sophista-tiki orignals Dawn Frasier

Oh sorry I left out this prt, its Japanese for BAR, 3 characters, and theres only one character for strip bar! hmmmm. Wait until you see the bigger piece thats going into the show. its the 3rd one I've done of this scene,still adding the finishing details.

Next batch, both still in progress. the smaller one is the cold press block, and the bigger one is the hot press block, both are done with Dr. Martins. I have a large one on the stretcher bars thats only been sketched out so far and I will paint that one with the Dan Smith extra fine watercolors. (all of my papers are Arches 140lb.)

[ Edited by: Sophista-tiki 2011-10-26 10:28 ]

After wearing a Sophista-Tiki product, my Tiki popularity has gone up 50% !!

I knew you would look sharp in that shirt! good choice.

some of todays work.

That first one with the AS-frame and that splash of pink is GORGEOUS!
Worthy of a vintage menu or a old book!
Beautiful,Dawnee!
:)

A-frame!
Sorry! was excited!

thanks Kinny, I appriciate the nice comments

todays project, a one day, one piece of cardboard haloween costume.
made from whatever I can find around the house.
BEFORE:

I'll post the after picture before I head out to sweerpeas house for this evenings festivities.

Go Dawn! BTW - Say hello to the orb on your bed...

Oh yeah - your two latest paintings are sumptuous i.e. GORGEOUS!! Thanks for sharing. G

that might be my orangy kitty Tommywomerton.

I couldn't resist being 89,001 on your thread. You have a beautiful bedroom. I love your art no matter if it's one or many colors. Happy Halloween, Wendy

almost done

Nice PNG costume Dawn. Reminds me of the one I made years ago that was like that with a bug smashed on the bottom of a shoe :D

Dawn,
SO wish that I could attend whatever Halloween event YOU are attending! Seems like SUCH a good time!
~kele

HA HA HA! Very neat costume Sophisti-tiki! I have to say I normally am not a big fan of watercolors, but yours are so clean and well done I really like them. That A-frame one is excellent. :) One of these days when I can get the scratch together I want to get one of your incredible shirt designs.

these 2 are finished

the easel is full of finished pieces ready for framing

got 3 different pallets of watercolors going, different brands of paint in each one, Dr, Martins, Dan Smith extra fine, and a Windsor Newton/Grumbacher combo

and here's some of whats in progress

Now, a little about watercolors, underestimated and under appreciated in general
Oils and acrylics are very forgiving, you can work and rework a piece until its perfected.
With watercolors you only get ONE shot to get it right, its very easy to over work a piece, there are no adding highlights, they need to be left like negative space using the whiteness of the paper. not as easy as you think it might be. I like the combination of a tight graphic sensibility and the looseness of watercolor, the play between defining the details and having them suggested with a brushstroke or color.
Not as easy as you think it is.

[ Edited by: Sophista-tiki 2011-11-02 12:09 ]

Oh, I know watercolors are not easy I have tried my hand before that is why I admire good work in it when I find it. Trouble is there are few people that really know how to work that particular medium to its best. I count you as a brave soul that can do watercolors without a safety net; any time I do actually do watercolors I feel I have to do it on pen & inks I have done; that is my safety net. I have tried without pen and ink and generally it winds up a disaster. I am not fond of watercolor paper with all its bumpy unevenness and sponge like quality so I tend to use bristol board. Watercolor takes more patience than I usually have because you have to keep doing layers on top of layers and if you make a mistake of too much it is pretty hard to correct (you can soak a little up with salt and pray that is about it).

I admire your work you seem to have found just the right middle ground in watercolor where it is utilizing the translucent painterly qualities with a sort of clean graphic design sense.

Hot press= smooth papers, cold press= bumpy papers. I like both, prefered the smooth, and made myself learn the rough. higher quality papers are less absorbant I've started some pieces that I had to throw out because the paper sucked. I find that on some pieces I still feel the need to ink it after I'm done with the painting part just to crisp it up. I think its a cool effect to paint in after the inking too.
Dr Martins now makes a semi transparent watercolor kind of like a liquid acrylic, its a happy medium. I'm dying to get the new Dan Smith watercolor sticks, which are pure pigment. I like paints with really saturated colors. Maybe I'll get them for christmas.

I've been painting watercolors since I was 12, my mom was a watercolor teacher, and it still took me 20 + yrs to get the hang of it.or to at least find what worked for me.I still think thers some improvement to be achieved.

