Unearth, Gather, Create

I’m doing another online art course. I started my first one a little over a year ago and this is my 10th. It might be a bit of an addiction to be honest but I have a young son, 2 jobs, a husband who has to work too hard, and no family nearby to help out so I need an outlet and the online art world – including facebook and courses – is it.

This course, however, is very different from ones I’ve done previously. Perhaps its because of where I am on my artistic journey. More likely though, is that its because of the amazing, deep thinking teacher who is sharing her why of art as well as the what and how.

So far there’s a lot of emphasis on mark making and on thinking about what inspires us be it stories, other art, colour, place or anything else. I like that. It is helping me be freer in my work and that can only be a good thing. I’m also realising that I don’t have to get it right first time… and what is right anyway? My art is my response to what’s in front of me. That response is what’s right and if I can be true to that then that’s good enough for me.

What’s really amazing though is watching Gillian Lee Smith (the teacher) create. She draws a single line with a pastel and instantly captures the essence of the humanity in a face. I watch her meandering push and pull pencil lines trace the outline of a dried rose petal and my heart wrenches.

The work I am producing is, for the most part, ugly and challenging. I am used to pretty and comfortable so finding it really hard to even turn up at the page and create. But when I do there is SO MUCH LEARNING going on that only good can come of it. And the thoughtful feedback from the teacher and other students helps so much.

If you are looking for some deep thinking and challenging practice for your art I highly recommend Unearth Gather Create. I am not sure if/when Gillian will run the course again (it’s limited numbers and the one I’m on is full) but visit her site for more details – http://www.gillianleesmithartist.com/.

How To Draw Your Dragon Too

I’m jumping on the Hiccup bandwagon and drawing dragons this week. I’ve always had a bit of thing about dragons but it only occurred to me recently that they would make a great addition to my art journal. Although many stories about dragons suggest they are beasts to be afraid of I’ve always imagined them as representing the wise and noble parts of ourselves.

I hope you enjoy the video and, if you’re inspired to draw dragons and post them online please post a link in the comments below!

Kindness Unlocks Many Doors

I’ve started working with a company who go out of their way to promote – and live by – their values. It’s made me think again about mine and so I created this piece which illustrates one of my most important ones.

As usual I worked with paint, collage, tissue & gesso to create the background. I then covered it all in clear gesso so I was left with a lovely rough texture/tooth to draw my image on top of. This has the added benefit of really letting the coloured pencil work on top shine too.

What are your values?

How I Create Layered Translucent Mixed Media Backgrounds

This is my third video and I’m learning so much about my own art making process as well as how to put a video together each time.

I show how I use layers of transparent and opaque materials to create texture and depth on my art journal pieces. I also demonstrate my way of pulling it all together and making sure it’s the subject – be it a quote, a face or flower – that shines.

Hope you watch… and that you find something interesting or inspiring.

2 Weeks And Counting

Experiment 1 – my facebook friend Rene in watercolour, graphite and gesso.

I had an idea. That I would do portraits using the techniques from my previous post. And I have struggled to recreate the spontaneity of that piece for 2 weeks. The struggle hurt, continues to hurt, because I’m still not happy with the results. But I’m still counting. The next one will be number 6…

Experiment 5 – my facebook friend Sarah in watercolour, graphite and gesso.

How Copying Someone Else Helps Your Art Grow

This week I’ve had the pleasure of painting along with the lovely Danielle Donaldson (click on my piece to visit her site full of whimsical yumminess). I followed my tried and tested formula for online classes as follows:

1. Copy exactly what the instructor offers for at least 2 projects.
2. Play with any materials they use that appeal to me in a non-structured/non-results orientated way in my journal.
3. Don’t do any art for at least 24 hours.
4. Come back to my journal and use at least one of the techniques and one of the materials from the online class with the materials I love to use and a subject I love to paint.

This picture is the result. I think it might be my most favourite piece yet… and I can see lots of potential improvements.

Do you join online art classes? How do you make what you learn there your own?

