Wet Magic Digital Art by Sarah Vernon #Sold #Poster

Wet Magic Digital Art by Sarah Vernon
Adapted from Francois Boucher’s La Toilette de Venus of 1751.

Does anyone recognise the title I’ve stolen? Clue: Think of the books you read as children. The older you are, the better placed you will be for finding it familiar, even if you haven’t read it!

Source: Wet Magic Digital Art by Sarah Vernon

Take care and keep laughing!

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The Criterion Theatre Greeting Card for Sale by Sarah Vernon

Those of you  who know I’m having trouble with my eyes will have realised that I’ve been cheating when it comes to liking posts in the last few days. In other words, I’m still not able to read through screeds of text but I’m clicking ‘like’ since it’s important to me to show my support.

As it’s easy to reblog a product or two from my galleries without worrying about reading or writing text, that’s what I’m going to do for a while. After all, a girl’s gotta earn a living so I need to promote my work.

The Criterion Theatre Greeting Card for Sale by Sarah Vernon. Our premium-stock greeting cards are 5″ x 7″ in size and can be personalised with a custom message on the inside of the card. All cards are available for worldwide shipping and include a money-back guarantee.

Source: The Criterion Theatre Greeting Card for Sale by Sarah Vernon

First Night Design | Pink Chiffon #Photography

Pink Chiffon Framed Print at Crated © Sarah Vernon

It’s not often I think my photography is good enough for public consumption, which is why I so often play around with it using textures and the like. In this instance, I surprised myself by liking it enough to let it stand. Who’d ‘ave thunk!

It was with this bunch of roses that I christened my new home. Bought on Friday from the local supermarket, they don’t have much of a fragrance but they sure as hell look good.

© Sarah Vernon

Pink Chiffon Watch by FirstNightDesign

Pink Chiffon Card by FirstNightDesign

Pink Chiffon Tote Bag at Fine Art America © Sarah Vernon

Available at the following galleries:
Redbubble
Crated
Zazzle US
Zazzle UK
Fine Art America [14 fulfillment centers in 5 countries]
Saatchi Art

Take care and keep laughing!

First Night Design | “I have a gift for enraging people…” #Art #Gifts

Lulu in Hollywood Card by FirstNightDesign

Lulu in Hollywood © Sarah Vernon at Saatchi Art

Reposting the incomparable Tallulah yesterday gave me a taste for creating another of my Hollywood images à la Edward Steichen. I found an image of silent film star Louise Brooks from Hello-Tuesday and used the vintage wallpaper from MGB Stock that I’ve used previously (DeviantArt). It is, I believe, a still from Pandora’s Box (1929) — ‘The rise and inevitable fall of an amoral but naïve young woman whose insouciant eroticism inspires lust and violence in those around her.’ This time, however, I have done it slightly differently and given her a background of the wallpaper in its original form. The effect of this can be better seen if you click on Saatchi Art or  Fine Art America.

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“I have a gift for enraging people, but if I ever bore you it will be with a knife.”
― Louise Brooks

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Lulu in Hollywood Throw Pillow by FirstNightDesign

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“I never gave away anything without wishing I had kept it; nor kept anything without wishing I had given it away.”
— Louise Brooks

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Lulu in Hollywood Wrist Watches by FirstNightDesign

Available at the following galleries:
Redbubble
Crated
Zazzle US
Zazzle UK
Fine Art America [14 fulfillment centers in 5 countries]
Saatchi Art

Take care and keep laughing!

First Night Design | Draw Back the Curtain #Art

Draw Back the Curtain Duvet Covers at Redbubble © Sarah Vernon

Draw Back the Curtain Throw Pillow by FirstNightDesign

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“By the way, I adore my bedroom, but do you think I could have the curtains washed? I believe they are red; and I should so like to make sure.’
Judith had sunk into a reverie.
‘Curtains?’ she asked, vacantly, lifting her magnificent head. ‘Child, child, it is many years since such trifles broke across the web of my solitude’.”
― Stella Gibbons, Cold Comfort Farm

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Draw Back the Curtain Canvas Print by FirstNightDesign

Draw Back the Curtain Card by FirstNightDesign

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“We are all actors, set on the stage of the world, as the curtains open we put on our best performance to this audience of life.”
― Anthony Liccione

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Available at the following galleries:
Redbubble
Crated
Zazzle US
Zazzle UK
Fine Art America [14 fulfillment centers in 5 countries]
Saatchi Art

Take care and keep laughing!

