Quarantined? Bored? Try this!

Did anyone else’s mom tell them to “bring something to do in case you get bored,” be it in the car or an appointment?

When I was hospitalized for a high risk pregnancy, art and crocheting became my escape, my therapy.

Art therapy need not be sought outside of your home.

If you are self quarantined or distancing yourself out of necessity because of COVID-19, there comes a point when you need to unplug and connect with the world around you. I made this basic free printable of seven “windows” for you to download and print at home and then fill in every day of the week with your nature observations, traffic patterns, feelings, figure studies, anything you can imagine!

Print it as many times as you want. Share it with your family and have each one take a window or everyone can have one of their own. Show your personalized pages here or on Instagram using the hashtag #ilookoutmywindow.

This idea is inspired by my Nature/Phenology Wheels and Stellar Trackers which aid in tracking weather, nature, and habits. In this time of unease and social distancing, let us share beauty and take joy in the world around us!

Angel Light Video Part 4

I'm thinking that the painting is done!

Here's the last installment of time-lapse videos.

Angel Light Time Lapse Video 3

My process is interrupted not just by the children, but my own mistakes and changes that I want to do to the painting.  The shoulders are going up and down according to what might look alright.  Then again, they are going to be completely covered by the hair (oh, I cannot WAIT to do the hair, but it always has to go last.)
The right wing went from yech to yay and the globe candle light thingy keeps transforming.  At the moment, I'm focusing on making the globe look like a marble I once painted, only with a candle on the inside.  (This was after the a few criticisms that the globe was appearing to look a little too much like Sauron's eye.)

What went unfilmed was last night's surprise session.  My husband was with the kids and I made a general gold glow over her shoulders and wings and turned the shadows upside-down.  I was loathe to do so, since I didn't want her nose to look too upturned, but I think that it came out well.

Next on the list is the right hand, the clothing, and then finally...oh joy of joys!...the hair!  Also probably a few more touch ups on the face, but that's never done until I hand the painting over.

Draco

After uploading the last two time lapse videos, YouTube suggested some other ones to me which ended up being mightily helpful! When designing the background of "Angel Light," I threw in some stars, which can be tedious when each is individually painted.
Rather like the tree I did for a dear friend.

I watched a few different styles of splattered stars and thought that I'd try it on a different canvas before tackling, and potentially messing up "Angel Light."

First I covered the whole thing (even the gallery wrapped edges) with black gesso. Then I marked with partially transparent blues and purples where I wanted my sky and water. Then I SPLATTERED!!!!  This involved a two inch brush, white acrylic paint, and my fingers ruffling the brush like a a deck of cards. Fun!

Here's a video time lapse of the finishing touches. The clouds were just too bright and, since this was a gift for my handsome hubby, I put in the silhouette of a dragon.

Angel Light Time Lapse Video 2

Here's the latest two sessions.

Session 3 focused intensely on the left wing.  I find faces so much more fun to paint than anything else, so I have to work hard to not fudge the other important details of the painting.

The next session will be the right hand wing and then probably the clothing, working from the background of the figure to the foreground.

Then will be the hands and globe light and last will be the upper background, which will be dictated by how the light ends up working.

Enjoy!

Comic Hiatus

Sorry, folks, but Lucy is taking a break as I work on some commissions.
But never fear!  I will post updates.

Here we have the blurry (sorry again) before and during pictures of commission number one.

Crazed Collage

Crazed expressions of horror, anger, joy, and shock. Can you count how many faces are on here?
Also, there's a sneak peek of tomorrow's comic.
#tbt #tbl #throwbacklucy

Procreate App and Surprise Faces

The last two days I had so much fun with the procreate app on my iPod. I did this drawing of my 4 year old over the course of yesterday and today. 

A cool thing about this App is that it records what you've done, so you can see the progression in fast play.  Check it out here!

https://youtu.be/WzCTcHPPfWY

Sailors, Take Warning

Ages ago (aka 2010) I started the canvas and got as far as the sky colors with some waves sketched in.  Tonight, after a glass of Riesling and with Netflix playing in the background, I finished it up, lightened the sky, and worked on the waves. 

Pretty happy!

Love that Alizarin Crimson!

Origin Story--Throwback Thursday

The cartoon that started it all.  <3

But when did Lucy really start?  

In 2009 I considered writing a written blog, one based on my life but with pseudonyms to protect myself in my workplace.  It was going to be called "Lucy and the Lion's Den" and would showcase Lucy, Leo her husband, and their baby son Luke.  But I didn't get beyond naming the characters, because I found that writing a fictionalized rant about my own life was too draining.  If I wanted it to be real rants, then I wasn't going to post about it publicly (also, I didn't want to lose my job and many of my rants were work related).

I came home to mom around full-time when another baby was born.  That year I did more art than I have in ages when I illustrated an eBook version of "Little Women."

