Art by Erika Taguchi-Newton (Ravengirl)

Season of Payne's Gray

2011-11-30T12:51:00.001-05:00

I'm a little obsessed with my new favorite color - Payne's Gray. It puts me in a misty, mysterious, magical mood. Last couple of projects looks like they are studies in gray.

"We Hide in the Forest" is a triptych I really enjoyed doing. Each piece is 6x12, with the background that goes together. I did these for the Small Stuff show at Bear and Bird, but I couldn't part with them just yet. So I got some really nice limited edition canvas giclees done for the show (http://ravengirl.bigcartel.com/product/we-hide-in-the-forest-limited-edition-giclee).

Prints are available here: http://ravengirl.bigcartel.com/product/we-hide-in-the-forest

Whenever I decide to do a series, I usually get bored after the second one. And I can never match up the color or the shading. So this time I decided to paint them all at the same time. What a difference! All came out with same tone and values. I'm very happy about that!

Here's the step-by-step:

Couple of weeks ago I participated in a Harry Potter art show (another awesome Art Nouveau Event!). Not able to decide on what scene or characters, I ended up doing a HP-inspired piece. Another gray piece and an experiment with negative space.

Prints available here: http://ravengirl.bigcartel.com/product/spell-casting-practice

I didn't take any step-by-step photos, but here are some sketches:

Very loose griffin sketches and Hermoine detail sketch that I was playing with. I like the characters when they were younger. Teenage wizards are so annoying!

Finalizing the sketch and a layout thumbnail.

On the side note, the Christmas cards are all available on my Etsy site - ravengirl.etsy.com. Thanks!

Nosferatu and Autumn Schedule

2011-09-22T14:47:00.000-04:00

Bear and Bird's annual Halloween group art show is coming up. I missed last year so I made sure I submitted a piece this year. This year's theme was "Creepy Cinema," so I decided to do one of my favorite film vampires - Nosferatu. Opening night is October 1st, hope you can make it!

I also decided to have a little fun with the print (available in 11x14 and 8x10):

Also on October 1st is StitchRock!, my favorite local indie arts and craft event. I will have a table there where I'll be hawking this print and many others, including Christmas cards. I'm also going to have for some limited edition canvas giclees, hopefully they will come in on time.

In November, I'll be heading back to Atlanta for ICE (Indie Craft Experience). Going to be a busy autumn - ready, set, go!

Back from DragonCon

2011-09-09T12:39:00.000-04:00

I survived DragonCon! And I had the best time. It was quite intense, the morning started around 9am and the show closed at 8pm for 4 days. Monday was a short day but it didn't feel like it. If it wasn't for my friends who helped me at my booth, let me crash at their house, and just being there, I think I would have fallen apart. I hope they know how much I appreciate their support through all this.

I was able to complete my latest piece for the show and it was a big hit. It also sold in the auction which was a huge thrill for me. I can't wait til next year!

Prints available here

Next on the calendar is PalmCon, a local 1-day comic book convention (9/17). And then my favorite local indie show, StitchRock! (10/1).

There be DragonCon!

2011-08-29T09:25:00.003-04:00

I'll be going off to Atlanta end of this week to attend DragonCon, my first out-of-state show. I still have a lot to do, including finishing a painting to be displayed there at the Art Show, and getting all my prints ready. I will have a Bazaar Table (BT-18) at, what looks like on the floor plans, the back wall of the Grand Hall West at the Hyatt Regency (Exhibit Level). If you are anywhere near Atlanta, you need to check out this convention. It is the ultimate geek fest (my kinda place!). And if you do check it out, I hope you'll stop by my table and say "hi."

Here's a little sneak peek of what's on my easel right now:

I played around with this idea last year for a group art show at Pink Ghost, and I always wanted to do a bigger version of it:

Also finished for DragonCon is another huladollsquidgirl piece:

My apology letter to Edward Hopper

2011-08-16T09:35:00.005-04:00

Dear Mr. Hopper,

Yes, it's true. Another pathetic parody has been painted of your masterpiece, "Nighthawks."

And I'm sorry, I did it. But rest assured it will never be as widely known as that nails-on-the-chalkboard version, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams."

I know there has been many over the years from The Simpsons to that one with chickens, so I'm positive mine is not the worst offense. Yes, I butchered your lonely composition and the stark balance of warm and cool lighting. But please understand, I did it out of respect and love of your work. The task of recreating the mood you set has taught me that I have a lot to learn. I hope if we ever meet in the afterlife, you will not dismiss me completely, but pat me on my head and say, "at least you tried."

Sincerely,
Erika

---------------------

Here's my "Nighthawks" homage, with the classic Univeral monsters:

"Night at Karloff's" - 20x16 Acrylics

And some works-in-progress:

Some sketches of the classic Universal monsters

Final Wolfman sketch

Final pencils on board

The Bride is starting to get some color

Wolfie is getting there

I wish I did a more horizontal piece like Hopper's original. It's just not the same without the street scene. Note to self: work more on composition. And don't mess with a masterpiece.

Florida Supercon and Star Wars

2011-06-30T19:49:00.007-04:00

Florida Supercon starts tomorrow in Miami, and I'll be heading down there bright and early to get set up in the Artist Alley. This time I'm partnering up with another local artist Justin "Invi" Vilonna. I wanted to do something special for the show, so I came up with a tribute piece of my childhood hero, Wonder Woman. Her invisible plane just makes me giggle with delight.

Prints available

I came up with my own version of the plane. I know, I know... who would paint a face on an invisible plane - you can't see it. Hey, it's my invisible plane, ok! And it's going to have a face! With teeth! (For those plane enthusiasts, it's based on P40 Warhawk.)

Last week, I was part of another amazing show at The Lounge put on by Art Nouveau Events. The theme was Star Wars, so I couldn't stay away. My contribution to the show was "Teatime with Wampa":

Prints available

I'm really happy with how this came out. My only regret is that I didn't have more things on the table, it's a little sparse for teatime...

ArtRock! 2011

2011-04-29T10:42:00.004-04:00

Just over one week away from ArtRock!, this show has a special place in my heart. Not only is it created by my dear friend and super-cool-awesome-girl, Amanda Linton, it was my first art fair, and that was only just last year. This was the show that infected me with inspiration to start showing my work and get serious about illustrations. This year, I'll be joined by Little Lina and she has some exciting new pieces to show. She's threatening that she'll be painting live!

Floridians, come by and see some awesome local artists at ArtRock! next Saturday, May 7th!!!

I would also like to announce couple of new shows I'll be attending. I'm getting out of comfort-zone of Florida and exploring Atlanta. Grateful for being able to visit one of my best friends, an Atlantian, I've been able to check out their art scene last couple of years. I will be doing Indie Craft Experience (ICE) in June, and the big whammer-jammer of a comic con, DragonCon (September)!

What happened to spring?

