Having Fun with Adobe Illustrator AI

 I was playing around with Adobe Illustrator, when I discovered the ability to create new vector art based on a sample style I could define.  So I asked the program to create a scary shark based on an old watercolor painting I did called "At the Beach."  The result is above.  It could be a great logo for a line of surfer apparel.  

In The Garden from watercolor to digital painting

 Years ago, I painted a little mini series of watercolor paintings, each about a place, and each 10 x 7 on Arches paper.  I then blew some of them up and printed them larger.  I liked this one, so I did an illustrator version continuing the "In The Garden" theme.  I thought I could turn it into some loud fabric design, but now realize I'll have to work a bit more to have the pattern repeat successfully.  

Cartoon Stories Act II: The Talking Heads

Act II of a planned 10 act series of short circus animations featuring characters from a 2022 oil painting.  

Cartoon Stories Act 1

Part 1 of a planned 10 part series of cartoon circus stories featuring original characters created in an oil painting by me, and an original soundtrack featuring cello music played by my sister Susan.

Website has been Updated. Check it out!

https://lucyautreywilsonart.com/..  The new website has been updated!  Any and all comments welcome.  

September Oil Paintings Progress Report

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1.  "Gulls at the Barn Door," 24x18x 1 1/4 oil on hand stretched Belgian Linen 66J

2.  "Bird Lovers," 28x22x 1 1/4 oil on hand stretched Belgian Linen 66J 

3.  "Daffodils and Gazania with Hidden Bird," 10x8x 3/4 on Linen

4.  "Skywalker Ranch Hills," 7x5x 3/4," oil on linen

When Painting Ideas Go Astray!

I was mocking up a few photo composites as reference for some new oil paintings I was planning, using old family photos.  Having learned the hard way that some people are sensitive about memories associated with certain images, I thought to ask permission.  Permission was denied!  One alternative suggested, by my entomology specialized sister, was to replace human heads with insect heads, as I had been doing with bird heads.   I tried a few versions, but they all looked quite unattractive.  The best was this photo composite with a few pen & ink insects drawings covering the faces.  I kind of like it for what it is, but it will not be the basis for any future oil paintings.  

Blue Tanager in the Candelabra

 Oil on Linen 8x10.  Latest edition to my bird/flower series.  The Candelabra flower is from a photo shot at the UC Berkeley Botanic Gardens.

Capped Parrot in Mendocino Now Finished

 I added grass and touched up the parrot's red cape.  Oil on Belgian Linen 22 x 28 now done.

August Oil Painting Progress Report: 3 Finished 2 Nearly Done and 1 Just Begun

 Finished Works:

1.  One Flew Over the Puffin Tryst:  Oil on Belgian Linen 18x18x1 1/4

2.  The Courtship:  Oil on canvas 20x24x1 1/2

6.  Sunflowers & Hibiscus:  Oil on canvas 8x10x 1 1/2

Nearly Done:

3.  Capped Parrot in Mendocino:  Oil on Belgian Linen 22x28x 1/1/4

4.  A Lot Going On (Cartoon style):  Oil on Linen 12x16x 5/8

In Process:  

5.  Bird Lovers:  Oil on Belgian Linen 22x28x 1 1/4

More Birds and a Raft

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1.  Soft Landing: Red Crow on a Magnolia Flower - 8x10 oil on linen

2.  Bald Eagle Flying over a Fractured Rainbow - 8x10 oil on canvas

3.  4 Parakeets in a Arthur Dove Inspired Sunset - 11x10 oil on canvas

4.  In Process:  Three Girls in a Raft - 8x10 oil on linen

Finch with Bird of Paradise Oil Paining

 Latest oil on linen 8x10.  

Six New Original T Shirt Designs

 All now sold with the exception of red heart funky bird.  Yeah!

Photo Polymer Gravure Prints

From a photo shot in the East Bay in 2016, at the Black Diamond Mines Regional Park, I created a polymer plate in a recent course taken at Kala Art Institute in Berkeley, taught by Kazuko Watanabe.  I then used that one image to create a number of prints on Fine Art Paper (Arches and Fabriano).   Most of my efforts used the process of Chine Colle (adhering pre printed Kozo and other Japanese papers with Nori paste, by placing them on top of an inked plate, then adding damp paper and running it all through a press)  In all of the images above, except for the final image, I've digitally added a mat board.

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1.  Chine Colle using a semi sheer colored Kozo paper print with added clouds

2.  A roll up on the plate of various degrees of transparent inks

3.  A simple black ink print

4.  Chine Colle using a colored paper print with an original pattern design

5.  Chine Colle adding a grid and Crane drawing

6.  Chine Colle adding a drawing of a man done on a Costa Rica vacation years ago

7.  Cine Colle adding color, clouds and a small bird

8.  Chine Colle adding a fractal design, and a drawing of a bird done in Ibiza

9.  Chine Colle adding color, clouds and two drawings of flying crows

10.  A mono print using two colored oil based inks painted directly onto the inked plate

11.  Chine Colle of transparent color and new clouds on very soft, deluxe Fabriano Paper

Grease Stains and Other Delights - new video

What to do with photographs of grease stains, crushed apricots, running water by the sidewalk curb, and bicycle tracks on asphalt?  Make a little video with an original soundtrack!  Some of the music played on my Yamaha MX88 is part of Handel's Gavotte and Gigue from G. Henle Verlag Urtext Piano Suites and Piano Pieces, London 1733.  

Dance of the Cymbidium Orchids to Two Bars of Handel's Passacaglia

Spring Orchids, photos & artwork set to Handel's music

New Website with Original Art for Sale

 https://www.lucyautreywilsonart.com/

Happy to announce I now have my own website with a collection of original artwork for sale.  Will be updating the selection periodically.  Check it out!

Evolution of a Dodo Painting - In Process

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1.  Somehow the abstract painting I was thinking of painting (#5) has turned into a Dodo bird painting.  Maybe this is because I'm in the process of painting another Dodo painting (more on that later,) or just because birds seem to appear in many of my paintings of their own volition.

2.  In 2012, I began a large 36x36 oil painting of The Big Wave, based on a series of nightmares I had over many years.

3.  The Big Wave painting included a childhood image of myself looking out of the canvas, oblivious to the danger.  Then I added a bunch of other people who were looking at the wave.  The execution of the final painting didn't work out (no photo documentation exists of the failed painting).

4.  In 2015, I over painted The Big Wave with a white textured background and put the painting in the garage (to join an increasing number of other paintings.)  Now that I'm re-enamored of oil painting, I'm resurrecting old works and painting over them.  

5.  In 2021, I created a digital composite of a blueprint to over paint the over painted Big Wave painting with a colorful abstract background.  Part way through the process, a bird head appeared.  Now, in 2022, the painting (#1) has turned into a Dodo bird painting.  But my childhood self, in the yellow two- piece bathing suit, is still there.  I'm tentatively calling this new painting the "Dodo Tamer."     It's nearly done, I think, at least for now.

Mock Up for New 36 x 36 oil painting?

Repainting old oil paintings on the horizon for 2022.  One idea is for a series contrasting realism with abstract painting styles to explore the process of imagination.  

New Video! Falling Into Winter

The older I get, the more I appreciate autumn.  This video is a 2+ minute photo montage, with an original soundtrack featuring Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata theme (played and recorded by me using my Yamaha MX88), and some novel effects.  With over 80 images, the video is a celebration of a beautiful time of year, as photographed in and around Marin County over several seasons.