Fur In The Paint

And That’s Why It’s Called Fur In The Paint
I had an artist in the gallery the other day having some framing done and while I was figuring things up Budda took a stroll across the giraffes.

Her: (with a look of horror and a squeal to her voice) “The cat is on your painting!”

Me: (look up at her and then casually look back to see that Budda is indeed walking over the giraffes) “Yeah he does that.”

Her: “But he’s ON your painting!”

Me: “Well technically he’s heading over to drink the water in my brush cup. My materials are all non-toxic but I still reprimand him when I catch him at it.”

Her: …

Me: “I had a friend who is a watercolorist and her cats knocked over her water and then walked all over her in progress painting. She brought it to art group once to show us the cat tracks. Pretty funny.” (chuckles at the memory)

Her: … …

Me: (because she clearly thinks something needs to be done here.) “Budda … get down”

Budda: Mreow! cranky he jumps down and stalks away.

Me: “Sorry little man, she totally narqed you out.”

Her: gives me an uncertain smile as she silently questions my sanity that only a non-pet owner could in this situation.

FYI
Just so you know Budda has many surfaces that he is not allowed on. My framing counter, the framing tables and shelves storing artwork, as well as the scanning tables and microwave. But for some reason my drafting table isn’t one of them. No I don’t encourage the cat to walk across my artwork and if the piece had been an oil pastel I would have been a lot more in his face. But the piece is dry and frankly the cat hair just kinda falls from the sky around here so ….

I had planned to post the Start To Finish photos of Giraffe #5 today, but for some reason my computer refused to talk to my camera, or perhaps it was the other way round. So no pics today. Perhaps tomorrow they will feel more like cooperating.

So joy of joys I am working on my giraffes with a happy heart. I know this shouldn’t really be a surprise, but it kinda is.

I started this painting because I felt an inkling … a tiny nudging deep inside. I started it because it was long past due and I needed to reclaim this important part of my self. And I started it because some extra bucks wouldn’t hurt. I did not start it because my creative spirit was crying out to be made whole. Nothing nearly so artsy fartsy as that. In truth I think I could have simply walked away (possibly for much, much longer) and not done anything art-wise except my logical side said … No, now is the time.

So I forced myself to select the photos and do the drawing and composition work. The gallery at that time was quite busy so it was easy enough to put off but as each Sunday rolled around, I reserved my day for art. There was no real joy to it. It was just another form of work that I simply had to step up and do.

Ah … The Magic Returns
Somewhere around giraffe #3 I began so settle in. To “open to the universe” is generally how I think of it. Sort of losing myself to time and my surroundings. You know when you look up and say “Wow, 3 hours have just passed and it felt like 20 minutes.” That kinda thing.

On Giraffe #4 I woke up in the morning and couldn’t wait to get back to the gallery to work on it.

Upon starting giraffe #5, I was wishing I had my drafting table set up in the house so I could take the piece back and forth between work and home and work on it in the evening if I wanted to. (I have a uber-huge drafting table my husband built for me before we were married that I plan to bring down in and put in what for a normal home would be the dining room. But it needs to be taken apart, hauled downstairs and then reassembled so is a real job that is on my to-do list. But kinda waaaay down on it)

I have worked pretty much all week on the painting not really doing anything but it. No framing, no squidoo and no zazzle. I need to take breaks every hour or two to rest my hand and my mind. I had thought I would squidoo in between but can’t bring myself to even open a folder. Apparently I only have so much creative juju and so I can only do one kind of creative task at a time. A bit of a bummer and perhaps that too will expand for me. But for right now I am just content that my muse hasn’t left me completely.

I went on a cow safari yesterday which again I was kinda dragging my feet on but some dear friends lined it up for me after I casually asked them if they knew anyone who had Hereford cattle. I only took a couple of rolls of film along because my expectations were low. Partly because they were supposed to be in a hoop building so no light, partly because feedlot cattle are generally covered head to toe in … mud, yeah we’ll call it mud.

But in the end it was awesome. As I was clicking away I had all sorts of painting ideas popping around in my head.

I’ll write about my cow safari experience soon … well as soon as I can find someone to develop the film. That’s getting harder and harder to do so today I am buying a new digital camera. One that is way more intelligent than I. I’ll be able to take HD video with it and do photo editing right on the camera itself. Supposedly it recognizes faces and when people are smiling or blinking and times the photos for it.

Crazy technological world we live in. The older I get the more amazing it all seems. I’ll spare you the “When I was a kid …” stories though.

So if I can get the camera to download the giraffe painting pics I’ll post the latest WIp images tomorrow.

Progress Thus Far
So at least it is getting to the point where you can actually see the look I’m going for. The next giraffe is the closest to the viewer and the anchor for the piece. This is the one I really wanted to start with. I must say now that I have begun working, it is running along at a good pace. I may even get it finished on Sunday … though saying it out loud makes me think I may jinx it all.

I’m an emotional cutter
At any rate I had a V-day post all ready to go but opted to just not “go there.” I occasionally like to wallow in self pity and what a better way to wallow than to watch undying romance movies on the big day. But I passed. I played PS and watched a little Big Bang and read.