But once the book was published, the art waned.

Fastforward to 2014 and I was bitten by the Bitstrips bug.  I put off buying the app because I thought that I could do better.  But I didn't.  I mean I just didn't do any art at all to tell my story.  Like most people, I scoffed at the badly conceived Bitstrips scenes and sneered at some of the captions they provide. The ability to change my characters movements and the captions on the computer made me warm up to the Facebook version. Then, after a while, I was back to feeling rather frustrated with their whole setup and its limitations. The artist in me was gnashing her teeth.

So I began to write down ideas.

In the dentist's waiting room I started to character sketch.  (This guy really needs to make it into the comic sometime.)

Over the course of a few short weeks, I doodled some more--more ideas, more expressions.

Then I put the question out to my friends.  Should I go with my gut and start rolling out a weekly web comic? I was asking like I pretended that I had time outside of momming around all day.)

And after 13 likes and these replies...

• Yes!

  2 June 2014 at 19:41 · Unlike · 2
• Oh, wah wah! Nice!

  2 June 2014 at 19:43 · Unlike · 1
• Mommying comic please!

  2 June 2014 at 20:50 · Like
•  Heehee! Momming around, eh?

 I started Lucy & the Lion's Den.

Inventory

Do you know how long it takes to fold, stuff, seal, and inventory 370 greeting cards?  As long as it takes to make a comic.  So here's some photos of upcoming listings on my etsy shop, Artist Ave.

Hidden Horizon

Another one nighter ocean (what else?) painting. I listened to good old Bob Ross, but didn't paint what he was painting. 

I'm curious how this will look when it dries and isn't so glossy. 

Something Wickham This Way Comes

This comic took quite a while to do and it's worth noting because, if you rush art (like Irmgard will here), you end up with disastrous results.

Remember, if you can't read the comic, click on the image.

Cards cards CARDS!

Another day with no comic???

I have two answers as to why.

Well, three.

Maybe four.

But you will get two.

One is that I AM working on a comic, only it's an Irmgard and Krystall multi-panel, which takes a while longer.  Here's a sneak-peak.

Then there's also these cards that I'm ordering to post on etsy.  Some of them will be available soon.  It's only a matter of logging onto etsy before the kids notice.  Keep your eyes peeled!

Friday Find-day

I'm pulling out old and new art and getting them ready to list on etsy.  I wish I could figure out how to let people vote on what they would want as a greeting card. Then I could preorder them!

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/artist-ave-by-julie-kersting

My birthday present to me!

My husband and I are setting up to make a video promotion for my upcoming etsy store, "Artist Ave," and before filming we hung up about a third of my art work.  What a great birthday gift!  The kids are enjoying it too.  

The astute three year old immediately asked, "Mummy, why do you have so many ocean paintings?"  A question that my family has been asking me every semester of college, my son, my son.

Many of these are getting ready to be made into cards a prints for the etsy store, others (like the sea shell painting) are not yet finished.  Here's a selection of what Artist Ave will be offering!

I don't mean to bug you...

...and yes, I'm aware that ladybugs are actually beetles.  But if you would just share my campaign, that'd be dandy!

indiegogo Artist Ave

Showering

Note: the caption says FEELS like.  If you choose to actually wear clothes while showering, that's your own business.  Her dress is merely for illustrative (and of course family-friendly) purposes.
Although with the speed at which I need to hop out of the shower, remaining fully dressed is sometimes an option.

Trouble in the Gosling Nest

My knowledge of Ryan Gosling goes as far as the memes that I've seen on Pinterest.

So when I was searching for images of actual goslings, you know who showed up and he completely changed this comic.

Artist Ave by Julie Kersting

What's going on at my house?

Well, remember all of these comics that I've been doing, those illustrations that I've done, and that pesky website full of gallery images?  Now I'm going to bring it to your house at affordable prices!  Greeting cards and prints will soon be available through the etsy.com store that I am creating, titled Artist Ave (read that as avenue or ave as in Maria...which ever you like).

I want to provide the personal touch, the affordable art, the unique look, but I need your help!

Many people cannot afford the cost of a real piece of art, so it is my goal to fill your homes with the unique drawings and paintings that I have been working on for the last twelve plus years and am continuing to produce.  They range from comedy to landscapes to familiar and unique illustrations.

Your help will be the foundation of this campaign.  Alone, I will only be able to produce a few greeting cards at a time, but together we can fill the void in the fine art greeting card and print scene!  

All funding will go to the initial output of original art greeting cards and prints, a scale and label printer for mailing, unique packaging, and advertising.

Anyone who contributes $10 or more will get 50% off the order of their choice when Artist Ave by Julie Kersting on etsy.com opens, which will be by the end of the month of February 2015.

Thank you so much for your help and support by clicking on this link and SHARING!