November Square-A-Day – Landscapes

I created landscapes from my imagination for my November Square-A-Day project.

Using a variety of art supplies, I explored simplicity with Copic markers, color pencils, watercolor, Gelli-plate prints and Pan Pastels.

“The real voyage of discovery consists, not in seeking new landscapes, but having new eyes.” Marcel Proust

I thought this quote summed up this month’s project perfectly!

Cheers! 🙂

Abstract Landscapes

I am creating mixed media abstract landscapes for my November square-a-day project.

I have discovered how much I enjoy creating these simple landscapes with copic markers and color pencils:

Most of the landscapes are from my imagination. I enjoy trying different color combinations to create a feeling or memory.

Sometimes I will finish them with a little collage. I added Gelli-printed deli paper to this square:

It reminds me of the lake and the repetitive sound of the waves on the sandy beach.

Cheers! 🙂

Knowing When To Stop

How do YOU know when a piece is finished when creating art?

I was experimenting in gouache the other day…

I was enjoying the process of adding to my piece.

And then I went too far… It became too busy when I added markers.

Sometimes it is difficult knowing when to stop.  I was hesitant to show you but I believe this is part of the learning process when creating.  I cannot expect to make beautiful art every time!

I made copies and will use them in my collage art.  What do you do with your art mistakes?

Cheers to creating and learning! 🙂

A Copic Doodle

I have been experimenting with Copic markers lately.  I haven’t been a big fan of them in the past because the markers bleed through the paper.

I decided that I would give theses markers another chance.

I chose 140-lb hot press watercolor paper rather than a journal so I didn’t have to worry about the bleed through.  I like how these markers dry evenly on my paper:

Next, I used Micron sepia .01 pen to accent shapes:

I used both .05 and .01 sized sepia ink pens to add my finishing details:

Here are the pen colors I used for this Copic doodle:

It was fun to experiment in colors I don’t normally use and leave some white space!

Have you used Copic markers?  I’d love to hear your opinion about them.

Happy Friday!

Cheers! 🙂

Pattern and Color Play

Sometimes I make art for classes that are just for practice but I dislike wasting good art paper.

Yesterday, I decided to add pattern and color to two of such papers.

My first experiment were repetitive triangle shapes on 90 lb hot press paper.  I added more pattern and color with water soluble crayons and then softened them with water:

Next, I mixed a tiny bit of transparent orange acrylic paint with matte medium and brushed it onto my paper.  I added more pattern on top with a plastic tool by Plaid.

My second experiment was adding to shapes I had done with sumi ink and water soluble crayons to create a feeling of rhythm.  I added additional pattern and color similar to my first experiment.

I mixed a tiny bit of transparent red with matte medium but got a little too much red so I softened it with more matte medium for the second half on the left.

I used the end of my acrylic brush to make marks into the wet paint on this one.

Orignally, I was going to use both papers for collage material but I’m not sure I will cut up the first one!  I like it too much.  It reminds me of sailboats and summer.

I encourage you to experiment with pattern and color play over some artwork you’d like to repurpose.  You may surprise yourself!

Cheers! 🙂

Flower Magic

Yesterday, I experimented with Ecoline liquid watercolors.  I just love how vibrant these colors are right out of the jar.  It was fun to wet my watercolor paper first and then drop in color with an eye dropper.

I learned some of these techniques from the online class, Flower Magic hosted by Ivy Newport.

I added F&W acrylic ink in gold on top of this flower.  I also added salt over the wet paint but it was extremely slow drying.

My next flower, I added Inktense pencil by sanding the pencil over the wet paint.  I like the look of the fine granules.

And my last flower I added Ecoline gold.  It didn’t spread as well as the F&W Acrylic gold ink.  I also added Inktense pencil shavings in two different colors.

There is little control in this method of painting with an eye dropper.  It definitely felt like flower magic as each flower took shape.

Do you have a favorite color combination?  I hope you share it with me.

Cheers! 🙂

Happy Mail

Yesterday, I worked on creating some happy mail…

I made three postcards to exchange with classmates in “2019 Year of the Collage,” online class with Carla Sonheim.

A Fish

Color and Pattern Play

Just for FUNny

 

This book has several excellent ideas as well:

How about YOU?  Do you like to get happy mail?

I am giving away one postcard (original art) in a drawing, please comment below if you’d like to participate in one chance of winning! 😃

A winner will be chosen randomly on Thursday, February 28, 2019 and announced Friday, March 1st, 2019! Good Luck!

Cheers! 🙂

Expressionist Scribble

Yesterday, I tried my hand at asemic writing.  According to Wikipedia, “It is a wordless open semantic form of writing…”

Watercolor 

“It may flow as an abstract expressionist scribble which resembles writing but avoids words.”

Watercolor, Purple India Ink, Acrylic Bronze Paint

”The key to asemic writing is that even though it is traditionally “unreadable” it still maintains a strong attractive appeal to the reader’s eye.”

Watercolor And Elegant Writer Pen

”It seeks to make the reader hover between reading and looking.  All of this is similar to the way one would deduce meaning from an abstract work of art.”

I didn’t actually write words with meaning until this last one:

Watercolor And Elegant Writer Pen

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Cheers! 🙂

Collage Exploration

I recently purchase this book from Amazon:

It has some fabulous ideas that have sparked my imagination!

Such as this collage exploration:

It was inspired by the recent “winter storm” we got over the weekend!

Yesterday, I did some organizing of my art supplies.  It inspired me to create these three collages that I glued in my art journal:

Each collage above has hand-stitching, can you find it?

Cheers! 🙂

In Stitches…

I’m having fun sewing on paper in my art journal and adding collage papers.

I can only sew in one direction since my journal is bound but I like the challenge it adds:

I start by gluing a piece of paper randomly on a page that I explained more about here: It’s A Splash!

Since the stitching is on BOTH SIDES of the paper, one side is a total surprise:

These paper collages are keeping me in stitches!  I enjoy using two different colors of thread, one for the bobbin and one for the top stitch… they add an unexpected color surprise!  And each collage is unique!

What have you created or discovered this last week that brought you unexpected joy?  I hope you share it with me!

Cheers! 🙂