Tea Sprite-- Rivka Nipper, 2011
Boys in white dresses, with blue satin sashes... This really began as an excuse to draw patterns and use a pink-to-green color pallet.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
"Sarabande" and how GW made me a better person
"Sarabande"-- Rivka Nipper, 2010
Another piece based on my favorite anime, and favorite character, of all time: Treize Khushrenada. Once again, Gundam Wing and its characters are © Sunrise/Bandai 1995
GW was (and still is) the standard I use for measuring my progress as an adult. It gave me an early start in studying philosophy and politics, which I maintain a healthy passion for today, and one of the essays that got me into my college was based partially on my Gundam-inspired musings. This series is what got me through that tricky adolescent period where everything was terrible and nothing made sense with at least some degree of aplomb. When I was a teenager it gave me a reason to engage instead of tune out, to keep going rather than give in. It still does, actually. My heroes from way back when are still my heroes today.
Hey, Gundam Wing, I owe you a lot. Thanks, buddy.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Whisper of Stars-- Gundam Fanart
"Whisper of Stars"-- Rivka Nipper 2010
A piece I did while experimenting with new digital painting techniques and reminiscing about my favorite anime series, Gundam Wing.
I'm not sure that there's anything in this that makes this explicitly fanart, but just in case, Gundam Wing and all its characters are the property of Bandai and the talented people of Sunrise Studios.
Happy third night of Chanukah!
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| For my parents |
Chanukah Cards-- Rivka Nipper 2011
I'm trying to get away from the usual variations on menorah-and-stars for my Chankuah cards. These will be going to some lovely relatives of mine; probably not on time, but hopefully before spring thaw.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
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| Prince, Knight, Dragon-- Rivka Nipper, 2010 |
I love Utena. The manga was a huge inspiration for me growing up, but I didn't get around to watching the anime until senior year in college.
As a self-prolaimed prince who likes fencing and boy's uniforms: It. Blew. My. Miiiiind.
Characters belong to Chiho Saito.
Sixpenny Opera
Characters © R.Nipper and D.Bertocci, Images by Rivka Nipper 2011
Character concept sketches for Sixpenny Opera-- A historical fantasy about a theater troupe in the 1920's. These were originally used as character introduction slides in my senior thesis presentation. They had short biographical descriptions that I have mostly removed. The snippets that remain will hopefully serve to, er... fan the enticing flames of curiosity about the characters.
From the top, moving right to left: Peter Birch, Estelle (a doll), Sydney Gale, Master Cristoff, Mr. Jourdain, Edward "Cricket" Cole, Lettie and Kat.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Woof.
Okay, I think that's the backlog done.
Minus the fan art. I still have to decide if I can/want to post it on this blog or not.
Having a separate blog for derivative works might not be a bad idea, actually...
Minus the fan art. I still have to decide if I can/want to post it on this blog or not.
Having a separate blog for derivative works might not be a bad idea, actually...
In which I design dresses
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| Party People -- Rivka Nipper 2011 |
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| Electric Fish Couture -- Rivka Nipper 2011 |
I've been on a dress-desining kick.
Tiny Prince Wesley saves the day
"Wesley and the Storm Dragon"-- Rivka Nipper 2011
I've been watching too much Adventure Time.
An Exiled Prince and his Dreamship
"The Good Dreamship Argo"-- Rivka Nipper 2011
In my capacity as exiled prince Wesley, I sail a fine dream ship (which I am calling the Oneireme Argos for the moment, because it didn't have a name before now). It is anchored in my imagination, and I take it out on occasions of great change and for adventures.
My faithful owl accompanies me on his moth-glider, and scouts our path through the stars, often in tandem with an angel.
A chamber in this ship contains icons of memory, where those things most dear to me which I can no longer reach in life are stored in bottles, as statuettes, or as paintings.
The good ship Argo is not fixed in its construction, but it often has sails, sometimes wings, and always a wheel at the helm. It is crewed by the guests and permanent residents of my mind; characters invented or borrowed, and various incarnations of myself. It can be defended if necessary from hostile forces. The ship's steward is a stalwart and faithful Rabbit, while its guardian is a snarky and wise tabby Cat.
The terrain we fly over is varied and indescribably beautiful. Sometimes it is assimilated from a physical location, sometimes it is entirely fabricated, or it belongs to a specific land of myth. It is sometimes the imaginary provinces that I preside over in my official post as Prince or General.
The weather depends on mood and the turbulence of a given situation. A foul or desperate mood generates storms. Depression or misery stagnates the ship, becalming it or causing it to sink or fall. Joy and love create fast, fair winds for good sailing. The spirit of adventure overcomes the obstacles in its path.
My faithful owl accompanies me on his moth-glider, and scouts our path through the stars, often in tandem with an angel.
A chamber in this ship contains icons of memory, where those things most dear to me which I can no longer reach in life are stored in bottles, as statuettes, or as paintings.
The good ship Argo is not fixed in its construction, but it often has sails, sometimes wings, and always a wheel at the helm. It is crewed by the guests and permanent residents of my mind; characters invented or borrowed, and various incarnations of myself. It can be defended if necessary from hostile forces. The ship's steward is a stalwart and faithful Rabbit, while its guardian is a snarky and wise tabby Cat.
