Winter Rose (Doll Portrait Series I) I am a small collector and customizer of antique reproduction dolls, and doing a series of paintings on them has been on my list for the longest time. 1/ #gouache #gouachepainting #antiquedoll #carolacostaart #carolacosta #illustrationartist #fantasyart

The view from my desk 🥰🥰🥰. #art #artist #painting #traditionalart

It's been a very long week, so I'm spending my Friday doing a gouache painting of an antique doll - in case you didn't know, I have a small collection of 1/ #gouache #gouachepainting #antiquedoll #carolacostaart #carolacosta #illustrationartist #fantasyart

Finished! A tip to fantasy artists: the better you become at botanical / representational art, the better your fantasy art will be. 1/ #carolacostaart #gouache #gouachepainting #rosepainting #botanicalart #roseart #floralart

Having a very exciting painting session with my new set of Rosa Gouache paints from , painting one of my favourite subjects: the rose. 1/ #carolacostaart #gouache #gouachepainting #rosepainting #botanicalart #roseart #floralart

Yesterday's progress on my Neptune-inspired drawing. While other artists slave to the algorythm, I am in love with how slow the process of art is. #traditionaldrawing #drawing #carolacostaart #sketchbook #fabercastell #paganart #fantasyart #neptune #oceanart #mermaidart #colourpencil

Starting a large colour pencil drawing about Neptune – I never get tired of water themes, and I never get tired of filling A3 sheets with tiny details. #traditionaldrawing #drawing #carolacostaart #sketchbook #fabercastell #paganart #fantasyart #neptune #oceanart #mermaidart #colourpencil

These two lovely ladies have finally dried enough to be framed, in their vintage restored frames – and I could not be happier about how wonderful they look! #carolacostaart #traditionalart #fantasyart #oilpainting #mermaidart #pinupart #painting #botanicalart

Goddess Arts Magazine, the publication which selected me for an online exhibition, has just published this interview with yours truly. Enjoy! www.goddessartsmag.com/post/i-paint...

Continuing with my pinup / mermaid series, and mixing it with some Christmas art. I am in love with this colour palette, and with the gothic-ness of this season. #carolacostaart #traditionalpainting #acrylics #pinupart #traditionalart #christmasart #christmasornaments #fantasyart

Every year, I do some Christmas-related art around this time of the year. It is always a very busy, but very joyful season for me, 1/ #carolacostaart #traditionaldrawing #colorpencil #fabercastellpolychromos #clairefontaine #sketchbook #traditionalart #christmasart #christmasornaments

Did a Six Fanarts Challenge (original idea by @mcapriglioneart) with a Lord Of The Rings film theme – I just got on Pinterest and chose the images as I drew, 1/ #carolacostaart #traditionaldrawing #thelordoftherings #tolkienart #fanart #lotr #sixfanartschallence #portrait

Jen And Kira (The Dark Crystal) Colour pencil on Clairefontaine paper, A4 size. 1/ #carolacostaart #colorpencil #fabercastellpolychromos #clairefontaine #traditionaldrawing #thedarkcrystal #gelflings #brainfroud #fanart #wendyfroud

Spheres Today's sketch – horned creatures is probably my most repeated motifs, and if they are holding a small planet, even better. #traditionaldrawing #drawing #carolacostaart #sketchbook #clarefontaine #polychromos #fabercastell #hornedgod #paganart #fantasyart

After a conversation with another artist on IG about her gorgeous sketchbooks, I decided to give a try to small formats – and the first sketch is a study of a statue of Lord Shiva. 1/ #traditionaldrawing #drawing #carolacostaart #LordShiva #sketchbook #clarefontaine #polychromos #fabercastell

Wonderful news! Three of my works have been selected for the Dark & Gloomy exhibition at Goddess Arts Magazine, and I could not be more happy and proud! Visit the virtual exhibition hall at the link below, and enjoy! artspaces.kunstmatrix.com/en/exhibitio...

Actor Sam Neill as Merlin, from a promo image (1998) Colour pencils on Clairefontaine paper, A4 size. 1/ #fabercastell #polychromos #clairefontaine #colourpencil #carolacostaart #drawing #traditionaldrawing #merlin #merlinminiseries #actorsamneill #samneill #portrait #portraiture #fantasyart

My free comic inspired by Allat, the pre-islamic goddess of North Africa, is now available for free download on my website. More and new content coming soon! Get it at: www.carolacostaart.com/pages/Comics...

Artober Posts, #14 These two lovely ladies received their glazing layer yesterday, and with this post, I am closing Artober 2025. 1/ #artober2025 #paintober2025 #artober #paintober #carolacostaart #traditionalart #fantasyart #oilpainting #mermaidart

Artober Posts, #13 Artober so far – it's been the most enjoyable of all the years I have participated in it, and a perfect celebration of my return to painting after getting eye surgery. 1/ #artober2025 #paintober2025 #artober #paintober #carolacostaart #traditionalart #fantasyart

Artober Posts, #12 Theme accross the month: Worlds Of Fantasy Dark Moon · Colour pencil on sketchbook paper, A4. 1/ #artober2025 #paintober2025 #artober #paintober #carolacostaart #fabercastell #royaltalens #traditionalart #fantasyart #artnouveau

Artober posts, #11 Theme accross the month: Worlds Of Fantasy The Fisherman · Colour pencil on sketchbook paper, A4. 1/ #artober2025 #paintober2025 #artober #paintober #carolacostaart #fabercastell #royaltalens #traditionalart #fantasyart

Artober posts, #10 Theme accross the month: Worlds Of Fantasy Fantasy IV · Colour pencil on sketchbook paper, A4. #artober2025 #paintober2025 #artober #paintober #carolacostaart #fabercastell #royaltalens #pinupart #traditionalart #fantasyart #mermaidart #tropicalart

