Art of Stephanie Cost

"Alizarin Crimson"

Alizarin was the first pigment synthetically made, and it was done by the first organic chemists who managed to isolate one of two color agents in the Madder plant. Madder had been used for thousands of years, and is still used, as an organic red dye with a beautiful range- a lot of the dye industry's historic secrets have centered around techniques for creating a predictable shade from many variants possible with the same plant.

This summer I did seven Huldra illustrations for Encounters with the Imaginary, vol. 3! 

Just a life update! I’ve expanded and updated my online store and it includes in the first listing (that image there) about half proceeds going toward The Hispanic Federation (hurricane relief for Puerto Rico).

Please bookmark the shop if you’ve ever wanted to buy my art! I update it fairly regularly now. And check out the Federation charity link here!:

The Hispanic Federation

The Huldra.

“Huldra and the Ghost”

“Descending”, my labor of love that started at the IMC workshop and ended up at home in the Light Grey Art Lab “The Ultimate Fantasy” show in Minneapolis. The theme was Worldbuilding and I’m stoked to do more in this universe. 

"Lead White", part of my new “CHROMA” series on the history of pigments and dyes.

The theory that lead poisoning led to the fall of the Roman Empire is largely disputed, but we know from Vitruvius and Pliny as well as modern excavations that lead was used not only in their cook-ware and water pipes, but as a popular cosmetic and artist's pigment.  

Lead White's lethality reached a peak in the 1700s and 1800s when it was used in European society for fashionable red and white makeups, and later as the key ingredient in "age-defying" facial creams.  Because this poisoning of the skin caused a host of issues that included swelling eyes, blackened teeth and skin, and baldness, it was often depended upon MORE as a concealer.  These effects also gave rise to the trends of shaved hairlines and black masks to the cover the face.  

“Egyptian Blue”, my second in a brand new series that’ll focus on the history behind color pigments.

Egyptian Blue was first manufactured around 2500 BC, and although it was incredibly tricky to make (specific temperature and oyxgen levels in the firing of a glassy solid) it was easy to work with and remained popular for a long time.

“Julian”

“Half Asleep”, digital

“You Can’t Knock Me Down”