Gary Lippincott's Dream Is Real

As I walked through the 2009 Faerie Con Marketplace I looked over into a booth and saw a print of an illustration I loved and admired.  
A very magical wizard and dragon rendered to perfection.  Actually as I looked about this artists booth I realized it was filled with prints of the real thing!  Detailed fantasy artworks with the look of professional book illustration created by the finest of talent.  No these were not the silly little fad drawings of fairy sameness that I saw in a booth on previous aisle, where the only difference in each figure was the color of the dress. This beautiful and richly detailed collection of artwork was the real deal!  There was no doubt when I saw this artwork that this artist knew his stuff!  I looked for the booth name and saw it was Gary Lippincott.  Looking up at the tall bearded smiling man standing there I asked, "Did you do all this artwork?  Are you Gary?"

With a big grin on his face, he answered, "Why yes I did, and I am." Then of course I told him how I just loved his work.  I was sure he heard that line all day long, but never the less I think an artist deserves to hear how their work makes you happy!  Ben and I chatted with Gary and found him to be a very friendly adorable man with an endearing smile and laugh.  As we talked, I found out that Gary and I share the same alma mater, during the same years, The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA).  We figure we probably passed each other on campus during those youthful days of yore! Though we are not saying when that was! Ben and I enjoyed spending time chatting with Gary and even sat together to listen to Brian Froud's talk. Gary is a kindred spirit whose kindness and down to earth good nature are easily felt by those fortunate enough to meet him in person.
 
When looking down upon Gary's display table I saw a book I had recently purchased called, "The Fantasy Illustrator's Technique Book." Yes this was Gary Lippincotts book. Synchronicity!  I love when the Universe does that! (I wish I had brought my copy to be signed. Well there is always the next gathering of fantasy artists this fall at Faerie Con. Gary will be attending once again).

 
An instructional book like this from a master artist is always of interest to me.  I love to see and read how other artists think.  Gary talks about the importance of visualizing, keeping sketch notebooks, and taking a camera with you when you go out to capture reference material. He also explains the many considerations that go into creating a finely rendered illustration, such as planning the design of your illustrated page, the tools, techniques, your characters, facial expressions, dramatic effects, using color and tips for taking your work to the next level. For this book he invited other artists to submit their work to this books fantasy art gallery and he speaks about what makes each piece work. Gary also gives advice to those seeking a successful professional illustrators career path.

When planning his illustrations Gary anticipates many inventive possibilities for every crack and crevice or gnarled tree branch, to add more to the story and atmosphere of his final image.  His work will take you back to the days of holding a large picture book in your hands while you dream of distant lands filled with magical folk. We could all benefit from that release from this so called real world. Aren't the images in this blog post wonderful!?! Most artists use relatives and friends as models for the people in their artwork, and the model for the fairy image below was Gary's daughter.

Gary Lippincotts illustrations are so full of detail that you will not be able to see everything in these small web sized examples of his artwork.  Be sure to check out his artwork at his web site http://www.garylippincott.com/   where you can learn more about Gary, buy prints and limited editions.  

A recent addition to books Gary has illustrated is the marvelous "Come to the Fairies Ball" By Jane Yolen. This book is filled with illustrations that also showcase Gary Lippincotts graphic design strength. The young adult fantasy and children's books illustrated by Gary Lippincott are available on Amazon, and I am sure you could find some of Gary's illustrated books at your local library too. Gary does commissioned work as well as his professional illustration jobs.  Can you imagine having yourself painted in watercolor as a princess in a magical land? Gary could make that happen for you. See the amazing example on his website!

Besides art college, questioning reality, and a love of dreams,  Gary and I share a love of two other fantasy art masters...  The great Alan Lee and Brian Froud.  Their artwork is what inspired Gary to become a fantasy artist....and so with Gary Lippincott the artistic goodness expands! And we are the better for it! Thanks Gary for being yourself, living the dream and making it reality!

UPDATE: Gary says they will be selling and signing the "Come To The Fairies Ball" book at Faerie Con since both he and Jane Yolen will be there this fall.

