Faebyl Art

Hello New Beginnings

2012-01-12T08:09:00.000-08:00

A view from my studio window...so peaceful.

2012, what can I say, it seems like it's going to be a fantastic year!. I don't now why I always feel this way, but I always feel like I'm starting fresh again, a new beginning. I'm looking forward to the new year and what it holds for me.

What I'm currently working on now, and yes, they are both the same picture. the original is the small 5X7. I started her in acrylics...YIKES!!! I'm not sure how much I'm liking her, but I will be finishing her in oils, since it's a new year I figured why not give some other mediums a go...I've never used oils before so this will be a bit of a challenge. As for Acrylics, well, I started with those, I used to paint portraits with them, though I have to admit, I'm out of practice...practice makes perfect though. the larger piece is watercolour, my love:) I made a bigger version of her to paint to see the difference from watercolour and oils...I'm interested to see what I(and all of you) like best. fingers crossed, who knows maybe I will find a new love in oil paints.

My new watercolours which I got in Austria!:D!!!!!
Yeah, I know, I have a smaller Schmincke box here...but really, they are my favorite paints in the world!. I wanted the larger paint box for my studio(which is where it will stay) as for the smaller paint box, that will come with me on trips(which I will be doing more of this year). One day I promise you I will post a picture of all my painting mediums:), I love seeing other artists studios and their paints so I will show mine to you all one day too! maybe when it gets warmer here.
I've already opened them and started painting with it, what a beautiful colourful mess I'm making!
I'm so happy to get mine and in pans(something not easily found in North America but everywhere in Europe) regardless if you use pans or tubes(both in my opinion are fantastic) what are your favourite paints?
Mine are obviously Schmincke, then I would have to say Daniel Smith(those gorgeous colours they have!).

I'm off to paint some more...wish me luck with the oils and of course any tips are always appreciated:) fat over lean...fat over lean;)

Noel

2011-12-21T06:50:00.000-08:00

Noel,
8X10, Watercolour, coloured pencil on Stonehenge paper.

Wishing you all a Magical Christmas and Happy New Year!

Where has the time gone?

2011-11-16T14:54:00.000-08:00

Christmas is almost here! can you believe it?! Where has the time gone?.
I've been home for almost a month now since my trip to Europe(which was just fantastic and very much needed). I just wasn't expecting to be SO busy upon getting back home, crazy!.
I'm currently trying to get a Christmas painting done and maybe some mushroom ornaments:). hopefully once I get a bit caught up I can start paying more attention to my blog:) that would be nice!.

Here are a few pictures from my Europe trip. I might post more but we'll see...I SO miss the art museums!:).

I miss the mountains:)

Mountains make me SO happy!

Me at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, Germany

Listening about my favorite artist Albrecht Durer

Chestnuts everywhere:)

Just goofing around:)

Beautiful sites in Venice, Italy

The Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna Austria(my favorite museum since I was a kid!)

Me! Enjoying the art at Kunsthistorisches Museum

My room in Slovakia...I got the Richard Gere room!!! Creepy!

Seven days to go!

2011-09-26T10:36:00.000-07:00

I've got one week before Aaron and I go to Europe! am I excited? OH YEAH!!!, I have this feeling that we both need to get away for a bit, it's been a crazy 2 years of lots and lots of work and it's exciting to just go and relax and hike and just open our eyes to the world, very much needed.
I also decided I want to have a little art journal to take with me, I don't want to be carrying loads of art supplies(mainly cause I want to buy them all haha). My goal is to paint while I'm on vacation as well as for the future, just painting whenever I'm out, document whats around me...in a way just teaching me to slow down and look at whats around me, take in the beauty of the world...especially now since we are all so consumed with are cell phones and computers.
Here's what I'm bringing!

