paintedheartstudio

Technique Review

2012-02-13T09:37:00.000-05:00

Hi friends, I've been away from blogging recently-sometimes 'life' gets in the way. I've been busy, restless and distracted. I'm hoping this week will be back to normal.

Below is a sketch using my latest technique: I begin with a 2h or 4h pencil, then go back with 2b for the details and finally sketch-N-wash to give it a slightly 'painted' effect. If there is interest, I'll do a step-by-step with more info.

Next is a favorite technique: Elegant writer pen followed by water brush (no pencil). All-caution-to-the-wind-and-hope-for-the-best. LOL! It's a great way to loosen up and build confidence. I may decide to go back in with a ballpoint pen and add fine details, if so-I'll show you the results.

Finally, a combination of the two: Pencil first, then elegant writer and water brush. I started with the eyes and a bit of nose, then I was interrupted and when I went back the next day, I rather liked the half-finished look, so I'm leaving her this way.

I hope you all have a great week, as always: Thank you for visiting!

WEDNESDAY Sketches

2012-02-01T17:41:00.000-05:00

Hi blogging friends, I hope you're all doing well. Things here have been B-U-S-Y! No time to paint so far this week but I always make time to sketch. Thanks to all who left wonderful comments on my last post-I loved reading and re-reading them. Below are pencil sketches using 2h pencil: very light and doesn't scan well but I like using it b/c it doesn't smear too much.

I darkened everything in PhotoShop and as always had a blast playing with filters. Lately I've been obsessed with linework

even if it's 'scratchy' I like the texture of it.

The last two are just rough 'beginnings' I'm hoping to have some quality time in the studio . . . perhaps

tomorrow.

Meanwhile, thanks for visiting, and Happy February!!!

CRUSADE 59, New Year's Organization & Master Class

2012-01-21T15:46:00.004-05:00

Warning: Long post but there is a surprise at the end.

Hi everyone, I hope you're enjoying the weekend. We've had a soggy day so far with rain and a few thunderstorms, but at least it's warm: 59˚ and the sun is peeking through-not bad for 'Winter' hah!

Michelle Ward has another great challenge this month-instead of making a To-Do list for 2012, she prompts us to make a 'Ta-Da' list of what we accomplished in 2011. I love it! I'm one of those people who is more effective and productive when I'm 'basking' in my recent accomplishements. It propels me to move forward with the next project. So: first up on my TaDa list. I added three rolling drawer carts to my studio. They are great for storing all those bits and pieces-and they are cheap! Below is a pic of one of them:

Drawers are labeled: 'Office Supplies, pencils, pens, in-progress sketches, brushes and sketch covers.'

Below is an aerial view of the office supplies drawer, a divided box is perfect for small objects. This allows me to easily find my most used items. I really needed something like this because my beloved home made 'desk' has no drawers.

Below is a pic of some sketchbooks taken last fall.

•••••••••Here is my big TaDa for 2011. •••••••••

After years of sketching you can imagine I have hundreds of sketches and hundreds of reference photos.

Well - I finally bit-the-bullet and matched up all of them - yes it took forEver. :-)

Now if I have an unfinished sketch and I want to work on it weeks later, I don't have to search all over for the reference photo. Examples are below:

Pencil drawings that someday I'll want to paint.

ummmm . . . why didn't I think of this four years ago? LOL!

Below is a close-up of my notes about the sketch: Pencil, pen, inktense (the gold one above). This helps me keep track of my experimental techniques and build upon them. I also write the date on each page so I can track my progress, etc.

Because I scan most of my sketches, I created a system: One large PhotoShop file for each month. It reduces file clutter on the computer and helps me find images quickly.

Below is a detail of one of the files, each sketch has a layer-it's working out really well-yay!

Finally, I created a catch-all for the reference photos that I'm planning to work on in the near future. This saves me the time of going through all of my reference and helps me get straight to painting. Of course the 'board' is made of large cardboard pieces that came in a mail-order package. Dh teases me because I never throw away a box or good piece of sturdy cardboard. I have the last laugh though because a similar board cost $80.00 at the Office supply store so . . . . he had to admit I was right. love that!

As always: Thank you Michelle for another fun challenge! There's still time so feel free to join us. Here is the surprise I promised you. Seth was kind enough to include me in his post for tomorrow (Jan. 22). I hope you'll click over and visit the Altered Page.

Latest sketches

2012-01-20T16:24:00.001-05:00

Hi friends, I hope you've all had a great week. Things here have been busy and it's been a bit 'gloomy' but yesterday we had bright sun so I photographed a few of my latest sketches. Usually I scan them but I wanted to try a new approach.

Of course, I couldn't leave them alone so I photoshopped some of my recent monoprint backgrounds

and played with the layer effects . . . you just never know what delicious surprises are waiting . . .

Thank you for visiting and happy weekend to all !!

Monoprint Madness!

2012-01-13T14:11:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone, I hope you've had a good week. Things here have been busy and we've gone from 60's and raining to 30's and brisk wind-ahhh Winter. The other day I took a few hours off to play with one of my favorite techniques: Mono printing. Just me and the cheap acrylics, brayer and my beloved Gelli Arts printing plate.

I started with my favorite earthy greens and reddish browns . . . .

then on to some pink, blue and purple pastels-(above) this one reminds me of Spring.

Some rich dark blue-purple-reds

more greens

and some wild brushstrokes-so much fun to just play! Stay warm, have a great weekend and-as always: Thanks for stopping by!

Technique review

2012-01-04T17:37:00.002-05:00

Hi friends, I hope everyone's having a great year so far. I'm happy to say I was able to start the year with a clean studio-ahhh so lovely to walk in and see an uncluttered desk

-of course it won't last long but that's okay.

For my first project of 2012- I made a new blog banner, then I decided to go through my drawer of 'flawed' sketches: Not good enough to be finished but decent enough to keep, so

- a decision had to be made.

You know my motto: "When in doubt, make another sketchbook" LOL!

This one is a square format. 9" x 9".

Step One: decorate the cover with one of my paintings.

Next, I cut down the old sketches (9" X 12" paper) and assembled the book. (below)

The first sketch wasn't bad, but the angle of the head was wrong, so I gesso-ed over it and added some yellow paint, then re-worked some of the features. I like the layers of texture and

the way some details are blocked by the gesso and some show through.

Second (below) is a basic head where I used journaling to create her hair. It was too scribbly so I toned it down a little . . .

Third, was a paynes gray study - trying to be more bold with my darks and . . . it was way too dark so I went over it with gesso, ooh-I love the texture! Then back in with a pen for some details.

The jaw line on this one was just incorrect, again, my old friend gesso. Then I re-drew the jaw line and it was a big improvement, I'm always amazed how the smallest things can make such a difference. I went a little crazy with my colors, too.

This is an old sketch, but a fave, I added a bit of color and dimension with markers. The sun was really bright when I took the photo and I liked the way it caused white highlights on the page.

Overall, this is my favorite way to work, caution to the wind, trying new things and sometimes being pleased with the results, in spite of their imperfections.

I'm wishing you a year full of new techniques and lovely results.

Thank you for visiting!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-12-30T17:00:00.006-05:00

Hi blogging buddies, I hope you've all had a great week. It's one of my favorite times of the year: Basking in the glow of Christmas festivities, clearing the decks to make way for a fresh start in January.

Below are a few of my fave sketches from the past year.

I thank you all for your comments and support in 2011.

I'm wishing you all the best in art and life for 2012-cheers!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T16:46:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas blogging friends! I hope you all have a peaceful and joyous time with loved ones.

Thank you all for your friendship and support, I wish you all the best in 2012!

Sketches and a collage

2011-12-18T15:48:00.000-05:00

Hi friends, I hope you're all doing fine and enjoying this busy time of year.

Below is a pencil & charcoal study for a portrait I'm working on.

Here is one of several studies for my latest commission:

This is a painting I did a few weeks ago, I didn't love it so I collaged over it as an experiment.

Maybe I'll go back in and work on the details to bring out her features. Meanwhile . . .

I'll be wrapping and baking and getting ready for all the festivities.

Thanks for visiting, have a great week!

Reject Redo

2011-12-07T16:11:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, I hope you're all doing fine and staying warm, today we have a cold snap in progress: 45˚ and raining with wind. I don't mind, tomorrow it will be back in the 50's. I know some places are much colder but in the South . . . this is 'Winter' LOL.

It's been busy here, Christmas and birthday shopping, cooking, etc. I have one more package to mail and then I'll be finished !!! I cleaned the studio last week and came across a number of 'reject' sketches. They weren't bad exactly; just not my faves. So I had a little painting session and here are a the results:

Pastel drawing with experimental technique for color and texture.

Watercolor over a pencil/pastel drawing.

Shadow painting combined with fat marker journaling. It's amazing how a little color can change things.
Have a great day, thank you for visiting!!

Portable 'STUDIO'

2011-11-28T14:58:00.003-05:00

Hi friends, I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We made the trek North to see ds and her clan. We enjoyed it and the time went SO fast. It's a long drive so I brought my 'portable studio' for car sketching.

Above is a pencil sketch . . .

next is pen with charcoal pencil details.

and finally- another pencil sketch. Below are pics of my art bag/portable studio. It's a large (15 x20") brown faux leather bag with great side pockets perfect for a bottle of water or a pencil case. It also has a front zipper pocket.

Plenty of room for my 9x12" sketchbook

Left to right: water soluble pens, sharpies in flesh tones and brown. Smudge sticks, charcoal pencils.

Pencils with spare leads, pentel RSVP pens my all time favorite. Various pencils, water brush, travel paint brush and payne's grey watercolor paint.

It all fits in my leopard pencil case along with a large kneaded eraser (not shown).

In case that isn't enough, I also include my INktense pencils which can be used as paint with the water brush. Of course the only thing I ever use is one or two pencils and the pen but I bring all of it LOL!

And here are a few pics of the Birthday CAT taken last week.

He's 13!! and still acts like a kitten.

Journal PLAY

2011-11-15T17:13:00.000-05:00

Today I plowed through my to do list determined to spend some quality time in the studio.

First: A favorite wash drawing from the 'archives' combined with some stamping and complimentary colors.

Next; A pencil sketch in my favorite earthy-gold colors with more purple stamping for texture.

The third one got a little 'crazy' LOL with bright collaged background and sketch over gesso.

Whew! it's so nice to be in the studio . . . it's getting dark, it's raining and the best part: Mocha is curled up in my lap. Have a great evening, thank you for visiting.

Fall Beauty and a Tribute

2011-11-11T11:01:00.001-05:00

To all veterans: Thank you for your service and your sacrifice.

This a favorite picture of my Dad at the age of nineteen, just before he 'shipped out' to the South Pacific.

He was a celestial navigator in WWII, back in the days before GPS systems: when all the calculations were done by math. Oh, he had some good stories about his flying days.

