Red and Orange Poppies

Well, I am in a comfort zone for sure. I need to break out. (I have been listening that song on my iTunes---remember it? it was 1989 and look how current she looks--except for the shoulder pads. Wonder where she is now? Probably enjoying singing Break Out to her grandchildren...)
I am digressing...
I think I have seen these colors before and this set up too. I keep gravitating toward them. But I am just putting in my brush time but not being very brave and adventurous in my still life set ups. I struggle with setting up still lifes. This isn't even on a canvas. It's on Arches Oil paper.  It's not quite as intimidating as a canvas and I can always tear it in two if I want to! Ok, time to break out.  Any suggestions as to how to do that??

Organic

More Chunky Versals. This word was fun to write because it has all the fun shapes of letters that go well together. Sometimes when I have to put two "Os" or two"Ss" together it is a challenge. But this one was very simple and .....organic!

Favorite Blue Vase

I am so happy when I set up a still life, get out my paints and just go for it. I have been watching 

Quang Ho's videos and I am very inspired. What an excellent teacher he is!

This is on an 11x11 coated gesso heavy weight paper.

If you are interested in purchasing you can get it here.

Live - Laugh - Love

Just a little Chunky Versal doodle.  Love to draw these fun letters.

Graytone Pots

There are also no impossibilities in my little composition notebook with a grid! I also love my Papermate Flair pens that are water soluble so it's easy and fun to make a little quick grayscale painting.   I don't mind at all that the paper buckles and wrinkles. As long as it's not drenched too much with water it holds up. The lettering is a print from my written original. I have a huge file on my computer of lettering quotes and they can be used again and again.

Also, news flash for all you "24" fans. Jack Bauer is coming back next summer on TV!
****Crickets chirping****?
Well, I am excited!!!!!!!!!!

Emma

Sometimes I pick up a black pen and just go for it. No pencil ---no fear---

Drawing these girls is relaxing and fun as I sit here and drink my tea on this beautiful Monday morning. 

Yes, I am delving into tea drinking. I went to Teavana and spent my life savings on teas,

tea pots and other tea goodies...but I must say, I think I like it!

Happy Mother's Day!

Spooky Girls

They are rather spooky I think. Not sure what their story is but I think they 

could be in a scary movie. I am still trying to figure out why sometimes I draw girls

who look straight back at me and other times they are

hypnotized. These two are definitely hypnotized.

Vintage Greta

 

This is Greta and she is loving her new Gatsby- style hat.  She loves the book The Great Gatsby and she can't wait to go see the movie with her favorite movie star, Leo. 

She is thinking about him right now.

Lilly Cathrine's Wish

The Mystery Pear

Yesterday was a fun day painting with my buddies, Rynda and Betty. We again painted from our favorite book called, Problem Solving for Oil Painters by Gregg Kreutz.

I am always ready to grunge up a painting with texture and color. I actually used a recycled canvas with a failed painting that I had painted over in bright red. So that was my undertone---bright red. You can see it peaking through. Thank you again, Greg Kreutz for helping us paint another painting from your great book!

And ALSO: Lolla Students,
So sorry again for my senior moment with the Neuland Video. I have added the edited video to the blog. I know that I must have surely messed with your creative minds with that one!!!

May Day

Today is a very special day. One way it is special is that I finally painted another painting after  a month or so. I have been working on Lollapalooza but since that is finished I thought I would pull out the paints and paint. I was really rusty and I could feel my struggle but I think it turned out ok. I even painted it from my own still life. I am always glad when I can paint from life.

But this day is special for another REALLY special reason!

Marc is 4 today!

He was going to school today with his new Jake the Pirate shirt on and his birthday ribbon. 

And just look at what my talented daughter made for him!

Jake the cake!!

Pretty cool, don't you think?!!!

Angie

Angie is a very beautiful girl with a porcelain complexion. She tried to stay out of the sun.

She also likes purple and wears it anytime she can. She has cure hair too. I want her hair.

I used Letraset Flex markers to create her.

Fun Background and a Great Quote

I was going to do a little quick tutorial on how to create these wonderful and colorful backgrounds then I thought I can just tell you. It's so easy. And most of you have probably done this technique.