Not a lot, but that's how I'd like to keep it, I can only imagine what art supplies I can get there...even though I can get them here it's just nice to know that I got these paints in Austria or Italy...you get the picture:).
So here is what I have, a sea sponge...for cleaning brushes and adding effects to my work(yeah double duty!)
I got a travel Cotman case...no need for the professional paints here...and just in case I'm in the airport and they want to throw this away...you never know these days:). My micron pen, a mechanical pencil and eraser and a water brush. A super tiny bag and journal...not a watercolour journal but it does the trick:).

Now since I was talking about sketchbooks I just received a new one recently:) Made by Dragons Den, they are now making leather works with my artwork on them! I will have more designs coming out in the New year and they will have a website coming out soon!!!

Based off my painting "Dragons Hoard" I love it! can't wait to fill it up with some new sketches as well:).

Here's a sketch I've been working on recently.

I'll probably start painting here when I get back from my trip as well as some other sketches!.
Alright I'm off to pack:)

Royal Medieval Faire

2011-09-15T07:19:00.001-07:00

My last outdoor show of the year!!!! come and join me:)
http://www.royalmedievalfaire.org/
It's going to be sunny and cool, Fall is in the air!:)

The Lost Machine

2011-09-07T09:04:00.000-07:00

I just finished a new book which I got from my friend Richard A. Kirk who is also an amazing artist.
I thought I should mention it here on my little blog, because I LOVED it! and just had to share!.

The Lost Machine is a novella written and illustrated by Richard a.Kirk
Here's a little about the book taken from the site, because no matter how hard I try the description is way better from the site then anything I could ever write...basically all I can say is that I absolutely adore this book! it's one of those novels that is so descriptive, it's so easy to see it in your mind and you just can't put it down.
From the Lost Machine page:

In a wasteland ravaged by plague, Lumsden Moss steps out of a decaying prison. Armed with a satchel of yellowed notebooks containing the fragile memories of five murdered children, he is determined to track down and confront their killer. Lumsden accompanied by a stranger, begins a long journey to the vast City of Steps where he is forced to confront the horrors of the past and present.

“A crow, chased by smaller birds, rose from a wind sculpted tree. Twisted strands of grass emerged from the snow and rattled against the crust, but it was a person standing in the yard that caught his attention and set his heart racing. Moss looked over his shoulder. Going back inside was unthinkable. Seeing that the gates were loose, the locking mechanism brutalized, he shoved them outward. The dry hinges juddered, showering the bricks with rust that looked like flakes of dried blood.”

What Richard has succeeded in doing here is to draw a dark,strangely beautiful world—a world uniquely his own (which I would love to see more of by the way)... He has made his places real and his people breath.

Mike Mignola, award-winning creator/writer/artist of Hellboy

I can't wait till Richards new book comes out, So if your looking for a new book to check out, have a look at The Lost Machine:)

You can purchase the book here:Purchase The Lost Machine

Richard A. Kirk website(his amazing artworks!): http://www.richardakirk.com

Seven Years

2011-08-31T09:57:00.000-07:00

Fan Expo is finished for another year and I had a BLAST! I loved seeing old friends and making new ones! The artwork this year was amazing! I'm going to have to make a separate blog post just to show them all to you!.
Aaron and I also celebrated our 7 year wedding anniversary! Saturday was the big day:). even though I was working that day(and Saturdays the CRAZY day at Fan Expo)we made it so much fun! and managed to spend lots of time together:).

Aaron and I:)

This picture just makes me giggle:), I'm back off to work, gotta get these commissions done before October! then I'm back working on my own projects! I can't wait:).

Sketch Fest #16

2011-07-25T08:16:00.000-07:00

This is my sketch from this months Sketch Fest, prompt: Beautiful Dream.
I pictured a knight getting lost in some magical forest, seeing her...a beautiful magical elf, thinking he was dreaming.

