Using A Sketchbook Again

Many of you know that google reader is going away.  I have used Net News Wire which is only for the Mac and Bloglovin which I think works for both systems.  I am sure there are others out there.  Lately I have just been putting all the blogs I read in my link list and just go to them from my own blog. It doesn't tell you about updates so that won't work for everyone.  If you've found an awesome reader please share.

My journal is full of backgrounds and often I don't know what to do with them. The backgrounds are so beautiful I think simple is best.

This page started with a spray ink background with the birch trees stencil.  I added decorate tissue around it and then some images. I am not sure if this is done yet.

This was painted newspaper. I saw this turtle and butterfly in my stash and loved it on this paper.



Another shot at the painting, I am sure you are getting tired of seeing this.   I promise the next pic will be the last.  I added the tree, made the square stones round and covered up the barn. I am not sure what I will add in that green area, more animals, flowers, my hammock nothing seems right yet so I will sit with it for awhile.

For awhile I have been toying with the idea of doing a sketchbook again.  Inspired by my friend Lynn's book, "One fish taco and a half an order of guacomole" I thought of drawing in public again and trying people this time. About all I did was think about it though. I am in a group on Facebook with April Cole and they are going to do a sketchbook challenge in April. So I thought I might take part. There is nothing like a challenge to get you moving to do something you keep thinking about. Then my friend Connie did this post on her sketchbook and I took the plunge. I had a book I got at Hobby Lobby last fall that is perfect.  Its like a moleskine with sketchbook paper, it opens flat has a pocket and all that jazz.  So I decided not to wait till April and begin now.  I am using pen like Connie suggests, these are rough drawings, just a part of my day.

What was on my messy desk was my first sketch.

The next day it was my mug at a coffeeshop and a quick sketch of my kitty sitting on my lap.

A kitty again and some scenes from my yard that I might eventually add to a painting. I am really enjoying doing these simple sketches.  Maybe its time you picked up a sketchbook again.  Why don't you join me and share bits of your sketchbook too!

Painting In The Morning

I should be working on something else but the studio grabbed me.  I started playing with soft pastels on an old book page.  I haven't worked with them on faces very often but they are a fun medium.  She is kind of sour looking but maybe she is having a hard time finding the magic. Then I had this background made on tissue paper already glued down in my journal.  They seemed to want to be together, add a few words and here were are, completed.  This page went together easily.

I also worked on the painting again.  It seems to be about my life so I added  myself. I liked keeping the background as my dress. There is still so much I need to work on but I like the way it is evolving.

I forgot to post this yesterday but now I can add another pic of the painting.

 

I added the tree and played with the sky some more. I have worked on this three times this week. Whew, still more to do though.I have been doing my painting in the early morning. 7-9 am and I am finding it very strange because I am a not a morning person. I am finding this time to be very creative, who would of thought that, certainly not me. Have you ever tried to mix it up, create at a time when you normally wouldn't. You might be surprised at the results.

Another Portrait

This drawing is on vellum bristol using a 2B pencil. One more exercise in my drawing class.  I was not happy with the nose, I have the hardest time with that part of the body/

I've been playing with backgrounds but they are in various stages of incompletions, so I will wait to post them later

The latest changes in my 6 week painting.  I worked on the area behind Flynn, first time painting sheep.  I like the brown one, he looks sort of whimsical.

21 Secrets Give Away

Hali Karla, one of my fearless painter friends is having a giveaway on her blog for 21 Secrets, the great online journaling class, puto n by Dirt Footprints Studio, How can you not be inspired by 21   amazing teachers.  She gives you five chances to enter, you can enter here.

Sunday Sketches 3-17

Its time for Sunday Sketches again.  I did these in church and it was an extra long service so I had time for two.

This one is for more practice drawing faces. She was rendered with a 2B graphite pencil.  I did not have a tortillion with me so I had to use my finger to blend. Now that I am using the right tools for drawing I miss them when I don't have them.

