Snowman

More playing with my camera and studying composition......

Steven was shoveling the driveway so I took the opportunity to snap a photo.  The dark grey of his snow suit contrasts the snow perfectly.  The reflections in the snow behind him are very cool and add a lot of dimension to the pic.  I learned that it is paramount to make the face clear and I am very happy with the results. I even like how his glasses are a bit foggy from his breath and the icy cold air.  I would have cropped the top of the pic but it would have interfered with the look of the shadows.

Snow Storm

Snow, snow, snow!

We are on track for record snowfalls this year....woohoo!  I love the snow but enough is enough.

I am watching an online photo class on Creative Live and am playing with my camera.  A couple of things - I am learning about all the gear I NEED to become better and I am learning about all the things I have to pay attention to within myself to improve.

This is a shot I took of the truck across the road.  There are several things I am happy with - you can see the snow falling, the lights on the truck are on in contrast to the car and I love the semi-cleared windshield.  I think I got the appropriate depth of field for the shot as the background is somewhat blurry.

I will be practicing lots of picture taking in the near future.

Baking Cupcakes

Good snowy morning!
Today I have a water colour I did (or should I say two water colours) representing a friend of mine who loves to bake cupcakes and cakes.
The above is a version which she approved from a sketch- until it was done.  She now says she likes everything in it -except- she would like the glasses changed to the heavier, half moon ones of the original.

This is the original one.  When she saw it, she asked that I increase the bust area and darken the hair.  
Now, these are water colours , not drawings, so changing the glasses means doing yet another painting.  I will do one more but, if she wants something else changed, I just cannot keep painting the same thing.
I know she asked me to do this painting but I soooo feel that once a sketch is approved, that is the version which should be the final result.  What do you think?

Quick And Easy Florals

Just thought I would do a bit of water colour practice and painted these two little floral pieces.

Both are 3" X 4"

Done on water colour paper (140 lb) with a simple little paint set.

A Cute Watercolour

Whew, it has been a l-o-n-g time since I posted.  I did not realize it was almost a month.  In that time, my hand is healing, Christmas has come and gone, and I have cleaned my studio (LOL).  And believe me, it needed it!
So here I am today, having rewarded myself for putting order in the room, with a watercolour I did today of Annie (or a representation thereof) playing soccer.

It is all ready to frame so tomorrow I am off the buy a frame that comes close to fitting.
Hope you have a great New Year!

Elephant Sketch

I was inspired by a documentary I watched the other day to sketch this elephant.

The documentary was titled "How I Became An Elephant" and I found it very moving.  It really called attention to the plight of the abused elephants in Thailand and I hoped to convey sadness in the eyes of my drawing.  I would recommend that anyone interested in animal rights watch it.

Thanks for visiting!

Bijou - Pencil Sketch

When we were in Detroit, I visited Blick Art Supplies and, wow, I was like a kid in a candy shop!  I could not decide what I wanted to buy.  So I took my time and only purchased supplies I know I cannot get here.  My best find was hot pressed water color paper (2 for 1).  While I was there I got a hard cover sketch book and today I dug it out.  My finger is on the mend so I have decided to dive right in to some serious!!!! art.  As a start, I opened the sketch book and just drew.

Bijou was sleeping on Steve's chair so he seemed a logical subject.  I have never really sketched an animal before but I just looked and drew.  I tried to keep my eyes on the dog and not so much on the paper and I am pretty happy with the result.  Could be a bit better with the shading - A LOT BETTER, IN FACT - but as a first effort he is OK and kind of cute.
I found such relaxation in the sketching that I might need a bigger purse (so my sketch book can come everywhere with me).
Thanks for visiting!

Calico Angel

For our challenge over at TRY STAMPIN' ON TUESDAY this week, we are to create any kind of tag we want and give a short tutorial on how to make it.  Here is mine:

I chose to do a mixed media tag with spray ink background coloured and collaged angel, metal and button accents and a simple printed message.


