Hello dear reader and visitor! As you might have noticed that more pages have been added to the navigation. Not all of the pages have been officially published as I am working on adding more content and changing some things around. Please be patient while I work on making this place better for you. Some things that have been added:
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Intro: I finally got around to testing my skills on working with silhouettes... and boy are they difficult to make! I had no idea it could take so much thought to creating something that looks simple but really is not. I made these specifically to open up for trading.
What I created: I ended up making 3 ATCs of the same theme... I felt inspired by some images I had looked at in the past for a school project. I was researching the different clothes and jewelry that is worn in India and ended up saving a bunch of the pictures I found. I sketched the women with a pencil first then decided I wanted a little frame that would be the same for all three. I ended up creating a template on copy paper which I first cut out then used as a guide to make the frame. As you can see, I tried my best to make all three the same yet all three different all at once. I was originally going to keep them just black and white but then loved the idea of hinting at a sunset. I know I got a little carried away with the white gel pen but I have been trying to find a way to use strong black and white lines that fit my style. Materials: watercolor pencils, sharpie, Stadler liners, white roll gel pen, and Le Pen markers. Made on cold pressed watercolor paper. Intro: For those that are interested in this form of snail mail art please read: Deco 101 I have listed details on what I am willing to accept for books plus details on my own books. At the end of this post are instructions on what to do with any of my deco books if you are going to be or have worked on them. Details on Deco Books that I can take: I prefer to work with these mediums: markers, watercolor pencils, watercolor paints, acrylic paint, distress inks, color brush pens, other inks, and detailers (white gel pens or multiliners). Themes I prefer to work on: Any! I am open to any themes but I do love these as I feel more comfortable with them: goddesses, whimsical, pigs, owls, pandas (black&white or red), butterflies, drinks (tea, coffee, etc), food, animals, people (portraits or full body in realistic, comic, or anime form), fashion, flowers, nature (I love mother goddess), curiosity cabinets (kunstkammer), tarot cards, affirmation or oracle cards, origami, steampunk, gothic, victorian, girly (pink and glittery), dragons, pirates, fairy tales, marigolds, roses, harpy eagles, hawks, fantasy creatures, ARPG related, willing to try something new. Not willing to work on anything that requires gore, profanity, promoting a religion (I like making art related to religion but I'll not be promoting any), hard-core politics, suggestive... My Deco Books - Information These are my deco books that have yet to leave my house or are in transit but need artists. I have linked some Pinterest Boards that somewhat help with the theme of each book (if one is available) to help you get some ideas. I have some deco books in the following format: Deco book Name | theme | size | total number of pages in book | number of pages completed | medium | extra info | Pinterest Board | current location | next location
Binding: I am a bit picky on binding...and because my OCD kicks in during binding I like to get pages for anything that I am making done first before I bind them. I am okay with working on pages for something that was bought with the binding already done but if binding is an option that can be completed later then I prefer it that way. I personally feel that the binding sometimes prevents us from creating properly (it does for me). Don'ts: same things that I am not willing to work on are not to be included in my deco books...pretty please. Some nudity is allowed but nothing crazy. Try to keep the religious and political themes tuned down a little but they are not entirely banned. Absolutely no gore or extreme violence. I have a bunch of nephews and nieces that love to look at these so please keep that in mind. Mailing Details: Sending a whole book eventually starts costing more than 1 stamp and for this reason I offer you two options. Either you can make the pages yourself (following the measurements listed here) or I can mail the number of pages you would like to work on along with your trade. Please send me an email at ParadoxSketchbook @ gmail dot com if you are interested in these or get in touch with me on any social network that I am on. I want to get these ones done before opening a few other ones that I have prepared (odd shaped ones). What to do with my deco books.
Intro: I have created a challenge for myself for the month of April (I wrote a brief post about it back in January).
I have participated in other challenges that have shown just how beneficial it is to be a part of a challenge. Feel free to join me on this and challenge yourself! For my dA friends you can just post your creations there. If you do not have an account then feel free to link here for everyone to see. Especially if you want some feedback then do share links. I am using #smallcanvaschallenge2017 to tag my works for this challenge. For feedback options continue reading... Details: The main purpose of this challenge is to get better at creating details on small canvases (#smallcanvaschallenge2017). And to develop the ability to recognize what details are important in keeping on a small and limited canvas and which details are not relevant. I am personally going to work on creating Artist Tiles for this challenge. The other goal at the end is going to be: how to display or use the small canvases that you have spent a whole month creating? When working with larger canvases that is not an issue as they are simply displayed as is... but because the canvas you are working on is so small there is an advantage that you have of creating a bigger work of art by assembling them. Examples: creating a scrapbook album, collector album, shadowbox, display canvas, cards, etc. It can be anything! Definition of small canvas: What I define as small canvas typically includes ATCs, inchies, small artist tiles, tea bags, paper dolls, etc. Any canvas that is 5"x5" and smaller is considered as a small canvas. For 3D works maximum dimensions on any side is 5 inches (5"x5"x5"). Rules:
Blog Posts: So you might be wondering how I'll be handling posts on this blog and elsewhere for this challenge? I am going to post only once a week with what I have created, so in total there are going to be 4 update posts for this month. At the end I'll also be posting a summary of this challenge that'll have links and details on anyone else who participates (also a journal feature on DeviantArt). Share what you make/feedback: Share your creations by using the hashtag #smallcanvaschallenge2017
Just remember it is a challenge but not a contest - do not add on pressure. This is all about creativity...and art. There should be no stress...only fun! Intro: I have started a project over on Kickstarter to finally take the steps that I need in order to bring the Paradox Sketchbook to life. I have to start somewhere and having prints available is a good starting point for a beginner like me. Samples: Below are some samples that I picked for anyone wanting to see what I have created using basic art materials bought from local stores (mainly Walmart). Imagine the quality and details that can improve if the materials that I worked with were better... ACEO - 2.5" x 3.5"Postcard - front - 4" x 6"ACEOs made for tradesThoughts: so you might be wondering where I plan on going with this? The goal in steps is to first get the high quality materials that are going to allow high quality art to be created. Then step 2 would be to get the materials needed to make high quality prints available for purchase. Once these two steps have been completed then the third step would be to set up shop. Mainly I would set up shop online but once in a while attend events and shows where I can have prints and other goodies available for purchase.
