Ready to move on

This is the last completed tags. It is #95 and I am out of ideas.

I drew this on 140 lb water color paper on Sunday

And painted it with Daniel Smith water color paints yesterday

I love the flowers. Not happy with the leaves.

I have so many classes to finish. 10 times that to start. And then someone on Instagram posts a photo that shouts "SQUIRREL", and I am off and running on another path. But the one consistency in my art is water color. I keep coming back to it now because it satisfies me.

All of the classes emphasize that a limited palette of color is best, so I used only 3 colors in this project, but varied the intensity with water and mixing those 3 together. THAT is the trick that you will come away with from a Danielle Donaldson class. And once you get the hang of mixing and adding water, it is a joy to paint. I haven't decided if this is completely finished. May add some pencil work here and there. Another Danielle feature. But going to try more flowers this week.

Enjoy your art today.
Linda

Day 94

But climate change is a fabrication of the Democrats....

Collage and gouache paint

graphite to draw, Tombow markers for color

Rolling right along, I "mowed" grass yesterday. What I could. Parts of my yard are under water and will be for weeks to come. The north side of my house is now Swampland USA. I know I will probably regret saying this, but we need sun, wind, and warm temperatures. Mother Nature will interpret that to mean, "Make it 98 degrees for 27 days running." These are the random thoughts that inspired the ugly tag for today.

From the freebie, Sketchbook Revival 2019, I did the Toni Burt lesson on a woman's face. First we tore, not cut, a piece of water color paper in half. Then applied a light coat of Liquitex Gel Medium as a base on the paper. I have never done this before, so thought why not? Let that dry completely, then sketch with a water soluble graphite pencil. Wet the graphite, move it around, dry, then either water colors or gouache paint for color. Then the collage. I forget to throw some paint splatters at this.

So a few thoughts: Toni likes water color and/or gouache (which is just opaque water colors) on top of the gel medium. I do not. I tried it, which is the purpose of taking classes, but not a fan. I think because I have done so much water color painting with other artists who teach how to lift the paint, or push it. I will try a girl again without the gel medium on the paper, because I do like this messy concept of paint and collage.

Still learning how to use the Tombow markers. This was a drawing in my Dylusions journal, then just started to color. I find this very meditative. It's easy to stop and start which is essential when bored dogs are in the house. (We must go out, then come in, so we can go out again. Pet us. Now.)

Enjoy your weekend unless you live in the Chicago Metro area. 3 to 5 inches of snow. Uh huh. Mother Nature is pissed.
Linda

Day 93

From a lesson with Carla Sonheim in Sketchbook Revival 2019

Fast and loose sketch with a lot of continuous lines

Tried charcoal

Based on the giraffe from LetsMakeArt.com

Practice of leaves and lettering, all in pencil

A bonus tag I decided not to put on Instagram

Carla Sonheim is one of the sponsors this year for Sketchbook Revival. That is a 14 day freebie from Karen Abend, where you receive one or two lessons per day in an email. Carla's speciality is seeing imaginary creatures in lines. For this short exercise, she gave us a photograph of cracks in a sidewalk, and we watched her draw two creatures from those cracks. This is the first of mine. The base on the tag is acrylic paint, then I drew in fine lead graphite mechanical pencil, and colored in the bird with Tombow markers.

Some days the sketches make me happy, other days I put aside a journal as soon as it's completed because I think I have zero talent and I am wasting my time. This is my brain fighting me. I know that. Practice is essential. It will come again.

Next up: building an ark. Could someone please turn off the rain for just 3 or 4 days? Thanks.
Linda

Short Vaca

Inspiration for flower sketches from the dog park

New toy

took her about 4 minutes to chew a big hole in the bunny's cheek and pull out stuffing

I have about 8 tags to complete the 100 Day Project and just lost my steam. Playing catch-up with appointments and life for the past 3 weeks has just slowed down the entire creative process. It will return, I hope.

Walmart has their Easter toys on 50% off sale, so yesterday I purchased the above bunny, removed the tags, and threw it in their basket by the fireplace. Jake noticed it as soon as he walked in the living room, so he had it first. When he realized it doesn't make noise, he deposited it back in the basket. Wasn't that sweet? And very different. I spend a lot of time picking up toys and body parts. Gracie grabbed it last night and brought it up on the bed where I was watching television. I have a series of photos. Poor bunny. We didn't even give her a name, and she is missing a cheek.
Linda

The Final Stretch

The background is just acrylic paint applied with a brayer, one of my favorite techniques because it can't always be controlled. The red vertical lines are with a Catalyst Wedge, another favorite tool. I stamped the random marks with Archival Vermillion ink, and the stars with Archival Cobalt. A little Derwent graphite on the edges in blue.

Enjoy your day.
Linda

Happy Easter

My baby is under the weather

Collage and whatnot

I spent the day yesterday trying to make Jake feel better. His chronic stomach problems flared, and it was not a good time. Senior dogs can be a challenge, but my feelings are that is when our pets need us the most.

