Abstracts for Curtains - Free Abstracts now open!!

[ellenmillion]

Now closed to new free requests! If you tipped, please make sure I have a second prompt for you! If you'd still like a painting, you may get request one (er, two, actually!) only if you tip. This offer is open until the end of tomorrow.



As you've probably noticed by now, we're building a nursery! I'm expecting in February, and we're frantically remodeling what used to be my studio into a safe and finished room for our guppy. So far, we've rebuilt some of the walls, rearranged the electricity, built a closet, sheetrocked, mudded, taped and painted, put in a laminate floor (not the one we really wanted - it cost too much!) and carpet in the closet. We're tackling trim next, and I'm looking at curtains... and our budget. I swear, we can't get out of Lowe's or Home Depot without emptying the wallet, even bypassing the fancy and high-end options for everything (1/2 price remnant carpet, yay!), and as often as we've been there over the last two months, it's starting to add up!

So, the curtain budget is pretty tapped. Why Ellen (I said to myself), why don't you use this as an excuse to try crowd-funding with your abstract paintings?

Self (I replied), that's a lovely idea.

I can staple up some second hand rugs over the windows, in a pinch. We don't have anything fancier in our bedroom. But I'd really like some nice curtain rods and blackout curtains that I can pull back easily... I live in the land of the midnight sun, which I imagine will be pretty confusing to a baby we're trying to convince to sleep, so standard curtains won't cut it.

I'd like to earn these curtains, and paint some abstracts for you!


Details

Participation is free! I will paint to prompts for as long as I have energy on Tuesday, August 9, doing tip incentives first, people who helped spread the word next (be sure to tell me if you link to the project!), and first-come, first-served after that. - I made my funding goal, so everyone will get a free painting! These will be abstract ACEO (2.5 x 3.5 inches) paintings, acrylics on canvas sheet.

A few of my favorites:


Light


Briar


Constellation


Feather


Orange Rose


Teal



I will take photographs of the pieces in batches today, though scanning will require a few days of drying time, and at the end of the project, I will also take pictures of the nursery, to show you the curtains you helped me fund.




Tip incentives:

Tip any amount, and I will absolutely do your prompt, no matter how many requests I get. You may also send your prompt in advance, starting now; you do not need to catch the window of prompts to get yours done, though it will not be posted until Tuesday, with the others. Thanks to folks who have tipped, I will be painting every prompt that comes in during the free window. I may not finish them all today, depending on how many prompts come in, but you will see something created from your prompt!

Tip $2 and I will scan a larger image of your piece. You will also receive an icon of your word (or phrase) like these (Thanks to donors, everyone will receive an animated icon!!):

Tip $3 and receive the original of your painting in the mail, domestic (US) addresses only.

Tip $5 and receive the original of your painting internationally.

Tip $10 and you may request a larger painting - up to 5x7 inches, OR your own ACEO and your choice of one of the ACEOs unclaimed within 24 hours by the prompter. You will receive the original(s), domestic or international shipping. I will make you two icons, you may supply the text for the extra one.

Tip $20 and you may request a painting up to 9 x 12 inches, OR your own ACEO and your choice of two of the ACEOs unclaimed within 24 hours by the prompter. You will receive the original(s), domestic shipping only. I will make you three icons, with text of your choice, or one animated icon.

Tip $25, as above with international shipping.

ACEO prints of any of them are available for $1 plus $1 flat shipping fee (domestic or international, any quantity).

If I get to $100 total tips, everyone (who gets a painting) will get an icon (whether they tipped or not). - We've made this goal!

If I get to $200 total tips, everyone will get a painting, even if it takes me a few extra days. - We've made this goal, too!

If we get to $300 total tips, everyone who tipped may get their icons animated (a simple word fade or blinky star). - We're there!

If I get to $400 total tips, I will do a second ACEO painting for everyone who tipped. If your original tip got you the original, you will get both originals - We made it!! If you tipped, be sure I have an extra prompt from you!

If I get to $500 total tips, I will give everyone who tipped a free ACEO print of their choice in addition to their originals (no matter how much they tipped!). I will also send the original of their ACEO to anyone who links to the project, whether they tip or not.

If I get to $600 total tips, everyone who linked to the project will get a second (or third!) ACEO painting, whether they tipped or not.

Any amount that we go over what I spend on curtains will be spent on nursery improvements. (Like windowsills, and light fixtures!) You will get photos! Update: curtains and rods have been ordered! Window returns are next on the list, and a full accounting will be posted with the photos.

You may also mail your tip to:

Ellen Million Graphics
PO Box 82851
Fairbanks Alaska 99708

Email me to let me know it's coming! You may also spend EMG credits - just let me know!

You may tip in advance, during the prompt window, or within 24 hours of the posting of the finished painting photos to claim your prompted painting. If you miss the prompt window, you may tip to get a painting until I have finished all of the outstanding paintings!

If you tipped and are displeased with your finished product (did I use a color you hate? Just doesn't feel as good as the others?), I will do ONE do-over on request, OR you may select from any existing, un-claimed pieces. If you are still horribly unhappy with your painting, I'll refund your money.


Prompt guidelines:

The window for free abstracts to your prompts is open now! If I get a manageable number of prompts, I'll leave it open longer. I will be painting something for every prompt that comes in.

Prompts should be simple ideas, single words, or short phrases. For example:

Hope

Turbulence

Brilliance

Dreaming Awake

Neverending

A green swirl

Something red and yellow

You may add qualifiers (I hate orange, I like softer lines, I like the swirly green piece, the feather piece is my favorite, etc.). More complex and representational things may not translate well to abstract, though I may do very simple things, like:


Birds

Also, tell me what you'd like on your icon! (A few words? A phrase? Your username?) I will choose a section of your painting for your icon and give it a very simple animation. (Let me know if you'd prefer un-animated.)

