Seeing Double....Not Quite

So my last blog post from Saturday, I shared about this particular sketch I was working on that included  two bluebirds and a nest.  I included this photo that showed examples of how I would scan and then print out copies of incompletely sketches so that I could have a opportunity to experiment with different backgrounds and colors.  Yesterday, I went on printed one more copy out of my artwork but this time I printed it on my nice Bristol, acid free art paper and used the good printer.  I then finished the pen work on the incomplete nest on both the original and the copy.  Last night I began coloring them in using my colored pencils.

Original Artwork- "Nesting Bluebirds"

One original with realistic tiny blue eggs in the nest and a second original with 2 small red hearts.  My plan for the second piece that has hearts in the nest is to be able to use it as a gift for weddings and anniversaries.  I can customize it by lightly adding initials or names to each heart to make each piece of art personal and unique.  I will also hand embellish each piece to maximize the contrast and color.

What a great artcard or small print to give someone as a gift to mark that special day.

Original Artwork- "Love Birds"

June is almost upon us and June has always been considered the wedding month so there are plenty of weddings and anniversaries for all of us to remember.  If you are interested in ordering a matted original customized artwork from me, just send me an email message.

My prices for all my art cards are $5 each, 5 x 7 (matted to 8 x 10) are $25 and 8 x 10 (matted to 11 x 14) are $45 + shipping.  Message me if you are interested in putting in an order.

This past month I have been trying to write a little poem for each of my pieces of artwork and so I started playing around with a couple of verses about bluebirds.  Here is one of the rough drafts so far.  

Good Morning Mr. Bluebird

             By

     Julie Townsend

You are a wee little bird all soft and fluffy

I'm in love with your bright orange belly all puffy 

And your azure blue feathers are far from stuffy

Sitting there singing in my tree all huffy

I could sit in this chair and watch you all day

Please, oh please don't fly away

For just a little longer won't you stay

Because watching you is pure joy I say

I Might Be What You Call Obsessed With Downton Abbey

This past week I have found that my easel has been neglected but my sketchpad has taken much of my attention.  I had come with this little idea of a mouse dressed to the nines with a top hat and black bow tie.  Actually, I have been watching the Downton Abbey series and was struck with the wonderful costumes that each of the characters wear and how formal and proper the upper class were during that era in time.  It is hard to fathom individuals who actually needed assistance daily just to put on a jacket or to brush their own hair.

Make Everyday a Black Tie and Tails Day

I find myself thinking often about the show and so I thought I would create my own Downton Abby scene using cute little mice.  I drew this piece first and I'm calling it "Make Everyday a Black Tie and Tails Day".  I was so pleased with the outcome that I knew this handsome little guy needed an equally classy gal by his side so yesterday I started my 2nd drawing.

Milady

When it came to drawing my little girl mouse, I actually spent sometime looking at images of the beautiful Lady Mary Crawley and derived my inspiration for her hat from those images.  Long silk gloves, a blue feather boa and a tube of bright red lipstick finish off the piece that is titled "Milady".

The Happy Couple

Now the challenge to me is to learn enough Photoshop that I can take the elements of both pieces and combine them into one piece.


Since Photoshop isn't mastered overnight and I just had to come up with another piece that featured two overdressed rodents I took matters into my own artistic hands.  This time I drew a large 8 x 10 piece that includes a bride and the groom along with a festive cake.  I decided to leave the heart blank in the center of the cake so that I could personalize it with the monogrammed initials of the happy couple.  I actually have both a bridal shower and a 50th anniversary gift to purchase this week and so I plan on putting this piece of art to personal use right away.






I just uploaded these images and so if your interested in prints, art cards or art magnets you can check them out on my Website or on my Etsy Store.  If you are interested in a personalized print or card of the "The Happy Couple", just send me a message and I will be happy to work that out for you.

Enjoying the Classics

I thought I would end with one last Mouse sketch that I have recently done.  This one features a hungry little guy enjoying a piece of John Steinbeck's novel "Of Mice and Men" in a way that most book lovers would be horrified at but I thought it made a cute composition.