We are casting for female photo subjects for an upcoming portrait painting series by Adesina:
We’re looking for the maverick mavens, the wise women elders, the nonconformists, the accomplished intellectuals, the gorgeous giving souls, the neighborhood heroines, the forever young & full of joy, the women who have a story to tell!
Know a woman who fits this description? Send them this way!
Location: Manhattan, NYC (no travel reimbursements; please only apply if you live in the NYC metro area)
Shoot Dates: One half day shoot will be scheduled for each participant. Mid-July through Mid-August 2025. Weekdays.
Rate of Pay: $200, Copy of Photo (& Copy of Final Painting if one is created from your photo)
Usage: The photos will be used as reference images for a series of paintings which will be shown publicly and made available for sale. You may or may not be recognizable in the final painting. Not every photographed subject will make it into a final painting. The photos themselves, your written story, as well as behind the scenes video taken at the shoot, may be displayed publicly in Adesina’s portfolio, social media, and website, for behind the scenes purposes, but will never be sold. Artist reserves the right to display and use the photos & your written story for the above mentioned purposes in perpetuity.
Submission Requirements:
Application Deadline: July 15th for the first round
Submission form: CLICK HERE>> (opens in new tab)
Details:
Seeking inspiring women with intriguing life stories, for a fine art photography shoot, to be used as reference images for a series of highly detailed, surrealistic paintings. You will receive a digital copy of one of the photos, as well as a digital copy of any resulting painting that you may appear in, for use in your own portfolio (you may not be recognizable in the final painting).
ALL TYPES NEEDED – IF YOU HAVE AN INSPIRING LIFE STORY, READ ON!
We are creating ROLE MODELS for the next generation of women, so if YOUR story is one that teaches a lesson, or can inspire young women to BE THEMSELVES, fight for what they BELIEVE in, and not follow the herd, I want to hear from YOU.
Below are a list of Goddesses/Archetypes that we are looking to recreate for the modern world. Feel free to let me know which archetype you might be good for, but it’s ok if you are not sure!
The Photo Shoot:
You will be photographed by Adesina, at a Manhattan photo studio, for use as reference images for the final paintings. Hair, makeup and some light costuming will be provided, and will be mutually discussed prior to shooting. No nudity. We are creating heroic, Goddess-like images, but with a modern & edgy twist, meant to inspire and motivate other women.
You will have to sign a release for the images, as well as for your story. You may decide to stay anonymous or to have your actual name used in promotional materials; that is up to you.
Submission form: CLICK HERE>> (opens in new tab)
Good luck and we look forward to reading your submissions!
Happy New Year! 2025 has arrived and with it, is another cute animal drawing by yours truly, and also – an art show!
First and foremost, please welcome, our latest arrival, gazing out the window (doubtless at birds he’d like to eat!) with great focus and aplomb, TOEny:
TOEny is the furbaby of Paula, a mutual friend on Instagram, and apparently, he’s a polydactyl cat, hence the spelling of his name — but he’s more than just his toes, and as you see from my portrait, drawn from a beautiful photo his mama took of him, he has FANTASTIC green eyes. To highlight them, I added metallic glitter pen that sparkles when you look at the piece from different angles! And, because white whiskers on dark fur can be a challenge, this drawing is actually a PAINTING, because I painted the whiskers in white acrylic paint, giving them a 3D effect!
I drew many cute animals in 2024, some of which I’ve posted to this site, however this is probably the culmination of all the 2024 cute animal drawings I’ve done. And almost as if to celebrate, I’m happy to announce that I’ve been invited to show three of my drawings in a group art show in Westchester!
Details:
PodArt Gallery - January Show! @ ThePod by CocoaCompassion 11 Cedar Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY
Artists:
ADESINA & Isabel GrossmanOpening: Saturday, January 4, 2025 6-7pm Free and Open to the Public!
UPDATE: ALL 3 PIECES ARE SOLD! I sold out! Thank you to Suzanne for purchasing and giving my little animals new homes! 🙂
All art will be for sale and available to purchase the day of the opening, and for as long as they last for the month of January. 20% of the proceeds will go to benefit mental health & wellness programming, which is very appropriate because these drawings (as well as the other art in the show) were all done in the name of mental health. 2024 was a challenge, and truly, drawing these sweet little animals was such a welcome break from more “serious” work, and really helped me jumpstart my mental health practice of making art not just to impact the world, but also…just because it makes me happy! (And ironically, by selling these pieces to benefit mental health initiatives, they are still impacting the world — so win-win!)
Drawings I will be showing:
“TOEny: Cat in the Casement”
“Hallucenogenic Hare”
“Road Trip? Alpaca Lunch!”
