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.

Repeating Abstract Patterns

I just discovered the most amazing app in the Mac App Store.  It's called Pixelmator and is very similar in many ways to Photoshop Elements that I used for photo manipulation as well as digital painting.

I've only been playing with it a very short time, but I've already discovered some awesome filters that my old Photoshop Elements doesn't have -- namely the kaleidoscope filter and the tile filters: Eightfold Reflected etc.

Wow! A program that allows me to make intricate patterns!  I love it!  I may have to make a new Zazzle store devoted to repeating patterns, or perhaps just a section of my 3D Designs by Jayne store.

I'll have to see how things work out. (My day job really gets in the way sometimes!!!)

Here's the first pattern I made.

First, the original photo (resized)

And here's what it looks like with a Pixelmator filter applied (click on the image to see a larger version of it) :

The first product I used it on is a mousepad:

Gold and Black Abstract Pattern Mouse Pad by 3DDesignsByJayne
See more mouse pads online on zazzle.

I also used it on an iPad sleeve.

Gold and Black Abstract Pattern iPad Sleeve by 3DDesignsByJayne
See other MacBook sleeves.

Gold and Black Repeating Pattern iphone 4 Case by 3DDesignsByJayne
Design personalized iPhone 4S case online at zazzle.com

This is so exciting for me -- I've always loved these sorts of designs but had no idea how to create them. Now I can think of a million and one uses for them - sleeves, business cards, pillows, mugs and more.

Of course, I'm a bit late getting to the party (did I mention my day job gets in the way?)

Check out these designs from the talented artists at Zazzle .

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I love the colors in this wonderful mug from DriventoAbstractiona, as well as the fact that the design is much larger than the one I created (note to self: play around with dimensions when creating designs).

Celebrating Blue Series Coffee Mugs by DrivenToAbstractions
View more Abstract Mugs

This mouse pad by mystic_persia really does look like a Persian carpet, with its rich red and gold coloring.

Red Persian carpet mousepad by mystic_persia
View other Floral Mousepads

Repeating patterns like this one by skellorg look great on solid colored armchairs and sofas - it's a way to bring color and life to a room without having to reupholster! 

Alice's Asters II Lumbar Support Throw Pillow by skellorg
Shop for another throw pillow.

iPad Sleeves and laptop sleeves etc are another create showcase for these repeating patterns, like this lovely blue design by SticherladyMandala

Permascope Pattern iPad Case by StitcherladyMandala
View other iPad accessories.

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Now it's your turn. If you are a Zazzle artist or designer, you're invited to link to your repeating pattern 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.

My First Abstract Artwork

Anyone who has seen my art galleries on Renderosity and Cornucopia can tell that my usual genre of art leans toward realism -- either landscapes, equine art, romantic couples etc :-)

But several years ago, when I used to work in Bryce 3D, I found some neat tutorials which showed how to create abstract art in Bryce.  I was fascinated and loved the effects they were getting.

Years went by, I went back to my landscapes, started working in DAZ and doing more people, then moved on to Vue d'Esprit and more landscapes.

But I've seen some lovely abstracts recently and wanted to try one of my own.

Even though I have binders of printed tutorials in my home office, I couldn't find the one on abstracts in Bryce.  So I did an online search to see if I could find one.

I found several online discussions on the subject and this tutorial, by Ending Eternity at DeviantArt turned out to be just what I needed!

The instructions are easy to follow and I really enjoyed playing around with it.

Here's the first abstract artwork I came up with after playing around with the concept for a while:

I was really please with how rich the colors appeared, but by changing the colors of the lights in Bryce, I'll bet I can produce some different effects with the same basic setup.

I think this particular design seems to lend itself to products like iPad cases, laptop sleeves etc. Some examples are shown below.

Sapphire Blue Abstract iPad Case by 3DDesignsByJayne

Sapphire Blue Abstract Sleeves For Macbooks by 3DDesignsByJayne

Sapphire Blue Abstract Mouse Pad by 3DDesignsByJayne
Browse other Abstract Mousepads

So while my mind was on abstract design, I decided to have a look around Zazzle and see what other artists were producing in this genre.  And there certainly is a lot of variety!

Here are some examples: 

Firestorm Abstract Art iPad Case by OniArts

Keeping within the category of electronics cases, this iPad case features rich reds and oranges on a black background. The name "Firestorm" perfectly describes this lovely abstract by OniArts.

Autumn Mosaic Abstract Ipad Sleeve by Bebops

This design, by Bebops, also features fall-like colors, this time in a mosaic design, which looks great on this iPad sleeve.

abstract circle i pad case by abstractdesigns

This iPad case has a "grungy", worn look to it, with faded print and blotched watercolor effects.

In addition to the iPad cases and laptop sleeves, abstract art is a natural choice for posters, pillows and other items for the home.

Wind - Abstract Art Pillow by MyOtherPlanet

I'm not sure if it's supposed to, but the swirling design on this one reminds me of oil on water :-)

Fiesta Throw Pillow by SophieLerlei

This pillow just seems like a happy pillow. In fact, the color scheme would look great on my own sofa!

 

Steel butterflower pillows by SuevianArts

This pillow features a design that resembles a mix between a butterfly and a flower in grey and steel-blue colors.

Quadratic Spiders Poster by vilhei

The golden orbs and lines on the dark background make me think more of the night sky than the spiders in the title of this piece by vilhei.

Abstract Gold Squares Poster by made_in_atlantis

While many abstracts are obviously digital (like the ones I created), I think this one is an actual painting. Hand painted, or digital, I like the effects.

