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NyteowlSong — Blonde Fairy in the woods
Published: 2004-05-09 02:48:15 +0000 UTC; Views: 340; Favourites: 2; Downloads: 30
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Description
An updated version of an older colored marker piece that was orginally designed as a tattoo flash card so she didn't have much form to her, just lines. Now colored and given a background and some life to her. This fairy is taking a moment to ponder about life and enjoy the beauty of nature beside a stream in the woods.TCAG
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Comments: 28
Yes, I did. Wow, thanks for the wonderful compliments. This was one picture that I worked on over a longer period of time in between other project just to relax so I was able to spend more attention to details to it.
It started out as a tattoo pattern for a number of tattoo flash cards I made a few years ago. I was searching through some of my older works recently for something to revise for practice and found her again. Decided it was time to flesh out the line drawing, add a background and color it. I used do more traditional paint mediums but in recent years it has become easier and cheaper to do painting via my computer. So I used Photo Shop 5 to add in the color after scanning in the picture.
The background is part of the stream and swamp on my parents property where my mother planted Azalea bushes and flowers to make it more colorful and hide the swamp. I take tons of pictures for use as reference for my work and this one just seemed to need a fairy sitting in it.
At first didn't understand where you were finding the black outline. Then I saw what you were talking about. Yes, that was a problem area with her dress that I couldn't get around using a lighter color. I wanted her dress folds to show but using a grayer shade made the folds almost disappear. So I opted to keep the outline in this one case. Usually I don't outline anymore in my work. Used to years ago when it was fashionably the style to have black outline on everything but I've moved away from that now with new techniques and style changes.
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October 21, 2004
To NyteowlSong
Background: Wow... did you paint that? It looks like a real photo! *drools*
Foreground: WAI! *drools some more* That is just so... so WOW! I mean, the folds on the clothing, her wings, the pose, the facial expression, the flowers in her hair - it just - well - jives. And those colors! WAIII!!! *dies from envy* XD
One thing though - I don't know if it's just my monitor, but it seems that some parts of her dress are outlined in black and some aren't. I think it would look more 'painterly' if the black outline was taken out. I don't know why - it seems to clash a bit. But maybe that's just me. *kicks self for whining too much* XD
Keep the great stuff going! *cheers wildly for you* XD
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Oh you really have a gift for backgrounds, really this one is even better than the one before.
Nice use of colors, you really know how to use them and to choose the right one to convey the right emotions. it is so peaceful and so is the pose of the fairy.
What I prefer: you chose 2 different range of colors for the fairy and the background, the fairy really stands out with softer, brighter ones and the background got the more realistic ones; she's really from another world.
Keep it up!
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Thanks the lovely critic and insightful comments, they are very constructive and helpful. It is nice to recieve comments from viewers expressing what my work makes them feel because it helps me see if I'm getting my point across correctly. That makes me feel good and inspires me to do more.
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Thank you, but you're very much welcome, it's always pleasing to critic good arts.
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Another beutiful picture
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In the sketch it was light pencil shading. When it was scanned and pulled up, I colored the pink in photoshop, then I used multiple with the airbrush set at 40% to add in the deeper shading with a mixture of purple added to it on a new top layer and it gives you the textures. I used various layers and multiple settings at different areas to get different effects on the wings with different brush sizes.
Basically I just kept playing around with it on each layer till it gave me the look I was wanting. If I liked it I saved it, if it didn't work I deleted the layer and started over. I love working in layers because you can save your work in different stages and go back to them later to make corrections or totally change it if you want. It also leaves a record of your progress in case you need it later. So I save often and then once the piece is finished I transfer all but a copy of the finished JPG to a CD to store and delete them from my computer.
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I think I understand. I experiment with layers until I get the right texture too. Actually I kinda worry that I'm so dependant on layers I'll never be able to paint with real media
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With digital it is easier to mix the colors for effect than with traditional colors, but you can get very similar effects with traditional mediums. It just takes lots of practice and patience and very fine coats of thin layers. And it depends on the mediums you use also. Acrylics are the less forgiving of all the mediums I have used and yet I love them the most because I can mix them better for the results I want to achieve.
