Little Butterfly Days#5,6

 

A sunny break in the storm got us all outside! While Belle-doggo went sniffing and rolling in the wet grass, my Little-Guy and I enjoyed watching the little white and orange butterflies flutter around. from flower to flower it flew until it landed on a leaf, seemingly full and happy as it rested.

I started sketching this Monday night, but again my art-time was cut short by a fussy Little-Guy! So, here's another unintentional two-evening sketch, again rough with some digital color :) 

P.S.- According to the internet, I believe our little butterfly friends to be "white peacock butterflies".

A Happy Diversion

This post's title could not be more fitting!

Since this time last week, I have felt in a bit of an "artist's-block" (as you know how frustrating writer's block is....), which needed to be solved with a change of pace, and working through LOTS of unfruitful sketches.

So I allowed myself to doodle and sketch and do any random art-thing that could get me out of my rut. In doing so, I am glad to have made a couple cute sketches for Valentine's Day cards (pictured below), and I let myself have the time to explore a new resource for bringing my 3D art into games (will talk more about that later!).

Pictured below:  "Batty" About you! & Lovebirds

Thanks again for reading, and see you again next week! :)

Here's to 2018!

🎉What a year! 
I had so many new art-adventures, got married, and set up new plans for the new year! Here’s to 2018, and looking forward to 2019! 

Here's my 'best nine of 2018!' from Instagram:

A Handful of Owls

🦉A handful of teeny-tiny owls makes this rainy morning a lovely one :)

I just finished individually sculpting a new batch of owls! These guys are made of polymer clay, with a small metal eye screw for putting on a chain as a necklace, or a ribbon as an adorable ornament!

I have been so busy gaining and honing new art-skills, and prepping for my next holiday art & craft bazaar! I have also recently debuted a website for my small art-gifts shop, Under Sea & Stars at underseaandstars.com! Please check it out! :D

Well, blog soon! I must get to painting these little guys.

Original Instagram post:  https://www.instagram.com/p/BbhmZBInOED/?taken-by=underseaandstars

Nursery Artwork ♡

Today I would love to share with you a project I completed for a friend. I dearly loved the process, so I hope you enjoy seeing the work!

I was asked to create a piece of nursery artwork for my friend, who is expecting her first child! The criterium:  an adorable elephant, and a excerpt from Disney's Dumbo; "Rest your head close to my heart never to part, baby of mine".

This series of images show: (Left) an initial pencil sketch, (Right) a more complete sketch as I work in Photoshop, and then the finished piece, printed & framed!

 

*My apologies for the goofy smile, my photographer started cracking jokes :)

Thank you as always for visiting, and I hope to see you back here next Wednesday for more art!
-Brianna

Art-Monday: Science Illustration!

I am back! I am excited to say my absence on my blog was because of a great opportunity! I have been working as a resident artist with the Vega Thurber Laboratory at Oregon State University doing scientific illustration for their publications & presentations! I cannot tell you how happy I am to be contributing to this educational endeavor. Their research is inspiring!

Below you can see the first of my pieces for the Vega Thurber Lab, an image & diagram demonstrating coral metagenomics & virus ecology. And my feature on the OSU artist page! I will be posting more scientific illustration as it is released in publications!

My artist bio on OSU's website!

Finished illustration for textbook publication & presentations

 

Work in progress screenshots of my reef illustration
Left:  School of butterfly fish  Middle:  Parrotfish and Acropora sp. (coral).  Right:  Reef part 1

Thanks for reading as always! See you next week for more art!

Groggy Grizzly: Art-Friday!

I am back! I managed to get a pretty nasty, knock you off your feet cold. This bear doodle is pretty much how I felt getting back to work! But man am I so happy to be back to drawing!

(Click any image to enlarge)

Thanks for reading! See you next week!

Miss Bear Print on Etsy! Art-Wednesday

Miss Bear is now on my Etsy shop, UnderSeaAndStars! Below you can find photos of Miss Bear's 5x7" print, and a preview of my Etsy listing! 

You can view it for real here:  UnderSeaAndStars Miss Bear Print 

Thanks for reading & see you next week!

  

All images © 2016 - Brianna Elizabeth Leahy

Zebra & Horse Pendants: Art-Wednesday

This week I dreamt up a new pendant idea for my upcoming Etsy Shop (which I have changed the Shop name to UnderSea&Stars)! I wanted to create a Sahara friend for my existing elephant pendants, and also horses & unicorns. I am planning on using the same basic silhouette for all three, and embellish them with accents and paint to distinguish between them.

Below you can see my initial concept digital painting, clay sculpts, and two paint-tests I have done so far. I really like how the naturalistic paint test went for the zebra best so far, but will finish with the red one in the near future!

These guys will be available at my Etsy Shop's Grand Opening (excited to choose a date soon)!

Initial Color Zebra Digital Concept Sketch

Sculpts start with my self-made mold, which creates horse-ish blobs.
I then trim the clay and hand-sculpt, getting the right proportions & crisp edges. 

Completed paint-test for Natural Zebra Pendant

Paint-test in progress for Colorful Zebra Pendant

Inspired by Africa: Art-Wednesday

This week I was just in an African animal drawing mood! So I had fun creating these ladies for my daily art challenge. I am especially happy with the lioness! Both drawings were created in Photoshop on my Cintiq.

(Top) Complete Lioness Illustration! (Bottom Left): Work in progress/initial sketch, (Bottom Right): Lady Giraffe Sketch

Baby Badger: Art-Wednesday

In preparation of making my Etsy Shop, BadgerBriArt more official, I have been working on the look for my logo and banner. I sketched these while looking at badgers and their body structure a little more closely, and just had to paint this little baby guy too!

Sketches in colored pencil in my sketchbook, and the baby was started in the same sketchbook and finished in photoshop.