Nightblooming Cards: CHRISTMAS CACTUS CARD 2009

Thursday, July 9, 2009

CHRISTMAS CACTUS CARD 2009

I made this mandala with the flowers of the Christmas Cactus. I have made it into a Christmas card as seen here. It could be converted into a Seasons Greeting card or otherwise altered to suit your needs.

This mandala will also serve as the December image for my 2010 calendar designs.
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REFERENCE: i 96, t 71

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INTRODUCTION

The first entries act as an introduction to this site and each successive posting builds on those that precede. So if this is your first visit to this site, we suggest that you start with the first posting and follow from there.
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I like the blog format because it allows me to tell a story.
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If you find images which you like as they are, then order as is. The advantage of the digital software I use, however, allows for easy customizing of the pieces. In many cases, the image and text as shown don't match that well. That is because I am trying to show as many images and texts as possible. It is up to you to mix and match them to your preference.
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Use your imagination. My intention is to engage you in the creative process. Pick what you like and let me combine them according to your specifications.
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This site has expanded to the point that I have created a Features Blog which will give newcomers a quick sampling of what I offer. See the link below.

MY OTHER BLOGS

This site acts as my "parent blog". The sidebar contains ordering information, background specifics, contacts, etc. It is also a complete collection of my card and print designs with flowers.

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Brightlight Mandalas is a collection of all my mandala designs.

www.brightlightmandalas.com

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I also have a quick introductory blog with a sampling of features works from the other sites called Featured Nightblooms.

http://featurednightblooms.blogspot.com/

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Here are two tutorial blogs on which I show how to make the digital mandalas.

Brightlight Mandalas Process

http://brightlightmandalasprocess.blogspot.com/

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Nightblooms Process

http://nightbloomsprocess.blogspot.com/

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I have 9 blogs in all. The final 4 are special areas of interest sites:

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Catus Hugger Designs

www.cactushuggerdesigns.com

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Emerging Pattern Designs

www.emergingpatterndesigns.com

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Dancing Mandalas

http://www.dancingmandalas.com/

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Good Day Bikes

http://www.gooddaybikes.com/

I am adding a tenth blog called Tidbits from Tucson. It is a collection of posts on a wide range of topics that don't fit my artwork display. It includes inspiring videos clips, recipes, essays, and more.

http://tidbitsfromtucson.blogspot.com

APPRECIATION

I want to thank Jon Farle for his support over the last 25 years. He has been my sometimes tough mentor, friend and inspiration for all that time. He has helped many people during his unusual and amazing life. Twenty eight years ago, Jon also founded the board and care home I operate. It is just one of the ways he has dedicated his life to helping others. I hope to share more about his influence in the future.

Thanks also to Brian Ezzell. Brian has been very helpful in teaching me about computers in general and graphics programs specifically. Brian is a gifted painter who has good advice regarding various aspects of artistic pursuits.

You may link to information on both Jon and Brian, and view some of Brian's paintings at:
http://www.dolpopa.com/

I also want to thank my son, Chris, for getting me started with a lot of the digital graphics. He works in animation and has been unselfish in helping me learn the technology involved in creating the works you see here.

All three have been generous with their time and encouragement.

PURPOSE

My goal is to create art that has a positive effect on it's viewers. To that end you will see mostly bright, pure colors with little use of black or fire engine red. The themes are meant to inspire, encourage and please. All is done with peace and harmony in mind.
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While there is a place for political statements and calling attention to injustice, that is not my calling. Rather to make my art a reflection of contentment in my own heart is what I strive to express.
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That is the biggest areas for which I thank Jon. My life used to be chaotic; he has taught me how to bring order into my world. In that sense, I think of all my pictures as being a mandala or visual meditation.
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Let there be peace in our hearts, in our homes and in our world all year round. May my little creations contribute to the harmony in your world.

CHARITY

The board and care home that I run has been here for 28 years and has survived it's share of hard times. We are better off than many people in this recession, but we care for mostly indigent level residents so we are feeling the pinch like many; so I am looking at this art work as a way to contribute to the cause.
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I will take up to $100.00 per month in profits, but anything above that will go to support the home. By buying these items, you will be helping our chronically mentally ill clients.

ZAZZLE

I have started putting my products on Zazzle. It is an online site which gives artists a chance to market their products as customizible, on demand products. Through them, I will be able to offer larger prints than I can do on my own. I will also be able to provide you with t shirts, mugs, bumper stickers and more.
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I don't have all my designs posted on Zazzle, but I can post anything that you are interested in. I can also make them into whatever product you would like.
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It is a very nice service and I would recommend that you check them out.
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You may link to the site with:http://www.zazzle.com/robert_coyne

MURALS YOUR WAY

There is an online service which creates murals for people to put on their wall as wall paper. They have a lot of beautiful designs available and I would recommend that you check them out. They can even take one of your own photographs and turn it into a custom mural.
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It allows me to offer you my mandala designs as murals. I can expand any of my designs as needed to make them suitable for a mural. If you give me the dimensions of your wall, I can even customize to that size.
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I have always wanted to do murals, but it is such a project; that I have never put it into effect. I would be thrilled to have one of my designs made into a mural, so I will happily do the design process for free and you will just need to pay the mural site for their end. I simply ask that you send me a photo of the finished mural.
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It appears that there are similar sites out there, but I have not checked them out yet. I would be willing to work with anyone.
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The link is:
http://www.muralsyourway.com/

