Athena Minerva Goddess + Owl Sketch Art & Steampunk Harvestman Spider Website Update...

I think that this sketch of the goddess Athena / Minerva with her owl companion is very close to being ready to transfer to canvas.  I've been working on getting her face right, sketching various owls, combining the two...  Sometimes getting the sketch right can take me quite a while, but I think it's worth it to have a sketch that really works for me before I start painting...


I am also participating in Sunday Sketches.  To view more Sunday Sketches, please visit:
http://bluechairdiary.blogspot.com

Harvestman Original 5"x7" Painting, Open Edition 5"x7" Giclee Prints & Limited Edition Giclee ACEO Prints Here

Harvestman is of an opilione arachnid.  When I started the painting, I thought he was a spider, but I learned otherwise.  I think he'd make a fine addition to a steampunk or fall or Halloween decor!  The style is a steampunk realism.  This piece available as an original, as prints, and Limited Edition ACEOs!  

Every week on Tuesday, I try to list a small original, some giclee art prints, and giclee LE ACEO prints at promotional prices. Visit here to see what I have available this week!

My Halloween Fairy Angel & Harvestman Spider Original Paintings! Art Prints & ACEOs!

This Week "Hallofaerie" Original 11"x14" Painting here

8"x10" print here

ACEO 2.5"x3.5" Limited Edition LE 1st of 25 here

This Week "Harvestman" Original 5"x7" Painting here

5"x7" print here

ACEO 2.5"x3.5" Limited Edition LE 1st of 25 here

I am listing "Hallofaerie," an original gothic big eye fairy angel Halloween painting.  I love the fae and I love Halloween, so this painting combines two that I love...  I am also listing "Harvestman," my original steampunk spider like painting.  Technically, this little guy isn't a spider, he's actually an opilione (more commonly called harvestmen), but I feel he went with my fall theme and would make an excellent addition to a gothic Halloween decor... 

I also have additional giclee art and ACEO prints here this week from Tuesday to Tuesday with a theme of fall and things that make me think of fall.  It's a varied assortment, from a cuddly bull mastiff dog to a magical pond, so if you have a chance, I invite you to take a look...

Most of my art is also available on my website at http://www.lisarusso.com; however, I like to offer some art on ebay at a lower promotional start rate for the duration of the auctions...  I have started at updating and adding payment buttons to my website.  It's a very slow project, but one I am working on.

Original White Bunny Rabbit Painting & Harvestman Spider Too! Art Prints & ACEOs!

This Week "Snowy Bunny" Original 8"x10" Painting here

8"x10" print here

ACEO 2.5"x3.5" Limited Edition LE 1st of 25 here

This week I am listing "Snowy Bunny," an original white winter bunny rabbit that's just as ready for spring and Easter as you are!  Although bunnies are often considered garden pests, I love them bunches.  I'm starting to rework my initial sketch for the bunny that was voted for.

I also have additional giclee art and ACEO prints here with a theme of garden friends.   

Most of my art is also available on my website at http://www.lisarusso.com; however, I like to offer some art on ebay at a lower promotional start rate for the duration of the auctions...  I am just getting started at updating and adding payment buttons to my website.  It's a very slow project, but one I hope to focus on.

This Week "Harvestman" Original 5"x7" Painting here

5"x7" print here

ACEO 2.5"x3.5" Limited Edition LE 1st of 25 here

Here is "Harvestman" my eight legged steampunk arachnid painting.  It is the one that was voted for a while back, he took me far longer then I expected, so many legs!  It turns out this arachnid is actually an Opilione harvestmen, as are daddy longlegs, and not a spider.  Apparently spiders have more eyes, amongst other differences...  I usually only list one original per week, but this time I decided to list two!

Original Art Goddess of Love Gothic Aphrodite Venus Painting! Art Prints & ACEOs! Spider Update Too...

This Week "Aphrodite" Original 5"x7" Painting here

5"x7" print here

ACEO 2.5"x3.5" Limited Edition LE 1st of 25 here

This week I am listing "Aphrodite," an original big eye painting of a surreal gothic art goddess of love Aphrodite Venus inspired by your votes.  I posted another version of her not too long ago, but after some consideration, I decided to change her hair a bit.  She is still available as a print with her previous hair, but this is what the original looks like now.  

I also have additional giclee art and ACEO prints here with a theme of hummingbirds and sunflowers.  What is the link between hummingbirds and Aphrodite?  Only that I love them!  

Most of my art is also available on my website at http://www.lisarusso.com; however, I like to offer some art on ebay at a lower promotional start rate for the duration of the auctions...  I am just getting started at updating and adding payment buttons to my website.  It's a very slow project, but one I hope to focus on.

I'm still working on the spider, it has so many legs!  Here is a work in progress update on the little fella...

My Drawing of a Cheetah Bear from Jim Benson Norton Simon Workshop & Spider WIP...

Here is a charcoal drawing I did at artist Jim Benson's workshop on contrast at the Norton Simon Museum of Art.  My drawing looks a bit like a combination of a Cheetah and a Bear, I call it my Cheetabear...

