissions i'm working on, but i like how they came out, so i thought i'd post them. the 1st one will end up being 2 panels, with lots of gold, and using the cemetery imagery. it's based on one of my previous cemetery paintings where i painted on the coffee filter. the 2nd one is going to be massive... a large painting to basically serve as a headboard of sorts, and she gave me free reign to whatever...her only request: japanese tattoo! SWEET! i do have to laugh, because i did all my doodles in pink, and she is most certainly not a pink-y kind of gal. she loves red, the darker the better, so i'll have way more doodles to go with this one, just to get to the red vibe!

You Set My Soul Alive

2009-01-19T17:04:00.003-06:00

I am getting a very late start to my New Year's resolution to draw every single day, but better late than never, right? This little hand*book square journal is proving to be a good choice. Another pink, red, and gold gouache spread using those Derwent watersoluble pencils.... the angel is a little rough, simply because i didn't try to sharpen the pencils to a finer point, and because I drew her super fast. i don't mind the imperfections...this was more about me relaxing, letting go, and just getting something on the page. once i get that habit down, i'll work on more detail in the drawings. I can't seem to break away from this color palette yet...it must have something to do with my new attempt to explore my emotions and such...all pink and lovey-dovey! that and just love these colors anyway. i like this style, but i also like the more graphic drawings, too( like my skulls and the ribcage/heart spread) hmmmm... it's weird. i still don't feel like i have developed my OWN style. i guess if i draw everyday, it will just develop on it's own.

Just a note...

2009-01-18T08:32:00.002-06:00

Often when i open my blog, i try to imagine what everyone else is seeing. Lately i've been posting all my stuff from flickr, because it has been so easy, but looking at my blog, i don't like how it posts here. it's too small. i know you can click on the picture to make it larger, but i guess it's that whole "1st impression" thing... so i'll be switching back to posting from here. plus you can add more than one picture when you post from here.

What If....

2009-01-17T15:11:00.001-06:00

What If....,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

I have a few "I wonder what happened to him"s, and more than my share of "what the hell was i thinking when I went out with him"s, but I think i only have one true "what if..."

i love Sabrina Ward Harrison's journals, and this spread makes me think of her stuff. I love the colors and i really like the water soluble Derwent pencil....that thing is quickly climbing the list of favorite art supplies. I also like the challenge of the square hand*book journal. It's going to make for some very interesting compositions. NOTE TO SELF: if you use too much water wih your paint it will indeed seep through in the crease!

The Wild Beat Of My Heart

2009-01-17T15:01:00.001-06:00

The Wild Beat Of My Heart,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

a new spread in my hand*book journal, with gouache. I am trying to explore more with my journals, both with my materials, and with my thoughts and emotions. The materials part is not so difficult once I get started, but the other part...well, that's a different story. I have been thinking a lot about relationships lately, and so it just seemed natural to do a heart inside a ribcage. I love how it came out! I think I'll do another piece, a large painting perhaps, using this. It's interesting.

Nurse Nancy(print, hand colored)

2008-12-01T20:00:00.001-06:00

Nurse Nancy(print, hand colored),
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

While I printed my edition of 6, I printed 3 extras to be artists proofs, to hand color. I don't really get all the technical details of artists proofs, and an edition, and what qualifies as either, but not the other, but i'm learning, an I think i have it right here. anywho, I don't know how much I love all the colors on this one, so i may rework some of them before i color the next proof. it may just be the paper it's printed on...great for prints, but maybe not so great for acylic and watercolor?

Nurse Nancy(print)

2008-12-01T19:54:00.001-06:00

Nurse Nancy(print),
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

Oh, I'm super happy with how my prints turned out! For a 1st attempt at lino cuts, I am pleased with the results. (and carving is very relaxing...who knew?!) This is a print edition of 6, on 10"x12 1/2" Stonehenge paper...the design is 8" x 10" . I'm already working up a sketch for the next one!

Nurse Nancy

2008-11-30T14:14:00.002-06:00

Nurse Nancy,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

My sketch for my lino cut assignment....i really am enjoying my printmaking class this semester, and this is probably my favorite design from this semester. Printmaking is definitely something i will keep doing while i take next semester off from school. I like hand coloring them, like the Crawdaddy Simone prints, so I plan to do that again for some of these prints. I bought some more lino plates to carve as soon as the semester is over. I'd like to print some stuff for friends and family for Christmas. Eventually I'd like to start an Etsy shop.

CrawdaddySimoneMonochromatic

2008-11-16T10:24:00.001-06:00

CrawdaddySimoneMonochromatic,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

my value study done with speedball ink. just trying to plan out how to add the aquatint values ahead of time, but i like how this turned out. this is what inspired the hand colored versions.

CrawdaddySimonecolor4

2008-11-16T10:22:00.001-06:00

CrawdaddySimonecolor4,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

hand colored print #4....

