A 365 day art project… one drawing a day
Just following a youtube tutorial again for ideas, inspiration, practice and play. (check out CreationsCeeCee!)
In this tutorial, she shows how she makes little doodle books to keep with her each day. She watercolors shapes on the pages, then doodles in ink later, as she finds opportunity.
Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A is a long hard day for everyone, but lots of fun, too. Katie, Ellis, and Rainer joined me for several hours, Seth and Sarah both worked, even SANTA showed up (no lie!!) I didn’t get many photos. Daniel, Emily, and Naya made sure everyone was happy, so I’ve featured them. 🙂
(I feel like I’ve captured Naya, and The Cow, but poor Emily is both adorable and full of energy in real life, and I just couldn’t get her!! I got her big bow, though.)
The craft we made from Storytime today, and one of the cow themed books we read aloud. I never know how many kids to expect, but today there were close to 30.
There have been big thunderstorms the last few days… Emmett used his thundershirt again this evening. It does seem to help a little. At any rate he’s compliant when I put it on him, so I know he likes it. At 140 pounds, it’s both sad and a little humorous when a thunderbolt frightens him (poor dude), he’s so sturdy and secure looking himself.
I used some colored pencils and watercolor pencils for the children’s book cover. I enjoyed using them, but the process takes longer than just slapping some watercolor paint around, and I’m too lazy for it. So Emmett and the hat both got watercolor instead.
As you are probably aware, my husband and I are owned by two newfoundland dogs… this morning when the dogs woke us up (as early as every other day), instead of an early morning walk, we took them out to the beach for a quick swim. (and a good rinse off at home after)
(That’s my attempt at Emmett swimming.) Emmett loved it, Clara tolerated it and DIDN’T SINK, which is a pretty good end result. And the rest of the day we mostly just goofed off. In fact, in the evening we were going to go out but some strong storms rolled through and we decided to chill with Emmett, because he’s afraid of thunder. I guess what I should have sketched was Emmett in his thunder shirt!
This is Joe, my husband’s new best friend.
These are the ribs that Joe made. “Please, Joe, please… please do not make so many yummy ribs.”
I have included a picture of the REAL miniature watercolor tin, so you can see how adorable it is. I popped out the children’s paint tablets with the intention of filling it with my own, but only have two colors in there right now. I tried to find it online to link it for you, but all I succeeded in doing is finding a DIFFERENT small travel palette which I don’t need, but did purchase, because it is relatively inexpensive and looks like EXACTLY what I want. So… I stopped looking after that initial fiasco. It wasn’t going to go any better, I’d just find something else cool to buy, and not the $2.50 children’s paint tin. (But…Â HERE is the link to that supercool box available on Etsy…. )
Today I started prepping supplies for Monday’s Pre Cow Day Story time craft, cow headbands the kids can wear for Chick-fil-A’s Cow Appreciation Day event Tuesday. (Free food!)
Pardon my strange looking kid. That’s what I get for quick sketching without a pencil. The reference photo was pretty adorable…
I also received some more paints in the mail from Marlette Art on Etsy… Hunter Marlette makes lovely paints, bold and easy to rewet. (look how dark that dioxazine violet is?!!) I talked about these paints a week or two ago… if you like shimmery colors, I highly recommend his Mica Set, Â if you can get your hands on it. They are very sparkly, much more than my others, even my finetec set. Large bits of mica in them, it seems to me. I’m having a lot of fun with them!
Hunter is in North Carolina and makes his own paints. You have to catch them as they are available, but I don’t think you will regret the purchase. In fact, he offers quin gold made from the original pigment quinacridone gold, not available any more for purchase, and THE most gorgeous sap green I’ve seen, made with that pigment as well. His quin gold is an ‘earthier’ version of quin gold when compared to Daniel Smith’s, which is a brighter yellow, but I like it very much. I don’t know if you can really see the colors here, but I’ll try to show you what I mean.
I have several brands of handmade watercolor paints I love, and occasionally recommend here, but I think these are my favorite. ( SO FAR. I do love them ALL, and have favorite colors in each which I can’t find elsewhere.)
Any day I open my mailbox and find a parcel of paint inside is a good day, as far as I’m concerned.
I miss the way we celebrated July Fourth 20 years ago. But things have to change. In twenty years, I’ll miss the way we celebrate now, I guess!
A lovely day, really. 🙂
I was lucky enough to accompany a friend to her citizenship test and interview in Norfolk. Then we relaxed at the restaurant (and ate!), and later spent some time sketching at MacArthur Center. MacArthur has brought in some giant games: chess, checkers, connect 4, a litebrite-like thing… all the kids seemed drawn to them. (Can’t blame them, I was too!) But I focused on the mermaid again, and she does seem improved, except perhaps a slightly shortened torso causing one arm to be shorter. Or maybe just a slightly too long arm? Either way, the GoDiva mermaid is one of my favorites in Norfolk, a city full of mermaids.
Grocery shopping at Kroger has turned into a video game. It’s pretty cool. I hope all grocery stores try this. It saves loading the cart, unloading onto the belt, loading into bags (generally yucky plastic bags), loading into the car. At least, saves PART of it. Just load items into reusable bags in the cart after scanning, pay at the kiosk (without unloading. It’s already scanned), and load into the car. Ok, mostly it’s just fun.
No, I did not go up in three beautiful hot air balloons. Not in my REAL life, anyway. I watched several youtube videos. The Mind of Watercolor  explained how to create simple clouds, just painting a wet wash and lifting with a crumpled paper towel, smoothing a bit with a clean wet round brush:
I am already comfortable with this technique, but to be honest am still learning which pigments stain and which lift (lifting being crucial to the success of this technique) so tried it with both A. Gallo’s Lapis Lazuli and Daniel Smith’s Cerulean. (both non staining, very liftable) The Lapis Lazuli is basically ultramarine, but a very light, fragile color. Cerulean is also light, although can be laid down a little heavier than the Lapis. They both worked fine, just slightly different colors. Then I watched several videos by CreationsCeecee  … Her art is fun and her videos inspire me to play.
I tried a fun prickly flower, on the left, using colored pencil and watercolor. Colored pencils can provide a very nice accent:
and balloons on the right, with watercolor and ink:
I love artists showing me HOW to do what they do, and not minding if I copy to learn. Go try some!
I wasn’t trying to make the full page a picture, but was working in 4 quadrants. However, the right side kinda turned into one cohesive sketch, so I should have done that on the left as well!
ThreeSixFiveArt 