Art · Journal · for · Grace · D. · Palmer

I'm trying to get the cute animals a little closer to my normal style, so it doesn't look like there are two different artists on my convention panels. I think that this may be a little more effective than the previous try.

( Siberian Tiger )

Since I put up progress shots last night, it's probably appropriate to do it again. Tomorrow's going to be really busy at this rate, since I still have to do gobs of matting, which is hard on my back and my brain, and usually makes me want to cry a little. Hopefully I don't have to go buy matboard. I think there's still some behind the bed somewhere.

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Remember this thing? Well, I've finally gotten back to work on it. I've printed out and elaborated on the linework (which should be shown here, but which I've accidentally saved over. This is a not terribly well advised piece I hope to finish by Windycon. Otherwise known as Friday.

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Though I did try to do some of them as quickly as possible to see if I could stay acceptably on model. Where that was possible, that is.

( more genji indignity )

Slowly teaching myself sequential stuff. This is practice work for a project that may or may not pan out, but it does at least amuse, and now I can draw 25 of the same character.

( so many Genjis )

Not doing much art these days, and what I've been doing has been practice stuff. Going through another or the same case of the hacks and not content with much. I did fix an old Judith and Holofernes sketch from ages ago and transfer it to Claybord, though. Thinking of trying it in tempera or tempera grassa with oil glazes over it (if I still have any oils) or maybe just tempera and tempera grassa.

( Severed heads! )

Just got my contributor's copies of Hellas(ancient space Greeks!), and boy are they pretty. This is the shiniest RPG I've seen in a long time.
If you scroll down to the bottom of the page here, you can see a prelim version of some of the stuff I did. The finals are black with glowy red outlines on black, rather than black on red as shown there.

This one's been in the works for well over a year, but I've finally gotten the RAM and the energy to finish the linework. It's been printed out on a nice piece of watercolor paper and awaits coloring, which probably won't happen today. ( Pygmalion and Galatea )

It's been a while since I've painted much of anything. I'm getting back in practice tonight, and trying to see how quickly I can turn out a really simple digital piece from heavy photo reference. No content here, just a pretty lady. ( Nude female, French postcard style - not work safe )

Feeling a bit down and aimless lately, so I've amused myself by drawing ( cute faeries. )

How Duckon went depends on the aspect you're talking about.

Programming-wise, I was in my happy place. I got to go to a talk about art and business that was much more informative than I'd feared, another on writing and the IRS that also applies to art. Both have told me I need to get myself a great deal more organization than I have currently.
There were giant noise-making Tesla coils, with playback quality only a little lower than my NES, and a man in chainmail and chickenwire holding up fluorescent lights and making them glow.
There was also a fellow with a variety of fun static electricity devices that were clearly for Science! Bits of puffed rice were tossed about the room by electrons, and small motors were created. I am delighted by the fact that you can apparently make Leyden jars with large spice bottles and tin foil.

Sales-wise, the whole dealers room and much of the art show had a slow convention. Gas prices are hitting a lot of people in the wallet, and making them reconsider luxury items, such as art. I may decide to take a little time off of vending, and spend it bettering my technique and putting together a more attractive body of work. I'll still do mail in and take commissions, of course. New booth set up, complete with signs from the Department of Obvious Advertising, was reasonably successful. Corset got plenty of compliments - next time I'm vending at a con, I want to be able to hand out business cards when I get those compliments.

Otherwise, it was mixed. No problems with the hotel, room was nice though bland. Consuite was unexciting, but kept calories and caffeine in the body. Serious difficulties sleeping. One cannot blame a snoring roommate - it's not like it's under conscious control. I will be reconsidering my rooming options in the future, however. Sleep is important, and last night I was seriously considering just staying up all night at one point.

Got to meet Elizabeth Bear, though it was when she stopped briefly at our booth - I didn't make it to any of her panels. Managed not to be a foolish fangirl, sold her a small composite-stone platypus instead. Art got plenty of compliments in the art show, but no sales. We seem to have reasonable success in getting attention with weird, but the problem where those who love my work are poor persists. Perhaps an improvement in quality will tempt people who actually have cash. Hoping to complete at least one large egg tempera piece this fall.

Looking at attending WindyCon this year, but perhaps not vending. I'll have art in the show either way - if I'm not there, I'll mail in.

Anachrotech and Australian fauna, together at last.
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With a con coming up, it's time to start on artwork again. Here are a couple more cute wildlife pics.
( Swift Fox and Fox Squirrel )

Picked this up from http://davario.livejournal.com/30861.html, via lokabrenna

( Me as a teen )

I should be working on RPG illustrations, or portrait commissions. The brain's gone a little soupy, however, so I pulled up an old and very silly piece and finished off the linework
( 80s pinup )

Just did the taxes via the computer, and I shall say that it is well worth the sixty bucks I had to give El Tax Conglomerate not to have to do it by hand. Maybe this year they don't come back with "ur doin' it wrong" stamped on them. Of course, the bank account is going to take a hit, but it's survivable. Just gotta be poor and work my little tuckus off for a bit. Art folks - be wiser than I. Don't do your taxes without a computer or a helpful tax person. It really is worth it in the end.
And now, back to sketchy sketchy.

Writing projects have kept me hopping, and art is seriously lagging. I have a host of commissions that have been waiting far too long. Those of you who are being lovely and patient, I thank you, and I'll be on em ASAP. Dedicated arting time is being created, because I clearly cannot wait for an opening in my writing schedule. To get the old drawing fingers warmed up, I did this:

( Teuthida )

This migration began some time ago, but it took a while to finish matching the design. My gallery has now officially moved to http://gracedpalmer.necropolisstudios.net
You can see a bit of my business partner's work at http://angelarose.necropolisstudios.net if sculpture is your thing.

Updates have not yet resumed, as it's time to get out of the house!