Starglow Studio

Illustrating with Pixels Instead of Paint

2011-09-22T22:08:00.001-05:00

People often ask "How do you create your custom portraits?" There's no simple answer, but the easiest explanation is "I use pixels instead of paint" using a graphics tablet and stylus pen to draw and paint with Adobe Photoshop. Although I also paint traditionally, using digital media has so many advantages. No wasted supplies or vast inventory of paper, paint, erasers, and brushes. No stained carpet or hazardous chemicals to dispose of. No rolls and rolls of wasted paper towels cleaning up messes. Gee, I guess you could say my art is "green"?
Oh, and one last thing... there's nothing for my cats to
get in trouble over. Well unless they play with the mouse!

Here's a short slide show I assembled to show the
different stages of when I illustrate a nose and tongue. The image on the left
in the slides is the original photo I used for reference.

Feel free to comment with questions... I have no secrets! ;)

-- Lori Lee

DIY Cat Window Perch

2011-09-16T16:50:00.001-05:00

I'm a firm believer of "indoors-only cats" if you live in the city. But cats still need to occupy their time with interesting activities. A window perch for you cat gives them lots of exciting moments watching birds, squirrels, insects, and leaves. Even your neighbors will help keep your cat entertained! LOL And that warm, cozy sunshine streaming through the glass is certainly an added plus.

I found this excellent video for making your own cat perch from wood to specifically fit your size window. It makes it look really simple... of course, nothing is really simple, right? There are many other options out there both to make or to purchase. A quick Google search will find you many different styles.

Here are a few styles that are available commercially,

but if you're handy, just build your own cat perch.

Cat Window Perch Ideas

Good Luck!

Send me a picture of your finished project and I'll post it.

Thanks! --Lori Lee

Love Peace Signs? Share them with your pet.

2011-09-10T13:22:00.001-05:00

I remember when peace signs were everywhere! They're now considered retro style. If you love them like I do, share them with your pet. It will make them feel special. Here's just a few items that are available online.

Home Decor Pet Accessories – DIY Vintage Suitcase Pet Bed

2011-09-06T15:00:00.001-05:00

Note from Lori Lee: I'm back! This is my attempt to get back to blogging after over a year and a half hiatus. The loss of my cat Charlie and several other life altering events, took the wind out of my sails. But recently I've had the urge to continue, so I'll start with this Home Decor Pet Accessories series that will lean heavily towards handmade and diy projects.

Pets are wonderful additions to our lives. They give us unconditional love and we give love back along with all their needs for a great life. But there's no reason not to make those creature comforts home decor friendly. I prefer to look to the charm and beauty of handmade, either by others or myself.

Vintage Suitcase Pet Bed

With fall and winter fast approaching, here's a DIY project to keep your pet comfy and warm. Make it to suit yourself (ha ha, yes that's a pun) or purchase a beautiful handmade one from artists online.

Just a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Make it your own by choosing just the right color and style of suitcase and adding embellishments to coordinate with your home decor. Click on the image for more ideas.

This DIY Vintage Suitcase Pet Bed project is so easy, it hardly even needs instructions.

Get a suitcase: Maybe use one that has some sentimental value but a little too worn to use, or just pick one up you like the looks of from a yard sale, thrift store or flea market.
Clean: Scrub the inside and out to remove grime, but remember, the wear on a vintage suitcase is part of its charm.
Remove the lid: Take off the top of the suitcase and be sure not to leave any sharp edges exposed. I suggest completely removing the hinges.
Decorate: Add some fun embellishments or leave it as it. You could fasten legs on to it, or use it flat on the floor. All your choice... you're the designer here.
Add a cushion: Depending on the size of your vintage suitcase, an old bed pillow fitted with a pretty pillow case works great. Or get fancy and cover a pillow or foam with fabric to match your home decor.

There you go. A fabulous home decor pet accessory that's tailor made for your living space and your pet.

Good luck and have fun!
-- Lori Lee, Starglow Studio Gallery

How To Remove that Dark Pet Stain from Your Hardwood Floor - Easy & Inexpensive

2010-01-06T22:27:00.032-06:00

Wow! What a shock when I lifted a small throw rug one day to reveal the darkest, most awful stain on my hardwood floor I've ever seen.

I immediately knew how it happened and who did it, but I blamed myself for not keeping better track. Even though there are several cats in the house, I knew it was our 19 year old Charlie. We'd caught him peeing a couple other times elsewhere. But I had no idea he'd been using this particular spot.