2011-04-24T11:32:00.003-04:00

Here in Florida, it's already summer temperatures and rising... March and April just flew by. Some ups and downs - death in the family, caught the flu... twice, awesome comic book convention, and couple of super art shows.

Megacon was fantastic and I caught the fever! I want to do more! I saw and met wonderful artists and somehow felt like I was in the right place in the center of all things geek. I submitted for DragonCon in Atlanta. Just waiting for the jury rounds to be completed to see if I got in. If not, I'll stick with smaller cons and try out again next year.

I also finished couple of paintings.

This one was a massive piece for me at 18x24. It took few months to complete, not because it was overly complex but because I did so many smaller (faster) works during it and kept putting it to the sidelines.

One of those smaller works, "Swing" was a fun piece. I tried to paint loose and expressive. And really fast. Not sure if this is "me", but I enjoyed the process.

Coming up in a couple of weeks is ArtRock put on by amazing Amanda Linton. I will be sharing the booth again with my pARTner in crime, Little Lina. Hope to see you there!

February Re-cap

2011-03-09T11:18:00.004-05:00

The second month of the year blew by like it's the shortest month of the year! Oh wait...

Couple new pieces were completed for the monthly art shows - Howley's and The Lounge. Both themes were Valentine-based so I did companion pieces - "Roses are Red" & "Violets are Blue".

These were painted on very soft wood panels. I learned a few things about painting on wood. If you don't have the wood sealed, because acrylic is water-based medium, it will make the grain of the wood more rough. I found an excellent sealer called "Sanding Sealer" by FolkArt found at a craft store. I only needed to sand lightly to get rid of the fibers and it kept the wood smooth no matter how much medium I was using.

I am still experimenting with painting on gold and silver leaf. I have one tip about applying the adhesive. Make sure you brush it on smooth and leave no beading or texture. You will be able to see every rough brush stroke when you apply the leaves. I have been painting on it with acrylics by applying 2 thick layers of matte medium for the surface. And I have also tried water-soluable oils. But I think it's time to bring out the real oils.

Now my attention shifts to March and what it will bring at the end of it - MegaCon! New pieces are in process. Prints, banner, travel plans... lots to do.

Steampunk at The Lounge by Art Nouveau Events

2011-01-21T10:41:00.003-05:00

Couple days ago (Wednesday), I participated in a Steampunk show at The Lounge (West Palm Beach), curated by Art Nouveau Events. Teresa Korber puts on this awesome monthly event, with each show a different theme.

For the show, I put together couple of pieces painted on vintage gold-leafed plaques found years ago at a yard sale. I almost got rid of them last month, not knowing what to do with them. I'm glad I kept them because I love how these came out.

Work in progress:

New Year's "Promises, Promises"

2011-01-11T11:37:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year! I'm hoping for a very exciting year. I started it off with a trip down to Miami at the Wynwood Art District's Wynwood Market. Every 2nd Saturday of the month, there is a Gallery Walk, and the outside market is located in the middle of everything. I hope to be there again next month.

Tonight is opening night of Howley's monthly art show, put on by the infamous Amanda Linton. Lowbrow art and milkshake, perfect combination! This month's theme is "Resolutions." I didn't really want to reveal my New Year resolutions, so I decided to put them in a bottle and send it out into the unknown. This piece is called "Promises, Promises" and is 8x10 Acrylics:

My under-drawing:

Mustang Sally - Pinup Girl for 24 Hour Lemons

2010-12-22T18:12:00.007-05:00

Finally completed, "Mustang Sally" is ready to go for a ride!

The paint brushes did not like the rough texture of the hood that's been spray painted with matte black. So the details had to be done with charcoal pencils, and I really like the effect.

We did a quick test fitting on the car:

A progress shot in my studio:

The race will be held at Palm Beach International Raceway on December 31, 2010.

The race team's blog - http://teamexperimentals.blogspot.com/
24hr Lemons site - http://www.24hoursoflemons.com/

Transferring Large Drawing

2010-12-16T11:46:00.003-05:00

When I was a kid I saw a movie about Michelangelo ("Agony and Ectasy"), where Charlton Heston was transferring a large drawing onto the wall of the Sistine Chapel. He had punctured pinholes through the paper, outlining the drawing, and was rubbing chalk onto it to transfer dots onto the wall. I've never seen anybody do this in real life, probably because projectors are much easier.

Well, I didn't have a projector handy, and I didn't want make a mess on the hood by doing the grid method. I scanned in my original drawing, scaled it up in Photoshop, and printed it out in pieces. I taped the pieces together, then tediously punctured holes, following the lines of the drawing.

After taping it into position on the hood, I used a soft white chalk and traced the drawing. Then I redrew the sketch on the hood by connecting the dots.

I can't imagine doing a complicated drawing this way, but for this one it worked out great.

Work-in-progress: Pinup Girl for 24hr Lemons

2010-12-15T10:29:00.010-05:00

There's a hood of a car on my dining table! Living with a grease-monkey husband, I got use to the dirty door knobs, transmission on the patio, and his fellow grease-monkeys working on various cars on the driveway. Well... maybe not the dirty door knobs...

Actually, the hood is there for a good reason this time. I'm painting on it! It's for my husband's latest obsession - 24hr Lemons Race. The entry cars are suppose to have a theme. Since his car is a Mustang, the theme is P-51 WWII fighter plane called the Mustang. As you know, the pilots painted pinup girls on the nose of the planes back then.

My husband is great - he's been so supportive of my goal to be a working artist. I wanted to do something for him for putting up with MY obsession last couple of years.

Normally, I would do this kind of thing out on my patio. And normally, Florida would be beautiful outside this time of year. But we are having some freakish cold weather down here, so dining table it is!

I also had some great help last night from our roomie. Thanks, Rama! If he can keep helping (hint hint) this will be done in no time!

The race team's blog - http://teamexperimentals.blogspot.com/
24hr Lemons site - http://www.24hoursoflemons.com/

Megacon!

2010-11-18T10:04:00.002-05:00

Just a quick little post to announce that I will have a table at Megacon in Orlando - Gray table #11 to be specific. It is at the Orange County Convention Center, March 25th through 27th. This will be my first non-local show and I'm scared to death! Well, I guess it's sort of local, it is still in Florida.

Little Drummer Elf

2010-11-16T12:53:00.005-05:00

My favorite reindeer and elf are back this year for my Christmas card illustration. This time I finished it with more time for me to actually get the cards printed professionally, instead of doing it myself.

Oh! And tonight at Howley's, we'll be having a Mini Art Mart. Very affordable art by local artists, perfect for gift giving!

Huladollsquidgirl Ukulele

2010-10-31T19:04:00.003-04:00

Just in time for next week's Palm Beach Art & Music Festival, I finished painting my favorite tentacled cutie on the uke. Done in acrylics, she is one of a kind. I hope someone will fall in love and take her home. If not, no biggie - I'll be happy to keep her for myself. I'm still learning "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" anyways.

