Mandala

Making a mandala takes a lot more time than I thought... but it was kind of therapeutic.
See the meaning of the card and others here: Intimacy Without Responsibility -The Conscious Evolution of Love  facebook page

©Sam Nagel (not for use or altering in any way) thanks

Take Root and Grow

So I think my idea for the color involved more green and teals... but somehow deep royal purple made it in there instead and I made the executive decision to go with it. I really dig it along with the red, those are two colors I rarely like together, but right now red and purple get along (the yellow tones help that relationship). I also scrapped the fallopian tubes... my hurting body said that particular detail was unnecessary. Right now sitting at my computer is painful on my back and arms, and of course I'm right-handed, and so my luck it's my right arm. Right now I'm sitting on a really big yoga ball instead of my computer chair... it gets tiring but helps. Maybe the next card I pick out will have something more to do with radical healing or enlightening, change your brain change your body... I don't think that's in this deck (so I may sneak it in, lol).

To read the meaning behind this card go to the facebook page Intimacy Without Responsibility -The Conscious Evolution of Love . 'Like' the page to stay updated and see more cards w/ meanings, until the deck is complete and ready for sale.

tools: photoshop cs4, intuos 3

for Wendyne Limber's "Intimacy Without Responsibility" card deck

© Sam Nagel (not for use or altering in any way)

Take Root and Grow WIP

It took me a while to get back into the next card. I wanted this one to be more womb like and earthy. I decided to use a bulbous plant for the womb, with a detail that is representative of the fallopian tubes in a woman (which I still need to refine that linework)... also see my love for art nouveau.

©Sam Nagel

Self Deception

I brought back the color palette I normally use when painting with oils for the skin, fleshy tones with cool grey blue, and pops of salmon pink... and my painting technique with a square brush, ahh I love my square brush. <3 I also played with the lense flare... hope that's not a no no... but heh whatevs


To read the meaning behind this card go to the facebook page Intimacy Without Responsibility -The Conscious Evolution of Love . 'Like' the page to stay updated and see more cards w/ meanings, until the deck is complete and ready for sale.

tools: photoshop cs4, intuos 3

for Wendy Limber's "Intimacy Without Responsibility" card deck

© Sam Nagel. not for use or altering in any way. thanks!

I think I love you

Catchy title huh? Another one of the couples cards... I am very happy with the colors and how it turned out. I love the subdued palette I'm using right now. I think it reminds me of something vintage. ahhh love.


To read the meaning behind this card go to the facebook page Intimacy Without Responsibility -The Conscious Evolution of Love . 'Like' the page to stay updated and see more cards w/ meanings, until the deck is complete and ready for sale.

tools: photoshop cs4, intuos 3

for Wendy Limber's "Intimacy Without Responsibility" card deck

© Sam Nagel. not for use or altering in any way. thanks!

The time we spend together

I absolutely love this one. It's my new favorite, and finally feel like I have a grip on photoshop painting and in a style that I like. I think I achieved one of the most harmonious color schemes I've done so far, and it still has somewhat of a traditional look... and best part: it was not difficult. yay!

To read the meaning behind this card go to the facebook page Intimacy Without Responsibility -The Conscious Evolution of Love . 'Like' the page to stay updated and see more cards w/ meanings, until the deck is complete and ready for sale.

tools: photoshop cs4, intuos 3

for Wendy Limber's "Intimacy Without Responsibility" card deck

© Sam Nagel. not for use or altering in any way. thanks!

Couples Love

So I've been working on cards with couples, since it is all about intimacy and stuff... yeah... it's about time. I still feel sort of immature about it, like a 10 year boy thinking ewww they're gonna kiss, gross. The word intimacy still rubs me the wrong way... But I'm getting over it. I really like these so far... and what I'm drawing is kind of the feeling of my ideal relationship, lovey dovey easy breezy chillaxin in the wind, ahhh.... love.

okay so on the technical side of things, the top is the cleaned up version of the sketch below it. The bottom one linework is final except the wind part... I think i'm going to paint that out, rather than keeping it line.

~photoshop
©Samantha Nagel

All this time it's been a dream

© Sam Nagel

Go to and follow the facebook page Intimacy Without Responsibility -The Conscious Evolution of Love to see more new cards and the meaning behind them. They will be posted until the deck is complete and ready for sale.

tools: photoshop cs4, intuos 3

for Wendy Limber's "Intimacy Without Responsibility" card deck

© Sam Nagel. not for use or altering in any way. thanks!

In the making...

another screen shot... it's so easy to hit command+shift+3, i'm getting lazy....