In the workshop, he talked about how with contrast you compare and contrast and contrast refers to difference.  High contrast has a high degree of difference and low contrast has a low degree of difference.  For example, high contrast has sharp edges and focus, while low contrast has blurred edges and is out of focus.  He also talked about using contrast in the foreground vs. the background, with the higher degree of high contrast marks in the foreground and the lower contrast mark making in the background.  It was a fun and interesting workshop!

I am also participating in Sunday Sketches.  To view more Sunday Sketches, please visit:

http://www.bluechairdiary.com/blog/

Here is my work in progress view of my spider.  I meant to post him yesterday but I woke up too late and had to leave.  At this point I've just done the background, I am hoping to have him done by Tuesday and then start work on the bunny, but it remains to be seen how much time this arachnid will need for me to complete him.

The Lineart on a Canvas Panel for My Spider Painting...

Here is the lineart on the canvas panel for my spider painting.  It has diverged a bit from my initial sketch, Alex at The Strange Art of Ledante suggested that I make the limbs a bit different and gave me some help.  He says there's a point at which you may want to move away from the reference to make a stronger painting and as he tends to be right with great frequency about art related matters, I went with his suggestions...

Edit: I am also participating in Sunday Sketches.  To view more Sunday Sketches, please visit:
http://www.bluechairdiary.com/blog/

Sketches of Four Spiders: Please Vote for which to paint!

Edit:  Combined between facebook and my blog, number 4 was the winning spider that I will strive to paint between today and Tuesday next, athough I may need more time then that.  Thanks very much for your input!

Here are four of my spider sketches from this week.  I would like to do a small painting of one of these four this week.  If you'd like to vote on which one, just leave a comment as to which you'd prefer and I'll tally the votes on Tuesday at around four, adding up the votes of my blog and facebook page together.  In the event of a tie, or no votes, I'll just draw one out of a hat.  I might do this weekly with different sketches.  I also may use the sketches and paintings based on the sketches posted in other art at different times.  This painting will be a small 5"x7", with some cropping to fit the format, that I will try to complete between Tuesday and the Tuesday next (although I seem to go over on amount of time needed to complete the painting pretty regularly...).

The ones Alex thought were my best options for the group ended up being three from yesterday and one from the first day...  Thank you Diane for the wonderful reference selection!


To view more Sunday Sketches, please visit:
http://www.bluechairdiary.com/lbog/

Four More Spider Sketches...

Here are four more spiders for my spider themed sketches of the week.  These are the last of them.  One is a mecha steampunk spider and I think the one below it is a steampunk spider too!  For tomorrow, I'll choose which to submit to vote upon and which one to select for my Little Miss Muffet painting that's still in the early concept stage right now.  I sketched so many of them because my spider loving friend Diane kindly selected most of these and she has a much better eye for spiders than I do...  Starting on Monday or Wednesday at the latest, I intend to be sketching bunnies, although there still will likely be a work in progress post and the final version post that will feature spiders.

Calla Lily in My Garden Photo & Two More Spider Sketches...

Here is a photograph of the first calla lily to bloom in my garden.  My aunt and uncle gave us calla lilies to plant.  I took this photograph during a lull in the rain during the storm last week, I was a bit worried about them, I definitely do not have a green thumb...  This week the skies have been clear and the plants seem to be doing okay!

Here are two more spiders for my spider themed sketches of the week.  Usually I'm not fond of anything with more than 4 legs, but spiders are very important at keeping the other bugs at bay.  This week spiders, next week bunnies...

My Mermaid Painting Work in Progress & Two More Spider Sketches...

Here is my work in progress view of one of the faces voted upon.  I've done the background, but I am not completely finished with the tail, I may not do much more with it but I will definitely add some spray to it in the foreground.  I am hoping to have her done by tomorrow, but I'm not 100% sure about that.  If I don't finish her today, I'll try to post another wip tomorrow.

Here are two more spiders for my spider themed sketches of the week.  This week spiders, next week bunnies...

Two Spider Sketches & Thoughts on What's Upcoming...

This week my sketching theme is spiders.  I know it's an unusual subject matter for me, but I think it's important to mix things up a bit once in a while.  Also, I promised my spider loving friend I would do this theme at some point and while I'll paint the one voted upon, I also want to select one for Little Miss Muffet...  Next week my theme will most likely be bunnies (I probably would have done bunnies this week and spiders next week, but I don't have my reference materials together for rabbits this week and my friend Diane kindly selected an assortment of spiders to use as reference quite a while back).

I'm very behind on my little 5"x7" for this week.  As much as I'd like to have her done for tomorrow, I think it's unlikely.  I know I say that every week but while I'd like to be optimistic, I'd greatly surprise myself if I do get her done in time for tomorrow.  Her eyes are closed so it's possible, but I've also decided to make her a mermaid (I feel like it has been too long since I've painted a mermaid) so there's a tail involved...  I will do a listing theme of mermaids and strive to get the new one done, but I think it's more likely she'll be done by Thursday.

Also, it's very much my intention to return to sharing some of the things which inspire me on Mondays, but my schedule has been a bit off lately.  I saw a very interesting film that I'd love to ramble upon, but the little painting of the mermaid is beseeching me to paint her...