Tag: art

Thirty Days of Everyday life: Day 4, sketching at MacArthur Center

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I met with the Norfolk Urban Sketching group for the first time Saturday at MacArthur Center in downtown Norfolk. We were asked to try to tell a story with our page… I found the sculpture of the herons, being both ‘art’ and ‘nature’, a sharp contrast with the merchants and shoppers surrounding it, capitalism at its height. Plus, I really wanted a pretzel dog.

Indoor sketching is very difficult for me. So many lines, and all of them in 3D! When sketching outside, for example drawing the building across the street, my mind quickly converts the scene to 2D. When I am in the center of all of these lines and vanishing points I find it confusing.

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Everyone in attendance was quite skilled. It was a nice couple of quiet hours, and I may have learned a thing or two as well. (Plus, the pretzel dog…)

Saturday, March 9, 2019… pretzel dog!! yum.

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I went to MacArthur Center in Norfolk today for a little indoor urban sketching… which I’ll post tomorrow. But for today, finally another journal entry. 🙂 Auntie Anne’s pretzel dog. A much tastier indulgence than I expected it to be.

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Uninspired Monday. And Tuesday. And Lesson Learned! 1/14 and 1/15

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So Monday, after working, I came home and simply did not want to paint or draw or anything else. So I just wrote “Monday”. When I filled the background in with lines I was going to add a little color… and the ink I had used bled! Naturally (was my thought at the time) I added a little shiny gold “hello” just to show Monday it hadn’t beaten me.

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Tuesday was even less inspired:

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I had planned on Wednesday being the same, but I’ll do that one in another post, because I actually painted AN OBJECT. And journaled a few words about my day. Lesson learned? “If I don’t feel like it, just push through and come up with ANYTHING. I’ll be more inspired later.”

Day 21, 30×30 direct watercolor challenge: roses

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Following a live Jay Lee Youtube demonstration, I came up with these roses today (considerably different, I am afraid, than the lovely blossoms Jay Lee painted!) But I like my version and see where I can improve, too.

Carrot sketch… loosely painted…

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Oh my goodness!!! This isn’t as nice as the radishes, and is still overworked… but I think I’m catching on to the idea of loose painting. I’m getting there.

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At any rate, this sketch was really FUN, and I have to credit two things for that fun. One is the LazyWonderBrush Youtube channel. Olga’s advice is so helpful. If you have an opportunity, check out a few off her videos. There are a great many artists I follow, and Olga’s style is very relaxing.

The other is this set of QoR Mini watercolors, the new pan set. So amazing. I have liked quite a few of my watercolors very much, for all different reasons, but I’m finding I keep returning to this little set. It is my very favorite right now. I still love my Schmincke and my Daniel Smith paints, (and my EEM handmade paints! love!) but this QoR set are just so VERY FUN to paint with.. I find even if I begin with DS or Schmincke, I end up changing to QoR, or adding them in a bit. (and yes, they do seem to mix fine with the others) I love everything from the QoR signature style tin to the unusual silicone insert and the beautiful selection of colors… I can’t explain it. I just know if they come out with a second mini set, I will find a way to purchase one!

Wed 2/28/18 more stolen watercolor ideas

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I stole this adorable idea for an entry in my watercolor journal from this blog, “Karijn’s Watercolors”…     her people are so cute, and what an original idea.

I hope she won’t mind. Not only is it not my idea, I copied her sketch nearly exactly… (with small changes)… then did the painting in a similar manner as well (again with some differences, but minor)

I had to do this one after I saw it because my granddaughter spelled F-I-S-H for me tonight for the first time ever, and I promised I’d do a painting of a fish. Perfect timing!

 

Thurs Jan 11,2018: trying a watercolor layering technique

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Just trying a quick technique I watched Jay Lee use on a youtube tutorial. (JayArtPainting is the channel)

Cute, huh? Looks like tissue paper cut outs, or a rubber stamped image maybe? I needed to let my petals dry longer between layers.

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Thurs, Dec 4, 2018… Celtic circles

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So my post-one-a-day plan hasn’t bled over into 2018 … but I am still trying to do something creative each day. I worked on this yesterday and today. The coolest thing about it is the shiny gold ink!! I don’t know if you can really see how shiny it is… I used Dr. Ph. Martin’s Iridescent Ink: Copperplate Gold. (and Qor watercolor paint, in my inktober drawing pad, 90 lb smooth paper)

I purchased this ink in APRIL and have only used it TWICE now. I do really like it, though, and hope to make myself use it more frequently. I used a thin brush and it worked great, was easy to use, and no trouble with the clean up. (a calligraphy nib would work, too)

I was trying to create a Celtic circle like PearFleur does in this video… in fact, that is why I originally purchased this ink! (She is a favorite of mine… go check out some of her stuff on youtube!) (Remember the Secret of Kells movie from 2009? Beautiful!) I also used the Molotow Liquid Chrome Marker I purchased a month or two ago in an ArtSnacks subscription box. This thing draws a mirror-like silver finish… it’s super cool, but honestly I think I like the Martin’s ink better, although a pen/marker is more convenient. I have the 1mm marker, very useful… but there are larger nibs that might be nice to have. I never would have purchased this on my own, but I’m glad to have it now.

Happy new year!!!

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