* 2014 ~ Ready, set, create!

To be the bearer of one's own bad news is an unfortunate fate, but such is one that I must face. 

I, to no fault but my own, did not meet with my 2013 resolution goals.

*whips herself in shame* 

 But, no matter! The world keeps on spinning. 

Moving on now.

According to Blogger, I have doubled my posts with each upcoming year since 2011. I many not have reached my goal of 365 posts, but I still made more than last year!

*pats herself in the back*

So my goals for 2014 are simple:

* Double my posts again for next year (preferably more, if possible)

*open etsy shop

*Draw, draw, and draw some more!

As always, I wish you all a Creative New Year! 

May you greet 2014 with a positive vibe and the fierce determination to achieve your goals.

~  >__<  Jenny

The art of gift making.

So, finally managed to finish two important pieces for the holidays. 

First, the commissioned Christmas gift: 

Chaos, the Golumpki Prince. 

*laughs*

Chaos, the Golumpki Prince, Mixed Media on Wood. © Jenny De La Torre. 2013

*** 

Wip photos:

Chaos is a tom-cat who belongs to my dear friend, Aby. He is a magnificent ball of fur, down to the very last whisker and was the focus for this special Christmas gift. I lived with Aby some time ago, and luckily managed to find a photo of Chaos in my collection. 

And what exactly is Golumpki, you may ask? 

Well, if you ever go to Aby's house, you will surely be fortunate enough to feast upon her mother's Polish cuisine. Golumpki, or stuffed cabbage, is only my second favorite Polish delicacy next to Pierogi. 

^___^

And this tiny pink rabbit represents Aby. 

If you ever see one around in future illustrations, you can rest assured that mischief will surely follow. 

* * *

Next, the Engagement/Christmas Gift.

The guest list features: fairies, goldfish, red squirrels, unicorns, narwhals, goats, deer, penguins, owls and more!

Congratulations to Jenn and Nicole!

>__<

Something Blue!

Bella and Olive are featured here again. They were last seen in  "Mustache" surrounded by a whimsical mushroom forest. 

* * Merry Christmas! * *

Happy Holidays to all! 

I wish you much happiness on this special day. May you find yourself in the company of loved ones, delicious food and presents under the Christmas tree!

>____<

* Another Sneak Peek! *

The art of * Multitasking * ~ a.k.a, "Holiday Crunch Time"

So, aside from working on the Engagement/Christmas present from this post, I've also been working on a super-secret-ultra-undercover gift a friend commissioned me for a loved one. Unfortunately, I can't show the final piece yet, but I can give you a sneak peek.

Enjoy!

WIP ~ possibly, hopefully can finish it soon!

This is an engagement present that's taking forever to finish, but hopefully I can have this done before the holidays start crashing down on me. 

~__~

"Oreo"

Fellow coworker and cat lover, Allison, lost her feline companion "Oreo" about 5 months ago. This was also around the time I began my new job at the office. I was nervous, didn't know anybody, and felt very much like a fish out of water. Allison bravely came in the day after Oreo was put to sleep (he was old, very sickly and diabetic) and took me under her wing.

 I could tell she didn't want to be there; I understood that pain quite clearly. The day after Yume passed away, I had to drag my unwilling body to work,  force a smile to my face and wish customers passing by to have a good day. I hated it. Each day was a struggle, and coming home was unbearable. It took me a week to finally empty Yume's bowl of food and water. 

As a tribute to that special companion, I made her this painting of Oreo. 

May she always remember the good times they had together.

Oreo, Mixed Media on Wood. © Jenny De La Torre. 2013

** ~ In Memoriam, Oreo ~ **

* * *

 I used a mixture of Golden Acrylics, Acryla Gouache, Caran D' Ache colored pencils and an assortment of white inks for the fur. I usually work on the background first, but in this case it made sense to work out the details on Oreo from the very beginning. Later on, as I painstakingly added every blade of grass (there were three or four different shades of green used) I didn't have to worry about retouching Oreo's fur again.

Of course, I saved the best for last. I love painting eyes, especially on cats. There are just so many lovely shades you can find if you stare closely enough. 

"Mustache"

This was a birthday gift for my good friend, Nicole. Like me, she adores her cats (and has a thing for mushrooms, antlers and mustaches).

 This painting features her big cat, Bella, wearing antlers and sporting a very charismatic mustache--with the help of the shy, muted tortie, Olive. I wanted their surroundings to be very dreamlike, as if they'd both stepped into an Alice in Wonderland sort of landscape. 

Needless to say, it was very hard to part with this piece. Therefore, I'll definitely be making more of these. Painting on wood is such a pleasure. If you Gesso it well, the paint slides perfectly over the surface. This is especially useful if you need to paint fine hairs. 

Mustache, Mixed Media on Wood. © Jenny De La Torre. 2013 

** In Progress**

I used a mixture of Acryla Gouache, Acrylics, Gouache and  Caran D'Ache colored pencils, which I use to draw the design on the surface before applying any paint. As I begin to slap on some color, the colored pencil markings blend with a little bit of water  (they're water-soluble), but I don't go out of my way to completely cover them up. I love the "sketchy" look, and with traditional art, it's always nice to see every medium and brushstroke used to create the final illustration.