Meet Linda and Bob – Part 2

Below is the beginning of my art journal page from my last post:

And the completed page, focusing on using words with the letter “P”!

First, I drew a body for Linda and Bob, coloring them with color pencils.

I wanted to find an unusual last name for my characters, starting with the letter, “P” so I consulted this old book, “Cyclopedia of Names,” from 1911.

Here I found the name, “Pumbelchook.” The name’s description fit well into this section of my journal. (A bonus was many words starting with the letter, P!):

The part about mathematical problems, led me to a graph from an old book on Engineering Drawings to collage to my page. I liked the “patterns” and colored them with color pencils. I also created a few patterns of my own in ink.

Next, I gave myself some word prompts starting with the letter, “P” to generate ideas. I will share how I did this in a future post.

The title from an old paperback book, “Trouble in the Park” gave me a subject idea. It was a bit challenging to fit my story into the space provided so I printed it on my computer.

I changed the spelling of the last name slightly to “Pumblechook” for Linda and Bob:

I cut out the square drawing of the dog (Paprika) from December’s square-a-day project and glued it into the space under the story. I found the words, “peach pie” in an old cookbook. I created my pie slice image from a Gelli-print.

I really enjoyed the challenge of creating this way… What story would you give Linda and Bob?

I encourage you to add a story from your imagination to your art journal!

Cheers! 🙂

Meet Linda and Bob

Remember my Journal Prompts post last month? I had so much fun completing my journal page that I decided to continue this challenge for myself in the new year. If you don’t remember my post, you can see it here, Art Journal Prompts – Part 2

Meet Linda and Bob:

I know they have a story to tell! If you missed it, they were part of my most recent post.

Perhaps you want to write your own story about Linda and Bob and share it with me next week?

I will be revealing my completed journal page and story next Monday, January 6.

I hope you join me!

Cheers! 🙂

Art Journal Prompts

I like to give myself art challenges.

Yesterday, I had a few minutes to experiment in my 9 x 12 inch Canson mixed media art journal.

I started by writing the date and drawing some random shaped boxes on my paper:

Next, I worked quickly so I wouldn’t overthink things.

I added paper collage, doodles and creative prompts to work on later such as a dictionary word and paint sample name:

I will show you my completed journal page later this week! I encourage you to create your own art journal prompts to get your creative juices flowing!

Cheers! 🙂

Animal Sketches

I challenged myself recently to learn to draw different animals.

I started with collage paper scraps as hats in different shapes to keep it fun:

It helped me to start with animals that I was familiar from my imagination like the pig, cat and dog.

When I started with the gorilla, I used a real image online as inspiration.

I used pencil so I could erase if needed and I erased A LOT!

When I got frustrated, I drew a face of a girl! 😉 It took me several nights to complete.

It helped me to remember to use basic shapes like the circles in my rabbit’s face below:

I think my animal sketches have character! Do you have a favorite?

Happy sketching!

Cheers! 🙂

September Square-A-Day Project

Hello Friends,

I hope you are enjoying my daily art squares as much as I’m having fun creating them!

I tried to tell a story in each art square with watercolor or Copic markers and a touch of collage. Sometimes I added a little Micron black pen too.

My stories for September’s square-a-day project are simple, something I did or saw or felt for that day.

I was inspired by the artwork in this book by Roxanne Evans Stout:

I hope you share favorite squares that may inspire you in your own stories…

Cheers! 🙂

P.S. In case you are wondering, square #17, the words say, “Ferris Wheel.” It was the name of a paint sample. I thought it looked like a child’s name. Our local fair occurs in September. 😉

Just Featured…

Sometimes I create drawing challenges for myself to make it more fun…

I created these faces by not filling in all the features with a Micron ink pen:

Next, I copied my original drawing and completed the faces on copy paper.  I created a couple of animals too!

I couldn’t stop at just one sketch, kind of like eating popcorn while watching a movie! Who can eat just one bowl! 😉

Just featured was very entertaining.  I hope you give it a try with your own drawings.

And if you are unhappy with a drawing, you can just cut it out of the picture!

It is a super fun way to develop a character or perhaps tell a story.

Who will you create?

Cheers!

A Spiny Family

I enjoy giving myself little challenges when drawing… and learning more about my subjects.

Painting different colors of watercolor in my art journal helped add color to a blank page…

I then challenged myself to use mostly black pens – each pen a different variety – to draw Cactus; from the book I showed you in this post: Drawing Cactus and Succulents

According to Dictionary.com; Cactus (noun) and plural can be cacti, cactuses and cactus!  

As a definition:  Any numerous succulent plants of the family Cactaceae, of warm, arid regions, having fleshy, leafless, usually spiny stems and typically having solitary, showy flowers.

I never really thought about a “cactus” being a succulent plant!

I challenged myself to create these “succulents” with a variety of green pens:

Succulent (noun):  A succulent plant as a sedum or cactus… and as (adjective):  Of a plant – having fleshy or juicy tissues.

What I learned from this challenge for myself:

• Calligraphy pens are great to draw with…
• Going outside the color “square” is OK!
• I really do have eight green pens.
• Creating challenges makes drawing fun!
• I enjoyed learning the names of plants… must be a weird bird idea in there somewhere!

Do you give yourself challenges when you are creating?  I’d love to hear what you do!

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! 🙂

Be Square!

Perhaps you remember my post last week where I told you about my Square A Day project.  If not, you can read more about it here:  A Square A Day…

I recently finished the square doodle that inspired the idea for my project:

I’ve titled it, Be Square!

I created a box for my 2019 square project with monthly dividers.  I am writing notes on the back of each card with the date, description and inspiration for the square.  I may use my completed squares for inspiration when I get stuck in a creative rut in the future.

Below are six squares I have completed for January:

I find myself paying more attention to my environment and ideas I could use for future squares…

I think for once in my life, I’m OK to be square! 

Cheers!  🙂

X, Y, Z And…

I made it through the alphabet for my art journal!  WHOOT!

And I completed 31 days of watercolor in July for World Watercolor Month!!

I thought you might enjoy seeing my finished alphabet pages…

An X-ray Tetra Fish for “X”:

“Y” is for Yellow:

“Z” for Zentangled zoodles… Which are zucchini noodles!

I still want to add paper collage and a few extra details to complete these pages… so stay tuned! 🙂

And I completed 5 additional watercolor pages to finish my 31 days – I will post them later this week…

I am happy to be done so I can focus on some other art projects.  Yet, I had so much fun!

I enjoyed my extra time at the lake last week... I think my highlights were swimming in the lake – three times a day, reading a super good book, painting outside daily, making paper butterflies with a friend, daily naps and cool evenings.

Wishing you a happy day doing what you love!

Cheers! 🙂