Do You Have A Favorite Poem?

I’m starting an online class tomorrow that I am very excited about!  Carla Sonheim is hosting an online poetry and mixed media art class with Lendon Noe called, “Making Meaning:  Inspired By Poetry.”

I am excited about the mixed media techniques Lendon Noe will be teaching in her class and also learning what poets and poems other students in the class enjoy.

One idea Lendon shares in her intro video is taking a section of a poem and illustrating it.  This is what I tried to do below with one of my favorite poems by Robert Frost, “Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening.”

Morning temperatures dipped into the mid 30’s this weekend so it seems we have skipped Autumn and gone straight to winter here in “my neck of the woods!” Lol!

Do you have a favorite poem or poet?  I hope you share it with me!

Cheers! 🙂

 

A Paint Pen Fish Doodle

I started a new doodle with the paint pens by scribbling some colors on the art journal I showed you yesterday.

I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to do but it was super fun to just play:

I used the Posca paint pens in colors of  light gray, yellow and light green.  It is interesting how the colors change depending on the time of day!

I just started doodling with a black Micron pen and these fish appeared:

So I went with the flow of it…  If I made a mistake with the black ink, I could easily cover it up with a paint pen!  🙂

I discovered that the black ink takes a little longer to dry over the acrylic painted surface so it can easily smear if you aren’t careful.

This is like a puzzle for me to solve as I search for fish and create patterns:

I added a few more lines with the paint pen to create another fish.  Can you find it hidden in the picture above the other two fish?

I will post my completed fish doodle next week.

Cheers! 🙂

A Rosy Review

Continuing with my “R’s” in my Alphabet Journal yesterday, I decided to experiment drawing ROSES using the instruction from this RECENT book I purchased on Amazon:

I really like how the author, Peggy Dean simplifies flowers and leaves into basic shapes such as how to draw this rose:

I believe this book will give me some excellent ideas for future doodles like these roses I drew with an ink pen and colored with Prismacolor pencils:

Happy Drawing!

Cheers! 🙂

“R” Is For Rest And…

I have been taking a little blogging break to rest and recover from a recent car accident where I was rear-ended.

I needed this time to heal my body and recover from the trauma.  Although I’m still not fully recovered, I am starting to feel better so I returned to work today.

Yesterday, I realized that it would be fun to complete a page in my Alphabet Journal that I started in 2016… Why not create a page of “R‘s” that I add to each day this week?

Really, I could do this!  So here is my beginning in a 11×14 inch journal:

I drew the flowers on a separate  piece of lightweight paper in pencil.  I darkened the lines with color pencil.  I stitched over the flowers using “Sewable Swedish Tracing Paper” that I purchased on Amazon for one of my online classes and previously painted in watercolor.

The flower stems were cut from purchased handmade paper that I also painted with watercolor.  I attached the flowers and stems with dark green thread on my sewing machine and then glued the paper to my journal:

I finished my piece by adding details with color pencil.

It was fun to experiment and I look forward to seeing where tomorrow’s reflection will take me.  I hope you join me!

Cheers! 🙂

Blueberries and Cherries

I love summer when the berries and cherries are ripe for picking!

We had such a wet Spring that I had the best crop of blueberries in my yard!  Of course I had to paint them with my new set of Rembrandt watercolor paints! 🙂

I made a light pencil sketch first and then painted wet into wet.  I added sketchy details with a micron black pen after the watercolor had dried.  It is more abstract than realistic but I like it.

Pie cherries were ripe at the lake last weekend in the neighbor’s yard – these are sour cherries – not good for eating off the tree but delish for pies, that is if the Robins don’t eat them first!

I picked a few to paint in my art journal:

I love those bright reds, don’t you?!

It was super fun to experiment in different painting styles.

Do you have a favorite summer fruit?  I hope you share it with me!

Happy Summer!  Cheers! 🙂

A Face Haiku

Is it possible to create a face with just 7 lines?  Yes, I say!! 😄

 1.  It starts with a line

2.  And connects to a feature…

3.  They are easy and fun –

4.  But may look like a creature!  Lol! 😉

And here is a step-by-step example:

I hope you give one a try!

Seven lines for a face…

Is all it takes!

Cheers! 🙂

Write And Draw

I used to spend hours writing my thoughts and ideas in a journal – not the journals you see now… mine were yellow note pads.  Nothing fancy…  Yet, writing helped me deal with life – the good times and the not so good.  Can you relate?!

Yesterday, I decided to try combining writing with DRAWING – my new love! ❤

First, I did some writing with a permanent black pen.  (I love “fine” black Sharpie pens and Amazon sells them really cheap).

Next, I found a face on Pinterest to use as a reference to sketch over my words with a pencil.  I added a little color with Tombow markers.  I softened them with a water brush.  Here is my result:

I will definitely try combining writing and drawing again.

Cheers! 🙂

Faces And Flowers

I have recently discovered mixing water soluble pencils and watercolors.

I quickly sketched these faces with a 6B water soluble pencil and then splashed some watercolors on the paper – trying not to overthink it.

After the watercolor dried, I added more details with my (Faber Castell) Graphite Aquarelle pencils – in 4B, softening the lines with a Pentel waterbrush:

It was so fun that I decided to try the same technique with flowers:

I tried to create a quick sketch and loosely paint it with watercolors so the colors would blend on the paper.  Below, I added the water soluble pencil in 4B:

Next, I hope to add some collage papers to these paintings.  I will post my progress next week!

May your day bloom with happiness!

Cheers! 🙂

Once Upon A Time…

I’m sure there is a story here… Somewhere!

Well, at least a “colorful” character or two…

Or six!  🙂

Technique:

I cut two pieces of 9×12 inch hot-pressed watercolor paper into 4 pieces.  Next, I painted  positive and negative shapes in watercolor in a variety of colors, randomly adding a few splatters at the end.

When I had a few minutes, I drew faces from magazines, old photos and/or my imagination. Some of my faces are simple and others have more detail.  I used a 2B pencil, Tombow markers, PrismaColor pencils and a Micron .01 black pen.

It was great fun to create these people!  I hope you give it a try!

Happy Creating!  Cheers! 🙂

Making Faces

I’m enjoying Lynn Whipple’s new online art class called, “Making Faces.”  Lynn brings such energy and playfulness to her classes!

This quick sketch I did yesterday with Tombow markers and soft pastels:

If you’d like to learn more about Lynn’s online class go to CarlaSonheim.com

One of the things I enjoy the most about taking online art classes through Carla Sonheim is the friendships I have made through the years.  I learn a ton from the teacher(s) but I also learn from my classmates!  It is an AWESOME experience!! 

Cheers!  🙂

P.S.  Lynn’s class gives me new inspiration for the “100 Day Project” that I’m doing on Instagram.  This is face number 56/100.