Peridot Birthstone Painting

For this month's Femme Thou Art Collective auction, I created a piece inspired by my birthstone, Peridot (August born). I was initially worried about having to draw and paint gem stones, esp. in such a pale tone as lime green, but I decided to step up to the challenge and do it. 

While this piece is only letter size, the girl herself is much larger than I usually draw my figures. To be honest, it was much more challenging getting proportions right, and colouring things in. I definitely need to start working bigger! I'm still debating on whether I should have punched up the warm tones in her skin, and if she hasn't sold by the end of the week, I might just do that with pencil crayons; but I haven't made a decision if she even needs it yet. What do you think?

As for her lacy top/tattoos, it was a bit of a last minute thing that I doodled with the paint brush, but I'm really loving it. Perhaps I'll try doing even more detailed tattoos on a future painting? I've also noticed I seem to have developed an interest in gravity defying hair, and things falling down from it. It's kind of funny, because I have no idea why I like drawing hair that way. Maybe in a future painting I'll draw a whole world wrapped up in a lady's hair? Who knows!

Anyway, hope you love this piece as much as I do. I think Peridot may be my new favourite piece. ^_^
PS: Let me know if you're interested in a print! :)

Here are some photos of this piece in progress from instagram (@ sashafitzgerald):

Dr. Seuss Inspired Illustration

I recently completed a piece for the Dr. Seuss Tribute Show at Blackbird Studios. At first I wasn't sure what sort of piece I wanted to make - and then I googled a bunch of Dr. Seuss book pages and realized what I wanted to do. I decided to take the opportunity to illustrate a piece incorporating characters and imagery from several of the Dr. Seuss kids books.

While working on this piece I shared pictures of my progress as I went along on instagram (follow me @ sashafitzgerald). Below is the scanned in version of the finished image, as well as the painting in it's frame. I decided to go with a black frame because it really drew the attention to the ink work, which is one of the key things that sticks out to me in all of the Dr. Seuss books. 

Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat

I went for a feeling of energy, bright colours, and funny little characters - all the things that appealed to me when I was a kid reading Dr. Seuss books. 

I hope you guys love this illustration and brings back fond memories of childhood! :)

The White Lady

Hello lovelies!

I completed this piece last month for the Femme Thou Art Collective auction. This month's theme was 'The White Lady'. 

Ever since I heard a friend's story about the White Lady, the myth of this mysterious being has been in my mind. According to my friend, the White Lady appears on the death bed of her family members, letting them know that their time to pass on is coming shortly. Many members of her family have seen her... a ghostly woman, glowing, and dressed in white. 

My friend and her family are Norwegian, and so to me, I think of this being as a matron spirit who watches over her Norse descendants. 

With this inspiration in mind, this is the piece I came up with (below). 

She has a crooked nose, because I adore imperfection. Her eyes are slanted like my friend's. The colour scheme is simple and icy, giving a sense of ghostliness. She's wearing Victorian styled clothing, perhaps hinting at the time she lived in. 

I hope you like this piece! :) The photos below were taken on instagram (@sashafitzgerald) to journal my progress on this piece. 

Well that's it for today. I'm super stoked for this months theme 'Steampunk', can't wait to see what I and the other femme's come up with! ;)

Celestia

Sometimes I like to paint something little, like this piece, before I get started on a bigger, more complex painting. It helps to get the nerves out, and feel freer and more comfortable about getting started on the next painting. 

I used watercolours and sepia ink on bristol paper. The colours don't really blend as smoothly as they would on hot press paper, but that wasn't what I was going for anyway. I like the contrasting colours in this little portrait. I like the.. raw feeling. 

Anyway, just thought I'd share 'Celestia' with you. Hope you like her! 

*she's also for sale in my shop*

Winsome Decay

Good news! I was accepted into the Portobello West Market!!! Hurrah!
The tricky part is figuring out how I'm going to pay for it. It's going to cost me $400 smack-a-roos. I'm going to see about possibly paying in installments, or getting an extension on the deadline, or, if it comes down to it, pan-handling. Just kidding. ;)
Thank you to all those who wished me luck!

Now, onto arty things. I've been making progress on 'Winsome Decay', a painting I meant to finish for the Femme Thou Art Collective's June auction. It's turned into a really complicated piece, which means that it will take me longer to finish than I originally intended. It will still most likely be available in my shop unless it's sold before that time.

The theme of this piece is 'Life Springing From Decay'. I brainstormed a lot of different ideas along the vein of rebirth, cycles in life, things dying while other things are thriving... I think I captured the idea best with the bird's unhatched eggs in the nest, which rests inside of a skull. It's like the unborn life is being protected by the outer shell or husk of what used to bare life (and now in a way it will aid in baring life again). The mushrooms, while a subject of great interest to me, especially make sense to the theme in this piece. They are things that feed off of other things that are in a state of decay (or will be when the fungus gets to it!).

All of these different pieces are juxtaposed together to create a new meaning... new possibilities. The ultimate symbol of life in the nude female form, she who gives birth to all. But she's also there because she represents the soul. She's the shell giving the soul life and existence in this physical plane. Once she's gone and decayed, the soul will live on. A bit of morbid mixed with beauty.

>> This post will be updated with more pictures until this piece is finished 

Art and Depression Dammitttt

Well today is one of those shalajbksjasaBLAH posts.

I am busy and have lots to do, but I'm tired, broke, and desperately need a cup of coffee (even if just for a temporary rush). But I will settle for tea. I'm out of my favourite one (a yummy raspberry one made by lipton I think).