(UPDATE: Submitting this for Illustration Friday theme - "Spent." A bit of a stretch, but here it goes... The girl needs a break! She is "spent" from too much hula dancing.)

Christmas Cards

2010-10-29T09:26:00.007-04:00

These cards are available now at my Etsy store!

DEKKA South

2010-10-16T20:53:00.010-04:00

I got an opportunity to actually have my very own display wall at DEKKA, a hip fashion/art gallery on Fashion Row in Hallandale, Florida. I have original pieces and framed prints hanging there. Please stop by and check it out if you are local (closed Sundays).

View Larger Map
www.dekkafam.com | 954-455-2616

Our booth at Stitch Rock 2010

2010-10-15T11:09:00.004-04:00

Lina and I had an awesome time at Stitch Rock, and can't wait til Art Rock in May, another awesome event that will be put on by Amazing Amanda (Linton).

Halloween at Howley's and Water-soluble Oils

2010-10-10T21:21:00.007-04:00

(UPDATE: Illustration Friday Submission - "Spooky")

Too busy with commissions and shows, I didn't get a chance to enter a piece for Bear & Bird's annual Halloween group art show. I got to check it out last week and it's fantastic, making me more upset at myself. But I managed to crank out some neat pieces for Howley's monthly art show.

Are these creepy girls ghosts of murdered victims? Or are they lunatics posing with their choice of deadly weapons? These 4x4 paintings are my first attempt with water-soluble oils. I think I like! Not as yummy as normal oils, they are quite fun to play with. Because they are a bit costly, I used acrylics for underpainting. It also made it faster to dry. I didn't use any medium with these, just water. I'm sure that also contributed to faster drying time. Without the medium, it had an almost matted, gouache-like look to them.

I read that I can varnish with regular varnish intended for oils, so I used Re-touchable Varnish. That did the trick of making it look like real oil painting. I made a mistake of being too impatient of the second one and varnished too early, and it started streaking. I should have let it dry overnight like the first one which took the varnish beautifully.

Next experiment I'll be using the medium - linseed oil.

Opening night for Howley's show is this Tuesday. Come by and say "Boo!"

Palm Beach Art & Music Festival

2010-10-09T10:56:00.004-04:00

Still grinning from a great time at Stitch Rock, I'm excited to announce that I will have a booth at the 1st Annual Palm Beach Art & Music Festival.

Stitch Rock 2010!

2010-09-29T18:04:00.002-04:00

This Saturday, yours truly will be sharing a booth with her long-time partner in crime, Little Lina, at Stitch Rock Indie Craft Fair & Bazaar in Delray Beach, Florida. I will have tons of prints and cards, and original paintings. Come out and support the local artists - we just want to be able to buy more art supplies!

Vintage Pickers Commision

2010-09-29T17:55:00.002-04:00

This is a sweet little commission for Michelle of House of Vintage and Vintage Pickers. She will be using it of her Vintage Pickers business cards. The reason the composition of this illustration is a little wonky is that I needed to be able to isolate all the elements in Photoshop. They can be moved around according to layout needs of different collateral pieces. Otherwise, I would have put the car behind her more.

I love the light gray blue and light yellow ocher together, it's probably one of my favorite color combination. My "Armadillo Dreams" is primarily blue and yellow. Michael Parkes is well known for these colors and so is Dali.

Huladollsquidgirl tattoo-ed

2010-09-27T09:49:00.004-04:00

One of oldest and very talented friend, JR, did a tattoo of my tentacled hulagirl on one of his clients!

Check out his blog for more amazing tattoo's and art - Ink and Pistons.

Little Goddesses

2010-09-11T20:35:00.003-04:00

I had an opportunity to do a little commission piece for a bellydancing lady and her two beautiful daughters. They had lovely hair and mysterious twinkling eyes, I hope I did them justice.

Invasion!

2010-08-26T21:46:00.005-04:00

It's been busy couple of months, and I don't see it slowing down. It's a good thing - keeps me on my toes (I'm short so I'm always on my toes...). Quick little update before getting back to work. This piece is hanging at Howley's with it's sister-painting, Skyspa. More fun with kit-bashing and gold leaf.

(UPDATE: Prints available!)

Skyspa - Experiment with Gold Leaf

2010-07-09T20:30:00.008-04:00

Last few weeks, I've been having a ball doing this illustration. I started out with building a maquette of the flying vespa that Rocketgirl is riding. A little bit of kit-bashing and some clay, the "skyspa" is made out of a plastic Vespa die-cast and a B-25 model. The hobby shop guy was first very confused when I told him my plan, but soon got into it and gave me great model-making tips.

Then to make it even more hard on myself, I decided to try a new technique with gold leaf. Used through out history, from religious iconography, Klimt, to tramp art, I've always had a soft spot for gold leaf. Everything I read about it told me I should use oils, but I just didn't have the time. So I experimented with acrylics, and found a way to work with it. I hope to improve my technique in the future. Here's my test:

I'm really happy with the finish product. Unfortunately it doesn't photograph or scan well, so I don't know how the prints will come out. Obviously, the prints won't have the metallic finish.

I had to do a pretty detailed final sketch before transferring to board. Since I couldn't really draw on the gold, I needed a good reference to go by.

I also entered it in the Pinkghost's group art show - "Screw Nostalgia - I Want the Future". It should be a great show with awesome artists, so stop by if you are in town. Unfortunately I won't be able to make it for opening night (July 17th), but the exhibit is month long.

Perfume Fairy

2010-06-26T07:57:00.004-04:00

Just finished my follow-up painting to Absinthe Fairy - Perfume Fairy. Using the classic artist trick of a mirror to show both back and front of the figure, she was really fun to paint. With this composition, I was able to really have a go at the wings.

Step-by-step:

I think I'll be painting a series of these naughty cuties. Maybe calling them "The Bordello Fairies" - hehe!

"I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way" - Jessica Rabbit

Blowfish Dreams - "Book It" Show

2010-06-11T19:39:00.004-04:00

This is my entry for Pinkghost's Book It show. The submissions have to be painted on books. I felt really bad about destroying a book so I went to an used book store and found one that seemed to have been there awhile. Hopefully the book-gods won't punish me too much.

I really like the concept of this painting. I think I will have to do a larger, more detail piece of this idea. And the blowfish will have to be much bigger.

Is it blowfish or puffer fish? Is there a difference?

huladollsquidgirl Postcard Set

2010-06-07T20:32:00.004-04:00

Available now in my Etsy store is a 3 postcard set of my tentacled cuties.

They are glossy with rounded corners. They will come in clear cello sleeves.

James Gurney workshop at the Norton

2010-06-05T18:09:00.005-04:00

Just got home from the workshop held by one of my favorite illustrators, James Gurney. I was so excited I'm surprised I didn't giggle the whole time.