So NOW what? What do you do with a stain like that? Google it of course!
Yup, I got answers... way TOO many answers. Rip up the floor and replace the boards [no way]. Sand it off, but you'll have to sand really deep and even then you might not get it all, and you'll have to refinish the floor in that spot and hope it matches [no thanks]. I kept looking... Ah! Expensive, smelly chemicals can do the job [nope, not in my house].

Bingo! Finally a suggestion I liked. Use a simple, inexpensive household liquid that most people have on their shelf already – Hydrogen Peroxide. I was skeptical, but nothing much to lose, so I dove in. I only found very sketchy information about the process, so did my own testing.

Here are the photos I took as I did my experiment. Great results don't you think? It actually looks better in person than in the photo. I haven't removed the entire stain yet, but when I do, I'll post it.

Try your own experiment...

Supply List:
Hydrogen Peroxide
Absorbent rag or pad (I used a cotton makeup pad for this test.)

Procedure:

Place rag or pad on stain
Moisten with peroxide
Keep moist at all times
Let stand for 12 hours
Take a peek
Check every 6 hours or so until desired results.
NOTE: even after removing the moist pad, the spot may continue to lighten some as the spot dries.

That's it! Easy and inexpensive. And if it doesn't work, THEN call in a professional to tear up your floor. GOOD LUCK! And report back here with your results.
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Follow-up Note: Someone ask if bleach would do the same thing? In my experience on wood (not on my hardwood floors though) and with what I've read, bleach is much harsher and will extract ALL the color from the wood in addition to the stain, leaving the wood a nasty gray color.
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Happy Holdidays! Don't work too hard.

2009-11-30T18:13:00.012-06:00

Its been several months since I posted here. I've migrated my energy to Facebook and have really been enjoying tending my studio page there. But I'm back here to try my hand at blogging again. No promises, but I'll give it a chance and try to post more often.

The holiday season is here and shopping is at its peak. This is a first for me doing Custom Pet Portraits during this busy time. After a big 10 day show in mid October and the flurry after, I realize next year I need to plan much better and promote much earlier to those that want custom art for presents. Its just too stressful to have so much custom work that needs to be completed all at one time. I like to concentrate on each separate portrait and get everything just right. Being stressed does not mesh well with creativity. Since I deliver my portraits by email, you'd think that would solve a lot of the time crunch, but unfortunately it actually adds to the need for speed! When I complete the art and email it, you still must to have time to use that file. If you use it online like at CafePress.com or Zazzle.com or for any other custom type items, there has to be plenty of time for you to order and then receive the item you're giving.

I'm thankful for all the orders and the patience my customers have extended me this year. Next year I'll have a better view of whats needed and will plan ahead much better.
It's good to be back! Thanks for following!

Here's one of my latest commissioned portraits...

Art Should be FUN!

2009-03-21T22:33:00.025-05:00

And so should blogging! But I haven't gotten there yet. I still struggle to write every word. Many of you that I follow seem so fluent with your expressions and it appears you have a routine that keeps you blogging at least a couple times a week. I'm lucky if I can get myself to do it every month.... ok, ok, I'll work on that. At least my ART is FUN!!! This year marked a milestone for me. I'm finally doing something I've wanted to do for years...
Custom Pet Portraits.

You know you're doing what you love when every new piece you finish is your favorite.

Here are a few samples I've done recently.

Pets Soothe Our Soul No Matter What They Look Like

2009-01-12T15:20:00.011-06:00

Animals are fascinating creatures that share this earth with us. Many of them share our home and lives as well. Our nurturing instincts try to keep them from harm. We do our best to provide them with love, comfortable surroundings and necessities. They are a great comfort to us even if the rest of our life is hectic or in a shambles.

With all that, comes "bragging rights"!

Do YOU have the best _______ (fill in the blank)? Of course you do. We each have the best because no two pets are identical, therefore each is the best in it's own right.

Those of you not well acquainted with animals and pets may think that all _______ (fill in the blank again)... cats are alike, rats are alike, snakes are alike... totally untrue. Over 130 foster cats have temporarily come into my home (hmmm, some of them are still here....how did that happen? LOL) Every single one of them were different, not just the way they looked, but the way they acted. As animal lovers we know this fact - every animal, no matter what kind, how big or how small, each has it's own distinct personality.