[ Edited by: Sophista-tiki 2011-11-02 13:30 ]

I tried watercolor pencils - does that count? :lol: Actually Dawn, you inspire me - one of these days I'm going to take a watercolor class to see if that will help me a little.

a little more progress

[ Edited by: Sophista-tiki 2011-11-04 10:13 ]

I totally dig all of your stuff!

I'm need yo start a dialogue with you on facebook & get a few pieces from you. I especially liked those fabric wall-hanging deals you posted a few months ago.

Very cool stuff Dawn!

oh thank you,
I'm currently working on my M Modern show. Opening is Dec 10.
After that I'll get back to work on my book of tapa designs. which shpuld have been done by now, time just goes by wAAAay too fast.
I think maybe you are refering to my decor line DAWNCRAFT the the tapa designs on canvas.??
I will also be making more of those soon.
you can check out whats currently availible at my website
http://www.sophista-tiki.com/index.html

I love this!

Keep em coming Dawn!

You Rock!

Mahalo

McTiki

thanks for the complimenst puts a smile on my face!!

Nice work in progress! Congrats on the M Modern show!

:) :) :)

currently on the desk

Wow! you have been keeping busy! Looks like some wonderful new stuff on the horizon. I really admire your control of this medium, I will keep watching in riveted fascination. What does the sign in the background on the one painting say? Port something or other?

the sign says Beyond Bali Hai, Enter here

Oh, I like the one with the shield you posted yesterday :o

Let me get this straight - you painted only blues and greens for a year because Ruzic said you couldn't do it?

Finally starting to get pieces in frames today after 4 days of framing prep. Its been a frenzy of cutting, gluing, and clamping a I resize my vintage frame shats to fit all the new pieces. Hopefully I'll be ready toship out tomorow. I'm still short 3 frames But I'm heading over to Peas tonight to see what she has. If not I'll just have to make frame stock from scratch.

hers the info about the M Modern gig, in California Events.
reception is Dec 9 7-9:30 M Modern Palm Springs
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=41619&forum=17

That looks really good. I hope you post photos from the show here too. Wendy

thanks Wendy.
As soon as I actually get the paintings in the shipping boxes and out the door, I will be posting all of the finsihed pieces online. I will be taking tons of pics while in palm Springs. Its my first trip there ever! I'm excited to document my paticulay eye on architecture. and I cant wait to get some sun. its cold and dark here, not very motivating!

Hi Dawn, I think all your fans who visit here should now go to MadDogMikes page at
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=29606&forum=18&start=1080
to watch him use your wonderful fabric to decorate his trailer. It's going to be outstanding. I've told him that he also needs to make a matching shirt or maybe you have one made already? This is such fun.

Best Wishes on your Palm Springs show, Wendy

shirt, thats what i said too!

I'm working up to getting back in the studio. I had so much work to do pre M Modern and Post M Modern that I just havenyt had the time. If you havent been over to cali Events OR my thread in Marketplace heres the link so you can see all the finished pieces. I havent updated the SOLD's yet, But I think I'm up to 1/2 the show sold.

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=41619&forum=17&start=30

I'm starting on my lamp designs today. Post progress pics soon

Blog article from Australia about my fabrics
http://tractorgirl.com.au/pattern-dawn-frasier-midc-tiki-love

Thanks for looking and I'm sure she would appreciate comments._____________

[ Edited by: Sophista-tiki 2012-02-06 08:21 ]

Nice article Dawn, short & sweet

(edit- spelling)

[ Edited by: MadDogMike 2012-02-06 13:04 ]

a preview

That's a pleasant and totally true article and I really enjoy both new pieces. I am looking forward to getting "End of the Road" and am still saving pennies, pfennigs and cowrie shells until I can get me one of the shirts of which TractorGirl speaks.

Beautiful work as usual.

Thank you, I too cant wait for you to get your painting, cause its a gem that the pics dont do justice. If do say so myself!

CRAP I missed the 100,000. view while I was on my way home from work. Ok some of those views were me looking at my own thread and responding etc. BUT Thanks for the looks, I feel all warm and fuzzy.

Congrats on view 100,000! Here's another for you! And thanks for the Twitter follow!

Dawn, I love the PNG/Maori arch house! At high tide, the water would come up under the house and lap at the piers. At low tide, it would be a cool & shady place for the grandkids to build sand castles.

Wow, new favorites again. They are both so terrrific. Congratulations on the 100,000 plus. Cheers, Wendy

close to done, just have to detail up the forground

Done

The Mystic Order of Mu
9" x 12"
acryic on masonite
framed by Sheeple Corp.

[ Edited by: Sophista-tiki 2012-02-09 17:33 ]