A Blessed New Year!!

Wishing everyone in my blogging world a Happy and Blessed New Year in 2011!!

"Happy New Year"

Digtial Artwork by Andrea

Merry Christmas!!

Wishing everyone a Blessed Merry Christmas!!

"Merry Christmas"

Digital iPhone Artwork by Andrea

Help! I need a new printer!!...and info about me!

My work holds a craft fair each year. I was hoping to be a part this year, but due to my right arm, it didn't come about. But, I did try to print some of my images, re-saving them as 300 dpi. What I found out, is the little scanner printer that I have, although it works great for printing off information, is not making the cut for my artwork. So, does anyone have a suggestion on a really good printer? I'm going to need to replace this one if I'm looking to open my etsy shop soon. So, thank you for your suggestions!!
I don't normally share information about myself, actually starting the blog as a way of inspiration and to get my digital artwork off the ground. But, I thought I might share a few tidbits today. I work full time and try to do my artwork in the evenings and on weekends. I don't have a lot of spare time, so that is why I chose to explore the digital end of creativity. My grandfather liked to draw pictures, so that is where I received my love of art. In fact, I wanted to be an artist when I grew up, but soon realized, in a high school creative art class, that you would be told what you had to draw and frankly, razors etc, were pretty boring to me. Who knew where art would be heading then! So, I did the reasonable thing, and studied accounting courses and took a job in the office of a retail store. I did that for a few years, until it was suggested I work at an Oil and Gas company. Now you have to understand, only men worked for these companies, sometimes even in the offices, but women were making their way, so I applied for the job, never thinking it would happen. Low and behold, I soon was the receptionist, and after two years I had moved on to be the only Geological Technician for the company. And, I'm the fourth generation to work in the business! My great-grandfather, grandfather and uncle all worked in some capacity in the oilfields. So, that is the reason I love to use fossils and rigs in my art work and the reason for the name "Art Legacy," as I have a legacy in art, coming from my grandfather and a legacy in my job.
I have two boys! The oldest, Samson, is 5 years old and weighs usually between 5-6 lbs. The youngest, Gideon, is 4 years old and weighs around 7 lbs. They are the love of my life and extremely spoiled. I have to say, I truly love my furry babies.
So, I hope I haven't shared more than anyone would like to know. I'm off to the doctor on Thursday, so I'm hoping to have a remedy for my arm soon. Here is more of my iPhone artwork and pictures of my boys!

Samson

Gideon

"Fossil Fairy"

Digital iPhone Artwork by Andrea

New Header and more iPhone Digital Artwork to Share!

It was time for a change on my blog header. It's cold here in Oklahoma, so wanted to create a header that reflected the Holidays!
Also, I have some more iPhone Digital Artwork to share. The image is once again from Art-e-ology. Loved adding the tutu! Hope you enjoy!

"The TuTu Garden Fairy"

Digital iPhone Artwork by Andrea

More iPhone Digital Artwork and........I'm a Winner!!

I'm saying again, something I seem to always be saying. It's been a while since I've posted to my blog. Not that I haven't had some things to post. First, thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers concerning my nephew and my mother. My nephew is now walking with a cane. He doesn't have full feeling back to the left side of his body, but he is on his way, we believe, to a full recovery. My mother is doing great! She has lost over 40 lbs since the heart attack and has received great reports from all her doctor visits.
On the other hand, I've been having some trouble, and the reason I haven't posted in a while. I use the computer every day for my regular job. I've recenly been having some trouble with my right hand getting numb and hurting from the wrist to the elbow. I've also come across about a lima bean sized knot on the bone for this arm. I have a doctor's appointment on December 2nd, and I'm hoping we can find the answer to this problem. Unfortunately, it's made me stop being on my computer and stopped me from creating artwork on my iPhone. To do either of these things just irrates the arm and I find myself in terrible pain. Yesterday, just to dust put me in great pain and I almost couldn't get my arm to my mouth to brush my teeth. Needless to say, I was in tears.
But, I'm glad to say, I had some artwork already created I could share with you. Again, I created it on my iPhone. The little angel came from Art-e-ology. I hope you enjoy!

"Snow Angel"

Digital iPhone Artwork by Andrea

Also, recently I was the winner of one of the prizes from Debrina Pratt's blog give-a-way. I was the winner of her altered tin. Thanks Debrina, I Love It!!!

Digital Art with my iPhone!

