Death waits for no Man…cause She is impatient.

The first day I spent 7 hours sculpting a body (not including the head) that is about 6-7 inches sitting down, about 2 and a half times the size of any of my Myxies. Because the body was larger then what I normally work with I had to bake it in sections. Started with the torso and after baking it for about an hour I added the hands and feet, then baked it for another 2 hours. The second day I spent 6 hours sculpting skulls, and let me tell you that was hard. Sculpting a face is much different then sculpting a skull, it took me few tries before I got it to look right. Now that I’ve told you about some of the work that has gone into it, I will tell you what the heck I’m talking about…
So I have this picture I did about hmmmm 4 years ago, it’s of a Female Grim Reaper. I call it She Death…real original I know :P Anyway I liked the concept so much I decided to turn it into a sculpture. The picture has Death leaning against a pile of skulls, unfortunately I couldn’t get her to stand cause she is heavy and my oven is small so her head would’ve touched the top so I have her sitting on a pile of skulls. She will be one of my Dragon Con Gallery pieces and I can’t wait to show her to everyone. She is far from being done but I do have a few progress/detail pictures to show you. What do you think so far?

P.S. sorry about all the naked Myxies...I haven't had time to put clothes on them yet, SHAMEFUL!!! LOL :P

Thanks for reading!

~Caralyn

Love me Some Wolverine

My fiancé is a Comic Book junkie…yep, I’ve never been much for reading the stories even though, like most people I’m a fan of the Characters and I never past up a Super hero Movie :) I mean who doesn’t Love Hugh Jackman as Wolverine…Everybody loves him! But I digress..I do however love flipping through his books and checking out the art. Comic Book art is the best, dark, think lines, extreme colors. It’s my kind of illustrations. Recently I have found another wonderful use for his comic books…BACKING BOARDS! The little stiff cardboard that goes in the back of the bag. They are perfect for fun, quick pictures. A nice white thin canvas that water colors, markers, acrylics, you name it, glides on like a breeze. So to his dismay I’ve been snatching a few boards and letting my creative juices flow. I don’t even use a table, I just flop down on the couch infront of the TV and sketch my little heart out. It’s been nice. Lucky for my fiancé you can buy backing boards for cheap…he is gonna have to stock up now :P.
Okay so I told you all this because I have a few pictures that I have done on my new Comic Book size canvases. They are just some little things I doodled while watching Christmas movies. I’ve started painting them and I’m excited about how they are turning out.
I’ve run on too long on this blog but I just wanted to give you a heads up. I’m going to be posting them in the next couple of days. So Please keep checking my blog for updates.

Thanks for reading, now get back to thinking about Hugh Jackman….sigh :)
~Caralyn

Hassle Free Art

Hello Friends!
I have been working on a painting for the past few days and WHOOT I finished it! I extremely enjoyed painting this one because it was what I like to call a “hassle free” painting. I just grabbed a brush and a canvas and started adding color. I am someone who begins a picture by first deciding what I want to do, then drawing a rough draft, then expanding on the rough draft, then revising it and Then FINALLY inking it before painting or adding color. With this painting I skipped all my normal steps and just got right to it. I had no idea where I was going with it or what the outcome would be and I tell ya …it was invigorating. Yes I find spontaneous painting to be very exciting…I’m a simple kinda girl. But it turned out really good… surprisingly.
Anyhoo I’ve posted the it along with a few pictures of the process I took to get it there. With this one instead of painting the characters first as I usually do, I started with the background then added on top of that. I had to wait for each layer to dry before adding the next…I used oil so it took a while to dry so next time I think I’ll try watercolor.
So here it is, Let me know what you think.
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1828666&imageID=32773618

Thanks for looking, I’ve started on a few other projects so keep checking my blog for updates.
~Caralyn

Moving Right Along

Okay so now I’ve started on the background. First I worked on the land, abundant with hills and a few bushes. At the bottom of the picture I used some browns to fade the green hills into a sort of dirt road. Next was the sky…I was going for a sunset so I used a couple different colors. Starting with a light blue and ending with orange just above the hills.
In the second picture I added detail, clouds in the sky and filled in the outline of the castle. Then I made the hills all grassy by painting small blades of grass…yes it took a long time. Also added a few cracks and stones at the bottom to make the “dirt road” appearance and highlights to the bushes. Now the background is complete it’s time to finish paintin dem critters!