Anyway, I feel bleh, and I needed somewhere to say that. Even though things are looking up, I feel stagnated in my head. Like stuck in the mud (or soul sand, if you play minecraft).

I'm a little lonely too. And I want to go to Paris, today. I feel young, dumb, and immature, and yet like I'm aging too fast (I have way too many grey hairs... sad face). I just hope I make something out of this thing called life. I guess that's what we all hope for.

I want to take my camera and shoot the hell out of stuff. Go on adventures, take some chances, make some mistakes. Get a tattoo, or pierce something naughty.

Forget professionalism (at least for today).

Do you have any advice on how I can get out of this three year long funk? I'm getting tired of it, and bored out of my mind. One can only paint and make stuff so much until they go bonkers.

Here's some art I've been working on:

The Swan Girl, oil on wood, for an upcoming show
at Blackbird Studios in June. 

I hope you're all having a better day than I am. I think I'm going to make that tea now. :)

Forest Elf Painting - Work in progress

Forest Elf Painting

Well my forest elf is starting to come along!

Here's my first bit of painting. She's not quite finished yet, but getting close! :)

Painting, Photography, Friends

Thursday & Friday ~ adventures with Tabitha and Company!

This is she! Gorgeous eyes, eh?

It was sooooo incredibly hot and humid that day. At least for us in Vancouver. It was around 60% humidity & about 23-25 C (77 F). To us that's blazing hot, unless you're at the beach lol. Pathetic eh? We're so used clouds and rain that when we do see the sun it's like omfg what is this.... sweat?!

I was feeling pretty hot, so Tab got me a bag of frozen bread... and when that heated up, a bag of frozen berries... and when that heated up, a tupperware of frozen mashed potatoes LOL. Anything to get rid of the heat!

I got to meet her super cool younger sister, Hillary, who reminds me lot of my 'basically sister' Lauren. I also met her grandma, who's house we paint at... she is pretty much the most awesome gramma out there. I love Tabitha's family, they are all so friendly and awesome, and always make me feel welcome. ^_^

Here are some cute pics of Hillary, taken by Tab:

Parachute skirt!

Strike a pose!

As I was saying, I love Tab's grandmother, aka Gma. She such a nice lady, and very encouraging of our painting and art. I also love her grandmotherly appearance - she wears bright colourful moo-moos, and has these super cute dark freckle/skin tags on her face and neck. I'd been wanting to take some candid portraits of her since I met her, and finally got the chance. The lighting was pouring through the kitchen perfectly, highlighting the right side of her face with light... so I took the opportunity!

Hehe, this is my favourite shot. 

A pretty flower on the kitchen table.

Some more photos by Tab:

Pretty Flowers

Cute garden gnome.

Hahaha love this one of hillary. 

It's supposed to be a sky with a sun... still majorly in progress haha!

A cute little painting I did for Tab, but looks like Gma's keeping it haha!

It's pretty rough now, hopefully we'll finish it next time we hang. 

On Thursday I got my six rolls of film from Lomography in the mail, and on Friday me and Tab & company went out and took a bunch of awesome photos. I shot one roll, and really hope my film ones turn out! It's my first time putting film into a camera and winding it, so I'm anxious to see the results. Either way, it was a blast!

Hope you guys are having a fabulous weekend!! What have you been up to? Any sweet plans?

Paintings and Sketches

A painting I started over a year ago. I was working on Arches Cold Press watercolour paper, which I found really difficult to paint on, because my illustrations are so line-dependent & detailed. The only areas I tend to leave for
happy accidents are the background elements. Hopefully I will find the inspiration to finish this piece one day soon.

Dragon Lore is coming together. I've gone with a purplish pallet for this piece, along with some frosty grays, to emphasize a cloudy, stark atmosphere. 

An illustration I drew a while ago of mermaids. It's not finished yet
(obviously, lol).  When finished, it should look somewhat like this piece:
http://solarissky.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=24#/d1ugl7y

An ink drawing. You can really see my love for
 the Japanese manga aesthetic. I also have a love
for fashion, which is why I didn't finish the arms,
lol. 

Another example of my messy sketches.
I was planning out my ideas for 'A Dark Undercurrent'.

Spindly Spider Lashes. 

Dragon Lore & Spirited Away Art Updates

Bonjour!

Thought I'd share some photos of two illustrations in progress for Enchanted Visions. The concepts behind them are so weird and cool that it's got me super excited （*´▽｀*）

'Dragon Lore' is getting there. Oh, and is that a finger attacking the dragon!?

A little close up of our beasty friend.

Pretty Pretty :3

Along Came a Spider - WIP

A little shot of a work in progress. I experimented by laying down a wash of light peach (in watercolours), adding red to the shoulders, cheeks, nose, etc... and then when it dried I shaded using Copic Markers. Interesting effect, though I wish the shading looked smoother. I'm still deciding on whether to paint the hair a whitish beige, or blacks and greys (drastically different choices, eh?). I'm also wondering about the dress.. and am thinking of doing a lace pattern (but black or white lace?!)... :]

This piece is inspired by the Enchanted Visions theme of 'Along Came a Spider', and the fae's name is Astrid (named after a friend of mine), and is pronounced AUS (like AUS-tralia) Treed. ^_^

A close up of Astrid

New Original Acrylic Paintings!

Two new paintings!
This time with acrylic paints (which I don't use very often) on board. This is my foray into whimsical and surreal art. Hope you like them! I hope to have a third one finished tonight.

Fly Away and Join the Circus - 8.5 x 11 inches

Original Painting for sale in my Shop

Balloons and Bunnies - 8.5 x 11 inches

Original Painting for Sale in my Shop