A New Year, a New Start

Here we are in 2020 and I realize it has been years since I posted in this blog!

But, rather than make excuses for my absence, I thought I would just pull myself together and start over.

The purpose of this blog is two-fold.  First I will be highlighting my own latest designs and artwork that I have created, and showing some of the items on which they are available in my Zazzle and FineArtAmerica stores.

And secondly, I would like to provide a showcase of the work of other artists and designers on #Zazzle by featuring some of their items here.

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I started the New Year the way I mean to go on by working on  some new art.  As some of you may know, I use the 3D graphics program DAZ 3D to create my art.  It's a program that allows you to create scenes on your computer, with a 3D environment, including figures, scenery, lighting much like a photographer would stage a photograph.  Then you take a virtual "photograph" of the scene and do the usual post work that any photographer does to create the final image.

Here's my first artwork of the new year, inspired by a card I received at Christmas.  I called it, surprise, surprise, "Dashing Through the Snow".  

Once the image was post processed and ready, it was time to get to work adding it to my Zazzle store.

Naturally, the first thing I did was to add it to a wrapped canvas print. Zazzle's wrapped canvas prints are made from an additive-free cotton-poly blend, making them long lasting and fade resistant.

I also added it to posters and prints for framing, postcards and customizable greeting cards.

Dashing through the Snow - Running Horses Canvas Print
by 3DDesignsByJayne

Then came the really fun part - adding the image to some of the quality products on Zazzle and posting them to my store.

I won't show them all here, or this post would be a mile long! But here are a few that I am especially happy with:

I love how the image looks on this throw pillow and can just picture it on a sofa beside a roaring fire in a cozy cabin somewhere.

Dashing Through the Snow - Running Horses Artwork Throw Pillow
by 3DDesignsByJayne

Another item I think my artwork looks especially good on is this custom wall clock. Featured in two sizes, this wall clock is vibrantly printed with AcryliPrint®HD process to ensure the highest quality display.

Dashing Through the Snow - Running Horses Large Clock
by 3DDesignsByJayne

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So that's it for my art today. Now it's time to feature some of the lovely work of other designers and artists on Zazzle. Since my latest artwork features horses in the snow, I've made that the theme of today's links.

I enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles and this one featuring a family of appaloosa horses is especially nice. It's available in a variety of sizes, up to 20" x 30" - 1014 pieces, which I think would be quite challenging!

Black Appaloosa Horses In Snow Jigsaw Puzzle
by ForestWildlifeArt

Postcards are a great and affordable way to collect and share art that you love.  This postcard features two bay horses, with white feathers on their legs and white blazes on their faces, galloping in the snow under a full moon.

Horses Running In The Snow Postcard
by tyraobryant

Cross-body tote bags are very useful for carrying just about anything and this one features a cute photograph of two foals playing in the snow.

Icelandic Horses Foal Play in Snow Funny Crossbody Crossbody Bag
by Kathom_Photo

And finally, I've been a fan of the digital artist CWRW since I first got introduced to DAZ3D.  Laurie specializes in dramatic equine art and this poster is an excellent example of her work.

Winter Thunder Poster
by artCWRW

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Now it's your turn!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

For the Love of Horses

I am a horse lover.  I was one of those pony mad kids who couldn't walk anywhere without jogging sideways and making strange whinneying noises and snorts like a badly behaved and spirited horse.

I lived and breathed horses from age 8 onwards.  I didn't actually get a horse of my own until I was in my 30's and was living in the U.S.  Little did I know when I bought my bay Thoroughbred gelding, Annapolis, in 1988, he would still be with me 24 years later!

In that time we've had some wonderful times, some success in the show ring, pleasant trail rides and just quiet time together.  Annapolis outlasted two ex-husbands!

Around 2000, Star came into my life.  She's a black Percheron, a draft horse, built for plowing fields or pulling wagons.  As it is, she's never done a day's work in her life and now her sole purpose is to provide companionship for Annapolis, now 33.

Star and Annapolis are inseparable.

The reason I'm telling you this is by way of introduction for the various equine-themed pieces I have created since I've been on Zazzle.

I have an ever-growing range of items in my "Gifts for Horselovers" category.

Wise Grey Mare Mouse pad by 3DDesignsByJayne
Create your own mousepad online at Zazzle.

The first thing I made was this mouse pad featuring a grey mare.  Look closely -- that's NOT a photograph.  It's a digital artwork that I created in DAZ 3D!!  I also made a tile, gift box and an iPad case using this image, and of course it's available as a framed print as well.

Draft Horse Plate by 3DDesignsByJayne
Browse more Draft horses Plates

Unlike the grey mare mouse pad, this draft horse plate is created with a photo. I included it in my store because I just loved the photo of my mare, Star (on the right) meeting Donin, the resident at the new farm I moved my horses to the year this was taken.

Horse and Cat Mousepad - Love Thy Neigh-Purr by 3DDesignsByJayne
Order custom made mouse pads at zazzle.com.

This mousepad, with the cat and the horse, was inspired by an article I saw in a newspaper several years ago.  In Australia, a man had a mare that was known for being bad tempered.  She pinned her ears and bared her teeth whenever anyone went near her.  Then one day, an old ginger tom cat showed up in her field.  She was fascinated and she and the cat very quickly became good friends.  It was like she became a different horse.  She was not only friendly with the cat, but her whole personality changed.  She became a much sweeter-natured horse and much easier to be around.  

This image was also created in DAZ 3D, but I put the resulting render through the "rough pastel" artistic filter in my trusty Photoshop Elements (can you believe I'm still on version 4?)

Quiet Companions Mousepad by 3DDesignsByJayne
View other Cat Mousepads

Continuing with the cat and horse theme I created this image about 5 years ago, when I was still working in Bryce 3D.  (Did I mention I love cats too -- we have twelve cats now, after taking in a cat and her four kittens the summer before last.) 

Galloping Paint Horses Lumbar Pillow by 3DDesignsByJayne
Browse other throw pillow designs on Zazzle.

This is my most recent  horse-themed design.  I called the render "Run Like the Wind" and this design is available on mousepads, iPad sleeves, laptop bags, mugs, pitchers, you name it!  I was so happy with the way it came out!

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There is a wealth of equine art and horse-themed designs on Zazzle.  Below is just a small selection.

This design, from earthwindhorses, won Today's Best on November 19, 2008.  I'd love it if one of my designs could win Today's Best one day!

Heart by Liz Mitten Ryan Poster by earthwindhorses
View other Horse Posters

Annapolis and I won a few ribbons at lower level dressage shows back in the day, so I was really drawn to this poster of a dressage horse from Stephanie Come-Ryker.

intensity! posters by scryker

As I mentioned up above, my own draft horse, Star, has never worked a day in her 20 yrs but I love this poster of working Clydesdales in their harness by designer Kelli Swan.

Clydesdale Draft Horse Team Print by KelliSwan
Get the best custom poster printing at zazzle.com.

What kid didn't love the Black Stallion?  I know I did and this poster, from Vector Graphics really invokes the wild and free spirit of the Black Stallion.

Black Stallion Poster by VectorGraphics
View more Horse Posters

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Anyway, I could go on and on... but now it's your turn.

If you are a Zazzle artist or designer, you're invited to link to your equine and equestrian themed  designs in the Linky tool below. Use Option 1 in the Link Widget on the page of the Zazzle product/design you'd like to add. It will show up below as a small thumbnail and when clicked on, will link directly to your product.