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1828666&imageID=29934578

Just about done I have about two more blogs on my progress so keep checking for updates.

Thank you for looking!
~Caralyn

Last Two...Don't Cry

Okay I know I said I only had one more picture to post but I forgot about a picture I was working on that I got TOTALLY frustrated with cause I couldn’t come up with a good background. So I kinda throw it to the side and worked on other pictures BUT I went back to it and was able to do a background that I could be happy with so I’m posting it also. But these two will probably be the last PhotoShop images for a while because I’ll be working on paintings and Myxies. You know you are all super excited about the new Myxies…Come on I can totally tell…just kidding :P

This first one is the one that I was having so much trouble with, see I wanted to do a stain glass window behind her that sort of told her story but for the life of me couldn’t get it to look right. After fighting with it for hours I took out a few of the images that I had in the stain glass originally and just went with the simple clouds and flames. It still gives the viewer and idea of what her story is but leaves more to the imagination then I had planned. But that’s not a bad thing. I call it Self-inflicted
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1475118&imageID=29460684

I think this one is my favorite of all my new art. Took me FOREVER to do her hair and then about that long to get the bubbles the way I wanted. It didn’t come out at all the way I pictured it in my head but still came out great I think. I call it Posing Siren
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1475118&imageID=29460747

That’s it for the PhotoShop pictures for a little while but I might try and post pictures of my paintings as I finish them so keep checking my blog for updates. Thanks for looking.

~Caralyn

Not What You Expected, Isn’t Always a Bad Thing

Well I had a pretty specific plan I was going to follow to get prepared for Dragon Con, but unfortunately time is running out so I have to make a new plan. I originally had about 15 pictures I was going to have completed for the con but alas I color too slow, so I have only finished about half that. I have a painting or two I still need to complete and then I have to get started on the Myxies. But I have finished two new pictures in PhotoShop that I am posting today and then I have one more that should be done this week that I will post. So don’t worry…you will have 3 more pictures to enjoy for now. :)

The first one is really just a doodled I did at a show that I never really intended to color but I liked her and it gave me a chance to try out a few of the tools PhotoShop has. Unfortunately it doesn’t have a title yet.
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1475118&imageID=29255600

This picture was drawn over a span of about a year or so. She started out as just a head and some hair…later I added the body and then much later I added her wings and the plant she rests on. I call it Lonely Fairy…probably cause she was missing her wings for so long :P
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1475118&imageID=29255574

I have one more picture I will post next week probably, but I will keep you updated on all I am doing for Dragon Con so keep checking my blogs.

Thanks for Looking!
~Caralyn

Unicorns and Happiness are my Forte

I finished a new picture, I’m really excited about this one because it is different from my other art. I usually draw either females or cute things. Unicorns and Happiness are my forte but with this one I branched off a bit and got in touch with my horror side. I call it “Full Moon” it is of a Werewolf…yeah you see how the name tires in. :P
It really didn’t take me as long as I had originally thought, from start to finish was only about 5 or 6 hours. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. All though I will admit I cheated a little. I have discovered more of the awesomeness that is PhotoShop. With this picture I played around with some of the features for certain things such as his glowing eyes and the bright moon behind him. Glowy eyes Oooooo Creepy.
Have a look see won’t you.
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1475118&imageID=28930996

I still have a few more pictures I will be coloring in PhotoShop before I start on more Myxies YAY Everyone’s Favorite :) And I will try to post each of them as I finish so be sure to keep checking my blog for updates.

