Gallery of Shadows and Reflections

This is my next project:

This is a sketch I did several years ago with the intent to turn it into a painting. 


Starting with the background; still very loose and sketchy, just blocking in the basic colors at this point.  I'm going with a cooler palette than I used in my last painting.   I'm going to call this one "Ocean Lord."


Will post updates as the painting progresses!

Like what you see on this blog?  Feel free to tip the artist!  Contributors who are in the US will receive a free print of their choice, either of an already completed work, or the work in progress contributed toward, once complete.  Also, size of print depends on contribution amount and sizes available. So if you tip, please let me know in a private message so I can contact you regarding your print.

I've been getting myself back into the game artistically since getting back to Texas.  I have yet to dip back into the crowdfunding, though, and I'm afraid it has more to do with a lack of confidence than a lack of desire or need.  

I desperately need to raise prices, because I need the money--especially after the insane number of medical bills I have incurred and am still incurring--but I'm afraid I'm going to shoot myself in the foot by doing so.  I have tentative plans.  For one, I'm considering hosting weekly $5 Sketch Days, rather than Free Sketch Days, but taking the first five prompts for free.  Detailed black and white drawings will ordinarily go for $50 and up, depending on complexity, and Discounted Character Portrait Days will be re-instated on a periodic basis at $30 per portrait.  I'll also offer story illustration, both black and white and color, for $50 and up.

I have to remind myself that even these prices are very low for a professional, but I still have this nagging voice in the back of my head that tells me my work isn't good enough to charge that much, that no one will want to pay that much.  It's a voice that I'm determined to ignore.  

I hope to be delving back into the crowdfunding sometime this coming week.  I may test the waters with a $5 Sketch Day.

But anyway!  I also come bearing artwork.  Paintings and fan art sketches.  As always, click for larger.

Ghostlight.  This is for sale as a print Here.


Woman of the Mists.  This is for sale as a print Here.


Dean Winchester from Supernatural.


The Eleventh Doctor, from Doctor Who 

It's been a very productive week, with three character portraits completed, fourteen sketches for Free Sketch Day, and two crowdfunding projects and a prize drawing illustration started.

Character Portraits:

From left to right (from the last two weeks):  timelord1's Rowenne Kennock and Jaerus, ellenmillion's Torn World character Ivarra, timelord1's creature the Uilebheist, and just_the_ash's character Angamarth.

 



Prize Drawing Illustration:

I completed the line art for minor_architect's prize drawing illustration.  I'm calling this one Firespirit. (Note: nudity, so full size sketch is not work safe!)


Crowdfunded pieces:

Blocked in the flat colors over the sketch for the waterfall painting, as yet untitled.



And completed the line art for Trickster.



Remember, the waterfall painting and "Trickster" are open for crowdfunding!  Contribute to whichever one you like by clicking the "Tip Jar" icon.  Be sure to specify what you want tips to go toward, and let me know what your LJ ID is so I can keep track of everyone and send out perks when they're ready.

So, I thought I would put together a little tutorial on how I create the character portraits for my weekly Discounted Character Portrait Days. I create these images in Gimp using a Wacom tablet; this tutorial will focus more on technique and less on the technical aspects of the program and tablet.

This is a portrait of timelord1's character Jaerus. She gave me a detailed description and a picture reference for his armor, which can be found here under the first character description. She also specified that she pictures Jonathon Rhys-Meyers in the role, so that gave me an idea of what the character will look like.

Click image for full size.



The very first thing I do is scour the web for references. As she has given an actor as a reference, I look for images of him. In other character portraits, I try to think of appropriate actors/actresses and use them as references. I don't always aim for a strict likeness; sometimes the reference is used very loosely just to give a *feel* of the character. But in this instance, I'm trying to give more of an impression that the characterresembles the actor, without really going for a tight likeness.

( There are a LOT of images under cut. )

"Frozen" is now inked!  

This project is half funded.  Another $20 will fund the colorization.  All donors will receive a full sized image link of the final piece whether the piece is fully funded or not, as well as a 6x4 photo print from Zazzle if they choose to opt in for it.  

Click the image to see a larger size.  Click here for a full sized inked image:  http://amyla.webs.com/frozeninks.jpg



Click the Tip Jar icon if you would like to contribute to this project. Please remember to give your LJ username and specify that you're helping to fund "Frozen" so I know who contributed and to what.  Also, if you would like one of the prints mentioned above as a donor perk, please PM me to let me know where to send it.  Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Today has been dedicated to personal artwork.

I've been working on an illustration for a friend's fanfic novella. And I had a wonderful image hit me that I just had to draw, which I think will likely be my next painting.

Both are below the cut :)

( These are slightly large, and the first one might not be work safe. )

The artwork for nekomata, who won the drawing for a finished piece from last week's FSD, is complete.  Posting a sized-down, watermarked image here.

It is also for sale as a print on ImageKind, starting at $9.49, and will be available on Zazzle on a variety of merchandise (such as mouse pads, coffee mugs, tee shirts, and the like) as soon as the administrators approve it.

Don't forget to drop by this Live Journal tomorrow for this week's Free Sketch Day and leave your one word prompt!

Click thumbnail to enlarge.  :)



As always, tips are welcome.  Contributors will receive a free high res file of the full sized image either in a link or an email, depending on preference.

If you've stumbled on this blog, be welcome. I'm Amyla. Here, you'll see a plethora of artwork created by me; illustrations and characters, drawings and paintings, Sketch Days and miscellany. I hope you enjoy what you see here.

If you want to add this blog to your friend feed, by all means do so! No need to comment before you do so, though feel free if you like. I will probably add you back, as I love making new friends.( Commission and Crowdfunding info below cut. )