Now you might be wondering where is this going? What's the big deal on getting art prints out? The idea is to get fans... to spread the word about my name (the Paradox Sketchbook). I care about my fans and thus want to put effort into getting quality materials and a quality shop set up. I want to build a fan base so that in the end I can offer my fans something unique - publish my illustrated story. I want to get the story published first then work on a trading card game based off of it. I would think if my fans see that I care so much about them to put extra work into building up efforts and abilities so that what I give to them is my best work possible. If they see that I care then I would hope they return the favor and support me when I take on the journey to illustrate my story and release the trading card game. Intro: I recently was involved with multiple MMH (Make Me Happy threads) of ATCsForAll where we had to create postcards. Some of them had themes already decided by the person who they were made for and one had no theme at all. I was also participating in a Valentine Exchange that let me create 2 Valentine postcards. Along with an EAU thread - I got make my first envie and mail it off. There was also an art marathon going on that inspired me to make some heart themed ATCs. What I created: All of the snail mail art that I made used the following materials:
Note: For those that these were surprises for: I am sorry if they still have not arrived and I have already posted them here. It has been over 2 weeks since they were sent off, so I posted these keeping in mind that they have already arrived. The longest time for me was a trade completed in Slovakia and the cards reached their destination within two weeks. Intro: I wanted to extend this offer out to the world without limiting myself to a certain project or challenge. This is open at all times (all year long... for as many years as I can work on this). All you have to do is just contact me.
Details: Send me a reference to work with... multiple references if possible in case I am able to paint one better than the other. Portraits are either done on ATC size (2.5"x3.5") or on Postcard size (4.0"x6.0") canvases. I am currently using the following materials for these requests:
Note: Portraits are drawn/painted for free and posted online as creations that I have made. All portraits created as requests are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. You can get the physical portrait mailed for free upon completion, but you are in charge of shipping costs. Define Selfy: This is another add-on to this open art request. I am gathering a group of volunteers (20+ people) for a portrait related project. If you are interested then let me know. It is not just face focused, you can do thigh and up - but no full body image. I'll provide more details once I get enough volunteers to put together an official project description - which is about 10ish people. Call for critiques/suggestions! I randomly made this ATC with no plan as to how to finish so now I am stuck. Any suggestions on what I could do to finish this portrait off? I have been wanting to avoid adding the ears and hair on, even the neck but I personally do not like how this looks right now. Any ideas? Intro: As you already know I have plenty of portraits sketched out and ready to go. They are on their final stages, with the guided lines that I use to paint already set up on watercolor paper. All of them are 4"x6" and waiting for my to lay down paint on them. I do believe I have now roughly 24 total faces with half of them painted and completed. Below are the first pair that I actually got requests for during the 29 Faces Challenge. What I created: again, 4"x6" postcards done on Canson watercolor paper using Reeves watercolor paints and normal white gel pen with Le Pen marker for detailing. Face #11 - plumhill2001 (Lisa R.) She has given me permission to keep the original as a part of my portfolio. She provided me 3 references to work with and I found this one to be the most unique as it is not a simple selfy done with a mobile phone. This makes me wonder if I can get enough volunteers to sign up for a Selfy project... Face #12 - zandradee (Rebecca W.) I have got permission to keep this portrait in my portfolio as well. I really liked how the realistic anime approach worked out with this portrait - something that I need to practice. Define Selfy (Project): I mentioned it in face #11 so might as well give some details on it. I am hoping to get roughly 20 people to sign up for this project or more (even better if I get more). I think it'll be interesting to see how people take selfies, not just using a mobile phone. I'll limit a "normal" and modern selfy to only one individual from the group of volunteers and request that everyone else tries something different. It'll be hard to get volunteers as not that many people like getting paintings done of themselves. Limiting the use of phones might not be a good idea... but it would be less unique if everyone who volunteered used a phone. It would be free of charge of course... all you have to do is send me a reference picture to work with and be okay with getting a printed copy of the original work.
I really want to do this project, especially near September. Let me know if you are interested? Any tips or ideas maybe...? |
Author: RejiI used to be a digital artist but switched back to traditional art as I feel more connected with the art I create this way. Currently, I create art whenever I can for art trades and commissions. I have worked with clay (earth clay to modern forms like Polymer, Sculpey, even Air Dry clay) along with watercolors, acrylics, oil paints, pastels, charcoal, pen and pencil drawings, India ink, Chinese Colors, wires, felt fabric, yarn, weaving, basket making, and the list goes on and on. I am currently working on exploring nail art, make-up, dress making, scrapbooking, and small canvas art. Archives
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All work on this blog is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. |