Supplies: cardstock tag or heavy paper to cut one out
               cardstock to draw your angel on, copy paper
               spray inks of your choice, Kosher salt
               scrap of fabric, foil 2" square
               tulle or netting
               Copic Markers or coloured pencils to colour angel 
               permanent pen
               2 twigs
               wooden heart or button heart
               star brad
               matte medium or Mod podge
               hot glue gun
               scissors
              
To make the background, all you need is spray inks (of any kind) in the colours you want and Kosher salt.  I used two blues and a purple for mine.

All you do is spray your tag (mine is water color paper but any heavy paper will do) with your inks.  You can blot and spray again if you are not happy with the coverage.  Then, while it is wet, sprinkle with the salt and set aside to dry.  IT MUST BE BONE DRY BEFORE YOU TOUCH IT AGAIN.  Then rub the salt off and you have a cool, sky-like background.
Now, draw a very simple angel body on cardstock and paint or colour her face and hair.  My shape is a head with a pyramid body.  Make the entire girl about 5" in height.  Now for the fun stuff:  I used a piece of tinfoil and a 2" punch and punched out a halo for her which I glued to the back of her head.  For her dress, I raided my fabric stash and, using matte medium (but you can use Mod Podge) I adhered the fabric to her body to create a dress.  When it is dry, trim it to the right shape and size.  Her wings are netting which I gathered and hot glued to her back.  Now, hot glue the angel to the tag.  For her arms, I took two tiny twigs and hot glued them behind her body.  Then, I wrote my sayings on white paper with permanent pen and matte mediumed them to the tag.  Lastly, I added a wooden button heart to her dress (first I snipped off the shank) and also I glued the star (which is a brad with the back snipped off) up in the corner.
Very simple! and yet so cute.  I am going to do a series of calico angel tags so please check back.

Snowman Tags

It seems like forever since I was able to do any kind of art.  But really my surgery was not quite two weeks ago.  I am so tired of not being able to create that I gave it a go today.  I did some water color tags with snowmen on them.

The tags are cut out of water color paper (140 lb) and then I water colored the snow people. Any little snow piles are either white acrylics or moulding paste.  I drew the figures in pencil first and did not erase the lines.  I like the softening effect.  After I finished painting the tags, I outlined them in permanent pen.
Although these are not very demanding to do, they are fun and I was able to create them with very little trouble- even though I am still healing up.
Thanks for stopping by!

Winter Fairy

Hi!
Before I go on, I want to explain what happened to my sketch of the day.  I was making a copper wire pumpkin when the wire pierced my finger.  Almost immediately, infection set in and I have been on antibiotics for just over a week.....and it is not cleared up yet. 
So, today was my first day even giving any kind of art a try.  Here is the result:

This is a mixed media canvas (12X6") with the background being layers of spray inks which I blended together.  Then I dripped gesso down from the top.  Next was stamping tiny snowflakes with gesso. I drew the fairy on bristol paper, coloured her face with Prisma pencils and then cut her out.  Her wings are cut out separately out of vellum and I lined the edges with paint pen (as well as adding the dots).  I then used matte medium to adhere the wings and head to the canvas.  Next was painting her hair.  I painted the part that I drew on the bristol and then carried it over to the canvas to incorporate her into the piece. I used fluid acrylics.
The last step was stamping the larger snowflakes using gesso. (I added these where I did so that I could cover over a mistake)
Now, my only question to myself...and to you....should I add some text?  Let me know what you think.
Bye for now!

Sketch Of The Day

Hi gang!
I have got away from drawing and painting for a few weeks and I have no idea why - but I have to fix that.
Today I am starting a series of projects (one per day). Now each of these will either be a sketch or  a drawing and painting.  I miss sitting down and creating.  By my own rules, photos do not count.
So, here goes......
Day 1 - simple pen and ink sketch

Once I finished it, I decided to put it on a card front for Darcey's birthday (hence the black paper and the button you see).  I cannot ever remember drawing a "real" animal before but I think he turned out OK....although his head is a little fat.
Stay tuned until tomorrow to see what I can come up with.
Thanks for stopping by!

