Watercolor Wednesdays - 'pickles'

8x8, ink, watercolor & digital

"Great - it's burger night!" muttered Jeanette as she walked into the kitchen and spied the note on the fridge. She knew what that meant - her mom would be plunking a big, heaping bowl of those gross, green things on their dinner table. Her two younger brothers love pickles. They also love nothing better than to wave them at her and bite into them making loud, crunching sounds. They know how much Jeanette HATES pickles!

Finally posted an illo over at Watercolor Wednesdays - it's been ages!! I'm actually one of the original members from way back when they first started up and we are hitting the 3 year mark in July, wow!

A lot of fun with this one - and it was no surprise to me that the subject ended up looking like my daughter when she was that age. She was /is much like this character: very opinionated and picky (although in her case she loves pickles!)

And again I found out how important it is to work on your bkgd right from the beginning instead of leaving it until the end. I love working on my characters and tend to do backgrounds as an afterthought. Of course with children's book illustration you have to be able to portray many different settings, emotions and actions so the reader can connect with the character(s) . All in all I feel like this was a good stretch for me, much more work needed however :>

Wishing you all a creative week!

Illustration Fri. - 'swept''

'windswept', 10x8, watercolor & pen on bristol

My offerng for IF's word this week. I thought of a few ideas for this but ended up going with a quick & loose illo depicting [wind]swept hair. And let me tell ya, we've had more than our fair share of winds blowing through here in south Texas the past few months. Unfortunately, they don't offer much in the cooling department once June is upon us....

Is the weather hot where you are right now? Well if it is, I hope you're lucky enough to find a place to cool off. Which reminds me, I've got an icy, cold glass of sweet tea with my name on it somewhere :>

Illustration Friday - 'diary'

"Oh to have a tree to hold a diary,
maybe two or three...or more!
Yes, that is what I wish for..."
© Laura Taylor Mark

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Great to see 'diary' for IF's prompt word this week even though I've never really been into keeping one, not one filled with words that is....

However, thanks to the art journal revolution the last couple of years - or should I say revelation - I've found that keeping an art diary/visual journal has given me the most creative and satisfying results. I think for me it's mostly been because the pressure is off to create "art". Some of my best, most spontaneous & fun pieces can be found in the 12 or so journals I've been playing in for the last few years.

I encourage you (as I do in the local art journaling classes that I offer) to start an art diary/ journal and see where it takes you on your art journey, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Cheers!

June Journal Page

Hope you & yours enjoyed the holiday weekend! I squeezed in some time to start a new pg for the first week of June so it's ready to go as I have lots on my to-do list this week - I don't want any excuses to hold me back from filling it in :)


"You are today where your thoughts have brought you, you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

What's on your creative plate? Do you have a surefire plan to help you stick to what you want to accomplish, this week - this month? Have you been inspired to start journaling or journal more often?? I really believe that writing our goals, hopes and dreams down sends a positive, powerful message out to the universe, one that reverberates back to us with this answer: YES.

Wishing you a fabulous week & as always, be well.

Illustration Friday - 'early'

arches w/c paper, watercolor & pen, 5.5x 7.5

What a crazy, busy day today, finally getting a chance to post this! My offering for IF's word this week - a quirky take on 'The early bird gets the....well you know. And unlike this birdie, I am rarely early for anything :)

I've been studying birds a lot recently, through books and while out with my camera. When I lived in Michigan I loved watching robins (which also happen to be the state bird there) after a rain pulling out big, juicy worms to take home for dinner. I know worms are good for our gardens but hey we gotta share, right?

Anyhow, I'm working on a collection of small bird illustrations - they aren't your usual bird studies though. I've been adding a little fun, pattern, or quotes etc. to them. The images may even work themselves into my new Etsy shop which I'm hoping to have ready to go some time in June. I'll still have my other shop of mixed media originals & prints but this one will be for illustrations & design work including greeting cards & invitations.

Stay tuned for updates as I'll be hosting a giveaway for the grand opening...

Have a great weekend!

Inspire Me Thursday - 'Healing'

moleskine, watercolor, pitt pen

'This week’s creative prompt is Healing. We have all felt pain at certain times in our lives — sometimes physical, sometimes emotional. Create art that celebrates your own personal stories of healing. Be inspired by medicine, nature, faith, or whatever may have helped you during your journey to healing.'

