Robin Phillips Studio - Inspirational Art/Design

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

If you have been following RPS here on Blogspot- my blog has now moved to my website at www.robinphillipsstudio.com. You can also see my latest on social media at:

Thank you 💗

Monday, March 20, 2017

Inspire- Spring

Happy Spring! Inspirations lately...

"Our greatest joy is when we seek to do good for others" - Archbishop Desmond Tutu

The Portland Home and Garden show, Orchid Society

A touch of spring in the garden....

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them" -Henri Matisse

In the studio...

More inspiration minis coming! (This series of small originals are created in acrylic and mixed media on wood panel- Follow RPS Instagram #inspirationminis for updates or visit the RPS Shop- Inspiration Minis to view all available for sale)

Minis in progress- Peace Mandala, Rainbow Mandala, All One, Giving, Bright Spirit

Sneak peek, new larger paintings:

Creatrix, Mother Earth- in progress (a section)

Reflection, first sketch

Sewing/fabric followers, expect to see some new floral patchwork pillow patterns coming soon! The series will include rose, iris, lily, and orchid.

And... back to creating :)

Xoxo,

Robin

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Dog Paintings

Premonition, 12" x 12", oil on canvas, framed- $250 © Robin Phillips Studio

Can I tell you how much I love dogs.... ;) My animal family is a big part of my life, so recently I had the wonderful opportunity of joining a local dog-themed art show, "Dog Park" curated by well-known local artists Fred Swan and Stan Peterson. Each piece in the show honors the way in which dogs have touched our hearts and enriched our lives. If you're in the Portland area, do stop by! The show features 30+ artists and runs February 25 - March 21 at Ford Gallery. All pieces are for sale, contact either me or the gallery for more information. See pictures from opening night on RPS Facebook and the event page below...

Full event details: https://www.facebook.com/events/257362558031351/

Bliss, 12" x 12", oil on canvas, framed- $250 © Robin Phillips Studio

I had so much fun with these pieces based on my german shepherd Kiva and black lab/catahoula mix Phantom. Here's the full story behind them and a peek into my process...

closeup of Premonition, © Robin Phillips Studio

Premonition

Kiva is a purebred German Shepherd and never fails to show me how exceedingly smart she is ;)
This piece tells the story of how something is always going on in her thoughtful head- she watches out for us constantly. Nothing escapes Kiva's watchful eye. Of course, she's always the first one in line for dinner or biscuits. Some of her best moments I will never forget. One time she alerted me to the fact that the neighbor's dog was injured and stuck was on their fence. If she senses I have trouble with my diabetes she watches me and comes up to sniff my face. What would I do without her?

closeup of Bliss, © Robin Phillips Studio

Bliss

Every year we take our dogs to the coast and they run in play in the ocean so gleefully. This piece celebrates this moment of pure bliss. Just watching them makes me feel profoundly happy and at peace. Dogs have so much to teach us. Is anything more joyful than happy, carefree dogs?

Creating!

In the studio, I started with pencil drawings and then light washes in oil. I used photos of my dogs for reference, and also sketched them in pencil on paper for practice first. Lately, I like to use Holbein Aqua Oils, which I would describe as a cross between acrylic and oil. The pigment quality is very high, yet they thin with water and work really well for the the first wash of color. I'm also playing around using them underneath Gamblin oils, a popular professional oil, for my larger pieces. On these pieces though I only used the Holbein oil.

Iko cat came to help for a bit... or perhaps to remind me he would like some attention too (usually my brushes are out of his reach ;)

Then with increasingly thicker layers of oil, I began to add more layers of color. Typically, I will build up the surface with at least 2-3 more layers of undertones for a deeper depth of color. Finally the details go in- shadows and highlights in the eye, hair lines, etc. I often use 20/0 or 5/0 hairline brushes for fine work like this.

For the sand and the background landscape, I muted the tones and added less detail so that it did not distract from the focal point- the dogs. The sandscape is painted with deepening tones and shadow on the right to further emphasize depth.

