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.
I have branched out to add new online shops for my work, as well as have new and really awesome products. I’m getting out my brand and hopefully expanding in potential revenue streams. Society6 and RedBubble are where I set up a few spots of my own. I may also be adding Threadless soon.
Products include apparel, home decor, stationary, drinkware, and tech accessories.
My RedBubble shop is here. Here are just a few images of what’s available there.
Meanwhile, I’m taking a break from the YouTube videos for a while. I enjoyed doing them, but they were an added chore getting in the way of my priorities. I will have a loose uploading rhythym for now, but mainly for videos having to do with my own work( not tutorials) and the occasional pet video.
My most recent video was actually taken at an event held by my local reptile club where we have animals displayed and educate the public on reptiles and how they’re kept. Some really cool animals were brought out. Dax (Eastern Box Turtle) & Gimli, my bearded dragon were brought along with me to meet the public. Dax is a great little turtle to bring, just as an example of how NOT to care for a box turtle, but so many people loved him for his cuteness and colorful markings.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
I recently had several of my pieces put on display at a local library in my area. The beginning of July was when I dropped them off to be hung, and the exhibit ends at the end of August. I’m putting more effort into having my work displayed locally when I can. I’ve frequented this library alot, since I’m an avid reader of science fiction, and other related things.
I’ve also maintained my work on other pieces of native wildlife in my Florida neighborhood. If you keep up with my instagram account, you’ll have seen these already. I will be adding them to the portfolio page of this site.
Blue Jay’s Mangoes 11″ x 14″
Growing up in the Florida Keys, I’d never seen them before. I was fascinated with them when I first moved to the Tampa Bay area. Like many songbirds, they are nearly acrobatic in flight, and happily raid bird feeders. They are bold enough to drive away other birds from food. They also are the first to call out a perched bird of prey, often mobbing the individual until they leave. They carry a wide array of calls, even adding some mimicry to the vocabulary. They can go from loud piercing metallic calls to low peeping chatter.
I purposely kept this minimalist, to remain focused on my subject and the flora I wanted to include. The brightness of a Blue Jay’s plumage is often overlooked, and I wanted to highlight that. Along with the tropical nature of Florida, I decided to at the foliage and fruit of the mango tree.
Florida Softshell Turtle 11″ x 14″
Instead of the hard shell most turtles possess, the softshell has a thick leathery covering upon its back. This reptile also has smooth skin on its head and extremities. Almost doesn’t look like a turtle. I’ve spotted (and rescued off the road) some of these several times. In freshwater ponds, they tend to stay hidden in the murk until they smell or see something worthy of investigation. It’s hard for me not to think them wise when I see them raise just their eyes above water to look my way. They watch and wait. Suppose they have to, since they are fair game for gators and people who like to cook and eat them.
I tried to add a brightness with my choice of colors for this piece, especially in the background. Most photos and the overall environment of these turtles tends to be very drab in color, and would wash out some of the mood and detail I wanted to keep.
Turtle Poker 14″ x 17″
Based on a photo of several wild freshwater turtles I’d taken a few years back. All of these turtles are Red Eared Sliders, with the turtle on the upper left being an old male who’s colors have faded with age. I had been cheating in a way, in order to get these photos. I was feeding them so I could get closer shots of them, and see the different patterns/stripes on each of their heads. Most of their shells were covered with algae. I couldn’t help but notice after looking at the photos I’d gotten, that they all seemed at one point to just sit and stare at each other between the time I threw more food. As if assessing which of them was more prepared to fight for the next morsels. Thus, the title “Turtle Poker” came about.
As with the above piece, I brightened some colors in the environment, and added upon that by adding lily pads.
Green Seaturtles 9″ x 12″
A simple piece on tan pastel paper. No background, but the light, mid-tones, and shadows came out beautifully on this color of paper.
Hawksbill At Surface 9″ x 12″
Based on a photo reference found online. Great for practice with reflective water surfaces, and I was happy with the final product.
So much to do, but seems like there’s not enough time and energy to do it all. Be back soon.
I’ve started two 6″ x 9″ color pencil artworks on gray pastel paper of sea turtles. They will be completed with framing and will be sold as a pair once finished.
Here are the starting shots of the two.
Started by outlining the lightest parts of the turtles with a cream color.
Below are a few steps through the process of laying down colors one at a time, and then skipping ahead to the finished product.
I never realized just how much color these big turtles have on their skin. Not to mention the markings on the shells.
I’ve been working with color pencils alot lately, basically amping up my portfolio, and to add new listings to my Etsy shop. Most of it is wildlife oriented, while I did have a recent fantasy themed commission in the last two months.
The commission was for a wedding gift, couple-themed. I worked with the client, doing several loose sketches before we decided which he wanted, and then sculpting began. The concept was of a dragon kissing a bunny coming out of a top hat. I had everything sculpted, but hit a snag when the dragon’s neck drooped a little to far down during baking. That meant re-sculpting the top hat, and making a base for the dragon so that the dragon and bunny met nose to nose. I came up with the idea to create a flower design as a base for both instead, and okayed it with the client. I sculpted the top hat inside the center of the flower, and made one petal thicker to hold the weight of the dragon and also have him at the right height to meet the bunny properly.
After a few weeks of sculpting, and then completing the paint job, this was the final result. My client was very pleased with how it turned out, and I was happy to take the challenge and create a great gift.
The color pencils works are recent, and I plan to have small prints and cards made from them. I will update here when they become available.
“Mallard Colors”
“Basking Yellowbelly”
“Gem Among Water Weeds”
“Young Eastern Box Turtle”
“Cuban Treefrog”
I am working on more pieces currently, such as Poison Dart Frogs, and more birds.
I have plans to expand my shop, so keep an eye on it if you’re interested. 😉