My offering for this week's IMT prompt couldn't have come at a better time. I've been struggling lately with a few issues since our big move to Texas 2 months ago. Some are art-related, some not.

To me, nature always seems to be the place where peace can be found and healing begins. It's been so hot here lately but as the day cools down I've been heading outside - either on bike with my daughter, alone with camera in hand or out for a good power walk when I just need to sort things out. Upon returning I find my step a bit lighter, my mood somewhat brighter and the surprise for me is that I've been turning to my journals to reflect and try to record my thoughts & feelings with images (altho I would love to fill the pages with a flow of words, my pages still tend to be more visual). Understand that I have never been a journal or diary keeper so to do this on a regular basis is a breakthrough for me! :>

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit and I hope that whatever healing you are going through, peace & light stay with you on your journey.

Illustration Friday - 'Save'

9x12 sketchbook, watercolor & ink

Just recently watched (finally) the entire movie of Ella Enchanted with my daughter and decided to open my everyday sketchbook and use it for this weeks' IF prompt for the word 'save'.

I was totally 'into' this movie. I can't explain why except maybe it's because I've always loved medieval costumes and romantic chivalry. The fact that she was put under a spell at birth to be obedient and hoped that someone would 'save' her from a lifetime of obedience may also be a factor. I was always the 'good girl' who did what I thought was expected of me (well most of the time!) and what I felt everyone wanted of me. I've come a long way with that sort of thinking..... :)

Although it didn't get great reviews and apparently is way off from the original book, my daughter & and I found it whimsical and charming. It also had a great 'moral to the story' ending -- Ella realizes she had the power to 'save' herself, that the strength she needed was inside of her all along. Hmmm....

Here's to a great week!

Inspire Me Thursday - 'Wallpaper' and ATC #23

'Sleep' ATC #23 (from my February Heart-themed project)
2.5 x 3.5, watercolor & ink on Arches HP

So glad to finally be sharing some art with all of you at IMT! I've had much on my plate these past few months - everything from pneumonia (first time ever, lasted 6 weeks!) to heading out on vacation to the Southwest to find a place to relocate our family.

This particular ATC above, was inspired by my LOVE for a particular artist's work - I hope you know who it is! The icicle pattern reminded me a bit of wallpaper...

Will try to keep everyone posted with our cross-country move. It's a huge, cultural and geographical change for our family as we've lived our whole lives in the Midwest. At this point I feel much like the subject of this piece - I just want to sleep & dream :)

Edit: Yes Carla, she is a bit similar to Judy Wise's style of ladys isn't she? I have been a huge fan of her work since discovering it about a year ago. I'm wondering now too if Judy has also studied any works by the artist I'm referring too. Romain de Tirtoff (or more commonly known by the name he preferred to call himself - Erté) I'm fascinated with his signature fashion and theatrical illustration style - swoon!

February ATC Project - 21 and 22

Another quick post - posting numbers 21 & 22 before I take off to New Mexico for a visit to see my hubby! It's been 3 months since I've seen him so to say I'm excited and looking forward to a little vacation with him is definitely putting it mildly!!

ATC #22 'Sweet'



Will hopefully have some great pics to share with you all in a couple of weeks as I've never been out that way and looking forward to the scenery (as in NO SNOW!) Until then, take care everyone and keep creating!

ATC #21 - 'One to grow'

Update - ATC Project

Hello! Just a quick post to let you know that I have finished my February ATC Project: Pieces of My Heart {29 Days of Love & Devotion} and will be posting the final ones as time permits. It's been a hectic last couple of weeks, I tell ya!

ATC # 19 - 'Want', watercolor & ink



When I started this project I had high hopes of posting them as they were completed ..... sigh. So many things came up though and the pace for the weeks ahead isn't promising much of a slowdown, but I will do my best to get the last of them up for everyone to see - promise! :)

I've loved & studied the style of antique chairs for the longest time - this particular style is Swedish country rococo w/a French influence. It has a rounded back in the Queen Anne style which originated in England.

ATC #20 'Queen Anne' - watercolor, watercolor pencil

I also wanted to mention how I truly admire the time and effort of all the artful bloggers who commit to daily or mostly daily postings - kudos to you all!!!

By the way, if you're interested in viewing all the ones I've posted to date, check out the special Flickr album I created for them. Enjoy!