For this background I took some of my Dylusions Spray Inks that I used for "Lollapalooza Two: The Spray Journal". Then I sprayed some colors fairly "juicily"( I like to make up words) on a sheet of Fabriano Artistico Watercolor paper then put Saran Wrap on top it. 

The cheaper the better for the Saran wrap actually---generic is good.

Then I crinkled the Saran wrap around on the watercolor paper. 

You can see the wonderful crinkles right away. Crinkle it as much or little as you desire.

I let it sit over night and it's like Christmas morning pulling it off to see on the wonderful texture. 

This is a great way to create some colorful snippets for your "Lollapalooza One: Snippet Journal".

 I used my own Neuland font I created from Fontifer and added the quote. 

Feel free to download this one and print it as one of your snippets if you want to. 

I had fun creating these backgrounds and you will too!

ALSO:

Just a few more days for the sale prices!

If you haven't signed up for Lollapalooza you can do that HERE

AND:

If you have signed up and haven't emailed me for the mini-tutorials to get you ready

EMAIL ME

Put STUDENT in the subject line.

Lollapalooza Three--Almost Done!

I have had so much fun filming "Lollapalooza Three:The Big Grig Journal" It's almost as if I just can't stop because there are so many different creative and fun ways to do this type of journal.  But I must stop somewhere. As you see it takes me lots of stuff to film this workshop but it makes me so happy because I am using supplies that I don't use very often. Good for the "guilt over massive supplies" syndrome.  I hope you have been able to take advantage of the sales for these three upcoming classes.  If not you can sign up here. 
Sale ends April 29th.

April 29th

Nervous Doodle Fingers

I seem to have been riveted by my TV screen for the past 24 hours or so so the doodling has been a good thing for my restless and nervous hands. The hands have calmed down now and are heading to the studio to continue the day's work. Have a nice weekend!

"Lolla 3" Supplies!

I thought it would be helpful to all my "Lollapalooza Three" students to have a supplies video. I have just posted it on the site so if you have access to the "Mini Tutorial" site then make sure you check it out. If you are a student and haven't seen the private tutorial blog then make sure you email me with the word STUDENT in the subject line of your email and I will send you the site.

Thanks so much y'all!!!

PS I also added "Five Minute Flowers" to get you ahead on your snippet pile!

Sandy

I am enjoying drawing the girls and using my Letraset Flex markers which are very similar to the Copics but the brush is thinner and firmer. Can't decide which I like the best--but I think I am liking the Flex markers the best. I bought some Bienfang Graphics 360 marker paper at a big discount today at our local art store thinking that it would work with the Flex markers and the Copics. Did not work. Glad I got this paper on sale. I can use it for tracing paper I guess.

This is Sandy---she is thinking hard about something.

ATTENTION: ALL "LOLLAPALOOZA" STUDENTS

Would you like a couple of tutorials to get you ready for the upcoming clases???

Ok then-- if you have signed up and bought any of the classes or all three (thanks!!) then do this:
1.  Email me ---marthalever@gmail.com
2.  Put:   STUDENT into the subject line of your email (very important!)
3. I will send you the link to the private blog

I am starting to film Lollapalooza Three and I think a couple of advance tutorials would be helpful.  These will be available until June 24th when the class starts. These will be included in LollaTwo and Three so when you get to those videos you will already know how to do it! I am hoping that I can put a few more up too (hopefully)--- so make sure you save the site to your favorites.

If you haven't signed up yet you can do that HERE
Thanks so much!!!

The Red Zins

Every month Betty, Rynda and I get together at my studio and do an oil painting project. We mostly are trying to become better painters so we usually either do a Richard Robinson workshop or we analyze a painting that we all like and think is interesting and attempt to paint it. (Of course we don't sell these paintings.)

Our painting for this month was from a wonderful book called Problem Solving for Oil Painters  by Gregg Kreutz. We all admire the way he paints and this book is a really good source of information. We decided on this inspiration painting from this book that you see on the monitor:

I decided that I would experiment with some textures in the background so I stenciled in some

Wood Icing for texture for my underpainting. I think it actually gave it an interesting effect. I might use it again. I used to use it all the time with my acrylic paintings.

 It's really not one of my favorite paintings but I think it turned out to be a

 good likeness to the original so therefore---a success!

So another fun day with the paintin' gals!