Every Veteran's and Memorial Day the streets of our town are lined with these cross/flags. A reminder that 'Freedom isn't Free'. City workers painstakingly set them up in the same place every time.

They bear the names of veterans: loved ones of the residents here. It's a beautiful tribute, I think.
My dad and dh's Dad are in the same grouping on one of the busiest corners in town. I drive by every time and often take pictures. The pics above are a re-posting from last year.

Here are a few of my favorite Fall trees 2011, The deepest burgundy infused with fiery red-orange

as I drove by, they screamed "look at me!" So I had to stop and take a few pictures. They seem to get prettier every year.

Happy Veteran's Day everyone. Have a great weekend!

CRUSADE #57-All the World's a Stage

2011-11-08T11:28:00.000-05:00

Michelle Ward's latest challenge: create a journal page about our favorite music, the songs that you just want to sing along with. My first page is based on 'Angel' by Sarah Mclachlan, I've heard it a million times and I never get tired of it. So hauntingly beautiful and such profound lyrics:

". . . Always some reason to feel not good enough . . . "

". . . you are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie . . . "

I used a version of my watercolor painting 'Grief Angel" changing the color in PhotoShop to a monochrome steel blue/grey. The hand is one of my carved stamp silhouettes. The text in the hand is lyrics typed in PhotoShop and the snippet at the bottom is hand-written lyrics.

On a happier note is "Walking on Sunshine"a song I've heard many times and it always makes me smile. Another hand carved silhouette stamp, lyrics in Adobe Illustrator (text on a curve). Texture is a painted/stamped/stenciled background.

Finally an old favorite. My hand painted heart image with lyrics added in PhotoShop. Katrina Elam sang this on TV a few years ago and I have never forgotten it. She belted it out so beautifully and held the notes forever, the lyrics are so graceful and heartfelt.

Thanks for visiting, have a great day and thank you Michelle for another FUN challenge!

A Great day

2011-11-06T13:24:00.000-05:00

Saturday, I drove over to the Little Red Barn where I had the pleasure of meeting Mary Freeman, one of my long time blogging pals.

As a bonus, I also met Mary's lovely daughter Meg who is a delight. It was a crisp, windy beautiful morning. Here we are in front of Mary's display of paintings, magnets, cards and prints. I bought two of her fabulous cards to hang in my studio for inspiration and as a souvenir of our 'meeting'. (I'll post them after they're framed)

Below: Mary and Meg in front of Meg's display of wonderful paintings. Like mother; like daughter.

Both talented and full of positive energy.

I had the best time, and it set the tone for my whole weekend.

Thank you visiting, have a great day!

Studio Update

2011-11-02T17:38:00.002-04:00

I recently decided that I needed a higher painting table and after giving it obsessive amounts of thought I came up with this: I wanted to use items we already had so I re-arranged the tall carts and placed a piece of wood 20"D x 36"W across them and it worked!! The drawers provide great storage too. Now I can paint standing up and I love it!

Below are some in-progress journal pages I started this morning. Let's hope I can finish them soon and of course- I'll show you. I've been working in my home-made square sketchbook.

Here's a close-up of another in-progress page. I'm experimenting with a new technique and I like it so far.

The Fall weather has been so beautiful, I stopped at a nearby park on my way to the grocery last week. This was taken from the picnic pavilion on the river bank.

Ah! Nature . . . so beautiful, and I love the sound of the water rushing over the rocks. The days here have been warm and bright, the nights are cold and crisp-my favorite time of year.

I hope you're enjoying Fall, thank you for visiting!

CRUSADE 56-I'm a BELIEVER!

2011-10-28T08:50:00.003-04:00

Hi blogging friends, I hope you've all had a great week. Michelle's latest challenge is to explain what being an artist means to you. It's a big and wonderfully thought provoking question.

For me, the passion started early- here I am with my first easel.

Growing up I was interested in different things, but as time passed I kept coming back to art. Drawing and collage were my two favorites. In high school art class we did block printing and I loved that too. In college I majored in graphic design and later on the advice of my wonderful Dad, I took out a student loan to attend the local art college. Long days and even longer nights of homework, etc. I worked hard and couldn't get enough.

Technique: Pen sketch on hand painted/scanned background. Silhouette: hand-carved rubber stamp. Handwritten journaling.

Choose a job you love and you will never have to 'work' a day in your life.
- Confucius

Technique: Hand painted/stamped background. Silhouette: hand-carved rubber stamp. Small background text is a typewritten prayer found in my Mom's desk. "Believe" text added in PhotoShop.

Sadly, there will always be critics, 'naysayers' who don't support your efforts and

(even more annoying) people in your life who refuse to acknowledge your achievements. It can be hard to overcome these negative forces.

This is why I love blogging and the positive energy we generate for each other.

Thanks Michelle, for another great CRUSADE!

As always thank you for visiting, have a great day!

Giveaway: And the winner is . . .

2011-10-24T12:32:00.004-04:00

Guess what? I enjoyed all the lovely comments so much I decided to pick two names: Congratulations to Martha and Bren!! Thanks to all of you for your friendship and support. I already have some ideas for my next giveaway so please stay tuned. Martha and Bren please email me with your mailing address and I'll head off to the post office ASAP! Have a great day everyone.

GIVEAWAY update

2011-10-22T09:13:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone, and big thanks to Margaret for being follower number 200. As promised in my last post: The giveaway is here!

I appreciate all of my visitors and followers, your encouragement warms my heart and inspires me to keep sketching, painting and exploring.

To thank you, I'm offering this sketchbook. Just leave a comment saying you would like to have it and I'll pick a name in a few days. Depending on how many comments I get, I may give more than one. Giveaway is open to all visitors.

Below are details and photos:
Sketchbook/journal with one of my hand-painted/hand stamped covers. Size is 8.5" x 5.5" convenient for traveling or keeping in your bag, etc. I keep one in my car because you never know when you might have a few extra minutes for sketching. Paper is good quality-intented for dry media but it will take a watercolor wash as well as light acrylics.

Inside cover also designed and hand stamped by me. Book will lie flat when opened, 100 pages unlined.

As always-thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

BACK IN BUSINESS and GIVEAWAY PLANS

2011-10-15T11:08:00.001-04:00

After two long days of no scanner, no internet or email and plenty of angst, I'm back! Thank goodness for my IT department (dh). I hope all are doing well. I got up early this morning (6:00a.m.) for some quality time in my studio. After the week I've had I needed 'therapy.' LOL.

First up is a sketch that almost went in the trash a few days ago. I added a few collage elements and

some bleach - now I like her.

Next is an inktense sketch. The model/photo I worked from is much prettier but I do like her expression. I added a few lines of journaling in the background. Not my usual type of pose-sometimes it's good to break out of the rut.

Third is a Payne's grey sketch/painting. The scanner doesn't pick up the rich color so it's rather bla but again I like her expression-I added a few lines of journaling in the background on this one but it's hard to see.

Well, that's it for now, back to my to-do list.

Thank you for visiting, have a great weekend!

p.s. Thanks to each of my198 followers-if/when I reach 200 I'll do a give-away so please 'stay tuned'.

TRIBUTE

2011-10-08T17:39:00.000-04:00

Thank you Steve Jobs, you will be missed.

Payne's grey watercolor on Arches 140 lb. hot press. Pastel pencil for the glasses.

More Payne's Grey

2011-10-05T17:14:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone, I hope your week is going well. We have some beautiful weather here and the leaves are turning. As I mentioned in my last post, I'm exploring Payne's grey for my portrait sketches, it's such a beautiful mysterious color, alas-my scanner does not quite capture it. Anyway-I'm working on my values trying to be more bold with my darks and I think I'm making progress.

The second one started out as payne's grey . . . but a few colors jumped in at the last minute. . . and a little bit of texture.

As always thank you for visiting!

Back to Basics

2011-10-01T09:05:00.001-04:00

Hi friends, I hope your weekend is going well. Fall weather is in full swing here: Chilly air and the leaves are beginning to turn- ahhh-my favorite season!

Well, I've been distracted the last couple of weeks: Finishing some home improvement projects, having company, life in general and the constant struggle for studio time. It's caused me an art 'slump.'

I'm always inspired by David Lobenberg

and in a recent post he suggests working in Payne's grey before graduating to color. I had a few minutes yesterday so I gave it a try. I enjoyed the process and learned a few things. One is that I'm a little shy with my darks so I'm going to work on that. I can see past my slump now and that's a great feeling.

Not frame-worthy, but a good 'exercise'. Strathmore 400 sketchbook 9x12, not the best paper to paint on since it tends to buckle-but I love it for practicing and working on my goals and ideas for the future. I always record the date and a few notes about my technique, etc.

My scanner seems to add a yellow-brown tinge near the edges, paint is windsor-newton Payne's grey. it is more vibrant in person with the slightest hint of blue.

This third attempt is a bit darker, but it could use some blending.

The last one is my favorite, as always I left my sketch lines for the scratchy effect. Thanks for visiting,
have a great weekend! And thank you David for the inspiration.

MONO prints & The PULSE

2011-09-24T18:24:00.004-04:00

Seth has a wonderful project going on called the Pulse, click here to read about various artists and their favorite tools & techniques. Thank you Seth, for including me!

A few weeks ago I purchased a (6x6) one of these and I've been playing. Below are a few results.

Please note: Monoprints can be done with out the Gelli plate-you can use freezer paper or plexiglass. The Gelli is just another *awesome* tool.

Okay, on with my report:

Acrylic craft paint brayered on to Gelli plate and 'pulled' off with a stencil, then I rubbed my receiving paper on the Gelli plate for the actual print. Click to enlarge.

Next, I painted the Gelli plate, mixed the colors and used a jar lid to 'subtract' some paint. On the right side I used a bit of mesh tape to 'subtract' the grid pattern. Rubbed receiving paper on the Gelli plate for the print. So easy, could that be why I love it . . . ? Click to enlarge.

Now: As promised in a recent post I'm going to share this technique using the wonderful Gelli plate:

Step 1) Monoprint background using brown paint, not too exciting . . . yet. Remember to leave some blank space.

2) Add bubble wrap texture (below) 'printed' with burnt sienna and black paint. Now it's nice and 'busy' just the way I like it.

3) Let dry. Scan into PhotoShop, add silhouette shape (previously scanned into PhotoShop) on a separate layer, copy twice for a total of three. Add a layer of random texture, adjust 'modes' as needed. Ta-da! Gotta love the gelli plate!!

I hope you've enjoyed this quick step-by-step. Thank you for visiting! Click here for more Gelli inspiration. p.s. It's non-toxic.

PAPERSTACKS

2011-09-21T05:20:00.000-04:00

The latest from Seth: 'Paperstacks'. If you've been with me for a while, you know I'm somewhat addicted to sketching . . . I have at least a few stacks of sketchbooks.

Here they are in all their 'glory', ranging in size from 5.5" x 8" to 11' x 15". First is the side view.