Thanks for looking.
~Caralyn

And the Folks Like Me on the Job from Nine to Five

Ugh I have not done a thing this week as far as my art goes. When I work so hard on it for weeks and then just stop I feel so guilty. Things at my 9-5 have just been so hectic and with the holiday this weekend I was just so worn out. I really only have a few hours after work for my art anyway. Sometimes after coming home through the traffic…you all know…all I feel like doing is flopping down on the couch and watching TV. I have so much I want to get done before Dragon Con but at the rate I am going right now I’m not going to get very close. It would be easier if I had a full day to work on my art but what are you gonna do…you gotta pay them bills am I right.
Anyway let me tell you a bit of what I plan to work on tonight…cause I know you are all dying to hear all about it :)
I have been working on coloring a new picture in PhotoShop. It is of an Angel in front of a Stain glass window. It’s almost completely done I just can’t figure out what I want the stain glass to look like. I was thinking I would make a scene behind her on the glass instead of just splashes of color but I’m having a hard time figuring out what to put. Ugh if you can’t tell from all my other blogs…I have a lot of issues with backgrounds. Ay Me, it’s my cross to bear.
But tonight, I’m hoping I can figure it out and finish the picture Finally. If all goes according to plan I will have a brand new picture to show you next week….I said IF.

Okay well I have a lot to get done so Stop distracting me :P
Talk to ya later!
~Caralyn

Celebrate Good Times...Come On!

I’m FINALLY FINISHED! I think this calls for a celebration, everyone join me in the Happy Dance…okay enough of that you look silly :)
This picture took me such a long time…partly because it was taking an extremely large amount of time to color the characters. I was using a slightly different technique then I normally use, or at least one that I haven’t used it in quite some time. But it also took longer than expected because I couldn’t figure out what background I wanted to put behind it. I tried a forest scene, a few trees and greenery. I tried a sunset, lots of orange and yellows behind them. Then I tried putting them both together for a foresty-sunsety (sunsety’s a word) background…but I just couldn’t get it to look right. But then I scrapped that idea and decided to try something else, Like a stone border. Well it turned out to be a stone wall with a window in it when I was done but I was happy with the finished result.
Have a look-see.
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1475118&imageID=28441267


Unfortunately I can’t think of a good name for this piece, so for now it remains untitled.
Keep Checking my blogs for updates on my art.

Thanks for looking.
~Caralyn

Can't Think of a Good Name for This Blog

Man, I have been working my fingers to the bone this month. I’m trying to get a head start on the pile of work I want to get done before Dragon Con. I have so much to do but I think I’m making progress. I’ve finished up a few paintings, some scratch art and I’ve been working on coloring my newer drawings in PhotoShop. I posted a couple a few days ago that I finished last week and I’m going to try to keep posting them as I finish them.
On this picture I was trying to make it look a little more anime-ish then what I usually draw. I’m not sure if it came out that way but I think it looks good anyhow. I don’t have an official title yet but for now I just call it Angel. It took me about 4-5 hours to color in PhotoShop.

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1475118&imageID=28309871


Thanks for looking and keep checking my blog for updates on my newest work.

Tootles!
~Caralyn

I Been Working on the PhotoShop All the Live Long Days

Yeah so I have been blogging about a few pictures I’m working on…well worked on, I have finished most of them now… but I’m pretty happy with how they turned out, which is very rear :P So I figured I would share some with you. Oh Boy! Okay so the one I finished first was “Behind You” this is one of my few drawings that I did most of the details in photoshop. I usually sketch it on paper and fill in the details while I ink it before scanning. With this one I did a simple sketch, scanned it and it became what you see now with my good ol’ friend PhotoShop, I guess I was feeling adventurous. :)
Anyway it took me approximately 8 hours from start to finish, starting with the sketching and ending with the signing.
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1475118&imageID=28172153 Behind You
On this picture most of my time was spent on the background, I just couldn’t get it the way I wanted. I tried a few different backgrounds before ending on the one it has now. I was going for a sort of coagulated lava looking boarder…I think it turned out good. It looks hot enough for her :)
I unofficially call it Devil until I can come up with a good title but it took me about 5 hours to complete.
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1475118&imageID=28172156 Devil
I have a few more I’d like to show you all that I will try and post a blog about next week so check back later.
Have a great weekend.
~Caralyn

