Versal Pears

Well, you know how the saying goes (or maybe you don't) ..."when in doubt, paint a pear" (quote from my favorite oil painter, Jeff Mahoney). I have been in a doodle mood lately and I have decided not to push myself to paint until I go to Art of the Carolinas in Raleigh next weekend for my classes with Robert Burridge. I have been working a lot lately with these fun versal letters and I am thinking that it will be my next online class. They are so fun to draw after you learn the strokes and they can be used for absolute anything; journal, finished piece, zentangles, name plates, and the list goes on. Remember this?  They are so fun to do. I think I will demo in the workshop how to use 23 carat patent gold to add to the versals.
It's an ancient secret that the monks used as they sat in their candlelit scriptoriums slaving away on their manuscripts and drawing and painting in those gorgeous decorated letters. The proper term is called guilding and you just wouldn't believe how easy it is. It will probably be the first of February before I can get it up because I haven't started filming and of course--the holidays are coming. Maybe along the way I will give some sneak peeks.
And...as always...God willing.

Sweet Girl

One of the very hardest things for me to do is draw a turned face. The head changes shape as well as the lips nose and eyes. She is getting better but still not quite right. I enjoy drawing a fact in face it is the most relaxing thing for me to do--even more than doodling. I think it's because you know what has to come next and no decisions need to be made---like which doodle design to do next. Anyway, Jane Davenport, does a great job of explaining the face and body. Love her!

I used Copic markers for her face.

Love drawing these versal letters and coloring them in for the titles too.

Doodle Bliss

Still enjoying doodling. Haven't painted yet but it's ok. Just taking a little doodle down time.

Tools and Sources:
Zenspirations by Joanne Fink
Tombow Markers Set (Yes, I have the whole set!) I'm in heaven!
CalligraFUN (Basic letterforms)
Pilot Uniball Pen
"Project Accessory" on my TV

I won a giveaway!

Jane Royal is one of my favorite artists and I won this fabulous journal in her giveaway! The cover is fabulous and also the inside cover. I have been sketching. Here is what I have done so far in this fabulous journal. Thanks, Jane!!

The images below are from Jane Davenports class "Supplies Me." If you have ever wanted to learn to draw a proper face and body she is the one to go to! This class is really wonderful and Jane is absolutely delightful. 

I have used a variety of supplies and techniques and sources. 

Tombow Markers

Prisma Colored Pencils

Chunky Versals (tentative future new online class)

Elvie Cursive

Zenspirations by Joanne Fink

My little Super Hero!

I hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween!

GATOR Doodle!

It's a FLORIDA thing!!!

It is GA-FL weekend here in Jacksonville and it's always fun weekend.

When you can't paint...doodle!

Well, I guess you could call this more like alpha doodling but I am still having trouble cranking back up to paint so when all else fails...doodle!!!  And along that line...when you're feeling blue...doodle!  When you're feeling lonely...doodle!!! When you're feeling bored...DOODLE! When you're feeling like you'll never create another painting in your life then...DOODLE!! Actually I am not feeling blue or lonely, just unmotivated to continue to try to paint "the big one." I'll paint again but I think I just need to recharge a bit. So when you need to recharge..DOODLE!!!

Oh, also I wanted to tell you about this fabulous pad of  paper I did this on. It's called Clairefontaine Pupitre. This is a graph pad (you know how I love a grid!) and it's wonderful for markers, pen work, pencil work but doesn't like watercolor. It's smooth as a baby's behind...and I hve felt a sweet little smooth one recently! I love this paper. It comes plain white too. It's like writing on silk.
Watch this wonderful video suggested by Nita.
Doodlers, Unite!!!

Just a little diddy in my new journal

 Just doing some color testing in the my newly made journal. I used some Elvie cursives (Lori Vliegen's LetterLab online class) and some CalligraFun letters and some other fun supplies.  And below is the  cover I collaged and sewed up. It's a nice size journal with Arches 140 lb hot press which is great paper but not my very favorite.

Credit card flowers

These really are fun to do, all created with a piece of a credit card. I was just playing around with ways to put impressionistic flowers in my paintings. i used three shades of color for depth. Fun!

