Welcome to Paul Taggart’s illustrated Paintbox Tale No.2, 'Starway Sapphires'; the first to be released in a collection of six, stand-alone, short stories – The Paintbox Tales from 'Paul Taggart's Elphen Chronicles'.
Lift the lid on Artimus Glin’s legacy paintbox and you are transported into the world of Elphen - as Zand was to discover, when this precious wooden box, full of promise, adventure and wonderment became his to explore. Such is the magic of a box of paints and brushes.
Read & Cherish the Artist’s Studio First Edition of ‘Starway Sapphires’, one of six, stand-alone, short stories – The Paintbox Tales from 'Paul Taggart's Elphen Chronicles'. Although a solitary young boy, Zand wouldn’t stay that way for long, for he was about to experience the beginnings of a lifelong friendship. Zand was to witness not only the amazing appearance of the Starway Sapphires, he also gets to meet the Elphen Swarm Leader, Weftwing – herself an insect-whisperer. Based on my childhood encounter that inspired me to write this story; visualised in my Miniature Masterworks oil paintings. Lift the lid on Artimus Glin’s legacy paintbox and you are transported into the world of Elphen - as Zand was to discover, when this precious wooden box, full of promise, adventure and wonderment became his to explore. Such is the magic of a box of paints and brushes.
Paul Taggart
"Watch and listen-along, as I personally read through my magical illustrated Paintbox Tale 'Starway Sapphires', which recounts the beginnings of a lifelong friendship between Zand and the Elphen Swarm Leader, Weftwing, the Insect Whisperer.
‘Starway Sapphires’, Paintbox Tale No. 2, chronicles where Zand's passion for painting began, with the discovery of his Grandfather’s legacy – a paintbox heaped full of possibilities. A treasure trove passed down through time, now to be reborn, as Zand was to discover.
One of six stand-alone short stories depicted through original Miniature Masterworks oil paintings and featuring decorative illuminated letters - accompanied by the original Elphen soundscape and music." Paul Taggart
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Join The Elphen Treasure Chest on Patreon to gain access to this Video-StoryBook and everything Elphen.
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Alternatively, this Nine-chapter, Video-StoryBook is available to purchase as an individual box-set of nine-videos from Patreon.
Video-Storybook First Edition Running Time : 1hour 36minutes
This unabridged edition features the entire story, as laid out in the self-contained short story, ‘Starway Sapphires’ (Paintbox Tale No.2 in The Paintbox Tales compendium, from Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles
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Presented and narrated throughout by Paul Taggart
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Based on Sunita Gahir’s original book design
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Unique and original illuminated gilt lettering featured throughout, created exclusively from hand-painted original illustrated borders and images by Paul Taggart
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Featuring Paul Taggart’s suite of original Miniature Masterworks oil paintings
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Brought to life with additional illustrations and animation artworks, uniquely created by Paul Taggart for the Video-Storybook edition
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Accompanied throughout by the original musical soundscape, composed exclusively for Video-Storybook editions of Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles
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Filmed and produced in Paul Taggart’s private studio
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Released and published by the collaborative collective, The Three Quills studio (as noted below)
Catch up with Zand’s childhood and his first magical encounter with Weftwing. Experience the mysterious happenings in his Grandmother’s garden and learn of the beginning of his life-changing journey through meeting the Starway Sapphires. Featuring Miniature Masterworks Oil Paintings created by Paul Taggart to illustrate his six-story, box-set, chronicling Zand's adventures with his legacy paintbox, inherited from his grandfather Artimus Glin.
Get the latest behind-the-scenes videos from the Paintbox Tales, featuring Paul’s creative process for his miniature Masterworks paintings that illustrate the various short stories in this collection. Peek over Paul’s shoulder as he works at his easel on the miniature Masterworks oil painting ‘A Starway Sapphire’, the first of more videos to come.
Get Arty with Paul … welcome to this video in which I share an idea of how to colour-your-own-greetings-cards - a collection of five different images, based on my five Miniature Masterworks oil paintings created for Paintbox Tale, No. 2 - 'Starway Sapphires' - exclusive to members of The Elphen Treasure Chest.
Exclusively available through Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles on Patreon. Download the five PDF files for printing onto A4, colour-it-yourself and personalise each card by adding your name to the reverse - find the PDF files in the SUBSCRIBER Elphen Collectables - https://www.patreon.com/collection/1839698
Paul Taggart
“Join in the magic and ‘Get Arty’ with Zand and the Starway Sapphires – with these colour-your-own greetings cards - when you’re done, sign-off your Elphen arty-work by adding your name, where shown on the reverse, add a personal message on the inside and pop it in the post to someone special."
Paul Taggart
Elphen Soundscape - with echoes of Fizz’s quest alongside Webstrand, during which she meets the Changeling, Zand, we are once more, transported into the Elphen world of Shimmistra. Experience Zand’s horror at his encounter with a Raknid, countered by his surprise and delight at meeting Weftwing. Bask in the glow of a Summer’s day in his grandmother’s garden, as he catches his first sighting of the Starway Sapphires. Look forward to what lies in store for Zand, as the door opens on the new life that awaits him – a world in which his Elphen companions will be ever at his side.
“Join me in this behind-the-scenes feature in which I invite you to peek over my shoulder, as I create one of my original borders, for the unique illuminated letters that feature in my illustrated story ‘Starway Sapphires’ - one of six tales in The Paintbox Tales.”
Paul Taggart
Join the Elphen Treasure Chest to lift the lid on a magical trove filling with myriad gems of all things Elphen.
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Delve in to discover the Video-StoryBooks - ‘Webstrand, the Tooth Gatherer’ and ‘Starway Sapphires’, the first of the Paintbox Tales.
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Rummage through the hoard to reveal a cache of Behind-The-Scenes Videos.
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Search out Bonus Features and Painting Reveals.
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Root out a wealth of How-to Tutorial Videos and Craft-it-Yourself to release your inner creativity.
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Join the Elphen Treasure Chest on Patreon for access to digital online content released from Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles, plus offers and exclusives.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2026 – Paul Taggart has asserted his Rights as the Sole Artist & Author of Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles. ALL RIGHTS (including Music) owned by Paul W. Taggart, Eileen M. Tunnell, Sunita J. Gahir [The Three Quills]
The Three Quills studio, symbolising the trio of creative strands that are art & design, writings and music.
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Paul Taggart – Artist : Author : Presenter : Producer [Sole Author & Illustrator of ‘Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles©’]
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Eileen Tunnell – Project Director, Producer, Video Auteur ‘Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles’
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Sunita Gahir – Design Director/Producer ‘Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles’
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Liza Mulholland – Music Director/Producer ‘Paul Taggart’s Elphen Chronicles’