Going to be at Fort Collins Comic Con this weekend (Aug 14 - 16) not in the artist alley but hosting a panel! Gouache: A Crash Course, is to help get you started with painting in gouache from my 20 years of experience. Panel is Sun, Aug 16 at 9:15am in The Bus room. fococomiccon.com
Crystal (she/her)
@fernandfoil.bsky.social
Illustrator. I like to paint whimsical fantasy, terrariums, plants, and RPG art. https://www.etsy.com/shop/FernandFoil
Fort Collins Comic Con is this weekend! Come see me and other local artists Aug 16 - 17 at the Ft. Collins Senior Center. I got my newest project, a weapons booklet styled after video game manuals. I'm really proud of it! Also, this will probably be my last con for the foreseeable future.
Working at projects still! My weapon booklet is in final proofing and some other projects are in the works. If you'd like to see them in person, I will be debuting them for Fort Collins Comic Con on Aug 16 and 17! Tickets are on sale now with guests announcements coming! fococomiccon.com/tickets/
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fococomiccon.com
Been working on my weapon booklet. The scope grew a bit but has more focus now. Hope to have a good mockup by the end of the week with most of the major details worked in. Until then, have a picture of my boi Calcifer doing a long boi lay on the floor tonight.
Making art has been really hard for me so far this year. Not sure what I'm wanting so it's been hard to do anything. I am trying to keep the bit of joy alive though I am finding in my newest art book project. Hope to have the complete version by FCCC. Weapons in a NES booklet. #wip #weapontember
Been just treading along here. Did get good news today that I got accepted to Fort Collins Comic Con! It's a favorite show of mine, so happy to be back. Looks like I got some art planning to do for August now. I guess in the meantime, have a a peek at a recent study. :)
As I said in previous posts, here is one colored version of the swords; Stars. It's painted on cold-press watercolor paper with Kuretake watercolors; a good change up from gouache. I like this one, but still debating about a dark background behind the star. #swordtember2024 #swordart #color #art
Last sword! Day 30: Ancient. I looked up swords held in museums for this one, and for some reason I did not make notes on which sword type this blade is. I was good with my notes except on this one. Just wanted a blade that has a patina and is rusting away. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Almost at the end! Day 29: ceremony/ritual. Another decorative sword from my story. This one is used during weddings in the Highlands. The couple wraps a ribbon each through the rings and they pull them taunt. If they don't cut, the marriage is blessed. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Cruising along here with day 28: royal. This is a ceremonial sword and would be useless in combat, hence the very decorative nature of it. It is from a story of mine, used in a kingdom of trees and lush places. Maybe some day I'll share more about the story. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
In the home stretch here for sword posts. Day 27: Floral. Always love an excuse to draw florals, so this sword is based on a bleeding heart flower. It worked out really well, as the flower is the guard and extending part of it as the blade was all I needed. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Day 26: Ocean/water. Was thinking of making the blade of this sword in the shape of a cresting wave to lean into the ocean/water part and not focus on things in the ocean. I used my pocket brush pen for this one again to keep the lines organic/flowing feeling. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Got busy the last few days, so here is Day 25: Jeweled. Another favorite of mine of this series. Based on a talwar sword. I looked up Fabergé eggs for this, as they are highly detailed and bejeweled, a perfect fit. Can't wait to share the colored version. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Day 24: Sinister. This one was a head scratcher. My thoughts went to vampires and bats and decided to play in that motif. This is a magic living sword, in that the blade is grown in a material like teeth enamel, and is replaced over time. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Day 23: Guardian. Challenged myself on this one to primarily use my brush pen, which I did, outside of the squiggle texture details. I wanted a sword that felt broad, thick, and kinda heavy. Something that is protective like a guardian. Feel like I did okay. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Day 22: Dragonslayer. This sword is a large dragon tooth that has been sharpened into a blade. I based the tooth partially on komodo dragon teeth, as they have a natural serrated edge on their teeth. A versatile weapon with two cutting edges. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Making our way along to day 21: Glowing. Had a firefly in mind for this one and did pretty well I feel incorporating the firefly's body into the sword design. I really had fun with this one and like the look and the two pronged blade. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Continuing on with day 20: multiple or many. Did this as a challenge to myself to see how many swords I could draw and make them look similar between each other and play with different ones. Helped me appreciate the saber a bit more. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Getting back into the saddle to finish posting these swords! Day 19: Justice Thought of the justice statue and such and combined the scales with the sword. Based it off a zweihander, a huge crowd control sword. I like the look of this one. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Thank you everyone who stopped by my table at COAF this past weekend! I had a wonderful time again and look forward to next year! Now to have a recovery day and just a little work by paying my sales taxes.
Got off the wait list for Colorado Anime Fest this weekend! I'm excited to be able to table. Looking forward to seeing others there :) #coloradoanimefest2025
Prompt for day 18 was nature inspired. I often think of natural materials like wood, so I wanted oak trees to be the inspiration. It got an oak leaf hilt and the acorn guard. I also wanted to have a bit more line texture and not just solid blacks for this one. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Day 17: Fragmented. Made me think of the broken tile pieces used to make mosaics, so I styled it off an ancient Greek sword. Not sure how practical this one would be as a sword, but I like the idea and imagine this one would be pretty heavy. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Got my Etsy shop up and running again! Have a good amount of prints at a lower price that are retiring. Once they are gone, they are gone, no reprints planned.
Day 16: Magic. I did a reversal for this one versus one I did in 2021 called Summon, by having the blade runes be engraved in black instead of white with a black blade. I just wanted to have fun with the shapes and incorporating a heavy use of black ink. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Day 15: Wings. This is another personal favorite of mine from this series. Based around the lunar moth. I like how elegant and delicate this sword looks. I really like my design and the inking. Certainly one I'm going to take to color. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Will slowly continue to post these swords. Day 14: knight. Wanted a longsword/broadsword type with a fancy hilt and guard. I always think of knights as defenders, so included the shield. The shield is magic and can be removed and used as needed. #swordtember2024 #swordart #inkart #art
Been looking through old sketchbooks and I got to remember I've done a lot and can continue to do a lot. I have different styles and studies and I can see how past ideas formulated into something more. I explored a lot and I want to keep on doing that. Thanks past me for keeping on trying.
Day 3 of Genghis Con and just making drawings in the sketchbook to keep me occupied between activity bursts. Used the templar knight from Indiana Jones as inspiration. A knight errant of some sort who has been given a dragon egg. Maybe it's special? #sketchbook #art #drawing #dragon #knight
Just drawing in my sketch book at Genghis Con day 2. Doing an old school love of dragons. He didn't end up being cute really, but I had fun giving him the scales and the folds. Been awhile since I did draw a dragon! #sketchbook #drawing #art