Showing posts with label digital art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label digital art. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Rain!!!!

"Fire Angel" by Primal Painter

It rained!!!!  And the temperature is 68 degrees!!!!!  Wow, what a difference that makes in the energy around here.  For the last three weeks, we've had temperatures above 100 degrees with about a week of temperatures above 108.  That's craziness!  Two days we hit 114!! Combined with no rain since mid June, it's been a brutal time for the environment around here.

Several of my oak trees are completely dead at the tops, and the leaves are dropping like it's winter.  I have to wonder if my own energy levels and moods are tied into the energy levels of the trees.  I sit outside on the balcony and survey the scene, and for weeks now have felt so withdrawn and forlorn, like I'm running on empty.  I imagine that's how the trees feel which makes me think that maybe my empath abilities aren't limited to people.  

A couple of days ago, I was sitting on the balcony feeling melancholy and was thinking about auras and magnetisim and how those things might influence the immediate environment.  I thought that my aura must surely be stuck to my body, not expansive at all, with limited light and magnetism.  Right then, this huge beautiful yellow and black butterfly floated by very slowly, checking me out.  I thought it was going to land on me, but it just hovered around me for a second or two, then floated about five feet away.  Then it came back for a second pass, hovered around me for a couple of seconds then floated away.  


Maybe this was a sign that my aura and energy are still intact and active, but I've allowed my energy levels to reflect that of the trees?  If that's the case, the same challenges will exist with living among the trees as it does living among humans. A lesson to learn from the trees:  They probably don't get forlorn, they just accept what they can't change and adjust themselves to fit the circumstances. They drop their leaves to reserve energy and focus on strengthening their roots.  I need to strengthen my roots.

The last couple of weeks have been strange.  Computer issues out the ying yang! Frustration, time spent on the phone with nice people whose accents I can't understand, cell phone problems, air conditioner problems, airbrush problems, camera problems...Good Gawd!  Mercury in retrograde is a Bitch! 

The sun has been shooting off some significant solar flares lately which affects everything too, although I don't think many people realize that. They affect the earth's magnetic pull which can trigger volcanoes, earthquakes and extreme weather so you know they have an influence on us puny humans and our devices.

I decided to track down all my internet connections the other day to see what the problem was, went out to the phone box on the outside of the house, opened it, and right at face level is a wasp nest filled with angry wasps.  I froze, they froze, then they swarmed me and chased me all around the yard! I got stung four or five times, three times on my face which promptly led to a massive migraine. Man!!  In retrospect, it was probably funny seeing me screeching, flailing my arms, and running in circles, lol.  I swear, if I could make an exact duplicate wig of my frizz bomb hair and put it on the end of big stick, I could market it as the best wasp catcher ever!

The high point, though, was the package I got from Melinda at Inspiration Earth yesterday. I won her giveaway last week and got a bottle of organic sweet vanilla body scrub, a bottle of lavendar bath salts, and tinted grapefruit splash lip balm.  I instantly filled the bathtub and soaked.  Oh....my.....gosh......!!!!  I swear, Melinda, you could make a fortune selling this line to upscale spas and health food stores.  Beautifully packaged in glass bottles, and talk about superior products!   That sugar body scrub made my skin look 10 years younger, the bath salts eased the chronic migraine I've been having, and the lip balm has just the right amount of tint and makes my lips so soft.  I can't even say enough about how wonderful these products are!  As usual, everything that comes from Melinda is top notch!  Thank you, Melinda!

Well, I'm taking full advantage of this beautiful day and am getting out into the studio.  I've been doing some things in the studio, like the top photo. The frame doesn't really look that blotchy in person, but the camera is picking up on color variations that aren't visible to the naked eye...or maybe it's just my naked eyes. lol   I  also painted  several mats (just out of matboard) in different colors for the prints. I have two more color combos for the frames, but I'm changing direction.  Too boring! And all those listings I have to write up...gah!!! And the photos I  had to take for the listings...double gah!! And the editing I have to do for the photos....triple gah!!  #@*%)#@(*  How I wish all I had to do was paint and create!

I have a couple of new projects up my sleeve that should be fun.....for a minute! lol

Later,

Laurie

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Butterflies and Lilacs


"Through a Butterfly's Eyes" 

Ruh-Roh Raggie...  Not everything has to be totally abstracted out I've discovered.  How about a little realism/abstract combo action.  This image was just my first attempt, so it's not a finished product or anything. I thought I'd share the very first one so that months later I can see how far I've progressed..

