♦ Art Appreciation Monday! ♦

Welcome to another Art Appreciation Monday!
Today I am very happy to spotlight a very special, talented artist, Oh Jessica Jessica!!
To my horror, I realized, it will actually be Art Appreciation Tuesday for Jessica by the time I post this! (Oops!)

Cityscape

Not only has she let me post some of her excellent artwork, like this lovely pastel city skyline, on my blog to share with you, but she has also included some behind the scenes pictures of Crochet Noir in the making!

Although, I cannot put the video directly on this blog post, if you click on the title "Crochet Noir", you will be taken to Vimeo where you can watch the short film in full.
Crochet Noir, is absolutely spellbinding, it breaks the fourth wall with it's crochet references and at times I completely forgot that I was watching stop motion crochet dolls! It has all the professionalism and quality of a big budget film, the only downfall of "Crochet Noir" is that it is devastatingly short!

Ariana: What's your name?
Jessica: Jessica Harris, but since it's two very common names, online I go by 'Oh Jessica Jessica'
 
Ariana: Are you human/boy/girl?
Jessica: I'm a lady.

Ariana: What Country/Planet/State are you from?
Jessica: From Australia, based in Melbourne at the moment.
 
Ariana: Do you have brothers/sisters/only child?
Jessica: I have one full sister, and three half sisters.
 
Ariana: Do you have any pets?
Jessica: No, never had any pets. I'm allergic to the fur.
Ariana: Do you have a favourite food/drink?
Jessica: Definitely chocolate. I have such a sweet tooth. And my favourite drink would have to be beer. 


Ariana: Birthday?
Jessica: Let's just say I'm a Virgo. And a Dragon.

 Cave

This picture holds SO many questions for me, I feel like there is an untold story that only, OhJessicaJessica, knows... I cannot help but be drawn back to look at this picture again and marvel at it's air of mystery and how the colours add to this effect!

 

  

Ariana: What inspires you most to draw?
Jessica: That's so tricky to answer! I don't know. It's just something that I've always done. I draw every single day.
 
Ariana: How do you cope with lack of inspiration?
Jessica: Oh that's funny, I'm feeling that way at the moment. Sometimes, I take a break, other times I try and push through it and try to produce something, anything, even if it takes a lot longer than normal. At the moment, I've decided to focus on something else (colouring things that I've finished inking) and it's helping.
 
Ariana: What are you currently using to create your art with?
Jessica: Right now I'm doing a lot on the cintiq. But still I draw my roughs with pencil on paper. When I paint I mostly use gouache and acrylics.
 
Ariana: Do you have a favourite media to draw with?
Jessica: Pencil on paper. It's so relaxing.
 
Ariana: Do you do custom artwork for people?
Jessica: Yes! I'm available for commissions. Feel free to contact me through my website ohjessicajessica.com
 
Ariana: Would you say the area where you live inspires some of your artwork? 
Jessica: I'd say my work is inspired by my life in Australia. The comics I'm writing at the moment have a lot of influence from growing up in Perth and how everyone knows everyone there.

Ariana: Do you feel like the place you live, or things that you've grown up with, influence your artwork?
Jessica: I don't know, but as far as my style is concerned, it's a melding pot of all the things I loved to draw when I was starting out. So a bit of Disney, some anime like Berserk and Cowboy Bebop, a lot of the Pre-Raphaelite artists, and also Edward Hopper and Jeffrey Smart.
 
Ariana: Your drawings are fantastic, what would you suggest for someone who is just beginning?
Jessica: Don't give up early on. A lot of people come into my work (I work in an art supply store) and explain how they're just starting drawing again after twenty or thirty years. They're always so nervous and scared about it, which is understandable, but I always think if they'd kept it up, even just casually, they could've used those decades to work on their skills and be much further ahead.

Belinda 

A character designed by, OhJessicaJessica! The facial expression and body language of this character is a key element in projecting an opinion about her, she seems shy or perhaps unsure about something.

Ariana: What is your current favourite finished work?
Jessica: I have a problem with finishing things at the moment. I would say my favourite thing I've done is all the Inktober pieces from last year. It was really exhausting but pushed me to create a lot in a really short amount of time. You can see them here: http://ohjessicajessica.com/inktober15/

 Inktober

 

These are just two of the many amazing Inktober illustrations that Oh Jessica Jessica created. There is so much sadness in the first picture of something lost, while in the second, the two women look so excited and curious! The contrast between these two pictures is not just emotional, but the colours too, while in the first we have mostly black and white, whereas the second with the two women has the pop of red in it too! 

