Artist's Play Room #3

Last week's challenge was doodle/embellish/decorate your initial/name/favorite word. I was inspired by Stephanie Corfee's new book called Creative Doodling & Beyond, which can be purchased at Amazon, if you want to, you can click through from my site (see lower sidebar. The challenge was wonderfully successful. Let me show you all the submissions of the fantastic work this week! But first, I'm so late to my own party I haven't even written a blog post about my own submission, sheesh.

I adding jewelry to my line on Etsy. This is my first completed piece that will go up for sale. No, correction, this piece is going to a new blog friend who's doing a feature on me and giving away this piece and one of my original bookmarks too. I'll post about the giveaway soon so you all can go enter! The glass lockets are original pieces of art behind glass. They're double-sided, glass on either side and the artwork is therefore (obviously) double-sided. Here's my doodle submission this week, I took some creative license with the word "doodle", lol.

  

  

Artist: Jenn

Bead close-up

Back of locket

(Go ahead, click them to make them larger!)

  

  

Artist: Vonny K

Artist: Tracy

Artist: Diane

  

  

Artist: Debbie

Artist: Kim

Artist: Hope

  

  

Artist: Minnemie

Artist: Lynn

Artist: Cindy

If you haven't read the rules & guidelines please go here. If you've landed here after this challenge has been completed but would like to participate in a current or future Artist's Play Room Challenge, just either click on the APR button in the sidebar or click here and you'll be taken to the latest APR challenge!

Are you having trouble using the Mr. Linky to add your submissions to APR? Well here's some help! Just click on HELP and you'll be taken to my Linky Help Page. Cool, huh? I've got your back!

This week I was threatened inspired by my mom who has been bugging begging me to draw her the little bridge outside the apartment building in which she lives. It's an adorable little curved bridge made up of stacked stone. It spans over a little stream that's dry at the moment because it's winter but will be gurgling soon, I'm sure. Here's the picture she took that I'm supposed to draw for her.

So, this week's challenge is "create art from the inspiration around you". I have several examples to help you think outside of the box.

  

  

Subject: Tracey's paints
Artist:TraceyFletcherKing

Subject: Vermont landscape
Artist: Diane Rank

Subject: Kitchen forks
Artist: Dion Dior

  

  

Subject: Her favorite tea
Artist:AudreyJeanneRoberts

Subject: Kev's lunch
Artist: Kev Munday

Subject: Juliette's fish
Etsy Shop: DarlingRomeo

    

    

Subject: Her perfume
Artist: Marley Ungaro

Subject: Her ocean view
Artist: Dion Dior

Subject: Dirty dishes
Etsy Shop: ArtGoods

Remember, you can make your art any way you want, any medium (drawing, painting, jewelry, collage, stamping, card making, crochet, photography, digital manipulation/art, oils, pastel etc.) My main rule is "you don't have to be great, just create!" It's good for the soul. The Linky closes EARLY next Saturday so get your art back here and link up before that!

Thanks in advance to all who participate, I truly appreciate it and so enjoy visiting each and every person's blog.

See you all later.
Soon, K? Yes? GOOD!
Best,



P.S. I would really appreciate it if all my visitors would join up using my Linky Follower tool in the sidebar, that-a-way -----> (if you'd like a follow back please leave me a comment requesting one, I'm always thrilled to discover new bloggy friends.)

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Stormy Weather

Another Inspiration Avenue challenge under my proverbial belt. Maggie chose the theme for this week as "Stormy Weather" and it flooded my brain with such rich possibilities! I could do rain or umbrellas or darkened wet streets or the ocean or a meadow in a storm... I could go on and on! I trolled the internet for photos I could use for inspiration and came up with like ten! I finally settled on the ocean but I'll be painting, drawing and doodling all day on other "stormy" artworks.

What fun this painting was to do! As I've mentioned before, I'm trying to learn to relax my style by doodling and it's working, yippee! This is my first attempt to truly loosen up and stop worrying about perfection. I allowed the highlights to be "scratchy" instead of perfect, I mean, it's supposed to be tempestuous waves in the ocean so it shouldn't be neat & tidy!

