4x4 Friday Round Challenge & So Artful Challenge - Green, Blue, & Pink

"Another Spring Mandala"

Whenever I see a challenge that is themed Round I automatically think of a mandala. I began by finding two different mandala images from Dover Publications. The smallest image directly in the middle was already colored while the larger round design was in black and white. I really liked the layering so I decided to color coordinate the larger round to the smaller one. I then found a coordinating background and a frame border. I do think this works well for both challenges. You can view more images from other artists at the two following links:

http://4x4friday.blogspot.com/2012/03/4x4-friday-round.html

http://jeanette-soartfulchallenges.blogspot.com/2012/03/here-comes-spring-green-blue-and-pink.html

Another 4x4 Friday image

I went to play in Photoshop CS last night. I was trying to find an impressionist brush and although I couldn't use the art brush I was looking for, I did have fun with the others. I purposely used a 4"x4" size just in case it would work for the 4x4 Friday challenge and I do believe this works well. Spring Greens is the theme this week. Hope you all have a great week!

"Raining Neon"

4x4 Friday Challenge - Green and Vintage

Last week in 4x4 Friday, the challenge was to create something Vintage. I didn't have a chance to do that last week but when I saw that this week was Spring-Green, I thought why not? I could do both challenges in one image, right? So... I created this using Photoshop CS and a Dover Publications Vintage Irish Lady.

To see more images with the theme Spring Green, you can go here:
http://4x4friday.blogspot.com/2012/03/4x4-friday-spring-greens.html
Hope you all had a wonderful Saint Patrick's Day!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

We may not be Irish but we certainly enjoy Corn Beef and Cabbage on St. Patty's Day! Here is the recipe we use and, of course, I just had to create my own recipe card for that! Feel free to copy and print one for yourself if you care to do so. Hope you have a lovely St. Patrick's Day and May the luck of the Irish be with!

Collage Obsession Challenge - Hands

"Levitation"

I almost got it done in time but... Better late then never I suppose!

You can view more at:

http://collageobsessionchallenge.blogspot.com/2012/02/hands.html

WLDA Challenge - Everything Egypt

"Everything Egypt"

Image References: Dover Publications * Cobra from Wikipedia images * Cross from Getty Icons
Plant from Galaxie.com * Center Vase from www.bythesword.com

Art in the Round at The Three Muses

"Seaside"
Art in the Round theme is so fun I decided to create another! :)

http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com/

Take a Word and Three Muses Challenges

Rush Hour

This image represents two challenges this week. "Turquoise" is the theme at Take-a-word and "Art in the Round" is the theme at The Three Muses.

http://takeaword.blogspot.com/
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com/

Playing with my digital camera...

How nice of this cute squirrel to pose long enough for a photo shoot! I think this is a first for me to be able to take close up pictures of any wildlife critter. It didn't even mind the flashes. What a ham! Perhaps it was cooperating because it found a pay load of black sunflower seeds on the deck. Maybe it was just too full to move! LOL

Challenges- "SundayPostcardArt" & "On the Darkside"

I think I've been watching too much "Grim" on Hulu! LOL Of course this is not like the series but I have included two grims.

This creation works for two challenges this week. Yeah!

http://sundaypostcardart.wordpress.com/
(Gothic is the theme)

-and-

http://artonthedarkside.blogspot.com/2012/02/let-fun-begin-again.html

Here ye, here ye! On the Darkside is back!
(And the theme is Anything Goes!)
Welcome back Art on the Darkside!

The Three Muses Challenge - Outside the Frame - Birds

I have two offerings today for the Three Muses Challenge.

The top image is from an Ancient Odin Myth. I am representing his two ravens (Huginn and Muninn) as protectors to the hidden panel of Odin.

The image below was a challenge in itself by using the colors of yellow and gray together... which is not my forte'... however, I do like how it turned out. Funny how I created this right before this challenge came up! Was it a just coincidence or am I really intuitive?

You can view more "Outside the frame - Birds" at: http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com/

Moo Challenge - Mardi Gras

I can't believe it's already time for Mardi Gras again!
Here is my little moo for this challenge.

You can view more at:
http://moo-mania.blogspot.com/2012/02/karneval-fasching-carnival-mardi-gras.html

Pink Saturday & So Artful Challenge

Here is my image for Pink Saturday and the So Artful Challenge combined. The So Artful Challenge theme just happens to be Kraft, Red, White, and Pink. What a great color combo!
AND because I used mostly pink, I thought it was perfect for Pink Saturday as well. Hope you all have a wonderfully, creative, spectacular weekend!

Here's the link for: So Artful Challenge:
http://jeanette-soartfulchallenges.blogspot.com/2012/02/kraft-red-white-and-pink.html

You can click on the Pink Saturday image to the right for that challenge.

A Special Valentine

A beautiful single lavender mauve rose. What could be better than that?

How about two beautiful roses?

Aren't these the cutest, tiny flowers ever? Now there are two
beautiful roses and bunches of cute, tiny flowers. Just lovely.

So how about eight beautiful roses, bunches of cute, tiny flowers,
and a glittered, red heart?

Here is a closer view of those beautiful roses, cute, tiny flowers and a glittered red heart.

And one more close up before you get to see...

Yes! This beautiful arrangement of one dozen gorgeous roses, bunches of cute, tiny flowers, shiny green leaves, a red glittered heart, topped off with with a lavender bow of gingham and sheer ribbon was sent to me from My Special Valentine! I know I keep saying beautiful but that is exactly what they are...BEAUTIFUL. What a wonderful surprise! Thank you Valentine!