See more of my works in progress and my animal family antics on Instagram at @robinphillipsstudio and #petsinthestudio

And last but not least, I would love to paint your special animal friend(s)! If you like my work and are interested in a custom painting, let's connect. See more at www.robinphillipsstudio.com :)

♥

Monday, February 13, 2017

Recent Artist Websites and Website Training

If you've been following RPS lately, you're likely awaiting my new website to see my updated portfolio. :)

I'm still working diligently on the new site (coming soon I promise, stay tuned!) In the meantime, here's a recap of some of my more recent artist website launches:

elynnerosenfeld.com

Elynne Rosenfeld, an artist and Reiki master, creates stunning bead-embellished paintings that are spiritually inspired. For this site, I customized a WordPress theme to present her work on a large scale that highlights the incredible detail of her beadwork. The site includes a fullscreen home page slideshow, a filterable gallery, blog and separate sub pages for her bio, cv and artist statement.

cynthiabergpolsan.com

To capture the magnificence of Cynthia Berg Polsan's sculpture, I created a customized WordPress theme to showcase her work in close detail. The home page features a slideshow where the work scrolls from top to bottom and fades in/out for a dramatic effect. The gallery is customized to show three or more views of each piece to get a sense of the sculpture in the round.

lesyayanush.com

Lesya Yanush paints in a bold, expressionistic style. The goal for her site was to showcase the work without distraction. This WordPress site includes a fullscreen home page slide show and gallery so that the painting takes center stage. I also provided training for her to update the site on her own in the future, which most of my packages include.

gatosilimitados.com

Adriana Gasperi creates charming cat art. To emphasize the whimsical nature of her work, the home page has a floating image slider. This customized WordPress site also includes an e-commerce store, multiple galleries and a blog. We incorporated Adriana's pre-existing logo in the header along with bilingual text throughout the site. Additionally, I optimized her logo for social media sharing. And my favorite feature is the custom cat cursor I designed for the menu.

Learn more about my design services at: www.robinphillipsstudio.com/design

Also, did you know I offer basic web design training? This is a popular new service I introduced last year.

Read more here!

http://www.robinphillipsstudio.com/store/product/website-training/

:)

Thursday, January 12, 2017

New Year Inspiration

Inspiration Minis series, © Robin Phillips Studio

I love how the new year is naturally full of promise. What are your goals this year?

This week we've been hit with record snow and my mind is full of new ideas.

As I reflect on how fast the past year went and the new branches that I have grown, this year I look forward to launching a new website and focusing more on art and illustration. If you are interested my design services, don't worry! I will continue to offer graphic and web design services as well. With the launch of my new site, you'll be able to see my latest work, get a closer look inside the studio and hear from me more regularly on social media. Stay tuned!

And if you're not already following me, join RPS Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. :)

“The beginning is the most important part of any work.”
― Plato

I wish you a wonderful new year!

Xoxo,

Robin

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Studio Sale!

It's that time of year again for an art studio sale!

As many of you know, I show my work at galleries and events throughout the year, but the online store is the main source to buy my art, with over 100 items...

A heartfelt thank you for supporting and following my art. It is my hope that it lifts your spirits and brings you joy :) In the face of life's challenges, I believe that the more we can support each other and our planet as individuals, the brighter our future can be. A portion of the proceeds from my animal and bird prints is donated to wildlife organizations.

If you've been eyeing a painting, print or pattern, this is the time to grab one at a great price! Or if you've just landed here, welcome! Read more about why I create healing art here.

With the discount, many of my small original paintings are under $100, and some are even under $50. Photo and laser prints are under $20. Just use code SAVE30 at checkout.

Local (Portland, OR area) purchases can also be hand-delivered- feel free to message me on FB or drop me an email! Follow me for updates and behind the scenes pics from the studio if you'd like too on RPS Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram .

New in the shop!

Inspiration Minis

4x4 paintings on wood panels

>>Browse All Original Paintings

Love Ornaments

Inspirational Dangle Ornaments

>>Browse All Art Ornaments

2016 Prints

New poster prints now available for 2016 paintings! Giclee (archival ink printed on archival paper) available on request. A portion of the proceeds from animal and bird art prints support wildlife organizations

>>Browse All Art Prints

Framed Prints

A selection of small framed prints are now available!
All regular 4x6 and 5x7 prints also come with a mat, ready for framing

>>Browse All Framed Prints

Art makes a special holiday gift, thank you for browsing the shop :)

Love, peace, and blessings to you this season!

Xoxo,

Robin

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