When I upgraded to my new HP Pavilion laptop, I was stuck with Vista, which upset me because I liked XP and heard bad things about Vista. I currently use Vista Ultimate, and here are some good points I've encountered so far:

1. Its pretty.
Hey, I'm a designer and artist. This is important to me. Its got bells and whistles that XP didn't. It is apparently slower because of this stuff but I heard this can be turned off if desired.

2. Installs fonts easier.
I'm a graphic designer and have 1000+ fonts and I'm constantly installing more. Installing fonts was great on Macs: I could right click a font in any folder and select install. Done. In my version of XP Home Premium I had to import it into the Windows Font file to install it. In Vista its the same as the Mac, I can install using right click on the file.

3. Drivers "included in box".
I just finished the last thing I was dreading- installing my old printer on my new laptop. The last time I got a new laptop was about three or four years ago and it was a nightmare. I had to get a new scanner and a new printer, I just couldn't make the old ones work with the new laptop (with what I know now I'm sure I could have worked it out, but at the time I couldn't find a solution). So I almost didn't bother to try installing my Epson to my new laptop, I was just going to hook it up to my fiance's XP laptop. I figured I would give it a try though. I went to go download the driver for Vista and Epson told me that my Epson Photo Stylus 900 (an older printer no longer for sale) already had the drivers installed on Vista. Nice! I didn't have that on my version of XP as far as I know. Let's see if my luck holds out with my scanner!

So as a graphic designer, not a computer person, Vista does have some good points that I didn't enjoy on XP. I haven't encountered a lot of problems yet, more so with the fact that Ultimate is a 64 bit OS versus my XP 32 bit system. For instance, I had problems accessing my work email, and printing to a PDF using Adobe Acrobat Professional. Both problems were solved- one with a fix through Microsoft and another with using a free PDF program called CutePDF (thanks Beverly!). All the problems I've encountered so far have been fixed with a little leg work.

A big annoyance was the User Access or whatever that required me to give the computer permission to do anything. I heard of this beforehand and figured it couldn't be THAT annoying. It is. But it can be easily turned on and off so its really not a problem.

Peter S. Beagle has released a new hardcover edition of The Last Unicorn along with the follow-up short story "Two Hearts", you can buy it signed by the author himself for only $20 from his website: http://www.conlanpress.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=LU-HC

Please buy this book and support the talented writer! He deserves it. This book is one of my favorites. While most women my age are enamored by the lovely Lady Amalthia and her dashing hero Prince Leer, I'd have to say that Schmendrick the Magician and Molly are my favorite characters.

Click here to see the auction: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360033854921



9"x12" original watercolor and acrylic painting on 140lb watercolor paper.

Gemini is my favorite so far. She's the first one I painted and I really enjoyed working on her kimono and her hair and facial expression. My Zodiac Geisha were my final painting class project in college, and now that I've graduated I'm selling the finished paintings. I have already completed Taurus and Aries, both of which have been sold. I will be releasing Cancer, Virgo, and Leo in the coming weeks.

Please feel free to view the auction!

Just a quick sketch for fun. Model from http://faestock.deviantart.com/



It's been a while! Open Canvas 3, Intuos3 tablet, 15 minutes (I'm slow in digital, ok?)

I did the details in the face instead of doing the framework of the whole body first, so its a bit off and a little stiff, but I do enjoy doing this stuff anyway. I miss life drawing classes :[

Aries: Zodiac Geisha

I completed a series of Zodiac geisha for my last semester of college, which I finished in December. These paintings are just beautiful in person and I'm glad to be able to finally offer them on eBay now that I've graduated.

9"x12" original watercolor painting

This week's auction: Spring Ritual
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360001741253

This is my largest painting I've ever offered for sale. It is double matted to a size of 19"x24". It took me months to complete in 2006 and is my most detailed painting yet.

Ending in just 2 hours! Click to see.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Skull-Fairy-fantasy-fairy-goth-purple-original-art_W0QQitemZ280177459316QQihZ018QQcategoryZ20158QQcmdZViewItem

Original Painting, "Skull Fairy" for sale on eBay with free hand painted mat.
Click to see

Ending tomorrow, two original paintings:


Framed mixed media acrylic painting, "Winter Fairy"
Click to see


Original watercolor painting, 4"x6" small format, "Late Summer Rose"
Click to see

Hello everyone!

