We've moved!!!!

Hi Friends!

Exciting news -- the blog for Fin and Feather Art has moved! Head on over to the brand new blog to stay up to date with news, show info, coupons and other tidbits of information.

I'll keep this page up as a redirect for the new blog, but will only be updating the new page from now on.

Thanks for stopping by and I can't wait to see you all on the new page!

Much Love,
Ellen

New Blog: http://finandfeatherart.com/blog/
New Website: www.finandfeatherart.com

Fin and Feather Art --- Launch Day!!!!!

Today is a wonderful day.
Not only is it Friday, but it is also the day I get to launch FinandFeatherArt.com!!

This site has been a true labor of love. The incredible designer and I spent many a long night on Skype going over mockups, sketches, slideshow functions and various hairbrained schemes, with the main purpose of providing you with the best access to my work, the easiest way to view each collection and the fastest ways to get in touch with me.

And it's ready to be unveiled!!!!!!

In celebration of this event, (and because I love you guys) I've created two collections of luxurious watercolor iOs wallpapers for your phones/tablets! Simply pop over to the Contact page of my site, enter your info with the subject line "Watercolor Wallpaper" and I'll send you back a free set of handmade watercolor backgrounds.

Please specify device size:

iphone
iphone4
iphone5
iphone6
iphone6plus
ipad
ipad retina


In addition -- I'm offering free shipping on ANYTHING in my Etsy store for the entire weekend! Just enter code: LAUNCHDAY to receive your discount.

So check out the new site, tell your friends and let me know if there is anything else you'd like to see!

Have a stupendous Friday everyone <3<3

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween friends!

I took some time the night before to do a quick little watercolor of one of my favorite autumn beers as we geared up for the holiday.

We strung some orange lights, carved our pumpkins and enjoyed the cool sea breeze coming over the bay and into our open windows.

Here are a few work-in-progress shots from the evening.

Sketch

First layer of washes

Done!

I may do a full series of these, which beer should I paint next?

Work-in-Progress Shots of Autumn Leaves

With all the pumpkin, scarf and boot goodness circulating the internet right now I've developed some serious autumn-envy. Miami might have a slight change of season, but it's usually just of the wet variation.

So, nice and early this morning I lit a fall candle, made myself a caramel latte and started drawing some maple leaves.

I think it helped with my fall-withdrawal. Aaaaand then I made a print :)

Collaboration Project -- Pineapple Tea Towels!

Awhile back, my mom and I decided it would be fun to work on a project together. I've always been in awe of her brilliant sewing ability, so it made sense to team up and make something fabric-related.
At the same time, I was also in need of some tea towels -- so BAM! It all came together.

We used one of my prints as the basis, had it printed on beautiful linen/cotton canvas and my mom sewed them up into legit towels. Mine is already covered in spaghetti sauce from tonight's dinner, but we have three (clean!) others up for sale on the shop.

And here they are!

So I have a lot of tools.
Stacks of paper, containers full of brushes, cartons of paint...etc.
I do use it all (eventually) but various paints and papers usually rotate in and out of usage every few months, as I get the itch to try something new.

Recently I've been answering a number of questions on the types of artistic implements I use, how I use them, and my basic opinion of aforementioned supply. It was with these inquiries in mind I decided to start a monthly feature on my current favorite *something*.

This month, it has to be the backbone of my work. The basis of my existence as an artist, the thing(s) I would grab from a burning building*, the reason why all my purses have to be so huge.

My beloved, much used sketchbooks.

I am currently using three books, each one for a different purpose. It may seem a bit over-organized, but I've learned over the last 10 years of wasted sketchbooks that I need to keep various things separate.

I'm totally envious of artists that can keep that one precious book of jumbled drawings, thumbnails, grocery lists and scheduling... but I just cant handle it. I crave a system.

These guys are my life.

So here's a brief little synopsis on my three favorite sketchbooks for this month's 'My Favorite Stuff':

If you follow me on Instagram (@ellen_the_lemon) the top and bottom book should be pretty familiar.

The top book is my 'list' book where I organize my to-dos, plan posts, block off days for commission work, take notes... anything written goes in here. It's a soft-covered Moleskine, velvety pages perfect for quick scribbling of plans. The paper has very subtle dotting which helps to keep my scrawled plans and hastily doodled thumbnails in order. I've been using it since the beginning of September and it's roughly a quarter of the way filled.

The bottom book is part of the Pantone/Moleskine collaboration, purchased in Barcelona back in February. I spent awhile looking for a link for the book and I was horrified to find that I don't think it's available anymore. I love this book. Sure, a lot of the emotion of using it is knowing where I was when it was purchased, the places it went overseas before coming home, etc, but it is also just a very well designed drawing surface. The pages are the happiest pale yellow paper ever. It begs to be filled with sketches, drawings, letter practice -- everything literally looks great on this paper. The coloration also keeps me from taking the insides too seriously. It's not a fresh white canvas, ready for a masterpiece (hello anxiety) but a worn, friendly page that just needs a doodle or two.

The middle book is also a moleskine (keeping with a theme here I guess) but it is designed specifically for watercolors. This is the book I've had the longest of the three and has accompanied me on three different trips overseas. I don't use it for serious watercolor paintings as the binding makes it a bit difficult to scan properly, but as a watercolor sketch book more-or-less. (99% of  my watercolors started out as experiments on these pages.)
Moleskine uses some very nice watercolor paper, thankfully taking pigment on both sides-- so its perfect for a mess of paintings and inkwork. I've drenched a few sheets in layers after layers of wash and it's held up extremely well. This books' pages are nearly completely filled so I'll be in the market for a replacement soon, and it will definitely be the same.

                            

What about you? Have a favorite trusty sketchbook? I love to see where other artists store their thoughts, notes and doodles. Post yours to instagram with the #favoritesketchbook and let's see what everyone is using!

*inanimate thing. Obviously, husband, ferrets and bird come first.

4:30 am, and I'm awake.

Occasionally I'll dream about work I want to make.

I'll go to bed with a vague idea in my head and wake up with a relatively fleshed-out image that is burning to be made. Some days I scrawl it down on the notepad next to my bed, roll over and fall back asleep. Other days, I am instantly wide awake and know that there will be no sleep until I've painted what I'm seeing.

So there I was, 4:30 am at my desk with a cup of tea trying desperately to pull out supplies without waking the husband. I got to work in the easy stillness of pre-dawn, and remembered how much I liked getting up when the world is still asleep. I'm always saying I need time to just stop for a little bit and let me catch up -- and it felt like I sort of got my wish.

2 hours later, my painting was finished and I went back to bed <3