The terrain we fly over is varied and indescribably beautiful. Sometimes it is assimilated from a physical location, sometimes it is entirely fabricated, or it belongs to a specific land of myth. It is sometimes the imaginary provinces that I preside over in my official post as Prince or General.
The weather depends on mood and the turbulence of a given situation. A foul or desperate mood generates storms. Depression or misery stagnates the ship, becalming it or causing it to sink or fall. Joy and love create fast, fair winds for good sailing. The spirit of adventure overcomes the obstacles in its path.
Meet Mr. Jourdain
"Morphine Peddler"-- Rivka Nipper 2011
Some of you may already be acquainted with Mr. Jourdain, the opium-dealing serial killer from the future-will-be-comic, Sixpenny Opera.
If not, now's your chance to get to know him. He's not an especially nice person, actually.
KNEEL BEFORE SUNBUNNY
"Sunbunny -- Rivka Nipper 2011
LA CARROTTE, C'EST MOI
I'm a sucker for animals wearing tiny crowns. Or anything wearing tiny crowns, really.
Lions in Marble and Bronze
Photographs-- Rivka Nipper 2009
Two photographs I took in Vienna-- An angel in the Augustinerkirche, and a sculpted lion by architect Otto Wagner on the Nussdorf weir.
L'Aiglon - Napoleon II
"L'aglion"-- Rivka Nipper 2011
While studying in Austria, I of course visited Schönbrunn; I saw his death-bust in the Napoleonzimmer, and it was just about the most beautiful and haunting thing I'd ever seen. You can see the skull under the boy's skin, the sculptor was so delicate in his portrayal. He really looks like a sad, lonely, handsome kid whose health has been wasting away in exile.
I couldn't photograph him, and there was nothing in the gift shop or anywhere that I could find with a picture of the bust. I found a few pictures on the internet after much trawling, but the delicacy and detail of the statue were lost.
When my parents and I went back to Vienna this summer, I had to visit him again. Still wasn't allowed to take pictures, but there is nothing that says I couldn't stand there with a sketch pad and DRAW the little prince. I probably annoyed the hell out of the Czech tour guide who was trying to herd a crowd of 50 people through the palace, but it was worth it.
I haven't sketched him perfectly. My life-drawing skills are far from adequate. But I think I managed to catch a little of what was most important to me in the sketch, and that's probably more than I could have gotten with a quick snapshot anyway.
Game Art
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| "BlackSpark Studios: Fatty Frog" -- iPhone/iPad/Android Phone app |
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| "BlackSpark Studios: Pirates vs Ninjas" -- Android Phone App |
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Original Art by Rivka Nipper, © 2010-2011 BlackSpark Studios-- http://blacksparkstudios.com/
We want a Revolution, now
"Thermidor" --Rivka Nipper 2010
I have an unhealthy fascination with the Incorruptible.
Yes. That's right.
ROBOSPIERRE.
Gallows Wolf
"Death is a Human Institution" --Rivka Nipper 2010
Done in paper cut outs, acrylic, copic marker, and stamps.
Orpheus
"Grief" -- Rivka Nipper 2010
I drew this while I was studying abroad in Vienna. There was a very rough patch where my father had had a heart attack and my dog, Pepper, passed away, and I was many thousands of miles away across an ocean. My Music History teacher at the time made me a copy of Gluck's "Orphée et Eurydice, performed the wonderful mezzo soprano Magdalena Kozena as Orpheus, and it just went straight through my heart.
This picture maybe doesn't do the opera, the myth, or my sentiments justice, but it was drawn with noble intentions.
"Gods, what bitterness you mingle with your favors;
Love, what sweetness you mingle with our sorrows."
Love, what sweetness you mingle with our sorrows."
My relationship with opium is strictly literary, thank you
"Papaver Somniferum" --Rivka Nipper 2009
I love opium imagery and prose more than a lot of things.
Love is the gift of tentacles
"Winged Victory" -- Rivka Nipper 2009
This was a Valentine's Day gift for my sweetyowl. He likes Greek statues, tentacles, and Klimt.
It was very kind of him to keep associating with me after I tried to put all those things in a blender.
That's General Cat Girl to you, bub
"Deflower" -- Rivka Nipper 2008
Strange limb attachments and dubious finger placement aside, this is still a pretty good portrait of my butch cat-lady general, and still the dirtiest thing I've done to a flower.
MORE THINGS IN CIRCLES
Winged Cat Design -- Rivka Nipper 2005
Posting this because one of my best friends got it as a tattoo on her arm, and it looks so intensely radical, you don't even know. I want to cry when I see it. So radical.
I like putting things in circles, okay?
"Mariner's Rose" --Rivka Nipper 2006
Hold my hand. Don't be afraid. We are going back in time... Back to a place called 'high school' where the art teacher let me do whatever I wanted for an hour. This tells you more about him than it does about me.
This went through many iterations, but I think I like the original one with the empty frame best.
Mixing paint and colored pencil over ink was my absolute favorite thing to do for a long time.
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