I was too shy to take photos but I did manage to have him sign my sketchbook. The workshop was about how to sketch with watercolor pencils and a waterbrush and how it can be convenient when you are sketching on location. Last part of the workshop was sketching an object, he had various miniature animals and dinosaurs, and some vegetables. I went with a really spiky dinosaur... because it's James Gurney! I ain't sketching no onions for the creator of Dinotopia! I think I messed up on the number of spikes. But he said a paleontologist got on his case about having wrong number of spikes in his illustrations too, so I didn't feel so bad.

After the workshop, I walked around the exhibit. I was surprised at the small sizes of some of his originals. After seeing Norman Rockwell's paintings, I was expecting much bigger. Especially with the amount of detail Mr. Gurney has in his work. It made me feel better because I work in a smaller scale too.

What I learned today...? I need to sketch more, that's for sure. And James Gurney and his wife are really really nice people.

Oh and there was a N.C. Wyeth's Robin Hood at the Norton. That was a pleasant surprise.

huladollsquidgirlsurfs

2010-05-26T21:00:00.009-04:00

Just completed new hula squid girl painting - huladollsquidgirlsurfs. I will be submitting it to Howley's Restaurant monthly art show. This month's theme is "Summertime Fun Time". It's acrylics and 8x8, a little bigger than the previous hula's. I hope to do some wood-mounted prints and list it on Etsy real soon. It will probably be the same size as the other prints, so it can work as a series.

The original will be for sale at the show.

Also submitting for Illustration Friday theme - Slither.

Pencils:

UPDATE: Photo at the show

Absinthe Fairy Plaque

2010-05-20T16:46:00.004-04:00

Absinthe Fairy wood-mounted prints are now available on my Etsy store. They are 8x10 ovals, with saw-tooth hangers, so they are ready-to-hang. They are varnished with glossy finish and stained dark on the back. They also have spacers on the bottom corners so they hang nice and look like they float off the wall.

Excuse me for the "censored" image, I wanted to avoid flagging it mature.

Absinthe Fairy

2010-05-09T10:04:00.003-04:00

I'm back to do some more fairy art - with a twist. This one's not so innocent like most of my other fairy illustrations. What fun!

My step-by-step:

ArtRock! - Indie Art Fair

2010-04-16T20:17:00.003-04:00

I'm super giddy that I will have a booth at the ArtRock art fair! My very first booth (giggle!). I'm trying to get business cards, postcards, and lots of prints done. I will also have some of the original paintings available. And I think I need a sign... What else???

So if you are in South Florida on May 15th, please stop by and check out all the amazing local artists.

More huladollsquidgirl prints

2010-04-14T11:31:00.005-04:00

New batch of wood-mounted huladollsquidgirl prints are available now on my Etsy store.

The first batch sold out and has been shipped out to some tentacle-loving folks. I like to thank them for such a confidence booster! Thank you!

My "fulfillment center" - also known as the kitchen:

huladollsquidgirls Wood-mounted Print Set

2010-04-12T13:19:00.020-04:00

** 4.14.10 - We have more! http://ravengirl.etsy.com **
** 4.13.10 - Holy Moly! The batch of 8 I had sold out in less than 24 hours! Kyle, get the saw back out! We'll be making more. **

I'm very excited to announce that huladollsquidgirl prints are ready for purchase at my etsy store. They are $20 a piece, together as a set for $36. They are mounted on wood and ready-to-hang, so no need to find and spend more money on frames. They also look great on a shelf.

In my store:
Wood-mounted Print - huladollsquidgirl	Wood-mounted Print - huladollsquidgirllovestiki	Wood-mounted Print Set - huladollsquidgirls

The back already has a sawtooth hanger, and spacer at the bottom corners so they don't hang at an angle. They look like they are floating! I'll be signing them on the back.

In the workshop: huladollsquidgirl plaques

2010-04-11T19:58:00.006-04:00

My hulagirl originals sold right after the show and went to a very nice home. But I miss them terribly since I only got to spend couple of days with them. So I'm very excited to show you these huladollsquidgirl plaques! They are a little smaller than the originals (5 1/2 x 5 1/2) and they are made of solid block of pine 1 inch thick. They also are ready to hang with sawtooth hangers. They also have spacers at the bottom corners so they don't hang at an angle. They will soon be available on my Etsy store.

Tiki and Hugs

2010-04-05T09:57:00.008-04:00

Last week was a busy one. Had 2 shows to attend, and they were super fun!

Amanda, as always, put on an awesome monthly art show at Howley's. This month's theme was "Art you can hug." The restaurant was full of cutie-pie plushies. I entered a Dawn Doll that I did the outfit for. I had so much fun creating this outfit, it has socks, removable shoes, underdress, and smocking!

And then off to Cocoa Village to Ossorio's, where Jacob Mcalister put on a great Tiki-themed show for the town's bi-annual Gallery Walk. I wish I was able to hang out a little longer, because I met some cool local artists. I loved talking shop and picking their brains about their technique.

You can see my hulagirls on the second shelf on the left of the photo.

huladollsquidgirl

2010-03-24T11:04:00.004-04:00

I had so much fun doing the Rocketgirl painting that I was anxious to do another piece like it. Then I received a very exciting invitation to show some work at a Cocoa Village cafe during their bi-annual Gallery Walk. Unfortunately, I didn't have anything that would fit the retro islands theme. The deadline was pretty quick, but I thought I could try to pull off couple of 6x6 pieces. I'm glad I did because I'm very happy with these fun little paintings.

huladollsquidgirl

Steps:

huladollsquidgirllovestiki

Steps:

Hanging together:

Rocketgirl!

2010-02-21T22:48:00.006-05:00

(Submitted to Illustration Friday theme - Perspective, because I needed perspective help on the rocket from a friend who is a very talented 3D artist.)

A little bit steampunk, a little bit pulp (get it... orange... pulp), this piece is for The Sunshine Show at Bear & Bird. I'm really waiting til the last minute to submit this one - due tomorrow!

This small painging (6x6) is done with very thin glazes of acrylic over very detailed pencil drawing on clayboard. I have a removable panel with a fake retro advertising message, made out of balsa wood. Can't decide if I want to make it permanent, can't decide on placement either.

Step-by-step:

Sea Lion Dream (Lost Selkie)

2010-02-20T10:47:00.006-05:00

Continuing with my Dream concept (Armadillo Dream), this month's piece is about a selkie that lost her seal skin and can't get back to the sea. The giga-monstrous crab? The creature came to me right before I fell asleep - we call him Crabicus.

My step-by-step:

rough sketch 1

rough sketch 2

rough sketch 3

rough sketch 4

color comp in photoshop

pencils 1

pencils 2

paint 1

paint 2

paint 3

paint 4

I will be submitting this to this month's Howley's local artist show. The theme is "Out to Sea."

UPDATE: On the wall at Howley's!

