Painting in Public

While this doodled/watercolored flower may not be a showstopper it is certainly a milestone for me.  Why?  Because it was painted in public - in the cafe at Barnes & Noble!

My friend Kim has no fear (Instagram - @artfullyvintage).  She's got her bag packed and is ready to create anywhere the mood strikes.  I was wigging out from the word go about drawing in public.  I simply would never have had the confidence to attempt such a feat without her prompting. 

Plus she brings me presents - great friend, huh??

Linking to Sketchbook Sunday and

Creative Every Day

Reworking a picture. . .

So about a year and a half ago I painted a picture I called "Taking the Leap".  It is propped up on a shelf in the dining room and for the past couple of months her mouth and nose have been bothering me - enough to where I started working on it last night to change things up a bit.  I've never done anything like that before - messing with something that I had previously considered "finished".

Her original look is on the left - the reworked version is on the right.  What do you think?  Should I have left her alone or do you rework pictures that you aren't happy with?

Below is a glamour shot of our dog scratching while I was outside taking pictures - you are very welcome! 

Linking to Paint Party Friday and

Art Journal Every Day

Inky, inky flower

I filled an entire page of my art journal with a big inky flower! Lisa Congdon is a master of filling pages with amazingly quirky images and she often features them on her Instagram feed.

It was such a great idea until I got to about this point and then it started becoming tiresome,

but then I was on the telephone for a while and before I knew it the entire flower was finished!  I am really pleased with how it turned out- I need to try that again! 

Linking to Sunday Sketches and

Creative Every Day

Road Trip Girl

She was thinking about the open road. . .

Linking to Art Journal Every Day,

Friday Sketches and

Paint Party Friday

The Octopus Ball

Their busy schedules precluded much time for fun so The Octopus Ball was a highly anticipated annual event for both of them.

Started with a charcoal sketch which was then softened with gesso - a technique that I learned in the first week of Studying Under the Masters (portraits and self-portraits). 

Finished up with a splash of coffee for a background and glass bead gel for shimmer.

Linking to Illustration Friday - OCTOPUS,

Sunday Sketches and

Creative Every Day

Van Gogh girl. . .

Last week was the start of Studying Under the Masters (portraits and self-portraits).  Jeanne Oliver chose Vincent Van Gogh to apprentice under and her projects and videos are superb! 

To be different I attempted to paint one of my girls in the style of Van Gogh.  Not sure if I was very successful but I had gobs of fun!  There is tons of movement in this girl.  I used a mixture of matte and satin paint so in real life there is even more movement when you walk past her. 

This week is Picasso - can't wait to start watching those videos but I've got to finish the first week first.  I've got a feeling it will take me months to finish this class!

Linking to Paint Party Friday and

Art Journal Every Day

Digital stripes girl. . .

I sketched this girl the other day and decided to use the computer to have some fun with the background.  Do these stripes look familiar?  Last month I posted the picture below with a girl painted directly onto the stripes but beforehand I scanned the painted book page into my computer.

Photoshop Elements allowed me to add the stripes to the background of my newly sketched girl.  Do you use digital manipulation much with your art?  Do you consider it cheating since that actual piece doesn't exist anywhere outside of my computer (or if I print it out)?  Can it be considered cheating if I painted/sketched each piece though and then morphed them together?  

I'd love to know your thoughts on this. . .

Linking to Sunday Sketches and

Creative Every Day

Abstract Girl -

While painting the other day, I cleaned off my brush onto a piece of cardboard.  Sketched a girl down in the corner.  I'm not in love with her gray complexion - maybe I'll add some skintones one day.

Linking to Art Journal Every Day and

Paint Party Friday