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.

 

 

Free Patreon Content Ends After Tomorrow!

I thought I’d add a reminder since the end date is just around the corner. As it says above, please subscribe to become a Patron to avoid losing the benefits of Patron-only content!  There are three tiers $1, $5, or $10 per month to gain access to content and rewards!

My Patreon – www.patreon.com/AngelaDeRiso

To view the free content, please subscribe to my YouTube Channel – www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Mgj…

I’m in the process of growing my YT channel to coincide with my Patreon, so any feedback is appreciated. Please check out the tutorials and other videos there, as I upload about 3 videos per week; A review, a tutorial, and a video of how an artwork goes from concept to creation. I periodically add videos of timelapse, nature walks/ herping, and personal causes. Let me know your thoughts!

As stated before here is a list of free and paid content.

NOTE: I decided to make the Product Reviews and Videos Highlighting What Inspires Me part of the free content. I felt that the reviews would be more helpful to a wide range for people, and the inspiration stuff would give my audience more insight into who I am.

Free content will include :

  • Simple Tutorials (Quick Techniques For Drawing In Graphite/Colored Pencil)
  • Photos of Completed Work
  • Product Reviews (Art Supplies, Etc.)
  • Time Lapse Videos
  • Inside Look At How I Gather & Use References
  • Videos/Photos Highlighting Reptiles, Responsible Ownership & Conservation
  • Nature Walks/ Wildlife Videos
  • Content Highlighting What Inspires Me

Paid content will include :

  • In Depth Tutorials (More Focus On Details, Textures & Animal Drawing Studies)
  • Inside Look At Concept To Completion
  • Photos of Works in Progress & Sneak Peeks At Upcoming Art/Projects
  • Your Suggestion Of Topics/ Tutorials
  • Live Chat/ Hangout
  • Physical Rewards (prints, postcards, etc.)
  • Advice On Your Own Art & How To Use Materials
  • Downloadable Images & Photos

 

Stay tuned for more next week. 🙂

Patreon, Free Content Ending Aug 31!

Just a reminder that half the content I’ve been creating for my YouTube channel will be Patron-Only after Aug 31.

If you are not subscribed to me on Patreon, here’s a list of all you’ll be missing out on.

In Depth Tutorials, Previews of Upcoming Work/ Projects, Art Product Reviews, Concept To Completion Videos, Your Choice of Tutorial or Topic, Live Hangout, Advice on Your Artwork, Art Bookmarks & Postcard Prints, and Customized Items. There’s also a Gift Box for long term Patrons!

You can continue accessing this content for $1, $5 or $10 per month! Visit and subscribe here www.patreon.com/AngelaDeRiso

Through my YouTube channel, you can still get videos of simple tutorials, art timelapse, nature walks/herping, and information about my personal causes for reptiles.

You can subscribe to me here www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Mgj…

Here are a few more bits of content from my channel.

Here’s where you can purchase prints and other goodies of this latest piece!

Sell Art Online

Be back soon!!

Timelapse Videos & Tutorials

I’ve been busy filming time-lapse videos with my phone via an app called Lapse It, and really enjoying what can be done with it. It does eat up memory, and I ended having to store the video files on Google Drive because they are too big to send to my PC through email. They are well worth the trouble just to see a half an hour of work sped up to a minute or two.  Below are the two I’ve made so far.

 

I’m beginning to understand the importance of lighting and camera batteries as I’ve started my dive into make tutorials. I had to order a new battery (which no store near by carries) for my digital camera after the old one failed to hold any charge. Thankfully, my lighting situation is solved by having my desk set up near a window for natural daylight, and I have a decent lamp with an extendable arm. I also bought a tripod to hold my camera, and occasionally my phone, for proper filming.

Here are a few tutorials I’ve made.

I will be creating more tutorials as time goes on, as well as other video content related to my art, reptiles & the things that inspire me.

Thanks for stopping by!

Putting The Word Out

I have yet to officially publish my Patreon page, but it shouldn’t be long before it’s ready. Here is my introduction video to get you familiar with the ideas behind what I’m doing. I will post the link when ready soon. Keep your eyes on this spot.

Newest Turtle Artwork & Videos

I recently finished up two 8″ x 10″ pieces of two North American species, and have made drawing process videos of them as well. When looking at the average algae covered pond turtle, it’s easy to forget just how colorful some of them can be. The Wood Turtle is a great example of that, with their bright orange skin. So too are Spotted Turtles, with orange to peach scaling on their front legs, and many pale yellow spots.

I wanted to capture these two turtle species in their native habitats, so they are as described below.

The Wood Turtle is not strictly aquatic, often venturing out on land half of the time. However, in the artwork I have one swimming through a creek (or river) accompanied by a small school of minnows. A stand of trees in the woods shows just at the water’s surface.

The Spotted Turtle swims under aquatic plants and their hanging roots. The water is shallow and tinged yellow with tannin from dead and decaying trees.

Here are the process videos!

And here are the links where you can shop for products made with these pieces printed on them!

Sell Art Online

Photography Prints
 

I’ve developed a soft spot for turtles over the years, from both becoming enamored with local pond residents and rescuing injured or disoriented turtles. I now have two of my own as part of my family. Both were adopted from the Mid-Atlantic Turtle & Tortoise Society, whom I connected with through the wonderful Turtle Forum. Through them I learned about just how many turtles are abandoned and cast off as if throwaway items. I also learned how unique and personable turtles can truly be. No, they are not animals who are soft and cuddly, nor do most of them care for much handling. But they do interact with their owners, they have favorite foods, and some even enjoy a good shell scratch (They do get itchy, especially during a growth spurt). There are even some who actually want to be pet, or held, but it depends on the turtles disposition.