Please come down to the POD on Saturday if you are in Westchester or the metro NYC area; I would love to see you!
In the meantime, Happy 2025 and stay tuned for more art, more fun, and more community!
xoxo,
ADESiNA
2024 Hallucinogenic Hare Drawing (Original) by Adesina:
6″ x 8″ Colored Pencil & Ink on archival paper.
SOLD*
*Original artwork has been sold; please get in touch if you are interested in buying a print!
Rabbits and hares are not the same kind of animal. I learned this in elementary school, yet surely poetic license would permit me to confound the two in the name of alliteration? 😉 Let’s go over some of their differences:
Size:
Rabbits are smaller, generally, and hares are generally larger, with longer legs, longer ears… Hares are big rangy creatures — they are definitely not familial with the Easter Bunny!
Sociability:
Rabbits are very social, living in colonies of up to 20 bunnies! I like to imagine groups of them cuddling together, being adorable and snuggly 😉 . Whereas hares are solitary; the lone wolves of the Lagomorph order. Don’t judge! They need their space.
Living Quarters:
Rabbits live underground, in deep warrens, hidden from the world above. Whereas hares live above ground, in nests on open ground.
Infancy:
Rabbits are born helpless; their babies start out naked and blind, and need weeks of care. Baby hares however, come into the world fully fluffed, with open eyes, ready to take it all in.
All of that said, let’s face it: these two species still look quite similar. And after I completed this rabbit drawing, which I had done, admittedly, around Easter time this year 🙂 , I was searching for a title that would embody the iridescent, shimmery, dreamlike quality of the fur. I then recalled a painting by my favorite artist, Salvador Dali: “The Hallucinogenic Toreador.”
I love that painting; and immediately the alliteration jumped out at me: Hallucinogenic… Hare! And so, in homage to Dali, and with apologies to biologists everywhere, I present the title of this drawing:
“Hallucinogenic Hare”
by Adesina
But… why am I suddenly drawing bunnies? Well, this piece is part of my adorable animals series, which I started earlier this year in order to lift my own spirits amidst the chaos of an unruly world.
If you are looking for a bit of “hoppiness” too, then welcome this rabbit into your warren!
2024 Hallucinogenic Hare Drawing (Original) by Adesina:
6″ x 8″ Colored Pencil & Ink on archival paper.
SOLD*
*Original artwork has been sold; please get in touch if you are interested in buying a print!
And stay tuned, because I have good news and new merch ahead, both for this work, as well as for a couple of others.
But in the meantime, I hope this bunny makes you as happy as drawing makes me — “hare,” there, and anywhere you might be 😉 . And feel free to check out the speed drawing video below:
Rabbit / Hare references:
https://modernfarmer.com/2017/03/five-differences-rabbits-hares/
https://www.britannica.com/story/whats-the-difference-between-rabbits-and-hares
https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/mammals/rabbit-vs-hare-whats-the-difference
Ambling along the Andes, adorable alpacas are awash with… Well I ran out of words that start with “a” (and my name’s Adesina lol), so let’s just say: Who doesn’t love alpacas??
And did I mention they are downright delightful? Yes, yes they are.
But there is more to the almighty alpaca than just good genetics and slinging saliva! These Peruvian cuties offer a spiritual impulse for those whom they inspire. According to SpiritAnimals.org, alpacas represent “focus and inner strength.” And CareSherpa.com offers a litany of symbolic underpinnings that alpacas may embody: from adaptability, to fortitude, to stamina.
It makes sense, because alpacas can survive in almost any environment — there’s your adaptability and fortitude right there! And as for focus, well… I visited a herd of alpacas at the Bronx Zoo last year, and they were extremely focused…on the food I was giving them. Not a one of them could be bothered to accept head scritches in lieu of munchies!
Either way, if these past few years have taught me ANYTHING, it’s that focus, adaptability, and stamina, are necessary components to survive in this post-pandemic landscape. If you agree, maybe all of our spirit animals this year, should indeed be the admirable alpacas.
I drew this one a couple months ago in March, and only now have I decided I am willing to part with him. He brought me luck and focus while I was dealing with some crazy deadlines, so if you’re going through a moment where you need a bit of focus, or you just want some luck on your side, now you can make him yours! 🙂
2024 Alpaca Drawing (Original) by Adesina:
6″ x 8″ Colored Pencil & Ink on archival paper.
SOLD*
*Original artwork has been sold; please get in touch if you are interested in buying a print!
