Sweet and Pink

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Cherryblossom image taken on Saturday, a vignette, colour adjustments and a texture. I love spring and the new fresh light and the blossoms and colours everywhere. Makes you hopeful after all this winter darkness and these sweet pink cherryblossoms are particularly pretty and lovely..

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go toBluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Destiny

© Sybille Sterk
Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

This is a manipulation of several images and brushes. I took the bottom half of the image a while ago and because it had a plain and boring sky forgot about it for a bit. However, I came across it again yesterday and decided to play with it. It's another vartiation of my images on the future and the uncertainty of it and how our destiny waits just beyond the mist of time and still we walk blindly forward because there is no choice.

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Till Death Do Us Part

MCN: CJHK5-GGFF5-5DX8T

I saw this bottle in a shop window and just loved it. So I had to take a picture. :-) This involved a lot of editing as the other items in the shop window didn't go with the 'theme'. Perfect for a murder mystery book cover. ;-)

Part of my new series of images for licensing on Arcangel-Images - use this code: SYST-0138

Created with my own photographs in Photoshop, no stock used.

 
All my licensing images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas).

Death of a Butterfly

MCN: CBCLC-L5KDW-6JDP1

This is a conceptual work and I am not sure I can explain it adequately. Normally a butterfly is the symbol of renewal, re-incarnation however, in this the butterfly dies, so the renewal is cancelled. I've made a plain white paper origami butterfly for this to indicate the death of the magic and innocence. On a subconscious level this is deeply feminine and feminist to me, hence the blood on the butterfly and the wall. Once girls turn into women their deaths begin, the only renewal remains in reproduction, until then everything was possible.

Part of my new series of images for licensing on  Arcangel-Images - use this code: SYST-0076

Created with my own photographs in Photoshop, no stock used.

Girl With Toads

 

 

 

Sub title: The difference between frogs and toads

If you want to know the difference... read here

Surely there must be a better way to find out apart from kissing them? ;-)

Dedicated to the fabulous team at Solo Exhibition for all their hard work. Check out the fabulous exhibition they've put together for me here

Credits

Model

• blind4 by rammkitty-stock

Stock

• Toad.2_Mind-Matter by Mind-Matter
• Toad 1 by Penny-Stock
• frog 2 by Tracie76Stock
• Frog Stock by Tracie76Stock
• Black House Fly Stock 1 by FantasyStock
• Dragonfly stock image 1 by zpyder
• Bulrush by Aliinaaa
• Grasses of the field by steppeland
• My-Stock - Grass by my-stock
• Stock Rained Grass 2 by zommy
• grass by dest-stock
• Dew Catcher by penceg
• Dew Catcher 2 by penceg
• Crown Stock II by EmazingMessedUpOwsum
• Key 1 by matazidah

Backgrounds and Textures

• in a corner by CKdailyplanet
• skate+land by CKdailyplanet
• Coffee Paper Texture Set by Shadowhouse
• Vintage Oil Painting Texture Set + Tutorial by Shadowhouse
• You'd Be Surprised texture by Shadowhouse

Brushes

• Lace Brush Set by CourtHouse
• Ropes -n- Chains Brushes by redheadstock
• Hair brush set by para-vine
• 17 Grunge Border Bars Brush Set by Shadowhouse

All other images/textures/stock/brushes my own.

The background is put together from my own images and textures including some images from an old pumping station.

MCN: C3REB-MDGE3-WTX3T

Blood Rose Tears - Photo Manipulation

Illustration for the poem Blood Rose Tears by Autumnwind

Credits:

• Model, Face 1, Psamathides
• Crow, Phatpuppy
• Bird Cage, MRanum and MRanum
• Cloud brushes, Leboef
• Grasses and Plants PS Brushes, Redheadstock
• Background, Moonchild-ljilja (first on the left)
• On Crack, dazzle-textures
• Backblech 04, Sundel
• Paper Texture, Night-Fate-Stock

all other stock/textures are my own.

MCN: CDTE5-FE33Y-UNSTB

The Visitor - Photo Manipulation

Painting of a (barbarian) visitor in  Sibyl of Cumae's cave

 All images/textures used are my own, except for the ones below. All credit given and permission was given for the textures/stock to be used.

