You're a Gem! Silk Scarf

A while ago I began planning on releasing a line of beautiful silk scarves printed with my tender watercolour patterns. Due to our imminent mass cross-continental move looming ahead, the project has been halted for now. 

However, I do have the first sample kerchief all finished, and am offering it to the first serious buyer! 100% pure silk, and printed with my pink, green and teal gemstone illustrations. There is only one available.

You're a Gem! Silk Kerchief

Perfect for any fan of sparkles and gorgeous gems, for jewellery lovers, gemmologists.....

Poster Prints Available

"From Dust" is still available for those interested in ordering her as an A1 sized poster-print. 

From now on all my images can be made available on this size as special canvas prints - a great new development for shows and exhibitions internationally, as they can be rolled up and posted in a tube, then unrolled on location.

For artists interested in ordering their own prints, my other-half is now able to produce large-scale prints in our printing studio, so inquiries and orders are welcome.

A bit of a size.comparison - "From Dust" printed on A1 scale VS me

"The Dead Reef" on exhibit in Central London as a hanging print.

A1 Print Pre-Order

pre-order now

Through the London Graphics Centre "Shop Art" exhibition, my painting "For you were made from Dust" is available to pre-order for a strictly limited time only as a large-format poster-sized A1 print.

You can order your print NOW until the end of JUNE 2013. After this time Pre-Orders will CLOSE and no-more A1 prints will be offered again. This is a very rare opportunity to own one of my artworks printed on this scale - it will not be offered again. Once printing commences through the London Graphics Centre I will be packaging and shipping all prints to their new homes - exact dates are still to be confirmed.

Paper size and Details: A1 professional paper (841 x 594 mm = 33.1 x 23.4 in)

Printed with professional print technology thanks to the London Graphics Centre and "Shop Art"

Check out the pre-order in my SHOP and order your very own awesome print now!

Don't miss out or you'll regret it I promise you that!

Studio Clearance Print Sale

Studio Clearance Sale!!!

Happening over at my etsy shop right now!

Crazy Cat Lady at 26

A new illustration for a written rant my good friend Sasanki wrote  about deciding to become a crazy cat lady at 26. Her piece is in the process of being published for a way awesome magazine - if all goes well my picture will be accompanying her writing.

Stay tuned for my screaming glee if we are published together. Fingers crossed!

Perfume and Rouge

A couple of the touched-up illustrations for the fashion and product sections of my new illustration portfolio...

King Matty Collage

With the new illustration-site up, I tried to collect the few decent scans I had from the extensive illustration project I worked on last year (60+ paintings illustrating the folktales of Hungary and Transylvania). Sadly, the photographs I took to document each new piece were terrible quality, and without the originals physically with me I had to cull almost all of the works as inferior quality to showcase on the website.

We did manage to save a few, and my adventure-man did his best with photoshop to get them looking clean and professional. Here is one example - and the link to the portfolio: book illustration

King Matty the first - written by Janusz Korczak, illustrated by Monika V. Diak

Illustration Website Launch

I am very proud to be able to present the first version of my new illustration-portfolio!

It's very basic, but we made the entire site ourselves (A HUGE shout-out to my adventure-man, without his immense help this site would be nothing more than a pile of sketches scattered around my studio.) We hope that it is simple and straightforward to navigate, giving a brief overview of how amazing the site could be with heaps more commissions, collaborations and awesome illustration projects to showcase - so please, take a look, give us your tips and feedback - and PASS IT ON!!

without further ado (drumroll....) I present...

 www.monikadiak.com

www.monikadiak.com

Stop-Motion Portrait

My adventure-man and I put together a short stop-motion clip of a small portrait I painted in watercolours for the "about" page on my new illustration portfolio. 

It's the first time we've made something like this, and we'd love to get some feedback. We've had a couple of tips already, (like placing the camera on my left side) which we'll have to do a bit of studio re-arranging to accommodate, but all good ideas! (we won't be able to do a birds-eye-view one because as you'll see in the clip, I practically lie all over my drawing as I work, so a continuous stream of the back of my head might not be so interesting! hehe)

Later we made a "zoomed-in" version too, with different music (perhaps in some countries the old video cannot be played because of the track chosen to accompany it)

which do you like better?