She's 5X7 on illustration board, I'm going to clear Gesso her and then paint her in oils...the problem with this plan is that I have NO idea how to paint in oils...looks like I got to try it on something:)
It will be a bit of an adventure...I'm excited! let's hope I make it out with success!
More on Sketch Fest: Sketch Fest Website

I got a new book!:) Memory's Wake

2011-07-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

I bought a book online this weekend from an artist friend of mine and wanted to share it with all of you!
Memory's Wake by Selina Fenech

I am sooooo excited about it and can't wait to read it! I remember reading the very rough drafts that Selina used to post on Livejournal, I was already in love with reading it then, I can only imagine how amazing it will be now!.

I'm just horrible with explaining what a book is about, but thankfully Selina has made a small video to show you all!

I'm also SO excited about the illustrations within the book! there is 44 illustrations in total! I'm big on illustrations...maybe being an artist myself :) but Selina's work is amazing and just an added bonus! all big wins to me!:)
For more info on the book or where you can purchase it yourself : memoryswake website

Art Print Giveaway!

2011-07-15T06:11:00.000-07:00

It's that time again! Time for another free print giveaway contest!!!

STARTS July 16th ENDS August 16th
*Here's how to enter:
*Email me at Monika (at) faebylart.com OR faebylart (at) hotmail.com with your name and email address(so I can contact you if you win) and let me know "what is you favorite art work of mine and why?"
The winner will randomly selected and notified on August 17th.

*what you choose as your favorite artwork and what you want as a print can be different! if you win I will ask you to choose a print of your choice.*

*you can view my artwork on my website here: www.faebylart.com or on my facebook page here:Faebyl Art Facebook

GOOD LUCK!!!

The Keeper Of Dragons

2011-07-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

New work that I forgot to post! promise I will post more:) it's just been so hectic here! yikes:)

Faery Fest's Enchanted Ground!

2011-06-13T05:57:00.000-07:00

This weekend is the Enchanted Ground Festival! for more info you can head over to www.faeryfest.com
I will be there the whole weekend and I'm always sooooo excited about this show:) I would have to say it's one of my favorites:)
Come by and say hi! I love meeting new people:)

Sketch Fest May 2011

2011-05-24T05:07:00.000-07:00

Only got in one sketch this time...it was long weekend and the sun came out! had to be outside:)

http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/

A Little Glimpse

2011-05-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

A little slideshow of last years Enchanted Ground Festival:)

it's about a month away! June 18-19 at Guelph's Riverside park:)
I'm excited! it's going to me an amazing year!!!

Adrift

2011-05-02T08:32:00.000-07:00

Adrift
Watercolour
11X15 1/2
Done for the Enchanted Visions Project.
Inspired by my dreams that I've had since I was a kid, traveling the worlds and dream worlds with my dream Klompen:)

A Midsummer Night's Dream

2011-04-04T08:19:00.001-07:00

After a long month of struggling to get painting, I've finally finished a piece!. I suppose every artist goes through a phase where no matter how hard you try you just can't paint, think of an idea and just struggle getting a piece done. I actually hope I'm over it now and you will all see much more paintings in the future:).

So here it is, my new piece: A Midsummer Night's Dream!

11X17 Watercolour and some white gouache for highlights.

Some up close shots

So I decided to take some W.I.P shots, just to show you all how I get to one spot to another, personally, I love looking at other artists w.i.p, everyone works differently and it's just fun to see.

Pencil sketch on Arches watercolour board. It was my first time working on watercolour board, I really liked it, not good for doing sketches on first though, I don't think the paper holds too well.
Sorry for the lousy picture, I had to darken these as the sketches are very light when I do them.
My messy table and my first splash of paint.