All art images are copyright Gary A. Lippincott

My First Scrap Book Pages

I feel like a little kid who made their first art class project and fell in love with paste.  Actually takes me back to when I fell in love with the fun of creating art with felt cut outs and Color-forms. Remember them!?!  Oh I can just smell the Play-Doh!

This is my first attempt at Digital Scrap booking. A few months ago I did not even know what that term meant. In the past two years that I have been learning about Photoshop, I often saw references to digital scrap booking, usually on "brush" sites. Sure I'd seen the multiple aisles in 'Michael's' dedicated to old fashioned scrap books. I even bought a number of beautiful paper stacks to use for my wedding signs last year. Eventually I hope to make a scrap photo book about my own wedding with these beautiful papers.  There is a mini collection of elements and paper stacks on a shelf in the studio.  But, still I wondered what is this 'Digital" version of scrap books?

Finally I decided to ask on a Photoshop Brushes page what is "it" ???  Only one kind person responded to me.  I had asked "did these scrap bookers just post their digital pages online, or did they print them out?" This person said the answer was both, depending on the person's choice. People can print them out on a scanner and make a physical book themselves. What really caught my attention was that you can have your scrap book printed at many POD photo book companies including Blurb.  I had already downloaded the Blurb software months ago, since I planned on making hard cover books of my Wedding and Baby photos. So this news intrigued me.  I still do not know where scrap bookers might display their pages online other than perhaps in a flicker group.

Off I went, in search of digital scrap page information and found some scrap booking blogs.  Well actually lots of them!  Most styles were not for me, but then I found 'Mystique Designs'!  Wow!  I really loved the look of Brydka's work and how her creative team were arranging their own pages with her elements.  These gals were very design savvy and creative. I do not have time to design and make everything in my life. So making use of another artists talent is a big time saver! This digital work becomes a co-creation in the end.

'Mystique Designs' provides backgrounds, full kits and quick pages all for sale at very reasonable prices.  With every new kit design released on her blog, Brydka gives away freebie downloads for anyone...  That is how I started, with two of 'Mystique Designs' free downloads.  One was just a background and the other was a quick page.  I played with photos of the grand baby and then was hooked!  What's a fairy grandmother to do? Well... I went over to the store at 'Oscraps' and bought a variety of 'Mystique Designs' kits and backgrounds during one of her great sales...that's what!

 
I have been sick the past week, and I wanted something to do where I did not have to think.  I thought this would be good time to check out the kits I bought and just play.  I just let whatever popped into my head flow onto the pages.  There was no plan.  God would design the pages for me and I would follow along having a blast!  This was so much fun!  It feels like solving a playful puzzle, and getting a beautiful prize at the end.  Plus I now have started my own collection of memory pages! One thing leads to another! Ben is enjoying looking at my pages too. And isn't that the point of making such things?

'Mystique Designs' kits have a large amount of pre-made elements on PNG files.  You just plop down and transform the size of the items to your desire.  Easy!  I found I could mix and match the items from her various kits as well.  I only used a few elements from the kits, and I can see that there are going to be endless ways to arrange them on a page.  I added a few photoshop brushes from Obsidian Dawn and GBG here and there, and by the way both of those brush web sites have freebies. I quickly realized this is a very good way to practice your photoshop skills with no pressure.  You can always go back in a few days to tweak and change your mind about your page arrangement when you create a digital page. I just love that!

The quick pages are just that...quick!  The PNG QP pages come ready made with nicely designed frames already in the background.  Just make your own 12 x 12 Photoshop document, add a layer and paste in a copy of the PNG QP.  Slide your photos under this layer, add some type, and your new page could be finished that quick.  
I tend to keep going.....and going......and going........

Visit 'Mystique Designs' and look over her wonderful collection and be inspired.  She is making new designs amazingly fast! Get yourself some of her cool freebies, which for those people who need them, include free blog designs too.  You can find other styles of scrap pages at 'Oscraps' where there are many artists making digital scrap booking kits for sale.  Some are modern and some more traditional.  Another scrap artist whose design work I enjoy, and also has freebies, is called 'Mary Pop.' If you have trouble designing your pages, you can get ideas from both 'Mystique Designs' and 'Mary Pop's' creative team (CT) by perusing their blogs.  

