What a cute little girl! What more can I say? Her little dark eyes say everything :)
This was another commission delivered to UK.

Details:

It’s been a wile.. without drawing. The last post I did was from the summer last year. I did some drawings since then, but on the client’s request they were not published. The truth is that I had to stop drawing for a wile. Seams like I will not be available for drawing as I used to be.

After such a long time without drawing, the above portrait was such a welcome commission :) I loved very much her face lineaments, and I was sure it will turn out into a great portrait, so I couldn’t refuse drawing it :) No wonder why the client asked me to name the portrait “angel of healing”. It was offered as a present, and it was very well received.

What’s the best reward for me if not the happiness of the people who receive these portraits? And I have to say that this was the most happy client I ever had. I’ve lost the count of the “thank you” words :)

Details:

This is the second portrait I did as a prize for Okian’s competition. The first one was Nasti. I added again some blue dry brush oil. Not such a big effect this time, but I think that dry oil technique suites the best with the pencils on this Starthmore Smooth paper.

Details:

Roy, Simmons, Jean Haines and me. Notice Jane's reaction when I gave her some of my prints :)

Yes, I know, you envy me now very much. I had the chance to go in London and meet 2 great watercolor artists: Roy Simmons and Jean Haines.

Roy Simmons is an old friend with whom I collaborated many times in different projects, including PaintMyPhoto website. I am glad I had the chance to meet him in real life, and spend with him a day in London in art galleries. He is a funny guy with an urge to always discover new things related to art. As you know (or you will know now) he created his own technique of painting in watercolor, which he calls it roughbrush technique.

Jean Haines is one of the greatest watercolor artists nowadays. She made a very nice watercolor demonstration at the Mall Galleries, organized by Society of Women Artists, trying to explain her artistic vision. It was nice to see her working live, and I wish that the presentation lasted more.

The best part is that after the demonstration, Jane had a cappuccino with us and shared some impressions. She is such a calm and friendly person. Seeing her work live was a pleasure, and trust me, your monitor can not render that magic feeling of her watercolor paintings ;) . I offered her as a gift some of my prints. She was so delighted, and so was I :)

Now I know that the world is not that big as we think, and that everything is possible, including having a coffee with Jane Haines and Roy Simmons :)

Watercolor demonstration by Jean Haines at the Mall Galleries in London

Roy Simmons, Jean Haines and me, Jullia

My first full color portrait :) Last time I tried the dry brush technique, so I thought why not doing a full portrait with this technique? After applying a few colored layers with oils, I added the details with the pencils. Usually the hair is my best part, but this time seams like it didn’t turned out as I thought.

The colors have been also a challenge for me. But this is the beautiful part of art, discovering new and new ways to express yourself. So, I believe that with this portrait I reached a milestone, and from now on I will not be so afraid of colours :) (don’t take it literally).

This is the little bracelet I received from Pinar Sondal, after the Art Swap for Handicrafts organised last month on Swap Art. This is called “Gold coated Silver Lady In Red Heart Bracelet” and is hand crafted with pure and sterling silver. If you like it you can also buy it from her Etsy Shop.

Because it was a swap, she received my handmade journal :) .

Pinar Sondal, or Toosis, is a jewelry designer from Turkey. You can find her gorgeous work on her official website toosis.com, at Boticca, Etsy, or you can read her blog.

In her designs Sondal uses fresh-water pearls, semi-precious faceted stones such as quarts, amethyst, peridot, jade, aquamarine, citrine, and onyx combining them with sterling silver and findings that she designs with several techniques. See below a nice presentation of Toosis for Boticca:

Yes, this handmade journal is my entry for the Art Swap for Handicrafts. It is 22 x 15,5 cm, with hardcovers, ~40 pages, it has an inside envelope for storage, and I used the Japanese binding :) Like it?

Now here I want to show you some other handmade things I did last year: another handmade journal, a jewelry box, a box with drawers for my pencils and other drawing instruments.

This is the portrait I did for one of the two winners of Okian’s competition . The prize is a 8×11 inch portrait made on request.

One of the most interesting portraits I ever did. This time I tried to combine the graphite with some colour. And because I didn’t like any type of colour pencil, I decided to use the dry brush technique :D Never used this technique, so I was a little worry that I might destroy the portrait. But guess what? The winner loooved it, and I think too that is an interesting effect, which for sure I’ll use it in further portraits.

This was one of those portraits I wished I never finish :) I know it took me forever to complete it, but it was such a joy and pleasure to do it.

Barbara Swinton is one of the winners from my Christmas competition. She wanted the portrait to be for Noah, her grandson. I just reread her Christmas wish, so here I want to share it again with you:

I wish you the ability to feel compassion, for it can lighten the load of others
I wish you time for reflection, for it allows you to know yourself
I wish you the desire to be kind, for it is the best sustenance for the soul
I wish you happiness that comes from within, for it has true depth
I wish for you the love of a child – for it is the greatest gift
Noah is my grandson. If love could cure, he would be well tomorrow.

Barbara told me that Noah has back to school now and he is so happy :)

Unfortunately, problems kept me away from completing this portrait earlier, but here it is done, and yes, I have to admit, well done :D

New commission done :) A real transformation of the original photo into a Victorian princess. It was an interesting experience and I enjoyed drawing it :)