Xmas 13 ~ Transferred the Cartoon

Transferred the cartoon using the charcoal technique.  Quick and dirty (emphasis on dirty).  ;- j

Thinking of putting my chop into one of the stone blocks.

I'll be adding detail to the stone blocks, so it should fit in.

My Own Coloring Book

Coloring in cartoons ~ working on techniques and colorways.

This is what I'm liking so far.

The rotties and outside the portcullis will be the blackest.  Stone wall and portcullis surround will be light gray with white accents, lightening it up.

I'm thinking 2 blocks ~ one that is just brown with tapped in red and green; the other one all the blacks (may or may not be black lines in the paneling, etc.).

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And now with light sky thru the portcullis.

I think I'm liking that a little better.

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Cropped to card shape.

The Process is Processing

Looking at oodles and oodles of googled images of stone walls and nooks and hearths and paneling. Lots of angled images too.  I go thru a lot of printer paper and ink during this process.

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I don't usually do this, but I've drawn some perspective lines because the photo I'm using is rather acute.

I'm hoping this looks like a doggy-sized portcullis.

Starting to look like something.  ;-]

Move the cookie place down a bit and maybe round the table.

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Screen capture with plate oval.

I'll make the image a tad taller ~ 11.5" ~ on the board.  Probably add to the bottom a tad, so cookie plate isn't right at the bottom.

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So how many blocks and how many colors?

Stone wall, portcullus grate, card outline, dogs will use black.
Paneling, dog accents, table, dog biscuits will be medium brown.
Chiron's collar, plate rim will be green.
Fae's collar, lettering on card will be red.

I can have 2 blocks, one for black and one for brown.  Red and green can be tapped in, probably on the black block.

Try coloring up something like that.

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Better with a larger plate of cookies.

Santa Paws ~ More Sketches

Bill worked out the dimensions for me.  My block is 9"x12" so the image has to be approx. 6.5"x11.5".  I'll make it a bit wider, but it'll be detail that can be easily cropped out of the card image ~ more wall).  Card image is generally extra long to width ( ≈ 4.5"x7").

I'm also thinking of adding something in the foreground ~ say a doggy dish with bone-shaped biscuits for Santa (like a plate of cookies).

I like the plate of cookies.  Gives it foreground interest.

Green trim on the cookie plate balances the green collar.  Anchors the image.

Framing Up

Three more works framed up.

Snowflakes are Dancing!, Looking Out My Back Door, Straight On 'Til Morning

A few more pieces ~ mostly smallish ~ to mat and frame.

Take metal basket and Longaberger basket for xmas cards.  Leave metal basket in the car; pull out more cards if they're needed, but there are too many sets for a good display.

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Next pass:

Paleo-Unicorn, Paleo-Gobbler, Cosmic Bobcat. Runestones; Paleo-Horsefly, Paleo-Dragon, Paleo-Umi (not bringing)

Next pass:

Air Kraken, Paleo-Phoenix, Silk Wrangler, Hippocampus; Bandit: Paleo-Catfish, Mouse-Arr, Paleo-Basilisk: Angry Bird

This might be it.

Nope. 2 more.  Have to winnow now.

Xmas 2013 ideas

First pass at a sketch for the SH xmas card.

Still working on the surround, but basically it's the rottie pups waiting for Santa Paws at the doggie portcullis.  ;- j

Maybe bows, maybe hats, maybe jingle bells, maybe reindeer antlers.  

Here's another set of sketches.

Show Prep

Working on Control Sheets.  Have to frame up half a dozen woodcuts.  Around 30 pieces, from small to large.  I think I'll have room for them all.  ;->

Bill's going to see if we can take the panels and the art all in one trip (previously we've been setting up the panels & pop-up on the day before).  Might be able to carry the panels on the roof rack of his jeep.  It goes up in 15 minutes now, so it would be nice to save a trip.

