Within Her Face

Just artwork this time. Life is too scary to talk about. Just enjoy my art while it lasts.

Photoshop CS4. A new brush I really really like. 12x16 300 ppi. A nice texture overlayed as well. From a quick digital doodle. I figure it took me split up about 4 days. All together it was maybe 10 hours.

2012 Madison Co Fair Awards

Today I picked up my entries for the local Madison County Fair here in Idaho. I was fortunate enough to have a good friend encourage me to enter alongside him and for my wife's support.
I entered 5 pieces, which is the maximum number allowed for the Fine Art category. I entered as a professional with 4 oil paintings and 1 digital painting. As shown below in the photos, I entered:

The Emerald City of OZ.  This piece won "Reserve Grand Champion" and "First Premium".

Gryphon's Departure.  This piece won "Second Place" and "First Premium".

The Great Dragon Bastian. This piece won "Second Place" and "First Premium".

Bottles. This piece won "Second Premium".

Rainbow Socks. This Piece won "First Place" and "First Premium".

It was fun to participate. There was a lot of great work from all ages, categories, and styles. I appreciate Madison County for the opportunity. My gratitude for the awards, and the privilege to participate. Thanks go to my good friend Joseph Brower. And Thanks of course to my sweet wife for her support. Also thanks for the support of my parents who now have passed on. Thanks mom and dad.

With that, Enjoy.

 

Here are my latest finished portraits for my head painting class I am enrolled in. Enjoy!

This blog has fallen behind. I'm sorry I have neglected you. A lot has happened though. My father passed away in February. My daughters molestation case is still in court after 2 years now. We lost our home (moved in with mom). And I kind of had a mid-life crisis/identity crisis right before dad died and quit my job. Mostly due to being pushed in directions I didn't sign on for, and feeling the rug being pulled out from under my feet. School continued to suffer. I passed fall semester...only barely. I had to repeat those classes in spring, but after dads passing....yeah, its ridiculous. I honestly don't know how the school puts up with me. We're pretty much losing everything. Our van is next on the chopping block. $18,000 later, and $4,000 shy and it is likely to be repossessed....am I FURIOUS? It's a $12,000 (maybe $14,000) 2003 Chevy Venture van. Yes, 22 grand on a 12 grand car. That is bondage. I keep corporate America  and the government going because I get to pay penalty fees. Like Forever.

Shame on me for "boo hooing" on my art blog, but I just haven't had the time because of the boo hooing. If all of you could be kind enough, until I migrate here to this blog (possibly...for consistency sake) please keep up to date with my postponed posts at:   http://artbyshaunwilliams.blogspot.com/ for now. It has some recent posts too. Like my fathers portrait that I did for my sister, and a patriotic float mural I did for some friends, and some new web designs....and a really long post about the in's and out's of my site.

Thank you all for you support and interest.

Till later when all of this mess gets under control....take care.

Limited Pallete

 

These are the first two paintings completed for school this fall semester at the Academy of Art University which I am attending online. The only colors used in these assignments are a 4 color limited pallet of: Ivory Black, Titanium White, Yellow Ochre, and Terra Rosa. The canvases are 12x16 and I primarily used a 1/4 inch flat brush. Life is busy. School, web design and graphic design work, fine art painting,  family, and the occasional social visit. Enjoy.

Trying a New Look

Today I watched Kung Fu Panda. While watching the ending credits, which are amazing by the way, I wondered about the dark Kanji and Chinese characters on the warm backgrounds. And I thought I would try my Signature in the same style. So, here it is. Not bad. A little bare for design...but I don't know actual brushwork, nor the language of the Chinese. And I don't want to have this look too silly. This way captures my original design for my Signature, Which was originally meant to have somewhat of a brushstroke dynamic to it.

Also, lately I have been feeling like my light against dark designs for my signature and my websites...needs to have a break. This Dark against light theme....might be a direction to go. Hm, I wonder. :) Enjoy.

P.S.  I had to change the 's' on Williams...the curve was backwards. Oops.  My wife caught it. Thanks Nadia. :)

The Touch of the Masters Hand

(Originally posted in my old art blog...but worth a post here, even without any art)
Sunday always has good experiences and stories for me...good lessons of life if nothing else. Today in church, one of the speakers (who amazingly also teaches my son in first grade) quoted the words below.

'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile: "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar, a dollar"; then, "Two!" "Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three—" But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, "What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone!" said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand
What changed its worth." Swift came the reply:
"The touch of a master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,
A game—and he travels on.
He's "going" once, and "going" twice,
He's "going" and almost "gone."
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's hand.

What more can I say? As an artist, I think of how my skill is like an old violin sometimes...and I wonder what my artistic ability is worth. I ponder my worth on more personal levels too...and wonder if I have too often heeded the thoughtless crowd. How important it is to learn of our worth as the Master knows it, and to never auction ourselves cheap...though battered, scarred, covered in dust, and out of tune, how great our worth in the Masters hands!
May we all look to Him...and let all other opinions wash away...even if necessary, our own.  Happy Sabbath.

(Quoted from talk given by Pres. Boyd K. Packer
at: http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-183-10,00.html)