And a top view where you can see bits and pieces of the hand-made covers -no two are the same.

Most books are filled with their original Strathmore 400 paper, a few are filled with arches 140lb. hot press torn to size and hand punched by me. Of course, I buy them in bulk to save $$.

If you look closely - you can see my furry assistant in the top left corner LOL!

Thank you Seth for another fun project, click here to see the other entries.

DISAPPEARING ACT Crusade #55

2011-09-16T15:11:00.002-04:00

Another GREAT challenge from Michelle Ward, this month's assignment:

". . . use a stamp or stencil - go for a large, bold pattern for best results. You just need two or more colors of paint, brushes, and your stamp. Begin by painting your surface using the two colors - leave areas of full saturation and then blend in the rest. Using the same two colors, brush onto your stamp and drop it down. You should find an interesting result - where parts of the image drop out or disappear because same colors align . . . "

To see all the details click here and join us if you can.

My first attempt: Hand carved cat stamp using teal and green acrylic paint.

My technique is a little rough but

I don't mind seeing the brushstrokes and random dropping out in places and more visible in others. I will say this really was a challenge-and a good learning exercise.

Next up-brown and earthy green-two of my 'default' colors using a hand-carved flower stamp. I chose this stamp for it's length which allows it to 'disappear' gradually. I could easily get addicted to this technique.

Below: same colors with a purchased texture stamp. Check the top left, you really have to look for the image, I guess it did a good job of disappearing LOL! For reference there are five images on this one. My fave is the green one on the bottom right--so subtle.

Ta-DA, this is my favorite of the four: I decided to go 'dramatic' with my colors. Stamp is hand-carved.

There are three images on this one, it's a crop of a larger page which explains the odd splash of pink/purple near the bottom right corner.

I had a blast and learned so much as always. Maybe I can sneak away from my to-do list next week and try a few more. Happy weekend everyone and thank you Michelle for another FUN challenge!

My latest 'PROJECT'

2011-09-12T08:50:00.001-04:00

Wow! I've been away for so long I hope you haven't forgotten about me. I have a good reason though. DH and I have been working (and working and working) on a home-improvement project. A new master bath. Sadly, my before pics were somehow erased from the camera, oh well. Imagine a white laminate cabinet-old and peeling . . .

. . . below is the new dark wood cabinet with drawers and tons of storage. New faucets, tile floor.

Here is the tub with old 'brass' faucets. New faucets would have been time-consuming for dh to install due to plumbing issues, sweating pipes, etc. so . . .

we transformed the old faucets through the magic of . . . spray paint!!! A cheap and easy fix. Fun, too: the paint is metallic and it sparkles when the sun hits it. Shower door (not shown) is in progress.

And if that wasn't enough excitement, I got this in the mail a few days ago. Thank you so much Jana and everyone at Somerset Digital Studio (Fall 2011 issue: pages 16-19).

I did take a short break to do some rubber stamping and collage. I tried a new technique, if there is interest I'll share it soon.

. . . for now -it's back to the garage and my sparkly paint, thanks for visiting!! Have a great day.

2011-08-31T11:51:00.004-04:00

Hi blogging friends, I hope you're having a great week! Below are a few of my warm-up sketches:

Quick head studies I do for practice before starting on a portrait.

I find them to be a good learning exercise, practicing different views of the head

and different expressions with no 'pressure' because they're just warm-ups.

It helps me get in 'the zone' and work a little faster, too. I did this one after the warm ups.

Have a good day, thanks for visiting!

Seth's Book

2011-08-26T14:48:00.008-04:00

Below is the cover of Seth's new book - set to be released in 2012. I'm happy to report that one of my paintings is included in it. Needless to say, I am really excited. Congrats to you Seth and thank you for this great opportunity.

Below are a few of this week's sketches . . .

along with a few backgrounds . . .

and some PhotoShop playing . . .
Thank you for visiting, have a great weekend!

Mind Games-PART TWO

2011-08-19T16:12:00.011-04:00

Michelle Ward has another great challenge for this month called 'Mind Games': select a word or phrase, then determine what that would look like as a color. Get all the info here and join us if you can. I posted my first batch of colors here . I've been looking for an opportunity to play again and today it happened - dh is working late so I'm here with PART TWO. I used acrylic paint for my first batch, this time I used watercolors on textured paper. (Arches 140 lb. rough)

TRIUMPH: bold, bright and strong - ooh maybe I should have named it 'invincible'?

BASHFUL: Soft and dreamlike.

I like the bold strokes and overlapping colors in this one. Yellow, let dry, then green (dry brush)

This is a cropping of a larger swatch.

Murky but getting brighter, like a 'SECOND CHANCE' at something important. Love, maybe?
ROUGH LANDING: I took this one literally-using an old brush, I mushed some gesso around over the half-dry watercolors to get the choppy texture.

Have a great weekend, thanks again Michelle, for this FUN challenge!

NEW SKETCHES

2011-08-11T06:29:00.006-04:00

Hi blogging friends . . . I couldn't sleep so here's what I did in the wee hours of the morning:

Sketching, painting, scanning and playing in PhotoShop. This sketch was not a favorite, it was on the 'chopping block' until I added some color and swirly shapes. I do like the line work in her hair.

The ballerina shadow adds some depth to the plain pencil sketch, I've always liked the quote, too.
Thanks for visiting, have a great day.

MIND GAMES Crusade 54

2011-08-05T12:48:00.011-04:00

Hi everyone, I hope you're having a great week. Michelle Ward has just posted the latest challenge for her 'Street Team'. We've been exploring color all summer and this Crusade is the best. one. yet! Get all the details here and join us if you can. Yesterday, when I read the new challenge, I was SO inspired I could not wait to play.

After I got rid of my to-do list, I re-visited my list of color names from last months' crusade

and started adding more. I ended up with a long list and finally started painting: I've had blue/green/purple on the brain ever since Crusade 52 back in June so that was first.

And my old fave: earth tones, bold, muted, subtle- I love 'em all! So I mixed and played until I ran out of combinations.

Now, believe it or not: After I had finished all my squares, and put away my paint, I counted them . . . . 54 squares - can you believe it? I saw this as a good 'omen.'

You'll see I did not use all of the 54 squares or all of the 78 color names: I whittled it down to my favorites as some of the colors were quite similar.

Some of the names are song lyrics, some are common phrases and a few are random thoughts I had as I was mixing, such as: "forsaken" because It's so 'bla' and sad. Some of them like 'brace yourself' are 'inside jokes' I have with friends and family.

Thanks for visiting! Have a great weekend and don't forget - there's plenty of time to join the Crusades. Michelle, you've outdone yourself - again!

Buried Treasure

2011-07-27T14:28:00.007-04:00

Hi blogging friends, Seth has another great project going on, called 'Buried Treasure'. It's a collection of popular or favorite posts from a wide variety of bloggers. Here is a re-posting of some family sketches I posted months ago. The first one is my great grandmother. My mom was named after her and I am named after my mom. It's very special to have photos of great grandparents and to know details of their lives. They lived in a really old house with a big front porch, they had six children- three boys, three girls and one of those girls . . .

. . . was my grandmother, Lillian. In this study she's middle aged, starting to go gray. I remember her in her later years with white hair and the prettiest light blue eyes. She lived near us and mom took me to visit her often. She looks rather serious here but she was a happy person, always smiling and laughing. Sometimes it seemed like a chore to go visit but now I'm glad to have the memories.

The last three are from my participation in the Street Team, Michelle Ward is always coming up with fun and amazing new challenges: This one is from Back to Back: create a background, copy it and 'finish' it three different ways. It's no-pressure b/c it's a copy of the background. Below is my original background made with rubber stamps and paint for the drips.

I worked digitally so step one is to scan the background into Photoshop. I added a scan of a model sketch which almost covered my background but using the mode palette some of the texture shows through. Speaking of texture, my favorite part is the 'lace' on her dress near the bottom.

And for #3 I added a green color block and more 'mode' fun to get the scratchy texture.

Also added the alphabet squares from a recent project to get some depth.

Thank you for visiting, be sure to click here and visit the whole list of artists. Have a great day!

CRUSADE 53 and STYLE FILE

2011-07-17T06:02:00.013-04:00

For a list of wonderfully diverse artists and styles, check out the latest at the Altered Page. Thank you Seth, I'm so excited to be part of this!

I'm also excited about the Crusades hosted by Michelle Ward. Every month Michelle poses a new challenge for us. This month is about mixing and naming your own colors. Get more details here and join us-you'll have FUN and learn new techniques.

One of my favorite techniques is to scan my sketches and 'play' in Photoshop. For a few years now I've been obsessed with portraits so I often use gold, sepia and orange in my palette.

For this challenge I added a color twist.

In the swatch below, I named the individual colors

as well as the whole palette.

The Canyon refers to Providence Canyon, near Columbus, GA-it's also known as the 'Little Grand Canyon.' On our way to and from the beach a few weeks ago we drove past numerous Peach and Pecan orchards. Raspberries are in season and indigo . . . well it's just my favorite of all time.

Below is my first "Mad Scientist" color combo: Notice that her 'skin' has little or no pigment, it's all in her hair, especially the indigo (right) and raspberry (left).

Next, is a re-work of a previous post, in deeper, high contrast colors. Indigo on her forehead,

Pecan orchard and bright peach mist on her cheek and hair, not so faded glory on her chin and neck.

Here, the 'Mad Scientist' was out of control; layer upon layer of Photoshop

tid-bits with modes gone wild-all caution to the wind LOL! It's weird and unpredictable and I'm sure I couldn't do it again if I tried!

Thank you for visiting, and don't forget: There's still time to join the Crusades!

Thank you Michelle, for another GREAT challenge.

Pen Sketches

2011-07-06T15:38:00.006-04:00

Hi blogging buddies, I hope you all had a great weekend! In between all of our activities, I did a few pen sketches, ahhh how I love my pens: The humble ball point is my fave!

It's very portable which makes it great for carsketching: Just grab and go! I did these on the way to and from dmil's house on Monday. They're still in-progress-I may add a wash of paint or darken in some places . . . or maybe I'll leave them. I haven't decided yet.

The pen is so nice for crosshatching . . .
and shading
and of course - for just scribbling . . .
Thanks for visiting, have a great day!

SEASONAL WARDROBE Crusade #52

2011-06-29T09:51:00.007-04:00

I was able to fix the scanner, dh got the camera working again so I'm back!!

Michelle Ward has issued another great challenge over at the Street Team:

The question is: Do you shift your palette as the seasons change? My answer is YES!

I always wear bright colorful clothes in the Spring and Summer, below is a fave outfit: white slacks, light weight yellow/green cardigan and multicolored sleeveless top.

Another favorite below: White jeans and an aqua/purple/white fancy Tshirt with a few beads and sequins.

the design below is from a recent post; I chose the colors randomly and of course it ended up as a summer sketchbook!