No You Can't Keep a Good Dog Down

Well if you read my blog about submitting a picture into Spectrum http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=201883352&blogId=465900536
I’m sorry to report…I didn’t get in It really bummed me out but I won't let that discourage me, I’m going to keep trying until they accept me.
But I have some good news, I got into The SiFi/Fantasy Convention, Dragon Con again this year. I was so nervous to hear back…not as nervous as last year cause I have gone though it all, both being rejected and accepted by the D-Con jury. And this year they accepted me OH BOY!
Oh So much to do, so much to do. I have a pile of projects to finish before the con. But unlike last year…I have time to finish them…I think. Also unlike last year I have many more Large pieces I will be selling. I am currently working on a 24x30 painting. It is a menagerie of Fantasy creatures, like dragons, unicorns, griffins, ya know all the classic ones. I’ve only done one other painting this large before and that one wasn’t as detailed as this one will be. So I’m pretty excited about finishing it. Along with that I have a slew of other projects I’m working on, including MORE MYXIES! Oh yeah, you know you are excited :P

Well I guess I better get started…I’ve got a lot of work to do.
Have a great weekend everyone!

~Caralyn

It’s Just So FABULOUS!

Helllllo Friends!
So I totally got this fun idea for a picture I am working on…Okay really it’s kinda cheesy but I think it will be totally fun because it makes me feel like I’m back in elementary school doing arts and crafts. Those were the good ol’ days. Okay so the picture I have I did on about a 20x24 white board. It is of a dragon, just like the head and upper torso of the dragon. I was bored and sketching one day and I wound up drawing a pretty good looking dragon so I redrew (or attempted to) on the white board, but I had to make him larger to fit on it. He still looked pretty good but now that it wasn’t a 4X7 sketch on notebook paper…the dragon seemed to need more detail…he was detailess I tell you! Anyhoo So I was thinking of ways I could color him to give him more depth and nothing seemed to be doing it for me. So I shoved him to the side for a few days, like an outcast…how tragic. Then while rummaging through some art supplies I got from a friend, I found the coolest craft tool of all time. GLITTER! Yeah Baby, glitter is the bomb. So my splendiferous idea was I would color him, not with markers or paint but with GLITTER! Now I know what you are thinking…It’s gonna look like it belongs in a Las Vegas show but I promise I won’t make it that flashy. Next I plan to make a diorama with a shoebox..just kidding :P

Well back to art class. :)
~Caralyn

The Never-Ending Story...er Drawing.

OH MY GOODNESS! This picture is taking forever…sorry I guess I should expand on what the heck I’m talking about. Okay so ya know a few weeks ago I blogged about a picture I was working on of Aragorn and Arwen?...if you didn’t read it here it is. http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=201883352&blogId=470260667

Anyway I normally do a cartoon/comic book style with my art, dark outlines and bright colors. Well with this one I was thinking I would try a more natural approach something that looked a little more realistic…and let me tell you it is taking FOREVER! Ugh I spent 4 hrs just coloring her hair yesterday. Incredibly tedious. Don’t get me wrong it’s turning out pretty good I think and since I am coloring it on Photoshop makes it easier to get the look I’m trying to. But it is very slow going.
I’m sure it doesn’t help much that I’m a perfectionist when it comes to my art. After I finish a picture I should never be able to look at it again because every time I do I find something else I think I should fix. That’s why I have so many “unfinished” pictures. Of course I’m not to that point on this picture yet…I’m still filling the lines in I won’t start picking at it until it is fully colored and to everyone else that isn’t crazy like me, it is complete…Then the unrelenting flow of self criticism and nitpicking will erupt from me until I have the picture exactly the way I want it…or I give up and storm off defeated. Wow it sounds like it’s almost routine for me doesn’t it…no comment. Okay I just thought I would take some time to let you know how hard I am working…as if there was ever any doubt :P
Oh well I’m off to fuss with the picture some more.

