News and Nibblefest (NFAC) entry

Hi, folks.  I know it's been a while, but I hope everyone is doing well.  My family and I are fine.  

In art news, I sold "Night Bird" on eBay in December! It was a 5x7 matted to 8x10 inches watercolor that I entered in the SVWS show in September. Surprised me, since I've only sold ACEOs on eBay before.  I did not submit any entries in March for the VMRC show in May-June.  I have been listing my art on eBay and Etsy.

Here is my entry in this month's Nibblefest (NFAC) contest.  It is an older piece but fits the category of cosmic blues.  Bidding starts at 99 cents.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/154461077931

Click on the link for a larger view and click on the link if you want to bid.  Thanks for looking.

Happy Thanksgiving, Art News and Cybersale

Hi, folks,

Hope everyone had a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!   I spent mine at home with my husband and daughter.

I want to try to get back into posting to this blog.  Art wise, since my last post, I entered one watercolor pencil painting and two watercolor paintings in the Shenandoah Valley Watercolor Society (SVWS) water media show, which ran from September 6th to November 7th at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community (VMRC).  Because of covid, the show was not open to the public at large and entries were limited to allow for hanging that would make for social distancing when residents viewed the art.  The show was posted online at the SVWS website (go to the link above) for the public to view.  A video about the show was also done by group leaders and posted to VMRC's video site on vimeo.  Click here to view the video (my segment starts at 10:32).  I didn't win any awards or sell any of my pieces, but you can view them on the SVWS website.  They are titled "Mountain Summer," "Night Bird," and "Shadow Dragon."

I have sold some art on Etsy and eBay.  I sold a 5x7 inch digital print in July on Etsy.  I also sold one original aceo drawing and two aceo prints on eBay in October.  

I posted "Mountain Summer," "Night Bird," and "Shadow Dragon" (which is an aceo) on Etsy and eBay.  I am currently running a cybersale in both my shops.  Click on the links in the "About Me" section of the sidebar if you want to view all the above art and other art I have for sale on both sites.

I hope by September of next year, we won't have to worry about covid anymore.  So many things have been cancelled due to the virus.  The next art show I may try to enter is one at VMRC in May-June.  The deadline for entries is March 15th.  It may or may not be run depending on the virus and vaccine situations.  We shall see.

Well, that's it for now.  Thanks for reading and stay safe.

 

NFAC Contest Entry for May and Assorted

Long time no post here.  I hope everyone is well and not going too crazy at the restrictions due to Covid-19.  I and my family are well, but the restrictions have been stressful.  In news, I'm no longer working for Walmart or working outside the home.

I entered some of my watercolors in some local art shows in the last year.  I didn't win any awards but sold a painting in the last SVWS show, which ran from September 8 to November 2, 2019.  I also entered three pieces in the VECCA show in Woodstock which ran from November 15, 2019 to January 10, 2020.  I didn't win any awards or sell anything there.  I did win a first and second place for art pieces at the Rockingham County Fair in August 2019.  I tried to get two artworks into the juried VMRC Art Show in March 2019, but my art was not selected.

I also planned to enter my art in and attend the local Madicon science fiction convention March 13-15, 2020, but it was cancelled due to the coronavirus.

I have sold some ACEOs on eBay and Etsy.

Below is my entry in the Nibblefest Art Contest, a themed art contest beginning on the 20th of each month.  This month's theme is Winged Creatures.  Please be sure to search NFAC for more great entries, each starting at just $.99.

"Boxyflies 2"

https://www.ebay.com/itm/153943852358

It's an older print, but it fits the theme.  Click on the image for a larger view and click on the link if you want to make a bid.

I have a lot of my ACEOs and other art (and a lot of other stuff) up for sale on eBay too if you're interested.

NFAC contest entry for July

Hi, everyone.  I know, long time no see.  I hope to post more to this blog.

This is my entry in the Nibblefest Art Contest on eBay, a themed art contest beginning on the 20th of each month. This month's theme is Birds.  Please be sure to search NFAC for more great entries, each starting at just $.99.

"Watching"

 https://www.ebay.com/itm/153574195081

Click on the image for a larger view and click on the link if you want to make a bid. 

