Four more for Illuxcon...

 "Gold Ring Interchange"

(8x10", Oils on Linen, Framed)  Price: $420.00  SOLD

Not the greatest photos of these latest four rocket doodles, so sorry about that. I wanted to revisit the 'space station beneath the rings' theme from a couple of previous paintings, in particular, 'Gossmere - Gossamer - Base'. Different concept idea with a more glowing colour and light. Originally called 'Shimmer Rings' as a working title during the design phase, I decided to change it after I'd finished the painting. It was way more golden orange than anticipated and I liked it a lot more. Below, is the design drawing from my teeny sketchbook.

 

"Fire Moon City"

(6x8", Oils on Linen, Framed)  Price: $300.00

I had fun with this painting. I drew it up directly onto the canvas using an atmospheric sun as a reference while the space station is an extrapolation of a design from a painting from some years back. Whenever I went to look at the painting or hang it up, I kind of have to stop myself from hanging it the wrong way up. The station is SUPPOSED to look like that, but my brain wants it the other way. LOL The photo does not do the original justice in any way shape or form. It glows in the right light. 

"Black Opal Fire Base"

(5x7", Oils on Linen, Framed)  Price: $ 270.00

Another 'real' rocket doodle. I drew this idea directly onto canvas as well. I always like the contrariness of red against blue or black for 'pop' effects. And yes, this one reminds me of opals from where I was born. 

"Edge of Elysium"

(5x7", Oils on Linen, Framed)  Price: $280.00  SOLD

With this rocket doodle, I just wanted to play around with colour, a distant sun viewed through a glorious nebula...and a rocket off to look at what's on the other side. I had a lot of fun with this one. And it is also a true rocket doodle in the respect that I drew the ship and the sun placement directly onto canvas and then went to town.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by. I'll post more soon.
Cheers,

Marianne

 

 

Coloring outside the usual cosmos...

 "Arch City"

(Size: 8.5x11", Oils on Linen, Framed)  PRICE: $ 480.00

The inspiration for this painting came from image research for something completely different. I was flipping through thumbnails of some of Frank Frazetta's barbarian images for color palette ideas for one of my figurative pieces that I had drawn up. The idea hadn't fully jelled, yet, though, so I just mindlessly looked at gorgeous art. I thought I saw one of Frank's space pieces with a giant blue planet in it...and his are very distinctive planets in ANY painting. I didn't save it off, thinking I could come back to it when I'd finished looking at something else. Three days later and I failed to ever find the image of that painting ever again. And still no luck to this date. I'm not sure that it wasn't a figment of my imagination. After awhile, I said bugger it and just started painting my own versions of a retro blue planet and the now requisite pointy rocket ship and space city. I did two nearly identical thumbnail drawings in my teeny, tiny sketchbook and in the end combined the two to make a whole. I wanted the planet off-center as it felt a better composition. These are the two tiny sketches, below.

 

 

 

"Last Rocket Out"

 (Size: 8.5x11", Oils on Linen, Framed)  PRICE: $ 480.00

Not sure what inspired me to think about painting a black hole, or black sun as they are also referred to as. But the shape and pure array of light was extremely appealing, especially since I've watched my hubby paint them so extraordinarily well over the last 25 years in his signature blazing array of spectacular colors. I thought I'd give it a go. I doodled a design in my miniature sketchbook and off I went. I even added the blues and purples of other spectrum light being draw in along with the space station which has gotten to close to danger and is breaking up. The rocket is speeding away while it still can. Well, I finished the painting and posted the results on Facebook and up popped author, Patrick Chiles with a question. "Is that my next book cover from BAEN? It's absolutely perfect...and rather eerie that you captured the opening of it so well." I answered hesitantly, "Er, no. But I'll send it along to the publisher if you like in case they need something." So, I did so and then promptly forgot about it. While I was at Illuxcon for the week, I didn't get around to looking at my emails, and painted my days away at the show, instead (more on that in a later post) so when I got home and downloaded them, a message from Toni at BAEN was there along with an offer to license the image for Patrick's new book. I was both elated and gobsmacked as it had been a lean year. So, 'Last Rocket Out' is set to be the cover of Patrick's next book, THE LONG WAY HOME. Not sure of the release date, yet. Sometimes, the inspiration and timing are everything. Meanwhile, here is the tiny design sketch for it...

 

 

Anyway, thanks for stopping by. I'll be posting more rockets soon, including the three very different paintings I created as demo pieces at Illuxcon.
Cheers,

Marianne