ORDERING

I will be setting up a Paypal account. I will let you know when that is ready.
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A starting price list is below. I hope to bring down prices as I develope the procedures for producing product and filling orders. Initial costs will be a little higher and while I am not out to make a killing, I can't afford to take losses.
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I can do most special orders without extra charge because new versions will become part of my inventory. There may need to be a small extra charge for some custom orders that have one-time applicability.
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Commission work is negotiable.
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Wholesale orders also by negotiation.
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The section above explains how I can offer additional products through Zazzle.
See http://www.zazzle.com/
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I also plan to utilize Etsy and and have postings on Art Skuttlebutt. I recommend that you look at what these sites offer as well.
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If you have sites or sources you recommend, let me know.

PRICE LIST

All this is new to me, so I don't have a good handle on costs yet. While I want to keep things affordable, I can't afford to take losses. As I build efficiency, I may be able to bring prices down.
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I just started with a printer who is going to help me bring costs down below what I can do at home, so I am able to offer you this revised price list with lower prices on cards.
13"x19" print = $19.00
12"x18" print = $18.00
11"x17" print = $14.00
8.5"x11" print = $8.00
8.5"x5.5" card = $2.25
4.25"x5.5" notecard = $1.25 each
Box set of 4 notecards = $5.00
Box set of 8 notecards = $9.00
Box set of 12 notecards = $12.00
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Bookmarks come on glossy paper with rounded corners for 75¢ each or 2 for $1.25. Lamination = 50¢ extra.
Some designs may not reduce well enough for a bookmark. This can be true for the complex mandala designs listed on the Brightlight Mandala site. That is actually a matter of personal taste.
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You will receive a free bookmark with any order of $15.00 or more.
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Prices include shipping and handling in the US. For orders outside the US, check on specifics by e mail.

CONTACT SHEETS

Below are contact sheets for images and text. Both are numbered to make ordering easy. New sheets will be added as we make additions to the postings.
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This is designed so that you can mix and match images and text. You may also specify background preferences. Customizing orders is also possible.
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I have also started adding "rays" to some of my backgrounds along with a "radial gradient" that adds depth to the images. It is appropriate for most mandalas and many of the symmetrical "composite" images. I have created a template by which I can colorize the rays to fit any background. I am also able to control edges, opacity and blending factors. Just ask, and I will be happy to add this element to your unique design.

DIGITAL COLORING BOOK

I am working on creating a digital coloring book with the mandala designs. These will be black & white versions of the images on disc which you can color yourself with Photoshop or other graphic software. I can't get it to work well with Microsoft Paint. The fill tool leaves an empty edge instead of filling the outline completely. If someone knows of a solution, I would appreciate hearing it. You will need to specify what format you want the disc in.
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A CD with one design will be $7.00. Additional designs will be $4.00 each or six designs for $20.00. Once I have enough designs to choose from, you will be able to specify which six designs you want.
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The disc will come with basic instructions on coloring the designs as well as hints and shortcuts. A fill tool will not give perfect results, so some use of a brush tool is necessary, so unless you like detail work; don't try this.
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Alternatively, I can print a black & white design on matte cardstock and you can color it with markers or crayons. I can do an 8.5"x11" for $5.00 and an 11"x17" for $7.00.
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Since these are a work in progress, e mail me to inquire about availibility of particular designs.
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Another way I can approach this is to desturate one of my flower mandalas and give you a layered version so that you could use color overlay to change the color for each layer. This is how I turn some of my flower mandalas into rainbow designs. Like my yellow prickly pear design, but want to see it in blue? That can be done by either you or me.

Nightblooming Cards

Thursday, July 9, 2009

CHRISTMAS CACTUS CARD 2009

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Zazzle Flash Panel

FREE DOWNLOADS! ! !

INTRODUCTION

MY OTHER BLOGS

CONTACT

About Me

APPRECIATION

PURPOSE

CHARITY

ZAZZLE

MURALS YOUR WAY

ORDERING

PRICE LIST

PAYMENT

CONTACT SHEETS

CONTACT SHEET 1 FOR IMAGES

CONTACT SHEET 2 FOR IMAGES

CONTACT SHEET 3 FOR IMAGES

CONTACT SHEET 4 FOR IMAGES

CONTACT SHEET 5 FOR IMAGES

CONTACT SHEET 1 FOR TEXT

CONTACT SHEET 2 FOR TEXT

CONTACT SHEET 3 FOR TEXT

CONTACT SHEET 4 FOR TEXT

CONTACT SHEET 5 FOR TEXT

CONTACT SHEET 6 FOR TEXT

List of Mandalas

TRANSLATION SERVICES

RAINBOW MANDALA 1 WITH POEM

DESKTOP WALLPAPER

SAGUARO CACTUS FLOWER COMPOSITE

Blog Archive

NIGHTBLOOMING COMPOSITE 4

Followers

JUMPING CHOLLA COMPOSITE 7

DIGITAL COLORING BOOK