The next two are more deliberate choices, I decided to take a (short) break from my portraits and explore some silhouette collage compositions. I obsessed on the aqua/green and white palette with a touch of purple. I gave it my usual busy texture and left some white to balance the chaos-LOL!

Below is a larger silhouette; even more scratchy texture with a few plain areas and some white to keep it light. I couldn't resist adding some batik to the silhouette.

Thank you Michelle for another thought provoking and totally FUN challenge!

Sketching Update

2011-06-21T07:22:00.005-04:00

Hi blogging friends, I hope you're all having a great week! I'm having technical issues in the studio: no scanner and no digital camera (sigh).

But-I dug up a few previous sketches to re-post: The first one is pencil, charcoal and of course a few watercolor drips. Text added in PhotoShop.
Next: Inktense and brush pen straight up-no pencil sketch first, I was feeling 'brave' LOL
Last but not least: Pencil, charcoal and watercolor . . . scratchy and unfinished-just the way I like it! I hope to be back soon with some fresh work, meanwhile thank you for visiting!

Home from the Beach

2011-06-12T12:10:00.006-04:00

6.11.11

We wake to the sound of waves lapping onto the beach as sunlight peeks over the horizon. An hour later we pull out of the parking lot and begin the long trek home. It's been a lovely week of lounging by the pool, playing in the waves, and countless walks on the beach. The weather was perfect: mid 80's with a cool ocean breeze.

There was plenty of reading, visiting,
cocktails at sunset and the happy chaos of big family dinners. We all took turns cooking for the group. Starting with a great buffet lunch on Sunday, followed by the fabulous Low Country boil Monday night, then dsil's famous Spaghetti, Mama's delicious boiled shrimp and last but not least; my chicken fajitas and dh's awesome queso dip. Not to mention the home-made pasta salad, chex mix and cookies Mama brought for the whole clan.

At the end of the week, dsil took this pic of everyone.

Mama (dmil) is in yellow, I am behind her in orange, dh is next to me.
Dh and I sip on iced coffee as the three of us revisit the fun we've had. In a few hours we cross the River at Jacksonville and head West, away from the coast; back to the peach trees and tall pines of Georgia. Many hours later, we drop Mama off at her house, then it's back in the car for the last 'leg' of the journey. Finally, finally home is in sight. We drag in, tired but so glad to be here. Needless to say, Mocha gave us quite a welcome, he's been glued to my side every minute. I'm looking forward to getting back to my routine. First on the list is catching up with my blogging friends, I've missed you so much- thanks for visiting!

Latest Sketchbook Pages

2011-06-03T13:10:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone, I hope you've had a good week, things are busy here, I'm experimenting with a slightly different technique. One thing I love about the 'art journey' is the twists and turns and unexpected tid-bits that we find along the way. All I can say is that I'm enjoying the ride!!

1) Pencil sketch with pen details and collage-not my usual color palette but I like it.
2) In-progress pencil sketch - she's one of my favorite models, I have several 'versions' of her.
3) Pen sketch, watercolor hand-carved stamps. So. much. FUN. Thank you for visiting, Have a great weekend!!

HOME

2011-05-29T13:58:00.022-04:00

CRUSADE #51 Michelle Ward's Street Team. Sharing, learning, inspiring.

Here comes the learning part: I'll start with the 'aerial view' as some of our team members are not in the U.S. • Here are the 'facts & figures'.

The State: Georgia - located in the Southeastern U. S.

• Largest state East of the Mississippi River.

• Highest point: Brasstown Bald 4,784' above sea level (long hike but the view is worth it!)

Diverse landscape includes the coastal beauty of places such as Jekyll Island,

(photo courtesy of Jekyllisland.com)

the Piedmont region and the lovely Providence Canyon,

to the rolling hills of the Blue Ridge. I'm happy to say I've been to all of these places.

The North Georgia mountains are not only my favorite, they are the closest-yay!

dh and I have spent many a Fall weekend in these beloved mountains.

The City:

Elevation: 1,010 feet above sea level

Average Temperatures: January, 40.5° F; July, 79.1° F; annual average, 64.2° F

Located at the foothills of the southern Appalachians, the landscape of Atlanta is predominantly characterized by rolling hills and broad, smooth uplands. It has a mild climate that rotates through all four seasons. The city's elevation and relative closeness to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean moderate the summer heat; mountains to the north retard the southward movement of polar air masses, thereby providing mild winters. Most precipitation falls in the form of rain, with the heaviest concentration in March.

Snowfall is negligible, the yearly average being one-and-one-half inches, although occasionally this happens:

Where I live: North of the city where billboards and large office buildings are replaced by subdivisions, shopping centers and parks as the common scenery. Before long you'll cross the famous Chatahootchee River as it meanders through the suburbs. Bike trails and wildlife are plentiful. Across the street and down the road where we often go for a walk is this lake.

where it's not unusual to see birds, deer and other wildlife.

18 years ago we drove around the area looking for an affordable house near dh's office. Over time-we've come to love it here: The area, the wonderful neighbors and the house which has become 'home'.

Thank you for visiting, I hope you've enjoyed this virtual tour and thank you Michelle for another great challenge!

Studio time

2011-05-27T13:50:00.006-04:00

Whew! Another busy week but I was determined to have some free time for the weekend so I pushed through and finished a large client project this morning-yay! I'm caught up for the moment and I had some time to 'play.'

First, a silhouette/collage with a favorite quote added in PhotoShop. I used tissue paper, hand carved stamps, bleach and a few other things-LOL!
The second one is a print of a scanned bleach-stamp collage with a contour drawing.
The last one is an existing composition altered in PhotoShop, I turned it blue then added the block of color to make it 'pop'. Ahhhhh studio time is good for the soul. Thank you for visiting-have a great Memorial Day weekend!

The Wedding

2011-05-24T07:00:00.003-04:00

Hi blogging friends, I've really missed all of you. DH and I have just returned from Indiana

where another one of my beautiful nieces was married. This lovely church is very very old.

Here they are leaving the church . . .
. . . then we all gathered here in the ballroom for dinner and a wonderful party. Most of my extended family was there . . .

It was a great celebration . . .

Me on the right with dh, one of my uncles in the center and the lady in pink is one of my cousins with her dh. OH! it was good to see them all! I hope you're all doing fine, thank you for visiting.

p.s. Today is my birthday.

Latest portrait sketches

2011-05-16T08:12:00.004-04:00

Hi blogging friends, below are some recent sketches: drippy and imperfect and somewhat 'unfinished' . . . that's just how I roll. Things are busy in my studio and I am longing to clean it and straighten up the creative clutter, but you know how it is: If I clean in the middle of a project I won't be able to find anything! LOL!

Technique: Pencil sketch, watercolor wash (with drips), charcoal pencil.

Pen sketch, watercolor wash, light rubbing with sandpaper for texture.
Thank you for visiting, have a great day!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T16:28:00.002-04:00

JKG 1924-2004

Memories of my beautiful Mom:

She was all about being positive: She was full of kindness, one of those people who 'never met a stranger.' She had at least her share of troubles and heartaches, but she was so busy being grateful-there was no time to focus on her adversity. She always saved newspaper columns and clippings about gratitude, positive thinking and encouraging messages. She drilled it into our heads when we were kids: "Count your blessings."

When she was ill, I moved home to take care of her and I found the list below taped to the old kitchen cabinet. DH secretly copied the list for me when he was up visiting and saved it. A few weeks after she died, he gave it to me. I had it laminated and I keep it with me all the time.

Today is my seventh Mother's Day without her. I miss her in a million ways. But I have many blessings to count so that's what I'm doing. Check out number 21.

"Twenty (one) keys to a Happy Life"

1. Compliment three people every day.

2. Watch a sunrise.

3. Be the first to say "Hello."

4. Live beneath your means.

5. Treat everyone as you want to be treated.

6. Never give up on anybody; miracles happen.

7. Forget the Jones's.

8. Remember someone's name.

9. Pray not for things, but for wisdom and courage.

10. Be tough-minded, but tender-hearted.

11. Be kinder than you need to be.

12. Don't forget that a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.

13. Keep your promises.

14. Learn to show cheerfulness even when you don't feel it.

15. Remember that overnight success usually takes about 15 years.

16. Leave everything better than you found it.

17. Remember that winners do what losers do not want to do.

18. When you arrive at work in the morning, let the first thing you say brighten everyone's day.

19. Don't rain on the parades of others.

20. Don't waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.

21. Count your blessings.

Happy Mother's Day to all moms, aunts and grandmothers and thank you for visiting.

MORE SKETCHES

2011-05-03T07:45:00.005-04:00

Hi blogging friends, I hope you're having a great week! I had some quality time in the studio yesterday and here are the results:

Pen sketch with KOI watercolors and stenciled background. There's a little smudge on her right cheek but I decided to leave it-I didn't want to over work the paper.
For once I didn't over emphasize the chin LOL!
. . . on this one I broke the 'rules' and outlined her lips but . . . I like it anyway. Pencil sketch, charcoal accents, watercolor, hand carved stamped background . . . with drips- my favorite part. Thanks for visiting!

Sketches with paint

2011-04-28T09:30:00.006-04:00

Yesterday, I reached a milestone with one of my clients and for a brief moment, I was 'caught up' so I had time to play. I usually paint standing up but . . . Mocha was asleep in my lap so I decided to improvise and use whatever I could reach. Here are the results.

Pencil on Strathmore 400 sketch paper, painted with KOI watercolors.
Same technique as above with rubber stamp on left side. I may go back in with pen for the details . . . or I may leave it, not sure yet. As always thank you for visiting!

Easter Blessings

2011-04-22T09:06:00.004-04:00

This is Jack, my GREAT-nephew, born last night. 8 lbs., 7 oz. of adorably cute. We are all pretty excited about him. DS who is now a Grandmother, sent this from her cell phone. He looks wide awake and ready to roll, I can't wait to meet him in person. Oh yes, I'm a proud Aunt I mean GREAT-Aunt.

Happy Easter to everyone!

Latest portraits

2011-04-19T19:44:00.004-04:00

Hi blogging friends, I've missed you so much the last week or so. Things are busy here but today I managed to carve out some time to post and very soon I'll be back to visiting all of your blogs. whew! it's hard to believe Easter is upon us. Anyway, I have kept up with my sketching-

no matter how busy my days are I always need at least one hour of sketching every night to relax.

pen sketch with hand painted background,

water soluble ink and water pen with Inktense pencils and journaling,
and graphite sketch with dogwood border. Spring in Georgia: I think it's worth the agony of the pollen LOL! Have a great day and thank you for visiting!

Sketches

2011-04-07T12:02:00.002-04:00

What a beautiful Spring week it is. Cool nights, warm days and bright sun! Below are a few sketches using various techniques. The blue one below is in progress and so far I like it. The features are too soft at the moment and I'll be adding more detail but overall I like the softness.