Panels, pop-up, back-pack-o-tools

Wooden table w/woodcut display

Display rack for unframed prints

Xmas card basket; xmas cards

Art

Food, water, etc. for goodies table

Control sheets; labels

More Administrivia

Looks like I don't have a clean print of Tay and the Night Visitor.  I'll have to print one up, but not in time for the Garden Party Art Show.  Maybe for the Loscon Art Show.  I want one for SH, so maybe I'll print one up for xmas (after I've done the current xmas card).

Found some misc. small prints, so if I can find appropriate frames, I'll get them ready too.  Otherwise I still need a mat and frame for Straight On 'til Morning.  I'll see what I can do about that today.

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Got some frames and mats.  Think I'm set.  Now all I have to do is mat and frame.  ;- j

Administrivia

Got a nice wire basket for my sets of xmas cards.  Also some white card stock for printing the inserts.

Aaron Bros. is having a 60% off sale.  I'd better see what I need in the way of mats and frames.

Wire basket is what I was looking for, but FYI for another time or use, I have a couple of Longaberger file baskets that might do the trick as well.

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Got mats and frames for 2 of the pieces; I'll go back tomorrow for the other two.  My brain won't hold more than that at a time when I'm looking at frames, mats, colors, sizes, etc.  Better to make it 2 (or 3) trips.  ;- j

Working on Insert Card

Working on insert cards for my mixes sets of xmas cards.  Printed on card stock and slipped into the back of the clear bags.

Add etsy addy.  8-]  I need to get my shop out of hiatus.

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2up version (same size as cards).

3card Scan

Scan of the 3 blank xmas cards I have available in sets and singles.  This (or something like it) will go in the back of the clear bag for the mixes sets.

Need to come up with some arty patter to go along with my contact info.

Garden Party Prep

Time to prep for the show.  See what I've got framed up, frame up new or sold pieces.  Pick some smaller pieces for (hopefully) easy sales.

Awaiting clear bags for xmas cards.  Nail down the pricing scheme for sets and singles.  Some display system.  Even a small box on a table.  Print up graphic card for inside bag with contents, contact info., etc.

Control sheets, labels for panels.  Business cards.

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Taking stock.  I have 24 pieces ~ large and small ~ framed up.  Need to frame up 3 that sold at last Loscon and one new one:

• Snowflakes Are Dancing! (xmas)
• Tay and the Night Visitor  (xmas)
• Straight On 'til Morning  (steampunk airship)
• Looking Out My Back Door (early bird)

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Test scan of the 3 xmas cards to go in the back of the clear bag.

A little more carving

Carved some deeper lines.  Basically done and going into the mail today.

And a scan of the block:

Mirrored and darkened, a faux print approximation:

Clear Bags Snafu

Well cr*p.  I ordered what I thought were the right size clear bags for sets of xmas cards, but it turned out I either miss-measured or got confused.  Instead of holding sets of 4 or 6 cards and envelopes, it barely holds one card and envelope, and doesn't close at that.

Back to the catalog.  The envelopes aren't the problem ~ it's the postage & handling and tax, bringing a $7 initial cost up to $25.  Crrr*p.

Maybe there's a cheaper source of clear bags.

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OK, quart size baggies just close, with a couple inches extra width, for 4 cards and envelopes.  They're 7" x 8.5".  Doable, but not ideal.

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I can order zippered art bags on amazon.com that are 6" x 9".  I think I like those dimensions better, and it's free shipping with $25 total order.  I have a couple things on my waiting list that'll bring the order up.

Think I'll go with that.  I got taken with Clear Bags.  (It came is a cardboard envelope and that cost twice the price of the bags?)

Bad Hair Day ~ Carving

Carvey-carve.  Getting going.

faux print ~ rev b&w

or this

May need a little bit more carving on finer lines, outlines.  Otherwise done.

Rethinking Image

Rethinking the image.

Carve face out with dark lines and shading lines.  Carve the rest of the block as white on black.

Bad Hair Day ~ Transfer

Transferred the cartoon to the block.

Carving next.

Bad Hair Day Cartoon

Carve this.  Like a monoprint.

Bad Hair Day

May carve it like this, I don't know.

More white lines and shading in that case.

What the block would print as:

Needs more white in it in that case.  Carve thicker lines.  Always carve too lightly.  This will encourage me to carve deeper.