A few arts

[balaa]

Got another card for the kennel Club Deck, the Brittany Spaniel. I used to groom a few of them back when I worked at a grooming shop, very sweet dogs..a few of them had a very proud/haughty demeanor..but I liked them for that.

Also finished or rather/almost finished the leopard painting and planning another painting, not sure of what just yet.

OOH and does anyone know of a good place where I can buy cheaply priced but good quality mat board?? I need to start matting pieces for AC and I really don't want to pay the outrageous prices of mat board at Michaels. So if anyone has websites or good places to go in Washington state, I'd greatly appreciate it!




Brittany Spaniel winning best in show..he looks rather proud. Came up with that sketch at 3 am this morning..


The finished leopard piece..the photo desaturated some of the colors..but I shall take better pictures tomorrow and tweak things that are bugging me. Piece will be called 'I Will Protect you'..roughly 10.5 x 13 inches


And an ambigram concept for the back of the kennel club deck..they will likely not use it but I had fun designing it nonetheless. Hopefully you can read that it says 'TheKennelClub'

Comments

[jinxaire.livejournal.com]

I love that spaniel's self confident expression, lovely. The leopards are gorgeous, your sense of color is beautiful. The colors make the picture look almost mystical.

As for the art supplies, I don't really have much input other than to maybe check actual art stores in the area, not the Michaels craft stores? In my experience, Michaels is overpriced in everything but their dollar bin.

[tivadu.livejournal.com]

Rawk on awesome! I just luve the leopard painting :) Tis utterly amazing! And the Spaniel pic is gorgious too! HEH!

[fyregryphoness.livejournal.com]

I love that Spaniel sketch! The look on his face is priceless. :) It's as if he's thinking "Aw yeah! You know I'm the best". XD

The leopard picture is lovely as well! That little baby is so adorable. :D

As for matting boards...I'm afraid I can't give you might info on that. I know that Hobby Lobby sells pre-cut mat boards. However, I'm sure that they're probably as expensive (if not more so) than Michaels. :( I remember my Drawing 1 professor teaching us how to make our own mat boards...but I've long since forgotten. ^^"

[lazalanti.livejournal.com]

We don't have Hobby Lobby's in Washington state but that does remind me that she could also check out college campus bookstores. They generally have pre cut mats for a decent deal. They aren't ever acid free or anything but very cheep.

[fyregryphoness.livejournal.com]

Ah! That's true. I didn't think about the colleges possibly having some. I think I remember looking at my college for something like matting boards but, unfortunately, they didn't have anything. :( I guess it doesn't help much either when your college cuts down the art department funding to nearly zilch. >_

Very true!

[sandboa.livejournal.com]

Hey there friend!

You tiold her just what I was going to suggest! I know all the coolege around her have their own stores and the prices they have are very competative.

Also when I was attending college in Eastern Washington all there colleges were I was at had their own stores and again the prices were very good!

So yes this is avery good suggestion!

BTW I was just wondering if you would mind if I added you to my friends list? I have been watching you comment for sometime on other friends journalsand you seem to be a very cool fun, friendly, person so I thought i would ask before just randomly adding you! I think this is so rude and wrong in many ways myself!

[justblieve.livejournal.com]

Awwwwwwww baby!

[lazalanti.livejournal.com]

Daniel Smith in West Seattle and Frame Central have the best prices on mat board. $13.99 for a sheet of mat board at Michaels isn't bad, though. It's just about adverage. If you can make it the the JoAnn in Olympia I'm sure you can pick up so scraps for cheep. I don't know much scraps they have, though. Also, Ben Franklin and/or Artco have decent prices on scraps.

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

thank ya Jenn..I was thinking next time I head up to Olympia id stop in at the Jo Ann's and see what they have..I liked the Jo Anne's in seattle close to Sarah's but thats a bit too far out of my way..yay for gas prices.

I'm checking out dick blick and their prices are pretty good...but then that makes me wonder about quality..at least if I go to a store I can match colors to a piece before I choose something..oh well...thank you for your help in the past..I didnt want to be a nuisance and bug you again :P..plus I really ought to try learning my way around this mat cutter O_o.

[lazalanti.livejournal.com]

If you need help learning to mat you can come visit sometime. I live by the airport. ^^

If you can tell me what brands they sell at DickBlick and at what prices I can tell you if they are good or not. ^^

[nimirpard.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, those are both pretty awesome! You do such awesome work. You should be really proud of your work, because you're definitely a professional quality artist. With the work you do with your characters and backgrounds and the architecture of the buildings that show up now and then . . . you could definitely be a graphics artist for computer games (there is some really stunning stuff done in newer games), or in other areas too.