Credits:
Models:

• Sibyl model (Drac Bride) see also the model's website
• Barbarian

Both thanks to M Ranum

Brushes: 

• Veil 
• Spanish Moss 
• Butterflies  
• Butterflies  
• Butterflies

Textures:
Backblech 2
Monoprint
Cave Egress II
Cave-Photodreamstock
Hill and Sky

 

MCN: CXSVC-JT735-D5T2M

Magnolia

 

... another of my favourite Spring blossoms. You can't beat magnolia for sheer gorgeousness...

Made with my own textures and photo. :-) I've added depth and colour with brushes in Photoshop.

Sorry, there is no greeting card available - the proportions of the image don't work with the greeting card dimensions. If you'd like it as a greeting card, send me a mail and I'll upload a version specially for greeting cards to Redbubble. :-)

Paintings - Sunflower and Spring (Cherryblossom)

Here they are finally - my paintings.

Sunflower

This was a Christmas present for Steve as he loves sunflowers. :-)

It's acrylic on canvas and was my first ever painting on canvas....

Here's another shot:

and here's a detail that is also available as a greeting card on Redbubble:

 

Spring

This is my second ever painting on canvas.

  

This is available on Redbubble as a print

or as a greeting card, created with a detail of the large painting
and a texture (Sirius_SDZ) and a photo filter.

Bird in a Tree - Altered Art

Sorry, I honestly couldn't think of a better name....

It started off with a photo of a pigeon all fluffed up, sitting in some wintery trees I took a week ago. I was going to use it as a background, but when I started playing around with it I liked it too much to use it just as a background.

I've used several textures: Sirius_SDZ, Buzillo and Freaky665.

I've also used lighting effects, one of my patterns (as a texture on the frame), gradients, and filters.

Nest Brooch

I definitely had fun with this! I have been admiring the 'nest jewellery' I'd seen on Etsy, but something never felt quite right. Nests are supposed to be messy, there needs to be camouflage, something to soften the twigs, and something to keep the eggs warm and cosy. But all the nests I saw were bare and cold. :-(

So here's my take on a 'nest'.


I wanted it to be as natural as possible and to fit right in with it's surroundings, hence the pictures of the brooch on some bay leaves (above) and some rosemary (below).

And here it is again on my garden table:


I've used lots of different materials. The nest itself was made from antiqued copper wire, which I have combined with green Habu steel yarn (100% wool over steel yarn), Habu paper moire in a mossy green/brown colour and teeny tiny guinea fowl feathers.

The eggs are freshwater peals which have been threaded into the nest, so they won't fall out. The nest has been placed on a brass filigree (which you can't see unless you're looking at the back of the brooch). There are more guinea fowl feathers on one side and a black marabou feather on the other side.

The nest and feathers sit securely on a brooch pin, which is just under 4cm (1.5"). The brooch itself is 12.5cm (approx. 5") wide and the little nest is 2.5cm (1") in diameter.

Despite the amount of wire I've used the brooch is still quite light. I wouldn't use it on your best silk shirt, but it's fine on something a little more substantial.

Nest and Spring in Paris will be available in my Etsy shop later this week. I am determined to upload some more items to my Etsy shop this weekend. However, if you can't wait, the brooch is £15 + P&P.

Spring in Paris

Spring is here - three days (at least) of sunshine and here's my offering to the goddess of Spring, Persephone:

Spring in Paris

This is another long necklace, but this time I included a clasp so it can be worn wrapped around your neck twice.

And doesn't it look just like Spring in Paris? It's elegant, romantic and a little whimsical with a shabby chic edge to it. Lipstick and sugar pinks, pale fresh Spring green, soft cream with a floral theme set off against stark black and with the vintage touch of the verdigrised filigrees.

I've added another organza/tulle flower, with layers in mint green, dark brown, burgundy, pale pink and cream and lovely gorgeous watery green Miyuki beads.


The flower is set onto a filigree with three more watery green Miyuki beads as a counterweight and so it looks pretty just in case it does turn the wrong way round. The filigree has been hand painted with a verdigris finish in acrylic paints and covered with two layers of special varnish.