Title: "Ocean's Turmoil"

I was inspired by the artwork of my friend Dion Dior, she has such a wonderful whimsical and easy style. She paints as though it's the easiest thing in the world, I never look at her wonderful, colorful work and think, "geez, this is overly detailed" or "did she even enjoy painting this?" It always makes me happy to look at her art. 

Close up #1 of "Ocean's Turmoil"

I thought for the first time I'd take a page from my friend Tracey and include some close ups of this painting. I knew it was a great piece for close ups. I love how the waves look like they are cut out and pasted one on top of one another. What I did was sketch out generally where I wanted waves, then I inked it out using a Micron 01 archival ink pen. (what would we artist's do without these, Tracey said she was totally envious that I got a 36 count bulk order of Microns. I know what she means, it just feels so "safe" to have so many back ups. Since I use these pens on cold pressed watercolor paper I tend to go through them quickly. The paper sucks up ink like a sponge! Tracey keeps trying to get me to try hot pressed Arches but I haven't found any as of yet.)

Close up #3 of "Ocean's Turmoil"

Then I wanted the thickness of the lines to change and I had a Pitt sepia brush pen so it got a work out! Now I know I need to get some brush pens in black. Up until now I never liked them because they weren't as accurate as a fine point. Ya, that perfectionistic streak again. But now I see their value. I guess I'm going shopping again, lol. After fleshing out the thicker lines I took handfuls of my new Prismacolor markers in all colors blue, green & purple and I started coloring in the waves, trying to keep a balance of color across the paper. I didn't want symmetrical, just balanced. I found it difficult to find many light colors as the color darkens significantly when added onto cold pressed 
paper, one point for Tracey, lol. ;o)

Close up #2 of "Ocean's Turmoil"

Anyway, I used the Prismacolor markers and filled all the waves. Then I took light taupe and two slightly darker colors and started adding strategic shadows to the bottom of the waves. Finally, I got out my trusty white gel pen. (unlike others, I really like Pentel Hybrid Gel Grip white pen instead of the Sakura Gelly Roll that's highly touted by so many artists and crafters.) I added highlights on to tops of waves and then found that it wasn't enough so I added white highlights above the thick sepia lines, that worked wonders for giving the waves dimension. What a fun piece this was. Next time I'll do it larger, it's only 5x7, I think this general pattern would look spectacular on a large scale.

Click to Enlarge for
easier reading!

One last thing, since we're talking about weather. I came across this on MomTo8Blog and I just HAD to share it. It's just so darn funny I almost chocked on my hazelnut coffee. I can just see the weather person looking out the window at their "rock". Sometimes I'm betting it'd be more accurate than the whole meteorologist's education and computers put together. I especially got a chuckle from the last one, I still have a giggle bubbling up when I think of it!

I'll talk to you all soon, I'v got lots of posts in the queue, just ready for an empty day and Blogging 101 Part 2 is coming soon.

Best,



P.S. I'd love it if all my readers would follow in the Follower Tool ------>
(in my sidebar). I'm happy to follow back, just leave a comment with your blog link and the request! I do love finding great new blogs to read.

A Pinecone In a Pear Pine Tree

I love pine trees, so I decided to do a quick sketch of a couple of pine cones. Over the years in my household we've used pine cones for everything, from decorations on our front door at Christmas to fire cracklers in houses we lived in with real fire places. We've painted them, dipped them in glue then glitter, we've even used them as table centerpieces, Christmas tree decorations and gift embellishments. Canadians can get crafty with their pine cones! So, here's my tribute to the versatile pine cone. May our pine trees always be laden.

I've been trying to hone my skills in many new areas lately and this sketch is part of a series I'm doing where I try to capture TEXTURE. I've previously drawn a ball of twine and I'm working on a larger sketch today of a pile of old rope. On my "TO DO" list is to sketch some pears for the smooth texture they have and also a crumpled piece of paper for it's wrinkled & creased planes. I just thought that maybe I'll also do some pebbles, smooth but together also textured and bumpy. What fun, just using a pencil. Although I'm inspired by my friend's newest inked drawing...