 
If you are a good seeker on the internet you can find lots of freebies out there!  Some are only available for a limited amount of time. Others remain like golden eggs, waiting for you to find them! Once you discover something you really like it is nice to support an artistic entrepreneur by buying something of theirs too. All the digital scrap book pages shown on this digital scrap book blog post were created with various 'Mystique Design' elements and backgrounds. (Every Time, Glorious Spring, Faith, Secret Life, Spending, Enchanted, Romatical Album, My Biggest Wish, Beside You, and 1001 Dreams) 

I think the next time I make some digital scrap book pages, I will try using some of the ephemera I have found online to make some funky vintage digital scrap book designs. Have fun creating your own digital memory pages and feel the love of freebies!

The First Wedding Anniversary

The King and Queen celebrated the beauty of their royal relationship last weekend! A wonder to behold! One year ago we had the most beautiful wedding in all the land. We are very happy when everyone tells us it was the best wedding they ever attended. The ceremony was personalized by Ben and myself, and our friends were moved by the truth of Spirit, and our wedding vows honest sentiment. The setting of our wedding was the glorious outdoors, the food was provided by our guests and was overflowing, and the music performed by Ben and friends was exciting! The weather turned from rainy to blue skies just in time for the wedding. Everyone relaxed and enjoyed the beauty of our day, and each other. A celebration of life and love. How wonderful it is to find your soul mate and wake up happy everyday! We are truly grateful for this experience!

We planned on going to see Hall and Oates in concert at Baltimore's Inner Harbor. So Ben found us a really nice restaurant in nearby Little Italy called Aldo's that was fit for this most Royal occasion. Lovely architectural details and excellent service made for a very special location to celebrate. A most delicious Riesling and the best Asparagus soup ever for me, and a very yummy shrimp bisque for Ben started out the evening. We have a custom of sharing everything when we dine out so we had a mix of surf and turf items. Although Aldo's is an expensive restaurant, the fine dining was worth the extra you pay for their wonderful cuisine and service. I wish we had asked who was the maker of our wine, because it was so smooth!

We toasted to forever love and touched together our Rings of power! Life is good! Long live the King and Queen! Aldo's also treated the royal couple to some culinary gifts for our special occasion as well. A pesto risotto, our dessert, and a sweet liquor, which was far too powerful for us to drink! Ha! I certainly would recommend this gem in Baltimore's Little Italy to anyone. Parking would be very difficult here, so thank goodness Little Italy has a valet service stationed in the front of most of the restaurants. Helpful for sprained ankle's too!

I see my hair is brushed to the side and that reminds me that on this day my hot flashes were in extreme mode. Very hot and flashy every 40 minutes. I will not let them stop me! A little dab will do me! Well maybe a big dab! I also have to remember to pack reading glasses in my purse, so we both can read the menus when we go out to dine. After dinner we chatted with Aldo outside while we waited for our car in the sunshine. Aldo proclaimed proudly that he uses the best ingredients and told us everything is made on the premises.

Off we went to Pier Six concert pavilion In the Inner Harbor to see 'Hall and Oates. The weather was clear and felt as beautiful as the photo above. As a Philly girl, I love the soulful voice of Philly's own Daryl Hall. The man can sing! I really enjoy his web show called 'Live From Daryl's House.'  You get a peek inside Daryl's home and musical world. It is an unusual mix of guests that hang out and jam. Worth checking out for any music lover! The concert was entertaining, but too polished. This tour was to promote the new box set and the songs were just the top forty hits. I loved the last time I saw 'Hall and Oates' perform at 'Rams Head Live'', maybe five years ago. It was a free form simple concert, just the musicians and microphones. No set design. Daryl sang whatever song was called out, and the band was so good they got right into whatever song was thrown at them. 
 