I decided to work my way around the outside first then working in, the last to be worked on would be the people, since they are my favorite to paint.
again, my messy table, I just finished the tree trunk here. My favorite mug is in this shot...it's for camping but I use it all the time, keeps my tea nice and hot for hours(which is great because I always forget about my tea until I'm done painting), I love it!
just a closer shot and I painted the bushes at the bottom of the painting. This is where I stopped taking pictures 'cause really, I just wanted this done....love it but I was ready to work on something else.
This is getting used for the poster in this years Enchanted Ground Festival:) you can find out more info on the festival here: www.faeryfest.com I'm looking forward to this years festival! I know it's going to be amazing and I miss doing festivals and art shows!! the season is ready to begin and I can't wait:)

Sketch Fest March:)

2011-03-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

I only managed to finish 2 sketches for March's Sketch Fest but I thought that was amazing since all my time has gone to finishing the poster for Enchanted ground:).

Vine Maiden-1 hour,pencil and white coloured pencil

In my pocket-Silverpoint

New ACEO: Lady Of the Forest

2011-02-15T09:37:00.000-08:00

Lady of the Forest

2 1/2 X 3 1/2

Watercolour, Ink and acrylic

To give you an idea of how small and ACEO(Art,Card,Edition,Original) is.

Finally:)

2011-02-11T09:14:00.000-08:00

I have this wee obsession with paint boxes...

I finally got around to filling this one with my favorite paints(Daniel Smith, Winsor and Newton and one I only have a couple of colours of, M Graham) I made a fun colour chart letting me know what colours are staining and graining and so on...made me feel good, I love seeing all these colours!!

I have a WN white gouach in there for some final touches to my work but no balck paint since I love making my own:). No Schmincke paints in this one, I'll keep those seperate since they are my all time favorite paints. However I can't wait to use this paint box and make a wonderful colourful mess with it!

Over the bridge and into the woods...

2011-02-07T07:26:00.000-08:00

Every once in the while, artists need references they can't get or find...what do you do? make your own:).

I just happen to be lucky enough to live in an enchanted forest! so into costume and out I went to get some photos.

Over the bridge and into the forest I go...

What a beautiful entrance!

posing is probably the hardest thing to do!!

Sometimes it's hard to take it seriously!

Ha ha! I'm not posing here, I was seriously cold!! turned out okay though:)

It ended up being really fun! this was my first attempt to do my own reference photos, besides just looking at the mirror to get face expressions right. It was a bit cold...okay REALLY cold but amazingly beautiful out there! I'd do it again, maybe in the summer though and get some friends to pose for me as well:).

I'm excited to see what I can do with these!!

Sketching Fun

2011-02-04T10:51:00.000-08:00

All done for the January Sketch Fest:
Freyja? maybe...I think thats the route this one is taking, I'm excited to see how this one will turn out:)

Just a Fun ACEO, playing with lines, not taking it too seriously:)

Adrift-Work in progress

2011-01-14T07:50:00.000-08:00

A little peek of the line art for Adrift

A close up

Based on a dream I had, I usually have dreams of me sailing through the sky and seas on a Klompen, ever since I was a kid...it used to relax me. I'd go exploring in all these different lands...

Nature Intertwined

2011-01-12T09:52:00.001-08:00

A fun sketch I did yesterday, I'm pretty happy with it so I think it'll be made into a future painting.

:)

2011-01-02T20:13:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years!

2011 is going to be an amazing year!!!

Free Print Contest!!

2010-10-25T07:02:00.000-07:00

FREE PRINT contest starts today!!!! (Oct.25 ends Nov.7)
for details check out my site here: http://www.faebylart.com/
Good luck to everyone!!!:)

Facebook Fan Page!

2010-10-14T05:40:00.000-07:00

I now have a facebook fan page:)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Faebyl-Art-Artwork-by-Monika-Ptok-Byard/158877114133669?v=wall
come and join:) I will be posting all my new works and contests and just overall arty stuff there:) Thanks for all the support everyone:)

Zephyra

2010-09-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

Zephyra

Watercolour, ink and coloured pencil

it's here!