CrawdaddySimoneColor3

2008-11-16T10:21:00.001-06:00

CrawdaddySimoneColor3,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

Handcolored print #3....

CrawdaddySimoneColor2

2008-11-16T10:20:00.001-06:00

CrawdaddySimoneColor2,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

handcolored print #2...

CrawdaddySimoneColor1

2008-11-16T10:19:00.001-06:00

CrawdaddySimoneColor1,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

the 1st of the handcolored prints...

CrawdaddySimoneAquatintFinal

2008-11-16T10:18:00.001-06:00

CrawdaddySimoneAquatintFinal,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

i got all my aquatints back from being graded, so i can finally post them! I had a little trouble with this final aquatint process. I didn't get the values I had planned on, but I think that will get better if i do a few more. We had to turn in a series of 6, so this is one of those 6. i also had a few extra prints that i hand colored with watercolors and inks. i love how they turned out! Defintely a project i will try again!

GlitzInkScreenprint

2008-11-16T10:12:00.001-06:00

GlitzInkScreenprint,
originally uploaded by GlitzInk.

My better versions of this project are being graded right now...this one isn't registered correctly, so the layers didn't match up during printing, but for my 1st silkscreening attempt, i'm pretty pleased. I've wanted to know how to do this for so long, and i love it!!! This is something i can do from home, too, once i buy a screen and such, without needing to buy an expensive press or anything, so i'll be able to continue to work on it outside of school. i am interested in experimenting with color ink, and some various papers.

New Work In Progress #2

2008-10-26T13:57:00.004-05:00

I just have to add one small detail to this one and it'll be done...so basically it's done...and it's already claimed! Awesome! It's a small narrow panel, and I painted on top of a coffee filter...I am using them in a few pieces on this series. I don't know what to call this one.Hmmmm...

30"x8" acrylic/mixed media on canvas

New Work In Progress

2008-10-26T13:49:00.004-05:00

Still have a few things to add to this one, but it's almost done, and I wanted to go ahead and post it...Those are coffee filters on the bottom...

2'x2' acrylic and mixed media on canvas

This will be for sale during the salon show...dates tba

Stay Tuned....

2008-10-23T16:23:00.001-05:00

My newest painting series is coming along, and I can't wait for the BIG REVEAL! check back soon...

Fleur de Lis Madonna

2008-10-23T16:02:00.002-05:00

I had some "leftovers" that I decided to mess around with...a photo that I cut out and crumpled, and some copper heart cutouts from jewelry making class. I collaged them in with acrylics, fleur de lis stamp, and copper leaf.

Crawdaddy Simone- Step 1

2008-10-03T09:52:00.002-05:00

For my latest printmaking assignment, I had to illustrate a song for a line etch/aquatint process. After struggling with which song to pick, I finally settled on Crawdaddy Simone by The Horrors. The design was also inspired from a previous journal page. This line etch is the 1st step...next I have to decide where to put the values, and do the aquatint process.

So stay tuned for the finished product!

Collograph

2008-09-21T12:38:00.003-05:00

My 1st printmaking assignment was to do a collograph with 3 different print plates and using 3 different colors. I loved this assignment! I learned a ton, and can't wait to do another set!!! i definitely need to pick colors with more contrast next time, and learn to make enough for the whole project! I used black, and made an purple and a dark crimson, but they were too close together in value, so I didn't get the pop I wanted. Also, I ran out of the purple and the crimson, so I have a couple different versions of each of those....oh, well...lesson learned. I also would like to experiment more with composition and design, but overall, I'm very happy with my 1s attempt into printmaking!

New Abstract

2008-09-11T12:56:00.002-05:00

Here's one of the new pieces I've done that will be in the art show at my friend's hair salon. I think it still might need a little something-something, so it may change a little bit before then, but so far I'm pleased with it... Acrylic on 30"x30" canvas

NOLA Cemetery Journal Page

2008-09-11T12:52:00.003-05:00

I love how this page came out! The gold gouache looks so cool! Gouache and Pitt pens in my small hand*book journal.

Hurricane Gustav Journal Page

2008-09-11T12:49:00.002-05:00

gouache and gold Sakura paint pen in my small hand*book journal....did this one during my evacuation from the hurricane

EDM CHALLENGE #1- Draw a shoe

2008-08-17T15:17:00.004-05:00

my new pink galoshes.... i've decided to start doing some edm challenges, and perfectly enough, the first one is to draw a shoe!

every girl should have some barbie pink galoshes in her life... these should brighten even the darkest rainy day! : )

some of my shading is too dark, the pink is not quite right, and that cheapie green is super craptastic, but i still sort of like this page. (mostly i'm just proud i did it! LOL)

hand*book journal 5 1/2" x 5 1/2"

A little voodoo....