The second one is a 'study' using water soluble graphite, it's a rather bold and permanent medium so it makes you think before you mark lol! I've included the reference photo on the left.

And last but not least is a re-posting of an earlier sketch. She's a favorite so I decided to show her again: Technique is inktense pencil (gold), water brush and graphite pencil for the details.

Thank you for visiting-have a great day!

Journal pages

2011-03-30T12:35:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone, I hope you're having a great week! Things are busy here but I took a break this morning to just 'play'. These are existing sketches scanned and layered with hand painted/stamped backgrounds.

As always-I had a blast and lost track of the time.

So. It's back to my paying work for now. Thanks for visiting!

CRUSADE #49 Forensic Self Portrait

2011-03-22T15:08:00.012-04:00

MY LIFE RIGHT NOW: MARCH 2011

Michelle Ward has issued her latest challenge Crusade #49 "Forensic self portrait" and she encouraged us to include a photograph of ourselves. So . . . I added my portrait photo to a catalog from my current fave store. If only it were that easy to get a new body- LOL! I had some 50% off coupons so I got the pants (left side) and the white top on the model. I'm officially ready for Spring.

I used my big journal for this: 11 x 15". The small faces are thumbnails of some recent sketches,

(two are shown full-size below) my favorite part is the lower-right corner: "Fond of chocolate" with a pic of Mocha, my constant companion.

Above is a study for my latest commissioned piece: graphite and charcoal.

Ball point pen with a touch of charcoal.

Inktense pencil and water brush.

Thank you Michelle, for another great challenge!!

p.s. In other news: Michelle has organized a wonderful project to help quake victims in Japan.

click here for details and join us if you can.

A gift from afar

2011-03-19T12:21:00.007-04:00

Hi everyone, I hope you're having a great weekend. It's 81˚ here and things are beginning to bloom. I received this beautiful piece in the mail the other day from my friend Regina who is a talented collage artist and an amazing quilter as well. Click here to check out her work and the gorgeous photos of her life in the Caribbean. Thank you Regina, for this treasure!!

In other news, dh and I have been doing a few more home improvements so I'm way behind in my blogging but I'll be back soon - hopefully with a few sketches. Meanwhile thank you for visiting!

After and Before

2011-03-14T16:30:00.005-04:00

Recently on this post I shared some quick sketches done with my new 'coconut color' Sharpie. Last night I went over two of them with pencil and ball point pen to finesse the details a bit. They still need a wash of paint, but I'm making progress.

after:

before.

On this one I added some charcoal and tint of color in her hair. I smeared the charcoal in places, then lightly 'erased' to add texture. I like it - but I sort of miss the line work on the 'before' version. Yet, the after looks more finished and realistic.

after:

before:

Below is another face, no before pic because I sketched with pen and I couldn't wait so I painted over it (waiting is tough for some of us) LOL! The shadows and scratchy lines make her a little ghoulish, but I like it.

As always: Thanks for stopping by!

HOMEWORK

2011-03-08T07:01:00.005-05:00

Hi everyone, I hope you're all having a good week. Below are some 'homework 'sketches and doodles from Alisa Burke's online class: 'Sketchbook Delight'. I'm having a blast and stretching my self, going beyond my usual sketching routine. First up: Mocha-during a quiet moment. I took him to the vet yesterday for blood work-we should find out results today. I admit I'm nervous about this. He's twelve and he's had some health issues so we're hoping for the best.

One thing I've been challenging myself to do more of is to sketch the things around me: So here is my small leather bag. It's called a 'disco bag' because it doesn't hold much but I'm using it for everyday - trying to 'pack light'. LOL

Some doodling - I've never done much of this before but it is relaxing,

and it's a good way to 'loosen up'

And last, a light fixture from the latest 'Pottery Barn' catalog.

Thanks for visiting, have a great day!

CONFESSIONS

2011-03-02T08:29:00.009-05:00

pen

addict.

Here is the new 'baby' A Sharpie ultra fine tip in flesh color.

. . . because I do portraits - So we've been spending quality time together

me and my new Sharpie.

The light color allows for 'layering' and corrections as needed. I added some graphite to this one-for more dimension.

added graphite using the side of the pencil, it covered most of the sharpie marks but produced a variation of line.

More experiments to come, thanks for visiting! Have a great day.

Update and sketching 'homework'

2011-02-23T18:23:00.012-05:00

Many thanks to those who ordered sketchbooks (see slideshow on right). I am currently sold out. I'm putting together the last one and will mail them all tomorrow or Friday at latest. whew! This week has been busy in a GOOD way!

More quick sketches inspired by Alisa's class. I'm really liking my water soluble Pilot razor pen: I draw first, then I go over it with my water brush (love that!) and it's similar to painting. On the lower fish I added some inktense blue.

Next, the lamp on my desk, It was a quick 5 minute exercise. I admit I'm surprised I even like this one. I had pretty low expectations for it since I don't draw many 'objects'.

Koi watercolors /water brush for the wash of paint.

Of course, I had to do a face, this was a contour drawing- something else I have little experience with but I think I'll start doing more of it. It's a good way to loosen up and I sort of like the 'quirky' effect. Koi watercolors/water brush.

Well, that's all for today. Thank you for visiting!

Latest Sketchbook Pages

2011-02-19T08:57:00.003-05:00

I'm taking an online class from Alisa Burke called Sketchbook Delight and I'm really enjoying it! Alisa is super talented and she provides easy to follow demos and suggestions. The supply list is full of affordable items- most of which I already have so that's good, too. I'm not a beginner at sketching but I've been 'in a rut' lately so the class is just what I needed to 'expand my horizons'. Here are a few of my latest pages.

Below is a page of veggies:
apple, with a few hearts thrown in.

. . . . and I had to include a portrait.

Thanks for visiting, have a great weekend! It is going to be 70˚ here :-)

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

2011-02-14T09:50:00.009-05:00

To my wonderful blogging friends:

Love flows as a mighty wave of energy; changing everything it touches.
We open ourselves to this river of Love and invite it to have its way with us.
May love be evident in all we do or say this day.

-Renaissance Unity Daily Inspiration

Thank you all for your friendship and support, I hope you have a great day!

p.s. I have just learned that I've been included in this fun project. Thank you SETH!

Been There, Done That! CRUSADE 48

2011-02-10T07:03:00.018-05:00

One of my favorite blogging challenges is Michelle Ward's Street Team. Michelle is super talented and generous with her sharing of tips, techniques and examples of her own work. The other 'crusaders' are also a wonderful source of encouragement and inspiration. The prompt for this month is "Been there, done that" evidence journaling.

WARNING: LONG POST

It all started a few years ago when DH gave me a sketchbook for my birthday. Of course I had to decorate the cover.

I found it relaxing to sketch while watching TV. At first it was a casual hobby, then it intensified shall-we-say and soon, It became a favorite obsession, below is the 'evidence': First, I switched over to a less expensive model the Strathmore 400 series, very affordable with a 40% off coupon.

and it's a good thing. Because over the years I've filled up quite a few. Early on I started designing my own covers which became (yet) another obsession . Here they are snuggled neatly on their book case shelf.

and not so neatly in stacks around my studio . . .

and in this decorative bin

and this one . . .

and more stacks

and stacks

I even have a dedicated book for the Crusades which I joined in January 2009. I've been in every Crusade since then and I've enjoyed each one.

Rather than scan the whole book, I took it apart and captured the 'highlights'. The top row is from my first Crusade in January 2009 "Shape Up". Some of the other Crusade titles: "Make it your own, Text Messaging, Back to School, Pulling Prints"

I'm not a 'pack-rat' except with my sketchbooks: I seem to keep all of the pages, even the ones that are unfinished. The pages that don't stay in the books are kept in drawers . . .

. . . and there is a separate drawer for extra covers, too.

By now you might be wondering: How many sketchbooks are there? That's a good question, I stopped counting at volume 33 LOL! which is 11x15".

The others range in size from 8.5 x 5.5" to 7.5 x 11 to 9 x 12". Well, there's my evidence-will it be enough to 'convict' me? lol! Thanks as always for visiting and thank you Michelle for another great challenge.

p.s. It snowed last night - only a dusting but keep in mind this is Georgia and this is our third snow of the season including a (rare) White Christmas!! so I had to show it. It will all be melted in few hours and I can already hear the birds chirping away so this is probably the end of 'Winter' for us. :-)

Bits and Pieces

2011-02-09T07:37:00.006-05:00

Hi friends, I hope you're all having a great week! Things are busy here and time is zooming by as usual-but it's all good: I have a new logo client and a new portrait client (on top of everything else) so I'm not complaining. Also, I'm taking a great online class from Alisa Burke called Sketchbook Delight, below are a few of my 'homework' sketches:

Alisa has many great techniques and tools to share with us. One thing I like about her is the supply list is short, easy to find items that I already have. I made a rule for this week: NO portraits!! I'm trying to 'expand my horizons' and I've always liked architecture so - a fountain was my first subject.

To continue the water theme, Mr. Fish was next - he's not looking too happy but then it's not easy being a fish I guess.

And finally . . . . woops I broke my rule (sigh) but I couldn't help it. Check out her earring. haha. She's 'in progress'. I started off with some 'shadow painting' (hard to see) and did the linework in ball point pen (Pentel RSVP fine. I'm addicted to these) Maybe I'll finish her-soon. Have a good day, thanks for visiting!

STEP BY STEP - Layered Silhouette

2011-02-01T18:28:00.011-05:00

Hi friends, my thanks to all who participated in my give-away. The cards have been mailed except for a few (waiting for address info). Now on to the Step-by-Step: The title of this one is 'Layered Silhouette'. The technique has a spontaneous quality and it's very forgiving so-no worries.

Materials: cardstock, spray paint*, stencils, silhouette shape: draw or trace onto card stock, cut out carefully to be used as a both a stencil and a mask. *Spray ink or mist can be substituted for spray paint if you'd rather.

1) "SHAPES" You can use existing texture if you wish or make something new, this one is stencils and spray paint, quick and random, no thinking! Use large and small shapes in muted monochrome colors. Let dry.

Step 2: "REVERSE SIL" Spray paint around a 'mask'* using black or dark paint onto newsprint, this one is slightly out of register-that's okay. Let dry.

Step 3: "SIL" Monoprint silhouette mask onto another lightly stenciled background. Let dry.

Step 4: 'COLLAGE' Brightly colored collage piece with random shapes & sizes. Scan all into Photoshop. (You could also use a doodle or journal background for this step.)

Here is the file set-up/formula.:

Step 4 (collage) 100% overlay Step 3 (SIL) hard light 100%hard light (REVERSE SIL) 100% overlay, SHAPES 100% normal. Of course-play and see what else you discover.

Below is the final result. The bright colors from the collage layer mingle with the subtle shapes, etc. The scratchy imperfections give it some character, I think.

