Halloween, Samhain Already?

By The Light Of The Moon Card

By The Light Of The Moon Card

Well anyone that knows me knows that Samhain and Autumn is my favorite time of the year. I love the colors, the smells and the weather in the Northeast USA. There is simply nothing like it. Samhain is always on my mind, in fact my kitchen is forever decorated in pumpkins, black cats and skeletons even for the other Solstice holidays. Well it is not unusual to see a Samhain/Halloween design come out in the middle of the summer for me (even though summer consists of rain almost everyday here)

I did this design in two versions. The first is done with tiny little dots like my Dual Personality design. The second is in color as you see above and below. This design just kind of popped right out of my head with no thought, the pencil just took hold and took over. This doesn't happen often but I like when it does. I haven't used my watercolors in a while so it was nice to pick up a brush again. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it come to life.

Trick Or Treat Bag

By The Light Of The Moon T-Shirt

Click to see all of By The Light Of The Moon items

Black and White Version - Color Version



.

TBA for Skeleton Key Design on Zazzle

Skeleton Key Card by 13BlackCatsDesigns
MORE Skeleton Key Products on zazzle.com

It is always a nice surprise when Zazzle picks you for a Today's Best Award and this morning's little doodle won the honor. This skeleton key has been bouncing around in my head for a while and it finally decided to come out. It is a quick little doodle I made in my sketchbook this morning with a graphite pencil.

The background is one of my designs that is for sale on Say It With Color. I opened it up in Photoshop and then made a grey scale version and a sepia toned one for a more vintage look. The key itself was scaned in and one version was sepia toned as well. So far it has been well received and perhaps I shall think of a few more to sketch. You never know what the cat will drag in around here and what will pop out of my head at any given time.

Skeleton Key Dark Heart T-Shirt

Skeleton Key Bag

Skeleton Key Print

AND TO MAKE THINGS BETTER Zazzle is offering a great coupon deal for free shipping ANYWHERE!

To qualify for this free shipping offer, one or more Zazzle products must be purchased. The coupon code JUNESHIPFREE must be entered during checkout to receive the offer. The free shipping offer is for standard (or economy if standard is not available) shipping. Shipping charges will apply to oversized orders and orders being shipped on an expedited basis. Offer is valid from June 19, 2009 at 12:01am PT through June 30, 2009 at 11:59pm PT. Your order must be placed during that time to qualify for this special offer. This promotional offer does not apply to past purchases and may not be combined with any other Zazzle promotional or discount offers. Offer is not valid on Smilestore.com.

.

Autumn Nymph

Ah, the cold crisp autumn air signals nature to ready for a long slumber, so may you gather those around you close and celebrate all that the harvest has to offer.

Always my favourite time of the year, a time when the dreadful heat of the summer is gone, the air turns cooler and carries with it the smell of apples and fires in fireplaces and things begin to become quiet. While I love the summer flowers and the color they provide, there is just something spectacular about the autumn leaves and the warmness they exude. Taking drives up Route 78 and stopping every so often to take in the beauty. Although the time is short for such splendors they are greatly appreciated and cherished.

to be continued...

The Four Elements

Earth, Air, Fire & Water

I came up with these designs around Earth Day 2008. Originally I wanted to design a series of greeting cards for the zodiac using their elemental counterparts. Being inspired by nature I began to imagine what they would be like if they had actual entities behind them. Around this time I was going through a "swirl" drawing period. It was just something I was doodling at the time and it seemed to fit what I had in mind so I grabbed my pencils and watercolors and headed outside to channel some nature. The designs came pretty easy once I got going. I wanted to keep them semi monochromatic, which I was successful at and I wanted the viewer to feel the warmth of the sun, the salty water, the slight breeze and the coolness of the forest. I think at least I hope that the viewer can.

Upon the success of these cards and the interest generated by them I expanded the line to include other products on Zazzle and CafePress. I hope to include them on skateboards in the near future and actually design a different version as well as work on a celestial line involving the moon, stars and sun.

to be continued....