Tag: artist blog

Update 06/21/2018

I got caught up in other things again, but haven’t stopped arting away. It took some time for me to finally finish my new piece “DragonGears”, and I hadn’t done a 11″ x 14″ size artwork in a while.

Ended up with some steampunk gears in the background. Goodies and prints of this piece are now available through the shop links listed on the homepage.

I have had some issues with camera and video editing for my youtube channel the last two weeks. Couldn’t get my camera positioned right for filming, and failed to try and understand the LightWorks video editor. As a result, the last part of this artworks progress was all in still shots.

I’d been looking for a decent editor to help improve the quality of videos and utterly failed with that particular one. I finally found one that has an easier to grasp interface called VideoPad. It has a nice design and welcoming interface, along with added effects and things to help make videos look more professional.

In other news, I have new products exclusively available through my Etsy shop. Bookmarks and 11″ x 17″ posters of some of my work is slowly being added to shop sections. The bookmarks are pretty nicely made, and aren’t available anywhere else.

 

Here is a look at the posters I have in stock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy them here – https://www.etsy.com/shop/AngelaDeRisoArt

I have lots of small and medium sized original artworks for sale, and there is a 25% off sale going on until this Sunday. Just use code 25OFF at checkout!

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YouTube Channel Updates & New Work

I’ve been working on improving the youtube channel, and recently learning to make better, more eye catching thumbnails. The keywords are more tricky, and peoples’ interest are always fickle.

I’m maintaining the style of fantasy, women, and reptiles, which seems to attract a decent amount of attention. I haven’t really seen anything else quite like what I’m doing. Women and dragons are another route to take every so often. Can’t go wrong with dragons.

As I type this, I have my bearded dragon soaking in his designated tub while I’m updating things online. My desk is also a mess, with two new artworks on top of each other, bills near by, an open package of batteries, and color pencils and tools spread everywhere.You can also see where I’ve utilized one of my reptile clamp-lamp fixtures as a spotlight for my videos. I usually have it attached to the tripod for filming, but has the habit of falling if not clamped on properly.

Despite my potentially dangerous workspace, I have managed to make a few decent new videos. Here are the latest.

 

And I have new products coming this week that will be available through my Etsy shop. They will be 11″ x 17″ art posters of some of the best pieces in my collection. I will update as soon as they come in.

 

 

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02/11/18 – Mini Drawings!

Keeping busy finishing some turtle artwork, and the accompanying videos for my YouTube channel. Here are the latest entries in the finished pieces.

And here are the latest things I’ve been doing. Mini Drawings: these are 5″ x 5″ colored pencil drawings of turtles and bearded dragons. These are available through both Society6 and RedBubble shop links on the homepage. I’m also selling the originals on Etsy for $12 each. I’m making new ones each day, with new color variations.

 

 

Here’s a quick video on how I went about making one of them.

 

 

 

A Torrent Of Turtles

This artwork depicts many of North America’s common species; (from top left) Eastern Box Turtle, Florida Box Turtle, Wood Turtle, Yellow Bellied Slider, Red Eared Slider, and the Spotted Turtle.

This one is available as prints and other products through the links on the homepage.

 

I have started adding narration to my videos explaining what I’m doing in each artwork. Here are a few videos I made for each stage of working on the above artwork.

 

 

That’s it for now. I’m always keeping busy, so if you don’t hear from me here on the blog, please check out the links on the homepage where you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and any of the shops I run online.

~ Angela

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colored pencil drawing sketch turtle reptile

01/17/2018

Happy New Year!  Here’s to hoping everyone meet their goals for this year!

Among the gifts I got this Xmas, were giftcards for certain chain stores, or ones that I have free reign to spend where I like. Books are one of my favorite things to buy, and I can’t do this too often or I go broke. Those costs add up. However, through Barnes & Nobles, you have the option of buying used books for very reasonable prices. As low as $1. It was this method I used to buy some science fiction classics I have yet to read. There are two books relating to the subject of biology; One on Coyotes in America, and the other on the cognitive abilities and otherwise fascinating info on octopuses.

Here is the stack of them.