Lori's Tulips

My sweet best buddy, Lori, is not only a fabulous artist but she is a great photographer too. This is a Julie Ford Oliver"Fractured" technique painting. I am enjoying the fracturing technique and hopefully I can get comfortable with it.

 Here is Lori's photo. 

Lori's lighting on her photo was so luminous that it was hard for me to capture. Capturing light is something that comes with practice (lots of it!) and I am working on that. Glass is another thing that I am working on. It is a process for sure!  I reused a canvas that already had an orange underpainting. You can see it peeking through the fracturing. All in all, I am enjoying the fracturing so far. Thank you for the wonderful photo, Lori!

Miss Moses Lobeau

As I trekked the 6 hour ride to Greenville for Easter (Chauncey and Zach came later on the plane),

I listened to a really cute and entertaining audio book called, Three Times Lucky.

This is what I think the main character, Mo, an 11 year old girl from a little town in NC,

would look like all dressed up. She's a spunky little thing as you can see in her eyes.

Pretty Flowers in a Jar

I always enjoy my watercolors. They are opposite from oils but always fun.

I think I fractured something!

Thank goodness it was only paint!  This is Julie Ford Oliver's wonderful technique of "Fracturing."  I absolutely love the look of this technique and I really hope I can do more of this. You can watch her how-to videos on Daily Paintworks. I haven't had time to paint since I have been living the
"Lollapalooza" high life recently. I am taking a little break before starting to film Lollapalooza Three so I thought I better pick up a paintbrush before I started rolling backwards.

I painted her sample painting for my first time trying it. Next time I will paint a still life and see what happens.

Easter Eve

Just sitting with my little sweeties outside on a beautiful and a bit chilly day here in Greenville, SC.

It's such a blessing having the whole family together for Easter.

Hope everyone has a blessed one too.

Doin' a happy dance right now!

I am gathering up ideas and things for  Lollapalooza Three, "Big Grig Journal"  online class. In this class it is important to find some way to write one big word which will usually be the theme of that page.  I use CalligraFun lettering most of the time but I use stamps too (hopefully the Calligraphy Police won't come get me!). Being a calligrapher I absolutely love all types of hand lettering and one of my favorite styles is Neuland---which brings me back to the stamps. In Lollapalooza Two and Three I have included a video of how to carve this alphabet into stamps to use in our journals. I give you the exempler of letterforms and show you how to carve them.

The thought occurred to me that I could possibly make a font with it--my stamped letters that is.

And through the magic of Fontifier I did it!

It's really quite simple and it only costs $9.

 In fact I have several other Fontifier fonts in other calligraphic hands that I have pinned. 

It's all installed on my computer and everything---wow. Technology is amazing--!

 Yes, I am doing a happy dance!!

Here are two more examples of my new font. 

Registration is open for Lollapalooza!

Yes, registration is now open for

 Lollapalooza One: "The Chunky Art Snippet Journal"

Lollapalooza Two: "The Spray Journal"

Lollapalooza Three: "The Big Grig Journal"

There is a special price now also.

I have even added more art tips that are not in this promo video ---
why...??? because you just might need to use them!

Like this:

I am giving you almost everything but the kitchen sink! 
It's a Lollapalooza!

Painting at Corse Gallery

I painted this 36x36 at Corse Gallery the other day. It is still there and for sale waiting to go into the trendy new restaurant down the street. I am excited about that--I have never had a painting in a restaurant before. It's a big painting that I started in Alice William's workshop that I just couldn't get to work so I decided to try again before I sent it to the dumpster. I love this vase and I love apples and I love Poppies so---I think it worked. Hopefully it will sell. That would really be exciting.

Cassie

This is Cassie. She and Amanda are first cousins and best friends. They got their red hair from their grandmother. She is 16 and is allowed to drive as long as her very responsible cousin, Amanda, goes along with her. They like to drive by Derek's house and honk the horn and drive off quickly. Their mothers (who are sisters) would surely not approve.

Derek always sees them and smiles.

Amanda and her Fastenator

This is Amanda. She just turned 15 the other day. She bought this fabulous red flower fastenator from Anthropologie on sale with her babysitting money as a present to herself. She is feeling quite gorgeous in it as she heads out to meet her friends at the movies.

Maybe... Derek will be there...

She is thinking about him.