First Night Design | Showcasing the Birds — Now available to Buy!

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At last I have uploaded these birds to all my art galleries and what a relief it is too!

The Cuckoo’s Note:
Redbubble
Crated
Zazzle US
Zazzle UK
Fine Art America
Fine Art England
Saatchi Art

‘Like a Lapwing’:
Redbubble
Crated
Zazzle US
Zazzle UK
Fine Art America
Fine Art England
Saatchi Art

Ruddy Duck:
Redbubble
Crated
Zazzle US
Zazzle UK
Fine Art America
Fine Art England
Saatchi Art

Whirring Pheasant Springs:
Redbubble
Crated
Zazzle US
Zazzle UK
Fine Art America
Fine Art England
Saatchi Art

Take care and keep laughing!

First Night Design | Wet Magic and Madame de Pompadour

Wet Magic © Sarah Vernon [Crated Gallery]

La Toilette de Vénus by François Boucher [Wikimedia]

I had forgotten about Wet Magic until I sold a postcard of it yesterday. It was one of my first adaptations of a classic piece, in this instance La Toilette de Vénus by François Boucher [1703-1770] which can be seen at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It took me days — my Photoshop skills were almost non-existent at the time — and days and days. The idea of switching her from right to left and turning her into a mermaid came from my love of E Nesbit’s children’s books and specifically Wet Magic in which her protagonists save a mermaid from the circus, and much else besides.

Extract from Wet Magic in which Nesbit quotes John Milton:

‘Now, Francis,” [Mavis] called. And Francis came slowly with his thumb in The Water Babies. It was nearly dark by now, but Mavis had lighted the four dolls’ house candles in the gilt candlesticks and set them on the table round the aquarium.”Look through the side,” she said; “isn’t it ripping?””Why,” said Francis slowly, “you’ve got water in it–and real anemones! Where on earth…?””Not real,” said Mavis. “I wish they were; they’re only dahlias. But it does look pretty, doesn’t it?””It’s like Fairyland,” said Kathleen, and Bernard added, “I am glad you bought it.””It just shows what it will be like when we do get the sea creatures,” said Mavis. “Oh, Francis, you do like it, don’t you?””Oh, I like it all right,” he answered, pressing his nose against the thick glass, “but I wanted it to be waving weeds and mysterious wetness like the Sabrina picture.”The other three glanced at the picture which hung over the mantel piece–Sabrina and the water-nymphs, drifting along among the waterweeds and water-lilies. There were words under the picture, and Francis dreamily began to say them:–“Sabrina fair,
Listen where thou art sitting.
Under the glassy green, translucent wave…
In twisted braids of lilies knitting
The loose train of thine amber-dropping hair…”‘

La marquise de Pompadour by François Boucher [Wikimedia]

And why Madame de Pompadour? Louis XV’s famous mistress commissioned La Toilette de Vénus for the boudoir at her château near Paris. She was a devotee of the artist and his patroness from 1747 until she died in 1764. According to the metmuseum, ‘…she had acted the title role in a play, staged at Versailles, called “The Toilet of Venus,” and while this is not a portrait, a flattering allusion may have been intended.’ Visit Last Post to read several fascinating articles about Madame de Pompadour by Pippa Rathborne.

Wet Magic Throw Pillows

Wet Magic Hip Flasks

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Available at the following galleries:
Redbubble
Crated
Zazzle US
Zazzle UK
Fine Art America
Fine Art England
Saatchi Art

Take care and keep laughing!

First Night Design | The Circus is in Town!

Circuses were popular this December as witness yesterday’s post and the sale of these stickers. So that was rather lovely!

Interval at the Circus Square Stickers

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‘Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn’t mean the circus has left town.’
George Carlin US Comedian 1937-2008

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Posters, cards and other products available with this design:
Redbubble
Crated
Zazzle USA
Zazzle UK
Fine Art America
Fine Art England

Take care and keep laughing!

Botanical Fruit Delight

I am still no nearer to getting computer repaired so here’s one from the archive. Even typing on this mobile is like getting blood out of a stone! Take care and keep laughing!
Sarah

First Night Design

I have to confess to being immoderately pleased with my latest design, Botanical Fruit, which I created with beautiful clip art from The Graphics Fairy and my own textures.