I can't help you with mats . . . but for colors in your scans and pictures, I have an idea. I've got a friend who just started using one of these with his digital camera, and says that it does wonders for the colors. The plug-in for JPEG cameras (and JPEG scans if you scan to JPEG - ugh) is free and for RAW images and scanner scans, you can still use Photoshop to fix up the image yourself without having to buy the third party plug in. Apparently its pretty easy to make up a macro once you tweak the curve to apply the tweak to everything taken at the same time (or everything that comes off your scanner). If you're interested and think it might help with your color issues, let me know. I've got a friend who knows someone who can hook me up cheap. ;)

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

as always thank ya!!! *ligress nuzzle*..I know I still have a lot of room to grow with real media and my biggest handi cap so far is using such small sized illustration boards..I need to start working bigger and playing with different paint mediums..ie to slow down dry time and whatnot..but thus far I'm just having fun painting ....AND might I add bagheera got me caught on leopards..he can be blamed for the leopard bug. Mmkay so I think I caught it too..and I am dastardly afraid its terminal...woooeee is me!

As for the WhiBal...I need to sit down and actually read the page thoroughly but from what little I did manage to pick up that sounds AWESOME!..soo yes I may bug ya about it ;)..or threaten you with white bunnies of mortal peril!

[nimirpard.livejournal.com]

Hmph. The leopard bug is most certainly not terminal, unless you or people who see your art happen to die of shear joy. There are worse ways to go for sure. ;)

No! Not the white bunnies of mortal peril! I gave the holy handgrenade back . . . and I don't especially feel like having rabbit for dinner for who knows how many nights on end to eat up the little buggers later. ;P

Just poke me if you decide about the WhiBal. I know you have griped about what your camera and your scanner do to colors in the past, and it seemed like something that could help. With video, white balance can make a huge difference between crap and good, so it makes sense that cameras and scanners are the same.

[taasla.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness! I saw this and my bad day just went out the window. O_O *clings to both you and the smooshy lion* You makes me zeeee happpyyyyY!

:) I really got all misty looking at the painting. Such pretties!

I can't help you too much with the mats, but my roomie's mother is a professional artist (Sue Moon!! :D :D), and I can ask her where she gets her stuff.

Speaking of art supplies, did you still need the tablet pen. o_o? If ya still do, I've got it sitting in my apartment, ugh, my email is the same as my LJ username at gmail.com.

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

*clings to smoooshy lion too and drools a little* Pink makes me droool XD! o_o not sure if thats a good thing *twirlFLAP*

and chyes do ask :)..any info is better than no info! I appreciate that in advance!

and as for the pen..YESS..my tablet is being a spaz..it started working again but I think it is the pen..when it goes spazzy the pen nib feels odd against the tablet surface..so it probably shifts every now and then or I drop it one too many times..ehe...I'll e-mail you later or just leave a comment with my addy in your journal..WOOHHH stalk meh *wants a staaalkkkeerrrr*

*whines and snivvels* :D!

[taasla.livejournal.com]

Hmmmm, okay. >:D I'm gonna leave candies at your door, and pen nibs that will dance around in small circles going "Roo, haaa, laaa, raaahh!!!"

Then they will take my smooshy lion and make him their king. O_o Or something. *snicker, snicker*

Yay, you will have a replacement pen for more pretties!

I also asked my roomie's Ma where she gets her stuff, and she says she has a supply place that she gets them from in Mexico, so uh, that wasn't much help to you. :(

[gatcat.livejournal.com]

I have so much mat board to order for AC that I'm probably going to go wholesale this time. I usually get my mat from a Dick Blick store, but since there's none near my new abode, I'll be looking to order direct from a source a friend recommends.

[drewthewolf.livejournal.com]

-latches on to you- I just want to like watch you draw xD

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

humm if you have no problem with immense profanity in multiple languages you are welcome :P..just kidding. Though I think its rather boring to watch me draw

I like your icon..it always distracts me ;).

[drewthewolf.livejournal.com]

LOL! Sounds like fun! I find my icon really distracting too. xDD

[leelakin.livejournal.com]

Ooooooh *_* Wonderful. What did you draw the leopard with? And does it take long to do the ambigram writings? O-O

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

acrylic paint :)

and as for the ambigram..no and yes..it depends..I have help *cheater*

http://ambigram.matic.com/ambigram.htm

but their designs are very basic and kinda dull..BUT they can help you start a design and also can help start understanding how ambigram design works in general..I'd say give it a try..a simple trick is..doodle out half the word on a piece of paper..use the website for help starting..then scan it in and ink that half..then duplicate your inked layer flip it upside down and mirror it and then lign it up beside your other half with the middle letter overlapping...the middle letter may need some tweaking to make it work but just play with it..its kinda fun just to start it from scratch and see where it goes!

hope that makes sense O_O.

