Froggies All finished!

So here are the frogs all finished up. I thought the white stripes were way to busy on the sides so I just left them black.  It was all fun to do. I probably will fiddle some more. I am thinking that the circles around the background might need to be outlined in black but I don't know. Right now it's a darker green. Maybe I will take a good photo and fiddle with it in Photoshop. Then I can see if that works. 

Look who helped---Grampa! He did a great job putting on some dots.

Sunday Word

Have a blessed Sunday!

Painting the Frogs

These two paintings on canvas are for our daughter in Greenville, SC, for baby Marc's room. He is expected to arrive around May 3rd. I am not used to working so big but it was great for me to stretch myself. And actually it has been fun. Anyway, this is what I have been working on.

Brush Lettering with the Zigs

I love these Zig markers and they come in so many colors it will make your head swim. Of course I have to have all the colors. They are fun to use but of course you don't have to do lettering with them--you can just color anything with them. I don't work for Zig--Marvys work too. Hope you enjoy this little video.

AND also--they DO still make these markers they are just harder to find in the retail stores but you can find them online. I was mistaken in the video. Sorry Zig!

Red Door Art Studio Tour

Thanks for visiting my studio. I have such fun there.
Here is the link for Sharon and Jenn.

And Sharon is so right in her comment she left---I really don't work here I play here!! It is the little playhouse I never had as a child. This bungalow is just around the corner from where I live so sometimes Bucky and I walk over.  I love my neighbors here also---it's just a cozy little street with bungalows all around. This is a very quaint little area of Jacksonville in this Riverside area of town. And just a bit more information---when my mother died 8 years ago I kept that house where I grew up in West Point, Georgia. It was a very large house and I tried to keep it up and visit there. But as time went by, the cost involved grew and GREW and it just didn't seem to be the best way to spend all that money so I sold the house to my nephew, David. He is a builder so he has fixed it up and it is still in the family--- and so beautiful. So with that money, a bought this bungalow. I still miss the house in Georgia--- so much (many wonderful memories there--tears are stinging my eyes) but when I come into the Red Door it makes it all better. You can take the girl out of Georgia but you can't take Georgia out of the girl! Georgia is always on my mind.

Two Girls in the Journal

These are in my Moleskine---(I heard this was pronounced Mol-ska-na) Sounds better than Molskin---anyway, the girl on the left is colored with Graphitint pencils and the girl on the right is Shiva. Everything gives a different look-it just depends on the look you are going for. I find that drawing faces is relaxing to me. I draw them when I am engaged in my my other addictions---Americal Idol and Dancing with the Stars. I am still liking the Shiva the best for the faces. If you add Gamsol then you can blend them. Then sometimes in my journal I add acrylic over the Shiva for more texture for the hair. Actually the Shiva police would probably come and get me for this but it's not for sale so---anything goes in the Mol-ska-na!

First Video with my Flip Camera

I needed a third hand to film this. My arm wasn't long enough to get a good shot and turn the pages too. I will be glad when my tripod gets here so I can place it back further. Hopefully I will get better at movie making! The journal was so fun to make. I cut some 81/2 x11 card stock paper in half and punched holes with the Rubicoil then bound the book first with the covers. Then I was ready to staple in the art pieces to the pages. I guess I could have left the whole size of the letter sized paper but this way I used less card stock and it wold be a bit less bulky. Worked pretty well.

Here is my very first YouTube Video. The quality and lighting is not that great but it will be trial and error for me until I can figure out the best way to do it.

Portrait Practice in the Journal

I love the way Sharon Tomlinson paints her portraits. They are fast and free and ----great!  She

has now started videoing herself---yea!! so check out her videos. It's very interesting how she paints these portraits from dark to light and adding Titanium white. This portrait turned out ok although I don't think I quite got it using her technique. Maybe that's because she hasn't finished her videos about it yet so I had to wing it. I'm going to stay tuned to see her next video coming soon.

I like it Grainy!

I was playing around with this great transfer paper called Sheer Heaven. This is an inkjet print of a cropped girl that I transferred with the Sheer Heaven Transfer paper. I really like the "grainy" results from the transfer although these sheets are virtually "suppose" to produce an almost photographic image. I like it grainy though and hopefully these are the results I will continue to get. It depends how much you bone fold it I guess. Pretty cool effect. The lines around it is just a Pitt marker.

