31DC: Inspired by art

Like fashion, I am not really knowledgeable about art.  I'm a big believer of the cliche "I don't know art but I know what I like" and, really, "I know it when I see it."  Call me uncultured, that's okay.  I was nervous about this challenge until I remembered the bird and artist I fell in love with when I visited my friend in New Orleans last fall.  The delightful and talented Katie Leese is my inspiration today!  Please, please, please go check out her Etsy shop and take in all the adorable awesomeness!  I was fortunate enough to see her work and meet her as she sold her work at Jackson Square--her little bird is really the only souvenir I took home with me.  No untrieds today.

How cute is that?  "Love is the answer" with a crossword puzzle?  Brilliant!  I could not get enough of these little birds and it was SUCH a hard choice to just pick one! 

This was another polish-heavy art mani, so I'll run them down for each nail as I go.

 

I was worried that my bird would look nothing like a bird!  In this close up I can see that the eye needed a touch-up, but in real life you can't see that.  I was really happy with how he turned out!  I used 2 coats of Sinful Colors Unicorn for my background.  I outlined the bird with Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Black Out and a small paint brush.  The body is China Glaze Four Leaf Clover and the wing and beak are Zoya America.  I used the red and teal because those are the colors of my own little guy.

This is my little crossword puzzle nail.  I used 2 coats of Sinful Colors Snow Me White and Black Out for the squares.

 

This one is based on another painting that I have fallen in love with!  "I love olive you" is 2 coats of Zoya Yara with America and Black Out for the accent.  This turned out really well!

 

 

This, however, did not... I needed a fifth design, and should have done another little bird.  Instead, I tried to make her little signature/logo.  This was not wise.  We'll move on...

 

I had to get the long legs and little bird feet in!  This is 2 coats of China Glaze Gothic Lolita and Black Out.

So, I'm 85% happy with this.  That ring finger is a mess, so ignore that, and the res isn't too bad.  This macro setting is a bit less forgiving than the naked eye is, but overall I'm glad that I remembered these little bird and this super-cute artist for today!  Do you have any really cool artist finds on Etsy (aside from polish--it's a given that I'm already stalking dozens of those shops!)?  I'd love to find more ways to wast time on there!