CAT swap - Cityscapes

These artist trading cards are for a "Create A Theme " swap. The theme was landscapes, so I did a city landscape for my partners. I made one long piece that would be divided into four cards. I carefully marked where the cut would be so it would not cut off a good part of the cityscape. Each card has some person or people in it. If you look carefully you will see the cuts.

From my window Barajas, Spain

This is an ink and watercolor from my hotel room in Barajas Spain, which is a suburb of Madrid.

Fashionable Marie - Handmade Journal

I thought about some "what ifs" with these Marie's. What if I dressed like Marie Antoinette from the waist up and wore my favorite jeans, pencil skirt or some other modern bottom.  My Marie's came from Ten Two Studios Duchess Doll Bodies download.

Self Portrait

This is a self portrait I painted from the photograph above taken in San Sabastian Spain last year. It is artist trading card size in watercolor. 

Small Journal - Inspired by Albrect Durer

These pages are inspired by one of my favorite artist Albrect Durer. I love all the fine details in the ink drawings that he did. I combined a couple drawings but changed it a bit and added a light color wash with watercolors.

Small Journal- Round Landscape

I bought this super nice blank art journal at an art show this spring. It is made by Iona at www.ionahandcraftedbooks.com. I have five of them and I can't seem to finish any of them.  Here is a page that is done in ink and watercolor wash. I am finally learning not to have a heavy hand with the washes and stay more monotone. 

 

Marie Cupcakes

These fun cupcakes are inspired by Ten Two Studios Duchess Doll Bodies download. They come in two sizes, I used the smaller ones for these cupcakes. I cut around the bodies, taped them to a cut skewer and then inserted into the little cakes. They are very fun.

Spring Garden Paper Dolls

Here are some more paper dolls from Ten Two Studios. These are the "Spring Garden Paper Dolls".   I used brads for the arms and legs, then punched holes in the butterfly wings. I strung them together and hung them on my lamp, something funky for spring. They could be stretched out like a banner but the lamp is more fun.

Over Painting Technique

The picture in my art journal is actually some model from a magazine I cut out. I used an over painting technique. First I cut out the image the glued it to some card stock paper. I used acrylic paint and painted over the the face, hair and made a dress on my model. I then glued it to the page and used colored pencils for the background. I wrote my quote in Sharpie marker.

Black and White Paper Dolls

Ten Two Studios design team challenge this time around is to make paper dolls. I used the "Color Me Twinchie Doll" download along with some letters and numbers. They are in an art journal that I have been working in, mostly trying out different mediums, ideas and inspirations. I used a matte gel medium to cover the dolls and other elements.

Acrylic Paint - The Forest

I am doing a self taught lesson in acrylic painting. I have done oils before which behaves entirely different than the acrylics. I have this lovely art journal that I am practicing all sorts of things in it. I love that the handmade paper is kind of like canvas as far as texture.  The book is made by Iona their web site is: www.ionahandcraftedbooks.com. 

Shoulder Pad Art Doll

Recently our mixed media group met and made art dolls from shoulder pad cut out of old dresses, shirts and jackets.  What a great way to recycle parts  of clothing we no longer wear.

The Marina Girl

My daughter is publishing a book it will hopefully be released in May or June. It is a fiction book based on the three years she lived in San Francisco. I have the privilege of doing the illustrations in the book and the book cover. 


You can follow her progress on facebook -
 http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/The-Marina-Girl/114162185263124

Here are some of the illustrations-

Squares on a Page

Strathmore Papers is doing an online journal class. I kind of slept through the first series (they are still online). I decided that I would do rather than watch the second series. 


I did not spring for a journal, maybe later. I am still trying to finish up one I already started. Here is my page using the techniques that were demonstrated at:
http://www.strathmoreartist.com/vjworkshop2011.html

Cityscape in Colored Pencil

I have been playing with colored pencils. The only time I ever used colored pencils was in the fifth grade to color in maps. The medium has always eluded me. The pictures below are drawn on newsprint with kid markers, and colored pencils.