Ariana: How long did it take you to get as good as you are?
Jessica: About twenty years. I'm still learning lots, and have areas that need improvement.
 
Ariana: How long does it take you to finish a picture?
Jessica: Depends. A sketch might only take half an hour. A fully inked piece can take a couple of hours, or a couple of days depending on the details. If there's backgrounds involved it takes a lot longer.
 
Ariana: Do you have a favourite thing to draw, movies, people, animals, etc.?
Jessica: Definitely people and faces. I really like drawing hands as well.
 
Ariana: When did you decide you wanted be an artist?
Jessica: Very seriously in the last year of primary school, grade 7. I used to have all these pictures of Meg from Disney's Hercules' blu-tacked on the wall in front of my desk. And I just really wanted to be an animator. I'd been drawing way before then, but I think that's when I really knew that's what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
 
Ariana: Do you have any interests outside of drawing?
Jessica: Yeah! I really enjoy cycling. I commute to work and it's become super addictive. I also like to sew and crochet. I made a film with crocheted puppets a while ago now called Crochet Noir. At the moment I'm making a blanket and it's taking forever.

Ariana: How long did it take you to make "Crochet Noir"?
Jessica: It was my graduate piece, so I made it in my last year of Masters at the Victorian College of the Arts. We had one year to create a short film. The first semester was mostly writing the script and designing the puppets. The puppets took the most amount of time. I had a lot of trial and error with how to put them together. And at one point the wire in Joe's arm snapped, so I had to remake that whole limb. The shoot was really intense, I think it was only six weeks. And we were still making sets in between scenes.

Ariana: For those who don't know what a film noir is, how would you describe it?
Jessica: Oh gosh that's hard. It's partly a visual style, the high contrast lighting, set at night mostly, but it's also got recurrent themes, such as emasculation, and the disillusionment of the American dream in a post-war era.

Ariana: "Crochet Noir" reminds me of the Maltese Falcon, (Joe made me think of Humphrey Bogart!) did you watch that film before/while working on "Crochet Noir"?
Jessica: I watched so much Bogart when I was doing research for this film. And because I was fan-girling over him a little, Joe slowly began to take on his features. Especially the eyebrows. My favourite Bogart film would have to be “In A Lonely Place”.

Crochet Noir - In progress! Here is a picture of Joe in the making, it's crazy to think that there were tiny skulls carved for these dolls (there is a picture one of the skulls used for the dolls below), when I look at them I don't think of them being filled with wire so they can bend, but they are and it's absolutely incredible!

Ariana: What inspired you for the plot? Did you think of it while watching a noir film?
Jessica: It was spawned from conversations with my partner, Adam. We were talking about this puppet I had made the year before, and since we're both fans of action/crime films we were joking about how weird it would be to have these cute puppets being really violent. The plot was something I struggled with, partly because I knew it would have to be concise as there's only so much you can accomplish in eight minutes of screen time. I also wanted there to be the themes of disconnection and entanglement (played up by the fact they're all made of yarn).

Ariana: How did you fix the eyes on the crocheted dolls? They're very lifelike, sometimes I forgot that I watching crocheted stop-motion dolls!
Jessica: They're actually doll eyes from Ball Jointed Doll supply websites. I used them because they were so lifelike. But designing the puppets heads was really tricky, because I had to make a socket for them to sit in and also be able to pivot around. I ended up carving a lightweight skull from balsa wood and smoothed the eye socket with some soft air dry clay. The eyelids were really tricky too, I molded them from plastic and painted them. I moved the pieces ever so slightly with a pin during the shoot.

Crochet Noir - In progress! The skull of one of the puppets, with the eye sockets already carved for those amazing realistic eyes!

Ariana: Do we get to look forward to a continuation of "Crochet Noir"?
Jessica: I really hope so! I've been thinking about the rest of the story in my down time. I'll begin writing it soon, and then it's just a matter of applying for funding.

 

Crochet Noir - In progress!  Joe is about to go into the cafe right here! It's so amazing how they worked this scene to where it really looked like a street. I can't believe there isn't really another building right in front of the cafe!

Ariana: How big are the dolls used in the stop-motion short, "Crochet Noir"?
Jessica: Not very tall. I think they were about 20-25cm in height. I couldn't make them too big as the sets would have been massive and the studio at school wouldn't have been large enough!