If you tip, leave a second prompt, because we are close to that incentive! Also, be sure to tell me if you want a larger painting, if you tip $10 or more, or if you want the extra ACEO(s)!

Previous posts showing some more examples of my abstracts:

http://ellenmillion.livejournal.com/1198108.html
http://ellenmillion.livejournal.com/1198704.html
http://ellenmillion.livejournal.com/1188962.html


Please spread the word and link to this post! I look forward to painting for you!

Comments

Prompts

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

Syntropy (the counter-force to entropy; that which creates order)

I'd like the word "syntropy" on the icon, and my favorite color is blue.

Re: Prompts

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

Your original has been sponsored by a generous donor! I probably have your address somewhere, but if you could email it to me, that would make it easier. :)



(icons will follow)

Re: Prompts

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

Oh, and leave a second prompt, since yours was sponsored! :)

Re: Prompts

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

Your icon!

[eseme]

I'd like Hope, please.

I would also like a working PayPal button. The one in your post just takes me to a generic PayPal login, it does not go to a donation page.

[eseme]

Aldo, I like cool colors.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

Merp! I just poked at it, see if it works now - my test went to a donation page. *hopes!* :P

Thanks!

[eseme]

Oh, and a second prompt. My birthday is in October, so Leaves.

[cluudle.livejournal.com]

Dawn.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

Your painting has been sponsored! Please PM me your mailing address, and leave me a second prompt. :)

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

And Dawn is dry at last!

[jenny_evergreen]

So I said birds with green for the big one. I'll leave a second prompt, just in case. :) Ummmm....
Oh, what the heck...you ought to do a great job with "motherhood"! :)

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

Motherhood may take a while to dry...

But the birds dried quickly! I wanted this to be a good companion to the birds I made you earlier, so I picked a matching gold color. I hope they look good together!

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

Jungle Tiger, please!

I am tipping. Text on the icon should say "roar".

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

Oh, the tip is from vickib...and if you need a second prompt, it is "dryad".

[ankewehner.livejournal.com]

Something in bright green (and maybe yellow).

I have no use for an icon, thanks. :)

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

Bright green for you! With hints of yellow!

[ariestess]

Hopefully I'm not too late for this...

1st option :: eternal bliss, maybe something with purple in it?
2nd option :: fire dancer

As for the icon, I'd love my name [ariestess] on it. Thank you!

I have pimped this on DW & LJ. And there should be a $1 donation from terrapin @ stuffyguard.org for you as well. I forgot to list my LJ/DW name in there for reference.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

You weren't at all too late! :) Eternal bliss will take a few days to dry (it's quite thick), and icons will follow, but here is fire dancer:

[jenny_evergreen]

Since you asked for more prompts...:) I DO need a number of icons for different moods; here you go, though don't feel obligated to them if you get a rush of prompts later! :)
Earnest
Needy
Anxiety
Curiosity
Unimpressed
*skims through her LJ to see if there are any others*
I don't need this, but it's an awesome prompt, so: Bodacious!
*thinks some more*
DRAMA!
Eeeeville!
Not that those come up very often, but they might be fun for you to play with. :)

I'll stop now.

P.S. Squee! I see my big one! Yay! :)

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

Service.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

I've done two versions of this now, and I'm not quite satisfied with them yet. I have another painting session tomorrow, and I will post all of your choices at that point. :)

[dahob.livejournal.com]

Cool! I'll play.

Imagine the fae realm merged with the a major city.. faepocalypse. There are four shidhe nobles who hunger for human dreams, but in the manner of the fae are willing to trade for them. the bargain they offer and the dreams they want are a song that can only be heard by those that would be tempted to deal. the songs are:
- The Song of Madness - sung by the Hag, mother of monsters
- The Song of Peace - sung by the Lady, The Green mother
- The Song of Passion - sung by the Maiden, the Spring Bloom
- The song of the the Beast - sung by the Huntsman, the Green Man

I'd be curious to see how you envision any or all of those.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

That was a lot to fit into an ACEO, but it was very inspiring:



Let me know what you'd like your icon to say!

[kelkyag]

I expect you will be flooded with prompts after that request. :) Consider these all bonus ideas in case of excess canvas.

Organic
Rhythm
Rainstorm
Sundered
Quietly
Altruistic
Thirst

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

I got the first three of these done - pick any two! :)






(I wrote it down on my list as rainfall, instead of rainstorm, but... er... close enough!)

(Actually, you can pick all three of these, or two of these and any one of the available pieces that are left... I have more to post, but some are listed here: http://ellenmillion.livejournal.com/1216777.html )

:)

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

My second prompt is for another purple art work. Keyword... um... "curious" (as in the personality trait of "curiosity", not as in "peculiar").

You are wonderful and brilliant!

P.S. - I'd like the word "Lightning" on my icon. Thanks!

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

Curious is still shiny-wet this morning, but here is lightning! (Icons will follow)

[mathhobbit.livejournal.com]

Glow
Cat habitat

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

Glow!

second prompt

[meeksp.livejournal.com]

soft and squishy!

Re: second prompt

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

You actually get your choice - I did one, then sat down and did a second:




Let me know which you'd like, and what you'd like the icon to say. :)

[sibylle]

ok, so my second prompt is ...

prophecy

Prompts

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

My extra prompt is: Serendipity.

It's a happy surprise, or salvation all unlooked-for. Might look good with a cool color in the background and detail in a warmer color that 'pops' out.