Man, I tell ya, that gimp is a fascinating tool.  As I learn more and more (all completely by accident) about the wonderful things gimp can do, I see endless possibilities.  Or maybe it's just the drugs I've been on for the last few days for an incessant migraine, I dunno! Not that I like the drugs, I hate the drugs, they make me tired and I know my aura is filled with black clouds because of them.  Nothing can really be done about a brain injury though, so I just need to feel grateful that I don't get seizures which were also a possibility when the brain injury occurred.

I don't know if it's the migraine, the creative burst I'm having out in the studio, all the eclipses and solstice energy or the disturbing discovery that some people lack integrity and will steal my images and words, but I've been strangely mute for the past week or so.  I'm still feeling pretty mute, but thought I'd stop in and say hi.

It just occurred to me that I'm also gearing up for some throat chakra work so that could have something to do with it too. Much of the imagery I'm creating right now is in blues with some purples thrown in which is a good indication that I'm moving up into the higher chakras.

I really want to put a chakra guide page at the top of this blog, but being mute doesn't seem to be conducive to writing.  I did manage to get a "What is Reiki" page up, so that's something at least.  If only I could multi-task like my sister who can do a million things at once and do them well!  I'm not like that.  Working out in the studio takes away my interest in writing and words (and cleaning and reading and everything for that matter!). .  The creative process for me doesn't include words.  My brain thinks in terms of imagery, shapes, colors and patterns.  I like fantasy land better than literal words so I might be there for awhile.

Well I'm already talked out......

Later!

Laurie

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

My New Strategy





I'm going to start putting the new things that I've listed on Artfire here in my blog complete with links, blah blah blah, all that SEO stuff.  I've decided I really need to make a push to generate sales because I'm tired of treading water (oh and I'm broke).

For someone who's really laid back, I can be very competitive.  I seem to have lost that competitive oomph for the last few years, but there was a time when it was a driving force for me.  Of course, after achieving the goal, I would get bored and have to start from the bottom with something else.  Hopefully that won't happen this time, but yesterday, I was excited to feel  that little defiant surge of "if other people can make x amount of dollars per month, so can I" attitude.

There are two main things I'm going to do.  First, I'm developing new products. The funky art pendants which I'm making with mini wallet sized prints of my digital energy art are really cool and affordable.  Plus, I'm incorporating my prints into ready to hang wall art.  I'm not talking frames and mats, I'm talking airbrushed embellished wood "mats" to enhance the presentation of the print in an affordable way. 

I don't know about other people, but I'd be more inclined to buy prints that are ready to hang as opposed  to matting and framing them myself.   I'm thinking that presenting them differently from the other prints out there might set mine apart.

Second, I've decided I'm going to try Artfire's 45 Day Success Guide.  I'm not the most self-disciplined person in the world, so I thought maybe if I announce that I'm going to do it, I'll actually stick to it.  Gee, wouldn't that be novel! 

The first week is mostly getting your shop set up and a getting a few things listed, so I got to jump to day 8 which is about writing in the provided blog.  (Really?  Another blog? Oh maaannn.....) Actually, they say that if nothing else, just write an introduction post about yourself and your artwork,  plus include a link to your main blog, so I guess I can do that. 

Melinda, from Inspiration Earth did a feature on me a few weeks ago, and I was thinking (with her permission, of course) that I would use excerpts from that interview as my introductory post, providing links to her blog and  her Artfire shop  Inspiration-Earth.  Melinda's questions were so insightful and thought provoking for me, she really was the trigger for me pulling together my intentions into written form. Thanks Melinda!

Another important thing that was mentioned in this success guide, is how important it is to get as many products listed as soon as possible.  That way, your products will be indexed by google much faster and will show up in a google search.  This is different from the Etsy strategy of listing one thing here and one thing there in a futile effort to be seen at the top of the listings (for a whole, what? 5 minutes if that?)

Other important strategies, tweet your listing, post a link to your new listing on facebook, put a link on your blog, add it to stumbleupon, kaboodle, and something new called pinterest.  I haven't actually checked out pinterest yet, but I've started doing the other things.  Oh and post in the forums three times a day. I tried that yesterday and got Nuthin'...no views, no nuthin'!

