A bit of a WIP : Mermaid...

I am in an actual living hell these days, or at least just outside the gates of it. Because things might get worse. Much worse. But I am working, I just don't have time to post.  

Here's a bit of what I'm up to:

A mermaid for a project. This is the first sketch, thought was that it would be underwater, but the hair would not be floating enough and I liked the way it was, so decided not to change it.

This is the mermaid after the sketch transfer, a bit altered. A little more mystical, a little less jolly, sitting on a rock out in the fresh air, a sunset behind her. 

I'm a bit uncertain about the color theme (as usual), I don't want the stereotype colors of a sunset (I really hate orange, too).

I wonder if I could fit teal in this painting as well.....  ;)

"Eve in the garden of Eden" : finished piece

Tutorial #3 : Glimpses of my process - FIRST STAGES: Sketching and shading

So I woke up this morning in a foul mood, crazy things are happening these days. Since I'm not at a point of pure happiness, I decided I might give someone else a chance to feel lucky today :)

Jokes (or not) aside, I am sharing below a little bit of my process with you. This is the current painting I'm working on at the moment, it will be titled "Rosemary, the time keeper".

So, let's begin!

1) On gesso primed and sanded board (I have given details of the boards I am using on previous tutorial, see here: BOARDS TUTORIAL), I paint on a greyish background and once it's dry, I transfer the sketch. The initial transfer is by pencil, then I trace it again with a very thin brush dipped on diluted acrylic paint.

2) The next step is establishing values and tones. First come the highlights (with pure, diluted, white) and then the shadows. The process is a little bit like this: 

paint on...

3)

...then smear. 

So that we get that shady effect. The paint must be really thin and you mustn't fear getting your fingers a little dirty. But I don't believe there is any artist who does.

The process of establishing the values is very important, simply because it gives an idea of what the painting will look like, and at this point it is easy to see and correct the mistakes. I used to do this by pencil on the initial sketch as a guide, but I now prefer to do it directly on the painting. It is one of the most fun steps of the way, perhaps the one I enjoy the most! At this stage it is good to take a photo of your masterpiece, to keep it as reference afterwards, because layers of paint will start covering everything pretty soon and you will not remember where is what in the end.

That's all I got for now, but I will keep you updated soon. Have you liked my tutorial so far? Then how about dropping by my facebook page here : FACEBOOK ZELYSS and like my page. 

I like to gain fans the fun way! 

See you on my next post!

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.

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.

"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).

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!

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.

:)

"Dance for me, Abigail, please" - sketch by Zelyss - big eye art - zelyss.com

"Dance for me, Abigail, please" 

sketch by Zelyss - big eye art - www.zelyss.com

"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! 

:)

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!