About

Rainne is a pseudonym (or "pen name," if you will) for Stephanie Shimerdla. I've been an artist for several years now, but have had a hard time narrowing down my subject matter and finding a niche. I finally decided that Fantasy and Emotive (emotional) artwork is the way to go, and so I started this website. I still have a second website where you can find a few of my other paintings - it's at StephanieShimerdla.com. It's there that you'll find SOME of my older stuff, and my military/aviation paintings (my husband is a military pilot, so I'll still do a few of those!).

And now, down to the nitty gritty. I was born in Rutland, VT, where I lived until the 4th grade. It was then that my parents divorced and I went to live in Sarasota, FL with my mother and younger brother. I struggled through my attempts to find a major in college (after having to give up my dream of becoming a veterinarian because I developed allergies!). It wasn't until 2003 that I finally graduated, and it had absolutely nothing to do with artwork, I'm sorry to say. I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics.

I married the love of my life, Joseph Shimerdla, in 2002. We had a beautiful outdoor wedding ceremony within Selby Gardens in Sarasota, FL, at sunset and looking out over the waters of the bay. Joseph began his service in the US Military after graduating from West Point in 1998. Since then, I have been following him all over the world, including South Korea.

It was in South Korea, in fact, that I rediscovered my artistic talent. I had always loved drawing and painting as a child and throughout high school, but had never considered it for a career. While in South Korea, thousands of miles from everyone in the world that I loved except one, my artwork was a way to express my feelings in ways that words never could.

And so, an artist was (re)born. I also make Photoshop and Illustrator Resources, and occasionally I dabble in Graphic Design work.

Commissions:

Commissions are currently open only for "professional" or "to-be-published" works. I am currently working on putting together this portfolio, and once that is through I may take on general commissions on a case-by-case basis.

For information on prices, rights, etc. please contact Stephanie here.

About the paintings:

All of my paintings are painted digitally by hand, using a Wacom Intuos3 graphics tablet, in the programs Corel Painter and/or Adobe Photoshop. Each painting takes 50+ hours to complete, due to my obsessive attention to detail (that mathematics/logical side of me has to be able to take over and have reign SOMEWHERE in my life!).

I do not have any professional training, other than what I've learned from books.

Awards & Publications

8/16/2004 - "A Soldier's Heart" awarded a "Daily Deviation" on deviantArt

12/15/2004 - Featured in the book Creative Minds by artwanted.com

3/2007 - Artist of the month at Infinitee Designs

10/07 - "Faceless Strangers of Stone" featured on the cover of the book "Reloaded" by Jack Handerson

Tutorials

Tutorials are coming - one day. I need to finish this portfolio first!

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