Imagine
You’re under the stars at a gypsy campfire – music, clapping hands and sparks from the heat of the fire swirling around you…
Dream
You’re twirling, skirts flying and pointe shoes whispering through a haunted forest bathed in moonlight…
Delight in wonder
Your feet crunch across the sand in a city that hasn’t had a footprint for centuries, running your hand across a portal that will reveal your true past…
Hey there!
I’m Ailene, artist
(and nerd)
On my art days, you’ll find me tucked away in my sun-drenched studio, pot of herbal tea on my desk, bringing my imagination to life.
This is for those who read by torchlight, stared out the window wishing they were somewhere else, had your own Lothlorien in the bush up the back, and still believe in dragons.
Let’s find lost cities, haunted forests, sultan’s palaces, and forgotten wastelands. Let’s join gypsy campfires, mermaid pods, and sweeping love stories. Let’s be wild and free.
Be curious
You’re standing on steaming rock in a forgotten wasteland, waiting for the legendary fire dancers to flicker towards you…
Pursue adventure
You hear stone crack and a spray of grit skitters off an overhanging ledge. They’re waking…
Love
You’re enveloped by the scent of roses in a palace garden where a sultry glance and a swirl of skirts begins a romance…
Be kind
You’re sitting in the warmth of the morning sun, white petticoats pooling around your legs, about to greet the day with joy – whatever it may bring…
Be wild
You’re with a pod of mermaids as they travel to the Bright, following their sparks of joyful luminescence, as they sing and surge towards the Waylight…
Be free
You’re standing by the cliffs edge, staring as she breaks free and dives, arms outstretched, into the void. But she doesn’t fall. The wind catches her…
Painting... on a computer
What is digital painting?
Like any painter, I start by priming a canvas, setting up my colour palette, choosing a brush, and dipping it in colour.
Then, I lay down a ground, a base wash of colour that anchors the piece. On top, I block in a messy, tonal underpainting. Then, layer by layer, brush stroke by brush stroke, I smear colours and pull out the details. My final touches are coats of glaze-like colour, light, and texture to bring it all together.
How is this different to traditional painting? My canvas and paint are pixels. I move my virtual brush with a pen and tablet. And because my original painting is just data sitting on a hard drive, it means I need to print my art to bring it into the real world.
What about the images that look like a photograph?
Some of my art is photography. Just like a digital painting I start by priming a digital canvas, then my first step is compositing. I combine layers and layers of photographs – the background scene, sky, the subjects, then detailed elements like flowing fabric, hair, mist, or fire – to bring my surreal world to life. My next steps are to paint in light and shadows and add layers of colour and texture, creating the atmosphere and giving my images an old-world, painterly feel.
Why do I choose digital?
Well, the creative process isn’t always that linear. When I start without a clear final picture in my head, the image has room to evolve and surprise. Sometimes I have to smear colours around to see what they reveal. There are times when a part of a painting needs to move, which is easier with digital paint that never dries. And I can continually experiment – shifting colours, deepening the mood, or lightening the atmosphere – until the artwork brings its magic to life.
From my bucket list
Hang out with me
Be entertained, inspired, mystified, and entranced by the adventures of my artist journey. Inspirations, sketches, new artworks, dancers, swirly skirts, and the occasional cute animal to brighten your day…