 

Crochet Noir - In progress picture! I always find it fascinating to look behind the scenes, and to see a work in progress like Crochet Noir, stop-motion is a very time consuming process and you have to be very careful not to move anything too drastically from scene to scene. 

Ariana: Did you teach yourself to crochet or did you take classes/learn from a friend?
Jessica: I taught myself. From a book on how to make amigurumi robots. I think it was called “Crobots”. They were super cute! I liked that book because the instructions were really simple and clear and easy for a beginner.

Ariana: How long did the dolls take the make?
Jessica: Months. They took the most amount of time, just because there were so many parts to stick together. Also, I had to make clothes for them and sew in the hair (I used embroidery thread for that and set it with hair gel). Then I had to make the mouths and eyebrows. They turned out really complex, which is what I wanted, so I could get a large range of expression.

Ariana: Did you sew the doll clothes with a machine or by hand?
Jessica: A little bit of both. I think the larger seams were on the machine, and then any details or small things were done by hand. The material for Joe's suit was a pain because it kept fraying. So there's a lot of glue in there too.

 

Crochet Noir - Costumes in progress! While this picture of dolls without their heads may look a little creepy, it is important to focus on the other details like the wardrobe of the dolls too. Notice how both dolls have different style shoes and aren't uniform, despite wearing the cafe uniform, they are both completely different individuals with different lives!

Ariana: Are you ever going to write any books? Or film scripts or something? I loved the plot line, it would be really amazing to see more films/or/read more of your work!
Jessica: I'm working on comics at the moment. Not in the same genre, these are mostly romantic comedies and slice of life stories. I've got quite a few of those written up and I'm in the process of inking the first short story called “All My Crushes”. I'm going to post them on Tapastic and also Tumblr when I start posting pages. And of course, I've got lots of other ideas I need to consolidate and start scripting, including the full story of “Crochet Noir”. There's just not enough hours in the day.
 
Ariana: How do you wind down after drawing? 
Jessica: Usually I would draw as a way to wind down before bed, but since I've been working a lot on the cintiq recently, I crochet to wind down. I find it helps to do something that doesn't involve staring at a screen to switch off.

Ariana: What would your advice to other artists be?
Jessica: Don't compare yourself to other artists. Just compare your work now, to the work you've done in the past, because it's always changing and evolving (and improving, although it may not feel that way). I've got all my old drawings from when I was in primary school up until now and it's really fun and rewarding (sometimes cringe-worthy) to look through them and see my progress. Everyone starts somewhere. 

 

My sincerest gratitude and thanks goes to OhJessicaJessica, who agreed so kindly to do this interview with me! Not only was she kind about my slowness on getting the questions to her, she also answered the additional questions (that I sent later on) about "Crochet Noir"!  She also sent me all the fabulous pictures of her artwork and the "In progress" pictures of Crochet Noir! 

OhJessicaJessica, is yet another wonderful inspiration that I hope you will all learn from, and that she'll inspire you to go out and make artwork of your own! 

Thank you so much for participating, OhJessicaJessica!

If you enjoyed OhJessicaJessica's artwork, you should visit her website here!

♦ Follow her on Instagram here! ♦

♦ Like her on Facebook here! ♦

 ♦ Follow her on Tumblr here! ♦

And keep a close eye on her tapastic page where she'll be posting comics in the near future! 

Eddie

Another one of the characters that, OhJessicaJessica, designed! This one is called, Eddie, and in contrast to Belinda, he seems to have a bit more confidence or is not in a situation where he is unsure of himself. Compare the two characters and while it is difficult to compare two people who are different in so many respects, it's really fascinating to see how OhJessicaJessica drew the facial and body expressions of these characters.

*****All the pictures/videos/artwork belongs to OhJessicaJessica!!!! There are links in blue which will direct you to the originals/and/webpages.**********
DO NOT USE ANY OF THE PICTURES/or/WRITTEN WORK POSTED HERE WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!!!!!
If you wish to contact OhJessicaJessica please click here.

♦ Art Appreciation Monday ♦

I'm so very, very, very, very happy to be back to posting on Mondays for Art Appreciation Monday, I am only too painfully aware that I have neglected my blog for the past few weeks. However, I shall attempt to be more persistent in future. :) 

This week, I'm honoured to interview another outstanding artist who is a highly praised international illustrator! I'm delighted to introduce you to-the amazing artist behind Greyfell-Fine-Art of Deviant art! 

