Art Process for Subject and Inspiration

Eight Paintings in Four Weeks Goal

I'm on track to have completed 8 pieces of artwork before 28 June.  My target is to get this done and then review what I have and the next steps I need to take.  What I have produced is not perfect but at least it is done.  I am fulfilling this part of the exercise.

In the past I have given up when a project hasn't gone to plan.  Years have passed when I haven't picked up a paintbrush.

I am beginning to feel happy drawing and painting again.  I enjoy creating characters and bringing them to life.  Two more to do! 

Sneaky Peek

After years of procrastinating I have now set times of day to practice my art.  It is so freeing to know that the allocated time is to concentrate on that one thing rather than getting distracted by other things that need attention.

Above is a little portion of a larger painting.  I have set myself a target of producing eight pieces of work before the end of the month.  We'll have to see how that goes!

In the Kitchen

I have enjoyed being in isolation (due to Covid 19 virus outbreak) during this first week because it has focused my mind.  A lot of my time has been spent in the kitchen. The challenging aspect is to keep coming up with food from the ingredients I already have.  I have made Greek yogurt, mustard mayonnaise from scratch and then I made a coleslaw using up a light spring cabbage, carrots and red onion to which I added my mayo!  I am going to have to find all kinds of creative ways to use up supplies before venturing to the shops.  Today I put together a vegetable soup using up odds and ends from the fridge with some dried red lentils.

There is no time for me to be bored.  I actually think I am on auto pilot and I have been more productive than ever.   I wake up early and am tired by bedtime.  I have been occasionally working out with weights with my son's instruction and have built up some impressive muscles!  By the time all this is over I will emerge from the house like a butterfly free from its cocoon showing off a new and improved version of myself.  I am also getting delusional with this confinement!

Leave a comment here to let me know how you are doing.

Painting with Gouache

I thought I would give collage a miss today and try out some gouache paints.

This is my first attempt at trying to reproduce a painting inspired by Dutch flower paintings of the 17th century.

I think it is the first time I have painted straight to paper without having penciled a sketch in before hand.

 It's OK.  It's a bit raw. I just have to practice now.

I may even try to make a collage one!

Tulips

There is not much I want to post about just now.  I am consumed with creating as a diversion, so I will continue showing the paper collages that I have been doing.  Little and often every day I show up to the table and paint, cut or stick.

It was fun to arrange the flowers on the paper but once they're stuck they're stuck!  I hope you enjoy seeing what I have been making.  The process is for me, a meditation.

Baboushka Decoration

I made a tree decoration using a lovely glass face cabochon.  I made her up as I went along but think that next time I make one I will put a lot more planning into the decoration.

There is so much enjoyment to be had from using a needle, thread and beads.

I am itching to get on and make another one as I have a stack of felt and faces to choose from. Deciding the colours is the hardest part!

Christmas Cards in October

I hate seeing Christmas stuff in the shops so early but it is a reminder for me to crack on with cards if I want to have them ready in time for Christmas.  Each year I leave it too late and end up rushing them and not enjoying the process.  Today I thoroughly enjoyed making my 'Lords-a -Leaping' frog card and spending time colouring and fussy cutting him out after stamping.

I made the goose card yesterday.  You can't see the Merry Christmas very well in the picture but it is heat embossed in silver and looks good in natural daylight.

Here is a close up of the feet and eggs enhanced by a little bit of strategically placed glitter.

Cas Card Three

This is the final CAS (Clean and Simple) card I will be showing for now.  It may be clean but it was far from simple!  The bird cage die was difficult to cut out using my die cutting machine and took many attempts of finding a card stock that would cut crisply so that all the detail could be popped out.

Here is a close up.  I left the middle section of the cage in as I didn't want to spoil another one by tearing it!

Cards by Daylight

 

Following on from yesterdays post, here is the card in daylight.  Not very good daylight as the weather is overcast and miserable.

 

Here is a close up of the detail.  I painted some thin gold lines over the stamped ones to add a subtle but interesting touch.

 A close up of the bright red gems that I added.

Feeling spurred on from what I considered a good card I created another one using pink ink and a butterfly stamp.  I am on a roll now!

Here is a close up where you can see that I added gold sequins for added sparkle.

Cards by Candlelight

Not quite candlelight but I have been working under a lamplight!  It gets dark quickly now and daylight hours are short.  I made this card at my newly tidied craft space.  Night fell before I could photograph it so I am putting up this picture now and then may put up another one when I am able to take a picture in natural daylight.

It is such a pleasure for me to work in such a tidy space.  I know some people prefer to work in chaos  but I really don't!  Making this type of card is meditative for me.  I get totally immersed in creating the embellishments, coming up with a pleasing arrangement and putting it all together. 

Art Tags

I have been watching art videos and creating intensely this week.  I am trying to cram each day with learning and making.  Most of the time I hate what I produce but I think that most 'arty' people know they have an inner critic - the trick is to pay no attention.  I long for the day when I am proud of a painting or drawing that I have done rather than finding all its faults.  I am hoping that experimenting and going through the motion of 'doing' rather than passively watching tutorials will eventually pay off.

The watercolour tags above where fun to make but straight after I made them, I disliked them! They are loud and colourful and I am not!  Maybe I was expressing a side of my personality yet to emerge? 