Happy New Year! I’m so happy to ring in the new year with a pencil in my hand (actually several lol!). For my first drawing of 2023, I decided I wanted to bring some color into this wintery northeast weather, and I drew two fluffy, cuddly sun conures in love, snuggling together on a branch. Awww :).
When I first started sketching, I actually wasn’t even sure what kinds of birds I was going to draw; I only knew that I wanted them to be some kind of parrot. But as they started to take shape, I realized Valentine’s Day is coming up, and wouldn’t it be nice to get some reds and warm colors in there? And then the perfect bird came to me: sun conures!
It was so much fun using colored pencils and ink to bring them to life. I just love their little yellow bodies and the warm reds and oranges that punctuate their plumage, and I hope you do too! If you’d like to purchase this original piece (and maybe give it to your love for V Day?), feel free to get in touch via this form (opens in a new tab), and I’ll message you with the price for the original, or you can purchase a print right now, below!
Artwork arrives rolled in a cardboard tube; please unroll and flatten under a book before matting or framing.
*$22.35 plus tax and shipping. NO shipping outside of the 48 states.
In the meanwhile, check out my Instagram to watch a time lapse of me drawing it, and let me know what you think!
Best wishes for a prosperous new year,
Adesina <3
Look what just came out of the kiln! I’m always so excited when a new piece emerges, like a phoenix, from the flames. The transformation from impermanence to (semi) permanence reminds me of reincarnation, like a little death that actually brings eternal life.
I don’t mean to get spiritual, but in this case it’s particularly important, because this mini ceramic piece is a sculpture of a goddess. I was walking through the Greek and Roman galleries at the Met recently, and noting all of the impressive sculptures and busts of gods and goddesses, and thought, why can’t we create our own mythology? One that borrows from ancient traditions, but is tailored to what we need from our spiritual guides, in our own, modern lives?
With that in mind, here’s a short video with some of the steps I took to create her:
Now, there’s more to the story behind this piece, but I’ll save it for after the glaze is done. And by the way, the pearls are not part of the sculpture, but they used to belong to my grandmother, who is also an artist, and I when I saw them out of the corner of my eye as I was photographing my art, I just felt compelled to include them :).
Stay tuned for more,
Adesina <3
It doesn’t matter if you’re a creative professional who likes working on your own schedule, or a nine to fiver managing highly confidential client accounts; burnouts are a thing! When it comes to artists and creative folk in particular, burnout is sometimes related to a lack of inspiration.
Personally I’ve felt burned out on numerous occasions in my career and have found that there are things we can do to re-inspire ourselves and get those creative juices flowing again. I’m going to share some of those with you here over the course of this blog. Bonus: This is really two blog posts in one, because at the end, I’ll share one final way to stay creative (making prints), that will add a new facet to your art business in the process!
Inspiration for an artist is where all the beautiful and captivating work springs from. Without it, creating becomes a lot harder, if near impossible. How does one overcome the feeling of burnout and proceed to re-inspire? Here are some tips that can help.
At times, amidst a burnout, you might have a fleeting idea when you least expect it. At these times you would probably wish you had your art supplies or tools close by. Well, why can’t you? Keep your basic supplies close at hand. Even when on the go, carry a sketchbook or moleskin. This way, you can catch that fleeting inspiration when it comes and build on it later!
As many artists would know, there are times when a process has you studio-bound for days, if not weeks on end. This is all well and good, however if the walls of your studio start closing in and your feel inspirationally dry ? Get out! Immerse yourself in some spontaneous activity. Hit the city center, go get yourself some ice cream, talk to a stranger. Basically, live a little. Life is full of inspiration and there is no telling where it might come from!
Artist sitting on the floor with their brushes
At times as artists, we get a little caught up in our technique and pursuing perfection. The trouble with this, is that at times we can become self critical to the point of stagnation. If this is the case with you, and you find yourself shooting down your own work before you even begin, lighten up. Take out your paints or whatever medium you use, and make a mess — on purpose! Have at it. Get the clutter out, and the good ideas will surely flow!
If you’re feeling a little tired of the medium you’re working with, shake things up a bit! Try out another medium or even another art form entirely. Your mind is vast and there will likely be more ways than one to re-spark your creativity. I like to rotate entirely different mediums on a regular basis: ceramic sculpture on day, oil painting the next, and then a quick pencil sketch on the weekend — like this one below, that I drew recently!
Artist Adesina sketches a young woman with sea green eyes.
Observing and taking in other works of art is actually quite inspiring. You might have heard of artistic responses. An artistic response is work done by one artists inspired by the work of another. If you feel you’re running short on inspiration, visit some of the local galleries or connect with other artists to view their work.