February Project - ATC #1

#1 - "Heartstrings", ATC 2.5 x 3.5

Okay so this is officially the start of my month long ATC project: Pieces of My Heart - 29 Days of Love & Devotion

Because this is the very first ATC for this project, I wanted to give reference to the 29 days in some way. I love drawing & sketching trees and although the ones outside my windows right now are gray and covered with snow, I went with a more Spring-like tree - one that's full of hope and waiting to burst forth with new growth.

At this time, I'd also like to mention that I will be having a special ACEO giveaway (Art Cards Editions & Originals, which are generally sold not traded) at the end of my project. I'm thinking of doing at least 2 or 3 for that. They will be separate works from this project, but in the same theme.

Please be sure to visit again - I'm hoping to post these as they are completed daily (we'll see how that goes!)

ATC Project for February

pitt pen, watercolor, colored pencils

It's been awhile since I've created any ATCs so I decided to pull out some supplies and play a bit. I'm hoping it will help me get ready for my upcoming month long ATC project. I will be creating an ATC a day for each of the 29 days in February.

This is a project close to my heart (and hearts will find their way on many of them I'm sure). As some of you may know, my hubby left before Christmas to pursue a new career which requires him to be away from our home for about 5 months total. The holidays went quite well, lots of family and friends to be with. However as February approaches I've been feeling a bit down knowing that my hubby won't be here for Valentine's Day. It's always been a very special day for us as he proposed to me on that day and we've never been apart for any of them since being married!

A recent visit to this artist's blog was just the inspiration & spark that I needed - thanks so much Jeannine! She's involved in a year-long project of ATCs to mark each day while her hubby is away in the military.

Please be sure to visit and folllow along with my project:
Pieces of My Heart {29 Days of Love & Devotion}

I am so looking forward to sharing this with you all!

EDM #34 - fall leaf

I haven't done any of the challenges in quite a while so glad I can finally share a quick sketch & watercolor - a fall leaf that my daughter proudly presented to me about 3 weeks ago. I decided to press it so I could preserve its' wonderful glowing colors.

Enjoying the beauty of early Autumn is always bittersweet as too soon November winds start to blow and inevitably take with them all the wonderful saturation of colors and textures, leaving behind a dull, bare landscape....at least until the snow flies :)

The stripped and shapely
Maple grieves
The ghosts of her
Departed leaves.
The ground is hard,
As hard as stone.
The year is old,
The birds are flown.
And yet the world,
In its distress,
Displays a certain
Loveliness...

-- John Updike, A Child's Calendar

Postcard Exchange - My trade

Finished my postcard for the art exchange I set up with one of my favorite artists, Emila Yusof, so thought I'd share it with you. Emila had sent hers to me a few weeks ago and I only had a general idea of what I was going to create for mine. However, after sketching out my entry for IF's 'Alphabets' last week I was inspired to create this card with the letters H and I (hi) with different greetings from around the world - so fun! I've been totally inspired with these whimsical flower illos and want to thank you all so much for your wonderful feedback and support - and yes I am considering your suggestions to make this into an alphabet book or card collection!! :)

I used a few techniques on this for the watercolor - wet into wet, salt resist, stippling etc. then when dry I detailed it out w/ prismacolor pencils. Finally I sealed it w/ a fine matte finishing spray.

This started out as a sketch in my moleskine, I then cut the page out (eeek! I'm sure if there's any moleskine purists out there, they'd shudder hearing that - however I've learned that if I don't take my supplies too seriously I have the most fun and the BEST results so no problem here 'wrecking this journal' hehe!). To give it more stability for going through the mail and to write my greeting to Emila, I glued another moleskine page to the back, weighted it until flat and then for a nice clean finish, rounded the corners.

Illustration Friday - "Alphabets"

f is for flower....and some other [nice] 'f' words. and i say that with tongue in cheek as that's how it came out when my daughter asked what this sketch was about :)

i do love this time of year and flowers are always a favorite subject, whether i'm rendering them realisitically or just making doodles :) anyhow, i would love to do a whole alphabet in flowers like this - great fun! [and yes it's in there]

one more thing - cheers to all those celebrating the last official long weekend of the summer!!!




















moleskine, watercolor, colored pencil

Muse Monday / Inspire Me Thursday: Watercolor

Muse Monday is taking a short intermission - not much going on in the way of progress re: my new space and next Monday is Labor Day so it will return the following Monday - hopefully I'll have some great news to report that we're finally making headway. I do have a how-to organizational project that I'm working on - a great solution to having all my tools displayed neatly and within easy reach, hint: involves pegboard but not in the traditional sense. What I have in mind is way more cooler and decorative than the sheet the guys hang up in the garage!! :) Stay tuned!