Here's what Martha came up with from my last Step-by-step. Above all: Have fun,

and as always-thanks for visiting!

SneakPeak and a Give Away

2011-01-28T18:46:00.007-05:00

Hi blogging friends, I realized today that I'm approaching my 200th post. It coincides nicely with Valentine's Day being just around the corner. The images below are a sneak-peak at my latest card designs along with some existing favorites.

You are all very near to my heart so I'm having a give-away to let you know how much I appreciate you and our virtual-yet-very-real-friendships.

The actual cards are 4" x 5.25" (closed) and come with envelopes. Some have quotes on the front, all are blank inside and if desired they can be framed. The copyright info will not appear on the actual cards.

If you'd like one of the cards, just leave a comment on this post saying that you'd like to have one. Then send me an email (link is on my profile page or jgroyal(at)bellsouth.net) with your mailing address.

And I'll pop it in the mail ASAP.

Meanwhile . . . thank you for your friendship and support, it means so much to me.

and Happy weekend!

Sketches

2011-01-24T09:55:00.006-05:00

I hope you all had a good weekend, things here were busy: going through closets, trying to get a head start on Spring cleaning, etc. I did have a little studio time though and here are two new sketches: The first one has a wistful, sad expression so I gave her a little 'tear streak' to add some drama-maybe she's a run-way model who got fired because she gained two pounds, or her boyfriend left her for a cover girl . . . . .

The second girl has the 'windblown' look: She was doing a photo shoot on top of the Sears tower in Chicago-b-r-r-r-r.
I'm having fun with my new techniques and the bonus is: they are fast, too!

Thanks for visiting, have a great week! p.s. Another Step-by-Step coming soon!

From the LAND DOWN UNDER

2011-01-17T14:14:00.013-05:00

Last week, I was thrilled to get this package from Fiona, an Australian blogging pal who is a calligraphic and book artist extraordinaire and the host of A Letter A Week 2010.

(It was a double-thrill because we didn't have mail delivery for four days after the snow and ice.

but that's another story)

The challenge was for each participant to create one letter per week in the form of two complete alphabets. The alphabets are published in the December 2010 issue of 'Colophon', the official magazine of the Australian Society of Calligraphers.

One of the requirements of the challenge was to form our letters into a final piece for presentation. These letters are from my first alphabet.

A close-up:

My presentation is a simple hand-made book, the cover is shown below. The background is hand-dyed/bleached tissue paper scanned into PhotoShop where I added the text and printed it on card stock.

Needless to say, It's quite an honor to see my work in this gorgeous publication. I not only had a great time with the challenge, I was fortunate to 'meet' some very kind and talented artists along the way. Many thanks to Fiona for organizing this wonderful challenge. Click here to see Fiona's blog and here to see the ALAW 2010 blog. Thank you for visiting, have a great day!

Crusade #47

2011-01-15T19:57:00.005-05:00

The latest challenge from Michelle Ward "It's A Wrap" is all about using pieces of our favorite wrapping paper as 'evidence' in our journals. Get all the details here and join us if you can. We always have a blast and learn new techniques. The background of my first page is some of my favorite wrapping paper: Simple and festive with a subtle color palette. I'm somewhat picky about my wrapping paper. I like to have a coordinating color scheme for all my packages, etc. Next is a favorite Christmas Card which has metallic gold accents, so elegant. I scanned it in and added the lyrics in PhotoShop of my favorite Christmas hymn, "Oh Holy Night" the three wise men are from one of my own card designs.

Second page: The photo of me was taken on Christmas Day wearing my new black and white leopard print sweater, a gift from dh. In the background is the view from our deck after it snowed Christmas Day 2010. This is a big deal because there has not been a White Christmas in Georgia for over 100 years- so I added the news clipping. The blue snow flake snippet is from another fave wrapping paper. This page was done in PhotoShop start to finish.
And the last page is a piece of wrapping paper from Mocha's gift to me. I think it speaks for itself.
Thanks for stopping by, there's still plenty of time to join the Crusades.

Snow, Sketches a Happy Surprise

2011-01-10T13:37:00.007-05:00

This happened overnight, along with some sleet and a little freezing rain. It's beautiful . . . and cold 28˚. All of the radio and TV announcers are telling us to 'stay home' which is good advice since the roads are terrible and . . . .

almost nothing is open. Of course, there is no need to 'twist my arm' on the staying home: It's a studio day and I am thrilled! Here is our back deck with the brightly colored "it's 5 o'clock somewhere" flag-waiting patiently for the first Spring cookout.

Below are two of my sketches so far: Graphite, gesso, charcoal and of course . . . a little bleach stamping, etc.

The 'Happy Surprise' is here, a great website that has kindly featured my blog and some others which I'm glad to discover. Thanks for visiting, have a good day!

Step by step

2011-01-05T10:46:00.012-05:00

Hi everyone, welcome to the first step by step for the year. Monday I mentioned the image below, a sketch - enhanced with some spray paint.

Thanks to all who sent emails and left comments, I appreciate your interest and I'm excited to share this technique! The instructions below explain how to create each step-you can also use an existing sketch or background.

Tools and Materials:

Graphite pencil

Watercolor pencil - brown

clean water

watercolor brush

sponge or soft white cloth

card stock or paper - dark color

Colored or hand painted tissue paper

Stencils

Spray paint - white or light color

Scanner

Photoshop

Step 1: Sketch face with graphite pencil. (Size is your choice, I work 8 x 10"). Add shadows and detail with watercolor pencil, paint lightly with clear water and brush. Let dry.

Step 2: Spray paint (white) over a stencil of your choice using a dark background. Let dry. Be careful with spray paint, work outside or in a well ventilated area, wear a face mask, never spray near open flame, be sure to read all directions on the can for your safety.

Step 3: Create a background using colored tissue by 'sponging' a darker color over a light one, the example below is brown and red orange over yellow tissue paper. Let dry.

Scan the sketch, spray painted piece and background into Photoshop. Place all three into one document. See below for layer placement.

Now the FUN begins. Experiment with "multiply" and 'color burn' mode commands as well as opacity settings to get your results. Here is the 'formula' I used:

FACE01-color burn 36%, FACE02-multiply 100%, STENCIL01 - multiply 100%, STENCIL02 color dodge 67%, TEXTURE-normal 100%, but there are many possibilities for endless fun. Have a blast and thank you for visiting!

Practice is Progress

2011-01-03T06:27:00.006-05:00

"Be as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future."

-Christian D. Larson

Hi everyone! I mentioned last week that I had some 'plans' for my blog. I'm calling it

"The Inspiration Project" and it starts today. Nothing too grandiose, just some techniques and my thoughts on the creative process. Staying positive is critical for artists yet-easier said than done. Over time I've developed some some affirmations to ward off negative thoughts and I'll be sharing them in the coming weeks. Here is the first one:

Practice is Progress: I really believe that if we keep practicing, learning and 'showing up' at the canvas, or the sketchbook-we are in fact making progress. To see how far you've come, look back at where you started. It's obvious but true. A couple of years ago I started sketching every day, it didn't take too long before I saw improvement.

Below is a list of techniques I'll be sharing this year so I hope you'll stay tuned. Meanwhile, thank you for visiting and have a great week!

First up: "Digital spraypaint/collage."

Coming soon:

"Layered silhouette."

"Sketching with texture".

"Subtractive painting".

"Abstract portrait" technique.

'Pencil painting'

WELCOME 2011!

2011-01-01T12:23:00.005-05:00

"It'll cost nothing to dream . . . and everything not to." -unknown

Happy New Year blogging friends! 2010 was a good year for me and I thank you all for your friendship and support. The image above is a piece of my 2011 'dream map' also known as a 'vision board':

If you want to make a dream map you'll need a few magazines to cut up, scissors, tape or glue and cardboard or poster board for the base. Size is your choice. Before you get started, focus on your goals and dreams for the coming year. Then quickly page through the magazines and rip or cut out any images that appeal to you, don't think about it too much. Also pull out any words or phrases that appeal to you or echo your goals for the year. Arrange them on the board and start gluing, again don't think too much. Leave some white space so you can add more during the year. Place your dream map where you'll see it everyday. It works with the subconscious mind

-the most powerful part.

With or with out a dream map, I'm wishing you all a year of blessings and many creative adventures.

STUDIO TIME

2010-12-28T16:12:00.004-05:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, we did - complete with measurable snow for the first time in many years. It's hard to believe it's over but the good news is that now I have more studio time. Below is my latest sketch in red pencil, I thought it was a little 'garish' so I gessoed over it to soften the colors, then went in with tans, gold and browns . . . ahhhh much better. Of course I had to add a little sage green and some texture with rubber stamps. Oh-I've also changed my banner for the New Year. I have some plans for 2011 so please stay tuned. Meanwhile thanks for visiting!

Technique: Pencil sketch, gesso, watercolor, rubber stamps.

A CHRISTMAS PRAYER

2010-12-23T08:50:00.007-05:00

• That people everywhere will reach out to the ill and less fortunate, and offer them hope.

• That all those holding a 'grudge' can let go of bitterness and find it in their heart to forgive.

• That those who struggle with addiction will find the strength to break away and begin to heal.

• That all who are complacent may be humbled and all who are blessed may have a grateful heart.

And to my dear blogging friends: May your blessings outnumber your troubles and may you never, ever let go of your dreams.

Merry Christmas!

Pinch me, I'm dreaming!

2010-12-18T07:45:00.006-05:00

A really, really good day:

Hi blogging buddies, I got this in the mail yesterday and . . . what a thrill! Pages 84-86. The article describes my technique for making recycled watercolor journals. I came up with it while trying to find a use for those half-finished watercolor paintings that were piling up in my studio. . . . click here for a sneak-peak (scroll down).

Merry Christmas to me - one week early! and Happy weekend to all!

Technique review

2010-12-11T13:37:00.003-05:00

Hi blogging friends, I hope you're all doing well and enjoying the Season. It's been cold here (anything below 45˚ is considered the 'deep freeze' lol!) dh has just returned from a long business trip and I've been shopping, cooking, decorating etc. I did manage to get a few experimental sketches done, though. Recently I've been exploring a 'scratchy' technique, where I leave in some or all of the construction lines, it adds a 'primitive' look which I find rather interesting. I also like the unfinished effect. One thing I also like to do is scan and print an unfinished sketch and then work on it again with no fear of ruining the original. This one is a pen sketch with watercolor added.

Next is an Inktense sketch using gold for the first layer and a darker orange for the details.
Finally another pen sketch with a mix of sepia and gold to warm it up. I've mailed all of my packages and finished my Christmas cards. Now I'm off to buy some stamps and pop them all in the mail.
Happy weekend to all and thank you for visiting!

