stephaniecost

[stephaniecost]

"Alizarin Crimson"

Alizarin was the first pigment synthetically made, and it was done by the first organic chemists who managed to isolate one of two color agents in the Madder plant. Madder had been used for thousands of years, and is still used, as an organic red dye with a beautiful range- a lot of the dye industry's historic secrets have centered around techniques for creating a predictable shade from many variants possible with the same plant.

Alizarin was isolated from its sister-compound, Purpurin, and since the former is lightfast, Synthetic Alizarin became extremely popular and ushered in countless more synthetics that were cheaper to produce than the more fickle plant and insect farms that red pigment had been relying on.

[stephaniecost]

This summer I did seven Huldra illustrations for Encounters with the Imaginary, vol. 3! 

If you’re interested, please check out our Kickstarter. I think there’s going to be over 160 pieces of art and something like 45 stories in this book, it’s a huge deal to us.  Thank you!!

[stephaniecost]

Just a life update! I’ve expanded and updated my online store and it includes in the first listing (that image there) about half proceeds going toward The Hispanic Federation (hurricane relief for Puerto Rico).

Please bookmark the shop if you’ve ever wanted to buy my art! I update it fairly regularly now. And check out the Federation charity link here!:

The Hispanic Federation

Art Prints!

[stephaniecost]

The Huldra.

Artist is me! Stephanie Cost.

[stephaniecost]

More mermaids, 2018.

[stephaniecost]

“Quietude”, a drawing I did for MerMay this year. I just ordered prints of it and realized I never posted them!

[stephaniecost]

“Huldra and the Ghost”

I’m part of an anthology this year called Encounters with the Imaginary (vol. 3) and it’s stuffed with incredible fantasy art. Check it out! 

[stephaniecost]

“Descending”, my labor of love that started at the IMC workshop and ended up at home in the Light Grey Art Lab “The Ultimate Fantasy” show in Minneapolis. The theme was Worldbuilding and I’m stoked to do more in this universe. 

The shop link is here!

[stephaniecost]

"Lead White", part of my new “CHROMA” series on the history of pigments and dyes.

The theory that lead poisoning led to the fall of the Roman Empire is largely disputed, but we know from Vitruvius and Pliny as well as modern excavations that lead was used not only in their cook-ware and water pipes, but as a popular cosmetic and artist's pigment.  

Lead White's lethality reached a peak in the 1700s and 1800s when it was used in European society for fashionable red and white makeups, and later as the key ingredient in "age-defying" facial creams.  Because this poisoning of the skin caused a host of issues that included swelling eyes, blackened teeth and skin, and baldness, it was often depended upon MORE as a concealer.  These effects also gave rise to the trends of shaved hairlines and black masks to the cover the face.  

Incredibly, the effects of lead poisoning have been known since and during Roman times, but it's only been very recently that lead has been officially discontinued in plumbing and cosmetics.  Luckily artists didn't smear lead white on their faces or cook with it, but because it is such a lustrous pigment it's still (cautiously) used today.

[stephaniecost]

“Egyptian Blue”, my second in a brand new series that’ll focus on the history behind color pigments.

Egyptian Blue was first manufactured around 2500 BC, and although it was incredibly tricky to make (specific temperature and oyxgen levels in the firing of a glassy solid) it was easy to work with and remained popular for a long time.

Recently it's made a revival after the discovery that it (calcium copper silicate) can be broken down into "nano sheets" that produce infrared radiation. After falling into disuse for a few thousand years, it's now being used in new medical imaging devices.

[stephaniecost]

“Tam Lin”

Digital, by Stephanie Cost

Done for Month of Love’s last challenge, “White”

[stephaniecost]

“Indian Yellow”

by Stephanie Cost

Digital, done for the Month of Love challenge, “Yellow”

Historically the pigment “Indian Yellow” was made from the urine of cows in Bengal that had been fed nothing but mango leaves.  Indian Yellow was a favorite of both watercolor and oil painters, but its production was despised by other Indian farmers due to the cruelty of the practice and the torture of sacred animals.  In the early twentieth century it was prohibited, likely due to both this and the British laws against animal cruelty.

[stephaniecost]

“Dormida” by Stephanie Cost Digital stephaniedraws.com

Done for the Month of Love challenge “Red”.

For this year I pulled a lot of inspiration from love stories and folklore throughout the world.  Read about the Aztec story of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, and the mythical formation of the mountain called La Mujer Dormida, here.

[stephaniecost]

La Ramée and the Phantom

By: Stephanie Cost

Medium: Digital (Photoshop)

For the 2018 Month of Love challenge, “Black”

For Month of Love this year I’m going to be looking at a lot of folklore and fairy tales.  La Ramée and the Phantom is a french story about an ex-soldier that stays in a haunted church for three nights.

“ever since the king’s daughter died, a phantom has smothered, every night, a soldier left on guard in the church.”

[stephaniecost]

“Julian”

More knights? y/y

[stephaniecost]

“Half Asleep”, digital

Part of my 2018 Sketch-a-Day music project, where each drawing is inspired by a different song.

[stephaniecost]

“You Can’t Knock Me Down”

Oh hey it’s Katara.  My “After Avatar” series is almost at its 1-season mark. It’s been a crazy progression with these.  Each one is inspired by an environment prompt I take from the Last Airbender universe. This one was harrowing. I have a long way to go, but I want to do more like this. Let me know what you think!