This is one of the reasons I love creating animal art. Even in photos, that individual personality can shine through and I do my best to capture that in my art. I have recently begun doing custom digital sketches for other people and I so enjoy seeing pictures of their beloved companions no matter what size, shape or attitude.

Show off your own pet with my custom digital art sketch. It can be used dozens of ways to help incorporate your pet into your daily life. Use it in your scrapbooking or as wall paper on your computer, phone or iPod, print it on stationery to share with friends, order custom postage stamps or create your own items on CafePress all featuring YOUR pet. The possibilities are unlimited!

2009 Just Around the Corner!

2008-12-14T09:43:00.025-06:00

Every year I marvel at how fast the new year approaches. The 'new millennium' is not new anymore. As I look around at my calendars that will soon be out of date, I suddenly realize I haven't gotten new ones to replace them. Fortunately I have my computer & iPod organizer iCal where I can look at any year, past or future, keep import events and dates and just keep my life organized in general. Still, there's something to be said for having a printed calendar in your hand. Our electronic devises are wonderful, but they're not always the most friendly or accessible.

Many years ago I purchased a calendar bookmark - that was handy! Now I create my own. I keep one in my purse, my car, by my bed, and of course in my current novel I'm reading. Being a cat

person, these handmade bookmarks are cat themed of course. They are each very special, not just because they feature photos of 4 of my many rescued cats I have fostered over the years, but also because I make them myself, from start to finish. I design them, print them, laminate them, cut them and even round the corners.

If you'd like your very own handy dandy cat bookmark calendars, you can find them in my Etsy shop. Or contact me if you'd like a bulk price.

OH, and now I've decided to create CUSTOM bookmarks too! Your photo (of anything) designed with a calendar.

Enhance Photos of 3D Art with White Backgrounds

2008-11-16T15:38:00.015-06:00

I spent the day taking shots of a few of my polymer clay creations I'm submitting for a group show. Taking my own photos can be both very satisfying AND frustrating. As the artist I'm never completely objective as I position a piece ready for the shoot. Being the maker means I know about all the flaws. This can be an advantage since I can to put the item in it's best light. However it can also become an obsession trying not show a single flaw... an impossible task, after all, this is handmade art. As I arrange my art I do my best to step back and view it like it's the first time I've ever laid eyes on it.

I love creating images of my 3-D art with well lit white backgrounds. It can really enhance the colors and keeps everything focused on the art.

With the advantages of digital photography I find shooting in a studio setting much more fun than when I use to use film.

-- view it while you shoot means: you know what the shot will look like (most of the time)

-- no cost means: take lots of shots, with the law of averages one of them has to be good

-- immediate viewing means: take it over if it isn't right

Have fun shooting your art, it can be part of the creative process!

See more of my art in my Etsy Shop or follow my Twitter.

More DO NOT EAT Cookie Beads

2008-09-07T08:31:00.018-05:00

I've added 2 more varieties of cookies to my bead selection. I get really hungry for cookies when I work on these. They say smell is what drives our appetite, but these have no smell and still make me really want some. When I'm at a show/sale, I'm often concerned that k

ids might think they're real and try to eat them. I also make candy corn and other bead treats, so I have to keep a close eye on things. I hope to continue to add new cookie varieties to my collection. You can buy this trio of chocolate sandwich cookie beads at my Etsy shop..

Painting from My Past

2008-08-26T08:25:00.012-05:00

I've been painting it seems forever, although there were gaps of years here and there that I didn't pick up a brush. The late 80s brought the Macintosh computer into my world and it took over my creativity. But on occasion I would still turn out a painting for a special occasion. In 1989 I painted this very nostalgic subject... Boxer puppies. It was a wedding present for my cousin. This watercolor painting is of 2 generations of Boxers I raised.
I no longer have dogs (haven't had for 20+ years), only cats and I often miss the 'dog' companion connection. This brings back fond memories of Indiana, being home on the farm and of my far off cousins The Hattons.
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Print Your Own Card - Free Test File

2008-08-23T09:17:00.015-05:00

I'm trying a new project and you can help!

I'd like to offer many of my card designs made from my own art as a "Print Your Own Card" line. Would you like to test one for me? Here's a PDF file of a beautiful black and white cat with green eyes for you to download and print. (Requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader)
I would really appreciate comments on what you think about this idea. And let me know how downloading, printing and constructing the card went for you. I'm going to start out with very few instructions. I'm hoping its self explanatory, but if you have problems let me know and I'll address those issues in the next test.