Artist: Tracey Fletcher King

...so I'm thinking I'll also break out my newly purchased Sakura Pigma Micron pens. I did a large project last month that used up like a dozen of my Microns! It's amazing how thirsty watercolor paper is with an inking pen. The paper sucked them dry, lol. But I now have 36 new ones, 12 of each 0.1, 0.5 & 0.8 mm nib size. Hopefully they'll last the year.

So, here's my pinecone sketch. 

Title: "Pine Needles & Cones"

I'm off to paint, sketch and draw! But before I do I have a little project to compete. I was tagged by Terrie at Creative Explorer this morning and I'm happily playing along in this whimsical game! Here are the rules...

The Rules

1. Post the rules for playing along in this game of tag! 
2. Answer 11 questions the tagger posted for you. 
3. Create 11 questions to ask the people you tag. 
4. Tag 11 people who you think would love to participate. 
5. Let your tagged bloggers know you've tagged them! 

Here are my answers to Terrie's questions:

1.  Favorite season - why? I really love Spring because it's right after a cold winter and it's heralds hope and newness. I also have a wonderful memory from when I lived in Vancouver. I was just coming out of the library, it was mid Spring and the cherry blossom trees were in full bloom. I walked under the two that arched over the entrance to the library and just then a strong warm wind blew through. The delicate pink petals rained down on my like a heavy pink snowstorm! It was magical and I'll remember it forever.

2.  What do you 'need' to have on before venturing out in public? Well underwear comes to mind first! Probably because I forgot my panties one Sunday that dad took me to our weekly Brunch. I was so excited to dress up and wear the long, puffy sleeved dress mom had sewn for me that I forgot my most basic undergarment! I was only 6 but I was SO mortified in the restaurant when I realized my error that I insisted we go home. Dad wasn't thrilled, as a guy, he just didn't understand. ;o)

3.  What do you collect? I'm really careful NOT to collect anything because I'm a notorious aquisitor of pretty things and would have a house full of junk within the year! Then I'd have to go on "Hoarders" and reveal my total lack of self control in the face of a pretty dohicky. LOL. I do have to tell the truth, though. I have about 60 bottles of nail polish (every color under the rainbow) and I LOVE lipgloss. I'm really careful to do the "One in, one out" rule though. Of course, this does NOT apply to art supplies, I mean I'm an artist and ALLOWED to have a hoard of supplies, right??? (she says innocently)

4.  Favorite style of art? OOh, difficult question! I like so many types and actually DO many types too. I'm trying to expand my range at the moment, actually. I'm working on my drawing/sketching skills and my doodling skills. I guess my favorite kind of art though is my base, watercolors. I'm always attracted to other's watercolor work. Although, I do LOVE a great textured oil painting, especially the abstracts! I guess I'm a true artist, I love it ALL.
5.  Symmetrical or asymmetrical? Both, Neither. I love things that are BALANCED. They can be asymmetrical but they have to be balanced on the canvas. I tend to like my backyard gardens to be symmetrical and my artwork asymmetrical but balanced, does that make sense?

6.  What do you find difficult to learn or work with in your chosen medium? With watercolors (since I'm relatively new at it) I find the learning of how water moves the paint and remembering how I achieved something last time the most challenging thing. I'm a perfectionist and I find that I have more control when I use watercolor pencils and add water to the tips of the pencil with brush & water then add it to the painting that way. I find that more accurate. But, I'm slowly grappling up the huge learning curve that is watercolor painting. Someday I'll find my own way, I always do with every other form of art I've tried. (I'm totally self taught in every kind of art I've tried. From Cake decorating to Pysenka, Ukranian painted eggs)

7.  Vacation in cold & snow or hot & sunshine? Vacation in warm sunshine! I tend to overheat easily, I always have and I don't tolerate cold well. So, if I can find a warm or even hot but breezy place that I can bring several good books and an iced tea, I'm a happy camper! Oh, to make me truely happy it's gotta have ocean and mountains and SHOPPING for all those times I'm NOT purchasing anything I DON'T collect, lol.
8.  How do you relax? Reading, I love reading. At the moment I must have hundreds of unread books and excerpts of books on my Kindle. I've been really busy lately so I've been so missing my books but I'm gonna organize my time better as it gets warmer so I can go out onto our lovely patio balcony with a cup of hazelnut coffee and some peanut butter crackers & my trusty Kindle. OOh, I'm getting excited for Summer already!!