Happy Valentines Day

"No measure of time with you will be long enough,
but we'll start with forever"
Edward Cullen

May you forever have layer upon layer of
love, happiness, and joy in your heart
Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Pink Saturday!

Tweaked with dark tones in photoshop cs

Now pink texture was added to the background

And now you know what the flower is. :)
I hope you all have a terrific Pink Saturday!

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/02/-valentines-pink-saturday-february-4-2012-.html

Moo Challenge - Love

Hi all!

This is a Moo. A Moo is a 1.1"x2.8" tiny work of art. Thanks to Photoshop and Dover Publications, I could create one this week.

I would also like to thank my friend Kathleen. If it weren't for her, I would have forgot this week. She made a lovely Moo and it's on her blog at:
http://moo-mania.blogspot.com/2012/02/love-liebe.html

So...this weeks challenge at:
http://moo-mania.blogspot.com/2012/02/love-liebe.html
is Love.

Hope everyone is having a terrific week!

Soon it will be Valentine's Day

I can't believe it is already February! So now I have switched my focus to hearts for Valentine's Day. Two are new, two are modified new, and two are older. The two newest were created during what I like to call "play days". These are experimental days where just about anything goes and I never know where it's going to go until I'm done. I really love those days.

2012 "Key to my Heart"

2012 "Happy Valentine's Day"

Created in 2011 - Modified 2012 "Forever Valentine"

Created in 2009 "A Valentine's Pageant"

Created in 2011 "Be Mine"

Created in 2008 - Modified 2012 "Love is all you Need"

Chinese New Year - Year of the Black Water Dragon

Happy Chinese New Year! It is the year of the Dragon! My favorite! I always wanted to draw dragons so not too long ago I started to sketch for the fun of it. Once I had a sketch I liked I decided to play with some Sculpey and I actually created three dragons. Oh, I almost forgot the fourth and tiniest which is less than one inch tall. Great fun! So, at the beginning of this year, I handed out a blank ATC and a postcard to whomever wanted to join in the fun of drawing dragons. All but two participated.
Of course I had to go play in Photoshop too and created the following images. The first one is not from my sketches. I found some terrific dragon tattoo images to use for that. You can see the original colored dragon to the right... and you can just click on that to go directly to the site.
I created the second image from one of my three sketches. I tried out a new technique - really interesting to use a digital program as a scratch board. It was tougher for me than I expected. It is not easy for me to think in reverse and that is what you need to do to accomplish that technique. Please note that I have added some of my favorite fantasy artists with an example of their work...also on the right side of this blog. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

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Winter Wonderland 2012

January 19th, 2012 and our first "real" winter storm has arrived. It has been snowing off and on for the past few days. It is cold - currently 23 degrees with a 30% chance of more snow through this evening followed by enough rain to create flooding. So, in the meantime, we will try to enjoy the winter wonderland we have now.

As a digital artist, I love to take winter photographs. Just look at all the texture the snow provides. I will love using this one as a background.

This is actually a doormat with a light to medium dusting of snow. I think this would make a nice background as well.

Can you guess what this photo is of?

And how about this one? What could be causing that mound of snow to form?

I love to take photos of this area because of the beauty of Nature's Arches.

This old tree always provides a nice photo.

The above and below photo will be great to use for an added layer of texture.

And as you can see in this image...I lost one of my cherry trees at the beginning of winter. It fell over roots and all!
And I cannot complete my yearly winter photo session without a picture of one of the deck benches. The only things perching on that bench now are birds begging for food. There were hundreds and hundreds of birds to feed today. Of course, I can't prove that to you because as soon as I open the slider to take pics, they fly away too fast to get a snap. Oh well - maybe next time.

Goodbye 2011 - Hello 2012

This one is for January 1st, 2012. Just a few digital fireworks to welcome the new year.

December 31st - "Sitting in a Tree"
Happy New Years Eve Everyone!

Winter with the Kats

December 30th, 2011 ~~Snow Fight~~

I couldn't end the year without show casing my favorite comic kats and as you can see they are up to it again. How fun is this? Don't you just love Spot's coat? Remember the days of those puffy coats and vests? Some were even made of down. Now don't forget to check out their website next year. They really do enjoy company! Here's the link again: www.kat-nap.com

A web comic about cats with too much free time!

Only two more images for 2011 after this one

December 29th ~ Delivery for Mr. Snowman

Winter is for the birds

December 28th ~ I like you best

Everything can serve a purpose on this planet if we just look beyond the usual no matter whether it is great or small. As an artist my eyes have become wide open to endless possibilities. As seasons change so do the visual colors, the landscape, animal life, and all things great and small. Now that Christmas has passed I hope you can all slow down a bit and enjoy all the wonderment and beauty that surrounds us each and every day.

Calendar continued

December 27th ~ "Happy Holidays" ~ The elves get time off to play after the Christmas rush.
I hope you all had a delightful Christmas and that you have a little time to play.

December 26th

Although my 25 days until Christmas Advent Calendar is finished, I decided to continue the images through to the end of December. That means I have 5 more to go... after today's post celebrating Kwanzaa.
I modified the image above with a few backgrounds, a border, some candles, and the date of Kwanzaa but the center image was found at: http://africa.mrdonn.org/powerpoints/index.html