Simple Fun Sketching

Fun sketch done with just a black Stabilo pencil and some water.  

I sketched her out first on watercolor paper.  Then grabbed a spray bottle with water that I keep nearby when I am creating.  Gave her a spritz and let the water drip down the page.  That was my favorite part!  

Not sure yet if I will leave her as is or go back in with some collage and paint.   

So go grab a pencil or crayon and have some simple fun!

xo

Digital Art Process Video!

I realize I promised to start sharing videos with you guys like 3 months ago!

Well better late than never right?!  

This is a recent piece I created in the Procreate App on my iPad Pro.  Included in the layers is a landscape image of a highway and collage paper I scanned into the computer.  I sketched out the girl on a separate layer.  The glitter was a preset brush that is super fun to use for details.  

If you have yet to try Procreate you must check it out!  It is one of my fav apps and is pretty close to the layering you can do with Photoshop.  

Enjoy!  

xo

How She Came To Be

A watercolor background was sitting in my journal longing for something else.  

Using a Stabilo marks all pencil (everyone should have one!)  I sketched out this face.

With a q-tip dipped in water I started to wet the pencil marks and it became a back and forth dance between the water and Stabilo.  

The whites of her eyes were added with a liquitex paint pen.  A sharpie would work just as well or even a dab of white acrylic.

As always my work never feels quite done until I add some words.  

This reminded me of how much I love watercolor and miss drawing faces the old fashioned way off of the iPad.  ;)

What I've Been Up To . . .

Hope everyone is enjoying a great start to the year.  And yes I do realize January is nearing the end lol.  Time is picking up speed at rapid rates which continually makes me anxious! I spend way too much time looking behind me or worrying about what is ahead which of course distracts me from the present moment.  

In my art world I have been creating digitally in Artrage.  Its a great app for digital painting and sketching.  I have it on my desktop Macbook Pro and have been trying it out with a Wacom tablet.  It is taking me a little getting used to but so far I am enjoying it.  

Each of these pieces was created in ArtRage.  As you can see hearts and Love continue to prevail in my work no matter what the medium.  

I am getting the itch to get back to some cardboard art and play with paint.  Its been some time now.  I am also toying with the idea of shooting some video tutorials for you guys.  That of course will be a work in progress but what I hope will be a fun new step for me!  I will keep you posted!

You can check out more about ArtRage HERE!  

xo

Back To Paper 53 . . .

This is a simple fun little sketch I worked up last night on my iPad.  I used Paper 53 which is one of my favorite art apps.  One thing I love about this app is the watercolor effects you get with the paintbrush.  

As always hearts show up in my work.  I couldn't resist adding them to the ends of her hair.  Sometimes whimsical is so much fun!

 Check out the Paper app
HERE!

xo

Beginnings of Her . . .

I can't recall the last time I tried to paint a face.  It was something I enjoyed and then I seemed to just drop it.  Not sure why. Possibly out of frustration.  I become easily impatient with most things in life and my art is no exception.  

Late last night before bed I grabbed a neocolor 2 and quickly sketched out this girl.  I added water with a q-tip and smudged the water around, went back in with a little more crayon.  My plan is to go back in with some white gesso and see what happens.  I kinda like her expression already.  I love that she was not planned, she is just what came out of my hand as I sketched.  

If I can shut down the critiquing gremlins I may get her done.  Something simple, something small, and hopefully something inspiring . . . 

xo

Digital She Art

I have to admit that sketching on my iPad is always easier for me than getting
 out the paints and supplies.  Worse on my eyes but creatively it is a
super accessible outlet.  This gal was created in Paper 53 app (my fav!)
 The words as always spill out of me as I am drawing.  

To finish her up I put the image through
Pixlromatic app to add some filters.
And then I felt that "sigh"
 knowing it was complete. 

xo

Lets Fly Away . . .

Late last night I was sketching on my iPad using Paper 53, my favorite drawing app. Of course the drawing was filtered with Snapseed as well.  Just can't help myself.   This sweet girl showed up and her message quickly popped into my head.  

