Year: 2008

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Owl on the way

My owl is actually finished, but this is me painting him. This is one of the several hundred time-lapse photos I took today of myself painting. I uploaded my photos in two batches only to discover that the Roxio program I used to make my first video had taken over the numbering of my photos. It started the first batch at 001, and then started the second batch at 001-1. Without noticing that, I put both batches in the same folder, and ended up with a terrible organizational mess, with one photo from each batch alternating with one photo from the other batch, 001, 001-1, 002, 002-2, etc. I thought I was going to have to drag and drop one photo at a time onto a storyboard to make a video. Luckily, I had the second batch still on my card. So, I managed to delete that set and re-upload it into a second folder.

I still need to know how to set my preferences to have Photoshop Elements be my default photo editor again so I can have my photos numbered consecutively starting where I left off, not at 001 every time. If anyone knows how to fix that, please drop me a note!

Update: After some suggestions, some fiddling, and turning the computer off and on again, my photos seem to be coming in numbered in their old Photoshop Elements fashion. I’m not sure how it happened, but I’m glad it’s working. Knock on wood. My photos are still labeled as Roxio jpgs, etc, though. So, not everything has reverted, but at least, so far today, the new photos aren’t staring at 001.

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Matilda, New Lop Rabbit Print by Elizabeth Ruffing

My lop-earred rabbit is painted, printed, and available in our Etsy shop!

The orginal watercolor painting for this print was my first on the Claybord, which made for some interesting effects. The detail that you can add by scratching the surface is great. Using a dental pick and some of the Claybord tools that came in the Claybord toolkit, I was able to add fine lines and textures for the lace trim on her turquoise Victorian dress, and her fuzzy bunny fur. 

I also put together my first video for my new YouTube channel, of myself painting this painting, which you can watch below. Hope you enjoy it!

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Transferring my owl

I transferred my owl onto Claybord today. I even filmed myself for the video I plan to make for the painting. It was hard to get myself to do that. It takes away the whole joy of not caring what you look like when you’re working at home. At least it was a short segment!

My bunny was today’s featured listing in the Prim and Whimsy Girls eBay group. I was so surprised this morning to to her furry face looking out at me when I signed in. Thanks, Becky!

I joined the group just recently. You can find members’ eBay listings by searching titles and descriptions on eBay for “PWGL“.

I also joined the Rags to Riches Dolls eBay group recently. You can find those members’ eBay listings by searching titles and descriptions on eBay for “R2RD“.

Here is a close-up of my bunny’s lace collar and trim. I made up some detail shots for my print ad. I’m trying it out on eBay this week, and it will continue to be available on Etsy. This print is available on our Ruffing’s site here. The lace is the part I scratched out of the Claybord with a dental pick and some of the Claybord tools. I’ll be trying this technique while making my owl’s feathers.
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My Bunny and my video are done!

My lop-earred rabbit is painted, printed, and available on our Ruffing’s site here, and in my Etsy shop! Painting on the Claybord was a little like painting on illustration board, in that the surface was more absorbent than watercolor paper usually is, but that made for some interesting effects. The detail that you can add by scratching the surface is great. I used a dental pick and some of the Claybord tools that came in the toolkit. I was able to add fine lines and textures for lace and bunny hair.

I also put together my first video for my new YouTube channel. After a couple of failed attempts using one program, I realized that the Roxio program my aunt gave us had a video-editing program included in it, VideoWave. It was an older version, but our computer is about the same vintage. So, it worked out. I had to edit out the parts of the video where I actually smiled because there were loud crunching sounds at the beginning and end of that segment when the on/off button had been pushed. I’ll know to let the camera run a little longer at the start and finish next time.