Thursday 25 June 2015

A bit of an update...

Just what I'm working on right now.  As time passes I realize my paintings are becoming a little more complex, with more detailed backgrounds, which means they're taking more time to finish.

I am posting Eve's progress, and although she looks more like a girl now (we're already past the monstrous phase I think), I don't know how many more 'sessions' are ahead before she's finished. Not one thing has reached its final state on this piece...





And, for filling times of pure exhaustion when I cannot concentrate enough to progress on the mid-state painting above, I'm starting a new piece to keep myself busy.



Tuesday 23 June 2015

WIP : Eve

OK, she looks a little better than yesterday, so I had to post an update :)



Alice in process

So I'm working on two pieces at the same time at the moment, my first one Eve should be finished in a couple of days, the second one -Alice- is in first stages still. I'm posting some photos of the process here:

...first the sketch...

 ...then the transferring and lining...

...and follows the highlights+shading 
(rough guide for giving an idea of how the final painting will look like)

Keep checking for follow-ups!

Intermediate stages of Eve






Intermediate stagies. They're always ugly, and the hardest part.


Sunday 21 June 2015

"Alice in the field of butterflies" - wip - sketch by Zelyss

"Alice in the field of butterflies"

Starting new painting, working at the same time on Eve. Photo is poor but camera is not always handy so I am experimenting with anything available.

PS I miss reading :( No time in the last few days (seriously).

Friday 19 June 2015

Jana Brike : innocent magic

As an art lover, I live to admire art and not only make it. So asides of my work, I am posting in my blog work of other artists that I admire and look up to, and feel it's only right to spread their talent to the world.

I don't think there can be many people out there who can be left unaffected by the wonderful work of beautiful Jana Brike. If you have not come across her online until now, this is the time to get lost in her magic. You can check her interview and more of her work here on 'wow' blog: http://wowxwow.com/artist-interview/jana-brike-ai

She's a really talented person, and I think you will agree...



Work in progress : Big eye girls by Zelyss

A little update on my current work.

Among all else that I have to do every day (I'm a very busy person but no need to bore you with my obligations), this where I'm at, paint-wise: 


A little sketching...

A little shading...

...and now comes the fun part! Painting!

Tuesday 16 June 2015

Blythe in Candyland : wip (inside process)

Ahhh, the sufferings of an artist do never, ever end. I absolutely love what I do, and my head is so filled with ideas, that I feel I am going on the pace of a snail! Plus, no artist, anywhere, ever -I think- is completely satisfied with his results. Sigh!

Now, let's stop babbling. My last work, "Blythe in Candyland" is almost done and I'm glad to let it go, because this means I will be free to start the next one. I try to keep one acrylics' palette active at a time, and that means I don't start the next piece until the previous one is finished.

People keep asking me how I paint my girls: if I am copying something or if I work out of imagination. Well, it is just a bit of both I guess. I always enjoyed collecting images and collaging. At first it was cutouts of magazines, then I grew up into computers and it was endless photo folders, which found a way through to my previous blog (http://selfbabble.blogspot.com/) until the day that I discovered ...PINTEREST...! Now everything I see and like is pretty much stored there (https://www.pinterest.com/babblebzz/), waiting for me to fish out little pieces and join them together. Very much like a jigsaw puzzle. If you drop by my pinterest account and browse through my "for painting" boards, you might recognize the photos that have found the way into my paintings. Kinda like a hide and seek game...

For "Blythe in Candyland", I am showing some reference photos below:






And here is the sneak peek of the painting (little before it's finished):


For the final version, check back tomorrow.
:)

Friday 12 June 2015

"Eve in the garden of Eden" - sketch by Zelyss

When I'm too tired to paint (usually at night, because I'm a morning person), I work on sketches. They're actually ideas for new paintings, some of them I like enough for making in color, others stay on the waiting list, probably for ever...

This is a study of "Eve in the garden of Eden", one of the forthcoming works that I'm working on.


Blythe in Candyland progress - zelyss


A little progress photo (although my camera tends to blunt colors too much...). 

I don't understand what's with me and teal, that color is in love with me! I was going for pistacchio green and ended up with teal+baby blue again. I will make it come my way eventually but gee! 
:)

Thursday 11 June 2015

Free customizable invitation for a Lalaloopsy birthday party!

Kind of tired today, it was one of those really looooong days... 

But because I want to post something, I will drop the most visited post of all times from my previous blog. The free customizable invitation for the Lalaloopsy birthday party. I guess these dolls are an all time favorite... Not only for young girls, but for their mams too! 

Enjoy!