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted. Two weeks ago last Sunday, my nephew was shot during an attempted car jacking. He had to have steel rods put in his spinal column between the C2 and C4 areas, as the bullet had injured his spine. He had no feeling in his right side and could not move his left leg. But, Praise the Lord he has come a long way in just two weeks! He is now getting his feeling back and he is beginning to be able to move the left leg. He is coming home tomorrow morning. He still has a long way to go, but he is determined to make it. The Lord is good!
So, needless to say, I haven't had much time to work on my digital art. However, I did read an article in the latest Somerset Digital magazine about creating artwork with your iPhone. So, I downloaded the necessary apps and created a couple of pieces. I've attached them here. Hope you enjoy!

"Time Goes By"

Digital iPhone Artwork by Andrea

"Remember"

Digital iPhone Artwork by Andrea

5 Cents Oilpatch!

This piece was created for the Grayscale challenge on Marsha's blog, TumbleFish Studio. She is celebrating two years of blogging! Congratulations, Marsha!!

"5 Cents Oilpatch!"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

Les Soeurs Francaises!!....and To Etsy or Not to Etsy...That is the Question!

This week I have two different versions of the same piece of artwork. The first, I did for my mother who just recently had her 65th birthday. She wanted me to stop at this point and I did just for her. Afterwards, of course, I had to go back and add my fossils. I hope you enjoy them both!
The beautiful sisters came from MirrorImages on Flickr. I can't thank him enough for letting me use the girls! To me they just spoke "French!" I used textures from Playing with Brushes - Flickr and Anji from Distractions Flickr. And of course, thanks to Jamie for the Ammonites! I have used them over and over!! And I've used some flower and french writing brushes.

"Les Soeurs Francaises"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

"Les Seours De Fossiles Francais"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

So, here is my delimma. I've been thinking about starting an Etsy shop, but is it worth it? Would it be worth my while, or should I just keep creating and sharing? Would love everyone's feedback! So, please take my poll at the side of my blog!

Arnold and Ladies!!

This week I learned about coloring images in my class. So, I've used a couple of Verna's images from Bird Bee and Bloom. I've used textures from several sources on Flickr. They are Anji, Shadowhouse Creations and Playing With Brushes. Plus some images from Graphic Fairy and several photoshop brushes. I hope you enjoy!

The Drilling Rig!

Here is my latest creation from using techniques in Susan Tuttle's Digital Layers class! I never knew there were so many ways to work with textures. Textures are from Ghostbones. Hope you enjoy!

"The Drilling Rig"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

The Shop!

I want to thank everyone for their wonderful comments, thoughts and prayers concerning my mother! She is on the road to recovery, but it is a daily process. She can now walk up to ten minutes after each meal, which is a great accomplishment.
So, I'm taking Susan Tuttle's online Digital Layers class. Diane told me it would change my art, and was she ever right! I had no idea the different ways you could alter textures. To say the least, I'm having a blast! Here is one of my first attempts at using three textures. Postcard is from FrenchKissed and textures are from ShadowHouse Creations and Last Door Down the Hall.

The Fossil Collector!

I've been working on this piece for a week. It's another digital art piece using a PaperWhimsy image. I really love this image! But, what I can't decide, is if I have added too many elements. So, I've just decided to post it and see. Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!

"The Fossil Collector"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

The Garden Fairy!

I've always loved Gale Blair's collage sheets of her children. In fact, I have ordered quite a few. But, not really being a paper artist, they are in a box with my other paper scrapbooking supplies. But, recently, Gale has added a new category called "Hybrid Images." These images you can use in your digital artwork. I was so excited to buy a few and try them! I really love them, because, the images are already colored so beautifully, so all you have to do is use your magnetic lasso tool in Photoshop and cut them out, and get to making your digital art. So, this week, I've used one of Gale's images. I'm also having a great time using Photoshop brushes in my artwork as well. I truly hope you enjoy it! Be sure and check out PaperWhimsy to see the great images that Gale has available!

"The Garden Fairy"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

Also, please keep my mother in your thoughts and prayers! Last Wednesday, I had to take her to the emergency room for chest pains. Come to find out, she had a major heart attack in what the Doctor's call the "Widow Maker" area of the heart. They were surprised she survived the attack! A stent was put in, and she is back home now. We also learned, at the same time, that she is Diabetic and has High Blood Pressure. It's going to be a daily walk with us, but we are so glad that she is here today! The power of prayer is truly marvelous!

Fossil Beauty!

