Matching Outfits

I remember how my grandma made my sis and I matching outfits as kids.  My sister is two years older than me.

Sometimes these memories come to me when I’m making art.  Does this happen to you?

I created this art in my sketchbook last night. I started by glueing a stocking hat and sweater for a dog from one of my Gelli-plate printed papers.

I then drew my girl’s face.  Next, I glued her vest and pants to the paper.  Kind of reminds me of paper dolls… I drew her arms and boots around her collaged “clothes” and the dog around his “sweater” from my imagination…

The proportions are a bit off on my girl but I like the dog! Lol! ☺️  And the poem I wrote reminds me of my childhood and how much fun we used to have playing in the snow.

I have always thought it would be fun to have a little dog to dress up in matching outfits! 

Cheers! 🙂

P.S. The child in me wishes it would snow but the adult says, “Please, only in the mountains!  I don’t want to drive in it!” 😉

Drawing Faces…

I continue enjoying drawing these quirky faces…

Experimenting with different drawing materials such as a Pentel Sign Pen:

I messed up her neck a bit so I gave her a high collar.  Hehe! 😉

I used same pen over watercolor for this gal – I like how this pen bleeds a little with water:

When I went to my local art supply store recently, I met Linda Schneider (LindaSchneiderArt.com) who does beautiful calligraphy.  I used to do calligraphy when I was in college.  Linda self-published a book using calligraphy flourishes to create women’s hair, hats, etc; called, “Designing Faces, Figures, Florals and More!”

She inspired me create the faces I’m showing you today.

I used a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen for this drawing:

What I like about this pen is the ink is permanent.  It is a little harder to control than the other pen however.  This pen also comes with refills.

And here is a mixed media piece that is a bit wild:

I started with a light background in watercolor, added her face with the outline using a black Micron pen, added Neocolor watersoluble crayons and more scribbles with the Pentel Sign pen.

Who knew that drawing faces could be so fun!

Cheers! 🙂

H, I And Pattern Play

I realized that I hadn’t shared my letters, “H” and “I” from my watercolor Alphabet Journal that I did in July on my blog.

I added the collage portion to these letters last weekend.  I think this page is extra happy:

And you all know how much “I” love flowers!

Last night, I had only a few minutes to paint before dinner so I created this experiment in watercolor:

Watercolor pattern play is relaxing and fun!  I encourage you to give it a try!

Cheers! 🙂

 

Autumn’s Display

Fall was in the air this last weekend at the lake!

I always like when the wild rose hips turn a blushing reddish-orange:

I did a pencil sketch of them in my journal:

I enjoyed taking these photos of Autumn’s Display to share with you:

 

I hope they brighten your Monday!

Cheers! 🙂

 

Drawing Quirky Characters…

I discovered this online class over the weekend at JeanneOliver.com – Quirky Characters with Lucy Cooke…

And I haven’t been able to stop drawing… a very good thing! 🙂

Here are my beginning drawings in my sketchbook on Friday:

I wanted to loosen up and create more quirkiness in my drawings…

So I decided to start my faces with something familiar…a little paper collage:

Experimenting with different drawing materials helped me relax too.  I also like how Lucy gives different ways to start a drawing of a face:

I started the ones above with watercolor hair and then used water soluble Faber Castell graphite pencils to add the details.

It was super fun to give little “stories” to my characters as I did with my collage ones.

I did the sketches below with a .7mm pencil, blending stump and a little color pencil where mentioned:

I think I have come a long way in my pencil sketches in just 3 days!  I think that Lucy Cooke is such a good teacher.

This class is teaching me so much and I’d highly recommend it if you’d always dreamed of drawing faces that are playful and fun!  It is one of the more reasonable online classes I’ve taken in price yet it doesn’t disappoint in content either.

Cheers to quirky drawing! 🙂

A Bouquet Of Flowers…

I hand picked these flowers just for you!

As I thought YOU needed a little smile today!

Cheers! 🙂

A New Art Journal

I LOVE starting a new art journal…  Just think of the possibilities!! 😃

A friend I met in the beginning of my WordPress journey – Laura @createarteveryday – who is now posting only on Instagram, told me about this journal from Ranger/Dina Wakley:

I purchased the 8×10 inch size journal at Amazon.  It has about 3-4 different surfaces in it, one of them being burlap which I have never journaled on… I’m curious to see what happens with it!

Laura says that Dina Wakley has several mixed media art videos available on YouTube using this journal.  I look forward to checking them out!  🙂

My first page, I started with a stencil of my hand…

And before I knew it, the wheels of my imagination started turning…

I added color with Ink Tense Blocks, Neocolors, Ecoline watercolor (the pink swirls of color), Gesso on the hand and for the flowers, fluid acrylics and stencils finishing with a black Micron pen and white gel pen.  Basically, a little of this and that!  Lol! 😉

It is busy and colorful and FUN!!

I look forward to exploring MORE mixed media with this new art journal!

Cheers! 🙂

My Hand…

Do you remember tracing around your hand when you were in elementary school?

This is how my hand doodle started with a simple tracing…

Next, I started adding flowers and dots and swirl patterns and before I knew it, I had created this:

If I was to read my hand, I’d say that a new doodle series may be in my future! 😉

Happy Creating with your hands!

Cheers! 🙂

Trees, Unicorns And Vino…

Continuing with my Alphabet watercolor and collage series for the month of July…

Letter, “T” is for trees:

Do you see a couple of birds in my tree?  😉

”U” never know when a unicorn will show up!

Especially when under a sun umbrella! 

And no, I wasn’t sampling the vino…

Just drawing with my eyes closed!  (Yes, my eyes were open for the painting, lettering and I did cheat a little and add a few extra lines to the wine bottles with my eyes open…)

I have decided to spend a few extra days enjoying the lake this week.  Temps will be in the high 80’s and low 90’s…

Summer is so short here that it is nice to enjoy when the weather is good!

There is something about the water that is so soothing…

Cheers to summer! 🙂

A June Bird…

You have heard of a June Bug, right?

Well, why not a June bird!

I decided to try a little something different for today’s weird bird and collage over a watercolor tree I had previously painted in an art journal.

I “repurposed” the word, June from an old wall calendar in several languages and used a page from a weekly paper calendar… I don’t buy weekly calendar’s anymore since I use my cell phone but I still like to buy monthly calendars each year for the inspiring artwork.  How about you?

Hope your June is taking flight for a fabulous month!

Cheers! 🙂