Finished the Holiday Cardinal card tonight. Please check it out full-sized in my gallery: Holiday Cardinal Card.

I really tried to go for that natural media look on this. Here’s some detail shots so you can see how well the conte brush in Photoshop CS3 mimics real media. I also played a lot with textures to try and get a watercolor look:

Lastly, here is how it looks on a card in my Zazzle store. Check it out:

Holiday Cardinal Greeting Card by karyn_lewis
Design personalized note cards at zazzle.com

Check out the finished image in my portfolio…

Just posting more progress to share with a friend:

Just a quickie update. Here’s a work in progress shot of a holiday card I’m drawing:

Felt like drawing a cardinal since my Baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals, are making a push to the post-season. Go Redbirds!

I’m using this as another experimental piece. This is being drawn and painted in Photoshop, and I hope to mimic natural media. I’m using the Conté Pencil on bumpy surface brush preset that comes with PS to draw with and at this moment, the plan is to try and give it a watercolor feel when I color. We’ll see. I haven’t used watercolors since… egads, since like High School. And since my class just got together for their 20th reunion…

…let’s just say I’m rusty.

k.

Just added a new clip art illustration for sale:

You guys might notice that I’ve watermarked this picture. I’m going to do that for the clip art pieces I show in my blog. I haven’t had any trouble with people stealing clip art images from me yet, but I have had trouble in the past with people stealing my t-shirt designs, etc., and trying to sell it as their own. Luckily both Cafepress and Zazzle removed the stolen work quickly. But it occurs to me that people might just nab the display art instead of paying for it.

Anyway, this new cartoon is of Santa holding a sack stuffed with goodies. It’s available with a white or transparent background. To purchase, please visit my clip art gallery now…

I just wanted to let everyone know that I’m honored to have been interviewed for the artist spotlight section in the August issue of EMG-Zine, an e-zine for artists and writers of fantasy and science fiction.

You need a subscription to read articles at EMG-Zine, but the subscription is free, and every month they offer artist spotlights, columns, art tutorials and more. For example, here’s what’s in the August issue:

• Popular artist Ursula Vernon talks about her recent adventures in assemblage
• Nicole Cadet describes some meditation techniques she uses to revitalize her creativity
• Constanza Ehrenhaus interviews artist Karyn Lewis
• Missy Acker shows the stages of painting a watercolor piece.
• Ellen Million teaches the do’s and don’ts of requesting free art from artists
• Wizard-themed art, fiction, poetry and comics.

Additionally, artists and writers can submit content to be considered for upcoming issues. If you would like to submit work for the October issue, the theme is Faery Court. Please read the guidelines before submitting.

So please go visit EMG-Zine, check out my interview, and subscribe. If you’re a fan of Fantasy art, you won’t be disappointed.

Spoonflower.com is an awesome site where you can upload your designs as fabric patterns to use in custom crafting projects, sewing projects and more. Every week they hold a contest, and the winner’s fabric design is then sold for six days in the Spoonflower Etsy Shop.

Baby Cartoon Cloth by Karyn Lewis at Spoonflower.com

This week, my Baby design is one of the featured designs competing! So could you take a moment to head over to the Spoonflower Blog and cast a vote for you favorite? I’m up against truly outstanding designs, so although I’ll appreciate your vote, vote for your favorite, even if it’s not mine.

Click here to VOTE NOW…

Photo Credit: Spoonflower Fabrics

More pig sketching. Still trying out new techniques. This one is supposed to be more colored pencil inspired. It’s hard to break away from the smooth digital style I’ve been doing for years and just start scribbling again.

Koncepts by Karyn BBQ Apron on “Big Love”!

I just heard that one of my Father’s Day designs was used on HBO’s awesome TV show, “Big Love“.

Apparently in a Season 3 episode, Bill was wearing my “World’s Greatest Dad” BBQ apron from Zazzle.

I’m absolutely thrilled and excited. Thanks, “Big Love”. Bill is a great dad!

And here’s a link to the apron itself:

World’s Greatest Dad Father’s Day Classic Apron by koncepts

A sketch-in-progress Da Vinci style:

It’s digital, but pretend it’s conté crayons, okay?