Here are just a few tips to get you started...
• Download this PDF Card File: catface13.pdf
• If you don't already have Acrobat Reader, download from Adobe here.
• When you print from Acrobat, set it with 'no page scaling', letter size and portrait orientation.
• Fold your printed page twice and you should have a beautiful (A2 size) card.

OK, that's it. Let me know how it goes.
Its a beautiful cool, sunny day here so I'm off to paint plein air for another card design.

You can see many of my other pre-printed note cards in my Etsy shop.
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Bee it Plein Air or in My Studio, Inspiration is Everywhere

2008-08-21T23:34:00.021-05:00

Plein air painting is not always practical.

I take a lot of photos to help inspire me when I must work in my studio instead of outside. Weather, time constraints, how I'm feeling and the painting subject, can all contribute to the need to stay indoors. This photo I took in my flower garden was the perfect motivator for a day in my studio. To help give it some life and to help me feel more like I was sitting outdoors, I viewed the photo on my computer monitor while I sketched and painted. For me it enhances the colors and lighting, giving it much more depth than a flat photo. And unlike a static print, I can zoom in on details much like sitting closer to a real subject outdoors. (click on the picture for a larger view)

Although this original painting has been sold, this colorful garden theme image is still available as note cards in my Starglow Studio Etsy shop.

En Plein Air at Lyndale Park Gardens, Minneapolis

2008-08-15T00:20:00.023-05:00

Nothing compares to painting outdoors! Get out into nature, even if its in a public garden. Why sit for hours in a studio with artificial light, sound and smells when the fresh air and sunshine outdoors soothes your soul and feeds your creativity.

A recent trip to the Lyndale Park Gardens in Minneapolis was so inspiring I'll be returning there this weekend. The gardens are named separately, but they flow one into the other. The Rose Gar den is on the South side along with a beautiful fountain complete with cherubs. On the North side is the newest addition, the Peace Garden. The abundance of flowers with breath taking colors, scents and size, made it difficult to make a decision what to paint first. Weather was a comfortable 80 degrees with a slight breeze. The only obstacles to picking the right spot, was dodging the many sprinklers. With watercolor painting supplies, it's best to avoid them.

You can see more of my art in my shop.

En Plein Air at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds

2008-08-03T13:40:00.031-05:00

What a wonderful weekend! Painting en plein air on location is so inspiring. The flowers were beautiful and the weather was outstanding (even with a few sprinkles).

To the right and below are my two watercolor paintings from the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Remember, you can click on the image and see a larger view.

There were lots of people there even though the fair doesn't start until the 21st of Aug. They were busy building, washing, painting, planting and doing lots of work to prepare for the big day. It was fun to sit and paint while all the commotion went on around me.

Visit my studio to see more of my art.

Minneapolis Farmers Market

2008-06-25T08:11:00.007-05:00

The bustle of the farmer's market is exciting. Crowds of people with their green bags enjoying the sites, sounds, intoxicating smells and warm sunshine. Fruits and veggies, handmade goods and everything in between can be found at every turn. My wares were no exception. The "Do Not Eat" sign on my Oreo style cookie beads in my display, got attention even from the busiest shopper.

Selling outdoors is a hard way to make a living. I'm not sure I'm up for it, at least not long term. My friend sells almost every weekend at the farmers market and has done it for several years. I admire her commitment!

Plein Air Painting on Vacation

2008-06-13T00:25:00.019-05:00

I love to paint en plein air. So much more inspiring than painting from a flat photograph. Painting on vacation sounds wonderful doesn't it? Take a marvelous road trip, say to the Southwest, Utah, Arizona. Beautiful scenery, warm breezes, inspiration everywhere. Unfortunately its not as easy as it sounds. The vacation was wonderful, but finding time for art before dark (the day goes by so quickly), coordinating with Mother Nature for good weather to sit outdoors, and add struggling with high altitude lethargy, all makes for a rough creative state of mind. To compensate, I relied on my trusty digital camera and took hundreds of reference pictures.

Now that I'm back in my midwest studio, I'm itching to paint the beauty of the A merican Southwest. I'll list my paintings from this grand adventure in my Etsy shop as I complete them.

This 45 minute study was one of only 3 pieces I did during this 10 day excursion. I'll use it along with many digital photos for a much more in-depth painting in the comfort of my studio.