Libby

This is Libby. She is also a bit pensive today but she is really quite a happy girl. She is enjoying her new hat. She started out quite unattractive but it's amazing how a little eye make up and lipstick will improve a face.  So true isn't it!?

Art in the strangest places...

Just as I was gathering up Bucky and my things to go home from the studio this caught my eye. I just had to take a picture of it. This is from the spray journal for Lollapalooza Two. yes, we find art in the strangest places, don't we?

Ruby

I love drawing girls and using my Copic markers. I have a formula that usually

makes for a pretty face although they all have personalities of their own. Sometimes

they look right at you and smile and other times they are bored or pensive. I never know

which girl will emerge. Sometimes one will look mad but I can usually cheer her up.

Her name is Ruby and she is a vintage 1920's girl. She is a pensive one---and maybe a bit bored.

Waipu Cove

"Lollapalooza" Update

This is just a quick update on my 3 upcoming journal workshops. If you get my email newsletter then this will be the same video as in the newsletter.

I am having a sale over at Creative Workshops so the video will give you the details.

Thanks!

The Dinghy

It is so fun every month when Betty and Rynda and I get together at my studio and paint. Rynda worked on her fabulous apples while Betty and I painted the dinghy from Richard Robinson's workshop #19. This is a 12x12 and we painted from his reference photo. He is a really good online teacher and I highly recommend him if you want to learn to be a better painter.

Here are betty and Rynda at the studio.
It was fun!

Pick Your Color

I enjoy sitting down and piecing together one of these letter collages. I am gathering enough of them now to maybe put them in a handmade book. They are rather large so I will have to figure that out.

 I am busy filming the new "Lollapalooza" Journal class series and I might include these letter collages in the "Big Grid Journal" class. I really am having fun filming it so hopefully you will have fun too if you decide on any of the classes. The three classes will be : Lollapalooza One: "The Chunky Snippet Journal", Lollapalooza Two: "The Spray Journal," and Lollapalooza Three: "The Big Grid Journal".  I might combine two and three but I haven't decided yet. And I have added some other goodies to each one too. So, April 29 is the opening date. I will keep you updated. I have completed and edited #1 and working on #2 now.

How to save a painting-or at least take a stab at it!

...that is if I even saved it. I still have trouble from time to time with still lifes that I set up. This red vase is just so gorgeous--so gorgeous in fact that it was difficult to capture it as the light traveled through it to the other side. So as I was nearing the end of the painting and seeing that it was going downhill fast I decided to get out my color shaper and take some desperate measures to try and save this desperate painting.  So I decided to try Julie Ford Oliver's "Fracturing" technique (she has an Artbyte on Daily Paintworks showing how) that she does so marvelously. It was either that or scrape. So I got out my 1" color shaper and started to hack, and slash and laugh like a madwoman (because I was mad!).

So then after the slashing I cleaned my brushes and said... oh well. Then right before heading out the door I looked at it again and decided it needed just a little more torture so I decided this time to try the Iris Scott's technique of finger painting because I didn't want to wash another brush. (You will enjoy her video even if you aren't a painter.) This was actually very fun because I still had color on my palette. Anyway, I don't know if I saved it but at least it's considerably more interesting that it was.

-----------------------------------------------

PS...2:50 PM UPDATE--

I just scraped it off. Couldn't stand to look at it. 

All gone---mostly--I wiped some left over paint from my palette over it the wiped a little away from the flowers (just to beat a dead horse a little more)

I can paint something over this since I don't want to lost the wood panel.

Quick 1 Hour Study

I like to rent art videos from SmartFlix and my latest one was by Craig Nelson--Quick Studies in Oil. He says it's better to do 32 small one hour quick studies than one 32 hour long involved painting. I enjoyed his video and this is the reference from the video. I enjoyed painting it and tried to stop and not tickle it to death after an hour.

NEW WINNER!!

KATHIE never came forth to claim her prize  :( so

 I just picked another winner and that winner is 

SUSAN FROM ROANOKE VIRGINIA!!

Susan please send me your address to my email

marthalever@gmail.com

and I will send your book and exemplars out ASAP!!!

Coming April 29th

 The"Artsy Update" Newsletter will be coming 

out March 2nd and will explain more!

There is still time to sign up to get it.