Where Is Spring?

It is hard to believe that Spring will be here in two months where I live in the Pacific Northwest!

We recently got about a foot and a half of new snow!  So pretty when it is fluttering down from the sky but not so pretty when the snow plower piled the driveway with a huge berm yesterday…Ugh!

I finished my doodle from last week!  YAY! 😀 If you didn’t see that post, you can find it here:  A Little Doo-da-ling

It was super fun to work on it a little each day when I had a few minutes:

And the finishing touches:

I added two colors of color pencils to complete it.  I’d love to hear what you think!

Happy Friday!

Cheers! 🙂

Forever Variations

My hubby was listening to the jazz pianists, Bob James and Keiko Matsui from their album, “Altair and Vega,” last evening while I was working on this doodle:

I thought the title of one of their pieces, “The Forever Variations, was fitting for my doodle which started simply:

And patterns grew in complexity, much like their music:

I had a Micron pen explode on me, so I’m working some “spots” into my design…

It is a work in progress that I’m enjoying while listening to the smooth jazz!

What music do you enjoy listening to while creating?  I’d love if you shared it with me… It might inspire me in my next doodle!

Cheers! 🙂

Fishing – Part 2

I wanted to share my process and tools I used to “catch” my fish from yesterday!

I started by selecting a background and decided to use this hot-press watercolor paper that I had painted with acrylics.  I like the variegated colors:

I folded the paper into a simple journal and painted both sides so I have six different squares in a variety of background colors:

I cut simple shapes from my gelli-printed paper and glued them to the paper with Liquitex Matte Medium:

At this point, they look more like fall leaves than fish!  So I added details with an Uni-ball Signo white gel pen and black micron pen:

Next, I added more details with Uni Posca paint pens – I just LOVE these opaque water based markers!! ❤️  I recently purchase a set of 15 colors with a medium tip from Amazon.  They come in different sized tips and are sold in sets on Amazon or individually from Dick Blick (another item to add to that wish list!!)

I finished my page by adding some Prismacolor pencils – the Posca paint pens drew on top of color pencil too:

I predict I will be drawing more fish into my creative net with these Posca paint markers!  I love that they are odorless, fade proof and bleed proof and can be used on almost any surface!

Have you ever experimented with these markers?  I hope you share it with me!

Happy Fishing!  🙂

 

Fishing

I remember fishing with my family as a young child.  When we went in my dad’s boat on the lake, we would sit for hours (or so it seemed) without the fish taking a bite… talk about BORING!!  🙄

When I was a teenager, we started creek fishing which was much more EXCITING!  😃  We could actually SEE the fish swimming in the creek water.  And we caught fish!  Hooray!!  I recall how wonderful they tasted knowing I caught them! 👍

Two of my sweet friends from Germany and I are going on our own CREATIVE, fishing expedition starting September 1st and you are welcome to join us if you’d like!  🐡

My goal is to create 50 mixed media fish and post mainly on Instagram.  However, a fish or two may swim onto a blog post! 😮

I started experimenting with materials and here is a fish appetizer for you:

I will show you my fish finding tools on Friday.  I hope you join me!

Cheers!  🙂

Do You See What I See?

I started this watercolor abstract in my art journal last week, you can see it here.

I wanted to experiment and add texture so I drew several circles with a black pen.  Next, I added clear gesso to the middles of my circles.  I finished by drawing around the color changes within my circles  with a white charcoal pencil.

I think it now looks like torn pieces of paper in a collage.  It is fun to look at it from different angles:

Right side up and upside down:

And sideways – one:

And two:

I see fish and mountains…

Do you see what I see?

Happy Monday!  🙂

Holiday Pops!

I have made progress on adding color to my doodle I posted last Friday, you can find it here.

I decided to try Holbein gouache because I just purchased some new colors that really POP!

Cynthia at Sand Salt Moon suggested I try lime green with bright pink and red.  Yet, I couldn’t resist adding orange which led to yellow…

And then I added a little red which led to violet…

And WOWZA!!  It really POPS…My eyeballs!!!  Lol!  🙂

I lost some of my black lines with the paint so I will need to go back and add them again.  And a little pencil shading so it’s not complete yet…but I wanted to add some Holiday POP to your day!

Hope you are feeling dazzled!  Cheers!!  🙂

Monday – A Bit Scary!

Some times Monday feels a bit scary…  After a relaxing weekend, it feels a little frightening to go back to work and face all the demanding “monsters” of Monday morning!  :-0

Kind of like this doodle…how many spooky faces can YOU find?

This is a completion of the piece I started here.  Afterwards I saw some great ideas for carving pumpkins, how about you?!  Others see coffee cup stains, onion rings…

Wishing you a Monday that isn’t too scary!  😉

Power Surges

As I started to write this post, we had a power surge and the paper shredder (that hasn’t been used in months!) decided to turn on loudly!  The only way to stop the noise was to unplug it!  Pretty weird!  😉

It reminds me of creating art.  Sometimes I have my own “power surges!”  Lol!  When I don’t think I have enough time to create art, I somehow find the TIME!  And I start creating MORE art!

Today’s art is inspired by my annual flowers (before Jack Frost!) and my Crapapple tree as it begins to change to it’s autumn dress:

I drew a pattern in my sketchbook first with Micron .08 black pen and then painted it with gouache paint.

Do you think it’s done?  I’m not sure…  I think it may need another layer of color.

Happy Creating!!  🙂

Sit, Walk, Write

Today, I was without electricity for several hours so I didn’t have internet access.  I think sometimes this can be a good thing because it forces me to slow down and READ!  I’d like to read more but there always seems so much I need to be DOING!

In Natalie Goldberg’s book, “The True Secret of Writing,” she talks about slowing down and “uprooting the urgency, the feeling that everything is an emergency.”  She suggests you sit still for five minutes a day and pay attention to your breath.  She also has you slowly walking by not going anywhere but focusing on placing one foot in front of the other and being present in the moment.

I have always dreamed that “some day” I’d be a writer (and an artist).  I think this is the reason this book caught my attention.  I also like the art and colors on the book cover…

I do believe that blogging has helped me write more but I’d like to learn to create a daily writing practice much like creating art each day.  I’m hoping this book will give me the tools to make it happen.  I will let you know how it goes…

I created this doodle in my journal with a black pen and watercolor pencils on Sunday after I started reading the book:

I think that silence or quieting my mind, can help me to truly listen.  To pay attention in art, writing and life.

What about you, what helps you to slow down and focus?

Happy Creating!  🙂

A Cup of Good Cheer!

Thank you friends for all your encouragement, support and friendship for my first year of blogging in 2015.  I had almost 350 posts!  WOWZA!

I had so much fun blogging and creating almost daily – And learning from all of you!  I have some new goals for my blog in the new year so stay tuned!

May 2016 stack up to be an AWESOME and creative year for you!

Cheers!  🙂