I much prefer the soul songs and very much missed the soulful renditions of "In a Philly Mood," and "Me and Mrs. Jones." I just wanted to hear him wail! I also missed their guitar player T- Bone Wolk who passed away recently. Oh well, at least I bought the live recording of the former concert and can listen to it whenever I like! The seats in that venue are way too small and close together. You really better like your neighbor! Luckily for us, the funny thing that evening, was that the four very nice music loving people sitting next to us, lived near our Realm. Sometimes it really is a small world!

Earlier in the week we also took a trip to a quaint nearby town where Ben bought me a new 'Trollbead' for our first anniversary. Oh and did I mention Ben put together a beautiful bouquet of flowers to remind us of the awesome bouquet he got for our wedding day display. Always thoughtful... the King makes the Queen so happy!

Wedding Photo by Robert Smith Photography
The other photos are from my portable CoolPix Camera. 
You just can't carry the Nikon in to concerts. Darn.

UPDATE: I learned from the comment below that Daryl Hall also ate at Aldo's Restaurant on Sunday. Such synchronicity! Not surprising though, because it is evident Daryl loves good food. If you watch the web show 'Live From Daryl's House' there is always communal cooking going on during each episode. Part of the fun! Here is the info and link to the 'Baltimore Sun Blog' that will confirm that very cool comment message. Dining at Large.

 

Morning Fog

 

I have never been a morning person. Vampire hours have been the norm for me since I was a child. In time I saw the need for my night owl schedule, and why God blessed me with a body clock to suit my artistic needs. My previous partners in life never appreciated my Circadian rhythms. Ben on the other hand happily shares the same sleep patterns and schedule. We enjoy our late night work hours together and it fits the rock n' roll lifestyle that my husbands gigs require. The difficulty has come with having my grand daughter arrive at 7 am on weekdays totally messing with our sleep nirvana. And then there are the hot flashes. Last week I woke at 5 am from that unwelcome sleep interrupter and glanced outside. 

What I saw out my window was a wondrous and magical world! A cloud had settled on the Shire! All I could think was "I must take photos!" In my zombie state I grabbed my camera and put my bare feet into a pair of rubber Croc ballet slipper shoes. I crossed the slope of the fog laden yard slipping and sliding on the wet grass. Not a good thing for a recently sprained ankle.  All that mattered for me was getting photos of this freshly fallen cloud bank. The moon was still visible to the west with a pink glow arriving in the eastern skyline. I made my way to the edge of the farmland and began. The distant hills looked like an Asian painting. Then the mystical cloud began to recede across the cornfield. This was exciting and I needed to keep taking photos before the mists disappeared. My husband appeared behind me, and said when he saw the fog he knew right where I would be....in the thick of it! Ben went back inside while I waited at the edge of the property for the moving fog to reveal the barn and buildings of the farm. I could see lights through the cloud and thought it would make for an eerie photograph. 

Suddenly the cloud bank began to move back towards me like an ocean wave. The fog rolled in at me fast. I had never been in this situation. A more dense fog began to cover all the trees, hedges, and morning light. Only the white gray ghost of this cloud filled the spaces in front of me. As the fog cloaked everything in sight I began to get a little uneasy. It continued towards the edge of the lawn and me. I thought about others being in unknown places having a fog roll in on them. Fog feels otherworldly, alive, and moves as if it will wrap you in its shrouded veil and take away your sense of direction and sight. Glad I was experiencing this phenomena in familiar territory, I felt my flight sensation start, and stood my ground.

Slight mists arose as the cloud stopped and rested. Thinking perhaps the fog may roll back again to finally let me take some shots of the farm buildings, I waited camera in hand. Not to be, so I looked around the yard to full fill my photographic obsession. 

Some flowers and little bluish mushrooms that seem to open in the morning dew and die off in the sun caught my eye. This morning fog thing was a nice adventure, but my feet were now sliding in the slippery wet dew covered slopes again. Time to get the Queen back inside the castle without falling or twisting the injured ankle. I could enjoy one more hour of precious sleep. I then thanked the Spirit of the world for allowing me the have a morning fog experience.