Saturday Night Doodle

Sometimes it's just fun to sit on the couch and doodle in my comp journal while watching some of my saved DVR programs. I have lots of them since I have been out of town.  I have enjoyed just vegging out since I can't quite get back into the swing of things yet. I want to paint but my muse must be still up with the babies so I will just wait until I am motivated again. I am traveling up to Raleigh for Art of the Carolinas to take some classes with Robert Burridge next month. I am really looking forward to that!  Hope I will get painting again before that!

Thank you all so much for the sweet congratulations for the arrival of Morgan.
You are all wonderful and I appreciate each and every one of you.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Create the Art of your Heart

Well, I am back home now from Greenville and I had so many emotions when I left. I know it was time to go on home because I knew Macaulay and Morgan were fine but I sure am gonna miss my little babies.  Little Morgan is a very calm baby and sleeps well so far and baby Marc seems unfazed at it all and is concerned when she cries and rounds up all the pacifiers he can find. I will miss them but they are all doing fine.

I had to create a little ditty using my new spray dyes and some drawn chunky versals. This was an 11:00 pm quick ditty. I need to get back into the swing of things with my art. Hopefully I will be able to crank up again now that I am back home.

Smile!

AWWW...we got us a little smile.

Here's Morgan!

Here she is saying, "Hello world!" All went well! She is 8lbs 3oz born at 5:30 pm. So sweet and precious. We are feeling so blessed right now.

Where the Heart Is

Just a little doodling and playing around with some chunky versal lettering. 

 Due date is today. 

We are ready to meet you Morgan and bring you home to your home where the ♥ is!

Pumpkin Time!

It is getting to be a beautiful fall season here is Greenville, SC. The weather has been bad for a few days but the full moon was beautiful. We thought for sure the full moon would bring the baby on. Well, we hoped so anyway. Due date is tomorrow so we will see what the dr. says. Chauncey get here last last night so we are all sitting on ready! Come on Morgan!

GUESS WHAT???

Guess who is now a part of Creative Workshops and who has a fabulous online class now!!!
LORI from ELVIE STUDIO!!!
I am so excited for her and now she can show you how she does her LV Cursive like she does in her journals. As you know she is my best buddy and one of the sweetest most supportive buddies anyone could have. I highly recommend this class if you want to make some magic with your own handwriting!
Who wouldn't want to do that??

Greenville Happenings

What a beautiful fall day here in Greenville. In a week or so the leaves will be gorgeous. We went on a hike today and found some dandelions. 

Macaulay had terrible back pain last night and we thought it was the baby but they sent her back home. No labor yet but she is less than a week away. She is better today. That's why we were walking--maybe that will bring on labor. We don't know what the severe back pain was but Morgan might just be sitting on her back muscles or something. 

Here are some comp journal doodlings.

Pop Tart Art!

The child's a genius!!!!!!!

Oh, and it's ok...it's organic!

Dreams Can Come True

I was playing around with some letterforms and decided to write out this quote. I think this is so true. I have dreams for my art but it really will take some courage (and effort) to pursue them.

I wrote this in my comp journal and I managed to erase most of the lines.

I stuck it on a background below.  I decided to reach back into my background archives and this one looked like Fall so I stuck the lettering on it via the magic of Photoshop.

I will be leaving for Greenville tomorrow so this will probably be my last art post for quite a while. Baby Morgan is due soon so Nana is heading up. I used to get some art done while I was up at my daughter's house but now I can't do anything because if baby Marc and just get a glimpse at my art bag he will want to paint. So I paint with him. So cute. Other than pictures of Marc and baby Morgan that will probably be it. 

An art break might do me good although if I go too long without creating something I start getting the DT's. It's my addiction, ya know.

So bye, yall, I will be checking in on you all to see the lovely art you are creating...

♥♥♥

Yellow Ones

This is just a little 5 x 7. I have not had the energy for a big one. I like these colors though. Maybe I will do a big one of this one---someday.

Comp journal

Just fooling around with some colored pencils in the composition journal. I think I am better today so maybe tomorrow I will try to paint again. She has on a rather strange combination for an outfit. I just finished watching Project Runway. That must be it.

Cute Girl

I have been a bit under the weather lately. This is about all I could do today although it was very fun drawing and painting the cute girl and writing CalligraFUN letters . She is in one of my favorite journals--the composition notebook!