2008-08-16T19:15:00.002-05:00

Here's another journal page using that fabulous fabulous winsor & newton turquoise gouache. Luckily today i found some comparable colors that are a bit cheaper...Marine Blue and Ocean Blue in the Daler Rowney Designers gouache...very yummy colors!

The journaling and the circle are done in the Sakura silver extra fine nib paint pen i bought, but they didn't scan silver....oh well. Trust me....it's fantastic! I love silver pens!

the lettering....hmmmm... i need to practice my lettering, and i think this would have looked better with more gothic looking lettering....and maybe a red rose or something....

hand*book journal 5 1/2" x 5 1/2"

Some new art journal pages

2008-08-15T19:09:00.003-05:00

I've been trying to make it a habit to draw every day. MUCH harder than one thinks, if you are a perfectionist like me! I joined the yahoo group Everyday Matters, and they provide so much inspiration and helpful advice. That's where I got the idea to use gouache for my pages instead of acrylics. Oh, man! Does that totally change things! Now my pages don't stick together, and my pages are soooo bright! Next on the to try list is watercolors, and my Daniel Smith order should be here any day (another recommendation from the EDM group)! So I am totally inspired to keep creating!

A new blog adventure

2008-08-14T20:23:00.002-05:00

I created a new blog specifically for my photography. I am going to try and take at least one photo everyday. How else will I learn how to use my camera, right? The blog is called Glitz*ography, and you can find it at http://www.glitzography.blogspot.com/ and of course, there will always be a link to it on my profile.

So, please stop by and take a look around. It will be a very eclectic collection of things that make me stop and take notice.

Peace....

2008-07-31T17:29:00.003-05:00

just wish i had a lotus blossom!

A lucky shot...

2008-07-22T10:38:00.002-05:00

I LOVE the textures in this photo I took at my friend's house yesterday!

The patina pics...

2008-06-03T12:41:00.002-05:00

Here are a few of the photos that I took that I'm going to try to make a series of paintings with... They all have this beautiful copper patina....

WaterMeter

2008-05-30T18:30:00.000-05:00

A random painted New Orleans WaterMeter....

I love these things!!!

Red Abstract 1 & 2

2008-05-30T18:26:00.003-05:00

Here are 2 of the 3 commissioned abstracts that I recently did. Each are 40"x40" acrylic on canvas.

Private collection of Mr. A. Allen

Figure Drawings-Female Model

2008-05-30T18:23:00.003-05:00

Here are the last of the female model sessions from figure drawing class:

Figure Drawing- Male Model

2008-05-30T18:18:00.003-05:00

Here are the figure drawings from the sessions with the male model that hadn't already been posted:

The rest of the self portraits

2008-05-30T18:14:00.002-05:00

I photographed all the self portraits from the past 2 semesters, and here are the ones that hadn't already been posted:

Glitz Ink

NEW POSTS COMING SOON!

Splatter

Enter At Your Own Risk

Dreams & Nightmares Sign-In page

Someone's Watching Me

Lucky Dog

Fontainbleu State Park Marsh

detail of my marsh page

Lakefront

Starbies

Gazebo Cafe band

Gazebo Cafe band 2

back online

O*P*I Doodle

Washbucket

Geronimo

St Louis Cathedral Mary

ink.

Mardi Gras

Michelle Obama

Pin-Up Study #15

Wine & Cheese

Swan

Lord and Taylor Rose Garden

Covered Walkway

Ceramic Palette

Take Flight...

Pin-Up Study #14-Peter Driben

Pin-Up Study 13(a & b)

Pin-Up Studies 11 & 12

Pin-Up Study #10

Coffee Bar...

Dream....

Sculptures in NOMA, City Park

Spider, City Park Sculpture Garden

Flowers....

Shhhh....detail

Shhhh....

Shhhh.... Stage 5

Shhhh.... Stage 4

Shhhh.... Stage 3

Shhhh....Stage 2

Shhhh.... Stage 1

Carnivale

Hot! Hot! Hot!

Strawberries and Crawfish

The Aldige Angels

a new journal page....

Angel journal page

Pin-Up Study #9

Product of Lebanon

Pin-Up #7

Chick #6

Hershey's Miniatures

Pin-Up Study No. 5

Pin-Up Study No. 4

Pin Up Study No.3

The Three Graces, Botticelli study-WIP

Pin Up Study No.2

Portrait of Christ

The Final Red Abstract

pin up study numero uno

quick sketches for my commissioned pieces

You Set My Soul Alive

Just a note...

What If....

The Wild Beat Of My Heart

Nurse Nancy(print, hand colored)

Nurse Nancy(print)

Nurse Nancy

CrawdaddySimoneMonochromatic

CrawdaddySimonecolor4

CrawdaddySimoneColor3

CrawdaddySimoneColor2

CrawdaddySimoneColor1

CrawdaddySimoneAquatintFinal

GlitzInkScreenprint

New Work In Progress #2

New Work In Progress

OPI Doodle