// portraits //

 

Full portrait, as promised. I don't have a name for this one... Suggestions? • • #portrait #painting #acrylic #red #girl

A photo posted by nina derespino (@ninette1998) on May 18, 2016 at 1:06pm PDT

Full shot of Memories. Anyone guessed the subject? • • #portrait #painting #acrylic #man #green

A photo posted by nina derespino (@ninette1998) on May 18, 2016 at 1:07pm PDT

I've been getting into acrylic in the fairly recent past... I'm loving doing these portraits. I'm planning to do more, but I say that a lot and then never fulfill so no promises.

// drawing //

 

decided to chill, draw and listen to music, in defiance of the huge amount of dishes i need to wash... they'll wait a little longer. today's the first day we've had to rest in weeks. we're halfway through our run of the sound of music! i edited the photo a little to show the colors better. 

// featured //

hey, I submitted some artwork to the fabulous website, Argonaut Nation! Check it out- the site is awesome and deserves lots of love. I'm in the process of becoming a monthly contributor there.

http://www.theargonautnation.com/doodle-oodle/venus-sleeping-at-last-a-short-comic-by-nina-d

anyone can submit a post though, so if you are an artist, writer, photographer or what have you, I'm sure anything you submit would be loved!! Go take a look, at my post and the whole site. You won't regret it:)

// il canto- tragicomic and song translation //

note:this post originally appeared on my other blog, which I no longer post to. I thought it was of a nature to share here as well. I've edited the post slightly from it's first form. enjoy!

I call this a tragic. It's like a comic- but not comical.

I'm not sure how many hours it took, but I worked on it over the course of a couple days. I took probably 4ish hours one day, maybe more, and probably around the same the second day So I'd say between 6 and 9 hours. And it could be refined quite a bit. O-o But I'm proud of it. I worked from a variety of reference material- why don't I more often? It turned out so much better than normal. But afterwards I was really tired.

Drawing should not be as exhausting as it is.

And, since the text is in Italian, I will now translate.

'Il Canto'- Italian to English translation

Copyright:

Writer(s): Raffaele Riefoli, Luca Barbarossa, Alfredo Rapetti, Romano Musumarra
Copyright: S.I.A.E. Direzione Generale

La notte qui non torna piu                      The night doesn't come here anymore

dal giorno che sei andata via                   Since the day that you went away

Ed il cielo smesso di giocare                  And the heavens have ceased to play

con le stelle e con la luna                        With the stars and with the moon

E le nuvole sono ferme qui                     And the clouds are still here

Come lacrime che non cadono                Like tears that cannot fall(or, that I cannot cry)

Vedi, come il tempo                               You see, as the time

Perde anche il ricordi                             Wastes even the memories

Resta solo il canto                                  Only the song remains

di un amore che non muore                    Of a love that cannot die

Prendi la mia mano                                 Take my hand

Danza con il vento                                  Dance with the wind

Apri la mie ali                                         My wings open

 Posso solo amarti cosi                           I can only love you this way

Vieni, vieni via con me                          Come, come away with me   

That's my translation, with help from google translate and Ryn. It has a repeat but it doesn't fit into the tragic and so I didn't include it. I'd like to attempt a rhymed version sometime, and to try to do more justice to the Italian... Is it not sad? Is it not beautiful??

If you have a chance to listen to it, you should. Il Volo's version with Placido Domingo is what inspired this, but I know Luciano Pavarotti does it, I believe Maestro Domingo does it solo, Paul Potts and Katherine Jenkins also do it I think. I haven't personally listened to any of them, but I'm sure any version would be lovely. If you try any of them let me know!!

