Humble Beginnings + new tie dye and screen prints for sale!

I'm starting to believe that December is just around the corner. This morning the bus ride to work was frigid and its been raining almost every day since Halloween. I do finally feel like I live in Oregon, unlike last year where we got hardly any rain but then thrashed with a crazed snowstorm that Portland was seriously not prepared for. I'm interested to see what this winter will be like.<br />So, in homage to the chillyness of these days and the days to come Danny and I listed a new tie-dye that is perfect for keepin you or a loved one cozy with some psychedelic flair:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidrose/4099983828/" title="psychedelic thermal by lucidRose, on Flickr"><img alt="psychedelic thermal" height="500" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2671/4099983828_7b080ac000.jpg" width="361" /></a><br />Psychedelic Thermal<br />Hand tie-dyed with lots of love in my favorite color harmony: Purple and Green!<br />extra large(XL)<br />100% cotton thermal dyed w/ procion mx dye<br />51" chest<br />To see more of this tie-dye or to buy go <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34389904"><strong>HERE</strong></a><br /><br />Also, we listed a new screen print that is a collaboration of screen print work of both mine and Dannys. check it out:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidopticlab/3716624701/" title="behold opticle (eye)llusions by Lucid Optic Lab, on Flickr"><img alt="behold opticle (eye)llusions" height="500" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3452/3716624701_f04f15d2b6.jpg" width="418" /></a><br />behold opticle (eye)llusions<br />8.5" x 11"<br />a mash-up of Chelsea Rose's Behold design, and Danny's optical (eye)llusion, and splatter design screen printed on watercolor paper.<br />very rare, one of a kind<br />to see more of it or to buy click <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34317661">HERE</a><br /><br />And I wanted to show you what i started working on Wednesday night:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidrose/4099091501/" title="humble beginnings by lucidRose, on Flickr"><img alt="humble beginnings " height="500" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2674/4099091501_c6cd9e27ec.jpg" width="397" /></a><br />This is a snapshot of my work table in my lil home studio space.<br />You can see the humble beginnings of two new paintings.<br />I'm going to be trying to begin incorporating more detail into my pieces, namely adding some backgrounds to my subject. I felt the Harpy would be a perfect way to start since my original drawing featured her perched on a tree limb.<br />Here was the original pen and ink drawing:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidrose/3946862932/" title="Harpy by lucidRose, on Flickr"><img alt="Harpy" height="240" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3426/3946862932_f110590a98_m.jpg" width="199" /></a><br />I projected this pen and ink image onto a prepped 14x14 stretched canvas.<br />Once I had the harpy transferred where I wanted her I began to sketch with pencil to figure out where and how I wanted the branch to be rendered which she would perch upon. I then drew a few different background ideas involving a looming city scape in the background. Once I finally settled on a background sketch I took my India ink pen and went over the lines to produce what you see in the above photo. That was all done Wednesday night.<br />Last night I began to go into the Harpy's background with color. I will take a picture of my color additions tonight once I get home from work. I will then begin to lay the first layers of color into the Harpy herself.<br /><br />....Now, the other painting you can hardly make out in the background of the picture above is another story. I started the background months ago with the idea that I would place this certain drawing I did of a warrior mermaid into it.<br />here is what the background painting turned out like:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidrose/3647984637/" title="sunken city by lucidRose, on Flickr"><img alt="sunken city" height="240" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3388/3647984637_a23e9eb3cd_m.jpg" width="212" /></a><br />My inspiration/idea for this piece was a sunken glowing city under the ocean being guarded/protected by her:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidrose/3634228829/" title="the guardian at the gate by lucidRose, on Flickr"><img alt="the guardian at the gate" height="500" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3604/3634228829_d4701fc1c5.jpg" width="311" /></a><br />I hesitated for so long to try and put her into the piece because I liked the background as is. But Recently I decided that id give it a try.<br />I was a little befuddled as to how to transfer my mermaid onto into the sunken city piece. At first i tried it the way I normally do it- which is to project the pen and ink drawing on top the background and then trace it with my India ink pens...but that did not work because the background was too dark for my pen to make much of a guide. So I then decided to use the projector to guide me in blocking out the basic shape of my mermaid in white. That's pretty much as far as I have gotten so far. I did draw the beginnings of her face but that's it.<br />This is really more of an experiment, if anything. so wish me luck with this and if you have any advice or ideas I would love to hear them.<br /><br />What i didn't realize till yesterday was that both of these have city scapes in the background. Ugh. Oh well...I do love city scapes...I see them as portraits of Babylon. I wonder at the chances of being born in the midst of such an intense time in the epicenter/mecca/vortex of so much. Its foreboding, frightening, strange, bizarre, horribly ugly and so oddly beautiful and i see all of that in these city scapes i draw- they are stark symbols of man's bloody triumphs, our unquenchable thirst for power, knowledge, our need to shape the world we inhabit. So yes....i do love my city scapes but perhaps for my next painting i will use something else as a background.<br /><br />...So now you all know what I'm up to currently.<br />I'm going to try and be diligent and recording the creative process with both of these pieces so stay tuned if you are interested in seeing these paintings unfold with all the progress, struggle and learning of the creative journey.<br /><br />I am truly looking forward to this weekend. I mean to work a bunch on the above paintings and get a bunch of laundry done too.<br /><br />Danny's birthday is this coming Monday so I hope we can find some time/funds to do something special together.<br /><br />Peace be with you all!<br /><br />Enjoy your weekend journeying,<br />-Chelsea Rose<br />Lucid Optic Lab<br />www.chelsearoseart.com

Humble Beginnings + new tie dye and screen prints for sale!

I'm starting to believe that December is just around the corner. This morning the bus ride to work was frigid and its been raining almos...

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