So Which Will It Bee?

Posted on December 3, 2014 by foresterartist

Here’s one I pulled from the archives of forgotten favorites.

I finally pulled the trigger. I’ve been thinking for some time about marketing prints of my art work, as many of you do. I checked out what was available and checked in with some of you, special thanks to Russel Ray, an excellent photographer in San Diego. After examining many of the sites available I went with Fine Art America. Their business model seems to be a good fit for me.

Click here to see the gallery!

I’ve been slowly posting pieces, about two a day. I can already see how difficult it is to stand out on the site, but you can’t sell it if you don’t put it out there. Clearly, promotion is the key. There is so much great art, I am curious to see how this works out. Any advice, comments or experiences are welcome.

Test Driving My New Brush Pen

Posted on November 16, 2014 by foresterartist

brush pen, pen and ink, deer, drawing, black tail deer

This black tail deer was done as a bit of practice with a new brush pen. This drawing is not my usual style, but I wanted to use it by itself. I typically use the brush pen in concert with my other pens.

My birthday was this month and Mary got me a new pen. I picked out the Kuretake No. 50 brush pen. I went with this one because it has natural bristles and is refillable. I’ve been trying out a number of different single use pens and have really enjoyed them, but I wanted something better. This pen is a hot rod!

Kuretake No. 50 Fountain Hair Brush Pen - Sable Hair - Black Body + Gold Accents + Refill - KURETAKE DW141-50

The pen comes with in a nice wooden box with three ink cartridges. I haven’t tried these cartridges yet. Instead I purchased the Platinum Converter, a refillable cartridge, and a bottle of Platinum Carbon Ink. I pick this ink because it is very water-resistant and can be used with watercolor.

I’ve been enjoying this pen a lot, but I need to get more practice with it. I find using a brush pen is a lot different from a watercolor brush, very unforgiving. I suppose it’s made more difficult more by the ink and not the pen.

Black Tail Redo

Posted on October 18, 2014 by foresterartist

deer, black tail deer, buck, Columbia black tail deer

This is the tweaked version.

It was bugging me. Have you ever posted something and when you look at it later, it looks wrong? Something was missing. The deer looked a little chopped off at the feet so I added a bit more foreground.

As it appeared in last weeks post Black Tail In Velvet. What do you think, did it help?

I usually use one of the tricks to get a different view such as looking at it in the mirror, upside down, from across the room, or setting it aside for several days. I guess I have a new one…post it!

Black Tail In Velvet

Posted on October 14, 2014 by foresterartist

A Spring black tail buck with horns still in velvet in pen and ink.

This is always busy time of year around here, which is the reason I haven’t posted for awhile. When Fall comes, we disappear into the mountains. It’s our time to put some miles under our boots, over the mountains and through the woods. This is when we go out to procure some fresh organic protein to get us through the year.

I photographed this buck last Spring. He was feeding under a blue oak tree. His antlers were still growing and in velvet.

Fine With Phoebe

Posted on July 29, 2014 by foresterartist

The Black Phoebe in pen and ink.

Every year we have an addition built on our home. We don’t build it ourselves. The black phoebe families build their mud and twig nests under our western roof peaks when they come to stay.

This beautifully beak crafted addition to our home is a classic phoebe nest.

At a different roof peak, another phoebe family built their new nest on top of last seasons nest. I think this addition was built by the Picasso of the Phoebe world.

These little flycatchers strike fear in the hearts of mosquitoes! They’re always welcome moving in with us. Besides, I don’t mind a little mud.

“It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds.”
Aesop

The Blackberry Foxes

Posted on July 10, 2014 by foresterartist

Along the road to our home are blackberry brambles. In one bramble patch is the den of a family of gray foxes. Some mornings I glimpse the foxes hanging out on the road. The foxes have lived in the area for years. They’re attracted to the area for the cottontail rabbits that also live in the blackberries. They appeared in my earlier post The Fox and The Song

“The Vixen” pen and ink.

The other morning, I was on my way to work. I came around the corner and surprised the fox family. There were four kits and the vixen playing in the road. When they saw me coming they scattered. Foxes were darting here and there diving into the blackberry bushes. I grabbed my camera to get a picture of the group, but they had scampered away. When I stopped in front of their blackberry patch, two of the little kits were peeking out. Before I could focus my camera they disappeared.

This brave little fox graciously pose for me.

The gray fox kit.

However, a couple of days later, I was fortunate to have one brave fox kit sitting out in front of their thicket. This little one posed graciously while I snapped a few pictures. It is always a treat to see the fox family. I just hope they stay far away from our chicken house.