Pumpkin Art (sort of)

My pumpkin family is about twenty years old.  They were such a simple yet fun project to do.
My dad cut me a log and then here are the steps:
I de-barked the log (not an easy thing to do) basically by roughly cutting and then sanding the post.  
Then I cut it into sections with a chain saw.  I made the sections all different sizes.
Now for orange OUTDOOR acrylic paint - several coats.
Drill a hole in the top and glue in a dowel you painted green.
Draw and paint faces once again using OUTDOOR paint.  
And you are done.  Every year they will weather a bit more and you will find that everyone loves these permanent jack-o-lanterns.

A little story about my pumpkin family:
You will see from the photo that there are nine left in my little group.  There once were twelve.  I gave one to my daughter for her own front step when my grandson was tiny.
The other two kind of walked away.  About ten years ago, a little boy stopped by my home a week or so before Halloween, rang the bell and asked if he could have one.  How could I say "no"?  And then a few years ago, a little boy was trick-or-treating and when he was leaving, he just picked up the littlest one I had.  His dad told him to put it down and he started to sob.  As a result, that pumpkin found a new home.
Just like in a real family, apparently my pumpkins sometimes feel the need to leave the nest.
Happy Halloween.

Raspberries and Seed Pods

I love taking photos of plants and flowers. To me, a great photo is also great art.  Now, I am not suggesting my photos are great -- but they sure are getting better and I LOVE taking them.

My Raspberry Bush

amazing that there are still ripening berries.

I tried really hard to capture the ripe berries, almost ripe ones, ones that will never ripen and the various colours of foliage.

And I am very happy with it.

Seedpods on Our Back Fence

Two different stages of progression - the first is much newer than the bottom photo.  The bottom one is just about dead.

On the top one, I like how the vines crisscross in front of the pods.

In the bottom one, I focused in on the pod so the leaf in front is faded.  I am so happy that I am learning about focusing.  It is trial and error but I see how my skills are evolving.

Let me know what you think!

Fungi Continued

I was walking in the park again yesterday and found these fungi on a big old tree.  They were dying to be photographed.

Fungi Photos

Hi everyone!
I had to take these photos of some fungi in the park.  I love taking close-up pics with my macro lens.

To me, photography is one of my favourite forms of art.  Let me know what you think.

Day Of The Dead Addiction

Good day everyone!
I am soooooo loving painting these Day Of The Dead girls!
Here is my second one - acrylic on canvas:

I learned a lot doing her.  The large flower on her forehead makes her face look way too wide so I either should have made it smaller but - better yet- should have shown a hint of her other eye.  I painted in her eyelashes but they get lost in the embellishment around her eye.  Next time, I will do as Megan did and do a circle around her eye and then embellish.  The other thing I would change is the two tiny flowers beside her nose.  I just do not love them.
I know I sound very critical but over all I really like her.
Thanks for visiting.

Day Of The Dead Girl

This 12x12 canvas is done in acrylics. She is a Day of the Dead face based on the class I took by Megan Suarez. I think the black flourishes in the center of her face are a bit heavy but other than that I really like her.  She was so much fun to do.

Day Of The Dead

I am taking yet another class -the Day of The Dead faces.  Here is my first effort:

She is coloured using Copics.  She started as a sketch but I was looking for something to do and decided to colour her.

The prompt is Cup

Hello,  I am part of a month long facebook page of just plain fun art.  The first prompt for the month is "cup".  And here is my first piece:

I used a copy of a sunflower photo I took and decided to put it on a water coloured mug.  It is hard to see but I used green, yellow and orange for the mug  and soft yellow for the background.  I added the bubbles (but afterwards wish I had made steam instead) and to soften them,  I lightly gessoed over them.  I printed the sentiment on white paper and then modpodged them on.  The sunflower is printed from a photo, cut out and then mod podged on as well.

Gypsy 101

I have been taking yet another class - this one from Tam Laporte.  This is her Summer Gypsy class and it is great fun.

She is a mixed media piece done on water colour paper.  The paint is mainly water colour crayons with some Crayola water colours as well.  There is some collage on the background and I used gesso to soften it down.  I drew her using graphite pencil and used the pencil for shading her face.  The gold earrings are gold sharpie pen. 
I am really happy with how she turned our although next time I might disguise the collage a bit more.
Hope you like her!