I am finally selling my most popular original painting, "Winter Fairy"




It has received over 20,000 views in my online gallery since I uploaded it in 2006 and it has sold dozens of prints through my website, eBay, and at conventions. It is by far my most popular painting, and one of my favorites.

This painting was create in Adobe Photoshop, printed professionally in an archival quality Giclée process onto a gallery wrapped canvas, and then finished by me with Liquetex acrylics with a number of beautiful details that will never be found in any of the prints I sell of this painting. This makes it the original version of this mixed media painting!

It also comes framed and ready to hang for free! Just in time for the holidays, this makes a beautiful gift.

It is absolutely gorgeous in person, I wish that I had a better camera so I could catch the rich depth of color in the painting.

Please feel free to click here to view the auction.

The original painting is 5"x7" and is framed at 8"x10" in a cherry wood frame with a black mat on which I hand painted silver pearlescent acrylic swirls and embellishments.

I got to the gallery with two minutes to spare tonight to drop off this painting for an open call show for local artists. The original will be on display and for sale at Bear & Bird Gallery for a show called "Skull Sessions", click here for more information: http://www.tatescomics.com/munny/SkullSessions1007/Promo/CallingAllLocalsPromo.html

I am selling a 4"x6" print of Skull Fairy starting at only $0.99! Click here to see: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280163197096

Just a reminder that "India Ocean" ends tomorrow and is only $19.99 for an original, 4"x6" painting:

I'm not able to paint as much personal work as I'd like right now. I am finishing my BFA in Graphic Design in December, so school work keeps me very busy. However, I am lucky enough to be taking an independent study class in painting that allows me to paint whatever I want! I'm developing a very cool project that is a lot of fun for me, I'll post more about it in the coming weeks.

But, because of school and my job being the most important things right now, I don't have a lot of time to produce new art to sell on eBay. After I graduate I will have more time on my hands than I've had in almost eight years! I won't know what to do with myself. I'm sure I'll be painting to fill up my extra time.

Today I am listing a new painting on eBay inspired by my growing appreciation of India's visually stunning culture. A sari is wrapped in a particular fashion around the body, so this is more "inspired" by the look of this beautiful Eastern gown. It stands to reason that I would love saris if I also like kimonos. There are many similarities- rich layers of beautifully patterned fabric draped and wrapped around the figure, making elegant swoops and shapes that are lot of fun to draw.

"India Ocean"
Original 4"x6" watercolor and acrylic painting starting at $19.99. Click to see!

Don't forget! The second painting in my Kissy Bubble series ends tomorrow!

"Kissy Bubble Angry Mermaid"
Click here to view, only $9.99!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ANGRY-MERMAID-fantasy-fairy-cute-punk-goth-pop-ACEO-ART_W0QQitemZ280156149354QQihZ018QQcategoryZ20158QQcmdZViewItem

This week's newest ACEO painting is the second installment of my Kissy Bubble series! Today I am offering "Angry Mermaid", please click to see:

Kissy Bubble Angry Mermaid, $9.99
Click to see

My big end of summer sale ends in only 8 hours! Please click below if you are interested, or follow this link: http://stores.ebay.com/Art-by-Amanda-Robbins

After many requests I have added puppies to the list of small, cute animals to create in ACEO format:

"Puppy Love"
Click to view auction


Also, because of the interruption I had in my store-wide sale, I have extended it to the 20th of this month!

Please feel free to browse the prints I have for sale:

My apologies, my End of Summer sale is on a brief hiatus this morning. It will be back up and running at 7am Pacific, 10am Eastern.

This week I have a new mermaid ACEO for auction on eBay.

"Mermaid & Penguins"
Click here to view the painting.


Also, I am having an End of Summer store-wide sale on ALL my 4"x6" prints, ALL my 8"x10" prints, and ALL my Limited Edition, hand embellished ACEO Prints. The sale is only going on this for a week, this week, until September 15th 7:00PM EST. I probably won't have another sale like this until the end of the year.

4"x6" Prints for $1.25

8"x10" Prints for $9.99

ACEO Prints for $2.99