Also, one of our past artists, Mr. Thomas Bachmann contributed to the questions, so this is going to be a really spectacular interview today!

Recently featured as a Daily Deviation on Deviant Art, was Fatale Fashion

Every human is a puzzle, behind every face lies a mystery and inside each mind is a machine shielding our vulnerability. A machine which counts the moments in time, ticking away the days of our lives- gears that make us unique- the things that make us work, do and believe. 

Our face is a mask, and it covers our inner selves to protect us.

This picture is so life-like, the shading and depth of the image is  very true to life, and her face-despite being a puzzle, it is still in excellent proportion. 

Ariana: What's your name outside Deviant Art?
Joshua: Joshua Edwards

Ariana: Are you human/boy/girl?
Joshua: Male.

Ariana: What Country/Planet/State are you from?
Joshua: Originally born in Australia, but my parents travelled a lot when I was a child so I lived in a few different places. Mainly educated in the UK and Australia.

Ariana: Do you have brothers/sisters/only child?
Joshua: 2 brothers, 2 sisters…all older

Ariana: Do you have any pets?
Joshua: 6 cats and 3 dogs…I’m a sucker for small creatures without a home.

Ariana: Birthday?
Joshua: October / Libra

Iguana

This picture, "Iguana", was the first picture I ever saw by Mr Joshua Edwards. It captured my attention immediately, and I was awestruck at his talent. As you can see, he has an impeccable ability to shade his artwork accordingly and make the features of his subjects so lifelike you want to touch them to see if they're truly real, or simply a picture.

Ariana: What inspires you most to draw?
Joshua: Not really sure what inspires me to draw. Different things on different days I think. Sometimes it’s simply a need to create something, other times it’s seeing the work of other artists and being completely blown away by the talent and ability and wanting to emulate it. A lot of the time it’s just a means of getting an idea or a concept out of my head that I can’t articulate in words.

Ariana: How do you cope with lack of inspiration?
Joshua: Lack of inspiration can be the hardest but I think I’m fortunate in that I don’t seem to experience it or have it that often. In fact, I generally have a hard time trying to keep ideas for new works out of my head in order to concentrate on the current work. If it is a problem then I simply try to go and do something else, housework, shopping etc…something mundane in order to clear my mind and let the idea come of its own volition rather than trying to seek it out.

Ariana: What are you currently using to create your art with?
Joshua: I mainly use just basic materials that I purchase at Hobby Lobby. Don’t really like art supply shops; quite expensive and a far too much of a chance of being engaged in conversation by pretentious people. I use just basic Kimberly graphite pencils and Bristol smooth paper. Not a big fan of needing to have exactly the right tools or the right materials. If the idea is right then the tools that you have will adapt themselves to it. My dad was a carpenter and his favorite saying was always that ‘a bad craftsman always blames his tools’. Sort of stuck over the years.

Ariana: Do you have a favourite media to draw with?
Joshua: Drawing is my favorite and I like using graphite pencil mostly. I occasionally use charcoal, chalks and pastels…but it depends on the composition.

Ariana: Do you do custom artwork for people?
Joshua: I don’t do custom artwork very often. I’ll occasionally do a portrait if I happen to find the person or animal interesting…but custom work is more in the line of an artist with a talent for graphic design which is not my strength. I also don’t particularly like dealing with other people on that level to be honest.

Ariana: Your skills are amazing, what would you suggest for someone who is just beginning?
Joshua: I was never formally trained and didn’t go to art school so I’m not sure how useful any advice I could give would be, but for what it’s worth I’d say the following: Practice, practice and practice. Literally practice makes perfect. Try to render subjects that you don’t like rather than those that you do, and do it as often as you can. You’ll find that it will expand your technical range, which will in turn allow you to delve into a greater level of composition. Technical ability without composition will only give you half of what art is about, and the same goes in reverse – a wonderful composition will never reach its potential until you have the ability to execute it. Be aware as a beginner that for every masterpiece you’ve seen hanging on a wall the very same artist who created it also created another hundred on the road to the one you’re looking at that were not. No one gets it right first time. Michelangelo chipped away at a lot of pieces of stone before he took on David. Also accept the fact that art isn’t about what other people think or do…it’s really more about expressing yourself in terms that you understand and control. If people like it great, if they don’t then that’s an opinion they’re entitled to. And last, but by no means least…learn how to draw. And I don’t say that as someone promoting my own medium, I mean it in the most serious possible sense. Every great artist - no matter what the medium they worked in, the style they ended in being famous for, or the era they were born into – be they painters, sculptors, iron masters, gold smiths in whatever form…all of them, despite the apparent differences in language, work, and end product, all had one thing in common. They were all proficient at drawing. From Picasso to Pollock, and Caravaggio to Cellini….every single one of them learned how to draw properly. Basic drawing technique will teach you the elements of art that are required in all other disciplines. An artist who can’t draw is like a carpenter who can’t use a hammer and chisel; it will never look right and it won’t stand the test of time.