Photo by Amanda Linton

Muddy

2010-02-11T10:44:00.003-05:00

Taking a break from my big painting project - this little illustration is for Illustration Friday theme, "Muddy". I think this is a bit of a self-portrait. I don't think I liked getting dirty when I was a little girl, though eventually I became a tomboy.

This is a pencil sketch colorized in PhotoShop with watercolor brushes.

My First Interview (Citylink)

2010-02-03T13:51:00.003-05:00

GASP! It's out! My very first interview! And it's a 2-pager! I assumed it was a feature on multiple artists from the Howley's art show, but no, just me... Boring me... I think I will be hiding under the covers for a week.

Here's a link to the online version.

Armadillo Dream

2010-01-31T19:40:00.011-05:00

Just finished this painting, hitting my end of the month deadline. This was a really fun piece to work on. I used the same technique I used on my Christmas painting. I used acrylics again to get the layering effect. The sky has about 8 layers of very thin glazes of paint. Not sure who's dreaming, the armadillo or the girl. They both have their eyes closed. The snails? They have that weird shimmery, translucent body. Maybe they can travel between dream world and real world. Next time you are dreaming, see if there are any snails around.

Lina wrote a little poem for this painting - I love it!:

Tenderly she plays a lullaby,
for all the animals and the sky.
She makes the flowers bloom,
and the kites fly high.
Daintily she spins the world
as she rides by,
our little Princess of Valentine.

Step-by-step:

Initial concept

Tighter sketch

Color comp in Photoshop

Starting pencils on panel

Still more pencils

Whew! Done with pencils

Oops! Didn't take pics of the painting steps...

Little Red Riding Hood - The Superhero

2010-01-21T00:31:00.004-05:00

So what happened after the Woodsman saved Red from the BBW? Well, she became an ass-kicking defender of the Wilderness, wielding the Woodsman's ax. And of course every superhero needs a sidekick. The dead Wolf's spirit is her reluctant familiar, making up for his past bad deeds.

For Illustration Friday's theme - wilderness.

January's Art Show at Howley's

2010-01-19T10:58:00.002-05:00

I entered couple of my watercolors into the show. Very nervous, I'm not use to showing my work yet. But that's one of my New Year resolutions, get over the shyness and stop being a hermit. The opening night reception is tonight - great food, great music, and really yummy milk shake! And I get to hang out with other great artists.

Artmurmur did a post about the show (link).

UPDATE:

Photo by Amanda Linton

Pencil Drawing - Confined

2010-01-12T23:54:00.003-05:00

Taking a break from a big painting project, decided to do a quick little drawing for Illustration Friday theme - Confined. This brings me back to my younger days when I liked to draw a lot of sword & sorcery - brooding wizards, warrior women, dragons... I forgot how much fun I had. Yes, I am a geek and proud of it!

"Darkness Confined"

Reindeer & Elf Painting

2009-12-20T11:12:00.010-05:00

I have an obsession with kitchy plastic reindeers. I have a collection of them that I display during Christmas. So this year, I wanted to share my obsession and paint one for my card. Because of the short time frame I had to complete this, I first decided to do this in Gouache. Gouache is an unforgiving medium to me, blending is extremely difficult. To minimize the guesswork of color selection, I did a digital color study.

But when I was ready to do the final piece, I just didn't feel Gouache-y. (Honestly, I made a mess and got fed up.) So I decided to experiment with acrylics and try a different technique all together.

First I put a layer of the background color on Claybord, and penciled the drawing. After, I sprayed the fixative, which fixed the pencils beautifully on the sage background.

Then I applied thin coats of color, while having the pencils come through slightly.

I started working on the details, punching up the highlights and shadows.

Final:

Closeup:

Here's the comparison of digital printout and the actual painting:

What lessons did I learn... I learned a different technique that I like to explore further. And that I have to practice more with Gouache (Hey, it's been over 10 years since I used it. Give a girl a break!).

My reindeer collection:

Ophelia - Watercolor

2009-12-04T20:30:00.002-05:00

Art Show at Howley's

2009-11-23T13:26:00.006-05:00

UPDATE 12.10.09: A little write-up and photos!

I've been invited by a very good friend, Amanda (Stitch Rock, House of Sweets, With Sugar On Top, and so much more), to December's art show at Howley's Restaurant in West Palm Beach. Opening night is Dec 8th and the show will run until Jan 7th. Thanks, Amanda, for such a great opportunity!

Married! and on the wall

2009-11-02T10:49:00.008-05:00

We did it! The wedding and the honeymoon trip was amazing. Waking up yesterday morning in my own bed felt like I was dreaming about Oz and now I'm back in boring Kansas (Florida). Hope to share some photos soon.

In the mean time, here are photos from the Bear & Bird Halloween art show:

This photo © Bear and Bird (more photos)

As you can see they had quite a turnout for submissions. Mine's 2nd row from the bottom, 10th from the right... yes, that little orange and black speck LOL.

Must sketch! 10.12.09

2009-10-13T19:42:00.004-04:00

Well, I think I'll be taking a break from this sketching exercise until after the wedding. I'll be back on it beginning of November.

I made the top portion way too big... Her head is huge! Need to really work on that.

Reference by amethystdreams1987:

Must sketch! 10.9.09

2009-10-10T00:13:00.002-04:00

Wow! This sketch was all about hair! Very awesome challenge.

Reference by nedina89:

Must sketch! 10.5.09

2009-10-08T11:11:00.002-04:00

It took a couple of days to finally post this. Wedding countdown is on! I'll be sketching on my own for next few days as my sketching buddies got too busy with personal stuff. But they will be back.

This reference was fun. Kinda Harry Potter, kinda Moaning Myrtle. I ended up turning my sketch into a more cartoon-y style, couldn't help myself.

Reference by rammkitty-stock:

Halloween local artist exhibit

2009-10-04T16:08:00.005-04:00

I did it! My painting is submitted. Now I'm going to go hide under my blankie. I hope they'll have enough room for all the artwork. I'm #90! If you are in the area (South Florida), check out the show. It starts Oct 17th.

Poster is © Bear & Bird

Pumpkin Carver - Oils

2009-10-03T18:53:00.012-04:00

Oils - 8x10

I've been working on this painting for about week and half. I'm entering it in a local artist Halloween show at Bear and Bird Boutique in Fort Lauderdale, and need to drop it off tomorrow. I think this is my first piece ever that is going to hang in a public place (other than art school). VERY NERVOUS! To hasten the drying, my friend suggested DampRid. I put a bag of DampRid in a plastic container with the painting after every sitting. It definitely dried faster.

Here's my step-by-step:

Initial sketch	Final sketch
First sitting	Second sitting
Third sitting	Final sitting

Reference

Must sketch! 10.2.09

2009-10-03T09:34:00.004-04:00

Today's photo reference was a doosie - a full figure with a horse.

Mine:

Took me awhile to get the proportions right. Kept telling myself to work out the composition first, don't worry about detail. I think I got it close, though I think the horse should be a bit taller.

