Niche, Predjama Castle (Grad Predjama, Slovenia)

Niche, Predjama Castle (Grad Predjama, Slovenia), by Mary Stebbins Taitt. For Nadine, over at In Blue Ink, because she likes European windows and niches.

This began as a photograph, which I painted over digitally with a smudge brush. I then added the flowers and leaves with a combination of collage (compositing) and digital painting. I will post the original photo here for your comparison if you are interested.

We are in Syracuse NY and I will not always have internet access, so responses and comments may be slow or nonexistent until I return home. I started this in the car on the way here, and just finished it. Click the image to view it larger.

A Wolf in Sheep's clothing

A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. First piece,
second draft, on my new Cintiq Wacom Tablet. (CED!) I have a lot to
learn!

4 Christmas Eve watercolor sketches

While everyone was drinking and talking, I painted 5 small water-color sketches last night which I proceeded to give away to family members present at the festivities. I think the quality of sketches disintegrates little by little with champagnes and fatigue.

Merry Christmas.

(Creative Every Day).

Medusa Mole Sketch

Here's me in the holiday spirit, LOL! Confused and ready to bite!
Too bad I haven't been that young in 40-some years!!! LOL!

Medusa, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. First sketch in Steve's Molie.

Poinsettias

Poinsettias, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. Sketch in B's sketchbook from
Jim Doran's sketchbook exchange group (and Creative Every Day
Challenge.)

Crossing the Fractal Moon

Crossing the Fractal Moon, by Mary Stebbins Taitt.

I made a fractal flame in Apophysis, a free download (try Oxidizer if your own a MAC), and then fiddled with the fractal first on Irfanview (a free download) and then on Photoshop. Then I created a digital collage in photoshop. Creative Every Day Challenge #1.

Power Pole on Canyon

Power Pole on Canyon, by Mary Stebbins Taitt

"No Whitewashing"

"No Whitewashing," by Mary Stebbins Taitt. ATC front and back. Available for trade, will post to ATC site if I can figure out how. Side 1: collage, gesso, pen and ink, side 2: gesso, pen and ink, water color. This is on a rough-cut piece of Graham cracker box, from the side of the box with a small portion of the fold of the box at the edge.

One more card

Another Christmas gift--that makes 2. It's very very slow work.

Still Life with autumn flowers

Still Life with autumn flowers, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. This is the first and only card I have painted so far this year as a gift (for someone who hopefully won't be coming here to see it ahead). Been very busy, dunno if I'll paint more or not. Water color.

BB Quick portrait

BB Quick portrait, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. My daily portrait of BB,
done very quickly on Artrage--from life from scratch. One layer.

Still life with Serving platter and Two Bottles of Wine

Still life with Serving platter and Two Bottles of Wine, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. From the restaurant at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. (Click image to view larger.)

Black Orchid, Variations on a Theme for Mick Mather

Black Orchid, Variations on a Theme for Mick Mather, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. For Photo Friday.

Various Cliches for an Alternate Holiday

Various Cliches for an Alternate Holiday, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. Done on Thanksgiving. Hope yours was happy. This is in Ammon's Moleskine.

4 new sketches

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

From two of my sketchbook exchange groups.

1-3 in Jim Doran's Book, 4 in Ammon's book. All by me, Mary Stebbins Taitt.

1. Fair winds, especially for Jim Doran
2. Grackle
3. Magnifying glasses
4. The Mirror Ball

All of these were done with my 3 new "technical pens," two old ones form my father and one new one my husband got me from Poland. I am not very good with them. I have a lot to learn.

Digital Smudge Painting of Biker Buddy

Digital Rough Smudge Painting of Biker Buddy, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. I made this from a freehand sketch of BB in Ammon's Mole.

Smudging

Took a cue from Mick and am doing digital manipulations of my own
artwork--in this case smudge-painting over a sketch. The sketch is of
biker Buddy.

Portholes in Ammon's Mole

Portholes, by Mary Stebbins Taitt--from what into what is unclear! In
Ammon's book.