20180112_155009

I will be posting reviews of these books over on my writing blog here – https://lynnderiso.wordpress.com/

I have been continuing my videos on YouTube now focusing on each artwork I work through. I show timelapses of the stages of drawings, highlighting, shading, and coloration of a subject.

I’ve not done as many tutorials lately, but will be doing some when I can incorporate them as I work on each piece.

Here are the latest videos!  Check them out, and if you’d be so kind, like the videos and subscribe to my channel. I thank you for watching.

 

Here is the new work!

“Blue Nova”

colored pencil drawing sketch turtle reptile
Blue Nova

Buy prints and other products of this artwork at the links below:

Society6 – https://society6.com/product/blue-nova-turtle-colored-pencil-drawing_print?sku=s6-8530426p4a1v45

RedBubble – https://www.redbubble.com/people/angeladeriso/works/29897931-blue-nova-turtle-colored-pencil-drawing?asc=u&grid_pos=13&p=art-print&rbs=15b84546-6a7f-4567-976e-c7bc0b48b4e4&ref=artist_shop_grid

Fine Art America – https://fineartamerica.com/featured/blue-nova-angela-de-riso.html

 

I have more art to work on, so keep a lookout for more videos and artwork shortly!

~Angela

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Bearded Dragon Commission

I recently had the pleasure of doing a commission for a fellow bearded dragon owner, and I was pleasantly surprised when she sent me these photos after she got it in the mail.

It’s one of the best responses I’ve ever had sent to me on facebook. Here is the 8″ x 10″commission once I finished it.

Beardie Comm1

Another thing that I got done last week was a video about my pet turtles and the Mid-Atlantic Turtle & Tortoise Society. MATTS does wonderful work promoting responsible care of captive and wild turtles and tortoises, as well as rescuing and adopting out those in need of homes. If you like the video, please share it. More people should know that pet turtles are a commitment, not a throw away pet.

In the meantime, I posted two new tutorials, so here they are for your viewing pleasure.

Be back next week.

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New Fantasy Artwork, and Updated Portfolio Page

The portfolio page has been updated with several new wildlife pieces, so go check it out if you like. The new entries include birds, turtles, and a few big cats.

In the meantime, I have completed some fantasy pieces recently, which I still do on occasion. These are mostly done in graphite pencil, since I try to save my color pencils for the wildlife work.

The idea of illustrating the alien creatures/characters from Neal Asher‘s novels had me busy. I went ahead and smashed out the ferocious ‘Hooder’. Technically, they are bio-mechanical war machines made by an ancient alien race. Very millipede-like, but the hood, or front end, is absolutely brutal. It cuts, slices, and damn-near dissects its prey alive when eating. I doubt if I added enough ‘manipulators’ under that hood, since the descriptions in certain scenes make it seem like they are numerous.

The Hooder
The Hooder

After reading Dark Intelligence and War Factory, I had to do a sketch of Riss, the war drone. She accompanies one of the main characters on his journey. She is feisty, and designed to resemble a certain alien parasite(that also just so happens to resemble a Terran snake species.).

Riss
Riss

 

 

This was done after viewing many a beautiful stempunk clothing designs, and goggles. I like the idea of a lone desert drifter female with weird lizard companions. I used a photo of a Mexican Alligator Lizard as reference for the little buddy on her shoulder. A few photos were referenced for pieces of clothing as well. I do love the corsets. Need to try more steampunk themed artwork.

SteamPunk Lizard Wench
SteamPunk Lizard Wench

 

This one I worked on for a while, especially when trying to get the face right. The idea behind it was of a deity associated with crows/ravens. Decided to make her blonde instead of dark haired as would be expected. Ram horns were used as reference for texture, and light/shadows. A lot of shading went into the crows feathers/body. The background winding pattern is partly my attempt to fully fill the page, and add something to set the main subjects against instead of just blank space.

Rabble 11" x 14"
Rabble
11″ x 14″
Face Close-Up
Face Close-Up
Crows Close-Up
Crows Close-Up

 

That’s it for the time being, as I toil away at yet more work to be done.

 

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New work & Instagram

Sorry for the long wait between posts. I had to deal with the death of my Grandmother a few weeks back, and a lot has been going on after that. I will dedicate a post to her soon. I’m just not ready yet. Have to get everything written down for it.

