Fairy Concept

I've been practicing with Photoshop lately. This new piece is a character concept based upon Queen Titania.

It's Whistle Pig Day!

Happy Whistle Pig Day to everyone emerging from their winter hibernation. Here's some new art to celebrate:

"Two Roads"
Photoshop

Warlord Prints Now On Sale

The three pieces that were created for the collectible card game "Warlord" are now available for purchase on Etsy. Purchasing from Etsy is secure and easy, but you must sign up for an account. If you do not wish to sign up for an Etsy account, please contact me at darktreestudios@yahoo.com and let me know what print you would like - include "Warlord Print Order" in the subject. Each print costs $10 plus $2 for shipping/handling via USPS for US orders. If you live outside the US, you will have to contact me for a quote. At this time, I only take payments through PayPal.

I print all of my own prints on premium glossy photo paper with HP Vivera ink. Each images is signed and titled with archival black ink. All prints are shipped flat and are enclosed in an acetate envelope with cardboard backing.

Fire Seeds, Incessant Waves, Flying Carpet

Horse

Here's a horse in the woods.

Serpentine

This is one of the images that was removed from the website during the recent renovation.

ink on bristol board

New Website Design

I just completed re-designing my website. The new design is a bit more stylish and makes use of pattern and texture (which was lacking in the previous version). The color scheme is similar but more dramatic.

I separated my work into "illustration" and "concept art" and removed the sketchbook section. The sketches will be posted here from now on and the website will only feature my professional work. This should keep things organized a little better. It will also give me lots of material to publish here on the blog in the next few weeks.

Attached is the photoshop template I made while deciding color, pattern, and layout.

Happy New Year (with doodles and varnishing technique)

Here are a few doodles that were made with the intention of testing out some new varnishing methods. I have been working with mixed media for a while now and I was investigating some alternatives to framing under glass. While the presentation of a matted and framed piece is very traditional and protects the image very well, it is very expensive and in some instances can be down right boring.

So in order to explore other possibilities, I made these little mixed media bird doodles and varnished them with varying techniques. The watercolor paper is mounted to a piece of professional quality hardbord (I like Ampersand's products). I like to use a cradled hardbord for mounting the paper. This way, a wire is easily attached to the back for framing purposes.

I found that the best method proceeds as follows: Since I work on watercolor paper with water-based media and drawing materials, I needed to seal the drawing in order to prevent the varnish and isolation coat from smearing the watercolor. The best method for this was using a resin-based artist grade fixative. Several light layers were applied. After the fixative dried, an isolation coat of acrylic gloss soft gel mixed 2 to 1 with water was applied. This permanently seals the image against moisture and creates a barrier between the final layer of varnish and the artwork itself. A UV blocking archival spray varnish is then applied for the final protective coat. The varnish is removable for conservation purposes.

In essence, the piece becomes a mixed media acrylic painting due to the application of the soft gel. The watercolor paper is sealed to prevent buckling or molding due to moisture and the watercolor/drawing materials are fixed in place. The piece can then be displayed without glass, just like a traditional oil or acrylic painting.

I'll be making several small paintings using this method. Check back for more info!

Happy New Year