Botanical Fruit Greeting Card by FirstNightDesign

Available on many products at my Zazzle, RedBubble and Fine Art America stores.

Linking to Brag Monday @ The Graphics Fairy

I hope you like it as much as I do!

Take care and keep laughing.

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Fine Art Features and Zazzle Sizzlers

One from the archive.

First Night Design

You’re the Cream in my Coffee © Sarah Vernon

Today is a good day for I discovered that the above artworks, You’re the Cream in My Coffee Valentine and Travelling with the Buzzard, were variously featured in the Fine Art America groups Digital Touch, 3 A Day Greeting Cards and Female Artists.

Travelling with the Buzzard © Sarah Vernon

My weekend delights began last night when I received notification that a customer had bought 40 postcards of Sing a Song of Sixpence on Zazzle.  A design from three or four years ago, it is a perfect card for theatre professionals, including as it does the theatrical form of good luck, ‘Break a Leg’.

Sing a Song of Sixpence Good Luck Postcard

I hope your weekend is proving equally delightful.

Take care and keep laughing!

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First Night Design | Let Me Entertain You — New Blog Pages

‘Let me entertain you, Let me make you smile.’
Gypsy 1962

Page updated 10 August 2014

Let me introduce you to the new pages on my blog.

First of all, Galleries, which gives links to each portfolio where my work can be bought. The fact that this is long overdue and should have been added last year, or even the year before, may make you smile.

The other new page gives links to my various Online Newspapers covering everything from art and design, history and literature to food and a reality check.

In the meantime, enjoy Natalie Wood singing Let Me Entertain You in the 1962 movie based on the life of Gypsy Rose Lee.

Take care and keep laughing!

First Night Design | Manuscript Abstract

Manuscript Abstract © First Night Design

Will you be surprised to learn that Manuscript Abstract is not what I intended when I set out?  If you’re a regular visitor, I think  not.  I was actually trying to do something splendid with a yellow rose, which turned out so un-splendid that I scotched it and went in a completely different direction. That rose is still in there but I don’t think you’ll find it!

Inspired by my love for green and gold, Manuscript Abstract combines textures and backgrounds with a vintage postcard and sheet music from The Graphics Fairy.

Take care and keep laughing!

First Night Design | Playing with the Masters

Glass Ceiling © First Night Design

This is what can happen when you play around with old paintings.  I’m not going to tell you which paintings I used, and if you can detect something you think you know, I will not have done my job properly!

Take care and keep laughing!

Renata Bernal on Digital Art

Birds of the Jungle © Sarah Vernon

‘Why should you be disappointed, or think less of a work of art, if it is created digitally or by a computer program? Does that make it somehow less “authentic”? The computer is just a tool, like paint is a tool…’ Renata Bernal on Tumblr

I have no choice but to create art digitally because of an autoimmune condition that affects my dexterity and mobility.  However, it has taken a long time for me to acknowledge that whatever medium is used, the result is still art. Even now there is a part of me that feels I am cheating so that when I read the thoughts of an established artist such as Renata Bernal, it is exactly the affirmation I need to boost my confidence. Thank you, Ms Bernal.

Take care and keep laughing!

Fine Art America: National TV Photo Contest

Fine Art America is holding a contest to choose images for their next national television advertising campaign. There’s a catch — isn’t there always.  You can submit three images in total but any one image has to have garnered at least 250 votes by 30th June to go forward into the next, juried, round.  I can’t see myself having an ice cream’s chance in hell of getting anywhere near such a figure, but I would be very happy to get as many votes as I can.  Voting is open to all although if you are not already a member of Fine Art America, you will need to register as a ‘collector’. On the other hand, if you are an artist yourself – photographer, fine artist, mixed media artist – why not consider joining FAA, building a portfolio and entering the contest yourself.

My three images are as follows:

• Walking the Dogs
• A Night at the Palace
• Through a Glass Darkly

In the hope that you like one or all of them enough to register and vote, I thank you.  As I understand it, you have a hundred votes to play with but can only vote once for any given image.

Take care and keep laughing!

Related articles

• National TV Contest (fineartamerica.com)