Car Sketches

2010-11-29T18:08:00.005-05:00

Hi friends, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We went to see ds and her family in Illinois. Long drive but worth every mile. We had a wonderful time and OH we were very well-fed. DS is an awesome cook. Of course I did some car-sketching on the way there and back. It's a great way to pass the time, (dh was driving). This is graphite and a bit of charcoal pencil for the eyes and hair. Yesterday I added a light wash of paint.

The one below is graphite, no embellishments.

For the third one, I added a graphic background in PhotoShop.

Have a great week, as always thanks for visiting!

Portrait practice

2010-11-19T09:24:00.009-05:00

Another great and busy week but I finally had time to go through some family photos and I decided to sketch two of my ancestors. The first one is my great grandmother. My mom was named after her and I am named after my mom. It's very special to have photos of great grandparents and to know details of their lives. They lived in a really old house with a big front porch, they had six children- three boys, three girls and one of those girls . . .

Technique: Watercolor, pen & ink on sketch paper.

. . . was my grandmother, Lillian. I mentioned her here last year with a sketch of her as a young woman. This portrait study is later, when she's starting to go gray. I remember her with white hair and the prettiest light blue eyes. She lived near us and mom took me to visit her often. She looks rather serious here but she was a happy person, always smiling and laughing. Sometimes it seemed like a chore to go visit but now I'm glad to have the memories.

Technique: Watercolor, pencil on sketch paper.

Happy weekend, thanks for visiting!

Studio Tour and Storage

2010-11-15T10:06:00.009-05:00

Hi everyone, I hope you had a great weekend! Recently I posted a some pics of my new studio and I got a few emails requesting a full tour so here it is: Up the steps . . .

down the hall . . . .
here is my official 'sign' on the door.

Welcome!
And this is a typical scene from the new studio in action: The cardboard on the wall is a combination bulletin board/backsplash in case I get crazy and start flinging my paint LOL!

My 'desk' is a door purchased from Home Depot it's 7' x 3' ish and gives me plenty of workspace. I added several coats of polyurethane to make it 'indestructable'.

My favorite part of this desk is the bookcases underneath. Also purchased at Home Depot many years ago.
DH bolted the bookcases to the door/desktop. This provides great storage and keeps the 'stuff' hidden to reduce clutter. The whole set-up is much larger and cheaper than any of the ready-made desks we looked at.
Another fave: Rolling carts that can be moved around and even hidden in the closet if I really want to clean up. Notice the water container with a lid -just in case (see below)
He's never understood the phrase "look before you leap" hah

Labels for each drawer and - cat string toy at the ready.

And here it is . . . cleaned up-of course it won't last long! Hope you enjoyed the tour, thanks for visiting!

Beauty and Honor

2010-11-12T15:44:00.008-05:00

Fall, my favorite time of year! The leaves are a little late in turning but well worth the wait. I was out & about today with the camera, here are a few tid bits of the beauty.

These deep red/orange trees are breathtaking, I think they get prettier every year.

and these gold beauties are from our own back yard- which is really a forest as you can see.

it's hard to see where one tree ends and the next one begins, they're all overlapping in such yummy colors . . .

and this one below is my favorite. So tall I can only get a photo from underneath.

This was taken while standing on our deck.

and now for the 'honor'.

These flags are out every Memorial and Veterans' Day. They bear the names of deceased veterans, loved ones of the locals. City workers place each flag in the same place every time. My Dad's and dh's Dad are next to each other on one of the busiest corners in town. The flags are so beautiful swaying in the breeze.

Seeing them all lined up is very touching. Here you can see the names of the veterans and wars in which they served,

a lovely tribute, I think. Have a great weekend, thanks for visiting!

Crusade #46

2010-11-10T07:00:00.012-05:00

Michelle Ward's latest challenge is: 'What's your Hang-up?" We are encouraged to frame and/or hang up some of our own artwork. This can be a very eye-opening experience. Paintings or sketches that have previously seemed unfinished or 'unworthy' are elevated to a whole new level (along with your self-image) once you mat and frame them or in the case of canvas, simply sign it and pop it onto the wall.

1) 7" x 10" Pear painting that didn't turn out but I liked parts of it so I scanned and printed on Lazertran and attached it to a 4" x 4" tumbled marble tile (Home Depot). A local gallery owner/client framed it for me as a gift. I hung it in our recently renovated guest bath.

2) This is a favorite piece from an earlier Crusade. I got the ATC mat here. I took this pic before I framed it so there isn't a glare.
. . . and here it is hanging in our new powder room.
Below are four sketches/prints that I sold earlier this year. These were adapted from sketchbook covers-but that's another story.

and ta-da! The big (4'x5') canvas I mentioned here. Finally it's hanging in our newly painted living room.
So, if you haven't joined the Crusades yet, there's still time. Thanks for visiting!

Home

2010-11-03T08:49:00.008-04:00

They moved here the Summer before I was born. Mom & Dad and my three siblings. It was a drafty old place, and the floors were squeaky; making it hard to sneak around when we were

kids. In summer all the windows were open and we had a wonderful breeze- especially right before a thunderstorm when we would often hear the slamming of doors as the wind picked up. There was a huge maple tree in the yard where I spent much of my childhood, if you climbed really high you could see the skyline downtown-that was a big thrill. Every Fall, we had a blast playing in the leaves. When it snowed, Dad and my brothers would go out early in the morning to shovel the driveway, and Mom would make oatmeal and hot chocolate for us. Spring was always a long-awaited event-full of yard work and car washing. Finally, it would be Summer again: Wonderful days of tree-climbing, playing softball and swimming-family cookouts in the back yard, playing kickball, hide & seek and riding our bikes everywhere.

My beloved tree died of 'old age' some years ago and had to be cut down. Sadly, Mom & Dad have both died too. Other people live there now-but it will always be 'home' to me.

Technique: pen & ink, watercolor.

Crusade #45

2010-10-27T15:58:00.005-04:00

Michelle Ward is always coming up with fun and amazing new challenges: This month it's Back to Back: create a background, copy it and 'finish' it three different ways. It's already no-pressure b/c it's a copy of the background. Below is my original background made with rubber stamps and paint for the drips.

I worked digitally so step one is to scan the background into Photoshop. I added a scan of an old model sketch which almost covered my background but using the mode palette some of the texture shows through. Speaking of texture, my favorite part is the 'lace' on her dress near the bottom.

Second one is a tree layer, using 'luminosity' to get the monochrome look.
And for #3 I added a green color block and more 'mode' fun to get the scratchy texture. Also added the alphabet squares from a recent project to get some depth.

What a blast this was! If you've ever joined the Crusades, you know what I mean-if you haven't:

click here NOW and join the fun but don't hesitate-time is running out. As always Thank you Michelle for your inspiration!

New Studio

2010-10-25T13:03:00.008-04:00

Hi everyone, I've been missing my blog and all of you so much. Here's what I've been up to for the last week or so: 1) My new studio. (sigh) as much as I've loved and adored my unfinished basement studio-three levels of stair climbing is not an option these days so I've slowly but surely moved everything to my office-here is the big 'reveal'. I'm pleased I was able to find storage for everything (you know I 'm clutter-phobic). The wicker basket is for all my current projects.

Below is the opposite wall. (2) The painting is one of the 4'x5' canvases I've been working on. It's hard to see in the pic but there are some subtle textures and metallic colors. It's leaning against the wall - no nails, no commitment LOL! I kept it abstract so it can be used for taping up inspiration photos, etc. like a alternative to a bulletin board. (For cat-safety, I don't use pushpins - Mocha loves to chew and play with them. yIKES!)

and . . . . just to prove that the closet isn't stuffed full-here's a peek inside. The cart of shelves outside the closet is one of my faves. It has wheels so I can put it anywhere and the labeled drawers come out for added convenience.

More FAB drawers with wheels-Love these!

And (3) the finished ledge-TaDa! Somebody was brave enough to climb the big ladder, carrying these items - some of which are heavy. No, it wasn't dh, he's forbidden from ladders ever since this happened last year. The round piece in the center is made of small glass mosaic tiles in different shades of gold and orange. Late afternoon when the sun comes through the window it hits the medallion and the 'light show' is very cool.

Thanks for visiting, have a great day!

Sneak-Peak

2010-10-16T09:28:00.005-04:00

Hi blogging friends, I am sorry for my neglect the last few weeks: Physical Therapy seems to be helping my knee . . . . very s-l-o-w-l-y. The living room/foyer/kitchen/den/upstairs hallway is painted and we are so pleased with the color-now the redecorating fun begins!!! And speaking of fun, here is a sneak peak at one thing that's been keeping my busy. A 4' x 5' foot canvas for the foyer wall, it's a grouping of giant crape myrtle-ish trees with bright orange, red and some dark sage greens and chocolate browns. Of course there is metallic paint as well. This is a cropped snippet of the whole canvas, I'll show you the whole thing after I get it on the wall.

In-progress shot of the men working away in the living room. Thank goodness for the roller extension!

Ta-Da! They finished in one (long) day!! It feels like a new house.

Thank you for visiting, have a great weekend!

Back in the Saddle

2010-10-08T08:54:00.003-04:00

Hi blogging friends! First I must say "thank you" to all the dear ones for your emails, lovely comments and good wishes. They cheered me up when I needed it. I'm feeling better at least mentally and that's a start. Two doctors have given a diagnosis of patella chondromalacia aka "runners knee". I have begun physical therapy and let's hope it works. At least I can burn a few calories lol.

And now - back to my art blogging: I have slowly been moving a few items up to my office which is my new studio. I haven't tried to paint there yet as it's a nice room and I don't want to drip paint on the carpet, etc. but I do have my inktense pencils which are awesome, too.

Below is my latest sketch.

And, as I mentioned in my last post . . . we're having the living room painted today. I'll take some pics when they're finished and post them soon. Meanwhile - have a great weekend!

Art SLUMP in progress

2010-10-01T10:27:00.003-04:00

Hi blogging friends, Oh I have missed you the last two weeks. I'm preoccupied with several things right now, one of them being a mysterious pain in my knee that has limited my stair climbing ability. Since my beloved studio is in the basement, I have been unable to spend much time there. My sketchbook is always by my side though and hopefully I'll have something to post soon. Mocha was sick last week and is finally feeling better, asleep in my lap right now.

On a brighter note, dh and I are having our living room painted - so I'm in progress picking a paint color--acckkkkk! I admit: I'm losing sleep over it--why is it so much FUN to paint paintings and so FRIGHTENING to pick paint color for the walls? I know. Because once you've paid people to climb 20 feet up on a ladder and paint the WHOLE room-you can't change your mind . . . . no pressure LOL! Anyway:

Below is a sketch in progress with a technique I've read about and always wanted to try. Faux batik using masking tape. If I ever finish it - I'll post the final results. Meanwhile: Thank you for visiting and have a great weekend!