You can even look for original artwork for sale, (or prints if you’re on a budget), that you can put up in your own studio, and surround yourself with art to inspire and uplift you! My skull framed art prints (see below) are among my most popular pieces with my fellow artists. And if you’re local, there’s always a lot of brilliant artwork for sale in NY that you could check out and possibly use to re-inspire yourself. I recommend hitting up the galleries down in Chelsea, and once you’ve found something you like, you can wrap up your afternoon with a stroll down the Highline — a perfect close to an inspiring day!
Skull, Poster-size original skull art by Artist Adesina | Buy a Print
Still can’t find that spark of inspiration to create something new? Well, why not re-invent something old? Creating prints out of your favorite pieces of art is a great way to stay productive & creative, without the pressure of having to make new work. And if you plan to eventually license your work for products, a lot of the steps you must undertake to make prints, will help you with that as well.
First, depending on the size & shape of the piece & the size of the prints you want, you’ll have to decide if you want to scan or photograph your work.
Very large pieces, and pieces that have 3D elements, might work out better with photography. Make sure you have good (sunlight or artificial light that is daylight temperature), even lighting, and that there is no glare on your artwork if it’s shiny. When I was creating my skull framed art prints, for example (see below), the graphite was super shiny on camera, and although that was ok for displaying the original piece on my web site, I knew that it would be terrible for prints. So I had to re-take the photo, using indirect lighting that came from several angles: diffuse lighting from a set of large windows in front, and three daylight-temperature photography lights positioned around the room, which I pointed away from the drawing, and bounced off the ceiling and walls. It was quite a setup, but it was really worth it, and saved me so much time later in Photoshop.
Moodily lit photo of Adesina’s original Skull drawing 🙂 — Too much shine for prints!
For photos, also make sure that you are using a good, high-resolution camera; a DSLR is great. Plus, be sure that you are using a lens that minimizes distortion. I personally have an 85mm lens that works well for just about all my medium to large works. I also recommend a tripod, so that your shots are crisp and clear.
For smaller pieces, you should scan them in with a high-resolution scanner (600 dpi or more) that is equipped to handle details. Epson and Canon make excellent scanners that last a long time and have great color fidelity. Alternatively, you can take your work to be scanned commercially, but be prepared to pay for quality. I find that in the long run, it makes more sense to invest in a good quality scanner, than to constantly have to outsource your scanning.
Whether you scan or photograph your work, you should still adjust the images afterward in Photoshop. If you don’t have Photoshop, there are a few other programs that might work, however Adobe PS really is the industry standard and makes this work infinitely easier. I believe a subscription is under $10/month at present for the program, although you should double-check before signing up.
Put your artwork in front of you, and compare it to the image on your computer. Do they match up? For photos, pay special attention to the proportions of the image: are the edges straight? Is the image stretched horizontally or vertically, or are the proportions correct? Use guidelines to help you line things up, and turn on rulers so you can measure. For scans, you may have had to assemble multiple scans into one image using Auto Blend; if so, did the merged result come out correctly, or are there tweaks that you need to make where the layers come together?
Next, look at color. Again, make sure you are looking at your original art in good, even, daylight-temperature lighting, and compare it to what you see on the screen. Do the colors match? Instead of editing the actual pixels, use Adjustment Layers like Hue/Saturation, and Curves, to alter the colors of your work. This way you don’t damage any pixels and can easily reverse any changes you don’t like. Also utilize masks and channels if there are only certain parts, or certain colors, that you want to change. Again, this is preferable over chopping up the actual pixel layers, because a mask is easily removed, and also results in a smaller file when you save the PSD.
Finally, you may need to sharpen your image before printing. Again, you must use your artist’s eye to determine if this step is necessary, but if it is, I recommend using the Smart Sharpen filter; and, if the image is not too big, I also like converting a flattened layer of the finished image into a Smart Layer first and THEN applying the filter. This last step enables you to continue to adjust or remove the filter after applying it.
After you are satisfied with how your digital copy looks, you will have to export a flat copy to print. What format you want to use, depends on what service you will print with. If you are doing professional, limited edition giclee prints, I recommend being in direct contact with the print shop and even sending them the PSD file, to make sure they have exactly what they need. For print on demand services like Zazzle or Fine Art America, check their guidelines on their web site, to see what size and format they need.
Some popular formats for art prints are: Jpeg, Tiff, PDF, EPS.
In the past, print files were usually CMYK, but nowadays, some print services are requesting RGB images, that are normally only reserved for on-screen use. Again, check with the print service you are using, for their requirements.
