Journal January 2011 - Day 17

This was a fun one for me because I have never drawn a still life.  I did some in fabric for the FIG study but that is a bit different than drawing one.  I decided to use watercolor pencils because I wanted the more pale yellow/green pears.  Found several images of pears online and got the idea of what I wanted.  Then I lightly sketched it onto the page and then got out the watercolor pencils (I DO love them!!).  Then I used my Aquapen to blend and highlight areas.  So, here they are -- plump pears!

Journal January 2011 - Day 17 - Plump Pears

I obviously have a very long way to go to get a still life I really like but I did learn a lot and enjoy the process very very much!



Journal January 2011 - Day 5

Still playing catch up but hanging in there!

Ok, the prompt today was to make a zebra page in the style of GuidoDaniele.  Here is a link to her painted hand animals. Zebras are near the bottom of the page.  So for the journal we trace our hand to start.  Then it goes from there.  I traced my hand (backwards which wasn't as easy as it looks!!) painted it and while thinking of where to go next...I thought of my granddaughter who is most likely my budding artist.  So, I used a trace of her hand and titled the page "Art...Passing it on"  As an artist, one of my greatest joys is passing on art to my four awesome grandchildren.  It is my special gift to them.

Art...Passing it on

And One More Thing for Today

I was doing watercolors today and just wanted to share them with you.  The theme was to be where land and water meet.  Here are the ones I did.

North Shore Cliffs

 North Shore Sunset

North Shore Rapids

Frozen Stream



Got to play with some new "toys" on these....well one anyway....masking liquid!!

Journal January Day 2

Still working a day behind as far as posting the journal pages on my blog.  I was working on this on into the night so it didn't get photographed and posted until today.  It will probably be the same for day 3!  LOL! These take a bit of time and I have to take breaks to work on other stuff that has deadlines looming.  Anyway, here is day 2 - The New Year brings a New Perspective.

Still working on the zebra as design inspiration.  Part one was to zendoodle a zebra mandala.  Part two was to cut up and use that mandala to design the journal pages.  I did a two page spread on this one.

Zebra Zendoodle Mandala

The New Year brings a New Perspective

Now onto day 3!!!



A New Art Form For Me!!

OK, well not TOTALLY new....  I first tried watercolor over 30 years ago.  Naming the piece (had I kept it) would have been soooo very easy.  Like "Mud Puddle"!!  I actually knew NOTHING about watercolor and it definitely showed.  So terrible that I never even considered watercolors again.

Until.....well I DO use watercolor to create backgrounds for ATCs and my original note cards sometimes. But that is very different from trying to make something that someone else will recognize.  But, a new swap appeared on AFA with the theme "Water Water Everywhere".  What better theme to try out this technique? Seemed appropriate, right? So, I decided to give it a try.  Still knew almost nothing about this medium but I have learned some of what it does and how it acts.  Part of my continuing artistic journey.

Here they are....what do you think? 

A Mirror Lake
At the end of summer a few years ago, we went wilderness camping in Quetico Park in Canada. It is a "no motor" park so the lakes are always clear and peaceful. However, one day we were out in our canoe and I felt like I was in some surreal painting. The lake was perfectly calm and provided a perfect mirror for every bit of nature on shore and island. It was an experience I'll never forget.

An Agate Beach
The Minnesota North Shore of Lake Superior. Many of the serene beaches of the North Shore are scattered with agates. Most of the big ones have been taken out but it is still an enjoyable afternoon to sift through the small rocks that make up the beach....just in case.
 

Frozen Gooseberry Falls
Gooseberry Falls is an amazing place on the Minnesota North Shore of Lake Superior. While it is beautiful in its race to the lake in summer, it is majestic as it is frozen in place - just waiting for spring thaw.

Sunset at Duluth Harbor
Lake Superior is seldom calm but in the evening, when the sun is just above the horizon, it can become less turbulent. This is the time when it is so beautiful and peaceful.

 
I'm thinking I just might keep working on this.....