Screen Shot: New WIP

---- New work in progress, in my Photoshop work space... Look at that messiness! This is generally how I start out the color process. One deviation from the norm is that I have not established the final line-work on the dreamcatcher and strings... I'm trying to figure out the glow/lighting and how that creates or hides line and where that might be?? The line-work for that part is going to be white or near white. But, who knows, it could be completely different by the time I finish. Right now I'm pretty happy with it. :)

The Alchemy of Perception

Another photoshop painting... this one was quick and easy for me. I'm trying to tone it down on the detail considering these are going to be printed as cards. I love the subject matter of this one, and had to draw a mind of gears. I find it very thought provoking to reflect on how perception becomes our experience, and in the end it's all a memory anyways... a phantom.

©Sam Nagel (not for use or altering in any way)

From the Heart ...progress

Alright, so I'm kind of liking the progress shots... I usually don't capture my process, or save it like this, but I think it makes for something interesting on the blog. If you look at my sketchbook post below you'll see the original pencil sketch. The softness in her face got lost in the final linework; I'm totally bringing that back... Color is next, I actually have a thought out color scheme this time, wow!

Sketchbookin

 These are some drawings pulled out of my sketchbook. The top page is my most recent stuff, the second page is actually kind of old, like last year or later... Well I don't sketch enough and have been trying to get myself into it again. I managed to go through four years of art school without filling up even half of one sketchbook lol! Don't ask how I got away with that! I think I was still rebelling from my sketchbook assignments in high school, and in college it kind of turned into a fad, every art school hipster kid slaved over filling up their sketchbooks... and I being myself, did the exact opposite.

When Time Was Pulled

© Sam Nagel

I'm really happy with this one. I didn't know I would love those colors together so much. Sometimes I can spend too much time playing around with the many different ways to combine colors and making slight change after change which inspires another change and another... ugh, my downfall in photoshop is having too many choices. But I think it was worth it this time.

for Wendy Limber's "Intimacy Without Responsibility" card deck

© Sam Nagel. not for use or altering in any way. thanks!

Process

thought I would share some of my process. so basically it is a crappy sketch to refined line. Yep that's about it. I don't do thumbnails, but because I'm drawing directly in photoshop I work in a lot of layers so I can easily select and move elements around until I'm happy. I was messing with that hand in front of her chest for a while and it just never looked right, then I realized it was not anatomically correct, her thumb would not be on the outside unless someone broke and twisted her arm D: ...Anyways, this is very Mucha inspired, very very, + Tibetan mandala thrown in. Color comes next... I have no plan.

Be Yourself

©Sam Nagel

playing with a chalky look in photoshop. This is going to be another card for Wendy Limber's "intimacy without responsibility" deck.

Rain

©Sam Nagel

I love the red. It was a new challenge to paint cloudy mist. My past attempt to paint clouds was in second year of art school, and that painting failed miserably. I haven't tried again in years (or had to). But I thought it has been enough time and I've probably improved a ton since then, so I gave clouds another chance. Much better!

for Wendy Limber's "Intimacy Without Responsibility" card deck

Unfolding Evolution

I am very excited to being doing this kind of art... so soulful to me, it matches up with everything that I am and want to be. I having been making the move to digital art, and finally feeling comfortable enough with it to like the outcome. I think it took me longer to get used to painting in photoshop than it had for me to pick up any sort of traditional medium. But I do have high standards for myself, soooo...

SO, this is actually one of the first pieces of artwork for a deck accompanying an already existing book "Intimacy Without Responsibility"written by Wendyne Limber. More to come, BUT you can't see them ALL unless you buy it :) (and it might take a while I still have 47 more to go... :-O

© Sam Nagel, not for use or altering in any way. thanks!

Fish Tattoo

My brother is going to have this tattooed on him. He requested that I use watercolors and do that splashy thing a lot, which I do enjoy. Will be interesting to see how it turns out as a tattoo.

The Sunday Before Christmas

 "The Sunday Before Christmas" is the second of Evett Simmons' children's book that I illustrated. This book is filled with colorful pages illustrating a story that brings us back to the essence of Christmas with the gifts hope, courage, patience, family, and love.

This was another three month project for myself. Now the book is in print and ready to purchase. These are a sampling of the illustrations, mind you the words are omitted here. To read the story you must buy the book! Only $9.99! Purchase "The Sunday Before Christmas" at the Bunniewise Store

Sun Goddess

I felt the urge to paint in oils again after nearly 7 months of only digital painting... that's wayyyy too long, how did that happen? oil + some acrylic 16x20" ...email me if interested sam_sgn@hotmail.com

Breathing Underwater

Something new... I am experimenting more with painting in Photoshop. I love using the gold texture. I've always loved the vector look, but hate doing it, so I found a way to use the paintbrush rather than the pen tool to achieve that look anyways. Everything is the same basic calligraphy brush, except of course those orb/bubbles. Just playing with opacity and gradients on top of flat colors.

