'Shanghai' Lady of Mystery
This is a variation on that wonderful little art deco piece from Dover Publications copyright free archives that I used for ‘Hollywood Nefertiti’. I watched an old Charlie Chan movie the other night and it got my imagination going. I’m an old ‘B’ movie junky. I love them. So Charlie Chan eat your heart out. This is a vamp in the old Hollywood tradition only this time around in living color.
I have gone back and looked up the music I was listening to when I was designing this. The music was on one of those info-commercials. I found them on ‘YouTube’, my son told me you can find anything on youtube. The name of the group is ‘The Twelve Girls Band’ a group of super beautiful very talented chinese musicians using traditional instruments. This selection doesn’ emphasize the traditional instruments but I think it captures the elegant feel I was trying for with the artwork. I’m a fan.
link below, take a listen
FEATURED ‘Music Inspired Art Group’
Top Ten-- ‘Signature Style’ challenge, Painted Ladies group
For that bright flash of color or as a conversation piece in your decor use a small ‘Mounted Print’ on a plate easel, chic.

Framed Print

'Shanghai' Lady of Mystery belongs to the following groups:
* Painted Ladies *, ! 100% !, ! Inspired Art !, "I Got The Music In Me" NO NUDITY!!!, Airbrush Art, All the Colors of the Rainbow, Decorative and Traditional Art, Dimensions, Ethnic Art, Featured Features - For Featured Art, Photography, T-Shirts, Writing, Music Inspired Art (M.I.A) music links/lyrics required, Vibrant and Vivid Color and Vibration in Art and Verse - VAVoom! Available for sale asMatted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters

coppertrees
Just fantastic Norval and the colors snap!
Norval Arbogast replied
Thanks, I’m pleased with the fabric, I tryed a new filter.
Adam Gormley
Brilliant artwork Norval, love the colours in this!!
Norval Arbogast replied
Thanks Adam
Marsha Elliott
Very striking piece!
Norval Arbogast replied
Thank you Marsha
doreen01
The tones is wonderful, the line draw great!
Norval Arbogast replied
Thank you Doreen, I’m getting freer with the line work [ on the fabric ] but I’m still needing to free up on the actual figure work. Keep putting your stuff on, I’m studying them as an example to try for.
F.A. Moore
Stunning line and color, Norval. I especially like the blue reflections in her hair, shining back the gorgeous color in the background. Bravo!
Norval Arbogast replied
Thanks, green against purple was a hard palette for me to work with. I tryed to pull it together with little touches like the highlights in the hair.
LeilaniMelayna
I love your beautifully orchestrated piece!
Smiles Leilani
Norval Arbogast replied
Thanks, I do orchestrate my work, especially the color, and hope I don’t hit a sour note.
LeilaniMelayna
Yes…it is obvious! You haven’t hit when yet so far! You’re welcome!
Smiles Leilani
elenaoleniuc
Very beautiful !
Norval Arbogast replied
Thank you.
madvlad
she is heavenly, meee too i love old movies-where they actually act and you hate them or love them when you are done seeing the movie, or better yet have been entertained, not insulted-nice art
Norval Arbogast
I’m glad you liked it. And I’m glad someone likes the old ‘B’ movies besides me. I tryed to get my 11 year old to watch one-—-—-
’ it doesn’t have any color???!!—dam it use your imagination!!!!!Ming Myaskovsky
You’ve nailed it!! Love your styles and colors!! :))
Norval Arbogast replied
Thank you Ming, your opinion means a lot to me.
Shanina Conway
This is fabulous, love your palette …I’m a B movie junkie too;)
Norval Arbogast replied
Thank you, and I’m glad to hear I am not alone in lovivg the old ‘B’ movies. I wish they would bring back the old Saturday matinee serials. ‘Ted Turner’ I hope you’re listening.
MelDavies
Wonderful.
Norval Arbogast replied
Thanks Mel, I liked how the fabric turned out.
Marion Chapman
what a wonderful marriage of asian and new and hollywood. fabulous face!!
Norval Arbogast
Thank you Mel, and thank you for the favoriting.
bev langby
Absolutly devine and great palette …..........
Norval Arbogast replied
I was a little hesitant using the green, but liked the way it turned out.
bev langby
i know what u mean im a bit the same with green but u seem to know when to use it so thats important….....
EvaLarsen
Beautiful image, very well done.
Norval Arbogast replied
Thank you
ellamental
Amazing color and form!! True beauty!
Norval Arbogast replied
Thank you, and thank you for the fav on ‘Lady Australia’.
butchart
the colours just sing…. really wonderful saturation…...love the quiet energy that eminates from this…. bravo….......b
Norval Arbogast replied
Thank you, and thank you for the fav. I like the way she turned out too. When I finish one and stand back, and the cerebral choice making is through, I’m always surprised.
Patricia Anne ...
how very beautyful!
Norval Arbogast replied
Thank you, I really liked your ‘Fan Dancer’ and the two companion pieces.
izzybeth
beautiful work!!!
Norval Arbogast replied
Thank You
tkrosevear
Norval Arbogast replied
Thanks so much for the feature. I hope anyone viewing takes the time to listen to the music, it’s beautiful.
stephanie allison
Congratulations! Your image placed in the TOP 10 in the Signature Style Painted Lady Challenge
♥♥♥
Norval Arbogast replied
Thanks so much, especially to those fellow artist that voted for “Shanghai’ she’s a special lady. And will continue to be special [ I Didn’t Write Down All the Filters and the Order] and have not been able to repeat the look :-D.
Helen Chierego
Norval, you know how to use colour and composition. This is wonderful! :)
Norval Arbogast replied
Hey, thats a real compliment Helen, I was a lettering artist, calligrapher by trade and always worked in black and white.
KEITH R. WILL...
BEAUTIFUL
Norval Arbogast replied
Thank you
Indelibly-Yours
I too am a B movie fan – and, a fan of your work.
Norval Arbogast replied
I’m glad to hear that, and thank you for being a fan. My family thinks I’m weird. I just got through listening to the music for ‘Sunset Boulevard’, and the ‘Ghost and Mrs. Muir’, not ‘B’ but to of my most favorites of the oldies.
Indelibly-Yours
Lol – there’s a lot of great music with the classic movies.
You’re not weird, you just have an eccentric Muse. :)
Danceintherain
Norval Arbogast replied
Thank you Coy, I just checked out your gallery, Bright and Happy, love it.
ellamental
Fandamntastic!!!!
Norval Arbogast replied
Thank you-
———I think??? :-DDDDTrish Woodford
Gorgeous design, very elegant, a really wonderful piece Norval :)
Norval Arbogast replied
Thank You Trish
Frances Perea
Very beautiful Norval! Love the brilliant colors in this!
Norval Arbogast replied
Sorry in being so lat responding Francis, I have to start checking these older drawings more often. I really appreciate your nice comment.
eoconnor
Norvil this is exquisitly done , the music was very nice ,she looks like she is thinking of something very special.
Norval Arbogast replied
Thank you, I love trying to get a feeling in my stylized heads.
Angie Muccillo 25 days ago
Wow sooooo beautiful!! The colors are divine! :-)
Norval Arbogast replied 25 days ago
Thank you, this is one of my favorites of my work.The color worked, I just wish I had written down how I did it :-D