In the Monskine Sketchbook Journal

I painted her with acrylic and she doesn't look as smooth as when I use Shiva oil sticks. I did smooth her cheeks a bit with the Shiva. I bought a hair stying magazine to get some new styles for my girls. This one is not having a very good hair day. Every time I draw a new girl I try and make her look different but as I look at all of them they all look like they are related---some look like sisters and some like cousins. One even looks like my mother did as a young girl. The girls are the most relaxing art that I do. I guess it's because they all become my little friends. I think her name is Crystal--bet you can tell why---her eyes.

Little Cubes of Mixed Media and Collage

Well, ok, I am now officially, head over heels, desperately in love with.... Rub Ons!! Oh my goodness, where have I been all these years?! They will rub onto anything. I read where you could make your own rub ons from transparencies. Works ok--but not nearly as good as this. Think I will buy more. I made these cubes a while back but I just put on the rub ons. That officially makes it art du jour!

I bought a FLIP video camera yesterday. Maybe I will film myself doing---hummmm---I don't know yet---but hopefully-something artsy...

Daffodils--by the hardest...

Well, maybe they are not so bad but boy! were they hard to paint. Yellows are not easy---but actually they look a little better here than in person. I might just go on to Tulips now. Those might be easier. But---we'll shall see.  I love the blue and the yellow---that is always pleasing to me.

And look below-----that was me painting the Daffodils! It took many tries to get something that looked half way bloggable. Anyway, this is what I felt like.  Ever felt like this?

Create in Me a Clean Heart

I wish I could write out a Scripture every Sunday but as soon as I plan to do it I might not be able to follow through. But for today---here is a Scripture in calligraphy and maybe I can try and write one out again some other Sunday. Have a blessed day!

Sheer Heaven Transfer Paper by Cre8it

This transfer paper is pretty amazing. I think I will enjoy using it in my journals and any place that is porous. Next I will try fabric---they said it should do great. Here is the web site and a YouTube video It is actually Sheer Heaven not sheer magic as I said in the video. Also, on the bird above--I drew the bird and colored it in with Pitt brush marker pens first, then transfered.

Loosen Up Poppies

I was getting ready to paint the Daffodils and Poppies bloomed. Actually, I was just trying to loosen up and my comfort zone is Poppies. I guess I am putting off the Daffodils because they are difficult to draw so I can imagine how difficult they will be to paint. But I will never know unless I try now will I? I will post them if succesful.

She Has Faith

This is on a flat 8 x 8 panel that started out as something completely different and evolved into this. Her head is a print on a material I recently ordered. It's called Lutrador and it looks similar to Tyvvek. There is a book out about how to use this type of fabric and I guess I need the book because I am not quite sure what to do with it. It's wasn't expensive. Anyway, I printed just the face on it and it came out quite fuzzy but then I painted over it with Shiva and I really enjoyed the surface. I have also found out that clear gesso helps to strengthen the image so I tried that and it come out a clearer image---but the point here is not to have a clear image or I would use paper. That's what this is along with acrylics, stamps, collage napkins, some brush lettering alpha stamps, and a little metal charm that says faith.

Also the lace on her dress is "rusry lace" from Carol Sloan. She has it for sale in her etsy shop. She is a new blog friend and wonderful artist. The lace doesn't show up that great in the picture but in real life it is fabulous!! Love that rusty lace, Carol! (hint hint)

Listen! My Beloved!

Here is another piece that I plan to put into the show at the JCA here in Jacksonville in May. It is a tribute to Bobbi Yoffee, the most talented calligraphic artist I have even known, and had the privilege of knowing and studying with.  She passed away with cancer several years ago. She loved doing  Song of Solomon Scriptures. We all miss her terribly. She used to do Ketubahs(among other stunning works of art) that you couldn't even believe a human could do with beautiful illustrations and calligraphic Hebrew letters. Absolutely amazing. 

This background with painted with FW Inks and the lettering was done with Windsor Newton Gouache. The frame is from Target.  Love these frames with the thick wide mat.

My Voice You Shall Hear

Maybe some of you might remember this piece from a ways back but I have finally adhered it to a canvas so it can go into the JCA North Florida Calligraphers show coming up in May. I am not sure how many pieces I will put in but I do know that I am planning to not spend a penny on framing. Everything will go on canvas or in a Target black frame (my favorite frame anyway). I have spent so much money on framing in the past so no more----I'd rather buy art supplies!!