I have also met wonderful people who love them just as I do, and have expert knowledge on their care. A pet turtle or tortoise is a serious consideration as a pet, not just in terms of care, but also in longevity. Some are capable of outliving their owners, especially tortoises.

So, in appreciation of my artwork, I hope that people will also see the importance of the species depicted, both wild and captive, whether they be pets or wildlife that needs protection.

Here is a list of some great links about turtles. Stay tuned for more!

 

 

 

Drawing Process Videos!

In the last few days, I’ve been putting together some videos of the shot by shot process of some of my latest drawings.

In between working on these, I am still working on more original artworks. I’ve had a couple of commissions all completed and sent out in the last month or two. I’m free again to take on more custom orders if anyone’s in the market for it. Some of my time has been spent on marketing on Facebook, and other social media platforms. Sometimes just before the perfectly timed summer storms begin rolling in. Then, because of frequent lightning, I have to turn off my PC.

This is what it looked like right before things got ugly.

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Dark clouds rolling in

 

I have more work left to do. I’ll be back soon!

 

Gecko Art & Products

I thought I’d share some gecko artwork that I finished and uploaded to both my Etsy and Fine Art America Shops.

On my Fine Art America shop, there are several products available such as prints, tote bags, pillows, phone cases, and mugs.

Photography Prints

Photography Prints

I also have a Leopard Gecko piece from a while back available to be made into several products, too.

Art Prints

 

The original pieces are listed in my Etsy shop

I also have a few older lizard artworks still for sale, please check them out.

Green Anole 11″ x 14″ Original

Chinese Water Dragon Fantasy Art Print 11″ x 14″

 

I will keep posting new stuff as it becomes available! Keep your eyes out!

 

Youtube Video Artist Ad

Utilizing social media platforms to advertise myself and my work have been very beneficial to me in starting my own venture. Some of it has been frustrating and confusing, but I’ve kept learning through trial and error.

I had a Youtube channel a few years before I started posting on many other platforms, mostly for my pet videos and such. However, I just tried my hand at making a video advertisement for this little business of mine. It’s a fairly simple trailer for my artwork, but it is the beginning of something I feel will add another dimension to what I do for my readers, and possible customers.

Many people are fascinated by how art takes shape and progresses over time. While no one but the artist sits hour by hour seeing that process through its iterations, by documenting it in photos I can show it all without taking hours of someone’s time. I would love to have a high-speed camera to record everything, but for now I can provide a similar experience by taking incremental photos.

I did this video below a few years ago on some seaturtle pieces I’d done.

I have several folders of image files for the more recent pieces I’ve done, and I will be putting more art process videos on my channel.

I will still be adding pet videos every now and then, typically of my turtles. Those are fairly sporadic uploads. As I need to increase my marketing platform, I will be trying to focus more on the art side of things.

Although, who can resist the little turtle destroying the live plants I so lovingly put in the terrarium for him?

 

Speaking of turtles, this was my latest completed commission. A pet red eared slider turtle and her owner. This is a big female slider of nine years old. Many people end up getting rid of turtles when they become so large. I’m so glad to see someone who loves their turtle after so many years (and hopefully many more!). It’s very encouraging for me to see others who value them as much as I do. I was very happy to do this piece, and it’s a great piece of work to add to my portfolio.

PetTurtle-Commission
Two Ladies: One A Turtle, One A Human

 

 

Having a love for my pets and wildlife is a big part of what I do as an artist. They endlessly inspire me. And of course, make me laugh.

More content coming soon, stay tuned!

 

Prints & Originals Available Now!

I finally have a few select prints done and ready for purchase, as well as some small 8″ x 10″ original pieces listed in me Etsy shop here Angela DeRiso Art

I’m pushing out small originals at a steady rate, and quality prints are being made one by one. Here’s is the latest selection of available items.

 

prints-insta-ad

“Water Dragon & His Dryads” 11″ x 14″ Art Print

“Serpent Goddess” 11″ x 14″ Art Print

“The Sun & The Dragon” 11″ x 14″ Art Print

 

Here is a closer look at “The Sun & The Dragon” in detail (photo of the original piece).

thesun-thedragon

 

 

Here are the latest 8″ x 10″ original pieces for sale at $45 each.

 

axlotl-dream
“Axlotl Dream”

An axoltl swimming through a dreamworld as two water spirits watch over its journey. This amphibian is commonly kept as a pet, and is unique not only for its strange appearance but its incredible regenerative abilities.

This one of a kind artwork can be purchased here “Axlotl Dream” 8″ x 10″ Original Artwork

 

 

DSC06049
“Turtle Goddess”

This piece depicts several turtle species swimming toward the sanctuary of a goddess who oversees their protection. Species in this piece are Red Eared Slider, Map, Chicken, Snapping, Three Striped Mud, Wood, Softshell, and Blanding’s.

Here are a few close ups for detail.

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You can purchase this artwork here “Turtle Goddess” Original 8″ x 10″ Artwork

 

 

Here are some previews of works in progress…

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Thanks for reading, and please keep watching for new work and available items!