A Little Art

Hello friends,

I am feeling much better and happy to be blogging again! YAY! 😃

I couldn’t stay away from creating in my art journal for too long…

And discovered this sketchbook to be the perfect size for a little art!  

Sometimes I think I have to make something BIG for it to be considered as ART…

Yet, this is not true!  After all, flowers come in all shapes, color and sizes so why not art?

And art journaling isn’t about a MASTERPIECE…

But EXPLORING and creating…

And experimenting with different art mediums!

Who knows what discoveries I will make by creating a little art in my journal…

I encourage you to give it a try!

Plant a little art today…

Cheers! 🙂

Nancy Drew And Dapper Dan

I decided to add a little mystery to my post today…

I was at a thrift store yesterday, buying old books for a collage class I’m taking…

I’ll share more about the online class in Thursday’s post! 😉

I found several old Nancy Drew books, like this one:

I remember reading the book series as a young girl.  How about you?

This book was only $1.00 so I bought it, thinking it might be fun to read again!  😃  And possibly, include a page or two into one of my weird birds!

Which brings me to today’s post… Dapper Dan:

Dapper Dan almost turned into Dapper Damn when I was creating the hand lettering for his name and messed up!  Ugh! 😬

Thank goodness for white pens (much like white-out!)

Apparently, the “Old Maid” card game was subconsciously on my mind… Do you remember these cards?

Funny how one memory leads to another one…

Happy Weird Bird Wednesday!

May it bring you happy memories of your childhood…

Cheers!  🙂

Art As Meditation

I find creating art can be a form of meditation, especially watercolor.

I started this experiment drawing random circles and squares using Stabilo water-soluble pencils and Faber-Castel watercolor pencils.  I then drew a circular pattern with a number 2 pencil to add interest.  I’m using 140 lb cold press watercolor paper.

Next, I started filling in the outlined shapes with watercolor.

I find this is a good exercise to learn how to control my brush, experiment with color mixing and the ratio of water to paint.

Progress is slow yet steady…

Taking photos of my progress, helps me to create balance, rhythm and interest.  In the two photos above, I discovered after viewing the photo on the left, I needed to add brighter red and yellow in some areas to make them pop, as shown in the photo on the right.

This is still a work in progress, but I’m enjoying the journey of discovery…

Happy Art Making!  Cheers! 🙂

 

Small Treasures

If you were to draw, paint or photograph ten items that YOU treasure around your home, what would they be?

For the second assignment for Lynn Whipple’s online class, The Essence of Still Life, we were to draw ten items on our table:

I had fun selecting different items – some treasures and some I just like to draw, like the pear… to complete this still life on a 10 x 10 inch wood panel.

Please check out Arlene’s blog.   She is also taking Lynn’s class.  Arlene’s art style is fabulous!   I like what she chose to draw for her still life.

I’d love to hear about what items you treasure…

Cheers! 🙂

I Heard It Through The Grape Vine

Something you may not know about me…

I used to do a LOT of beading… in fact, I have tubes of beads in all colors like painters have tubes of paint! 😉

I used to enjoy beading with needle and thread.  I also made and sold my jewelry.

My favorite stitch was Peyote stitch because I could create my own patterns.  Here is an example of this stitch in a bracelet:

Different sizes of beads like grapes in a vineyard.  I haven’t done as much beading in the last few years because I have been trying to improve my drawing skills.

So last night, I decided to try combining the two together in my art journal:

I’d love to know what you think!

Cheers! 🙂

Sending You Holiday Cheer

Dear Friends,

Sending YOU some holiday cheer…

I’ve decided to take a blogging break until the New Year…

I’m not feeling my best and need some rest,

I will keep creating and hope you will too –

Your blogs I love and friendships true,

Toasting you a glass of holiday cheer…

One that will last ALL through next year!

Cheers! 🙂

See you in 2018!! 🎉

Jill

One Sugar Lump Or Two?

I really like “Random Pick” drawing days in Carla Sonheim’s year long online class this year.  She chooses two words from a container and you get to draw, paint or write a poem with the prompts.

Yesterday, the words were mouse and cup.  So this is what I drew in pencil and then added black micron pen:

Next, I added color with my watercolor pencils from Faber-Castell:

I recommend you write your own prompts and put them in a jar.  It is a great way to generate creative ideas when you feel stuck in an art rut.

Cheers!  🙂

‘Tis The Season

‘Tis the season…when elves start appearing!  🙂

Fun to play in my art journal today…drawing a face of an elf from my imagination.  And adding a little glitter for magic!

I think everyone that has freckles wishes they could look like this!  😉

I didn’t get my doodle painted from yesterday as I cleaned my art room and my house!  It is rare that I’m in the mooood!  Lol!

Cheers!  🙂

Harold’s Surprise

Perhaps you remember Harold from last week…if not you can find him, here.   Well, he is here today to reveal his surprise!!  (Drum roll, please!!!)

Meet Harold’s wife, Henrietta!  She always makes the sun shine even on a cloudy day!

Henrietta is all dressed up in her finest feathers to greet you!

Her feathered do is stylized in a bouffant with a branch and leaf or two.  She is wearing the latest glamourous party dress by Robyn’s Egg  paired with an authentic “Nine-Nest” bird-wing bag.  The tip of her beak and the tips of her bird feet are tinted in Autumn Berry Blush.

Harold is thankful for his styling wife, Henrietta!  She lights up his world!!

Happy Thanksgiving, Friends!  🙂

P.S.  And thanks for lighting up my world with all your kind comments throughout the year on my blog!  Cheers!

Got You Covered!

Look who showed up today for Weird Bird Wednesday!!!

Harold!  You do remember Harold, don’t you?

Well, he got me covered for today’s post!  Or perhaps those feathers (or leaves) you see are for another bird?  Hope you fly on over here next Wednesday to find out!

Happy Weird Bird Wednesday, friends!!

Chirp!  (Bird speak for Cheers…)  Lol!  🙂