Below you can see the details:

Little filigree hearts - painted verdigris - set between beautiful floral fabric beads that have gorgeous leafy bead caps in matte black. The fabric beads have come all the way from France again from the little beadhive shop on Etsy.

The pale green beads are amazonite rounds and the black ones are gunmetal beads.

The sugary pink beads are reconstituted pink turqoise and the bright lipstick pink ones are trade beads from Africa.


I've used two types of chain: one is a gorgeous matte black chain (new) that has little crescents strung together with (soldered) jump rings. The other chain is a vintage chain with a very dark patina and teeny tiny links.

The chain has a dangle that overhangs the small clasp with more watery green Miyuki beads.

I've also made a commission, but since it's for Mother's Day I won't show it on here till next Monday... just in case.

Safari Necklace

This is a necklace I made for my mum. I had the beads for a while and wanted to make an all wooden necklace and I think my mum will like it.



The necklace has a simple but clever design as it can be worn very long or double up. It's long enough, even doubled up to be still comfortable.


Here you can see some of the beads in detail: I've included some of the lovely beads I bought recently from ebony and bayong wood, and also textured wooden saucers with a leopard pattern, little cubes with a pattern half leopard half tiger, long coconut tubes, and round flat coconut discs with a spiral pattern carved into it plus lots of wooden spacer beads in varying shades of brown.


Here you can see the brass clasp I made and that all the beads have been wrapped together to make sure the necklace is strong - especially if it gets a lot of handling by being doubled up.


The beautiful teardrop shape looked a bit lonely set against all the beads so I added the little vintage dragonfly. It really is teeny - the wingspan is just over 1cm.


I have some beads left over from the mix I put together to make this necklace so I might make another short necklace similar to this which will go in my Etsy shop.

Chain Mail Little Seed Bracelet

This bracelet was also made a little while ago, however I couldn't decide on a feature bead so it's been waiting to be finished.


From little seeds big things grow. Don't ask me why it reminded me of that, but it had three feature beads wired to it which it all didn't like apart from this one... LOL Jewellery with a mind of it's own!


The bracelet is made from handmade copper jump rings - two different sized ovals and small round ones. I've also added a very useful and pretty little clasp that will allow the bracelet to be adjusted - tighter or larger.


I can't for the life of me remember what plant the seed is from. I bought a whole load of them a long time ago and they're just so gorgeous.


It was actually fun to make the chain mail once I'd got my head around. I started on a necklace but ran out of jump rings. I'll finish it one of these days. :-)

Lariat or Spectacle Chain

Spectacle chains are great for Summer and Winter as they make sure you keep hold of your (sun) glasses whilst looking pretty at the same time.

However, lots of people have been asking for the spectacle chain designs as necklaces. Now I am giving you the choice. The designs below (except for two of them) are unfinished and can be either - a spectacle chain or a lariat.

They are now available in my Etsy shop (link on the right) today or tomorrow but you've seen them here first. To look at a finished spectacle chain check out the previous post.

All of the designs are made with a silky cord and an array of different beads.


Art Deco

A stylish Art Deco style design with beads in black, white, black and white, and silver, from frosted to glossy, from shiny to matte.


Redder than Red

A gorgeous, yummy design - berries red from the deep, dark red of a cranberry to a bright strawberry red, from metallic shiny to soft and translucent.



Pink Butterfly

A girlie pink design with beads in pale soft pinks to a bright pink, glittery Czech beads, soft shimmery shell butterflies and everything in between.



Purple Haze

A myriad of textures and different shades of purple make a stylish sophisticated design.


Sea Blue

Soft pale blues mixed with teals and turquoises make this a soft sea-themed design.


Annis' Spectacle Chain
This one is not for sale, it's for my friend Alison's daughter Annis. Hope she approves. :-) She does and it will go into the post to France today.



Treacle and Toffee Lariat
This lariat is finished and uses lots of different beads - from Japanese Miyuki cube beads to wood, to horn, to glass pearls, to shell butterflies, to an amber coloured glass heart, to Czech softly lustred to Indian feature beads.