[leelakin.livejournal.com]

Wooow, acrylics? @-@ Awesome!

And thanks for the help! X) Definitely gonna try it soon!

[lmai.livejournal.com]

Hmm...I wish i knew what stores you had in Washington state..alas being from Canada, we have different art stores.

If you have office depot there I've heard good things about them, and found their prices reasonable. Alas thats about as much help as I can be :(

As for artwork! I'm a sucker for spaniels of all types, though the American Cocker spaniel holds a special place in my heart. I lvoe the diea of your spaniel winning best in show, it seems to suite the attitude you said some of them had while you groomed them!!

I also adore the leopard picture! Being a new Mom it really stirs up the protectiveness and love we feel for our children. Beautifull work!!! I absolutely adore the fur detail!

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

hehehe cocker spaniels are sweeties..well most of them..suppose like any dog, much like a person, their personalities vary. I'll tell you one thing..I hated grooming them..not because they fight you but because their fur is SOOO thick and it takes eons to dry them..but they are good dogs. I always loved watching them try to wag their stub and their floppy ears amused me to no end.

OOH which reminds me..since I'm a bit daft this morning, ya are staying with Bagheera and me in our room no??

[lmai.livejournal.com]

I had a little american cocker spaniel. Alas She was put to sleep four years ago at the age of 12. We used to call her tail the thumb, since it looked like a little thumb,......Heh wag the thumb! And yes their fur is Supremely thick, it used to take us several hours to dry her after a bath >.<

Lol And yes, my husband and I will be staying with you and Bagheera at AC ^.^

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

12 is a good age for a pup..I know a lot of breeds dont even live to 10 years old..mastiffs for one have an expected lifespan of about 7-8 years..some last longer of course. But I'd say you had 12 good years with your sweetie and you have many wonderful memories no doubt :).

OOH and I look forward to meeting you and your husband at AC :)..he has told me nice things and from my few interactions with you, you seem absolutely wonderful!

[lmai.livejournal.com]

I was told that the average lifespan of Monro's spaniel breed was around 10 years, though we were sad when she died we were glad we gave her two extra years of good times and wontons (she used to steal my chinese food) Many excellent memories indeed ^.^

I Am most certainly looking forward to meeting the both of you at Ac this year as well. From the messages passed between all of us You both seem like wonderfull people! My husband has been a fan of Baggies for a few years so he's bouncing off the walls! Lol.

[lmai.livejournal.com]

*coughs* Aha, I see typo demons caught me again there.

Just wanted to say i love the ambigram, though for the life of me I can't seem to do one myself..lol. I hope the kennel club uses it, It would be such a neat idea for the back of the cards ^.^

Hey there!

[sandboa.livejournal.com]

Howdy little floofy liger type friend!

Glad to see you are in better spirts than you were in that short blurp of a post you had earlier in the week. So how is everything going up their in the neck of the woods anyway? I hope all is going smoothly for all theppeps were you reside. ***Big friendly hugs to the Ana!***

Anyhow your art looks so very awesome! THe little Leopard cub looks so content in its papas hands with that cute little expression that you gave it!

I also really like the ambigrams that you have been doing, they look so cool!

Well friend I hope all is going good for you and may you have most excellent day! Try to get out and enjoy some of this sunshine and blue sky that is going on right now!

Take care always! God bless and watch over you and all those there with you!*** Gives you a big friendly supportive hug and playfully ruffles your fur!***

[hbruton.livejournal.com]

I love the Spaniel:) He's so charming. Love that left paw in particular.

I'm completely bowled over by the colouring on the Leopard. It's so wonderfully bold and confident. For some reason he looks like a cheetah to me. Not sure why cause you got the markings and head shape down just fine. I think it might be the slightly shaggy fur, something that cheetahs have more than leopards. It doesn't interfere at all with my enjoyment of the piece. Just an observation:)

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

some leopards are actually quite fluffy..the African leopard seems to have short short fur but the Amur and Chinese leopards seem to be a good deal fluffier :D.

Thank you for the comments, always a pleasure to receive kind words about my rm work from a talented Real media artist!

[katanimate.livejournal.com]

Your amazingness amazes me...

[najiri.livejournal.com]

The colors in the leopard piece are wonderful. :) One time I painted with acrylics and
I wasn't really happy with the result 'cause the paint dried far too fast.
I'm painting a leo, too but it'll take another few weeks 'cause I paint with oils and the previous layer has to dry before I can start a new layer.
Anyway, can't wait to see more rm pieces from you :D

[justblieve.livejournal.com]

Pssssst I posted some pics of our Red-Ruffed, Rom ;)