Biker Buddy

Here's my daily sketch of my husband, this one in Ammon's Moleskine
with Derwent Colorsoft pencils.

Last Crossing; Uncertain Sky

Last Crossing; Uncertain Sky, by Mary Stebbins Taitt, smudge painting,
For Donna Scott.

I apologize for posting the same picture yet again, but every time I
think I'm done, I decide to work on it some more.

The Last Crossing; The Uncertain Sky

The Last Crossing; The Uncertain Sky, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. For
Donna Scott. A rough Smudge painting.

Last Sailboat at Sunset

Last Sailboat at Sunset, by Mary Stebbins Taitt.

The Last Sailboat of the Season

The Last Sailboat of the Season, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. If it's not
the last, it's close to it.

Braided Hazel's Maiden Voyage

I have a new shop on Etsy called Braided Hazel. It has ONE item for sale (well, four copies of one thing) which is the card shown above. They are $3.75 plus postage. If no one buys them, my family will be getting them as Christmas gifts. I don't really know how to work anything on Etsy yet, so I hope I didn't mess it all up! Please click on the link if you have time and give me a comment. Fave me or something, LOL! Click the image to make it bigger.

3 quick new sketches

3 Quick New sketches, by Mary Stebbins Taitt, in Tami's sketchbook.

1)Sunset at Heron Marsh,
2)Bananaquits on flowering peach
3)Siamese Kitten

All three watercolor and pen and ink.

Ozark Autumn

Ozark Autumn, by Mary Stebbins Taitt, in Willie's Mole. After "Shadow
Light," by Robert Rohm. (I could not find a copy on line to link to.)
This is the last of the sketches in Willie's Mole. I worked on it
for more than two weeks. I had to change the date. I had writtten
10- -08, planning to fill it in when I finished [I wanted to not fill
the signature area with too many dots until I'd signed it], but I
didn't finish 'til 11-07-08. I was horrified when dampness from the
one after this crept through the paper and blurred some of my
carefully made dots. Aieee! I repaired it as best I could. I have
included a detail. This is a 5 x 8" mole, so the whole picture is
about 8 x 10." I used a variety of different pens becasue I have NO
set large enough to contain all the colors I need. The different pens
make different dots. I hope it arrives safely back to Willie! (And
that he likes it).

Mustang Battle for Supremacy, in Willie's Mole

Mustang Battle for Supremacy, By Mary Stebbins Taitt. Most of the background was done with handmade stencils and water colors. I painted in a few trees. The mustangs were done in Photoshop with flowers over them. The whole things is a sort of loose take off on a painting by Wesley Dennis called "The Mustang," which I had in my room, framed on the wall, as a kid. I couldn't find one on-line to link to so you could see it.

I was drawn to this project becasue I have an MS in Biology and I did my Master's thesis research on "The Social Behavior of Free-ranging Appaloosa Horses." (These aren't appaloosas.).

I had fun doing this but was really upset to discover that enough moisture leaked through the paper to make some of the thousands of dots on the previous picture, which I've been working on for two weeks, run! :-( I haven't posted it yet becasue I am still working on it, but you can click here to see a much earlier draft if yr interested.

Shards of Sun and Sky

Shards of Sun and Sky, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. Fallen leaves on a
tree reflection, as found (not photoshopped)

Nashua Creek in Autumn

Nashua Creek in Autumn, by Mary Stebbins Taitt

Portrait of Biker Buddy

Portrait of Biker Buddy, by Mary Stebbins Taitt.

That's my husband. I think he's cute.

Among the leaves

Among the leaves, by Mary Stebbins Taitt

Merlin and the Pomegranate

Merlin and the Pomegranate, by Mary Stebbins Taitt

Women are from Venus

Women are from Venus, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. Small limited palette
pastel sketch in Tami's sketchbook for sketchbook exchange.

Elmer Fudd takes a potshot at Milo's Bunny

Milo drew the great bunny on the left and I drew Elmer on the right.

Fruit on a Glass Plate

Fruit on a Glass Plate, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. Here is my first
sketch in Willie's Mole. I had scanner issues. AK!