Ariana: What is your current favourite finished work?
Joshua: I don’t really have a favorite work as such. They all mean different things to me. Some are landmarks where I can see I reached another level technically….others where I had been trying to get an idea across and finally managed it in the form I wanted. Forced to choose I’d probably currently pick ‘Cogniscant’ as it was the first work in a current series that I’m working on where I feel that I’m really starting to find my voice as an artist.

Thomas Bachmann: How long did it take you to get as good as you are?
Joshua: I’ve been drawing since I was about 7. My mum had a giant book called Grey’s Anatomy for the Artist which I used to copy from on butcher paper. My earliest drawing were all anatomical studies.

Thomas Bachmann: How long does it take you to finish a picture?
Joshua: It depends on the composition. Generally no more than 50-60 hours but some larger works can take considerably longer. I also spend quite a bit of time laying out/ sketching ideas and actually just sitting playing with pictures in my head which I suppose all counts.

Ariana: Do you have a favourite thing to draw, movies, people, animals, etc.?
Joshua: My favorite drawings are generally those which communicate an idea rather than an actual living thing such as an animal, person or scene.

Ariana: When did you decide you wanted be an artist?
Joshua: I didn’t really decide at all to become an artist. I was more drawn into it over the years and as the result of personal circumstances.

Ariana: Do you have any interests outside of drawing?
Joshua: I read a lot when I’m not drawing. Mainly history. Quite a bit of literature, some sci-fiction and crime fiction.

Ariana: How do you wind down after drawing?
Joshua: I don’t really feel that I need to wind down after a day of drawing. I actually find it relaxing. It’s more a case of dragging myself away from what I’m working on in order to eat and sleep rather than the other way around.

Ariana: Do you have a favourite food/drink?
Joshua: Favorite food would be vegemite. Non-Australians will have to Google it.

(Note to readers who don't want to Google vegemite: Vegemite is a dark brown Australian food paste made from leftover brewers' yeast extract with various vegetable and spice additives developed by Cyril P. Callister in Melbourne, Victoria in 1922.*)

Ariana: What would your advice to other artists be?
Joshua: My main advice to any artist would be that no matter how good your work is, your eventual success in the art world will be exactly the same as success in any other creative endeavor - and that success is as much about exposure as it is about talent. No matter how amazing your work is, it will make absolutely no difference if no one ever gets to see it. Don’t be afraid to get your talent seen and also don’t be afraid to take the hits from other people who may not like your work. Everyone is a critic and no more so in the art world.

 Cognisant

If there is one thing we are aware of, when gazing upon this picture, it is that Mr Joshua Edwards is a brilliant artist. This picture very much like Fatale Fashion, but yet, also so very different at the same time. It shows an image of the mind and how complex it is behind the face which is a mere mask covering it. I also would like to draw your attention to the eyes and soft features of the woman's face-  they are very soft, but also very pronounced, producing an amazing finished result. 

Midnight Mare

This one is my favourite, of course- I love most any artwork of horses, so it is no surprise that when I saw Midnight Mare, I was enchanted! She's so majestic and her eyes are so soft and gentle, against the dark background, she is as radiant as the moon against the sky. 

 I want to thank Mr Joshua Edwards of Greyfell-Fine-Art so very, very much for participating in Art Appreciation Monday. Not only for participating and allowing me to send him a million questions, which he so kindly answered! But also, for being such an inspiration to young artists in the world who are just beginning, in the middle or at the height of their professional career! 

If you enjoyed this interview and the amazing artwork, you can watch when he posts up new artwork on Deviant Art here.

Or you can like his page on Facebook here.

Also, Mr Joshua Edwards is hosting a "Limited Edition Print Contest"

Where you could win a custom framed and matted Giclee standard limited edition print of any of his masterpieces chosen by the winner (it could be YOU!), hand signed and numbered, and it will be shipped free of charge to any destination worldwide! 

