Tag Archives: #desert

Chili Tattoos For Spoonflower

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Sun, Sand & Chili, Duvet. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Sun, Sand & Chili, Duvet. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

This week, the Spoonflower design challenge is Flash tattoo sheets. They are collections of tattoo designs. It is how the artist displays ideas for those who do not have a custom design in mind. Yeah, I didn’t know that either.

I found the expected while researching. Bikers themes, skulls, spiders, hearts with thorns. Military and the occult. I was stuck for a bit. Thought of flowers, then settled on a desert theme. Duh, Sheila.

Sun, Sand & Chili, sample. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Sun, Sand & Chili, sample. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Sun, Sand & Chili, Tablecloth. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Sun, Sand & Chili, Tablecloth. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Sun, Sand & Chili, Wall Paper. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Sun, Sand & Chili, Wall Paper. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Sun, Sand & Chili, Curtains. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Sun, Sand & Chili, Curtains. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

I recycled some native symbols from one of my first designs (2014). But this time I created them from scratch. I used the pen tool in Photoshop to make the cacti, and the chilies. And basic shapes to make the sun. I added thorns to the cacti, but they are not as visible in the low res images here.

Sun, Sand & Chili, Tea Towel. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Sun, Sand & Chili, Tea Towel. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Sun, Sand & Chili, Napkins. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Sun, Sand & Chili, Napkins. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

Voting is now open, until the 8th. Thank you, thank you, thank you! 😆

Biscuits & Bones. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Biscuits & Bones. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

Biscuits & Bones placed at 284 of 628 entries with 43 votes. That is 45.2%. I made some changes to the original, using suggestions from Laurelle Cidoncha. Thank you Laurelle! 🙂 I flipped some of the words around.

I’m so grateful for your time, voters! Thank you! These challenges wouldn’t be nearly as fun without the curious wondering and waiting. 😆🤔😉

We had snow briefly early this morning. Sun comes and goes, and it is cold and windy. We were supposed to have rain most of the day, but it has yet to start. Fingers crossed.

Happy day to you! 😉

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What draws us into the desert is the search
for something intimate in the remote.
 Edward Abbey

I left a piece of my soul that will always
rightfully belong in the desert.
M.B. Dallocchio

If seeds waited for perfect conditions to grow,
there would be no plants in the desert.
Matshona Dhliwayo

February 2020 30-Day Creative Gathering Collage

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February 2020 30-Day Creative Gathering Collage, Sheila Delgado

What a difference a month makes! February flew by. I didn’t feel a loss of momentum until the final week. Being in pain will do that. In preparation for the challenge, I put together a file full of images to paint. I still have enough for another 30 paintings. Haha. Ideas abound. I intended to paint more abstracts. Planned on using Yupo more. Never enough time.

Each time I do the 30-day challenge, I wonder if I “grew” or developed new skills. I can never see it until some time has passed. I did try new subjects. Some that I never attempted before. The Cholla image, day 28, I took in 2012. WOW! I meant to paint it, and it has taken me this long. A little bit, out of sight out of mind. But also fear of painting so many spines. My first Cholla is not great, but it is better than I expected.

February 2020 30-Day Creative Gathering Favorites Collage, Sheila Delgado

Thanks so much for following along this month. I hope I did not bore you with my fascination with pointy things and desert natives. I appreciate your support and enjoy your comments and suggestions. 🙂 Thank you! It means a lot!

Congratulations and high five to the group artists. Whether you did 3 or 30, high five for making the bold attempt. For getting your art out into the world, and for encouraging others on their artistic journey! Thank you for taking part, and for making the group so lively and diverse! You ROCK! Hope to see you in September! HaPpY creating to you!

February 30-Day Creative Gathering, Days 29 And 30

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Day 30, FEB C.G., 8 x 8, watercolor on Arches cold-pressed 140 lb. paper. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.
Day 30, FEB C.G., 8 x 8, watercolor on Arches cold-pressed 140 lb. paper. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.

For day 30, a Red Barrel Cactus. I don’t often paint with red. This barrel is orange, purple, mauve and magenta. And green. And what do you need for a night at the ball? A glass slipper of course. Haha. Watercolor, and for the spines, gouache that was left on my palette.

Day 29, FEB C.G., 8 x 8, watercolor on paper. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.
Day 29, FEB C.G., 8 x 8, watercolor on paper. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.

I painted this Aloe early in the month. I love the clean, curved lines. I started by scribbling some white Caran d’Ache Neocolor on the leaves. Next a mix of Juane Yellow and Winsor & Newton Turquoise. I mixed in some of the color left on my palette, and the result is far too turquoise. I love it, but I may go back in and make alterations.

I was trying for more of a greyish, blueish, whites green. As seen on Day 7. This is what I remember from the Iceplant succulent ground cover so popular in Southern California. There are many plants with this coloring that I love. Blue Fescue, Blue Chalksticks, and Dusty Miller to name a few. Aloes come in fresh green, dark green, and dusty sage green.

Sunrise 2-29-20
Sunrise 2-29-20

The night before last I could not sleep. Not sure why. Maybe it was the adrenaline from the challenge. I got a lot of work done. And I was still awake when the sun came up. I have had neck pain all week, Somehow I tweak my neck at night. An old auto injury. I was hit from the side, and it tore my shoulder and neck. I ordered an ergonomic pillow, relief is in sight.

30 Pieces

Well Val, all that “blue” was for you my friend. Haha. And Sea, here is one of my Ikea studio solutions. It is the Ostbit plate holder, I use it to hold paper. There’s a month’s worth of, paper (paintings)! Haha. Plenty of room for more.

Later this afternoon, I will post my 30 Day collage. It is always fun to see all the paintings together. I am looking forward to seeing the group’s collections!

The Choice
The intellect of man is forced to choose
perfection of the life, or of the work,
And if it take the second must refuse
A heavenly mansion, raging in the dark.
When all that story’s finished, what’s the news?
In luck or out the toil has left its mark:
That old perplexity an empty purse,
Or the day’s vanity, the night’s remorse.
W.B. Yeats