2010-09-29T06:02:00.000-07:00

The third volume of The Art Of The Business Of Fantasy Art is out! for artists and starting artists alike this is a fantastic book. Learn about licensing, time management, cyberfunded creativity, starting a home business, xenolinguistics, going green, handling burnout, color theory and much, much more!
go and get it! I know I will:)
http://www.fantasyartshop.com/emggroup.php?id=46

;)

2010-09-13T08:27:00.000-07:00

Back from some wonderful time off! I'm off to paint, get caught up on emails and getting ready for my last outdoor show: The Royal Medieval Faire http://www.royalmedievalfaire.org/I'll update soon with some fun pics! and hopefully some new artwork:)
Fan Expo was AMAZING!!! and THANK YOU to everyone for all your support! I already have my table booked for next year!

Fan Expo!

2010-08-24T08:36:00.001-07:00

I will be at Fan Expo this coming weekend starting Friday August 27th! Come see me at the Artist Alley! My table number is A8!

http://www.fanexpocanada.com/

Keys To Kingdom Treasury

2010-08-22T09:01:00.001-07:00

I'm in a Treasury:) yay!! I LOVE this one because it's all about KEYS!!! my favorite:)http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c70d5a50dfb8eef7a6ddc75/keys-to-the-kingdom#4c71482792bb6d91677243c4

Green Man

2010-07-29T07:37:00.000-07:00

New art:)

Green Man

10 1/2 x 13

Watercolour, coloured pencil and ink

Another GREAT year!

2010-06-21T10:11:00.000-07:00

Faeryfests Enchanted Ground was absolutly FANTASTIC!!!! thank you to everyone who came by! you all made me feel like a painting queen!

2010-06-18T08:34:00.001-07:00

Rhoslyn and the Unicorn9X12

Watercolour,ink,coloured pencil

I know different:) but I'm pretty happy with her! I loved working on her dress!!! FUN!:)

I hope you all enjoy:) prints will be available on my site in a few months(I know! show season though, it takes alot outta you) but I will post her soon on Etsy.
For any that live in Ontario Canada I will have prints at the shows starting with Enchanted Ground this weekend at Riverside Park in Guelph! yay!!! it looks to be good weather wise so I hope to see you all there! Stop by and say hi!!!
http://www.faeryfest.com/

The Key

2010-04-27T06:02:00.000-07:00

The Key

Graphite,watercolour.

There are people out there who suffer from sadness,

not able to tell anyone keeping it hidden away.

I believe that there is beauty and happiness within everyone.

A Key within them that needs to be found.

Dragons Hoard

2010-04-21T05:49:00.000-07:00

Dragons Hoard,

11X14

Watercolour,ink,coloured pencil

Made for Faeryfests Enchanted Ground!

June 19,20!

Riverside Park, Guelph, Ontario,Canada.

Admission is FREE this year!!

It's going to be fantastic! so if your around come and enjoy the fun!!!

http://www.faeryfest.com/

A Dark Undercurrent

2010-04-08T07:15:00.001-07:00

A Dark Undercurrent
watercolour,ink,coloured pencil

my wee studio table:)

2010-04-08T06:34:00.000-07:00

I was trying to take pictures for a WIP but I ALWAYS take just one picture(I hate stopping when I'm painting...you just get into this zone). Oh well, at least you can see a bit of my table:)In this particular painting I only used my Schmincke paints instead of a few different brands. That blue vase thingy in the back holding my pens and such...I made it(and so proud of it). I have my chocolate-ginger altoids in case I need a wee snack, as well I use the tins afterwards to hold my stray watercolour pans, it's great to travel with too!. That little green bag is usually open and contains my crystals and stones(shiny pretty things make me want to paint:D). Hoping it thunders again today:D!!!!Back to sketching:)

Etsy

2010-02-11T07:15:00.000-08:00

I have updated my Etsy shop:) I'm going to keep updating it and adding more new art and products!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Faebyl
Have a wonderful week everyone!