Artober Posts, #8 Theme accross the month: Worlds Of Fantasy Fantasy III · Oil on primed board (not finished). 1/ #artober2025 #paintober2025 #artober #paintober #carolacostaart #oilpainting #traditionalart #fantasyart #mermaidart #tropicalart

Artober Posts, #7 Very often, being a professional artist has nothing to do with creating; it's priming boards for future work, it's cataloguing the pieces at your website, it's working on updating your social media, it's cleaning and organizing the studio, it's accounting and inventory. 1/

It's always such an exciting feeling when you open the front page of the site where your art is hosted, and find your latest beauty on it. It honestly fills me with motivation for the rest of the day – and I certainly need it, because the weekend is my time to make new pieces! www.carolacostaart.com

Artober Posts, #6 Theme accross the month: Worlds Of Fantasy Fantasy · Faber Castell colour pencils on Canson paper, A4 1/ #artober2025 #paintober2025 #artober #paintober #carolacostaart #fabercastell #canson #andrewloomis #pinupart

Artober Posts, #5 Theme accross the month: Worlds Of Fantasy Untitled (After Andrew Loomis) 1/ #artober2025 #paintober2025 #artober #paintober #carolacostaart #fabercastell #canson #andrewloomis #pinupart

Artober Posts, #3 Theme accross the month: Worlds Of Fantasy Portrait of actor Peter Cushing (from a film still) · Faber Castell colour pencils on Clarefontaine paper, 21 x 29 cms. 1/ #artober2025 #paintober2025 #artober #paintober

Artober 2025 Posts, #1 Theme accross the month: Worlds Of Fantasy Ivy · Faber Castell colour pencils on Canson paper, A4. #artober2025 #paintober2025 #artober #paintober #carolacostaart #fantasyart #fabercastell #canson 1/

I took the picture that was the reference for this painting on the first day outside after getting eye surgery, after being unable to paint for a very long time. 1/

Giving the last touches to a new small painting, and I could not resist trying it on a frame – they change so much surrounded by its golden glow. This is made with acrylics on a black-primed canvas, 20x20 cms, and the first of a series to celebrate my return to painting and selling art. 1/

An update on how this work is going. It's going to be called Flooding. Feeling not only satisfied with the work itself, but also like I'm reconnecting with pieces I made over two decades ago. #carolacostaart #colourpencil #traditionaldrawing #horseart #fantasyart #illustration

Working on something really exciting today - God knows there are few things I love drawing more than horses and Brugmansia flowers! 🥰 #horseart #equineart #carolacosta #traditionaldrawing #traditionalart #fantasyart #botanicalart

Finally (and very joyfully) giving a second coat to my master copy of Caroling, by the great Ukrainian painter Mykola Pymonenko. 1/ #oilpainting #mastercopy #traditionalpainting #carolacosta

Grisaille in oils for a portrait of my very handsome husband 🥰. It drives me crazy when I have to stop and wait for paints to dry! #oilpainting #portrait #traditionalpainting #carolacosta

Meadow, gouache on paper, 15x20 cms. Another small gouache study to say goodbye to the season - here in Tenerife, we are in the last days of glorious blooms, and soon we will enter the months of dry, dead landscapes. #gouachepainting #traditionalartist #painting #flowerpainting #botanicalart

Sunflower, gouache on watercolour paper, 15x20 cms. The beginning of a series of post-surgery studies, to warm up my skills before doing bigger works. #botanicalart #gouachepainting #sunflower #originalpainting #traditionalart

First horse painting since my eye surgery - this has to be one of my favourite and most repeated subjects to paint, and of course one of the animals that, at a spiritual level, mean the most to me. 1/ #carolacostaart #painting #traditionalpainting #chalkpastels #softpastels #horseart #equineart

This past weeks, I've been working on this copy of Caroling by Mykola Pymonenko. The original painting was looted during the last Russian invasio, and at the moment, its whereabouts are unknown; so, I am working with a low quality image found online, which is most likely missing a lot of detail. 1/

Resplendent (Again), acrylic on canvas paper. The title is a reference to one given to the first version of this painting, made six years ago - and honestly, 1/

Today's lesson is: You Don't See Your Own Growth, So Keep Working I did a pastel painting of this exact same reference photo six years ago. Today, I did it again, this time in acrylics on canvas paper. 1/

A few hours of work today were used for processing a new set of paint pigments I received in the mail, and creating a colour swatch for each of them. 1/

The last post for 2024 is for a new page of the sketchbook project: painting a vase with roses on my desk, again limiting the time so I don't go crazy adding detail. I really like the colours, and the narrow window format. 1/

Another page for my new sketchbook project , this time a small graphite sketch from “the Princess And The Panther” by the magnificent Frazetta. All details at: www.instagram.com/carolacosta.... #sketchbook #artistsketchbook #carolacostaart #graphite #illustration #drawing #frankfrazetta

Sacrifice Moon Gouache on watercolour paper, A4 size Extremely pleased with this new piece, and totally in love with the many faces of gouache. #paganart #carolacostaart #fantasyart #gouache #illustration #fantasyillustration #traditionalillustration

I started a new sketchbook project this month – the plan is to work on really small spaces, so I have no choice but to work simple and not focus so much on details. Read all about it at: www.instagram.com/carolacosta.... #sketchbook #gouache #illustration #paintingfromlife

My Art vs Artist for 2024. You can also find me on IG: www.instagram.com/carolacosta.... And Tumblr: www.tumblr.com/carolacostaart #artvsartist #traditionalart #painting #fantasyart