Monday, May 18, 2015

New Beginnings

Well, I am not going to be able to participate in the 100 day challenge after all. But for a good reason! My wonderful new job! It's taking a ton of time and energy but I love it! More on that to come.

For now, here is a glimpse of my new fun project. I am using my watercolor paper to make pages for a small book with inspiring words and fun colors. This is the second page I have completed. "Bodacious!"

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Monday, April 13, 2015

Stolen Time - Having Fun

I am suddenly unemployed. Sigh. 
Bonus - more time to play with my new watercolors!



Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Class Time!

I have my markers and I'm ready to go!
Here is a shot of my 
New, Super-Cool, Stays Open, Big Bag-O-Art! 
It fits my markers and paints and all the stuff I could think of to take along. 




My destination was The Great American Stamp Store in Westport, CT. A great little store with a big stock of cool crafty supplies. My kind of place!


The class was Doodled Journal Box and Cards taught by the very talenteEileen Hull. Eileen is living the dream (MY dream!) of traveling in her vintage camper and teaching art classes all around the country. How cool is that! I would love, love, love to teach art classes! And the camper? Too cute! Thanks so much Eileen for the wonderful art experience. I love the project we made and I will post photos of it tomorrow. Below are a few of Eileen's card examples.



Monday, April 6, 2015

Doodle Evolution

While I was drawing with my daughter last week, at one point she got frustrated with the imperfectness of her drawing. (As all of us are prone to do!) 
"Grr... it's crooked!" she growled. I assured her that it was ok and that I actually like it when drawings are not perfect. Which she, of course, did not believe for a minute. To demonstrate my acceptance of imperfect art, I grabbed a scratch paper and drew a totally unbalanced flower. 
"See!" I said, "Isn't it cute!"
Throughout our art session, I kept grabbing that wonky flower and adding doodles to and around the flower. By the end of the evening, I really liked it. 
The flower stayed on my desk and got shuffled around for the next few days. 

I bought a set of turquoise markers on sale. YAY!! When I brought home the new pens, I needed a guinea pig paper to test them out on. I decided to make another wonky flower  and color it in with my new pens.


Then I sort of went overboard with wonky flower mania! I drew a little garden of them with a pale purple background.



And still more, this time with a black background.




A perfect new obsession for spring.

Friday, April 3, 2015

Monday, March 30, 2015

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 12

I enjoyed drawing this alongside my Dear Ten-Year-Old daughter. I would call it "My First Mandala" 
BUT...
it is not round!
Oh well!
So instead I will call it Green Garden.

#30daychallenge - thedailymarker.com 

Saturday, March 28, 2015

The 30 Day Challenge - Day 11

So today I am back to watercolor. It seems to be my medium of choice right now. This is another frame without a subject that will eventually be filled with wonderful, inspiring, positive words. 


I added dimensional glossy bubbles on the outer triangles. Can you see them? I'm loving that glossy stuff right now! I want to put it all over.


 The triangles are part of a pattern I have been drawing for at least 20 years now. I have a few patterns like that. They just keep popping up in my work.



 Don't forget to check out the #30daychallenge at thedailymarker.com!

Friday, March 27, 2015

The 30 Day Challenge - Day 10 FINISHED!

It is done. I like it! This was a really fun drawing that I built on in snatched moments after work & kids to bed etc. this week. 
My daughter gave it a title for me: 
"The Underwater World."





I'm still experimenting with photographing vs. scanning. Right now I like the photos best!


Be sure to see other artists participating in the #30daychallenge at thedailymarker.com and leave them some love!

Monday, March 23, 2015

The 30 Day Challenge - Day 10 WIP

I am posting this today even though it is not done. I wanted to try just snapping a photo of a drawing rather than scanning. Nothing fancy, just an iPhone. I'm not sure which I like best.

I am not done with it yet, but here it is. All alcohol markers (comic, prismacolor, sharpie, etc.) and multiliners on hot press watercolor paper - because I can't make up my mind when deciding weather to paint or draw!