To be eligible simply visit the Greyfell-Fine-Art Facebook page, click the like button. Any genuine comments either posted on the news feed or on an individual work featured in the photo galleries would also be appreciated. :)

*****All the artwork/pictures belongs to Joshua Edwards!!!! 

There are links in blue which will direct you to 

the originals.**********

DO NOT USE ANY OF THE PICTURES/or/WRITTEN WORK 

POSTED HERE WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!!!!! 

If you wish to contact Mr Joshua Edwards please click here.

 Not to mention he deserves many more followers on Deviant Art so follow him here.

*Vegemite: Wikipedia

♦ Art Appreciation Monday! ♦

Welcome, once more to a spectacular Art Appreciation Monday! :) 

 Last Monday I was thrilled to spotlight one of my best friends/pen-pal Thomas Bachamann, who you probably know as the Kid with a Camera, and just recently celebrated the accomplishment of an entire year of photography! So I was super excited to be able to spotlight him!

This Monday, I have another exciting guest for you! If you're a fan of art that looks cute and rather like Disney characters...you'll be very happy...If you like Sherlock you'll be even happier with our guest this week....also if you believe that Sherlock and Molly Hooper are a cute couple... And if you're like me...and love all of the above, then you're in for a wonderful treat! ♥

This week we welcome, ****Drum Roll**** Lexieken of Deviant Art!!!! :)

Ariana: What's your name outside Deviant Art?

Lexie: Lexie.

Ariana: Are you human/boy/girl?

Lexie: Female.

Ariana: What Country/Planet/State are you from?

Lexie: Last time I checked, it was Earth. But more generally known Sol 3.

Ariana: Do you have brothers/sisters/only child?

Lexie: I have a younger sister.

Ariana: Do you have any pets?

Lexie: Sadly, no.

Ariana: Birthday?

Lexie: Fall.

Fall birthdays are the best! I should know, my birthday is in the fall too. :)

Ariana: What inspires you most to paint/draw?

Lexie: Quite often, it's a feeling. I feel like there's something that I have to create, a story that I want to tell, an image that needs to flow out of my brain and I need to be able to see it and touch it and tuck it away in my pocket. The triggers for it aren't always the same, but it's always the same feeling.

Ariana: How do you cope with lack of inspiration?

Lexie: Quite often this is vegging out on the couch and watching my favorite movies or tv. I also tend to turn to crafting basics, like knitting a scarf or sewing a plushie following a pattern. This helps me still make something tangible but often removing the part when I have to think about it.

I'm not going to deny there's been weeks and weeks of not being able to make anything. When things get bad, I go back to basics and try to improve my learning: I follow tutorials that I've bookmarked for later, see if there's something new that I can learn in terms of technique or approach. This usually does the trick.

Ariana: Talking about munchies... do you have a favourite food/drink?

Lexie: I love food, just in general. But I have particular cravings for bread and cheese and fruit, in pretty much in any variation.

Ariana: Do you have a favourite media to paint/draw with?
Lexie: It will vary depending on my mood, actually. But it's always the traditional pencil and paper that I keep coming back to.

Ariana: Do you have a favourite thing to paint, movies, people, animals, what is your favourite thing to paint/draw?

Lexie: Right now, I love doing Sherlock fanart because it makes me happy, but I have to confess I really really miss oil painting. I love working on a large canvas and spending time in front of it, just me and my work while everything else dissolves around me.

Ariana: When did you decide you wanted be an artist?

Lexie: I don't think it was a conscious decision. It's just...who I am.

Ariana: When did you first decide you wanted to draw Sherlolly art? :)
Lexie: This has to do with the story by Emcee called "The Full House". I'd been reading that story and suddenly, it actually started speaking to me on a visual level. I HAD to draw something for it. And so I made a sketch and very shyly sent it to the author via PM. She was just oh so lovely and we got to talking so quickly...I wanted to draw more and more for it, and Emcee was nothing but encouraging throughout (more like she was my enabler). I hadn't drawn with any regularity other than little margin doodles in years, so it took some time to get in the groove of it, but wow, I can't believe how far it's let me go!

(For your information: The Full House, is available online and is a fan-fiction, just for those of you who don't know.) :) 

Ariana: You have a really cute Disney-ish style, how exactly does one draw like that?
Lexie: I...don't know? I've always loved the 9 Old Men, and I went back and I looked at art books for them, studied their sketches and their methods of learning. From there it was just a lot of practice!

---- And for those of you who don't know the 9 Old Men, (I've been there before too, don't feel bad.) here's a direct link to Wikipedia for you, Disney's Nine Old Men. :) For better understanding. :) 

Ariana: Do you have any interests outside of painting/drawing?

Lexie: Oh goodness, SO MANY. I do quite a lot of crafting, but I actually am a professional photographer (though it's not how I make a living).

Ariana: How do you wind down after painting/drawing?

Lexie: I go to sleep. Haha. Usually, I finish drawing really late at night so I basically stop what I'm doing, brush my teeth and go to bed for a few hours before going to work.

Ariana: What would your advice to other artists be?

Lexie: My best advice is to keep learning, don't get comfortable, and don't give up. If something's not working, fine it's not working right now: get up, take a walk, sing a song, do a jumping jack, turn your paper upside-down. Eventually, you'll get there. Be kind to yourself (not just about your work, but also about finding some time to relax and do those important wrist stretches!) and keep pushing for the next level, always be ready to learn something new. 

Ariana: What's your favourite line from Sherlock? :)

Lexie:  Sherlock: Beautiful, isn’t it?

John: I thought you didn’t care about things like that.

Sherlock: Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate it.

(From The Great Game)

Ariana: What did you think of that kiss in series three? :) 

Lexie: Which one? My favorite was when Sherlock kissed Molly on the cheek, actually. Mostly because it was so genuine, so real: he's doing everything he can, putting himself in a vulnerable situation and still being mature and, in a way, he's letting her go. It was a beautiful moment.

Ariana: Is there anything you want to happen in series four of Sherlock? :)

Lexie: I really want to see more cases!! I want to see how the writers deal with some of my favorites from the classic stories! I can't wait to also see this Sherlock morph into ACD (Arthur Conan Doyle) canon Sherlock: more jovial and definitely more fun.

Now let's take a look at my favourite picture by Lexieken!! Who has so kindly allowed me to post a piece of her artwork on my blog! 

Disneylock-Sherlolly and Warstan-sm

One of the reasons I love Lexieken's art, is because of how cute it is! Her style is very unique and sweet, and has such a nice Disney flair to it. Notice how simple the background is behind them, how it doesn't really matter that there isn't anything back there, just plain simple pink. One of my favourite things about this picture is the fact that Mary and John are in it together this time. Disneylock Sherlolly and John, is before Mary was introduced, it is still gorgeously done, and I love John's face in that version. But this version is definitely my favourite. :)   Lexieken does a beautiful job of combining her colours and giving each of her characters great expressions and personality. And an added bonus to all her fabulous artwork with almost every picture she has a small snippet of story or conversation which brings the picture to life! 

I know some of us really want Sherlock and Molly to get together...and seeing it brought to life in fan-fictions and artwork is brilliant, but my favourite Sherlolly artist is definitely Lexieken.

If you like her artwork, go and check out some of my other favourites!

♥

Sherlolly Beach Holiday

Sherlolly Teenlock Piggyback

30 Day OTP Sherlolly Day 9 Hanging out with friends (This one reminds me of the Great Mouse Detective!)

Victorian! Sherlolly-Cont'd

♥

And because I love all the artists I spotlight I highly recommend you do the following:

Follow Lexieken on Deviant Art!

Or on Tumblr ArtbyLexie

Buy her art prints, or clocks, bags or coffee cups, through her Shop on Society 6! 

As always, I'm so amazed when an artist of any sort is willing to agree to do an "Art Appreciation Monday"! 

It is so thrilling to get to meet people like Lexieken, who know so much and are willing to share their stories with the world! ♥ That's why I want to give her a BIG THANK YOU, for agreeing to do this, it takes time and I really appreciate it! She is not only an inspiration to new artists, but also a kind person to know! ♥

Thank you! 

*****All the artwork belongs to  Lexieken!!!! There are links in blue which will direct you to the originals.**********

DO NOT USE ANY OF THE ARTWORK/WRITTEN WORK 

POSTED HERE WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!!!!! 

If you want to use some of the Lexieken's art, contact her through 

Deviant Art, not to mention she very much deserves loads of

 followers... so go follow her here. 

♦ Art Appreciation Monday! ♦

I'm so happy that Art Appreciation Monday is back this week! This week we have another special and talented guest....are you ready...*drum-roll* DansedesSonges from Deviant Art!

The wickedly talented DansedesSonges, dazzles her followers on Deviant art with classic artwork, ranging from fan art to creations of her imagination, there is so much to marvel at in her traditional artwork!

Mads Mikkelsen- In The Series Hannibal

 This is another show I have been recommended to watch, Hannibal, which sounds fantastic!

This is Mads Mikkelsen who plays Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the series Hannibal. :) DansedesSonges, does excellent work with her shading... simply using graphite! I hope the actor Mads Mikkelsen sees this picture, because it is amazing! I think he would be truly flattered and the artist deserves that recognition! :)

Ariana: What's your name outside Deviant Art?

Danse des Songes: I keep that to myself! I work under the pseudonym, Danse des Songes (Dance of dreams). This pseudonym was created from the initials of my real name. Because my dreams play a dominating role in my creations.

Ariana: Are you human/boy/girl?
Danse des Songes: I'm a girl.

Ariana: What Country/Planet/State are you from?

Danse des Songes: I live in Ardèche, in France.

Ariana: Do you have brothers/sisters/only child?
Danse des Songes: I have a brother.

Ariana: Do you have any pets?

Danse des Songes: No, but I would like very much to have a cat soon. I like animals a lot, and put a lot more and more into the associations of animal protection.

Ariana: Birthday?
Danse des Songes: 25, March.

One of my many favourites by DansedesSonges, is her

Leopard

 Leopard is in coloured pencils, and why am I the first to say this, "WOW!". 

I love the details that DansedesSonges, puts in her pictures. When you look at this picture, you first think- "ah, what a beautiful picture..." then you realise, oh wait, that's actually a drawing! 

I have always been amazed whenever I find an artist or photographer who is just astoundingly amazing, and they haven't got a huge fan-base. 

Ariana: What inspires you most to paint/draw?
Danse des Songes: Dreams, nature, animals, literature... My sources of inspiration are numerous... But, since September, I decided to take back my bases and to work the techniques in drawing and paint. Thus, at present, I realize especially exercises of training.

Ariana: How do you cope with lack of inspiration?

Danse des Songes: I take a break, I go outside and sometimes make meditation.

Ariana: Do you have a favourite media to paint/draw with?
Danse des Songes: Acrylic and graphite.

Ariana: Do you have a favourite thing to paint, movies, people, animals, what is your favourite thing to paint/draw?

Danse des Songes: Because I work the technique, I try to draw different things, actors of series, animals, landscapes...

Ariana: When did you decide you wanted be an artist?

Danse des Songes: I have been chained to a diverse job, so it's not always easy. So I finally decided to be myself and work doing what I like, I have worked with my passion the last year.

Ariana: Do you have any interests outside of painting/drawing?

Danse des Songes:  Music (metal, classical music, Indus...), the series, movies especially horror and fantasy, literature, and poetry...

Ariana: How do you wind down after painting/drawing?

Danse des Songes: I watch a series, or I listen to music...

Ariana: Do you have a favourite food/drink?

Danse des Songes: I like chocolate, and sushi... I like the good dishes and the desserts!

Ariana: What would your advice to other artists be?

Danse des Songes: To remain humble, for them to always be sincere in their art. And especially persevere, keep enthusiasm.

Husky

Once again, DansedesSonges has worked her magic on yet another masterpiece. It is so cool to look at this picture, with all the grey tones and how the blue eye of the Husky just pops out at you. It's such a beautiful picture, so artistic and celestial. And what makes it even more amazing is that, DansedesSonges does it in coloured pencils!

The next gorgeous piece is called

Portrait Acrylique

I love how DansedesSonges, kept her colours to light blue and grey hues which give the picture an almost ghost-like appearance. It is surreal and, for some reason it makes me think of the night sky...like she is looking up into the pure beauty of the moon. DansedesSonges, painted this picture with acrylics and I will just say this picture takes my breath away with it's brilliance! 

If you liked this artwork, DansedesSonges has more on her Deviant Art page here.

She has lots more artwork and it is sure to please anyone who is in need of some inspiration! 

As always, I'm so very happy that DansedesSonges agreed to be a part of my "Art Appreciation Monday"! It is so brilliant to speak to so many different people and learn new things and how they handle situations in different ways, is always so interesting! :) Thank you!

*****All the artwork belongs to DansedesSonges. There are links in blue which will direct you to the originals.**********

DO NOT USE ANY OF THE ARTWORK/WRITTEN WORK 

POSTED HERE WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!!!!! 

If you want to use some of the artist's artwork or written work, 

contact her through Deviant Art, here.