I do like to draw, painting....not always so much. But, I had played around creating a background on a canvas board so I decided to paint a girl's face.
Making things up has limits and that is what I did with this girl. Next time, I'm going to use a photo, or a live model, to draw and paint from instead of my imagination. But, it is what it is......good practice!
I drew from the bouquet, not from the photo and not from this exact position.....but you get the idea!
May have to try it again with color!
I've not participated in "Silent Sunday" before but thought, just maybe, I could do it this time by being quiet if not silent!
The peony on the left is aptly named "Bowl of Beauty".
The roses are Graham Thomas and Westerlund.
The vase is a part of our Bauer collection. This pottery was produced from the teens to the 60s and is no longer in business, although there is a company making reproductions.
May the sunshine and the flowers bloom where ever you are today!
I've learned so much from Carla Sonheim in this one week's mini-class on mono-print making with a Gelli plate.
This type of printing is not very exact.....thus lots of prints don't turn out well. Out of my original seven or eight I have only a couple "keepers".
On Monday.....this print looked like this:
After the addition of a couple layers of paint and a mask on Wednesday.....
Here are Monday's results.......
Wednesday I added more paint and texture to this one.....can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!
Monday was the first day of great on-line class I've signed up for. The class is being taught by Carla Sonheim, a Seattle artist and author of several art books. Yes, it is all about printmaking using a Gelli Plate.
Some of you know "Gelli Plate" is the registered name of a product that looks like gelatin and feels like gelatin but is made of a synthetic material of some sort. As much as, I'm sure it is a practical tool.....I'm not quite ready to give in and go out to buy something I can make so easily for so little money, so, I make my own gelatin plate.
Using Knox Gelatine at a two tablespoons of gelatin to one cup of water ratio, I use a 12x8 Pyrex cake pan for a mold.
Here are a few sample I made from the first class.....can't wait to see what we do in the second class, tomorrow.
I'll keep you posted on the next steps and how these pages change over the week!
In the meantime, go here to Carla's blog to learn more about this class and other classes she is teaching.
Very random journal pages.............
Another page using one of my hand carved stamps.....I really like carving stamps! Have I told you that before....a time or two, maybe.
Giving sketching and watercolor my best shot. I have a real fear of watercolor, it's never been kind to me....it has it's own mind and goes where it chooses. I'm way too much of a control freak to be comfortable with that kind of behavior but after years of flying the white flag of surrender......I'm back in the battle. I WILL tame the watercolor monkey that is on my back! Wish me luck.
This is another watercolor attempt on a very bad choice of papers....this is just a sketchbook.
I am learning the hard way that it is about the paper! I need to use paper that actually likes water, I must remember that.
No rhyme nor reason here, just catching you up on some of my recent adventures in the marvelous world of journaling.
Thanks for stopping by.....please feel free to comment!
So, I tried my hand at a sketch/watercolor.............
I love this time of year! Everything is in bloom and growing like crazy.
Speaking of "crazy", this journal page makes me chuckle......and it is true!
Thanks for stopping by.....feel free to comment and have a great day!
We have had fantastic weather this past week so I've been busy in the garden. I'm not much of a vegetable gardener, I much prefer flowers, BUT I do grow a couple of tomatoes, some radishes, lettuce, a cucumber, a few strawberries and blueberries.
A few years ago I planted four blueberry plants and look at the berries on this one plant.......they won't be ripe until July but we will have plenty.
The roses are blooming.....this little fellow's name is "Happy Chappy"! I like it just for the name!
On the wild side! The neighbors have a great patch of California Poppies growing along side their driveway.......
you have to admire these tough little orange beauties for their resilience and tenacity.
Later in the summer, it makes my heart race to see a field of Poppies, blue Bachelor Buttons and white wild Daisies!
I decided to try to draw them in my sketchbook and play with my watercolors.
Speaking of watercolor, I recently found this set in a garage sale.....former owner unknown. Someone had put paint from the tube into each cup of this pallet in an order that made sense to their method of painting but I couldn't tell which color was which. So, I made this little sampler and taped it into the lid.
At least in Oregon, it has been beautiful here for several days and is expected to hold for several more. My mind and body have been more out-of-doors than in, so thought I'd share a few photos of the yard!
In lieu of REAL chickens, I maintain of flock of cement chix.....easier to keep track of and require much less feed!
Some of what is blooming, even the roses are now in full bloom. I'll share those later.
For the front yard birds!
I have done a little in my Mary Ann Moss "Full Tilt Boogie" journal. This journal is going to be about sharing stories relating to our family, things I'd like my children and grandchildren to know and remember about the generations that came before them.
First I want them to know something about the strong women who preceded them, this one in particular.
This was my Grandmother, a Norwegian immigrant, who supported her family with her skills as a seamstress.
I'm very sure that if you were to look in the dictionary under "determination".....you would find her picture!
Determined to have a home of her own, she saved her money to have this house built in South Dakota.
Sadly, she only lived for two years after it was completed.
I hope the sun is shining on you where ever you are and that the roses are about to bloom!
I'm traveling a little behind time, as usual, but I wanted to quickly share my calendar pages on Kate's The Kathryn Wheel! Once again, I'm doing my own thing...so my format for the calendar is a little different.
This page is based on a color theory study in Mary Beth Shaw's book "Flavor for Mixed Media". You will find lots of interesting and fun stuff to try in that book!
This page was an exercise in pulling stuff out of the scrap box and seeing what happens! Love it!
We are already off and running in the month of May and here it is going to be 80 degree weekend! Nice!
Today, my friends Margaret and Thea and I hung our show at the White Rabbit Bakery in Aurora.....that's always fun, especially, if we sell something! The show will be up through May.
I am, also, the one who loves to carve stamps and print.....so I made a bunch of cards!
Margaret has a series of whimsical animals and some fabulous collages.
Thea paints incredible animal portraits and she has some collage, as well, and hand made books.
If you are in the area, stop by!
While I'm "thising and thating" I'm taking this opportunity to show off some of the really cute little kids (big ones, too) that are part of this family!
This is my only daughter, I have three sons, with her oldest son and his baby girl....Ava Rose...oh! and me.
Awesome four generations!
I could continue my randomness but I think I won't.....I'll spare you the photos of my yard THIS time! Thanks for stopping by.
