Birthday Card

We are pretty much still snowed in and yesterday was a family member's birthday. Luckily I already had his present but lacked gift wrap, bow and card. So I got out my craft stash and got to work. I had enough birthday wrap to make a bow; brown paper I could stamp "happy Birthday" on; but the card was a challenge. This is what I came up with:

Drew Betty from an Royalty free image on the internet onto 90 lb watercolor paper cut her out and glued on card. Use 140 lb WC paper for the card which I did a wash on with my watercolor paints. The words are my own. On the inside I lettered "HOT Birthday" large but wrote "no more snow" in small letters. After all the snow we shovel these past days (the snow plow is yet to be seen) I thought a tropical theme card would be welcomed.

Saying good bye to the B.F.F.

Not completely happy with the horizon but think it is time to move on and leave my 3 friends to play in the surf. Might revisit it at a later day but doubt that I will.

B.F.F.s scratch removal?

We have been hit by the BLIZZARD of 2016 so we are into the BIG DIGOUT of 2016. But on Friday I went into the scratch with a piece of Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (original) and scrubbed gentle on the scratch. Then Saturday when I was sure the paper was completely dry I added a touch of color back into those areas. It may end up working. My husband says he can still see the scratch but he also knows where it was originally. I might need to add some ink lines in the shadow areas across the shoulders because of the absence of etching ink. Of course, every time I work on those areas I risk messing up and making matters worse. But it wasn't working to begin with so what to I have to lose.

B.F.F.s

Today was the 3rd of six sessions in Catherine Hillis' watercolor class. The 1st class demo was on using rice paper, my carp painting which I haven't finished. The 2nd one was image transfer which I did in my sketchbook but still thinking where and how to use it in a painting. Today was wet into wet. I didn't have any reference photos to use so I grabbed up two etching from 2008 with themes that would work with this technique.

The one I chose to use in class is three long time friends running into the surf, BFFs. Unfortunately, as I was painting a surface scratch showed up in a very bad location. Now I have one or two more prints from this plate so I can try again on one of those. Also I could just move forward on this one by adding more scratches and abstract marks.

Plus don't you think the lady in the blue swimsuit needs a large red flower on her hat?

Three Tea Cups in Watercolor

I have decided that I am just fickle, the medium that I like best is the one that I am working at that time. This little watercolor was very sad before I added the patterns to the cups. Not quite complete but about 90% finished at this point. The cups and saucers (yes there are two of them even if the division between them isn't very obvious) are a bit wonky and it hasn't earned a frame but at least I am painting. I think my "crisis" is not what medium to paint in but subject matter. Nothing has really inspired me recently. Need to keep my camera handy and my eyes open. 

Only 3 Cups (3rd session)

Put in some more details, highlights but I think I need more darks. Granted it is white but there isn't enough contrast right now to show the curvature of the cups and the delineation of the cup bowls and handles. Like the background and shadow. Finding out that I much prefer the smooth surface to the canvas texture on these boards.

Only 3 Cups (2nd session)

Continuing working on this little painting. Painting in acrylics is fun and is bringing me joy no matter the subject. Enjoying this much more than the watercolors or oriental brush paintings I have worked on recently. Must get some more canvases/boards in different sizes and proportions. Figured out that by adding a touch of gel medium to the paint it is easier to apply to this canvas textured board.

Only 3 Cups

Started another 6" x 6" acrylic tea cup painting. I bought four panels late last year. Two of the panel were only 1/8" thick with a smooth very slick finish. Thought I wouldn't like them but I did. The other two panels are 3/4" thick with a primed canvas texture. The texture may be too much for such a small area now that I have started laying in the painting. I am liking the strong opaque quality of acrylic although I know some of the pigments are transparent which is also a good attribute in some cases. It is more fun to paint with than watercolor at this point. But really like watercolor for my sketchbook and laying out compositions.

Three Stacked Tea Cups

This little painting is another on a 6" x 6" board. Nothing has inspired me to paint it lately. So I defaulted to the theory paint what ever you see, you might fall in love with the subject. Well not exactly but it is good to paint. Now should I proceed with the other 2 compositions I set up? Not sure but decided to do the same set up in acrylic and then in watercolor. 

The 8" x 10" watercolor isn't finished. This was painted in Catherine Hillis Wednesday watercolor class. I need to think what direction to go with it, or stick it in the flat file for awhile. Should I darken the background, darken the foreground, or add the china patterns to the cups?

Carp

This is an old painting that I am playing around with. It started as a sumi-e painting, ink on rice paper, of two carp. Got it out last Wednesday, dampened it with water and glue it to a half sheet of watercolor paper. Then started adding watercolor paint. Liking it better. Not finished will have to see where it goes.

tea cup thumbnail

Some composition sketches for a new painting series. 

Creating if not painting

I received a Gelli Plate printing kit with a 6" plate for Christmas. Finally this week I was able to find time to play with my new toy and it was fun.

So far I have only used one of the prints. It became the cover for my Unplanned Planner for 2016. Don't know if the cover is finished but that's a part of being an unplanned planner.

I have joined 3 internet art/craft groups. Each one has a different approach to an art journal for the coming year. I will NOT being doing all three but will be taking the elements I like best from each one and using them in mine. That will give me some creative play with a direction for organization. Since I couldn't choose which style of calendar to use, I will try one in January and another one in February.