Lina's

Reference by angiestock:

Must sketch! 9.28.09

2009-09-30T13:31:00.006-04:00

Another 3/4 portrait for this day's sketch.

Mine:

The eye pupil ended up being a little off. Looks like she's looking at 2 different things.

Lina's:

Dean's:

Reference from deviant-caroline:

Must sketch! 9.25.09

2009-09-28T13:24:00.005-04:00

This post was suppose to be Friday, but things have been hectic. It's only a few weeks away from the wedding. Plus I'm trying to get a painting done for a Halloween show. So, yes, hectic... Friday's reference was a simple portrait. Since we've been doing bunch of full figure poses, thought it would be a nice change.

Mine:

Lina's:

Dean's:

Photo reference by skyleaf-stock:

Must sketch! 9.23.09

2009-09-24T09:55:00.009-04:00

Yesterday was a bit of an odd day for everyone so the sketches might be coming in slowly. Or not... No worries, that's ok. This is suppose to be fun! I couldn't resist choosing yesterday's reference, I'm a sucker for warrior women poses. We need more Xenas, Red Sonjas, Sorshas! (Yes, I own couple of swords and a bow). This pose has a crazy fore-shortening going on with the thigh/knee - awesome challenge.

Mine:

Don't know what happened but I ended up turning it into a cartoon style. I guess animation, my first love, was on my mind yesterday.

Hopefully more sketches to come...

Reference is from senshistock:

UPDATE 9.25.09:
Lina's:

UPDATE 10.2.09:
Dean's:

Must sketch! 9.21.09

2009-09-22T11:33:00.002-04:00

I like to apologize to the contributing artists for the reference photo I selected. It is very blurry, but I think it's such an awesome pose it was worth the eye strain.

Me:

Lina's:

Dean's:

Reference is from sitara-leotastock:

Must sketch! 9.18.09

2009-09-19T10:24:00.008-04:00

Another artist buddy joined in on today's Must Sketch project! It's so cool to see the differences in our styles and how we look at the subject. Reviewing these differences is making me really analyze my sketching technique.

Mine:

I think I made her bangs a little too puffy.

Lina's:

Dean's:

Today's reference is from octoberjoy:

(I started Must sketch! project so I would force myself to sketch for no other reason than to just sketch... maybe I should have called it "Just sketch! project". If you are reading these posts, critiques are always welcome.)

Must sketch! 9.16.09

2009-09-16T20:05:00.005-04:00

Today's reference is from mrsdollaway-stock

I recruited my friend to join me. Here's Lina's:

Very nice detailing on the corset!

Must sketch! 9.14.09

2009-09-15T00:27:00.002-04:00

The reference for this sketch is by amliel.

Must sketch! 9.11.09

2009-09-11T16:50:00.012-04:00

I've been doing some spring cleaning (in the fall), and came across some old sketches. I realized that my current sketching exercises are really lacking. The sketching I do now is to plan a final piece. I have forgotten to sketch just to sketch. And the consequence of that is that my current sketches are stiff and lifeless. So I'm taking a cue from a fellow Floridian illustrator (Emma's Daily Sketchbook) and post sketches up every other day. (She does it daily - she's superhuman!) My plan is to take a Deviant Art stock photo of that day, and sketch! The sketches may not be pretty some days but this must be done.

And I'd love some critiques and advise on good sketching techniques. Thanks!

Today's sketch is from faestock:

Critiquing myself, the face ended up terribly skewed. I'm starting to think I have a dominant eye...

Night and 'Leth

2009-09-10T17:04:00.007-04:00

This is a piece I'd done few years ago. It was black & white watercolor, and I just updated by colorizing in Painter. I like the effect very much. I will have to experiment some more.

These are characters from a story I've been developing on and off since high school. Maybe it's on again...

I am also posting this for Illustration Friday theme - "Strong".

BTW - that's my fiance modeling for me, isn't he burly-licious! :)

Curiosity Update - Painter experiment

2009-09-07T17:51:00.005-04:00

My good friend Dean convinced me to keep going on this piece. It's got great elements to practice in Painter - the beard, books, colored glass, etc. I just finished detailing the old man's face and shirt, and about to start on the beard. I'm enjoying all the different light sources - the yellow from the window, the blue reflective light from the jar, and some soft warm light source in front/left of the figures that you can't see. Maybe candles or lanterns. Got to keep in mind that there's also reflective light coming off the table.

Note to self on painting beard - remember that there is a face underneath it, and that it's not just a nest of brush strokes. It has peaks and valleys, just like hair on top of the head, just more bristly. Ignore the urge to start painting the strands and highlights, get the shapes first. Think about how it would look if the beard was sculpted.

Something was bugging me about the boy. Flipping the artwork helps me see my problem areas. In this case, the crown of his head wasn't high enough. I really should flip artwork earlier in the process.

Dean also suggested I post my progress, so I will try.

Curiosity - My first attempt at Painter

2009-09-04T01:41:00.009-04:00

I decided to finally try out Painter and do a digital painting. Not quite what I had in my head, but it was a good practice piece. It's not complete but I'm going to move on. This is really not what I wanted to do. I didn't really mean for it to come out so "realistic", but instinctively I always want to achieve realism. As a teenager, my goal was photo-realism. But I find my realistic style so boring that I now fight with myself. This time I was paying too much attention to how the software works that I didn't put up much of a fight. It didn't help that I ended up relying of photo references so much. Oh well, tomorrow is another battle!

This piece is also for Illustration Friday theme - Magnify. I really enjoyed painting the magnified eye through the glass.

(Elderly man reference)

Caution (Final) - Illustration Friday

2009-08-28T16:51:00.004-04:00

Finished it a day too late. Please view my previous post for the short story.

(Background reference)

Caution - Illustration Friday

2009-08-27T23:54:00.005-04:00

He felt brave, though the fingers wrapped tightly around his hand reminded him of a time when he would have preferred a less ominous route. It made him wonder when he had crossed the threshold into being her protector. Had he always been that to her? He glanced at his sister, smiled courageously and swallowed all of the fears that rose up from his belly. With a cautious look of confidence, his mind reassured him that there was nothing to fear.
- Story by Angela Cummings

This is the first collaboration piece with my long lost partner-in-crime. She was able to write this for me after a 10-day hospital stay! And I'm such a loser that I didn't leave enough time for myself to complete my part. I'm not worthy!

UPDATE: Please see my final artwork.

Pencil Drawing - The Initiate

2009-08-13T20:15:00.008-04:00

She had been waiting all her life for the Walk. So impatient she had been the last days, that she had eaten her own hair. But now that it has begun, she's afraid. Fear is all she will know from this day forward. Training is over. It is time for war.

I really shouldn't post this yet. I'm nowhere near done. And I should move in the 9th figure more into the page - it bugs me.

My Wedding Portrait Illustration

2009-08-11T09:19:00.006-04:00

I've been busy working on my wedding, which is coming up fast in October. Here's my family portrait for the invitations I'm sending out.