9.  What's one of your guilty pleasures? I have one indulgence I allow myself. I'm totally vain about my nails! I keep them long and polished. As I said above, I have like 60 polish colors including at least 10 glitter/sparkly polishes in literally every color of the rainbow. My favorite goto colors are China Glaze MoonPool, Nubar Petunia (glitter), OPI Strawberry Margarita and China Glaze Atlantis (glitter). I tend to like unusual colors like teal, olivy green and bright, in your face pinks. Oh and my vain obsession also applies to my toes, I'm lucky, I have purty feet so I show them off with OPI Flashbulb Fuchsia! Hey, they're nails, aren't they?? Hehehe!
10.  What wakes up your muse?  (or, where do you find your creative inspiration?) Other people's art. I troll blogs and Etsy with giddy pleasure and I collect photos for inspiration. I find seeing other people's beautiful artwork incredibly inspiring. I'm also trying to take a note from several of my friends though, and see the things around me as inspiration. I love art that's just everyday items sketched, drawn or painted. There truly is beauty in everything around us, just a collection of forks can be so interesting with line, form and shadow.
11.  What food do you crave most often? That's a hard one, I can't pick just one because I have two main categories. One is the general cravings everyone has, but then I'm very sensitive to gluten, not Celiac, thank God, but still I get really sick with even a tablespoon of noodles. So my second category consists of the things I just can't have anymore. So, Category One - chocolate! Category Two - toast with butter on regular oaty bread, chicken noodle soup, Campball's Thick & Chunky Clam Chowder  and Wheat Thin crackers.


Ok, so here is my list of bloggers I'm tagging...

1. Ellen at Card Monkey's Paper Jungle
2. Diane at The Expressive Palette
3. Kim at IMGirl Without Wings
4. Maggie at The Magpie's Nest
5. Shelly at Pics By Shel
6. Hettienne at Her Grace Devata
7. Lisa at Priti Studio
8. Elizabeth & Bluebeard at Altered Book Lover
9. Yvonne at VonnyK
10. Debbie at CraftyMoose
11. Artangel

Caveat - If you don't want to participate in this game of tag, no worries, or if you can't come up with eleven people you think would like to participate, just tag as many as you want, lol.

Here are my 11 Questions:

1. Coffee, tea or me - What's your FAVORITE drink?? 
2. Where does your inspiration come from? 
3. Where is your favorite place to be? 
4. Did you have a stuffed animal when you were little that you loved to death? 
5. What's your weirdest trait? 
6. Tell me something no one else knows about you but you wish they did! 
7. If you could buy a new pet right now, what would it be and what would you name it? 
8. Are you vain about something? 
9. Have you found your niche, in other words, would people be able to recognize your artwork without your signature? How did you find that comfortable place? 
10. What style of art do you WISH you could do but don't or can't right now? 
11. Favorite kind/brand of art supply? 

Take care, don't miss me too much, lol. I'll be back soon with more art etc.
Enjoy your week!
Best,

P.S. I would really appreciate my readers signing up and following my blog using my Linky tool. It's looking a little anemic right now, lol. I miss all of your little pictures greeting me when I'm on my blog. Thank you to all who are following, I truly appreciate it. If  you'd like me to follow you back please leave your blog in the comments and I'd be happy to read and follow you back!

Artist's Play Room #2

I can't believe that we got through our first week! The very first showcase for my

Artist's PLAY ROOM! 

Before I get to this week's new optional challenge, let me show you some of my favorite amazing submissions from last week's APR. The challenge was...

"Make Me Something Green & Wish Me The Luck O' The Irish!"