Enjoy yourselves.
Linda

Day 89

Day 89. Tired of the hypocrites

Random flowers, most inspired by Pinterest

Inspired by SewCrazi

Nope. Not looking at you

It is cold. It is wet. The heat is back on. And it is April. My life involves cleaning on a daily basis due to the mud in the backyard. A lot of it finds its way into the house. I do love my dogs, but they need to help mom out!

Watching an online workshop at the Ivy Newport site on drawing. Jean Marie is a South African artist who uses a regular mechanical pencil in .05 lead, and an eraser. What she does is astounding. Add graphite, take it away. So this is a beginning face with that technique. I did not spend near the amount of time she does, but understanding more about the layering process in drawing. It goes hand in hand with how Danielle Donaldson layers water colors. Starting light, working your way up. Actually I have to stop myself from making heavy marks at the beginning of a sketch. Light hand throughout.

I love to learn.
Linda

Friday. Thank You for arriving.

Water color, acrylic, Tombow markers, Blackwing pencil

Today's tag

Back to sketching to relax

The sketches are in a cheap hardbound sketch book from Michael's. I prefer Bristol paper, or a Vellum surface paper because it is easier to move the graphite with a blending stick. But for 5 bucks I can deal with it. Because the book is so cheap, I don't mind doodles, or venting on these pages, or just plain practice.

Today the plan is to not do another face, but fill several pages with flowers, or birds, whatever. Just can't be a face. A challenge to myself. I will not grow if I don't get away from the same old thing.

Have a good weekend. Happy Easter.
Linda

Please, someone turn off the faucet

This was Wednesday's tag

Today is abstract art

What do you mean it will rain all day Thursday. That is my day to see Meranda.

We woke to thunder and lightning. Great. Just great.

I don't mind the thunder, or lightning, as long as I'm in the house, and the babies are with me. But more rain? Running out of places to put it, ya know?

The abstract tag today was inspired by a few people on Instagram. When I had finished with the paint, I added some charcoal lines then wet the wedge to pull the lines down. Grunge. I like it.

Stay dry.
Linda

Sadness

There are no words today. Just sadness at the burning of Notre Dame Cathedral.
Linda

I know! Let's freeze in April, it will be fun!

Full of crunch, a little salt, and great taste. Who knew?

Gracie, look at me. Grace!

Meranda??

Thank you, Jake. What a good boy you are.

Day 82 or 83. 

Here's a tip: when you totally screw up a tag, cut another piece of paper out, sew it on, and boom! done. The square was a water color practice from one of my first Danelle Donaldson classes. I didn't want to throw them away, so will use them whole or in pieces, such as hearts or circles.

It rained almost all day on Sunday. Cold, windy, just a nasty day. Of course the dogs were bored. I tried to play catch in the house, but Gracie just stops after a few minutes, and Jake wasn't in the mood. He walked, yes, walked to go fetch the ball. Really, Jake?

Today is tax day. I had to pay the most money I have ever paid on retirement. Sure would like to know how much the president pays.....
Linda

Once again, we need an ark

Stay with me, here.

I am thinking of a public figure. Large, round, doesn't speak well.

Throws a bunch of dirt. Every single day.

Eventually the ground will cave. Eventually.

Vote. Vote. Vote.
Linda

Where is the real Spring?

I drew this based on a new stamp from Art by Marlene. Mine turned out creepy. Very creepy.

New stamp that Cathy gave me. Love this little dog.

Gracie, wondering why Meranda doesn't come to the house anymore. Jake just wants to be with me.

Up close and personal

How flipping cute is this?

I didn't get a lot of art done yesterday. I did, however, rest and try to relax. Today life resumes with errands and hopefully getting the dogs out to the park.

I am in the final stretch of tags. Don't know how I got off schedule, but I did. The REAL 100 Day Project just started a few days ago. Doesn't matter, I will finish the one I started, and that is what is important to me.  The purpose of participating in this challenge is to stay motivated, and I surely needed that in the past 2 months. Mission accomplished.

But it is time to move on and try some watercolors, or brush lettering, or whatever I feel like in an art journal.

Be creative today.
Linda

This week is almost over. Thank You.

The small repeating circles are from a stamp by Paper Artsy. I believe I stamped it 3 times down the side, then filled the circles with Tombow markers. We all need to reach for our goals, our sanity, our futures.
Linda

Day 80

YOU are in control of what you can achieve. 

Based on a Sewcrazi drawing

Returning to work is kicking my butt big time. I am so ready for bed by 8p.m. that I have not been drawing at night. This will all get better as my body adjusts to the schedule once again. This weird little girl was done with a mechanical pencil in a Dylusions journal, no gesso on the page, and a blending stump. The more I do, the more I learn and that makes me happy.

Have an enjoyable day. The news is always entertaining.....
Linda

Day 79

Get to Know your Neighbors...

How I feel some days

Adding NeoColors II's over Daniel Smith watercolor

Tombow markers for color

Sewcrazi posted these birds from her journal, so yeah, had to try them

Didn't get to sketch yesterday because it was just too busy, but hope to get back to it today. It calms me, and is just a good way to wind down.

I am now back to teaching Silver Sneakers classes, driving, and hopefully regaining some strength. Naps are a good thing.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day.
Linda