It's been a tough few weeks lately. First, my uncle passed away a couple of weeks ago. And then last week, I had a friend pass away from cancer. It's been tough, but deep in my heart, I know that they are both in a better place, and no longer do they suffer. It's comforting to know, they are in the hands of our Lord!
I've also been finishing up a class on Photoshop. To be honest, my heart wasn't in this second course, although it had a lot of the elements I wanted to use in Photoshop. Just not as in depth as I would like to go, and that could be due to the fact the class was written for photography. So, I was excited upon visiting Diane's blog to see she had taken an online Digital Layers class from Susan Tuttle. And when the registration opened this past Sunday, I signed up! I'm getting excited to learn some new techniques, specifically geared to digital artists using Photoshop.
But, of course, I couldn't stop creating. So, here is my latest art piece. I hope you enjoy!

"Fossil Beauty"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

New Blog Header and Background!!

I have been wanting to change my background and header for some time. There are some beautiful blogs that I follow and they were the inspiration for making the change. I've tried several over the past few days, even trying the new Design Template with Blogger. But, nothing seemed to be exactly what I was looking for. Then yesterday, I set down and this header just seemed to come together. Then from there, it was off to look for the perfect background. Today, I've stumbled on it at Background Fairy.

Art Legacy Header

Digital Artwork by Andrea

Hope you like the new look!

Bird Bee and Bloom Giveaway!!

What excitement I felt when last week, I arrived home from a very long day at work to find a box on my porch! I had no idea the wonderful treasures that would be awaiting me inside the box. A couple of weeks before I had won the giveaway at Bird Bee and Bloom! I did know that inside the box was a wonderful print from Stephanie Rubiano, but had no idea the other wonderful gifts that Verna had placed in the box as well!

The gifts inside the box from Bird Bee and Bloom

Stephanie Rubiano Print

Inside I would find a wonderful card, butterfly notecards, moleskin journals, tags, the print and an ornament with my initial. Lots of wonderful gifts to treaure!! Thank you, Verna!! I encourage all of you to stop by Bird Bee and Bloom to see Verna's wonderful blog!! She shares wonderful treasures there!

The Little Songbird

Have you ever started out to create an art piece, but ended up doing something totally different than you planned? That is how this piece came about. I thought about doing a piece with the oil rigs, again, but when I sat down to start the piece late last night, for some reason it just didn't feel right. Looking back through my pictures, this little girl just stood out to me and I knew I wanted to create something with her. So, here are the results!

"Little Songbird"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

The window was from a digital postcard purchased from FrenchKissed. The lace was purchased with a commercial license from VJS at Scrapbook Grapics. The crown and moon is from Nichole Young. The background is from Playing with Brushes. All other images are free images. I truly hope you enjoy this piece of artwork!

The Dreamer

Once again, I've created an art piece without any rigs or fossils. Although, I did have a color scheme in mind of blues and greens. I'm also taking an advanced class in Photoshop to learn how to color my black and white photographs, so I'm on my way to learning something new. I hope you enjoy this piece of artwork, as much as I enjoyed making it.

"The Dreamer"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

The woman was acquired from Jamie at Art-e-ology. Thanks Jamie! You have such wonderful antique photographs! Everyone, please enjoy and leave a comment! I love to hear from you!

The Music Butterfly

It's been a couple of weeks since my last blog. I seem to have been so busy with work and my niece graduating college. We are so proud of her!

This week I wanted to create a piece of artwork that didn't include fossils or rigs, since that has always been my signature. So, I'm once again stepping out of the box with this piece. I hope you like it!

"The Music Butterfly"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

The woman and flowers are free images. The wings are from Cemerony. Numbered tag from AsunderEmphera. Music from Graphics Fairy. Lock and lace are from VJS at Scrapbook Graphics. Background from Playing with Brushes.

By the Fossil Sea!

I can't express how much I have enjoyed the comments from my last piece of artwork! When I saw Marsha's comment, I kept saying, "She likes it! She likes it!" There is nothing like the elation you feel when the artist who has perfected a certain style, likes your attempt at their style.

This week I wanted to create a piece that spoke of summertime. When I think of summertime, I think of going on a vacation, perhaps visiting somewhere I haven't been before. But, the thought of vacation, for me, has always been the ocean. I don't know why, perhaps because I don't live by the ocean and some of the best vacations have been trips to Galvaston, although I haven't been in years. Also this week the song, "By the Sea, By the Sea", kept coming to my mind. So, I hope this piece of artwork makes you think of fun times by the sea!

"By the Fossil Sea"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

The little girls came from FrenchKissed, fossils from Art-e-ology, Sea Pixie from Lisa Kettrel, background from Playing With Brushes, texture from Shadowhouse Creations, and the crowns, wings, words, boat and pixie dust from Nicole Young. I hope you enjoy and think of pleasant summertime memories!