Watercolor on watercolor board, with compositing in PhotoShop (frames and wallpaper are stock photos). This is my family portrait for my wedding invitation. Those who know us have commented that Zeus, the German Shepherd, looks way too calm in my drawing. The ghost cat is our beloved feline who passed away earlier this year. He had been with us since the beginning, more than 13 years. I still see him out of the corner of my eye sometimes.

Witch's Hollow

2009-07-14T23:19:00.005-04:00

This is a piece for Illustration Friday theme - Hollow. Not very original, I know... It's been a long time since I've done pencils to this level, I think I'll do more. And... it's not a fairy this time!

Prints are available at ravengirl.imagekind.com. Cheaper prints are available on my etsy store - ravengirl.etsy.com.

Fairy Watercolor "Mending"

2009-07-02T21:14:00.006-04:00

I thought of my mother as I did this illustration. She is an amazing embroiderer and quilter, and can mend any state of wear. She also loves the color yellow.

Prints available at ravengirl.imagekind.com

Fairy Watercolor "Drifting"

2009-06-28T17:53:00.007-04:00

The light was a subtle reminder that she was moving into the unknown. What lay ahead was a complete mystery. Though she was moving at an alarming rate, she didn't seem to mind. She liked it. The darkness beckoned her to continue. It soothed her mind. Drifting allowed her to think as she had never done before. For the first time, there was nothing to confine her thoughts.

She didn't know what she would face when daylight pierced the morning sky. Being on her own hadn't really sunk in. She was still too excited to acknowledge that she was alone. That would come later, along with the hardships. For now, she was content to dream.

I asked my long lost friend, Angela, to write a little story to accompany the illustration. Thanks, Angela! I'm glad we found each other again!

I started a sketch for last week's Illustration Friday theme, but didn't make it. I was so enchanted by it that I had to finish it anyways. I have prints available on Etsy and ImageKind.

Show & Tell: My Vintage Sewing Machines

2009-06-25T11:32:00.004-04:00

This was my late grandma's Sears Kenmore Model # 148-12040:

It is a basic machine, but sews steady and straight. I actually use it as my primary sewing machine.

I found this at a thrift store - Montgomery Ward Signature URR 251:

It's missing a lot of parts. The most crucial - motor and foot pedal. But what attracted me to it is that it still has it's original case. I think I will try to restore it over time.

UPDATE: Found a motor and bobbin cover on eBay - working good! Now I'm debating on how to fix up the case. Should I make it look like the original, or should I update it?

Rose Garden Fairy Paper Ornament

2009-05-14T09:57:00.004-04:00

I finally found some time to finish the Rose Garden Fairy ornament. It is currently available on etsy.

Get it at ravengirl.etsy.com.

Rose Garden Fairy

2009-02-10T18:27:00.012-05:00

This illustration is a mix media piece - watercolor and PhotoShop. I'm having a lot of fun creating it. The watercolor parts are all done separately and it all comes together in PhotoShop. Lots of blur filters to achieve the depth of field effect.

Prints available at my Etsy store:

Here's the illustration available as a journal at my CafePress store:

More prints are available at my Imagekind store.

Embroidered Valentine Card - Robot Love (Boy)

2009-01-23T17:05:00.004-05:00

This one came out better, I think.

Buy this at inspirelements.etsy.com.

Embroidered Valentine Card - Robot Love

2009-01-20T18:55:00.004-05:00

I'm really starting to enjoy embroidery. Here's a little Valentine's Day Card, made out of muslin and paper - all hand-embroidered.

Buy this at inspirelements.etsy.com.

Little Lina's Dawn Dolls for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

2009-01-16T12:22:00.008-05:00

My amazing friend is doing something awesome! She is making these beautiful art dolls to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. They are available for sale at DawnDolls.etsy.com and part of the proceeds will be donated. So head over there and buy a doll, and help find the cure! Read about her efforts at DawnDolls.blogspot.com.

Locks of Love

2009-01-09T13:09:00.005-05:00

I'd been growing my hair, I think, for almost 3 years. It had finally reached passed my hips. 2 days ago I got my haircut. The stylist had me stand so she can braid my hair in 4 parts. She cut right below my shoulders. These braids (8.4 oz, the longest is 18 inches) will go into a big envelope addressed to Locks of Love.

Autumn Fairy in Etsy Treasury

2008-12-29T12:43:00.003-05:00

I'm in another treasury - Sweets! Twice in a month, I'm so excited!!

Leaf Fairy

2008-12-09T21:28:00.005-05:00

This is a quick drawing done for Illustration Friday theme "Similar". My first!

My Sugar Plum Fairy Ornament in an Etsy Treasury!

2008-12-09T11:30:00.004-05:00

My very first treasury listing - "Visions of Sugar Plums..."! I can't stop giggling. Thank you, SimplySuzula!

Fairy Ornaments

2008-12-02T17:15:00.007-05:00

Sugar Plum Fairy

Moon Fairy

Autumn Fairy

My first set of fairy ornaments are finally complete! Several months in the making, with a lot of trial and error, they are now available on Etsy at ravengirl.etsy.com! I'm so excited that I think I'm going to make myself sick LOL! They are made from original watercolor illustrations, constructed out of paper or wood, and embellished with beads and wires.

Christmas Cards: Christmas Sprite for the Christmas Spirit!

2008-11-05T19:55:00.015-05:00

UPDATE: All my Christmas cards are available at ravengirl.etsy.com.

I am now selling the Christmas Sprite cards on ImageKind.com. I got myself one to test for quality and it turned out very nice. They are available at ravengirl.imagekind.com.

This illustration was done for my personal cards last year. It is oil on canvas board. I know... canvas board?! The horrors! At the time, I wasn't really going to put that much effort into it. And all I had for oil was these boards that I bought maybe 10 years ago. I hated them so I only use them for color comping.

Here's my step-by-step:

Sketch:

Day 1:

Day 2:

Day 2 (Close up):

Day 3:

(Sorry for the dark photo... bad light that day...)

Day 4:

(Got rid of the pointy thingies...)

I guess it's time for me to start this year's card! Definitely not on canvas boards!!

Inspirelements and Skellies

2008-11-04T12:20:00.012-05:00

It'd been a busy summer. I can't believe it's fall. And I haven't posted anything since July! Next few days, I hope to catch up with all the things I've been involved in.

Inspirelements was started by a group of artists/crafters who want to share our skills with other crafters. We do custom artwork like logos, banners, promotions and websites/blogs. We are also selling our own work. So stop by and check us out at inspirelements.esty.com

Currently I am selling on etsy my Skellies series. They are cute little living-dead critters. No they won't eat your brain, but maybe your hearts! (Little zombie humor teehee)

They are hand-painted and hand-embroidered on black tshirts (available at inspirelements.etsy.com)

One man's trash is another raven's treasure

2008-07-14T20:01:00.006-04:00

I have too many hobbies... One of them is collecting odd things. I love going to thrift stores and yard sales. I have plans for the things I find, but most of the time they end up just sitting there. Too many ideas, too little time! So, for those items I just created a little etsy store: ravengirl.etsy.com. Not much there right now but I hope you'll come and visit. My pretties need a home!