BTW, I have a lot of my other aceo art (and a lot of other stuff) up for sale on eBay too if you're interested. 

My ACEO theme week entry for August

Here is my entry for this month's ACEO theme week contest on eBay.  This month's theme is Wild Animals.  It's an older piece but it fits the theme.  Click on the picture for a larger view or on the link underneath the picture to be taken to my eBay listing.  I hope you like this photograph.

 "Baby Squirrel"

https://www.ebay.com/itm/153123018766

To view other entries in the contest, please search ACEO TW AUG in the eBay search bar.

Three More Faces

I am woefully behind on the 29 Faces Challenge for September 2013 (click on the face at right for more info or to see other people's entries).  I decided to do some more photo manipulations.  First, I edited an ACEO sized (2.5 by 3.5 inches) piece from a photograph I took of a statue at our local arboretum in October 2009 and resized it from its original 480 dpi to 300 dpi.  The result is below:

"Forest Face"

The version posted above is 100 dpi.  I then experimented with the photo in Paint Shop Pro 8.  The picture below was done with the Virtual Painter Collage plugin, but I don't remember what settings I used.  Again, it would be an ACEO size if printed, but the version below is 100 dpi.  I also had to run Sharpen on it when I reduced the picture size to capture the original detail.

"Forest Face Collaged"

For the last manipulation of the picture, I ran Artistic Effects, Colored Foil.  I started with the Custom 4 setting, kept the default gray (RGB 192) color, kept the default Angle of 133, changed the Blur to 17 and changed the Detail to 24.  I think it gives a cool, funky effect to the picture.  Again, it would be an ACEO size if printed and the version below is at 100 dpi.

"Forest Face Foiled"

As always, click on the pictures for larger views and I hope you enjoy looking at them.

Faces 2 and 3

My second entry in the face challenge (click on the face at the upper right for more details about the challenge) is an alteration of a portion of a photograph of me taken in 2010 at the Frontier Culture Museum by my daughter.  First, I resized the photograph in Paint Shop Pro 8 to 2 by 3 inches at 300 dpi resolution.  Then I ran Posterize on it at the 3 levels setting.  Next I reduced the picture to two colors, with the red components selected, Stucki Error Diffusion and the Weighted palette chosen.  Then I made the image Greyscale and adjusted the color balance by running Black and White Points Cool.  I ran JPEG Artifact Removal, Low, with a crispness of 50 and followed that with Moire Pattern Removal at Fine Details 2.  The result is below.

"Portrait of the Artist"

The version posted above is at 72 dpi.

My third face is an old sketch originally done in black ink on tracing paper, which I decided to scan, resize, and alter a bit in Paint Shop Pro.  The original piece is about 3 by 5 inches.  I decided to resize it to fit an ACEO size (2.5 by 3.5 inches), clean it up a bit, and give it a beige background that I hope looks like aged paper.  I altered the color of the ink to give a more aged appearance too.

"Vamp"

The uncopyrighted image is at 300 dpi resolution.  The one above is 100 dpi.

I'm working on using this image to make a colored Halloween flavored digital piece at ACEO size.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed looking at these pieces and do check out the other entries other people have been making (or even enter some yourself).  Click on the pictures for larger views.

29 Faces Challenge - Face 1

Ayala Art has issued another challenge to do 29 faces in 30 days in September.  I participated in the last 29 Faces challenge in February and decided to give it another go.  For my first face, I've reimagined and made some changes to a digital art piece from February 8th ("Pink Girl").  She's now out on the town for an evening of fun.  Maybe she's going to a Mardi Gras party or maybe just a costume party.  At any rate, she's now a "Party Girl."

At her original 300 dpi, she would be ACEO sized (2.5 by 3.5 inches).  This version I'm posting here is 72 dpi.
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"Party Girl"

I'm starting late so I don't know how many faces I'll be able to do.  But do check out the link in the upper right of this post (29 Faces Sept. 2013) for info on how you can get involved or just to check out the other participants' entries.

Click on the picture for a larger view and I hope you enjoy "Party Girl."