How to Use Water Based Inks to Create a Bright Background

A few people have asked me how I used spray inks and managed to keep them so bright, clear and ‘unmuddied’. So I did a video. Where I actually TALK! This is a big thing for me.

Drawn to Flowers

Everywhere I look at the moment I’m seeing flowers. Despite the fact it is autumn here in the southern hemisphere and the days are getting colder. Or maybe because of that… sometimes the Australian summer is just too hot to do anything but wilt.

Hibiscus are out on full parade,beautiful white/pink/magenta camellias too. And those showy bird of paradise flowers. So tropical looking. So fabulously gaudy!

So I’ve been enjoying creating some floral inspired pieces in my art journal. Which I’ve actually completed the last page of today. I love that feeling. Especially when I’ve made the journal myself.

Back to the flowers though. Two very different pieces here. One illustrative in nature and one more abstract. I enjoyed creating them both.

The first one uses twinkling H2Os on an ink/stencil background that I’ve then added a quote from Matisse too. I used a black and white vector image of an hibiscus as inspiration for the flower shape. I find I try to make things too complex when I draw from life so while I’m learning how to simplify things this works as a great short-cut. I’ll be using some techniques from this piece in my next video for Lulu Arts.

And this is my other more abstract piece. It’s pure watercolour (except for a little pencil left over from the sketch) and the first time I’ve ever really used this medium on its own. I hope you can see it’s inspired by Georgia O’Keefe and Danielle Donaldson – I will definitely be doing some more work like this again.

Because I was so afraid (!) of doing this piece badly I actually did it on the scrappy/messy back of my hand made journal (that’s why those red spots are in the middle at the top). The process (of going slowly and leaving things to dry) is a long way from my usual ‘slap it down and move on’ methods but I really do love the transparency (see many previous posts) of watercolour and want to keep trying.

And I am not unhappy with this first result despite its many faults. 🙂

Do you love watercolours? Do you have any tips to share? What’s your favourite flower?

She Wore Flowers In Her Hair

I am an avid reader (when I’m not painting/creating) and this quote is from one of my favourite books – The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy.

At one point during the creating of this page my 4 year old son said to me ‘Has a rainbow been sick in your book Mummy?’. Oh how I laughed… and got the gesso out!

I posted this in Joanne Sharpe’s facebook group for her book ‘The Art of Whimsical Lettering’ because I was so pleased with the way the quote came out (and my courage to put it on the page!) and several people asked questions so, in case you have the same ones, I’ll leave my answers here too.

1. The butterflies in the background come from the original paper. I used a piece of beautiful butterfly wrapping paper when hand making the journal this piece is in. When I gesso’d it to add inks and paints I only did so thinly over the edge of the page so the butterflies are still peeking through.

2. The skin tone on the girl is created by mixing a tiny bit of watercolour  (quinacrodone rust & quinacrodone rose)  with gesso and then shading with prismacolor pencils.

3. The flowers in her hair were created with a modelling paste stencil (after all the background and face had been completed) which I then brushed diluted watercolour over the top of.

Do you use quotes from your favourite books in your work? Or have a favourite recipe for skin tones you’d like to share?

Lettering and Hafiz

As an art journaler I sometimes like to add quotes & thoughts to my pieces. But, like a lot of people, I find my handwriting messy and quite often end up resorting to using Photoshop to add words.

Like this.

I made the background using glimmer mists and Dr P.H. Martin Bombay inks (which are permanent) along with stencils, some acrylics, gesso and modelling paste.

Afterwards I scanned it and added the quote with Photoshop.

I loved the process of making the background but I felt like I’d cheated with the words.

Then my copy of Joanne Sharpe’s new book – The Art of Whimsical Lettering arrived.

It’s packed full of ideas and exercises to help with your lettering so I set to straight away and began practising, practising, practising.

And after a few days I felt confident to try another quote from Hafiz on a background I’d made at the same time as the previous one.

I didn’t cheat. And it turned out OK.

Do you like your writing? What books have inspired you to try something you were afraid of? What have you practised every day and then felt able to try?