Firstly, here's my submission to my own Challenge (I guess I should do them, huh?). I decided to do an eaten apple, just for the heck of it. What's kinda funny is that many commented said I probably found the apple delicious. Ummm... I'm allergic to apples! So, nope, I wasn't the voracious consumer of this lovely green granny smith apple.

Title: "An Apple A Day..."
Artist: Jennifer McLean

Title: "Peas In A Pod"
Artist: Stephen Hayes
My Comment
I laughed out loud when I saw this
wonderful submission. Each pea has
such personality!

Artist: Yvonne K
My Comments
Vonny's artwork is always breathtaking and you
all know, don't you, that I'm in LOVE with foliage
so it's not surprising that this piece really
dings my bell.

Artist: Tracey Fletcher King
My Comments
OMG, I already berated Tracey for drawing
these delicious little chocolate torture
devices. I didn't know they existed, now I
do and they don't come in Canada. Grrrr!
Please Mr.Easter Bunny, bring me minty eggs!

Artist: Minnemie
My Comments
This submission is spectacular, a macro
painting of peas. they look so round, love it!

Artist: Rae Ann Hoehn
My Comments
Oh my! This is truly lovely. As I commented to
Rae, trees are in my wheelhouse, I love them
to bits! I'm a BC tree hugger and actually take
that as a compliment and DO it. I've been known
to hug many a tree in my lifetime. I always
feel like the little boy in this picture when
I stand in the presence of an old growth tree.
I'm so lucky to live in BC.

________________________________________

I'm thrilled to be announcing my second challenge for my Art centered blog hop. If you haven't done so, you might want to go read the rules & guidelines for A.P.R. The challenge every week is optional, it's meant to help you in your creative journey. If you're feeling stuck or you just can't think what to create, use my challenge theme as a jumping off place.

Creative Doodling
by Stephanie Corfee

This, the second week of A.P.R., I've been learning to doodle in more creative and expansive ways. I ordered a book called "Creative Doodling & Beyond" by Stephanie Corfee. I have been privileged to get to know Stephanie and her artwork. Now that I have her book ($13.50 at Amazon.com) I'm finding myself totally engrossed in creating new and different creative doodles. (Her book can be purchased by clicking through from this site, see my sidebar for my Amazon Affiliates Program.)

I have done many a Zentangle in my day but I wanted to expand my doodling horizons and move away from the structure of Zentangles and toward more free form creating. Let me show you what I mean by exhibiting a couple of Stephanie's paintings...

So I have the idea of doodling in my head but what to DO with the doodles... what should the THEME be? At first I thought I'd just say "do a doodle" but that doesn't so much help with giving structure to someone who's stuck in a rut. I let the doodling theme marinate a little in the back of my mind for a few days. Then, I was talking to a friend, Diane, and she suggested doodling/decorating your initial! Brilliant idea! So, here's our official FIRST THEME for The Artist's Play Room, Saturday March 17,2012...

Doodle/Embellish/Decorate your initial/name/favorite word. I think this gives a good, specific jumping off point but also wide enough idea to allow for creativity. Now remember, you can do ANY kind of art, from oils to crochet, from watercolors to collage. Be creative, be bold and then enter your submission in the linky below.

Just to help you along on your doodling journey, here are a few examples!

   

Artist: Karen Anne Brady
Etsy: IrelandBrady

Artist: Jane Percell
Etsy: UnderTheNumNumTree

Computer Rendered
Artist Unknown

Artist: Laurel Smith
Etsy Shop: PinkSwirl

Artist: Megan Wells
Etsy Shop: Makewells

Artist: Cheri Johnson
Etsy Shop: Alterediris

There are my examples, have at it my bloggy friends! I can't wait to see your lovely, wonderful, spectacular, terrific work! Thanks in advance to all who participate. Remember, you don't have to be great, just create. :o)

I'll be back soon probably with blog tips or cool tools or maybe even my new series "Featured Artist"... We'll see, I'll have to choose which it next. Maybe it'll even be art!

I'm off to rustle up some hazelnut coffee,

I can almost taste it now...

Mmmmm...

Later, K? Yes!

Best,

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