Jenny Dolfen

Psssst... next original is Tolkien again. :)

Secret project!

I'm working on a contribution to something extremely cool with a bunch of crazily talented people. I'm only sharing this here at this point, but it's going to be cool. ^^ 

Making of Avari

No video this time, sorry - I was really concentrating on those ferns and couldn't have spared the brain cells for the right light settings (and bumping my head against the tripod). ;) But I took loads of wip shots and cobbled together a short tutorial. :)

Avari - finished

I really like how this turned out - though the paper was a beast to work with (I remember again why I haven't used it in over a year), but I like the smooth, illustrative look it gives off. 

Not far now...

... my son's reaction to the man in the back: "Is that a terrorist?!" 
Me: Ö_ö

Him: "Well, look at him, with those suede pants!"
Me: *.*

But it got the much-coveted seal of approval from my husband, who declared it to look like a really cool RPG cover. Well, I'll take that. ;)

Throwback sale: The Wall is yours, Jon Snow

Going up on Etsy in half an hour! Sometimes you stumble across old art in a twelve-year-old folder that's still so good you want to pull your hair out wih frustration ("Haven't I got any better?!"), and then you move two pieces ahead and say, "Oh, yeah, right, *that* was what I usually did in 2003." ;)

Avari - wip

Hard to photograph - there's almost no daylight outside today. O_o 

Look what was in the mail today, Paul! :)

My brand-new A3 size stretcher. These things are so damn handy! I *feel* more artsy using them, even. :D

Nirnaeth going on sale!

Letting you guys know first that the next item on my throwback sale will be this one of Fingon - "Nirnaeth Arnoediad". 

Helcaraxë sketch

A purely personal project (alliteration, yay) of Fingolfin and his host crossing the Ice. Haven't drawn this since... 1995??

Throwback sale!

Starting tomorrow, for a week, I'm going to put one of my old favourite originals up for sale on Etsy. Each will only be available for 24 hours, then I'll post the next. :) Most of it is black and white, and fanart (Tolkien, Song of Ice and Fire, Harry Potter). If any of you is interested, your Etsy codes apply, of course! :) 

The first piece, going up tomorrow evening (always around 6-8 pm CET), will be the original black and white "Marauders" piece I did in 2004. I think it aged fai...

Spring Thranduil - Painting

Spring Thranduil

Here is is, in all his vernal glory. Another colour scheme I've never done before, but I like the cool tones in there. Spring, for me, is more about cold blues than warm sun. That doesn't come before late May. 

Video coming later! :)

Spring - face done

Yes, I definitely am happy with this. (The face is not as skewed as it looks here, at this angle).

Coasters, anyone?

I found a company who makes gorgeous cork-coated coasters (that's worth it for the alliteration alone!) Would any of you be interested in them? Could you help me choose motifs? I was thinking of Eärendil, It ends in Flame, Gandalf, the Oath, Tuor, and The Harp no longer Sings -  all of which work fairly well in square formats. I was thinking of offering two different sets of three, with all six being cheaper than the two sets together. Any thoughts?

Spring wip

Spoiling you or getting on your nerves? The line is thin. ;)

Behold my new watercolour stretcher board! IT WORKS! I've failed to stretch watercolour paper for the last twenty years, and this works! 

Spring Thranduil - line art

(Sorry, Your Royal Highness in Vernal Regalia, but I can't fit that address into the title.) ;)

Lineart: Spring Thranduil

Yes! I can film drawing, too! (In case you get bored of watercolour painting?) =D

I filmed a bit of the Avari last night, but found having my camera left of my hand is a bad idea for left-handed people. For Thranduil, I moved the camera.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct03Tr-gxt8

His Elven Majesty in Vernal Regalia - sketch

Title suggested by Isabella because "Spring King" doesn't quite cut it. XD

Digital scribble from earlier this year smoothed out a bit in Photoshop (with pencil custom brush). 

Avari - lineart

I'll be dreaming of ferns tonight. 

Avari - messy sketch

Commission for Paul, this time of the Avari branch of the Elven family. We decided to give the Refusers a distinctly wilder twist than their Eldar brethren, and I can tell you it was hard not to go overboard with that! ;)

And two tablet wallpapers!

Digital pack September

Hey you wonderful guys, here are your digital goodies for September. I've tried to fulfil pretty much all your wishes with avatars, wallpapers, and lineart! 

Enjoy! ^___^

Facsimile prints of Russandol

https://www.etsy.com/listing/246401254/russandol-facsimile-print-with-copper

With copper leaf! It seems the temperature is also a factor in unsuccessful sheet metal application. The good news is that the 35°C+ days are over!

Raffle draw and THANK YOU

Hey you all, let me take a second to say thank you from the bottom of my heart - August was an absolutely terrific month for me, thanks to you. So many new patrons, so many lovely Etsy experiences, and so much FUN with you here in comments and discussions and activities. You rock. So much. <3

Here's the raffle draw for this month! ^___^

A goodie bag each goes to: Deanna, Erin-Claire, Louise Boukerous, Lisa Gerard, Natalia Olano

An A4 print each goes ...

August 2015 Patreon supported

Thank you so much for the support this month!

Video

I set this to x16 in places, because I think the previous videos were just too long. I think ~10 minutes is a good length. If anything goes too fast, you can still turn down the speed on youtube! :)

That metal effect =D

And doesn't it just figure that, trying to even out the copper leafing, I found out BY ACCIDENT that the adhesive works far, far better when thinned down? I was applying more adhesive in some places to smooth out the circlet, when a water drop that had been hanging on my brush slid down along the tip - and suddenly, the adhesive was far better to manage, and the copper stuck to it absolutely flat and shiny. Aaaargh.

So, my plight might be another's gain. I'm selling this relatively ...

Russandol - finished

Top: scan pre-copper foil; bottom: photo with copper. 

The copper foil doesn't apply quite as nicely as the gold one. >_< 

Ready for the copper.

Purple suits him well, too!