If you feel you are becoming too dependent on the digital medium go back and practice on the more tradition at times. The keeping of your tradition skills sharp will horn your digital eye and skills a lot faster and better than if you stop using tradition mediums entirely. Most famous and successful artists don't limit themselves to just one medium, theme or style in their art. We never know what path our art will take us till we experiment and try different paths to success.
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Yeah, I think thats whst I'll do. For the next few weeks I'll be without a tablet (i'm housesitting) so I might practice sketching for awhile.
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My favorite parts of this are the butterfly wings as well as the reflection in the water. That is truly gorgeous. The only part that throws me off a bit is her foot being cropped out.
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Thanks for the nice compliments. In the original piece this was a tattoo flash card and her entire body was present. But when I decided to finish the piece and put a background in it I had to crop the piece to meet standard size requirements for several other art galleries where I show my work. Hence the lose of her foot because a couple of the editors felt it was more pleasing to the eye to see her slightly off center then directly mid center of the field of view.
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You're welcome.
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A tattoo flash card is a 12" X 14" poster board with line drawn images some times colored that you sale to tattoo parlors to use in making tattoos on people. What the parlors do after they buy the card from you is, copy it and transfer it to a transparent sheet that they then place directly over the skin and then trace the image with the inking needle guns. That is how they get the same image on the person. It doesn't pay much at first but once you get established in an area as a good artist with a style that sales, your sales will pick up. And also it gives you a bit of change in your pocket when commisions are slow.
Never be shy about promoting your work, hun. If you are proud of it and believe in, others will too. Even if it has flaws, they will find it appealling and give you encouragement, but if you show discouragement they will lose interest in your work too. So remember to alway point out the good and look for the positive in it and accept that there is alway room for improvement.
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Thanks for that helpful advice.
The sort of stuff that sells here is Southwest style and I am not willing to change my art to suit someone's tastes so there you go.
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Good for you, stay true to your heart and your craft and you can't go wrong. You seem to know your market and have a great grasp of it so far, so I think you are well on your way to doing great things with your work. Just keep working and don't lose sight of those dreams dear.
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Nicely framed tranquilness. Ripples and reflections are always hard to do!
Her left hand seems a bit awkward though, the thumb could start a bit higher up and be a bit smaller.
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That background did take a bit of work doing to make it look like it should but I finally got it to the point I liked. Glad you liked it. I agree the hand was wrong but I couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. Finally figured it out...it was backwards, ehhe. So I fixed it. Look at the new revised piece and see what you think.
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Yeah, it seems to be fixed now.
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Great, Thanks for the help.
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very cute
the anatomy is great so are the wings and dress but it would be cool if the wings was transparent at some places or something. At the moment they look a bit flat imo.
The background is what I like the most about this. it's a manipulated photograph, right? very nicely done!
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Yeah, the background is a photomanipulation of the woods behind my parents sheep pens. Mom loves to plant flowers and flowering shrubs every where. So when I found the old picture I just had to use it for this piece.
Hmm...I'll have to work on the wings and her hand under her chin. Someone pointed out what was wrong with it that I just couldn't figure out. It's backwards with the thumb on the wrong side of her hand. hehe, that is what happens with a deslexic artist I guess.
Thanks to the imput dear.
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hehe, yeah I noticed that too but couldn't put my 'thumb' on it
but I love the anatomy in it. very good job
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I think I fixed the problem with her hand finally, hehe. AT least it doesn't look so strange any more and I made the wings look a bit less flat.
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yeah, both the hand and wings look better now. good job on this one
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Thanks, I'm so glad I finally got her looking right. Tired of this one already, ehhehe.
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hehe, I know how you feel. 4/5 of my projects never get done
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