I have been wanting to try drawing a great horned owl. A couple other times I gave up but this time I just went with it.  I drew this with Graphitint water color pencils on fabriano paper.  I added water with a niji water brush. This was fun to do so I think I will keep drawing them to I am satisfied.  I want to paint an owl on my drum. I don't want to start that project until I am a little more confident.

To see more wonderful sketching, go here

Face to Face

Signed up to take Misty Mawn's Face to Face course. It started in January but you can sign up any time.   I had the paper taped to cardboard and was dismayed when the cardboard showed through.  It does make for a interesting texture.

This was done in charcoal. I had really a lot of problems here. The porportions are all off. I kept trying to fix and then putting my hand in places I had already worked and then having to fix that.  It truly became a nightmare after awhile.  I decided I had done enough and it was time to work on something else.

Here I am using a desk pad to draw face parts and more.  This course is pretty incredible. I know I will be a better artist when I complete all the exercises, plus I am having a great time. This course is pretty expensive but I think worth every penny if you want to improve in drawing and painting faces.

Under Construction

Excuse the messy look. I am in the process of changing the blogs look, can't say how many days this might take me.

Fearless Painting Journey

I was not going to post this painting till it was truly done but that was mainly because of fear, that fear gremlin keeps raising his head. First though I want to talk a little about Fearless Painting. After taking BIG I became part of a tribe of fearless painters.   Fearless Painting is intuitive painting, if you are called to paint an elephant you paint one. The goal is not about the final project but the process you go through as you paint.  Oh there is so much more but that is the basic tenant. Sometime Fearless Paintings can be ugly. Which is where the fear gremlin comes in. Do I share the process, the ugly parts as well as the pretty ones. In my desire to be more authentic person I fell that I need to.  The critic tells me what if someone comes to my site expecting to see art and sees this ugly painting.  They won't come back, they  won't be inspired. Pah what a load of rubbish, right. Yes I think that at times and at other times the gremlin wins when I think oh I cant show that because it isn't pretty.

I don't know about you but I know I love it when other artists show their work, all of it.  The frustrating pieces and the glorious ones.  I like hearing their stories of their lives, even the not so pretty parts. So what makes me think that no one would want to hear mine. Those who don't want to will just leave and that is ok because not everyones story will appeal to everyone. That doesn't mean we shouldn't tell it. So part of being authentic is putting yourself out there, sharing your story even one little bit at a time.

Now on to Deep and the reboot of this class. I mentioned before that the class was stopped last year and we are doing a do over.  Actually the class this time is completely different.  We are painting on the same painting for 6 weeks. The painting will be evolving over that time. So I am  going to share the first 3 weeks.

This is after the first week. I started with two pieces of paper. I painted a lot of this with my left hand. I think the left side either looks like a garden or a french market stall. I am not sure what was going on in the right side. There are bits of a house, some stones and not much else.

In week 2, I worked on the right half of the painting. I added flowers, the barn and raven. I still didn't like it, felt like it was 2 paintings.

On to week 3, I added another piece of paper. Finished the bird, put in a background and added Flynn. Never having painted a dog before I found it a challenge. I was not that happy with the way he turned out. So I decided to see him as a representation of Flynn, rather than looking just like him.

Later in the week I added grass and worked on Flynn some more. The green grass under the raven wanted to become poppies. They need some more work but I kind of like them. I think the painting is evolving to be about my life, dog, birds, garden. It will be interesting to see where the next three weeks take me. I hope you will enjoy going on the journey with me.

At first I made his eyes way too big, they are a little better here. I now see him as a work in progress. I will probably fiddle with him until the painting is done.

Pulling out sections of the painting is always fun. I like this little sweet spot.
















This little row of abstract poppies make me smile. Its like they are "saying look at me".

Fun GIfts

For my birthday the hubby bought me this. Its a wireless keyboard to use with my iPad.  She is so light and cute that I think she needs a name.  Suggestions anyone?