The Birds at Madicon

March 8-10, 2013 were the dates for Madicon 22, a science fiction/fantasy/gaming convention held at James Madison University (click on the convention name for more info).  I have attended this convention several times and usually enter art in the art show.  Unfortunately I missed the registration deadline for this year's con and consequently didn't get to display any of my art.  But I did go and enjoy the convention on Friday and Saturday anyway.

Madicon supports as its charity for the convention the Wildlife Center of Virginia, an animal hospital for healing and releasing back into the wild (if possible) native Virginia wild animals.  Click on the name for more information.  A representative of the center appears at the convention with usually three birds of prey and talks about the center's mission and answers questions.  This year was no exception, except that I actually remembered to bring my camera and take pictures.

The birds that made their appearance this year were an American kestrel, a red-tailed hawk, and a barred owl.  These birds for various reasons could not be released back into the wild and so are used to illustrate the center's mission at appearances at schools and other events.

Unfortunately, due to the girl and the birds moving, I didn't get a good picture of the kestrel.  But here are a few pictures of the hawk and the owl.

 

Click on the pictures for larger views. Sorry they aren't better, but I hope you like viewing them.

Space Face

Well, I finished another face for the 29 Faces 2013 Challenge (click face at right for more info).  This is a combination of original and digital art.  I took the pen sketch of Spock I posted earlier and used Paint Shop Pro to color it, crop it, and create a background for it.

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"Space Spock"

Again, this would be ACEO sized (2.5" x 3.5") if printed at 300 dpi.  The version posted here is at 72 dpi.  I hope you like this piece.

Three Faces

Time for another entry in the 29 Faces 2013 Challenge (click on the face at right for more info or to participate or view other entries).  This time I decided to take a portion of a photograph I took of Natural Chimneys in Mt. Solon, VA on June 25, 2011 and use Paint Shop Pro and a mouse to draw faces on the cliff face.  I tried to follow natural face shapes in the rock, but I did take license and add a mouth to the central face that wasn't apparent in the rock itself and a nose on the face on the left.  Anyway, the altered picture now contains three faces.

"Cliff Faces"

The size, if printed, would be ACEO size (2.5" x 3.5").  Click on the photo for a larger view and I hope you like it.

This entry puts my face total at fifteen.  I'm still behind, but I hope to catch up.

Five More Faces

The last couple of days I've been working on more faces for the 29 Faces 2013 Challenge (click the face photo at right for more info or to participate).  The first two are similar.  Their creation is part original, part digital.  The flower background is from a sheet of origami paper in which I cut a heart shape and glued to an ACEO card.  I decided to scan this partly completed ACEO and use Paint Shop Pro to color the heart and create a face in it.  They are below.

"Heart Face 1"

"Heart Face 2"

I couldn't decide which one I like best so I decided to show both.  Which one do you like best?  These would both be ACEO size (2.5" x 3.5") if printed.

I also worked on another original ACEO, this one done in black Micron Pen ink on smooth Bristol board paper.  He is my favorite character from the original Star Trek series.

"Spock"

Finally, I have two works in progress ACEOs to share with you.  The first is so far a pencil sketch on watercolor paper.  I plan to use watercolors or colored pencil to finish it.

"Mermaid Goddess"

The second has been sitting unfinished in my art drawer, but I really want to finish it by the end of this challenge.  It is colored pencil on Bristol board paper and again, it is ACEO sized.

"Water Elemental"

Click on the photos for larger views.  I hope you've enjoyed looking at these faces.

Face 7

Well, I decided to do another photo alteration of a photograph I took in 2009 at our local arboreteum.  It's a statue of a little girl holding two bowls which act as bird feeders.  Anyway,  I spent some time trying different effects on this second photo and finally decided to go with the following alterations.  Using Paint Shop Pro 8, I reduced the picture to two colors, with the blue components selected, Stucki Error Diffusion and the Weighted palette chosen.  Then I made the image Greyscale.  The result is below.

"Arboretum Girl"

I think it has a rather gothic, unworldly quality.  The image is 300 dpi and would be 4" x 6" if printed.  Click on it for a larger view.

Hope you enjoyed this, my seventh face in the 29 Faces 2013 Challenge.  For more information on the challenge and how to participate in it, click on the face at the right.