I hope you have enjoyed this brief foray into the world of abstract art and design.  I'm certainly going to play in the genre some more and see what I can create!

Now it's your turn. If you're a designer or artist on Zazzle, you're invited to link to your abstract 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.

The Making of Winter Snowscape

This week, I thought I'd share something I had previously shared on my personal website -- a step-by-step progression of an artwork I created in Bryce several years ago.

During the Christmas season, 2007, I spent a lot of time listening to Jethro Tull's Christmas Album (long story short - Eric, my new husband, couldn't be with me and that album was the first Christmas present he ever bought me, so it brought him nearer to listen to it).

As I was listening to it, I thought how much I liked the cover art. It would be really interesting, I thought, to see if I could recreate it, or at least evoke the feel of it, in Bryce.

 The first challenge - finding a Bryce building that looked similar to the one in the inspiration piece. This one needed work, but I felt it had potential. It was a freebie at the now-defunct 3D Commune, I think.

 
I even found a decent texture that simulated the brickwork - another freebie.

Next I had to add some scenery and make it wintery.

 
Ah, those lovely Bryce trees.... can't have a landscape without trees. (This was before I got Vue  and it's wonderful ecosystem feature)

The next step was to play around with the atmosphere and find the right lighting for the scene. I was getting close in here, but hadn't quite captured the feel I wanted.

Since this is a village, more buildings to add - all freebies from various websites around the 'Net.

 
More wintery trees to fill out the scene. (I think I even paid for a package of winter trees and textures, from Renderosity)

 
By this point,  I think I had the right lighting - it sort of looks like the album cover in the first picture doesn't it? (Humor me, please)  Now it was time to add more detail -- figures and buildings -- to fill out the scene.

Spot the difference... (one of the figures is pulling a sled, if you're wondering)

More figures, including a horse and sleigh created in DAZ|Studio complete the scene.

So there we have the final Bryce render. I called the scene Winter Snowscape.  I know these thumbnails make it hard to see the details, so you can click on the image above to see a larger version.

"Winter Snowscape" (see below) was one of the first cards I created for my Zazzle store, 3D Designs by Jayne - quite an advance from the Christmas of 2007, when I originally created the artwork and I printed it out myself on card stock and mailed it out as that year's personal Christmas cards!

Winter Snowscape Christmas Card by 3DDesignsByJayne
Browse other Greetings Cards

Can you spot the little added detail on the front of the card in my store? Look closely at the bottom left hand corner and you'll see Ian Anderson, playing his flute.

So now tell me, did I capture the essence of the album cover of my inspiration?

You be the judge....

Winged Wonders

I was out in the garden yesterday, enjoying the beautiful weather, when some movement caught my eye in the new island bed we built earlier this year.

When I looked closer, I saw this little skipper butterfly on the lovely pink Marguerite Daisies. I grabbed the camera and bent and twisted every which way to get a photo of it -- it's in the middle of the island bed and I didn't want to trample anything, or spook the butterfly, plus of course, getting it in focus was a necessity!

In an attempt to transform the photo from "ordinary" to "artistic" I originally tried a couple of techniques to add a pen and ink overlay to this image and give it a sumi-e effect.  But realized the image is a little to busy for that to work well.

Since I had already created a layer with the dry brush filter and liked how it looked, I decided to go with that effect for the image.

The detail really shows up nicely on this poster, but I'll be adding it to other products as well - I'm thinking mouse pads, iPad sleeves etc.  Lots of possibilities :-)

Pink Marguerite Daisies Poster by 3DDesignsByJayne
View other Pink flowers Posters

I myself garden for wildlife and butterflies, so they are near and dear to my heart.  I'm certainly going to take an afternoon to go through iPhoto on my computer and see what other photos I can use in my designs.

In the meantime, here are some items from my fellow artists and designers at Zazzle, each featuring beautiful butterflies and flowers.

I love this pillow, featuring purple butterflies on a branch by LorrieM - the color is just lovely and would look great on a sofa or in the bedroom.

Purple Butterflies on a Branch American MoJo by LorrieM
View more throw pillows.

One of my favorite butterflies is the Monarch.  Our garden is filled with tropical milkweed, the host plant of the Monarch butterfly and each year I keep on the look out for them and the eggs they lay which then grow into caterpillars.

This great laptop sleeve by Butterfliesarebloomin features a regal monarch butterfly on some milkweed. 

The King of Butterflies -- The Monarch Butterfly by Butterflysarebloomin
View more laptop accessories at zazzle.com.

I've never been lucky enough to see the metamorphosis from chrysalis to  butterfly, but this lovely mouse pad by WildBliss reminds us that "Without change, there would be no butterflies."

Without Change Butterflies Mousepad by WildBliss

Being a gardener, one of my weekly chores is to make sure weeds aren't taking over my garden.  The quotation on this mouse pad is particularly appropriate - it reminds me that even weeds are beautiful flowers if I look at them through joyful eyes :-)

Flower is a Weed Butterfly Mousepad by WildBliss

I love this customizable card from Memory Lane.  It's vintage-looking and you can customize it for any occasion and any recipient.  Gardeners, nature lovers or any one would appreciate this card for birthday and other occasions.

Butterflies in Flight - Customize by Memory_Lane

I'm sure there are a million and one other items that have been designed using images of these Winged Wonders we see around us.  I'm going to create some more items with my Pink Daisy image and then I'm going to look for some more butterfly pics in my iPhoto collection.

Happy Earth Day!