Anyway, as I said, I did enjoy the process of making them even if I am not in love with the end result.  I will make them again but in a toned down colour palette.  After all, practice makes progress.

Self Expression Journal

I watch a lot of YouTube tutorials and videos about creativity and more recently about journaling.  In addition to keeping a diary or notebook, I have discovered there is now a whole world of different ways to journal including art journals, junk journals, smash books, glue books, sketch books, doodle books and a whole lot of varying reasons for doing so.  I have felt quite overwhelmed with  information on how to do it, when all I want to do is create without pressure, without being judged purely to satisfy my need for self expression.  I often thought there was a 'right' way to journal - there isn't. 

Back to basics, I am using an A5 watercolour notepad and watercolour paints.  I am going through the notepad to 'prepare' the pages for journaling.  By this I mean that I am going through the book, saturating pairs of pages with water and then letting the paint do its thing without much interference from me.  Once the book has no scary blank pages left I will write my thoughts, quotes that mean something to me, poems and maybe some sketches on the painted pages.  There is no time frame for this.  I will add something to the book as and when I feel the need to.  The contents of the book will be entirely unique.  My self expression in a book.

Painting Planets

I was inspired to get out my paintbox after seeing planets painted by Melanie April Houten.  It was a good exercise for me to make colour swatches and get a feel for using paints again.  I discovered Melanie on one of Anne Butera's series on sketchbook conversations. Reading the sketchbook conversations is a highlight of my week as I know that they always manage to spark my interest and imagination.

It is wonderful to paint - not for an end product particularly - but to just blend paints on the paper and see what special effects emerge.  I have missed painting and should really get back to it even if only as a meditative exercise.  I can imagine playing some magical sounding flute or haunting Celtic music as I blend the paint and water across the page.  It is a wonderful form of mindful relaxation!

If you are looking for a hobby, I would definitely recommend watercolour painting.  You do not need a lot of materials to start out: a watercolour paper pad, a small pan of paints or a few tubes and a couple of paint brushes.  They needn't be the best quality when starting out.  Just get a feel for using the materials.  Wet the paper and then drop on colours and see what happens!  It is addictive!

Artist Trading Cards

I completed my first set of Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) and am quite pleased with how they turned out. 'I am safe in my place in the Universe' is a mantra that I often say when I am feeling overwhelmed or in need of reassurance.  I repeat the words silently in my head, take a few deep breaths and then resume whatever I was doing! 

Are there any sayings or words of wisdom that you call upon when in need?  I would be interested to know.

Bees and Clover and Drawing Every Day

I have been sketching in the book (pictured above) for the last few weeks. This month the materials to use are marker pens and black micron pens.  I have looked at some of my 'efforts' with an overly critical eye.  I can't help it as it is ingrained in my nature. 

I thought I would share one of my quick sketches.  I had to draw bees hovering over clover.  I made quick loose, sketchy marks and am pleased with the overall result.  Sometimes I don't need to be painstakingly tied to detail and perfectionism.  Sometimes I can covey what I need to with just a few pen marks. 

 

Kawaii Cacti and a Prayer Plant

I was watching a YouTube drawing prompt to draw kawaii cacti.  By the time I finished drawing I thought it would be a good idea to get some cacti plants for my kitchen window sill.  I did grow and care for cacti plants when I was a teenager and remembered that they need very little maintenance.  At last I could have a houseplant that would live longer than 5 minutes!

Anyway, once looking at the range of cacti offered at the store I wasn't very inspired or impressed.  I then saw a beautiful orchid but the flowers looked as though they were on their way out and I noticed a strange looking pest on the leaves.  My attention then turned to an interesting patterned leaf on what was called a prayer plant.  At £3.00 it was cheaper than a bunch of flowers so I swooped it off the shelf and returned home pleased with my purchase.

After a little research I found that the plant is a perennial called maranta leucaneura or is it calathea?  More research needed I think! It is called a prayer plant because in the evening and on cloudy days the plants hold their leaves together like hands in prayer.  I am looking forward to seeing this! 

Cute Animal Drawings

I have been trying to use my sketchbook this week.   Here is a glimpse of a page on cute animals.  I have been reading about creating volume in work, not perfection.  Picasso was a prolific producer of art work but only a few of his paintings became famous (as far as I am aware).  I am trying to concentrate on daily work - good, bad or indifferent.

Although I wish I could draw photo-realistic images I usually end up drawing something cute and unrealistic - a bit like me!!!

Finding Time

My sketchbook has remained closed for a long time.  Today I found the time to open it up and do a simple drawing.  I had no plan of what to draw and used a flower shaped template to start me off and then coloured it in with pencils adding detail with micron pens.   It was a lovely meditation and the space I needed to relax my mind and bring me back to my old self again.

Shabby Chic Card

I am going through a 'shabby chic' phase.  I have so many beautiful paper embellishments and lace it seems a shame not to use them!  I am making this card for a very special person so I can't show the card in its entirety in case they are reading this!  I still need to add gesso and glitter highlights.  It has been fun to make but taken me best part of a day so far!

This month is my 9th anniversary of blogging.  Time certainly flies when you are having fun - it's true!  Hopefully this year I will reach the mile stone of 1000 posts!   Thank you for those that continue to read and leave comments, especially my long time commenter's - you all know who you are!

Have a lovely weekend!