Face 6

Time for some another entry into the 29 Faces 2013 Challenge (see the face at right for more details or to participate).  Another participant gave me the idea of altering photos.  The photograph is of a goat I took at a zoo in 2009 which I called "Zoo Goat" (I made cards of it in my zazzle shop). I altered it in Paint Shop Pro 8 by applying the effect of Colored Pencil, Stippled to it.  The size, if printed, would by 5" x 7" at 300 dpi.  The version posted here is 72 dpi.

"Zoo Goat 2"

I worked on another photo alteration, but just now realized that the photo was taken by my daughter so I guess I'll have to try altering another photo some other time. 

Click on the photo for a larger view and I hope you enjoy looking at it.

Face Five

Time for my fifth entry in the 29 Faces 2013 Challenge (click on the face at the right for more details).  This piece started life as a pencil sketch on tracing paper, which I scanned and then colored and refined using the painting program Paint Shop Pro.  The original sketch was larger than ACEO size, but that is the size it would be if printed.

This piece had been sitting unfinished in my computer for a long time, but the faces challenge motivated me to finally complete it.

The portrait is of the main vampire from the television series, Dark Shadows.

"Barnabas 2"

 

Click on the image for a larger view.  Hope you enjoy this piece.

Face Number 4 and an Etsy Update

Here is my fourth entry in the 29 Faces 2013 Challenge (click on the face at the right for more details).  It is another digital art piece and would be ACEO size (2.5" x 3.5") if printed.

"Midnight Kitty"

Click on the image for a larger view.  Hope you enjoy this piece.

For anyone interested, I have put up my "Hearts A Poppin'" original ACEO from the 31 Hearts Challenge in July up for sale on Etsy. 

Two Digitial Faces

Well, it took me a couple of days, but I finished some digital art for the 29 Faces 2013 Challenge.  I have two to show you today.  They were done using a mouse and the painting program Paint Shop Pro.  Both, if printed, would be ACEO size (2.5" x 3.5").

 "Pink Girl"

 "Fairy Light"

Hope you like these.  Click on the images for a larger view.

If you'd like to join the challenge or view the submissions of others participating, just click on the face at the upper right. 

Valentine's Day Art

It's been a while since I posted to this blog.  I've recently been working on some new digital art for Valentine's Day.  Here is my most recent gothic flavored piece.  Click on the image for a larger view.

"Tangled Heart"

Check out this link below for a gothic flavored Valentine using the above art that I have listed in my zazzle shop.

"Tangled Heart Valentine" Card by nitelvr
Browse Tangled Cards

This card is also available as a blank card with no writing on the cover or inside of it.

Here is another digital card design that can be used for a Valentine.

"Dual Hearts 3" Card by nitelvr
Make custom notecards at zazzle.com

I also have made cards (and some other items) from my "Dream Heart" and "Neon Hearts" digital art pictured in my Hearts 6, 7, 8? post.

Anyway, if you want to see more of my recent offerings on zazzle, click on New Products.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy my art.

The Aceo Challenge

Been a while since I posted something here.  Been busy and have had various health problems.  But today is the last day to enter the aceo challenge.  I decided to enter a digital ACEO.  Here it is.

"Christmas Night"

Hope you like it.

Check out the entries in the aceo challenge and cast your vote for your favorite ACEO (starting December 10th) or enter something of your own (you have until 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time tonight).

Hearts 11 and 12 (and more)

This is the final day of the 31 Hearts Challenge run by Ayala Art.  It's been fun.  In searching through my files, I discovered a couple of ACEOs I've done in the past that have hearts in them.  Here they are:

 "Celebrate America"

This ACEO is a scan of the actual ACEO I did for a swap back in July of 2007.  It's digital art using a lot of picture tubes in Paint Shop Pro.  The heart is my original design as is the entire design itself.

 "Vintage Cat 1"

"Vintage Cat 1" is a digital ACEO I created for a card (the two of hearts) in a deck of playing cards made by the ACEO ~ Art Cards Editions and Originals group on eBay.  One of these days I will list it for sale with the extra deck of cards I got just for that purpose.  There is and will be only one laser print of this card and the picture above is a scan of the actual card.

I do have this design without the added hearts as a limited edition print in my Etsy shop though.

Well, if I count hearts, I'm now at 26.  Hope you enjoy these entries.