This one is 11 x 14 and I tore the edges with a "ruffled" ruler. It might be too "ruffled". I can always tone it down with watercolor. I will have to look at it awhile and decide.

ARTist Inside YOU

Ok, well, this one feels somewhat better to me---maybe because I did a little calligraphy with my nib and it has more of a layout and design.  This is an original Shiva portrait painting that I collaged on then painted shoulders etc. I love a Moleskine. Such nice paper. This one is the watercolor paper but the sketch ones are really nice too.  

Have Wings

This is from my art journal. I am trying not to think too much. Oh how I struggle with this! I guess I have been trained to plan my layout and design and by trial and error, paste up and re-lettering until the piece comes together. And by blood sweat and tears sometimes it did---sometimes it didn't. But this area of mixed media collage and the freedom in the art journal is so different that I am always trying so hard to jump back in that lettering arts box. I still love that box though---it is an art form that I will always strive for but thankfully---I have discovered---there is freedom outside that box!

Getting ready to paint

Just a few sketches in my journal getting ready start my Michelle Brown class and paint. I'll have to see how I do before I blog any.  Yellows are more difficult to paint with for me so-- I am not sure how this will turn out. I also think the daffodil is a hard flower to draw with all the wavy ruffles.  Oh, but what a wonderful flower!!  My mama had them growing the the back yard when I was a little girl and I loved to go and run through them and pick them. What wonderful memories I have of little Mattie Lou happy girl (that's me) growing up in that sleepy little Georgia town of West Point. I am smiling now with the stinging of a little tear.

New Handmade Journal for New Michelle Brown Class

I decided to make a watercolor journal to practice techniques from Michelle Brown's watercolor class on Spring Flowers. I just love her and enjoy her British accent and her beautiful watercolors. Hopefully my spring flowers will bring me as much enjoyment as the Poppies.  

Doodle-de-Do

Here is a little doodle---watercolor pencils and brush lettering in my Molskine. This is my first scan with my new scanner. It is wonderful now that I got it working. Have you ever called and waited for the tech person to answer and when finally they come on and you attempt to explain your problem the machine just starts magically working and you feel like a total idiot? He actually laughed at me. Well, he doesn't know me so no harm done. It's working, that's the important thing.

Doodle Day

This is a doodle in my art journal last night while watching TV. I used Zig brush markers and added wash with the Niji water brush. Then outlined with my favorite Pitt pen.  This is a fun little alphabet that I learned at a Barbara Close Workshop. Oh, actually, I outlined just with a blue ball point pen and then that made a wash outline also---then I outlined with the Pitt.

Lookey Lookey!! Yee--ha!!!

I am so excited. I just got my new scanner from B&H Photo today. I don't have a good scanner at all and found myself futzing so much in Photoshop to make it better ---- so for my husband's birthday I got a scanner!  Did you get that?  My sweet hubby gave it to me for his birthday.

 This weekend we were up in Greenville, SC, with our daughter and her husband and she gave me her old sewing machine---which is not so old. She now uses a Bernina because she is a quilter. She gave me a good lesson in the straight stitch which is  all I will do for now. I do not sew at all---I can pretty much sew a button but that is about all. I hope that I will not get into any binds and not be able to get myself out of them. It does get "boogered up" sometimes as my daughter says and as we were sewing I understand why I never wanted to learn to sew. It does get knotted and tangled up sometimes.  BUT I am determined to incorporate some sewing into my mixed media portrait etc pieces. We'll see!

A Very Great Lady and Noble Princess on a Tattered Old Book Cover

I really enjoyed creating this and I think it is because it is something new that I tried. The girl's face is an original painting but I pasted her on and added some stamps to the background of the tattered black book cover. Her dress is collaged and I painted the collar. I went on a tattered book hunt and decided that I would not pay more than $5 for any tattered book. Surprisingly, sometimes the more tattered the more expensive the book is because it is old. But I did find some interesting tattered covers that I hope to incorporate some paintings on them. I actually won't use the ribbon when my antique brass chain comes in. Then I will swap it out. I found the text out of one of the old books. She is 5 x 71/2.

Background...kinda spooky and eerie

This background started off black and the colors were built up using a dry brush technique with a crummy bristle brush.  Then stamps were added. It is 7 x 7 . It looks rather spooky with the black leaves.  Just a spooky day I guess. 

Also, my sunflowers are in this Treasury--it's the second image of the sunflowers in the glass vase. Pretty cool!