Fun With Letters And Watercolors! (And New Classes!)

As you know I have a bit of an addiction to online classes. The most recent one I am currently taking is letterLAB with Lori Vliegen. I have one thing to say about it (well actually I have lots to say but will keep it short and sweet for this post) FUN!!! I have long admired Lori's artwork through following her blog. Her lettering combined with amazing illustrations are inspiring. So when I found out she was offering a class I knew I wanted to join! I have been wanting to improve my lettering skills so I could feel more comfortable incorporating my own writing into my art. And I am loving learning from Lori!

The two pieces I am sharing today were both journal pages done in Lori's class. I used watercolor crayons and my pitt pen. I purchased a Strathmore spiral visual journal for mixed media and really love the paper. I am not big on art journaling but this class has sparked that in me.

This was my first time using watercolors in this manner and I have to say I am loving it! I like the sheerness of the colors and the ease with which they lay down on the paper. I really enjoyed using the watercolors for the landscape in the first image. I also felt very at home combining my own words with images. I think this may be a new avenue for me to explore!

I was so inspired in this class that I decided to take sign up for Sketchbook Delight with Alisa Burke. I have long admired her work as well and been wanting to take a class with her. I love to sketch so I thought it would be a good place to start. More on that class later!

I am sharing these pieces today over at Paint Party Friday this week.

Click HERE to join us!!

xo

My First Journal Page

As you all know its been a rough few weeks for me but I am glad to be getting back to some art. I am hoping it will help heal me or at the very least distract me from myself as I grieve. I have never done an art journal mostly because I don't like painting on paper when it curls up from the wet media. I know, I am a perfectionist that way. lol I had one laying around for about a year and gave it a whirl. The pages were really thin so I glued some of them together before I added gesso.

I used my caran d'ache watersoluble crayons, stamps, black gesso, and white gesso to make the mishmash you see on this page. I was letting myself be messy which I hardly ever do but it felt good to just spill out all the stuff in my head on this page. And I actually like it! lol

I am sharing this today over at Paint Party Friday. It feels good to be back sharing some new art. Hop on over there and check out all the lovelies!

Click HERE

xo

Art Journal Frustration Leads To A New Sketch

I am taking Tam's free class Art, Heart, and Healing. It is my first class with her and love her style of teaching. I watched the first video for this week and was all excited to get started. I have never done an art journal before so I was curious.

I gessoed the pages of the journal to prepare it. But I was frustrated that my pages were warped and curling up. I was just too distracted by the warped pages to keep going!

So, instead of giving up I grabbed my sketchbook and graphite pencil. I decided that I still wanted to do the exercise even if I couldn't do the mixed media which I was so looking forward to after I watched Tam's demo. I sat and sketched this girl last nite. ( I have to admit that sometimes I enjoy sketching more than painting.) I finished her up this morning and used my very first stamp to add the hearts around her. I really do like her. I felt good when I finished the sketch. Although I gave up on the art journal I felt some sense of accomplishment with the completion of this sketch. I am finding that when I start something new I have even less patience for the learning curve!

If you haven't signed up already head over to Tam's site and join us! She is just lovely!

For those of you who art journal, any suggestions for my page warping problem?

My Pastel Butterfly

I wish I still had a picture of it. Actually I wish I had kept it. I was in fourth grade. We had to draw a picture in pastels. I drew a butterfly. It certainly was not perfect but I remember using a different color for each of the sections of the wing and the body was yellow. It was pretty and bright. To my surprise I won first place in the art contest with it that year. The only award I ever won for art.

I remember loving art when I was a child. I was always doodling something, making my name in bubble letters on my notebooks, and even though I could barely draw stick people that didn't matter. I had fun. And then life got in the way. A crazy childhood, my parents divorce, becoming a widow at 25 and then breast cancer at 31. I went to college for a degree in occupational therapy and worked for almost 20 years in that field. Then I started writing. And most recently back in February of this year I picked up a paintbrush for the first time. And I haven't put it down since.

My life after cancer has been tough at times but what I have found is how much creativity helps me deal with stuff that comes with that. It helps me deal with the fear I live with. It gets me to a nice place in my head and quiets my mind. I get lost in those moments with my camera or with my paintbrush. And although I am just beginning I am enjoying the process. I am having fun learning the how to's and seeing all that I am capable of which is more than I ever imagined.

So I have decided to write all about it here. This is my art journal. I will be sharing my photography, my art, and all things creative that I am working on. And I look forward to meeting and getting to know you along the way!

When did you know you loved art? Do you remember your first art project? Were you hooked from that point?