Month: February 2021

Using Joyce Hicks’ art as inspiration…

Posted in 2021Tagged , , , , , , , 7 Comments

When I say “using” I mean “copying”… but I think it is different enough that she will be happy. Go check out her work at https://www.jhicksfineart.com It is lovely. So light and airy and beautiful. I really want to learn to paint as freely as she does, and you can tell from my attempt that I HAVEN’T! But it is only my first attempt. I’m confident I’ll improve.

DaVinci watercolor has a new palette with colors she inspired, including Joyce’s mother green, which you can see through this link: https://www.davincipaints.com/category-s/123.htm (I am not affiliated with Davinci, I just enjoy their paints and find them both quality, and affordable, which is nice!)

I purchased her palette, and after swatching the colors out, wasn’t terribly interested in it, to be honest. Then I ran across a little tutorial Joyce offers using the palette… https://youtu.be/K3DNoaKqHJk This tutorial was not what I expected. AND it was easy to do, and fun. It got me wondering about some of her other things, so I pulled up a couple more tutorials to watch, then found a painting of hers to attempt. Once I started, I realized I really didn’t know what I was doing. But I completed it, (using her palette!) and I’m really happy with it. A friend wanted a painting of a house with the word “prosperous” on it, and I thought she might really like this, so I added it when I did the finishing touches, cropped it to 5×7 ( for convenience for her, but also happy to crop out a mistake or two)

I learned a lot from this painting. It is hard not to just focus on the errors, but there are things I like too, and I really like her layering techniques. I’m so glad I tried something I didn’t feel ready for, and hope to do more.

I’m afraid I didn’t think to take photos of the different stages.

Almost done.
After darkening the shadows and bushes, and adding the sign.
The cropped image, 5″x7″
In a plastic sleeve, ready to mail out!

There are glaring mistakes, I know! But still, isn’t it cute? Joyce Hicks is good! I will keep trying to learn from her.

The Brooklyn Sketchbook Project

Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , 7 Comments

Anyone can submit a sketchbook to the Brooklyn Sketchbook Project… you simply go online to Brooklyn Art Library to view the sketchbook project information

Visit their page and find out more about it. You can order your sketchbook (it has to be purchased from them to be included) and can even have it digitized. Each participant is sent the same 5×7″ blank sketchbook to complete and return, and it will become part of the worlds largest collection of sketchbooks. Each book will also spend some time in the traveling bookmobile project (WHAT in the ENTIRE WORLD is more fun than a bookmobile??? NOTHING, that’s what! Except POSSIBLY a sketchbook bookmobile??)

So I’ve spent the past couple of week’s madly trying to complete this sketchbook so it could be included in the next tour… only to find out two days after I finish it that due to covid-19, tours are temporarily cancelled. But… the deadline got me moving, so it’s all good.

I’m having trouble parting with this book! So I’ve posted a sketchbook tour on my NEW YOUTUBE CHANNEL (shameless plug… could you go subscribe pleeeeeease??? This would be a super-thrill for me and would make my day/week/month. I may actually even post more videos sometime!) (click the left hand title in the video below for a subscribe link. Maybe. I think.)

So what do you think? I love it!! Except the cover, which I rushed just to be done. But it’s good enough. It’s a good feeling to start and complete a sketchbook so quickly. Thank you for sharing in the fun with me!