A Whole New World

I recently purchased two synthetic “Dagger” watercolor brushes from Dick Blick.

I learned about these brushes from my blogging friend and talented artist, Patty Anne. Please check out her beautiful watercolors on her blog:  Patty Anne Art

I had never heard of this brush and loved the results that Patty Anne got with her roses.

I started by just experimenting with the 3/8 brush by “testing the waters” so to speak…

I found it extremely relaxing not painting anything specific and just experiment with the brush and color.  I created this on 300 lb watercolor paper:

Afterwards, I outlined the shapes in a black Micron pen and added a few houses.  It looks like a whole new world to me!

This last weekend, I created this abstract in my small watercolor sketchbook:

It was super fun to add details with a black Micron pen and gel pens in different colors. What do you see?

I encourage you to experiment with different materials in your art!  You may discover a whole new world to explore!!

Cheers! 🙂

Your Handwriting As Art – Part 1

Last weekend, I had fun using my handwriting to create collage papers.  I learned this technique from Carla Sonheim in her online class:  365 Daily Creative Practice.  

I enjoyed taking the lesson a step further and make it my own.  I started by using watercolor paper that I had previously painted.  The colors reminded me of the beach so I started writing about my memories of the ocean and the lake:

I used a black Micron .01 pen, a Uniball white and blue gel pen and a pencil.  I like the texture it created.

Next, I started with a white piece of 140 lb hot press watercolor paper.  I started writing my thoughts with an orange and blue gel pen, added watercolor on top in stripes, added more writing with a black Pentel pen, added Tombow markers, more watercolor, then a blue and a green Posca pen.  I just love how the layers give it a pattern:

My next one, I used a similar process as above, except I added a gold metallic pen and I started writing messier… Super fun to write MESSY!!

In both of these, I kept turning my paper a quarter turn as I wrote.

My last experiment, I used an old advertisement in a magazine for a girdle and wrote over it with a white gel pen and a Sharpie fine black pen:

For the above piece, I wrote about my memories of girdles… thank goodness we don’t wear these anymore!! 😉

I discovered that part of the fun in creating these papers for collage is the writing.

Tomorrow, in Part 2, I will show you ideas that may inspire you to use your own handwriting in your art.

Cheers! 🙂

Recycled Art

I have several paintings that I created in experiments that I wanted to recycle into something else.

I started by painting over my images with Golden fluid acrylic paints.  I added random marks and scratched into some of the paints while they were still wet with the end of my paintbrush.  Below is a frog I did on hot pressed watercolor paper:

I liked how the marks revealed some of colors underneath, like this pear painting I did on cold pressed 140 lb paper:

I found this very meditative to just play without thinking about the outcome.  Next, I decided to cut them up into squares and rectangles and draw on them with Uniball gel pens:

I then attached them to notecards:

I really like how they turned out!  What do you think?

How do you recycle your art?  I’d love to hear your creative solutions!

Happy Recycling!  🙂

Hot Pink Hippos

I loved the hot pink Bougainvillea growing in Oaxaca!  And I found a bright pink wall too…

Hot Pink!  What comes to your mind when you think of this color?  I’d love to hear from you!

As far as hot pink hippos… one of our drawing assignments was to draw a contour of a stuffed animal in Oaxaca.  I kind of fell in love with the hot pink hippo:

Carla Sonheim taught us how to take our drawings a step further and create a colorful animal – a fun way to doodle!  Here is my hippo:

Hip Hip Hoorah, it’s Saturday!  🙂

Enjoy your day!

A Mixed Media Experiment

I remember when I was a young girl, I tried to make soap.  It didn’t exactly turn out but it was so fun to explore the possibilities!  😉

Now I enjoy experimenting with different art materials – even if it doesn’t turn out exactly as planned.

I like painting my own papers for collage yet I wanted to try different materials.  For this yellow fellow below, I glued scraps of my Gelli-printed papers to a 9×12 inch sheet of 90 lb hot press paper.  I added yellow marker and color pencils.  It was very meditative to do while watching TV.  I am going to try scanning it and make copies from it.

For “In the Loop,” below – I used Canson 9×12 inch gray toned pastel paper.  I drew the loops with a white gel pen and added color and patterns with Prismacolor pencils.  I got out an orange crayon and created a resist with a mint green Tombow marker.  So fun!

I can’t wait to add these two experiments to my collages!

Happy Experimenting!  🙂

Bird Banter

Backyard birds banter about bird bandings behind bird bath!

Happy Monday!  🙂

Wine And Flowers

I added more color and pattern to this collage I posted on December 21st:

It is kind of fun to see the two side by side:

The first time I took the image on the left, my lighting was bad.  Good lighting really does make a difference!

I recently completed another collage:

I had fun adding patterns with color pencils to the background on this one.

I found this quote on the internet:

They are not long, the days of wine and roses.  Out of a misty dream, our path emerges for awhile, then closes, within a dream.  – Ernest Dowson

Cheers!  🙂

 

Sunny Sunday

Hello Friends!

Welcome to another Sunny Sunday!  A day to enjoy life to the fullest – whatever that means for you!  🙂

For me, it means a day to unplug from the computer and enjoy some “me” time.  Today I’m going to do some reading – I’m reading the book, “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert – have you read it?

And I hope to spend some quality time with my hubby by going for a walk outside – weather permitting!

Speaking of relaxing, I created this drawing in my journal this week while I was listening to the album, “Coco” by Colbie Caillat.  It was fun to experiment with some new art mediums such as Prismacolor markers, new colors of Tombow markers and a Lamy fountain ink pen!  Whahooo!

Other art mediums I used were color pencils, a gold gel pen, collage papers and a black Zig writer pen.

Wishing you a sunny day!  🙂

A Motley Hodgepodge

I haven’t made one of my silly birds in awhile….

Here is a Motley Hodgepodge:

Motley means a combination of different colors.  And Hodgepodge means a confused medley.   The name seemed to fit!

I used a copy of a black and white doodle I created previously and colored it with color pencils.

Hope it makes you smile today!  🙂

Happy Creating!

The Crooked Quill

Did you know that the best quill pens were usually made from goose, swan and later turkey feathers?

So I decided to create my own:

This is the Crooked Quill and a bottle of Magical Ink…

I think there is the beginning of a story here!

According to Wikipedia, “Quill pens were the instrument of choice during the medieval era due to their compatibility with parchment and vellum.”

Here is another quill feather I created with a gold gel pen and Prismacolor pencils.

Quill pens are still used today mainly by professional scribes and calligraphers.

I have a turkey feather that a friend gave me and I am going to try making a quill out of it.  Maybe I will write a story with it!

Which feather do you like the best?