So we'll see how it goes.  Such a beautiful day today, maybe I should wait to start everything tomorrow.....oh nooooo, get a grip, Laurie, remember the word "BROKE."

Have an awesome day!

Later,

Laurie

Sunday, April 3, 2011

An Artfire Collection called "I Love Abstract Art"



I have alot to do today, but I was excited that one of my new digital energy art prints was featured in a collection curated by AsktheMoon from Artfire, so I wanted to share it.








I'm off to enjoy a beautiful 80 degree day!  I've started working on my art pendants and I got a new set of prints from adoramapix yesterday, so lots of work to do.

Have an awesome Sunday!

Laurie

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Digital Energy Art "The Angel" by primalpainter


"The Angel" by primalpainter


I was in an Angel mood yesterday and created this beautiful energy art from a photo of one of my older wall sculptures called "Forest Angels". I have the same image in several different color combos, but this one is my fave.

The wall sculpture I used for inspiration is actually quite different from the ones I have listed on Etsy and Artfire right now.  I painted the glass in a transparent way and put a bulb behind it so it's actually a light. There are hidden images of angels all over it.  I did several styles of these wall sculpture lights, not quite sure why I stopped doing them because they're really pretty cool and unique.  My daughter has this hanging in her apartment.


See any angels?

So  I was thinking, (oh no, not that) there seems to be a big connection between my moods, energy level and the weather.  I seem to have a strong desire to hibernate if the temperature gets below 55 degrees. Is that ridiculous or what?! 55 degrees!! 

I think it must be one of those excuses that I pull out of my bottomless pit called "Stupid Excuses and Ridiculous Reasons for Procrastination".  It's always been a little tricky to be self-employed, there's just so many things to get distracted by..... like naps....soap operas...flowers....books....daydreaming.  If it's gloomy outside, Good Gawd, can't work in the studio today, I might get some gloom on me or sumthin'.  What the...?!  That's so ridiculous!

I really have to change my ways, like maybe get on a schedule of some kind.  (A schedule? Really? Me? LOLOL)   Seriously, though, I need to work on my self-discipline which is something I've been telling myself for the past oh, 30 years or so but to no avail.  Maybe it's time to grow up.........

On that note, let's watch a little video: 



That could be me telling myself  "You're 50 years old, grow up, get some self discipline, and get on a schedule, darn you!"  I respond with "Talk to the hand, bee-otch, I can kick your butt with my kung fu feet!". But in the end, it's all just  "DA da da...da DA da.... da da DA".

Haha, I could do a whole post on the imaginary conversation between these two

Well it's gloomy, cold and rainy so I'd better curl up with a good book......Good Gawd, I'm hopeless!!!

Later,

Laurie

Monday, March 28, 2011

Digital Energy Art "Genesis" & Two Artfire Collections

"Genesis" by primalpainter

I created this digital energy art from a photo of my wall sculpture entitled "Spiraling Up", although how I got from that to this, I have no clue.  I must have done an "invert colors" at some point, because Spiraling Up is all blues.  Oh well, I guess I don't need to know.  I go into kind of a trance when I'm working on these digital creations, so I'm never really clear on the steps I take.

I put two of my new prints up for sale on Etsy yesterday. I'm going to put two more up today, then import them all over to Artfire.  You know, I'm thinking I like Artfire.  I got featured in my first Artfire Collection the other day, and it made it to the front page, so that was super cool.  I picked up lots of views from it, but no sales.  Based on my Google Analytics, about 25% of my Artfire traffic is coming from search engines, as compared to Etsy where it's about 17%.  Etsy gets more views, but not by that much which surprises me.

The thing about Artfire and anything new, really, is the effort it takes to learn the ropes.  For example, right now I'm going to go figure out how to show an Artfire Collection on here.    Ugghhhhhhhhh.  Here we go.....



Jewelry Supplies

Wow, that was suprisingly easy!  Maybe it's too wide, though. Oh well.  The one above is from yesterday and includes my wall sculpture "Psychedelic Flower". 

The one below is the one that made it to the front page and includes my wall sculpture entitled "Blue Unity"..





By the way, the reason I'm putting some words in bold is because I read somewhere that when search engines crawl your site, they head straight for the bold or italicized words, so it's good for SEO to do that on at least some of your main keywords. 

But now my font seems to be stuck on bold and tiny.....GREAT! 

It's going to be one of those days......

See ya!

Laurie