Please Help the Fight

I’m sure your life has been affected by Breast Cancer or you know someone who has. To help the fight, I am having a charity auction to raise money for the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk.
In honor of a very strong women Phyllis French, that lost her battle to breast cancer earlier this year. Her daughter Holly is trying to raise money to walk the 3-day this year... every bit counts. 100% of the proceeds from this auction will go to Holly French Smith to help in her walk.
In support of Holly and her journey, I have designed a one of a kind Myxie sculpture in memory of Phyllis. Her name is Hope, and she wears an outfit of pink ribbons. Additionally, we will match the winning bid dollar for dollar up to $250 dollars. Please take a look and whatever you can give is greatly appreciated.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140336815061

If you want to sponsor Holly French directly, go here...

http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/Walk/AtlantaEvent2009?px=1551061&pg=personal&fr_id=1291


Thank you for your Support.
~Caralyn

The Steps of Myxie Making

Good Day all,
I am steadily working on new Myxies for the up coming SiFi Convention Dragon Con. I have already got a few completely sculpted and baked and just have a couple more to finish. While I’m working on them I thought you all might enjoy seeing how my little creations get made.
I start off with a long piece of craft wire. I then twist the wire in certain places where it needs to be more sturdy such as the upper arms, legs and the torso. Then I cover the wire with polymer Clay around the torso and thighs and mold it in the shape I want. Using rubber tipped tools I sculpt the details before adding the legs and arms.
I then sculpt the feet separate and slide them on the wire. After the feet are attached I CAREFULLY bend the whole thing to the position I want. I left out the steps where I mess up and yell and whine profusely….but that is a major step in making a Myxie :P
There are a few more steps before it is complete but I will post them later. For now here are a few photos to show you what I’m talking about.

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1828666&imageID=30553563

Thanks for looking, keep checking my blog for more updates on my Myxies.

~Caralyn

I'm Myxielicious!

Hey!
So I finished the paintings I was working on for Dragon Con and have started on brand new Myxies. It has been about 6 months since I have scultped anything so I'm feeling a little rusty. The 1st one I worked on took me 6 hours to sculpt compared to my normal 4-5. Also I find myself having to start over a bit more then normal. But I have only finished a few, I plan to make at least 12 to 15 in all so I will have plenty of time to pratice. But I'm not just going to make my traditional Myxies the goal is to have a large verity of mythical creatures to sell at D-Con. I plan to make a few pans, mermaids and maybe something new that I haven't tried before like a Centaur. I don't know how well it will work out yet and it depends on how much time I have.
I have been taking a few photos while I sculpt my Myxies that I was planning to post for you all, but alas my computer is still acting crazy so no photos today.
Keep checking my blog for updates on what I'm working on for Dragon Con.

Tootles!
~Caralyn

The Quest Begins

I’m FINISHED! I’m finally done with my Fantasy Painting. I filled in the hair and eyes of all the creatures and darkened the lines and shadowing. I used mostly acrylic paints and painting took me about sixteen hours. My goodness what a chore :) I have named it “The Quest Begins”…I know what you are thinking…that’s the best name ever...you don’t have to tell me :P
Well here it is, let me know what you think.
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1828666&imageID=30074530

I am now going to get started on new Myxies, I will try and keep you updated on how it’s going and maybe post a few progress photos, so keep checking my blog.

Have a great day!
~Caralyn

Just About Done

Well I’m getting down to the last little details on my painting now. I have added a red coat of paint to the Dragon now and filled in the hooves and talons of most the creatures. On the bottom picture I added highlights and scales, also I painted the wrist band and axe of the Minotaur. As always when working on a picture I see things I want to change but with painting it’s a bit harder to erase but either way I am happy with how it’s turning out.
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1828666&imageID=29990234

I will post one more blog once I finish so check my blog next week to see the completed piece.
Thank for looking.

~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

If the Back Ground Fits...

The painting is coming right along. I have added shadowing to just about every creature. I shaded most the creatures with different shades of brown and then softened them with a light color over the shading. After it is dry I will add highlights and details. But before adding details I will start on the background. I’m thinking I will do some rolling hills with a few trees and in the distance a castle…yes yes I know…very cliché but it’s a picture of a bunch of Fantasy Creatures running around together, so what other background would fit? I mean really.
Anyhoo here are a few pictures so you can see what I was talking about. Enjoy :)

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1828666&imageID=29708870

Have a few more pictures to post so keep checking my blog for updates.
Thanks for looking

~Caralyn

How It's Going so Far...

Hey Everyone,
As you probably know I have been working on a Large Fantasy Painting for Dragon Con. This is a picture that I have been drawing and redrawing since I was a child. In all I have done this picture 4 times, it started out a small picture on notebook paper, then redrawn on 8x10 printer paper. The last one was about 11x17 colored and laminated then given to my mother as a present, not sure if she kept it but no matter because I’m doing it again. This time It is about a 30x24 piece and is the 2nd largest painting I’ve ever done so I’m kinda nervous as to how it will turn out.
I told you all I would keep you up dated on my progress so I included a few pictures so you can see how it is coming along.
Okay first I started with sketching a few of the creatures I wanted to have on it. I arranged the sketches on the canvas and once I had them where I wanted them I drew them on the canvas its self. After tracing over the lines in ink I started to paint the largest part of the whole painting…the Dragon…Ooooooo. I’m using a dark oil/acrylic paint to shade the dragon but once the shading is done I will paint over it in red.
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1828666&imageID=29568590

I have a few more pictures to post as I finish so keep checking my blog for updates.
Thanks 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