He also got me this little case that she fits in perfectly.

I was in Staples the other day and saw these oh so pretty art supplies.  I get such a pleasure out have supplies that are pretty.  I get a smile on my face just looking at them.

I also got this for myself. I really shouldn't have spent the money so I made a deal with myself.  I needed to sell something to help pay for it.  So I have a couple pieces of spinning equipment that I have been planning to sell.  They went easily, so I am quite happy with myself.

As is often the case this easel has a story.  First I was reading blogs and headed over to Sharon's blog and she had just got one of these.  I was smitten at first site.  I have been wanting an easel that will hold large canvasses and this one fits the bill.  It was on sale for a great price so I just ordered it.  I was a little concerned if it would fit in my studio as the room is not that big. I was thinking length and width, forgot to think about height. Yes, you may have guessed to have it out its full height of 114" my ceiling is too short. The way it is set up now is fine though.  It will hold my largest canvas which is 36 x 48 so I think I am good. You can put 2 smaller canvases on it at the same time or paint on it flat so its pretty versatile. The only drawback is putting it together.  The instructions that come with it are minimal. I found some alternate instructions for a similar easel and we also used the video that is on Jerry's Artarama site.  It took 2 hours to put together which wasn't bad at all.

 

This is a fun video using gelatos in combination with color pencils and markers.  She is trying to promote their supplies but I find that you can take the techniques and apply to the supplies you already have.

Have a great weekend!

In The Art Journal

I have been in the studio all week, I've carved some stamps, burned some new stencils, worked on my Fearless Painting course work but I have not made anything to share. So I needed to remedy that.

In my art journal today.  I began with filling the page with tape. I thought I could use up all the tape I have but alas I will have to do several more pages to do that. I have this paper house stencil that I made for a class I am taking. So I grabbed it and made the houses on the page. First gesso and some paint was added to mute the background. This was the most fun page I have done in a long time.  Just pure play.

I have been trying to clean up my studio because I bought this.

It is called the Saint Remy and is due to arrive tomorrow. I have been wanting a big easel to do my fearless painting on. It can hold pretty big canvasses or 2 smaller canvases at the same time. I saw this on Sharon Tomlinson's blog and then on Judy Wise's blog and knew it was what I was looking for.  An excellent price made me take the plunge.

Sunday sketches - 3 AM Art

Having insomnia lately. My first attempt at a PanPastel face, created in a Moleskine sketchbook. She sort of looks dreamy, that is because PanPastel doesn't take as well on the moleskine paper.  I am waiting for the acrylic ground for pastels to come in the mail.  If you use that the colors come out richer.

Check out Sophia's blog for more sketching.

Pastels and Collage

I got the stitches out of my hand on Wednesday and have been going to a therapist to get my hand back in shape. It has 25% of the strength of my left hand. So I have some work to do.

Meanwhile I managed to finish one of the Rose Tyler fingerless mitts.  I like the way it turned out.  Now I need to make the other one.

I am still doing exercises in the Pan Pastel classes I am taking.  This was made with a stencil and modeling paste.

This one is from the class on Poppies. These have an abstract look to them.  I have always liked poppies so I am enjoying learning how to draw and paint them.


Pam Carriker is painting a face with PanPastels in this video.



She does a really nice job.  She uses a stencil to draw the basic face and then paint with PanPastels. It looks so easy when she does it.

These two pages are from the altered book journal I have been using for some time.  The book is all about whaling.  I had removed some pages because the book is getting to big.  I use Tim Holtz tissue paper for the background and then took one of the pages I had removed and used them on this page.  This is a letter written by Laura to her husband who is a whaler, I added their pictures for emphasis.

On the facing page I added tags and ribbon and a journal space.  I will add some words about the couple on the tag. I love this tissue paper. Its so see through that it lets the color from the page come through.  You can also color on top of it. I found it at scrapbook.com.