Rampant Demi-Griffin Argent Holding Rose Azur

One of those days

Distracted?  Who me?  What makes you say that?

Shifting Perceptions

A second book from The Art of Autism is now available at http://the-art-of-autism.com/. I'm proud to be in this book, Shifting Perceptions, as well as the first one. I believe this book features my reproduction of Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring. Can't wait to receive my copy!

Creativity

In an attempt to throw everything against the wall and see what sticks, I have begun making jewelry. My first piece is a (wait for it) ...   Tiara!

I wanted to make a tiara that was not full of fake stones but which I would also not have to sell a child to make. The result was a glass tiara. I think it came out very nicely. You can visit my shop on Etsy to purchase it or wait for others to come out (Amethyst tiara is next).  :-)

Details

The Mouth
John Singer Sargent was asked many times to alter some feature of the painting that the sitter felt was not how they would have liked it. This happens to many portrait painters. For Sargent, it was generally the mouth. It happened often enough, that he described a portrait as, "a likeness in which there was something wrong about the mouth." I try to keep this in mind when painting portraits and spend an inordinate amount of time trying to get the mouth just right. Major Faint's mouth did indeed need adjustment. He has a very kind face and his smile needs to complete that look.
Bling
When people talk about "bling" as referring to all the shiny stuff they put on themselves, I just kind of tune out. This is the kind of bling that counts. The kind that the people of the United States put on you as recognition of your service, valor, and sacrifice. Which is why I want to get it all right. And believe me, the good Major has a lot of bling.

Prints and Cards

Thanks to a friend of mine, I have begun uploading some of my paintings to http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/l-antram.html. They make reproductions available for sale. This is a great site for artists to show their work and have copies of originals made available in different formats.

Herr Troll

I can finally post this painting. This was a Christmas gift for a friend from 10th Group. He goes by xSFmed but everyone calls him The Troll.

I wanted to do a portrait of his little mascot; a troll doll who wears a GI Joe green beret. I also had to do it fast as time was limited. I decided to use acrylic paint on primed hard board. I'd forgotten just how fast acrylic dries in the desert. Working fast was good but changing styles became very important.

I decided to go van Gogh since he painted quickly and the style was suitable to the work. The picture on the wall is the avatar of a mutual friend who had passed away exactly one year prior to the start of this painting. The wall needed something and I was going to put a small version of Starry Night until it hit me. CAR's avatar was what really needed to be there.

I signed it Vincent van Troghll on the front and sent it with a note, written in German, as a commissioned work being delivered. I believe he's very happy with it.  Thank you for your long and devoted service Herr Troll.