Sunday, March 22, 2015

Just Keep Swimming & The 30 Day Challenge - Day 9

My dear 8-year-old daughter is a swimmer. She swims on the team at a local YMCA. For Day 9 of the 30 Day Challenge I made her this little sign. It looks SO CUTE in person, but it really didn't scan well at all! The colors are not right and it looks blurry to me. Oh well! This just goes to show that there is no technology can compare with our senses!


I painted the background with watercolors and used acrylic paint to write the text. The fish are markers and watercolor. I outlined the text with an iridescent glitter pen (which doesn't show in the photo) and made bubbles rising up from each fish with a gloss medium. thedailymarker.com

Here are my fish sketches and a few random quotes I saw that day on the web that I jotted down on the scratch paper as well. My daughter liked the ones that smile the best!



Scraps & The 30 Day Challenge - Day 8

I often cut my papers to make sizes that I want, so I always seem have some small pieces leftover. I can't just recycle them! I keep them to use for more projects "someday". Well, I did grab a few of them the other day, to try out some doodles. Here are some of the results:



So, what do you do with your scrap papers? 

See The 30 Day Challenge at thedailymarker.com

Friday, March 20, 2015

Day 7 Again (The 30 Day Challenge)

So I'm having too much fun to just leave it alone. I added some white to this one. I feel either white or black parts really complete a picture. What do you think about that? Do you like this picture better in the last post or this one?

I also forgot to point out yesterday that if you look closely, you may see highlights on some of the striped swirls. That's because I added a dimensional gloss which looks so great in person, but you can't really see it in the photos. More on this drawing later.

Don't forget to go to Kathy's 30 Day Challenge at thedailymarker.com then go draw something and share it! 

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Up Too Late! (The 30 Day Challenge - Day 7)

Again, I have a drawing/painting for the #thedailymarker30day that is like a frame... without words. It will come along later. I have faith. Go see the 30 Day Challenge at thedailymarker.com. 


I really have to PUT AWAY the art supplies after 10:00 PM. Really. When I get sucked into playing with my toys, bad things happen. 


Bad things like...
   1:00AM...

Bad things like...
                 2:00 AM

Bad things like...
                            3:00 AM!

Must. Stop. This. Pattern...



Tomorrow.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

The 30 Day Challenge - Day 6

Here is my 6th drawing. I am going to write a quote about swimming in it for my Little Fish. Maybe "Just Keep Swimming". I'm not sure.
This is another watercolor background on Strathmore Watercolor Paper, this time with Koi and Lukas brand paints. I used Micron pen to draw the design and Copic markers to color in the bubbles. Then I used a white pen to give the bubbles a shine. I also used Ranger Glossy Accents on most of the smaller bubbles so they look wet. You can't see that in the scanned image but take my word for it, it looks cool!


Don't forget to visit Kathy at thedailymarker.com to see other artist's work! It is really interesting to see the differences! (#thedailymarker30day)

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

The 30 Day Challenge - Day 5

This one is very little!
I didn't like the paper I had been using lately (a new pad of "marker" paper), so I grabbed a scrap of good old Strathmore Bristol paper and drew this. It measures 1.75 x 5 inches. I love this pattern, I have been drawing it for years. I think of it as a type of scallop or shell. Fun!
Is anyone else drawing for 30 days? I just saw on Facebook that Kristina Warner is writing quotes everyday. Girl after my own heart!
#thedailymarker30day

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Drawing 4

I like this one. I'm not sure what I am going to write in the frame, probably a favorite quote. Any suggestions? I used my new paper - 140 lb. Fabriano hot press watercolor paper.  I never have had hot press paper before, but I do like the smoothness. I painted the background first with Sargent Liquid watercolors (I love these!) and sprinkles of salt. After it had fully dried, I used Sakura Micron pens to draw the design and painted it with more watercolors. I don't think this is quite done yet. I may add some shine or glitter later.
30 Day Coloring Challenge (#thedailymarker30day)

The 30 Day Challenge - Day 3

Well, drawing #3 but who's counting! I'm currently obsessed with the combo of aqua and red. Late to that party, I know.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

The 30 Day Coloring Challenge

My first project to share is the 30 Day Coloring Challenge (#thedailymarker30dayset forth by Kathy at thedailymarker.com. I am going to call it a 30 Day (Drawing and) Coloring Challenge.
Here is my first day: