Illustration Friday: Memories

Everything is dark outside, the world is full of strange and magical creatures that live in the shadows. I look out the window, I am half scared to look, yet curious..

Also coming back home, from somewhere, and seeing the lighted windows was the most wonderful memory. I loved coming back home, I loved knowing that Grandma was waiting for me with a cup of milk and bread and jam. This image is the compilation of the two memories, the warm windows and the magic outside.

ACEOs

My best picks from the world of ACEOs which proved to be extremely addictive.

A Fox invasion

I never painted foxes before this year, I am not sure how I got hooked on them, but the fact is that they are here, and lots of them..

Today I got 2 new ones:)My scanner alters the colors, and no matter how hard I Photoshop, I can not make it look the same :(

One of my favorite places in NYC

If I am consistent enough, I will have a series of these photo sketches...the places that make the hectic life in the city worthwhile for me, the places which I visit and think, that there is a reason why I am here:)

The Icon studio was one of the places I wanted to move to NYC for. Back then I was rather young (22) and very idealistic. I thought that painting Icons could be my way of life. So the first place I stopped in NYC, straight after 6 hours of driving from Maryland was the studio.

This is my favorite teacher Tatyana (from the back, I do not think she would want to pose)

6 years later I no longer want to be an Iconographer, I realize I can not do this full time, Icon writing requires tremendous concentration and discipline that I do not have.
Tatyana makes the best tea. She mixes up Greek herbs, Chinese roses and other secret ingredients and it's the tea that you will not confuse with anything:)

Now I am working on yet another Icon of the Mother of God ( I think this is the 3d one of the kind), and here is the very start of the process. I will take pictures in the mid stages and at the end. We start from the dark colors, Roskrash and add light as we go.

First highlight, then float, second highlight then float, and third highlight. If you think about it, the process is the opposite from the usual drawing, where form is achieved by adding shadow.

and last but not least here is the link to the official website of our school http://www.prosoponschool.org/

mornings

I have not really slept a night entirely for 5 years. And more and more feel that a week long nap would be something I would really enjoy. The hardest part is the morning, because somehow the kids are most energetic and enthusiastic to start the new day at 7 am. For me every extra minute in bed is priceless. So today I let them touch the untouchable--my work table. And it was well worth it. I got another 30 minutes of piece and quiet, and the kids produced some nice paintings using the "special" paint, brushes and paper. Oh , the moment of sheer peace! Both of them not arguing, painting, and me--Sleeping.

I need to work some more on the custom portraits that I have NOT started,and that are due pritty soon. Both of them can turn out to be very exciting projects, I just need to overcome the inital block and get going. On the other hand I found a whole bunch of old watercolors that I no longer like, and am busy adding to them, and making them into something I actually enjoy. and that is fun:)

a very slow and awkward start

I am sure it will take time for me to feel at home here...and the first posts are going to be very silly, and I will have a good laugh afterwards, but here I go:) willing to make these mistakes, and to learn how the blogging world works.

I will start with an image, that I worked on today this is the old old watercolor that I redid and gave it a breath of life:)

I was contemplating strting a blog for a long long time, but something was always in the way--the kids, dinner, I needed to finish a project, I needed to make a website, I needed to eat, sleep..my excuses are over and I will be here often, posting my latest work, and rambling about Art.