If you have a good printer at home and are printing yourself, then you might want to experiment to see what gives you the best results. First, check your printer’s instructions to see any recommendations the manufacturer may have regarding art prints, and the type of paper you are using. Secondary to that, in my experience 8 bit Tiff files, at 300 dpi, CMYK, have looked best on my own personal printers.
Once you have exported a flattened version of your image, you’re all set to go! Print it out, or send it to your print service. And of course, don’t forget to update your web site with your new offering! Congrats, you now sell prints :).
There are many other ways for you to get re-inspired. It’s really about getting out there and figuring out what works for you best! As an artist; true inspiration is really within you, it’s just a matter of finding out what helps you connect with it.
Found this article helpful? Then share it using the sharing tools below. Or leave a comment and let me know what tips you are going to use to get your creative juices flowing, or if you have any questions. I love to help my fellow artists succeed!
Be well,
Adesina <3
One of the things I love about making art, is its ability to freeze time, to keep us conscious of a moment that would normally pass, so that it can never be forgotten.
I painted “Buzzard” (above) in India ink when I was 16 years old. It was one of my first full scale aqueous media paintings. In this piece I see the careful attention to detail, the painstaking rendering of each feather, each shadow, and the love and joy I put into this work as if it were to be the last record of my soul on this Earth — that’s the way I always paint. Looking at this painting makes me happy, in a way that a simple photo never could.
Painting: “Buzzard” by Adesina:
India Ink on archival watercolor paper, painted at age 16, 11″ x 14″
Incidentally, I took the photo itself, of me with the painting, only a few weeks ago. I had elected to finally put the painting up for sale, after decades of not wanting to part with it. In a rush of nostalgia, remembering what it was like to be 16, and exploring a talent I held dearer to myself than even the life that enabled it, I decided — why not take one last photo with my painting, wearing my Sweet 16 dress?? And so I searched my boxes for it, and there it was, the black velvet floor length dress I wore at my Sweet 16. And yes, yes it still fits!
So I sat on the ground, wearing this old dress full of memories, holding one of my favorite paintings that I’ve ever done, and I took this photo that you see here. And then I brought it into Photoshop, adjusted lights and darks, dodged and burned, cropped the image for composition, and basically made another mini work of art, out of the photo of myself with the art lol. You didn’t think I would just leave the photo as it was, flat and boring just out of the camera, did you? Hehe never! I’m an artist; I must put my artist’s touch on every image I create.
I still feel apprehensive about letting this piece go. It’s part of my history & my heritage; it’s representative of my journey & my joy as an artist. But I recognize that the purpose of art, is not only to freeze time, as this painting has done for me, for so many years, but it is also about sharing one’s journey with others. And I know my love of nature, captured in this hand-painted rendering of a creature not often regarded as regal, but who is clearly so, nonetheless, is something that many people share with me. Additionally, I know that there are others who also desire the experience of gazing upon a work of art, where every line, shade and shadow is painstakingly hand-crafted.
This painting is not just a record of a buzzard against a black background. It’s a record of the love a 16 year old budding artist had, for nature and all of Her creatures. It’s a pause in the passage of time, and a journey I’d now like to share, with the world.
Thank you for spending a moment with me here, and if you are interested in having this piece in your home, please follow this link, or contact me if you would like a print; I will not be making unlimited prints of this piece, however I may make small postcard prints of it upon request.
xoxo,
Adesina
Hey there! I’ve been busy in the studio and thought I’d share a work in progress that just came out of the kiln! And yes lol, it’s meant to be in two halves — it opens!
Here’s a video of it that I posted on Instagram:
View this post on Instagram
Right now I’m calling it “Heartfelt Values” but that could change as it evolves. I actually started out with a very different concept – a heart yes, but for very different reasons than its current purpose. Now I’m going to add some additional pieces to give it context – I bet you can’t guess what I’m adding?
I’m also excited about the stand I’m making for it, out of a completely different material. Stay tuned for updates, and for my full artist’s statement on the piece. It’s going to fit nicely with the rest of the series when it’s done.
Love,
Adesina
xoxo
So pleased to share this mini head which I made as part of a larger series. As you can guess from this blog post title, I’ve taken some inspiration from Black Panther – the underglaze mimics Shuri’s face paint!
Check out a short video of this piece, below:
Making art is such a soothing and self-affirming process. Sculpting this piece in particular reminded me of my first sculptures as a child, because back then I was very much preoccupied with finish, and on this piece, I tested several underglaze combinations before I was satisfied.
There’s more to come with this piece and others, so bookmark its portfolio page for updates!
xo,
Adesina (She Opens the Way)
