helenic: (cat cat catty cat cat!)
[personal profile] helenic


Moon Balloon
Oil on Canvas, 16x20"


I did this last week, inbetween working on Snow Trail (which got confusing, because the two paintings have very different shades of sky blue - this one more greenish, and the other with a fair amount of violet in it). It was intended more as an exercise in cheering myself up than as something to sell, but I'm desperately poor at the moment so if anyone knows anyone who might be interested, that would cheer me up even more. I guess I'd be looking for about £80 - it's approximately A2 size, and the canvas is painted around the edges as well so it wouldn't necessarily need framing. However, see above statement re. desperate poverty: I'm open to offers.

Also, have a naively optimistic reminder that my ebay auction is ending tomorrow. :)

I (finally!) have an S2 layout: I'm using "Fleur" from the Style Contest, customised with my own colours and banner image. I haven't used tags for nearly a year, since I got bored of keeping it up when my layout at the time didn't support them. At some point I'm going to have to spend an evening going through old entries sorting it all out. But first I need to make more things to sell, so that I have a vague hope of paying my rent this month.

on 2007-01-13 09:16 pm (UTC)
adamw: (Default)
Posted by [personal profile] adamw
That layout looks really rather shiny.

(Tagging: I ended up going through all my entries to tag them not long after tagging was introduced, and it took me a week in quiet moments at work!)

on 2007-01-13 09:36 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] libellum.livejournal.com
I was quite proud of making a tree graphic which could repeat smoothly :) I had to remake the photo I was starting from from scratch, using a custom gradient for the sky and custom brushes for the treeline. I haven't quite got used to my new friends page yet, but having comments on the same page is just BRILLIANT, I don't know why it took me so long.

on 2007-01-13 09:45 pm (UTC)
Posted by (Anonymous)
I really love the painting. Sadly, I have neither available cash nor an appropriate place to hang such a painting at the moment.


On the topic of your layout, which displays very nicely indeed in Firefox, in Safari the background and the text are white, making it seem as if nothing is there except the links. Just FYI.

on 2007-01-13 09:53 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] libellum.livejournal.com
That would be because I didn't dare brave the S2 system itself, so I just bunged a load of css into the "custom css" window, which is presumably clashing with the stylesheet of the base layout I'm using. Not sure what I can do about that really, although it's a little odd that it's recognised the change in font-colour but not the change in background-colour. If you view source you'll see the css changes I've made; the original stylesheet for Fleur is here (http://stat.livejournal.com/sixhtml/themes/stylecontest/fleur/fleur.css).

I'm glad you like the painting :) I'm currently feeling shitty about even trying to sell stuff to my friendslist, so you really don't need to feel bad about not being able to buy it - I shouldn't really be imposing on you all like this.

on 2007-01-13 10:04 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] the-elyan.livejournal.com
That's neat - I love the sight of a lone ballon against the sky. There is nothing like that for giving a sense of the freedom of travel (even if said freedom is usually only about twenty miles outside the fantasies of Philip Pullman...). Mind you, if the moon ever got that big, I'd be hiding under the bed quivering...
Actually, having just been listening to a surfeit of Nick Drake, I can't think of the moon as anything other than pink right now ;-)

I've been a bit financially incontinent over the last couple of weeks, so I'm not sure I could afford to purchase same right now. If you get to the stage of standing outside Archway station with a sign saying "BUY MY F@#*KING PAINTING, YOU PHILISTINES!" however, then let me know, as I daresay I could shuffle my wall-stuff to give it house-room...

Have you been to the Hockney exhibition? If you:
a) haven't
b) like Hockney
c) still need cheering up, and
d) have drawn a blank on all preceding entries in your little black book vols 1-12
then let me know, and I'll [tries to find unpatronising synonym for] treat you. It's a cracking show, and it would be lovely to see you...

on 2007-01-13 10:16 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] libellum.livejournal.com
Well, if there's someone who wants to give you a present at any point, maybe you could point them at it? Everyone's broke after Christmas - this is why I'm having such trouble, no-one wants to give me money :) Maybe next year I'll try and get a temp job for the first few weeks of the new year to avoid just such an eventuality.

I would love to go to the Hockney exhibition. Thankyou :) When are you free? I'm busy the next few Saturdays, but Sunday 21st might be possible?

on 2007-01-13 10:23 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] the-elyan.livejournal.com
I think Sunday 21st is the last day, actually. I am not aware of having any other plans that day, so that would probably work, but might be an idea to get there when it opens, as it is likely to get pretty full. That may mean witnessing that most unlikely of rumoured beasts, Sunday morning.

It's also open late one evening in the week, as I recall - I shall find out which, though I know your schedule doesn't really work like that.

