fantasy art and tree chatter of aquariann

If you haven't stopped by my blog during the last two holidays, I now host handmade shop hops where sellers can promote their listings as gift ideas to potential buyers. Valentine's Day is courting us next and I recently realized I don't have any lovely art to use for the sidebar button! So I was seduced into drawing a lady bug with hearts for spots and revisiting my adoration for Art Nouveau borders. Before coloring the sketch with Prismacolors, I plan to clean up the line art and offer it as a digital stamp on Etsy. Lady bug pencil sketch is inked with black Sakura Pigma Micron Pens onto ACEO sized Strathmore Smooth Bristol Paper . Valentine art is linked at Sunday Sketches .

When life hands you lemons ... make Strawberry Lemonade Punch color schemed artwork for the Summer of Color challenge! Due to a busy schedule (especially on Saturday, as I went to a friend's birthday lunch, came home to bake caramel banana cake with homemade honey-cinnamon frosting and then whisked the dessert away to a girl's night-in party), it took me a little longer than usual to complete this week's ice cream flavor theme. I drew a daffodil, a flower known for its sunny shades of yellow. I was originally going to strictly stick to the color palette and use different shades of pink for the background. But all that brightness begged for the contrast of a dark green. Daffodil flower art is drawn entirely with Prismacolor pencils . I've used White, Canary Yellow, Sand, Goldenrod and Bronze pencils to color the petals and Deco Pink, Pink and Dark Green pencils to color the swirly background. Drawing is on Strathmore Bristol Vellum Paper , hand cut to approximately...

This is no April Fool's Day joke - a new drawing finally tumbled from my fingers! Seeing the wonderful Alice in Wonderland exhibit at the Noyes Museum a couple weeks ago motivated me to sketch my own White Rabbit art . Rabbit pencil sketch is inked with black Sakura Pigma Micron Pens onto ACEO sized Strathmore Smooth Bristol Paper and soon to be hopping around in Prismacolor pencils . Scamper over to Sunday Sketches to see more art by creative souls.

Last week we went caroling upon the Jolly Trolley through the dark streets of Rehoboth and Dewey Beach. Singing along and sipping hot chocolate was such fun! It was my first cup of the season, and was so yummy that I envisioned the joyous fairy below. Fairy pencil sketch is inked with black Sakura Pigma Micron Pens onto ACEO sized Strathmore Smooth Bristol Paper and soon to be hugged in Prismacolor pencils . Swirl over to Sunday Sketches to see more art by creative souls.

Friday I frolicked in my first Sketch Fest , hosted by Ellen Million Graphics. Sketch Fest is a 24 hour creative event where anyone can submit descriptions of visions they wish to be drawn into reality. Artists claim those prompts to use as inspiration when drawing - but are only allowed to work on each sketch for an hour before sharing. I was amazed at the amount of intriguing prompts - so many of them beckoned fantastical scenes into my mind. However, "The Mask" tied itself to my head and wouldn't budge, as that morning I'd procured Beadmask's Little Spriteling Leather Mask in Shades of Olive and Soft Gold . An hour flew by and I reluctantly put down my pencil and uploaded my initial sketch . I couldn't bear to leave her unfinished - the next night I spent another hour editing and inking. Tree Sprite ACEO is inked with black Sakura Pigma Micron Pens onto Strathmore Smooth Bristol Paper and soon to be swaying in Prismacolor pencils . Branch over to ...

International Talk Like a Pirate Day pillages the world next month on September 19th. The wheel in the sky has turned many times since I last sketched a pirate, so here one be for the occasion. It's been a year and a half since the Ogre proposed, and if you missed the story, I'd still sink ships for him . We will eventually walk the plank in a pirate-themed wedding, but for now are treasuring our engagement. ACEO is inked with black Sakura Pigma Micron Pens onto Strathmore Smooth Bristol Paper and soon to be swaggering in Prismacolor pencils . Sail to Sunday Sketches to see more art by creative souls.

A year and a half ago when Carapace proposed monthly art challenges for the Fantasy Artists of Etsy team, I had lofty hopes of partaking in every single one. I rose strong by drawing a winged wolf to celebrate the name of January's Full Moon , then did a muzzle dive and haven't participated since. Until today! I drew a steampunk unicorn for July's horse theme. ACEO is inked with black Sakura Pigma Micron Pens onto Strathmore Smooth Bristol Paper and soon to be cantering in Prismacolor pencils . Gallop over to Sunday Sketches to see more art by creative souls.

I rarely leave the house without my camera, thanks to discovering Wordless Wednesday , a weekly fest where bloggers share photographs that speak for themselves. I offer a Linky every week for readers to add their own WW posts to my blog, but I didn't have the right art in my arsenal to create a button for it. Hence the inspiration for this shushing fairy sketch! Plus, won't she be perfect printed upon surprise party invitations? She's inked with black Sakura Pigma Micron Pens and soon to be quietly covered in Prismacolor pencils . Tip toe over to Sunday Sketches and Twinkle, Twinkle: The Summer of Color to see more art by creative souls.

The summer solstice is still two weeks away, but we've already had a few brilliantly hot days of perfect beach weather. I usually recoil away from the ocean between Memorial and Labor Day thanks to the swarming tourists, but I can still daydream! Today I drew my first mermaid in a few years. She's inked with black Sakura Pigma Micron Pens and soon to be drenched in red, white, and blue Prismacolor pencils . Swim over to Sunday Sketches and FAT Tuesday to see more art by talented souls.

I started sketching a pair of dragon ACEOs months ago, inspired by the last FAE Exhibition of 2010, Frost and Fire. Then I got distracted by life, and left them hibernating through the brunt of winter. Today Fire was awoken by the howling wind outside and demanded that the battle commence again. I conceded by unsheathing my black Sakura Pigma Micron Pens and inking him first. I've lurked around the Sunday Sketches Linky hosted by Sophia at the Blue Chair Diary before but this is my first time drawing along! I hope participating will become a weekly regimen and not just a blue moon event.

Merry Autumnal Equinox! Many fae shall be fluttering about the wilderness tonight, toasting to the arrival of fall with spiced rum apple cider and biscotti. I hope to hunt down a bottle of pumpkin liqueur to recreate an amazingly delicious pumpkin pie shot I tasted at a bar a couple weekends ago. I've drawn a new fairy to celebrate the change in season. She's already been inked with black Sakura Pigma Micron Pens . I cannot wait to dust off my Prismacolor pencils and bestow upon her the vibrant autumn colors she deserves.