More from the Art Journal

I finally figured out what my art journal is and what it isn't.

It's a spot for me to try different techniques. Not everyone will be a hit -- I expect plenty of misses, in fact, but hope to learn from every one of them.

I will try techniques I see in online videos and put my own spin to them, like this "one color" challenge.

I will play with various media. Collage, gouache, acrylic, watercolor pencil, gelli printing, and painted deli paper are all fair game. And probably others, I just haven't committed to them yet.

I will try to duplicate things in paint that I have done as collage. (In this case with bad results -- that's a VERY wonky Eiffel Tower on the left. I can do better. I will do better.)

I will work on drawing and painting.. I'll try original things and also work from previously drawn images (like this one, from a Christmas card)...

Or, I'll base my drawing on a photo. But I will try to make them more or less my own.



I will express my passion for places, people and things I love with my art.

Sometimes I'll use it (as my friend Kate does hers) to show a technique or have a guide for her colors. I had tremendous fun testing out the watercolor pencils to see what they really looked like!



And sometimes it will be very personal -- more than an art practice book but a real journal.

I will not be afraid to show it to people, even when I am unsure of their reaction. Is Lady Mary Crawley afraid of anyone's reaction (apart from the misfortunate incident of Mr. Pamook)? I need to bring out my inner Lady Mary!

And always, I promise myself to allow myself to fail and celebrate when I succeed!

Easter on the Art Table

I finally finished some Easter cards to take to Creative Wellness, so I share them with you with my Happy Easter Greetings!

 
Some of you may recognize some of the shared art over time. Other bits are from my postcard collection.

And, I also finished a special order of butterflies and made a few extras to take to CW.

 

Linda, your package is on the way! (Or perhaps even arrived!)

Our cancer screening was a big success and I'm wrapping on that one and working on another screening for mid-April. I have to say I'll be relieved when all is done. A spring cold has been nagging at me, meaning bumpy nights and late lay-ins to make up for lost sleep. I'm longing for time at the art table, time to cook, time to play and yes, more at Southern Exposure.

By the time this posts, I will have been to a second workshop and another mid-April. They energize me.

I will share our "Shopping at Southern Exposure" adventure soon! You'll love this spot!

Meanwhile, a Happy Easter to those who celebrate that holiday; Passover wishes to my Jewish friends and to those who just love spring, a happy spring goes without saying!

On the Table -- The Art Table, That Is

Back from Massachusetts and soon will have a post on a very special sighting! Meanwhile, I thought I'd share a bit of what I was doing before I left! I don't have a lot to show for all the time I've spent at the art table of late, but I thought I'd show you a few things I've been working on. Because it's spring, we'll start with a few springy cards pulled together for a special order for butterfly-themed cards!

I love the card above. Which didn't start out that way, but when I was finished the soft palette, the butterfly words and the papers seemed to remind me of how spring sneaks in gently with those subtle colors. The grass is still pale and perhaps even brown, not yet healed from winter's brutal cold. The skies not always sunny, yet hints of pink and brighter greens to come.



Here are a few other cards from that order -- definitely brighter!

The fairies -- not butterflies, but I couldn't resist this sweet art and a couple of variations.



I've been working in my art journal too. This was a page I did in my class where we painted over newspaper and then worked from there, tearing it into an odd shape. I found the Michigan Beaches page in the paper and thought that would be a good spot to journal some at-the-lake thoughts. I confess, I am not fond of the technique where you write over your black in white. It looked a lot better when our teacher did it!

What I didn't realize was that on the flip side was a newspaper story by and with a large photo of a woman with whom I'd worked on committees with while I was at MSU. So, I couldn't cover her up! Had to give her the treatment!

Beside her, I tried my hand at cat drawing. I am NO cat artist, at least not a realistic one -- the eyes mess me up every time. But I'm improving. This was mostly colored pencil with acrylic background.

Here's how it looked in the spread. In a perfect world, the pages would be reversed but you go with what you've already got down!.

And yes, I've been playing with the gouache, too. I showed you the one below before -- the gouache version with my own version is on the left with the acrylic/napkin/cut out embellishment version on the right.

And here are some cards using the gouache. Yes, practicing the drawing part, too!


More to come. I'm on a bit of a roll now. And it sure is fun!

Easter Cards!

It seems like I've been doing lots of creative bits lately -- and with Easter on the horizon, why not?

Here are a few of the cards I've been working on.

I dropped off most of them to Creative Wellness for their card racks. A few will go in the mail.

        

Sometimes its fun to see what a difference paper and color can make to the same image.

    

 

So just keep your eyes out! It's Easter -- and you never know where you'll find a duckling, chick or an egg!

And now, on to the house decorating! 

 

More to come!