[Eeyore] Presents? No-one gets me presents [/Eeyore] ;-)

on 2007-01-13 10:34 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] libellum.livejournal.com
Weekday evenings are totally doable! I have tentative plans with [livejournal.com profile] squiddity this Wednesday, but they're easily rearrangable if necessary.

on 2007-01-13 10:47 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] the-elyan.livejournal.com
Right - opening hours are 10-6 Mon-Sun, with late-night till 9 Thurs and Fri. This Friday gone they opened it till midnight due to the level of demand, so something similar might happen again. I can probably sneak out of work early, and be down there by 6, or maybe earlier if I plan ahead.
If you have a definite day or time which would suit you best, let me know, and I shall investigate booking.

on 2007-01-13 10:51 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] libellum.livejournal.com
Thursday evening would be ideal :) Shall I invite others if they're interested - [livejournal.com profile] strongtrousers, for instance?

on 2007-01-13 11:36 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] the-elyan.livejournal.com
Gladly. Ldet mre know how many tickets we're going to need in the next day or two though, so I can sort it out (assuming it's not block-booked from now to close).

on 2007-01-13 10:23 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] whatifoundthere.livejournal.com
Balloooooon! That's a lovely painting.

If you continue to have bad luck with eBay, consider using http://www.etsy.com instead. I don't really think anyone goes to eBay looking for art, but people trawl etsy specifically looking for art, and you may have better luck selling your stuff there. I've bought some beautiful pieces after browsing etsy, which has lots of really creative art-specific search systems. To the point where you can even search for something that matches your couch if you're that kind of philistine. :)



on 2007-01-13 10:32 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] libellum.livejournal.com
I did consider etsy first, but the fact you have to sell in dollars put me off. It's definitely my back-up plan - I bookmarked it after you referenced it the first time :)

Btw, your painting is still top of my to do list. I'm so sorry for being so crap with getting it finished.

on 2007-01-13 10:36 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] whatifoundthere.livejournal.com
eep! Sorry for being repetitive and all that.

As you well know, I haven't been in the greatest mental space myself, so I think taking time with my commission has been good for both of us. Please don't worry about it. Take care of yourself and your loved ones.

xo

on 2007-01-13 10:54 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] libellum.livejournal.com
I do not mind the repetitive when it is useful :) Sometimes I need to be nagged, y'know. Not that you were nagging.

I have been thinking of you a lot, not that it makes any difference. I'm glad that the time has been good for you though - I'd hate to think that I'd been holding back on something that might have had a positive impact had it been ready earlier. Although if that is the case, do let me know, because if you need it sooner, it can be with you sooner.

*hugs, hugs and more hugs*

on 2007-01-13 10:25 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] kmazzy.livejournal.com
wow. i love the sky. i LOVE the moon. i just don't like the balloon. :)

on 2007-01-13 10:33 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] libellum.livejournal.com
Eeeenteresting! :) You don't like the fact there's a balloon there, or the way I've painted it?

on 2007-01-13 10:43 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] kmazzy.livejournal.com
erm, well i think there should be something there or it'd look funny. i think the issue i have with it is the very defined outline. it's like that tent in the picture with the GORGEOUS trees and sky. i loved the background and did not like the tent. i don't know why i don't like things clearly defined.

oh and it makes me think of that Ian McEwan book. but i like that. (the book.) but erm, i can't really say why i don't like the definedness of the balloon. maybe because it seems like not a proper part of the picture? like an afterthought or a sticker stuck on?

on 2007-01-13 10:50 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] the-elyan.livejournal.com
That would be gorgeous trees and sky that are hanging on the wall behind me? [/smug]

I am still looking at that picture, wondering what's going to happen next. I may have to even plug in my imagination. Eek.

on 2007-01-13 11:03 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] libellum.livejournal.com
That's what happens with perspective though ... I don't think it's unrealistic, although of course I can appreciate that it might not be to your taste :) Apparently I like focus pulls. Clearly I've spent too much time looking at arty photography.

The moon is actually a little more defined than it appears in the photo as well - there's some drybrushed detail which isn't showing up as well as it could.

Anyway, thankyou for the comments - constructive criticism is always useful :) I'll definitely think about this in future.

on 2007-01-14 09:10 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] kmazzy.livejournal.com
i don't think it's unrealistic. it just jars. for me. and if i ever get the money and determination to commission you that's when i'd need you to be thinking about it!

but by nature i am more fond of practical items and really quite stingey (or however you spell that) and spending whatever number of hundred pounds it is to commission you seems like an awful lot of money for a non practical thing, no matter how much pleasure it would bring me. i'm the type of person who would actually get more pleasure from a really fabulous well made washing machine...

but i'm thinking about Ico paintings. i am. :)

on 2007-01-14 09:11 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] kmazzy.livejournal.com
oh and maybe [livejournal.com profile] hairyears also has something - i think the balloon looks too SOLID. like it isn't filled with air; it's rubber or something. if that makes sense.

on 2007-01-14 12:46 am (UTC)
ext_3375: Banded Tussock (Default)
Posted by [identity profile] hairyears.livejournal.com
The thing I've always loved about seeing balloons in that clear late-evening air is the way that distance and altitude makes them bleached or translucent in appearance, as though they had ascended to become part of the blue-white evening sky.

Way out of date, but

on 2007-08-07 03:37 pm (UTC)
Posted by (Anonymous)
Hi, I've just randomly come across your journal (don't quite know how - lots of journal hopping!) and am reading the archives during a quiet afternoon at work.

Is this painting still for sale? I love it and would be willing to part with cash for it.

Sarah

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