My day went as well as could be expected and a big thank you to everyone who sent me cards. I am truly touched. I particularly liked the Happy Birthday Mom card that was cleverly and craftily changed to Happy Valentine’s Day Mona. A little ingenuity and a sharpee and suddenly I have my very own custom made V-day card.

Dr. Sues is rolling in his grave.
So I’m trying not to go all Dr. Sues on you. The title makes me feel like I’m channeling him. My inner bad poet is desperately trying to come out.

You know like …
A Giraffe And A Half towers over a mouse.
A Giraffe And A Half won’t fit in your house.
They are tall, they are spotted … they see you as squatted
A Giraffe And A Half will make your spouse grouse.

Yeah, I totally should be writing children’s books (except for my propensity for casual swearing. That might be a deal breaker.)

Working Title: Spotted
Image Size: 15 x 40 inches (partial image of the whole shown above)

What I’m Doing Here
So in case I haven’t explained the concept of this piece yet … the plan is to have seven giraffes at 4 different depths of field. They over lap each other and negative space plays a big part in the overall composition.

The end result will look a lot like someone took photoshop and superimposed a bunch of giraffe images which is normally a look I’d run screaming from. But it’s totally the look I’m going for here. Now you’d think with that description that perhaps that’s what I did … but alas no.

Me and photoshop are work buddies but not on a friendly “let’s go play together” kind of basis. So I did it the same way that I did with my flamingos, which is to draw each of them out separately, cut them out and keep moving them around until I liked what I had. It did mean one giraffe got drawn a second time smaller and that two more giraffes never made it into the piece, but that’s the way it goes.

FYI 3 flamingos were drawn but never seen the light of day in the finished Birds Of A Feather painting.

I know right? Seriously not sure if I have ever taken this long to go from concept to laying in color … but at least I am. If I was more limber I’d pat myself on the back.

I’m doing this similarly to the Birds of A Feather flamingo painting where I have covered my suede board with film and then cut out each giraffe as I work left to right.

I really, really wanted to begin with the third giraffe from the right. She was the first one I drew and is sort of my anchor weight for the piece. But my suede protocol dictates left to right.

This female giraffe has such unusual facial markings I had to include her. Most giraffes have very defined spots on their faces. Well … I suppose they have well defined spots everywhere technically huh?

The entire painting will eventually be 15×40. The topmost photo doesn’t include the whole piece. She isn’t completely done yet. The ear just has the undercoat in and I’m sure I’ll fuss with her off and on as I travel to the right.

Much like not having any time to paint I haven’t had much time to Zazzle. But items keep selling so that keeps me motivated. The above mousepad was bought by my dear friend Linda. She was the first person to purchase from me which earns her a big hug. It was great to see what it looked like in person. It came in just a bit more red than I expected (not to mention my photo is lousy) but still looks pretty good and am pleased with the quality of the item. I’m guessing I’ll have to buy a few items to see what they look like every time I try something new. I am also considering buying some software to help with this but it is many hundreds of $ so may or may not jump right on that.

But I’ve expanded my mousepad line (especially with horses) and here are just a few of that I have available at my Wild Faces Gallery zazzle store.

Soul - Cameo Horse Mouse Pad by WildFacesGallery
make money as an artist using Zazzle.
$10.95

Devotion - Mare and Foal Mousepad by WildFacesGallery
View more Horse Mousepads
$10.95

Kindred Spirits - Horse Herd Mouse Pad by WildFacesGallery
Join one of the biggest artist affiliate programs
$10.95

Catch - Horse Mouse Pad by WildFacesGallery
Become a part of Zazzle’s artist affiliate program
$10.95

Liberty - Friesian Stallion Mouse Pad by WildFacesGallery
View a different mousemat on zazzle
$10.95

Joy - Percheron Horse Mouse Pad by WildFacesGallery
More Horse Mousepads
$10.95

BTW: Tomorrow being Sunday means I get to work on the giraffes. (picture me skipping up and down and clapping my hands like a 3 year old about to go to the circus … yeah that seems accurate.)

So after having trimmed my gazillion giraffe photos down to just a couple hundred and from there … about 30. I settled on my main giraffe and all of her posse. What has taken me so long (beside a full work schedule) was that as I added giraffes my first one seemed to get stuck dead center which is always a bad thing. (Rule of 1/3rds you know.) Eventually I had to toss two giraffes and added a new one thus getting my main focus and weight of the piece shifted off center though not in that 1/3 sweet spot.

Aren’t they lovely. (Yes I know the photo sucks but that’s because the piece is 15×40 and as the pencil tracing that will be applied to the suede board is the darkest of all the drawing steps involved.. Sorry)

As I begin part of me whispers in the deep recesses of my mind “You really should have started with something simpler… you know like just one animal instead of say … 7.” (Yup if you look really really hard there are 7 of them in there.)

Now I would like to tell that part of me to stuff it and be silent! But the thing is, that trying to silence that part of my brain may be bad in the long run since that’s the part that whispers things like “don’t stick your wet finger (or a screwdriver, pencil, any pointy object really) in a light socket” and “a diet coke, cheesy poof, ice cream and chocolate orgy sounds like fun tonight but you’ll pay tomorrow.”

So the best I can do is laugh in the face of my fears. After all it’s only a painting. If I ruin it so what? No real loss. I just start again. Because despite everything … including the little voice … I am no wuss.

The Equestrian Lifestyle
So several days this week I’ve had some surprise of one thing or another in my mail box. A little gift or note from someone regarding my artwork (because you guys are awesome!) Yesterday though I got a more substantial package filled with a couple dozen issues of this magazine.

Why? I have no freaking clue.

Perhaps it’s my rather huge web presence that makes me seem like I’m somebody more than I am. Or maybe it’s because of my affiliation with the ever so awesome and always amazing Apples ‘n Oats magazine. But whatever the reason I’m glad they did.

This is the premier issue of a new equestrian magazine devoted to the equestrian life style. This magazine is filled with lots of glossy pictures of equine get aways, fast cars, stunning jewelry and all the finer things one imagines being of the horsey set entails.

I can only imagine this is how they live since this is not my equestrian lifestyle. My equestrian lifestyle is currently filled with shoveling poop, breaking ice from the water tank and pitching hay. Instead of spa retreats and gloriously supple leather boots, I experience horse slobber and mysteriously unmentionable stains.

But I sure do enjoy the looking.

I suppose its the same reason why some people buy Vogue and drool over fashions or super models. Looking is fun too. The articles are well written and cover a broad range of topics. The ads cover everything from Audi turbo cars to brightly colored hair extensions for your horse. (Yeah for real. Is Flicka feeling “purple” today? They’ve got just the thing.) Not to mention tons of horse artsy fartsy stuff that sets my heart all aflutter.

So if I’ve piqued your interest you can come by the gallery and pick up a complimentary copy or visit their website www.EquineFlair.us. for more information.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE:
If you have emailed me and I’ve not responded I promise to do so soon. Some days there just aren’t enough hours in the day. But I’m good. No worries.

Also I have one giraffe drawn in my new and potentially giraffetastic painting (hey, it’s totally giraffetastic in my head) but it’s not of a drawing enough to be blog worthy. Tomorrow being Sunday perhaps I’ll get a couple more drawn out and have something to show.

So it is Sunday and I’m trying to get myself in my “happy place.” You know the location where my desire to start a new painting and the actuality of doing something about it finally meet.

I spent the morning playing Lego Star Wars on the Playstation and had a blast. I haven’t cranked up the PS for … well since things got all topsy turvey for me.

Then I came into the gallery and goofed off … But then, then I settled in to looking through like a gazillion giraffe photos. Okay more like 3000-5000 but it still took a couple of hours.

What I got in my head (and whether I can get it out of my head and onto suede board is yet to be determined) is a panoramic of several (5-13) giraffes at varying distances with a plain background.

Kinda like a cross between my Skyscrapers giraffe painting and the Birds of A Feather flamingo piece. Maybe they went out on a date and got a little tipsy and this thing I’m planning is their love child. Okay maybe not. But it’s a close description.

As soon as I have anything on paper I’ll take a pic and post it.

I got a request for a horse portrait and the woman agreed to my many and lengthy list of demands soooo … I really need to get back into painting and I certainly don’t want to start with a commission job.

So I’m sucking it up and just doing it.

Here goes . . . . nothing . . . . and everything

Fleece On Earth - Starry Night Sheep Coffee Mug by WildFacesGallery
Browse Sheep Mugs

So okay I’ll try not to inundate you guys every time I make something new but I gotta tell ya it’s a lot of fun seeing everything with my art on it. (like a narcissist’s dream come true) Here’s a batch of mugs hot off the presses. The Fleece On Earth Mug has the same image on both left and right side of the mug. But you can customize it however you want. In fact when you click through the page will show you all sorts of mug options not just the one listed here.

Coming Home - Purple Cows by WildFacesGallery
Browse more Cow Mugs

I love being able to do a wrap around image on the mugs with my panoramic works. Especially since they are kinda useless as is for all the other rather rectangular item templates.

Mixed Company - Baby Rabbits Coffee Mug by WildFacesGallery
Browse Rabbits Mugs

You can click through any item here to visit my store which is still woefully small. But unlike so many zazzlers who take one picture and put it on 200 different items I’m starting off slow. Maybe someday I’ll do that but for now I plan to avoid looking desperate … even though that I am … just kidding…sort of.

Birds Of A Feather - Flamingo Coffee Mug by WildFacesGallery
View more Flamingo Mugs

All of these images come with the star link meaning that you click through and I get a bigger cut than if you just went to my store. I think it’s Zazzle’s way of rewarding those who market themselves. Good plan. I like it.

Kindred Spirits - Horse Herd Coffee Mug by WildFacesGallery
Make Travel mugs online with Zazzle

So I am totally loving Zazzle and even people have been telling me for years I needed to do it … but I ignored them because … well … I am kinda stubborn mule headed self absorbed busy sometimes. But ya’ll were right … and thank you.

My question is do any of you Zazzle? If so tell me all.