Busy week coming up so I wanted to get some quick journal entries done in my moleskine with watercolors and colored pencils. I like using watercolors in my moleskine because the wonderfully creamy paper (I love my moleskines!) resists them initially so you have time to work them before they settle in.

I find myself lingering over the last bits of summer before it fades away and have been savoring my garden's final offerings - flower designs have been on my mind and showing up in my doodles and sketches. I generally don't write a lot in my journals (I'm working on that, it's hard for me to do) but I did write all over the background very subtley in white ink on the single flower pages, a bit of a breakthrough for me :)

Have a great week and wherever you are, I hope the sun is shining on you.

"Be like the flower, turn your face to the sun." -- Kahlil Gibran

Creative Juice - Inspire Me Thursday

watercolor, arches hp, 6x8
EDIT: text in white ink, colored pencil, journal 8.23.07

A small burst of creative juice today that I wanted to share - playing with some watercolors (one of a few supplies not packed away) on some wonderful Arches hot press w/c paper. I think anything created on this paper would look good - seriously! I puddled juicy orange and yellow, then pulled them around & out with my brush and resisted the urge to play too much as 'petals' appeared.

Working at an old (read: small) writing desk has been a challenge for me but in a good way as it's forcing me to tighten things up and focus on the little things, things that spark my eye, ordinary things - like the play of light & shadow here as this piece dried by the window.

I have been feeling consumed by all the organizing and prep for the new phases ushering in so very quickly in my life - it seems that the fall season always brings that about for me, how about you? I guess we can either resist the winds of change or just let go, dancing & twirling like leaves, knowing that we'll end up landing where we're meant to.

Wishing you all much creative juice - and if your cup is full, share a little with someone who needs it :)

Additionally: this piece sparked a new journal for me, loose watercolor pages that I'll bind together when I feel it's complete. all the entries will have watercolor wash backgrounds and text added - either inspiring words or quotes to help me define the moment I'm in.

Illustration Friday - "Discovery"

moleskine, 'inchies', watercolor, colored pencil, japanese chiyogami paper

Okay so a bit of a stretch for discovery but it was a discovery for me recently when I came across a long forgotten stash of these lovely handmade papers! I've been creating 'inchies' for about a month now and I just love them - so fun and somewhat addicting :) Anyhow I cut the papers up into one inch squares and they looked like little presents and for some reason I thought of them tumbling into a big sack. Actually I've been working on a Christmas card line so maybe that's where I made the connection?!

EDM #50 - entryway

landscape hand*book journal, watercolor, cp

edm #50- draw your entryway, journal about it
I decided to sketch the back entrance to our home as I thought it would be easier to do than the front one :) I'ved always loved architecture even simple designs, however this angle ended up being a little tricky due to the perspective! A good likeness was achieved I think but I feel like I missed something. Oh well, the good thing about this is that I captured 'Annabelle' before the high winds and heavy rain got to her yesterday.

EDM #124 - something yellow

watercolor sketchbook, 5x7, 140lb coldpress

Something yellow - with a hint of blue and red, one of my favorite color combinations. This started out as a pencil sketch in my garden journal but I decided to transfer it to this sketchbook because of the texture and weight. Most of my journals can take light washes but heavier applications are better suited for this paper. I love this sign with rusted wire hanging simply from a nail on the fencing in my patio area. And actually there's a lot more fencing and lattice that I left out so I could concentrate on the focal point :)

The color yellow has many meanings, but to me it symbolizes happiness, hope, sunshine, cheerfulness, warmth and relaxation. I've always liked surrounding myself with words that have special meaning to me and Peace is one of them. It's a universal word I think and associated with everything from the political 60's (the word originated with the Ancient Romans: peace, pax, as absentia belli, the absence of war) to a state of mind. To me it symbolizes serenity, a sense of calm, tranquility, stillness and balance.