Tuesday 9 June 2015

Zelyss inspires... Aww! SO cute!!!!

I just received by email today these three adorable paintings of two seven-year-old fans who were inspired by me! They are SO cute and beautiful. It gives me great pride as an artist to be admired by the little ones... 

Thank you so much, girls. My next painting will be dedicated to your sweetness and inspired by you likewise. 

Lots of love,
xoxoxo




(this one is obviously inspired by 'Priscila and the Unicorn' below. 
I think she may have even overdone me...)



Sunday 7 June 2015

Work update : "Beth"



Work in progress: "Beth"

'Beth' in acrylics

Just finished my piece "Stempunk Ingrid" yesterday and started already new one. I like finishing one painting before starting another, because I like to keep my colors handy for continuing and acrylics tend to dry super fast, so I can only keep one palette active at a time. 

So this is 'Beth' from my sketch already posted. I want to focus on smoother complexion on this one.


Friday 5 June 2015

Inspiration for new painting...#2



I can see this as a painting, but with her face looking at me instead of her back...

Thursday 4 June 2015

Tutorial #2: Panel qualities - which wood should you choose?

Hi there! Today I decided to post about types of wood panels/boards to work on. You see I just had a new stack of boards delivered to the studio, ready to prime and paint (yeah!). Here they are below, in several sizes.




So I have had my fair share of several attempts of painting on several surfaces. I have even painted on a red PVC surface (see my painting "Circus Madelein" below).



As I said to my previous tutorial, the key is always proper priming, with several Gesso primer layers and a high dose of patience (for waiting out the layers to dry).

But of course, I do not suggest working on PVC. Stick to wood boards. Now of those, the best and most responsive to my technique is the chipboard, and it is the one below. You can probably find it under other names but this is what it looks like:


This material, with 3 layers of gesso and a little sanding with a fine sandpaper (I use no.400), can be perfect. It does not absorb the color, it has "tooth" for the paint to stay on, it is smooth enough for when you are dry-brushing, but no so smooth to make the paint flow uncontrollably.

Other types of wood boards, which I don't recommend, are the following.

MDF: too satiny, when primed it has a lot of grain raised that will destroy my brushes, and if sanded it again becomes too smooth. 



And last, and worst, plywood. I bought several pieces of plywood with the hope that since it is actual wood, the outcome would be better, but no. As seen in the photos included in my previous tutorial, when the paint goes on, despite priming, the result is risky. Not a chance to be durable.



Never be afraid to experiment, you may find some other surface that works best for you. And never let failed attempts discourage you. There is always a better piece of art waiting ahead, as long as you are there to make it.

Stay tuned for my next tutorial on ways of priming. And if you like my page, drop on my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zelyss/1026378090720993? or my google+ page: https://plus.google.com/116934195623571090402/posts and 'like' /add my page to get more of my news. 

Tuesday 2 June 2015

Big eye girl: "Leyla" sketch by Zelyss


"Leyla"
Sketch by Zelyss

Birdy "Wings"


Birdy
"Wings"

Oh lights go down
In the moment we're lost and found
I just wanna be by your side
If these wings could fly

Angelfall Book 3: 'End of days' by Susan Ee (disappointment)




Aaaah!

That's quite a start. Right?

There is one single thought pestering my mind, ever since I was on the first few pages of the book: I did not, and repeat, I did NOT expect to see the word 'nipple' in this series. The book was beyond that, the characters were beyond that, the author was beyond that. So, why???

Other than that.
General impression after finishing the book: "No, no, no, no, no, no, no!!!"

Nothing in this book is what it was supposed to be. First, the plot: couldn't keep me interested. On "Angelfall" I couldn't wait to get back to the book. On "End of days" I couldn't wait to end it, so as to end my misery. Or sorts. Too much hell, too much blood, too many locusts.

[spoiler alert]
And the characters? Penryn as the leader of the Resistance (ok, let's bypass that). And Raffe, selfish enough to satisfy his urge of the moment, and surrender to his passion, disregarding thus the feelings of Penryn. "Yes, I want you, but no, I don't want you". Speaking about hot and cold.

And don't let me get started about the ending. We spent an enormous amount of time in hell (literally), watching the fallen angels be punished and chased by demons, because they had had daughters of men, and the conclusion of the story is that Raffe decides (out of the blue, on the 97% of the book) that he is not perfect anyway, so why bother? Let's give this thing a try. Dah!!!

I said it before, I say it again. Stop on the first book people!

Don't write sequels.

Impress us with something new...!

Aaaah!

Big eye girl: "Eye Candy" sketch by Zelyss

"Eye Candy"
Sketch
by Zelyss