Berry Fairy

2008-07-14T19:52:00.009-04:00

An illustration for a label for Suzanne's yummy homemade strawberry preserve. My scanner butchered the colors and the details. I will need to get to a better scanner.

(Watercolor on cold-press illustration board)

The Police Concert

2008-05-18T12:57:00.004-04:00

I didn't realize I could go so nuts at a concert but when they started playing, I couldn't contain myself. I hopped, people! I think I screamed louder than Kyle, which you know is very hard to do. Here's a little clip from the concert.

Starting an Amigurumi Doll

2008-04-23T20:57:00.010-04:00

Yes, I have managed to step away from the computer. But not for long... I'm starting an amigurumi doll that will reveal itself at a later time. The last one [link] I did was cotton, which started to get really worn from the handling. By the time I was done with it, it looked like it went through a wash. So this time I got acrylic for the wear-n-tear. Bernat Satin Sport to be exact. I think it looks pretty good for acrylic. And I like the tightness of the smaller gauge.

Like my handmade stitch marker? I'm too cheap to go buy them so I made them out of scrap beading materials.

Actually, the real reason for the post was to try out our new camera. Got the Canon Rebel XTi EOS! Digital! Love it!

Dean's 3D Sci Fi Poster

2008-04-22T11:46:00.005-04:00

My friend Dean caught the same bug as me - to get back to our original dreams when we went to art school. To create art for ourselves. Here's his latest creation:

He used Photoshop and Poser to create his illustration, then he cut out and mounted pieces to create this awesome work.

His prints (with 3D glasses!) are available at GongamuttStudios.etsy.com.

1970's Japanese Craft Magazines

2008-04-14T15:44:00.005-04:00

I grabbed some old Japanese craft magazines while visiting my mom over the winter. They are really hilarious. My favorite is this American style decorated lounge:

And I also found this. Thought I'd share it since the long socks were such a hit at the Ren Fest:

Close up of pattern (good luck figuring it out!):

Underline Text in Adobe Illustrator

2008-04-09T09:49:00.003-04:00

This has always baffled me. Why can't you underline text in Illustrator? Is it hidden somewhere I can't see? Maybe in the new version you can. But since I'm still behind on my updates, I'm not sure.

I found the workaround awhile ago. It is one of the strangest methods I've run across. You have to have Photoshop open. Copy and paste the text into Photoshop document, then you set the text to be underlined, and finally copy and paste the text back into Illustrator. Vi-o-la!

If there's a better way, please let me know!

No Fuss Flash Preloader

2008-04-05T13:28:00.008-04:00

My quick and easy preloader method is not the fanciest. Nor is it the best method. It probably is considered old-school. But so far for me it's the least complex and hasn't failed me yet. Note that this method will cause the movie to not play until it's COMPLETELY loaded. It has no counter or loader bar, but it can be modified to have one.

1. Create a layer in the timeline for actionscript. I usually name it "A". This is where I put all my actionscript for that specific stage or movieclip.

2. Create a layer in the timeline for lables. I name it "L". This is where I have all my labels.

3. I add around 5 frames in my timeline, on all layers. I just like to have a little padding visually in my timeline. I make the 5th frames into blank keyframes.

4. On that keyframe (5th frame), layer L, I label it "startmovie". This name can be whatever you want it to be. It is labeled so it can be identified as the actual start frame of my movie.

5. On the first frame of Layer A, I put the following actionscript:

stop();

this._lockroot = true;

counter = this.createEmptyMovieClip("counter", 0);
counter.onEnterFrame = function () {
if ((_root.getBytesLoaded() > 0) && (_root.getBytesTotal() == _root.getBytesLoaded())) {
delete(this.onEnterFrame);

gotoAndStop("startmovie");

}
}

6. On the 5th frame of layer A, I put whatever actionscript that needs to be initially triggered for the movie. If you put a play() action on that frame, remember to make a frame down the timeline that has a stop() or if you want to loop - gotoAndStop("startmovie"). If you don't, it will loop back to the first frame which is the preloader script.

7. On the 1st frames of the layers where you are going to put your movie content, you can put a message or animation to indicate that the movie is loading. Just remember, whatever you put there, it has to load first before it can display. So there might be a flash of blank screen before you see anything.

8. Finally on the 5th frames of the content layers is where you will start your movie.

SWFObject

2008-04-04T11:03:00.011-04:00

Don't forget to replace the default object/embed tag that places a SWF file on a web page. Currently, Internet Explorer forces you to click on a SWF object before you can interact with it. So when your client says "Why do I have to click on the Flash twice?," that's why.

The best solution I found so far is SWFObject. Here are the steps for a very basic installation:

Download the zip file (link) and extract it.

Put couple of files in your web directory: swfobject.js and expressInstall.swf

Add some code on the page (I like the dynamic method):
- Put this in the head tag:
  
  <script type="text/javascript" src="swfobject.js"></script>
  
  (make sure the path to the js file is correct)
- Put this also in the head tag:
  
  <script type="text/javascript">
  swfobject.embedSWF("file name", "div id", "width", "height", "version", "expressInstall.swf");
  </script>
  
  Change "file name" to your file name with correct path.
  Change "div id" to id of the div you are placing the swf.
  Specify "width" and "height".
  Specify your swf "version". For example: "9.0.0".
  Make sure the path to "expressInstall.swf" is correct.
- Create a div in the body of the html that is to hold the swf. Give it an "id", same as what you specify above javascript for "div id".
- Add alternate content in the div. This content will show if the user doesn't have Flash installed.

example:

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">
<head>
<title>SWFObject</title>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />
<script type="text/javascript" src="swfobject.js"></script>

<script type="text/javascript">
var flashvars = false;
var params = { wmode: "transparent" };
var attributes = false;

swfobject.embedSWF("myContent.swf", "myContent", "300", "120", "9.0.0","expressInstall.swf", flashvars, params, attributes);
</script>

</head>
<body>
<div id="myContent">
<p>Alternative content</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>

I usually add wmode="transparent" in case I have html dropdown navigation on top of the flash. If I don't have this, the navigation will go under the Flash.

Here's a nifty swfobject generator - link.

There are a lot more you can do with SWFObject. The zip has great examples as well. It is updated often, so always read the instructions and download latest from here - link.

Another little tip: on Firefox, if you click on a flash, an annoying dashed border appears around the swf. Put this in your CSS and it should fix it:
object { outline: none }

Star Wars Amigurumi

2008-04-02T22:11:00.006-04:00

Check them out on GeekCentralStation (link)! I want to all of them!!! She also has LOTR ones and some with patterns!