"she wanted to fly away and she did"

I always wonder if the words that come through onto my artwork are things I am feeling and wishing.  I suppose that may be a silly question to ask myself because isn't that what we all do when we create, leave a bit of ourselves on the paper/canvas?

And lately I have been feeling restless and struggling with anxiety.  That tends to leave me with the urge to "run away"  although the way she puts it sounds so much nicer doesn't it? ;)

Her - Filtered

Last night I grabbed my graphite pencils and sketchbook, dusted them off and created this girl.  I tried not to think too much, just created whatever needed to come out of me at the time.  

I miss drawing and sketching.  I have been in a bit of a funk lately, for months actually and am planning on trying to sketch everyday as a daily practice for my mind.  Maybe if I put it out there I will stick to it! 

When she was finished I took a pic of her with my iPhone.  Of course the next thing I did was throw her in Snapseed (on of my fav filter apps)  and filtered away.  

And just like that she is transformed into something completely different.  

If you have never tried this with a sketch or even a painting give it a whirl.  It is addicting and fun!  Snapseed is a great app to start with.  For this gal I used the "drama" filter first and then the "grunge"  filter to achieve the effect you see here.  

Be sure to stop back and share a link to what you create!  I would love to see!

xo

Wordless Wednesday

"Looking Through" 

Full Circle With Misty . . .

I cannot remember the last time I took pencil to paper.  I used to sit with my drawing pad and graphite for hours, always keeping it close by.  That was quite a while ago.  I am talking maybe 2 years.  Since I got an iPad last summer that has been replaced with digital drawing.  

I signed up for my 3rd class with Misty Mawn, an artist who inspires with her amazing, raw, soulful artwork.  If you have not yet experienced a workshop with Misty it is definitely worth it!  There is always something for everyone from drawing to painting to photography to writing and more.  I am always amazed at how much she packs into a class!  Check out her latest class HERE.  

I worked on this charcoal sketch last night upright on the easel.  I forgot how messy charcoal can be.  I tried not to think to much as I went along.  Tried to silence the inner critic who is ever present threatening to ruin my art!  She is messy, a bit dark, but has a message of love.  

Sharing today over at Sunday Sketches!  

Click HERE to join 

xo

Her Mind Is Jumbled But Hopeful . . .

I was up late last night sketching.  I miss drawing.  It immediately takes me out of my own head just as painting does but there is something different about it.  And the faces come out of my own imagination never knowing what they will look like or what their expression will be.  

It felt good to use the pencil again.  As always I try not to get caught up in being perfect.  My favorite part to draw are the eyes even though hers are closed.  When she felt done I spilled some words over the page.  

"dreaming of better days, always love forever, always hopeful, let us see light"

Wondering if those are her words or mine . . . 

New Sketch . . . Feeling More Free To Be Messy

Last night while Lou and I were watching the finale of American Idol (anyone else watch?) I grabbed my sketchbook which had a bit of dust on it. I always have it out in the living room along with a couple of my graphite pencils just in case the mood hits me which it hasn't in a very long time. And since the finale show was so darn long I started decided to start moving the pencil around.

Lately I have been telling Lou that I long to be messy in my art work. I want to paint and draw recklessly, just letting my muse lead me. But what happens is I am wound up tighter than a knot and am constantly trying to achieve perfection from the get go with each piece I attempt. I feel like it would be more fun to just let go and be messy! So that is just what I did with this sketch. I was making crazy marks laying down shadow areas on the face, and where the eyes, nose and mouth would be. I just tried to keep the pencil moving and not stop to correct anything. There was a lot of correction that came later but I have to say that it felt so freeing to draw that way. And the end result is so different than any face I have drawn before. Even the nose which usually makes me crazy cause it is so hard to draw came easier somehow. I cannot stop looking at her!

Have any of you felt that way with your art? Hope you guys like her as much as I do! I so want to try and paint her. And paint her messy and imperfect! Not sure about that yet. Maybe I will stick with the pencils for now. . .

PS . . . For those of you who watched AI, I was secretly hoping Lauren would win. Was shocked and a bit bummed that it was Scotty ;)