Okie Roughneck

First, I want to thank everyone for their encouragement! This week I have once again, "stepped out of the box" and tried something new. I love the artwork of Marsha at Tumble Fish Studio. Her colors are vivid and I love how she takes different elements to create a piece of art. So, this week, I've tried my hand at her style, but of course, toning down the colors.

"Okie Roughneck"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

Head is from Suzee Que, body from FrenchKissed, Background from Tumble Fish Studio - Flickr, Texture by Playing with Brushes, Tags from The Vintage Moth, Ammonites from Art-e-ology and I created the crown from a piece of emphera by Art-e-ology, Wings from Cemerony, Sneakers from a magazine, Rigs and Truck are free images. I hope you enjoy!  

The GeoTech Fairy!

If any of you have read my complete profile, you know I'm a Sr. Geological Technician. GeoTech's (as we are called) work in the Oil and Gas business. Our jobs are to help our Geologists and Geophyisicts create maps, print logs and keep up the databases in the software we use to create our maps. I wanted to create a digital art piece this week that honored my job. To be honest, I've worked on this piece the last couple of days, not really pleased with the results. And so, after finishing, I'm still not sure if I am pleased. The reason I've called it the GeoTech Fairy, is often I have joked that I will have to get out my GeoTech fairy dust when doing a project. If you haven't noticed by now, I love neutral tones. In fact, my mother and my grandmother (when she was alive) often told me I did not have enough color in my wardrobe. I can't help it. I love browns, grays and blacks. What I see as colors for me , would be copper, bronze, taupe, mustard yellow and aubergine. Although, I do like teal and soft pink. But, for me these are out of the ordinary. So, again, another art piece in earth tones. Actually though, I'm really in awe of artists who are not afraid to use color. Having said this, here is my latest piece. The background is from Playing with Brushes, the Ballerina is from FrenchKissed, Ammonites are from Art-e-ology, Letters, hat, compass and watch are from Scrapbookgraphics, and the rest of the elements are free images. Hope you enjoy!!

"The GeoTech Fairy"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

March Sister Birthdays!

My sister and I share birthdays in March. Mine is at the beginning of March and her's is at the end of the month. This year, we celebrated our birthdays together. I wanted to create an art piece that, for us, expresses birthdays. Jamie, at Art-e-ology posted the perfect picture last week on her blog, so I just had to use it.

"We Only Care About the Cake!"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

So, why the title? My favorite movie is "Persuasion." There is a scene where Anne Elliott has gone to visit her sister and her husband's relatives. His family is telling Anne how much trouble her nephews can be and how much cake they waste. One of the sisters attempts to soothe Anne by saying that their mother only cares about the cake. Therefeore, I just had to use a version of this phrase in my artwork.

The sisters came from Art-e-ology, background from Playing with Brushes, corners, map and rig were free images. Hope you enjoy!

The Fossil Butterfly

Snow, snow, go away and come again some other winter! I am beginning to wonder if Spring will get here and stay! I am so ready to see the trees budding and flowers blooming. This was the inspiration for my new art piece, Spring and the flowers I love!  Also, I've been reading the current issue of Somerset Digital Studio and really enjoyed the tutorial by Angi Sullins and Silas Toball and I think their artwork may have had an influence on me. What do you think?

"The Fossil Butterfly"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

Background is from Playing with Brushes. The beautiful lady and the ammonites are from Jamie at Art-e-ology. The butterfly wings are from Mudbay Images. The oil rig is a free image. Hope you all enjoy!

Finally! My second post!

So sorry it has taken me this long, but I am finally posting again! I want to thank Jamie for being my first follower! And Diane for being my second! It was truly exciting to come home from a long day at work and see the wonderful comments. From now on, I'm going to try and post once a week.

"The Ammonite Queen"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

Here is a new piece of artwork from Photoshop. The lady and the ammonites came from Jamie. Thank you so much! The writing from Graphics Fairy and the background from Playing with Brushes. Hope you all enjoy!

Welcome to Art Legacy

Welcome to my blog, Art Legacy! Blogging is new to me, but my hope is to connect with other artists who also blog. I love vintage photos and artwork that is created with them. I want my artwork to center around the industry I work in, so I plan to use a lot of drilling rigs, fossils, etc.

Here you will find the first piece of artwork I've created in Photoshop. This is a new program to me, so I'm just learning. Now, if I can just figure out how to add color! LOL!!

"Oil Rig Angel"

Digital Artwork by Andrea

I encourage you to leave comments. I'll reply to all questions within a week, and errors in the posts will be acknowledged in the comment area. Feel free to disagree with my posts if there is need for disagreement, but keep in mind that all off-topic or disparaging comments, those that include profanity and comments with more than one link will be deleted. This and all succeeding images are copyrighted.