In the meantime, I did get myself an Instagram account to spread my work out in the world. You can find me at the screen name “angela_deriso“. If you want updated art on the go, that’s where I’ll be posting it.

I’ve been working on some new pieces on canvases ranging from 11″ x 14″ to 12″ x 16”, and larger. Here are a few unpainted but drawn designs I have going at the moment.

Octopus frontal pose
Octopus frontal pose
A seahorse pair
A seahorse pair
Octopus side pose
Octopus side pose
Manta Ray. Remora fish were added later.
Manta Ray. Remora fish were added later.
Manatees
Manatees
Dolphins
Dolphins
Moray Eels- Flotsom & Jettsom
Moray Eels- Flotsom & Jettsom

 

And since I had extra canvases… Dragons. 😀 I’m excited to see how they’ll turn out.

Dragon2
Dragon2
Dragon1
Dragon1

 

I also ended up making a gift of one of my paintings to my brother. He has loved my previous octopi paintings, so I sent him one in secret! He loved it, and called me just to say so. Definitely going to be trying this color scheme with a few other octopi.

octi-fire

 

I have been working on all of these in the last week, and my wrist has been twinging. Went and got a wrist wrap-thing to help. Only problem is that I can’t wear it to do the work. It restricts mobility somewhat.

More finished paintings will be posted soon.

PS:

I forgot this one was done.

Seaturtle with Jellies 16" x 20"
Seaturtle with Jellies
16″ x 20″

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Last Week’s Event & More Site Updates

Last week’s 3rd Friday went well again, though the turnout was a bit less on account of rainy weather. Sold about half my stuff, and still made decent cash. Instead of going nuts with the small canvases each month, I’m planning to have other products with artwork printed on them for each event, and to expand my overall base of sales. Going to try small quantities at first to see how each product type does.

In the meantime, here are photos from that evening. They are a bit low quality due to glare and my phone.

My table setup
My table setup
Bunch of canvases.
Bunch of canvases.
Card sets.
Card sets.

I have also done some updating to the pages on the site. The Pricing & Shipping page now has information for the canvas paintings, commissions, shipping, etc. The Portfolio page has been edited to reflect my best paintings, and a new page (Color Pencil) has been added for information and examples of my color pencil work.

I have to get busy painting, and figuring out the other products, costs, etc.

I’ll post again soon. Thanks,

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Using Colored Paper

One of the nicest things to have as an artist, is a variety of canvases and colors. With most of my color pencil work, I have used white paper (bristol board), but a few years back I discovered quality colored paper that others were using. I was immediately intrigued, and ordered a pad for myself. The colors will really pop off the paper with these sheets. These papers can be used as canvas for color pencil, charcoal, graphite, and pastels.

Canson has a a few different pads under the name Mi-Tienes, with various tones to choose from in each pad. You can see and purchase them here  http://www.dickblick.com/products/canson-mi-teintes-pads/

Canson Mi-Tienes

One of the interesting things about working on one of the darker toned papers is that you already have some shadow built into your canvas. You can start your work with a simple outline, and add highlights first, and then minimal shadows later on. With most paper media, I start shadows first, then mid-tones, and lastly highlights. Another added benefit to colored paper is that you don’t necessarily have to fill in every corner, since the canvas is already rich with tone.

Here are a few in process photos of work done on colored paper. Having your highlights done ahead of time can really put things in perspective while you are working with the rest of the colors in the palette.

Dolphin Touch progress photoWhite Ibis photoSeaturtle progress photo

And here are just a few finished pieces done on the Mi-Tienes paper.
Bella

The paper also has a different texture on each side; one smooth, and one waffle-y. “Bella” was done on the rougher textured side. Not what I initially wanted for the piece, but it worked out.

double-trouble cardinalsgrayfoxwhiteibis

I’m currently working on a few pieces using this paper. My pad will need replacing soon, and I’m curious to try the other color tones in the Mi-Tienes series. I recommend them to anyone using color pencil. I also have a few large poster sized sheet of paper I have yet to use. I haven’t tackled a piece that big yet, but I have them on hand for the challenge eventually.

Sorry my post this week was a bit late. I just have a few things on my plate that have been hectic. I’ll be back on schedule for next week!

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