{also, in case you wondered, the characters are my originals. some of you  know somewhat of them. they are... deeply sad in story. i love them.}

// project: book cover //

It needed a new cover, so... I was able to use a real photo of Gaudenzia for reference which is cool. Acrylic on fabric #painting #acrylic #gaudenzia #margueritehenry #book #artista #horse #lettering #bookcover #coverart #read #horsebook #italia #palio #cavallo

A photo posted by nina derespino (@ninette1998) on Jan 29, 2016 at 2:04pm PST

Thought I'd share this project I did this afternoon.... I used THIS tutorial to cover a book( the only difference with a softcover is that you trim the tabs at the spine instead of tucking them in.) Then I used acrylics to paint the design. I did a layout sketch first, I really did, but I messed up somewhere and so the letters aren't centered. Next time I'll be more careful:) The horse and lettering was free-handed. Anyways, I hope to try to share more creative/art/etc. posts here as time goes on... also, I'd love to have guest posts if anyone's interested (and can walk me through how to do that;)

 And, you should read this book. Even though it has an ugly original cover in the current paperback edition:) It's simple and lovely and set in Italy... It's one of those horse books you read as a kid but then actually continue to like. Marguerite Henry was one of, if not my favorite authors when I was little and liked horses. And although I don't love horses now(actually I'm a little scared of them, but still love to paint them) and like other author better, her books still hold a special place in my heart.

p.s. if you're on Instagram, prepare to be disappointed by mine- it's all art and I'm still working towards what I want my aesthetic to be. My sister, however, has artsy photography so if you're looking for that vibe, check her out @rynd01

//les miserables//

 

I love Les Miserables.
The book, the musical(25th anniversary concert, is all I'll say), and even the newest film, though I have some issues with, well, most of the casting. I own an old French film version that I've yet to watch, but I can't wait to watch that as well.

The beauty and humanity of the story, the themes of redemption and love, and the drama and realism of the characters.. (I haven't yet read more of Victor Hugo's work, but I'm planning on it. The Disney film of "The Hunchback of Notre-dame" has made me want to read the book, although I know it's much darker.)

And Enjolras and the others don't harm anything either.

"Do you hear the people sing? 

Singing the songs of angry men,

 It is the music of a people 

who will not be slaves again! 

When the beating of your heart

echoes the beating of the drums, 

there is a life about to start

when tomorrow comes!"

Fantine's story is so tragic but true. And although it seems far removed, a story of the past, my heart breaks when I think of the women even today who- through, yes, their own poor choice, much of the time, just like Fantine- are put in the same position. And even though it often is their own fault, does that make it any less sad? I often try not to think about human trafficking- the horror of it is too real and as a young woman myself, a little too close to home in it's fearfulness. But if we turn away, who will help them? I pray that God will someday use me to help those in literal bondage...

"There was a time when men were kind

When their voices were soft

and their words inviting,

There was a time when love was blind,

and the world was a song

and the song was exciting

there was a time....

then it all 

went

     wrong..."

And of course, Cosette and Marius' heartwarming love story. So maybe, in the musical especially, it seems a little... silly. But when you think about it, particularly if you've read the book, their story is a beautiful example of pure, true love. I don't know about you, but when I read Solomon's example of a courtship (Song of Solomon 1-2), I don't see perfectly planned outings and strict rules. Nor do I see immoral, halfhearted dating around with whoever strikes you at the moment.

 I see two people whom God has brought into love, sitting in a garden, talking heart to heart about their love and coming marriage and their deep love for each other. It's beautiful. We shouldn't forget that God ordained love, between the two hearts of a man and a woman. We shouldn't be scared of it, any more than we should cheapen it. Our society has distorted love, but I fear we Christians either go with that flow, or in our proper fear of it distort love too far in the other direction.

Love in the end is just a gift, another picture of Himself that God placed in creation to remind us of who and what He is.

And then there is beautiful Marius-in the book he is a lovely thing, much more so than in the musical-Eponine's selfless love, Jean Valjean of course and his amazing redemption, Javert and his dilemma of justice and grace, The Friends of the ABC and their vision for a better future...

So these are just a few of the reasons I love Les Miz. And you'll probably see more of it in future posts. But for now, 

"Remember the truth that once was spoken- To love another person is to see the face of God."

all artwork original by myself

lyrics from 'Les Miserables'