New Aceo

2010-02-08T05:56:00.000-08:00

Alna

watercolour,ink and coloured pencil

Fate

2010-02-01T09:04:00.000-08:00

Here's my last piece I finished from January:)

"Fate"

9X12watercolour,coloured pencil,ink and iridescent acrylic paint(which you can only see on the original)

it's my first angel! so I hope you all like it:)

I also took about 4 W.I.P pics so here they are:

so here I finished the background(which wasn't much)and started with adding some texture to the wings, adding the darker shades to my angel and a light wash to get the feel of what skin tone to use.

here I worked on the shading on the face.

now I added more green to the wings...again for more texture and colour, as well I did my first darker wash on her face and body(I like mixing my own skin tones, to me it adds more depth).

and here I added a darker wash to her face and body...then my camera died and I was too lazy to charge...sorry:)but it gives everyone a little idea on how I do things...I'm pretty bad at explaining, so I'm sorry for that, but any questions are welcome:).

Hope everyone has a fantastic week!

HUGS!!!:)

New Aceo

2010-01-29T07:25:00.000-08:00

Just a fun little ACEO I did:)

Güell

2 1/2 X 3 1/2

Watercolour,ink and coloured pencil

New Silverpoint Art-Celeste

2010-01-22T06:42:00.000-08:00

Celeste

4X6 prepared 100%cotton rag

Silverpoint

Yes she is very light, but that's silverpoint for you, I didn't want to darken it on-line, I wanted to show people what it really looks like(you can't make it darker), after a few months it starts getting darker(my other ones have) and then it'll tarnish...I LOVE silverpoint! scanning is not easy, neither is taking photos..the silver likes to reflect.

Hope you all like it:)

New!

2010-01-19T13:02:00.001-08:00

Monika Ptok-Byard Forest Faeries Perfume Oil Collection!
http://the-mystic-memories.com/catalog.php?category=88

Eco Friendly Perfume Oils and Bath and Body Care from Mystic Memories

What Dreams May Come

2010-01-11T18:24:00.001-08:00

What Dreams May Come

9 1/2 x 12 inches

Watercolour,ink and coloured pencil

Yalipu

2009-12-08T06:46:00.001-08:00

Yalipu
7 1/2 X 9 1/2Watercolour,ink and coloured pencil

Yalipu-Means reindeer from the Micmac.(Micmac indians)(American indian language of Northeastern Canada)

Happy Holidays everyone!

W.I.P

2009-12-06T11:03:00.001-08:00

My work in progress.

I want to see this:)

2009-12-02T07:33:00.001-08:00

http://www.thesuicidebrothers.com/

Silverpoint Sketches

2009-11-05T09:32:00.001-08:00

I'm heading off to Baltimore today to go to Faeriecon, but thought I'd leave you all with a few silverpoint sketches.
I started silverpoint this past summer, I LOVE IT! so expect many,many more.
Maybe they will end up as a painting in the near future, we'll see!

2009-10-21T08:46:00.001-07:00

The Green Faery

Books and Randomness

2009-10-21T08:44:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading the book Lovely Bones...man was it sad...happy and sad but I cried through so much of it. I found out today that there is going to be a movie for the book, http://www.lovelybones.com/ it looks really good and looks beautiful as well, kinda artsy:), and if you want to read something different, the book is great, just be warned it's sad and a bit graphic.
I'm also eating brownies for breakfast because we have no food in the house. No food makes me grumpy. We leave soon for vacation, still not 100% sure what we're doing except that we will be in Baltimore for Friday for Faeriecon for sure:) I wanna shop:).
Now back to the topic of books, here's one of my all time favorites, if you like fantasy books please read this! really! it's amazing:) The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss http://www.patrickrothfuss.com/content/books.asp It's a book I read over and over again, so if you have a chance, read it:).
That's it for now, I'll be painting all day today, just felt like recommending some fantastic books, because I love reading and think it's great for the soul:).