Talk at you later.
~Caralyn

OH MY GOD! DON'T LOOK BEHIND YOU!!!

Hey what's that behind you…

Backgrounds! Ya know, the thing behind the thing on the picture….yeah.
When I was younger, I never drew backgrounds. I was more interested in drawing the characters then about putting something behind them…they were all alone on a cold piece of white paper... So cold and so lonely :(
At the time I didn’t realize how much a background could add to my art. I always assumed it would somehow distract people from seeing the details in the character. To tell you the truth I didn’t really incorporate backgrounds into my work until recently. Despite my manager/sister insisting it would enhance my art and help me to grow as an artist, alas I am a slave to habit. So it was hard to break out of my single character on a blank paper stage. I should listen to her more often I suppose, because she was right.
If you add a background to a picture it sort of creates a story for the characters on the picture. Even simple backgrounds like a border or a splash of color behind your sketch can make your drawing more eye-catching.
It took me a few years to realize that but now I try to add something to each of my drawings. Don’t get me wrong I still like to draw a single sketch on white paper, not every picture needs a background, it’s just a great way to take your work a step further.

Well thanks for letting me act like I know what I’m talking about. :)

Later!
~Caralyn

Just Some Random Nonsensical Jibber Jabber

Hiddy-ho friends,

As you all know (if you read my last blog) I went to Binders the other day. Well I got some scratch board while I was there. Scratch board if you don’t already know is this nifty white board that has a black cover that you scratch off to make a picture instead of drawing on it. I enjoy doing it, it’s a lot easier than I thought it would be when I first heard of it. Anyhoo, I picked up my usual 8x10 and 10x12 that I started using and have grown oh so fond of, but I also picked up a few 4x7s (because they were on sale…WHOOT). I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do with them but I figured if anything I could use them as practice, since there is no erasing when it comes to scratch board. I did a couple of doodles and then got to scratching. I chipped away at the black as sounds of the incredible Hulk echoed from the TV…Hulk is not my music of choice when arting it up, that’s just what was on at the time. By the time the movie was over I had finished with one of the 4x7s. I don’t normally work on small canvases or what not but I may have to start doing that more often. It was great I feel like I have found a new relaxation tool…No not the Hulk!
Okay well that was all I wanted to say. Don’t know why I felt the need to tell you this, it wasn’t grandiose or anything. Just bored I guess. Well thanks for reading it anyway.

Now back to work the lot of you :P
~Caralyn

Words are coming out my mouth but I'm not saying anything

So I’m trying to get a few more things done this year, I have been working on Myxies a lot lately and need to spend a bit more time on my other art. I have had a few sketches that I have been planning to finish for months now. They are just a few ideas I had while I was supposed to be working. I jotted them down but then got caught up in other things (being lazy) and just never went back to them. So that is what I plan to work on this week. I’m going to dust off my drawing board for an evening of just me, my pen and probably some Alanis Morissette blasting in the background. Jagged Little Pill Baby!
I have one picture I’m working on that I am pretty excited about. It is of an elf girl and her pet baby dragon. She has a confused look on her face and behind her is a person with a long black robe. It is supposed to be sort of a death like creature. It still has a long way to go since I am only at the sketching stage. After that comes filling in the details, inking the picture, scanning it onto Photoshop and lastly adding color. The whole process will take a few days…mostly because I can’t work on it for too long cause my fingers get tired. :/
Well time to get to work, these pictures aren’t going to draw themselves…too bad, that would save me a lot of time.
I’ll keep you all posted on my art, because I’m sure you are all just DYING to know :)

Talk at you all later!
~Caralyn

Pretty Pretty Pictures

Hey you guys!
Just wanted to let you know, that I have put some of my most recent drawings up on my myspace page (www.myspace.com/mysticreflections) in the New Art Album in my pictures.
So check em out, ENJOY!
Have a nice week!
~Caralyn :)