A Special Bowl Of Oatmeal

"A Special Bowl of Oatmeal" is a children's book written by Evett Simmons, Illustrated by (me). It's a cute heartwarming story of an abandoned little girl rediscovering what a mother is.

I began the illustrations back in April and completed it three months later... Now the book is ready for sale and available to order online ...I've posted a sampling of the illustrations, if you want to see more, and know the story behind it you must get the book!

Order "A Special Bowl of Oatmeal" here for $12 ---> Bunniewise Store  

Receive a 20% discount off the retail price of $14.95 + shipping & handling when you purchase all books online

 

Digital Painting

I guess this is an experiment using my new wacom tablet and photoshop. This came out a little morbid, didn't plan it, just happened... sketching. I've had the wacom tablet for a couple months now, but I'm still trying to get used to the difference between traditional and digital painting. I like it though, it's fun :] and way too easy to waste a lot of time.

So far I'm just using the brushes already on photoshop, figured I'd play around with those before I go and overwhelm myself with too many choices. It's a problem, there are too many choices. I'm used to being extremely direct in painting, but the feeling is so different and so many different ways to paint. How do you do it!???

My NEW Etsy Store

I am announcing the official opening of my etsy store: Art by SamNagel!

As of today I have limited edition, signed (by me) prints available for purchase. I'm thinking about listing the originals soon, but want to see how my prints will do first.

So go check it out! I made it super duper easy!

made with love www.etsy.com/shop/SamNagel

Shapeshifter: Crow

Crow: sacred law, ability to bend laws, shape shift,
illusions, denotes change.

I am continuing a newly developing technique. I'm always looking for a way to apply texture, and gain precision at the same time. I love the way it looks AND enjoyed the painting part too. (usually it is one or the other)

Acrylic on canvas 14x18"
$395.oo

email me at: sam_sgn@hotmail.com

I'm developing (another) new technique

Three Angels
14x18" acrylic on canvas, $250

Black Bird
(sold)

New experiments. I painted with acrylic... that almost never happens. But now that I have developed a technique that I like I prob will be using a lot more acrylic in the future. The bird painting is my first go at it, just practice to see if it would work. My second painting I went a little further with, but next time I will make the background less distracting... learning as I go.

For sale if anyone is interested email me at: sam_sgn@hotmail.com

Release of "Who Is That Woman?"

Linda Miller's book "Who is That Woman?"is now available for purchase, $35 +tax/shipping. The book is "A compilation of poems, ponderings, musings and meanderings of some of the most intimate and most intense moments in life." -Linda Aileen Miller

Accompanying her poetry are my illustrations, 30 in total + one by the author. A hearty sample of featured illustrations from the book can be found if you scroll down and look at my previous posts, or on my Website.

go here to Buy the Book or email me and I will forward your order to the right place :)

sam_sgn@hotmail.com

Waves Mini Series

I had to come up with something fast for my submission for an exhibit coming up this April. Last summer I did a small watercolor painting of a big wave and swirling sun called "Facing East" and it has been very popular, so I wanted to try it in oil and much bigger.

top: "Morning High Tide"
bottom: "Big Wave"
20x24" oil on canvas $495 each (discount if you want both... ask me)
sam_sgn@hotmail.com

Mural

This is an office mural I worked on last September... I know it has taken me too long to get it posted here, but finally, here it is. Dolphins and a bird were the requirements, and in keeping to a limited budget for paint and time I chose to use flat bold colors. I love the way it looks in person, with the lighting and room decorations, it all came together very well. Ahem, please excuse my sorry attempt at putting together two photos, but you get the point...

Child's Portrait

A commissioned child's portrait, of course I have to put my square strokes in somewhere. I'm a little disappointed with the picture here; the original painting looks much nicer... but that's what happens when I take a photo instead of scan it. It's been a while since I've done a figure in oil, and know it will always give me a nice painting session... portraits are fun, always different, and I've done so many that by now I don't even have to think too hard and I just enjoy the process.

oil 12x16"

Sketch Faces

Portraits I've recently made in my sketchbook. top is watercolor, bottom two are gouache...

When life throws us around

New piece, one of my recent contorted ladies, style inspired by my latest browsing of fashion and watercolor images online... I'm trying to get the clothes right, it's a bit harder to conjure up in my mind how clothing fits on a person with no reference to work from. I've been sketching more portraits lately as well... it has payed off here. I will post some of those sketches next time...

Will be printed in Linda Miller's book "Who is That Woman?"

Prints available, email sam_sgn@hotmail.com