Perplexing Pot--again

Well, I had another perplexing pot painting episode similar to this one. I couldn't really decide what to do with it since I had it off balanced to the right a bit. I tried all sorts of things and wiped it off. Then I remembered this fabulous stamp that my friend, Rynda had made for me and it worked perfectly along with some white script to balance it off. Her calligraphy stamps says, "We have this treasure in jars of clay."
(2 Cor. 4:7)

I also opened up my Distress Rock Candy crackle paint and loved the effect that had around the edges. This is a 11 x 11 hunk of wood. I am getting through my hunks of wood!

Back to Pears

I have been feeling some ups and downs about painting lately. I guess it's just part of the art journey. I felt confident that if I could just fine something I wanted to paint then I could paint it but just finding it was a big block for me. I am not good at setting up still lifes or taking great pictures that I can paint. But I decided that I would take Jeff Manoney's advice (he's a fabulous painter)

and go back to basics---paint a pair. When things seems to be falling apart paint a pair.

Good advice.

Drawing legs

I am so enjoying Jane's class. We are drawing legs and bodies and she has a great technique as to how to do that. She used to be a fashion designer so she knows how to draw them. That is one thing I have ALWAYS wanted to be able to do---draw like a fashion designer. It's fun practicing.

Drawing a face with Jane

I just received my new Pantone colored pencils in from Dick Blick and I had to draw a girl with them. I love drawing faces. It really is very relaxing just as Jane says. This was the back of some paper I had painted on and the texture on the paper is more than I would have wanted because it wouldn't really blend. Next time I will choose some smooth paper so I can blend the pencils. Love my Pantones---but I love the Lyra as well as the Prismacolors also. I am becoming more of a fan of colored pencils I think! I will probably put her in my new journal I made yesterday. Maybe I will blog it so you can see it. I need to sew it up.

Watercolor week with Jane

This is a homework page from Watercolor Week in Jane Davenport's class. I really like the way she draws her darling faces and also gives great tips for drawing backsides! It's fun.

Working on the Saint Remy

 

Chauncey is going on 4 hours putting together the very unsaintly Saint Remy Easel. The directions are completely worthless but when it's put together it will be fabulous. I keep telling myself that. He is trying hard  to figure out what goes where by basically looking at the picture. He thought he had it together only to find out it was wrong. He is a patient man. He will gain great reward in heaven... that is for sure!  I am just trying to provide moral support but I am of no use at all.  Bucky is trying his best also. We are both pretty useless.

_________________________________________

Ok, so now after about 5 hours, (we stopped to eat and watch coach Eric Taylor win an Emmy for our favorite cancelled show, Friday Night Lights!)

He finished! And yes, it is fabulous and it rolls around and turns into a table and I am excited! Even Bucky feels better too.

Here's something cute for Baby Morgan

I am actually up in Greenville with my daughter, Macaulay, and her friends are having her a little shower today for baby girl, Morgan, due October 15th. It's getting close! Here are some onesies that I painted with Tulip Puffy Paint! I about jumped out of my chair with delight when I saw it puffing up like it was lace. I got the idea from Alisa Burke because she is due just about the same time as Macaulay. This is just so cute I thought it would be a great shower gift for her and I can't wait to see baby Morgan in them.

Follow Your Bliss in the big journal

I am really enjoying Jane Davenport's "Supplies Me" online class. I even pulled out my 9x12 journal again so I could use my colored pencils. I have never really enjoyed using colored pencils because I never thought it poped enough for me but I am learning that paired with copic markers that are great. I colored the face with copic markers but then used the colored pencils to shade and enhance. I love the way Jane teaches to draw the face and the body! The body--you know I have always wanted to learn tips and tricks to do that!

I am heading up to Greenville today to spend the weekend with Baby Marc (oh yeah, with his mama and dad too!) and Macaulay's friends are giving her a little Sprinkle they call it. It's like a baby shower but since it's a second baby and it's a girl they called it a sprinkle. So I am going for the sprinkle.

Framed and ready

Here is the other frame Chauncey made for this heavy chunk of 24x24 wood. It is very heavy and the frame makes it even heavier. I think I like the black frame on it. It needs something because it would be like a big board up on a wall.

And I really couldn't stand this one and painted over it back down to the lonely pot. Oh, what to do with the lonely pot? Perhaps just let it sit and get lonelier. For some reason this one is apparently the art thorn in my side right now.  Who knows what I will do with it. Perhaps nothing.