Birds of Prey

2010-09-20T07:00:00.002-04:00

Well, it was another great weekend here. One of the local Wild Bird shops had a Birds of Prey exhibit. Needless to say it was awesome to be so close to these creatures. It's always wonderful to catch a glimpse of nature but to be right there and get a good look was amazing. Below is the North American Barn Owl.

Next, the Great Horned Owl. He is about 20 inches high and weighs only 63 oz. most of which is feathers, of course.
Then, the red-tailed hawk. This was especially cool to see up close because we often see these in our back yard/forest.
Harris Hawk--very beautiful.
There was also a black vulture-he was not allowed out of his cage so no photo opps. There was a falcon, too but he had eye coverings on-hence was not too photogenic.
Thanks for visiting, have a great day!

In a SCRAPE - Crusade #44

2010-09-12T15:45:00.008-04:00

Hi blogging friends, I hope you've all had a great weekend! Things here have been non-stop: Home projects, yard work and a few social activities-but- I managed to sneak in a little studio time for Michelle Ward's latest challenge Crusade #44- "In a Scrape". No brushes allowed.

Click here for all the details and join us if you can.

For my first attempt:

I scraped on multi colors of thinned out acrylic paint and let it dry. Next I spread a thick layer of matte medium using an old credit card. This took several days to dry. It's hard to see in the scan but it looks sort of like 'encaustic'. Next I glued on some thin strips of crinkled white tissue paper. After it dried I used a piece of thin cardboard to work more paint into the 'nooks and crannies' to give it more dimension.
Next up, I used 140lb. cold press watercolor paper as my base. The teal green is metallic but (sigh) doesn't scan well. I like how the paint is thick in some places and so thin in others - it lets the texture of the paper show through. The white/gray blob in the center is gesso slapped on with the credit card.
A close-up of the texture.
This one is on coated card stock (white) I used a minimalist approach here with the side of the credit card. While it was still wet, I sprayed it with a mist of water and 'smooshed' it to get the squiggly effect.
Well as always I learned a few new tricks and had a blast, thank you for visiting!

Message from Heaven

2010-09-04T14:33:00.006-04:00

Hi everyone, I hope you're all having a great weekend. It's only about 80˚ here with a cool breeze-yay!

This is a draft version of a recent commission: "L". I met L's mother a few years ago and as we got acquainted she shared with me that L had died at the age of 17. Her mom shared stories about L and showed me some pictures. Immediately I wanted to sketch her portrait.

Is it possible to have a relationship with someone you've never met? Yes. I feel such a connection with this young soul. When you draw someone, you study them closely, you soak up their essence and absorb their spirit. At least that's how it is for me.

One night after sketching L for practice, I dreamed she was in my studio-I was sketching her from life, instead of from her photo.

Here is what transpired in my dream:

We were having coffee and I was staring because she was even more beautiful in person. There was a lovely white light all around her. I was talking and sketching while she sat quietly. I told L how her mom has become a good friend.

I said "She has a very healing effect on me and she's a really good listener-that works out because I talk a lot. She never complains, but I know she and your Dad struggle over losing you. It makes NO sense to any of us down here. Yet, I must believe that God has a plan. Your brother Z struggles, too. He's had some heavy blows to deal with in his young life and I have to wonder: WHY?"

After I told her all of that, L spoke: so softly, I almost didn't hear her.

She said: "I chose you for my mom. Your mom chose her for you. Tell her to have FAITH; Z will be okay. Angels are watching."

Then I blinked, and she was gone but her coffee mug was still there. The dream was so vivid, and so real. I woke up with a feeling of extreme calm. Thanks for the message, L. Tell my Mom I said hi.

Step by Step

2010-08-27T15:23:00.007-04:00

After my last post (Tuesday) I got a few requests for an online class. Oh I am so flattered by this! I'm a little shy so I'm offering this humble step-by-step for now. But first-I went on a cleaning binge haha! and you know it won't stay clean for long so I took pictures, if you don't want to see the studio pics, just scroll down to the step by step.

Here is my work table, all clean, check out my fave item, a surprise gift from dh last year . . .

my OTT light. Oh! I love it.

Storage shelves, clean and waiting to be 'used'.

Tall storage tower and leftover end table. I have relocated my spray booth to the other room.

old dresser that I inherited back in the 80's from a roommate who moved out and didn't want it. Yes, I've kept it all these years. It holds quite a bit and I've labeled each of the six drawers. No surprise: One drawer is FULL of journals. Now: onto the step-by-step . . . .I am working in my Strathmore 9x12 400 series sketchbook but it will probably work on most types of paper. 1) Spray adhesive a piece of white gift tissue onto your paper. Don't worry if it gets wrinkled, that adds to the texture. 2) Sketch your subject onto the tissue paper, of course I'm using a portrait here but you could also do a landscape, flower or anything.

3) Wet the surface of your tissue with plain water. Then go back in with watercolors and lightly 'paint' your subject. This is rather quick because the technique only uses a hint of color. Don't rub too much as the tissue paper is fragile. I used warm 'flesh' colors but you could also use blue-greens, purples or anything. Experimenting is always part of the fun. If you want the random drips (my favorite part), tilt your page while the paint is wet (duh)!.

I let the paint go outside the lines of the tissue paper for a spontaneous look. If you want to control the drip, just mop it lightly with a paper towel. I like the way the color and drips become part of the composition, they are a nice contrast to the negative white space, I think.

For a more detail, you can go back in gently after it dries: This technique leaves room for many variations. If you decide to try it I'd love to see what you come up with! Happy weekend to all and thanks for visiting!

Sketches

2010-08-24T07:07:00.004-04:00

Even when I can't get to my studio, there is always time for sketching. This one is graphite on sketch paper, light gesso and acrylic, more graphite. I've been on this 'scratchy' technique for a while now and I'm really enjoying it.

Second piece is white tissue wrap spray glued to paper. Sketch face in graphite, light coating of dyes and of course splatter-that always makes me happy! lol.

Thanks for visiting-have a good day!

CRUSADE #43-Text Messaging

2010-08-16T14:37:00.007-04:00

Hi everyone, Michelle Ward's latest challenge is 'Text messaging'. The instructions are to cut out bits of text from magazines, newspapers, junk mail or whatever you have and make a composition out of it - in other words: Play!

One thing I loved about this crusade is that I could spend a few minutes here, a few minutes there and it was so relaxing. My approach was simple - I cut out words and phrases that I found positive & uplifting. Affirmations about everything from art to 'erasing your flaws' (poof! they're gone) to 'aging 'gracefully' lol! I added columns of newspaper or magazine text in the background and randomly pasted larger text on top so that some of the smaller words peek out, which I found interesting- as usual there was absolutely NO thought involved-hah! At the last minute, I added one of my silhouettes in photoshop.

One of my favorites is the phrase 'playground equipment' near the top. That's how I think of the Crusades - a big virtual playground where I love to hang out.

and . . . we all know that I can't leave anything alone so in the second pic I added some color to spice it up a little.

There's still time to join us - click here for all the details. As always, thank you for stopping by!

FUN with Spray Paint

2010-08-09T10:03:00.005-04:00

Well, as much as I enjoyed our trip-it's great to be back in the studio. I got out the spray paint the other day and had a blast with my stencils. I cut out a few silhouettes and just played.

I like the lattice X shape on the right side.

I added a little newspaper clipping to the second one-it's harder to see the whole silhouette shape but I guess that makes her . . . mysterious lol!
'Back to School' is in full swing here and it's still very hot, but Fall is 'on the horizon' and I'll be ready for it. I'm already dreaming of crisp cool air and acorns falling and (sigh) wearing my beloved sweatshirts . . . . .

Thank you for visiting!

The Wedding

2010-08-03T07:31:00.010-04:00

Hi blogging friends, we're back from the most wonderful trip! One of my nieces got married Saturday in St. Louis. Family and friends from 12 states and beyond gathered for this long-awaited event. Friday night we had a great dinner in an Irish pub.

It was really fun to be with all of my siblings, uncles,
aunts, nieces
nephews, cousins and friends.
Saturday night this lovely ballroom was abuzz with festivity: We had cocktails, dinner, champagne toasts and much dancing and celebrating.
The lady in pink is one of my aunts: She's had some trouble getting around in recent years, but when the band started playing, she sprang onto the dance floor and here she is with some of her children, grandchildren and great-nieces.
To our delight and amazement- she out-danced us all! We 'boogied the night away' and finally tore ourselves away when they started turning off the lights lol!
But that didn't stop us from getting up early to see the Arch with a few of my cousins. We always have a blast together so we wanted to soak up every minute of the fun. Below is a view from inside the arch.
Yes, we barely made it to check-out time, we drove all day and into the night getting home and it was worth it! We dragged in late that night, exhausted with happiness. I'm still 'basking' from the weekend.

Here is my beautiful niece with her dashing groom. And I have a new nephew!

aLAW July

2010-07-28T15:56:00.006-04:00

I'm participating in a challenge for 2010 called A Letter A Week and above is the start of my second alphabet. I used re-purposed items from my studio. The backgrounds are cut out of a watercolor painting that . . . 'didn't turn out' LOL. I pasted scraps of tissue wrap in the shape of the letters (roughly) then I drew the letters more clearly with dimensional paint. I love the tiny nozzle on those bottles! The black border was added in PhotoShop. Thanks for visiting - have a great weekend!

JOURNAL pages

2010-07-23T09:33:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone, I hope you've had a good week, I've had some quality time in my studio. The first portrait is one of my favorite techniques: Watercolor pencil, graphite and . . . a mystery element- (see if you can guess) there was handwriting on the left side but it was distracting so I blotted out most of it.

Next is an exercise I use from time to time: A challenging pose. Her face is tilted up and her mouth is really open-that makes it challenging (for me). I still have a few issues with her chin/neck but I decided to post anyway. Of course, I used a little bleach and a few rubber stamps on this one. Also my favorite date stamp, acquired in FLA a few years ago at an office supply store. It has the years up to 2011. (click to enlarge)

Well, have a great weekend my friends! It's HOT here- 98˚!

Important Note: To my lovely 'followers': I appreciate each one of you, and I thank you for your interest in my blog!

Crusade #42-part TWO

2010-07-16T15:02:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone, I hope you've had a good week. Mine has been busy-I had such a great time with Michelle's stRIP ease crusade, I decided to go again. Above: The strips were a combination of stenciled tissue wrap and hand-dyed paper applied randomly (of course-lol) Let dry. then paint silhouette on top using black and dark red watercolor. I added the (backward) text in PhotoShop.
The second one is spray-painted/monoprinted sketch paper. I used larger, wider and fewer strips this time for a bold look. Watercolor again for the silhouette but I let it fade lighter near the bottom for a 'mysterious' look. I added the heart in PhotoShop - it is a separate dye/bleach painting. The name of this one is : "Be Still My Heart". I say this every time but it's true: Michelle this is the best Crusade YET! Thank you as always for another FUN challenge!

Have a great weekend everyone.