Poesy Illustrations

A mosaic I put together of some of the illustrations I created for Victoria Buckley Jewellery as displays for her poetic poesy rings and gorgeous precious jewellery - see her Pocket full of Poesy Etsy shop for more.

I'm working on an online web-portfolio specifically to present my illustrative work, both book illustration and commercial product and fashion illustration. I think the first preview (with a fair few "coming soon" pages) should be able to go live fairly soon!

Cor Meum Tuum Est

My heart is yours

A new large piece in slow, methodical progress.

Ali Miles Jewellery Collaboration

Monika Viktoria Illustration for ALi Miles Fine Jewellery

A series of bright jewels and gems I painted for the incredible Ali Miles Fine Jewellery - based in Sydney, Australia. Her new website has just launched, and it was my pleasure to be a part of it, creating this original watercolour painting of "Siren" wearing her gorgeous Silver and Gold  Mermaid rings, crusted in tiny Sapphires and Diamonds. 

I encourage you to visit her website for a peek at some beautiful, hand-crafted treasures. Keep your eye out for the project section, featuring my series of paintings here.

The beautiful Gold and Silver Mermaid rings that were the inspiration for "Siren"

It was my utmost pleasure to work on this exciting and wonderful project with Ali miles Fine Jewellery. For queries about commissions and collaborations, please drop me an email:

 monimano @ hotmail . com

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Pastel Gems

Some more images from the collaborative project I've worked on these past few weeks. Gemstones painted in pastel washes of watercolour.

I never used to be the sort of girl that was entranced by glitter and gold... that is until I started work for a fine-jeweller a few years ago. The artist in me entranced by colours, and the nerd intrigued by what nature can do, fell under the spell of precious gems. Ever since I've been hoping to collaborate with a designer on illustrative and jewellery related projects.

Shop re-location

 

Like an amazing flea circus or one of those men selling stolen pocket-watches from the inside of a black cape, we ran into our shop yesterday morning, packed everything up, and relocated to a much nicer space before anyone could blink an eye.

Our new home is now Lot 448, (the basement, oooooh) Camden Stables, Chalk Farm Road.

So we didn't really move that far, but our new shop is slightly bigger, less flooded, and is next to an awesome cafe decked out in reclaimed vintage furniture, lampshades, pictures covering every inch of their walls. And the irresistible aroma of coffee and sandwiches being made.

Boudoir Pinups

With the thriving rockabilly scene in London, and some upcoming alternative markets I might be taking part in, I've been painting a few pin-up babes to add some spice to my portfolio!

The originals are for sale, or canvas prints can be made upon request.

"alone tonight"

"alone tonight" (detail)

"call me"

 

"the persuasion"

Shop Update

With the little Shopette in London open for a few days now, all our energies have been directed at getting it nice and stocked up, filled with beautiful art. So far we have a selection of canvas prints, framed artworks, originals, postcards, stickers and magnets, as well as a budding line of necklaces and pendants - all featuring my illustrations.

But that's no fun if you're not in London, huh? I got the bulk amount of canvas prints on offer up in my ETSY shop too - so go and take a peep if there's something you like! For all my followers, if there's a particular illustration of mine you'd like as a print, but don't see it in the shop, send me a convo through etsy and I'd be happy to print special requests :-) That's my little treat for you!

Now I think I've managed to keep prices pretty low for Christmas, but for every order of more than two prints I'll add little treats and presents. Sound yummy? Go on, take a look!

The Good Fae

The finished piece - 106cm tall by 75cm wide, watercolour on aquarel paper.

My depiction of the three "good faeries" from the Grimm Brother's tale of Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty).

I had to hold myself back from adding roses and flowers... but I didn't want it to be too "pretty".

The Tale of Briar Rose

 Watercolour and mixed-media collage on Paper, A1 (75cm x 52cm)

From the Grimm Brother's tale of Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty).

Blue Mouse

My second "mousetoinette" (Mouse the first can be found here)

Watercolour on paper, A2.

On my FB art- page we've got a little game going: propose a mousy character from History... a great one for me to paint is the Three Mousekateers... any more mousy ideas? I'd love to hear them!!

The Young Regent

The Young Regent,Watercolour on Paper / 75 x 52 cm

The second illustration out of four intended to be displayed at the Poznan Children’s Book Illustration Salon in Poland. 

I write a bit about the story and illustration salon here.