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

Faces And Sgraffito

We are successfully dug out of the snowstorm here in NY.  It was a doosey!  And it could have been worse.  I am grateful that we are all safe.  I am hoping all of my artist friends here in the northeast faired as well with all the snow!

I have been getting back to some face sketching as I am in the midst of a love affair with abstract painting.  Misty Mawn has a new online course going on right now called "Face To Face".  If you have never taken a class with Misty I recommend it!  You will not be disappointed!  I took her class last year and it was great as is this one!  She packs so much in the class it is hard to keep up!  

I created this girl using a sgraffito technique.   Scratching is something I am loving these days, making marks in paint and now marks in oil pastel.  I had a pack of portfolio pastels that I had not yet used so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to break them out.  This was done on white pastel over black acrylic.  I am trying to continue to let go of wanting to be perfect.  So I do like this girl's face imperfections and all.  

Sharing with Sunday Sketches .

Tell Me . . . What Do You See??

9x12 mixed media on watercolor paper

Who knew it could be so much fun to paint with a squeegee!  Lou gave a an extra one he had from home depot (which btw is a great place to look for painting tools!)  and I wasn't sure if I would ever use it.  I quickly gave it a try on watercolor paper using a limited palette of payne's gray, quin nickel azo gold, and some titanium white.  These are colors I don't normally use together but I was inspired by a lesson in Misty Mawn's online class "Open Studio"  and thought I would give it a whirl.  

I only used my hands to lay down the initial layer of colors and then started scraping with the plastic scraper thingy.  I was nervous at first wondering how much of it I would mess up as I just randomly scraped away, blending and removing color all at the same time.  It also came in handy to scratch some lines which I often love to do.  

I was just about to add another layer over it because I did not like it at all when my husband came in and said he liked it.  He told me to leave it overnight and look at it with fresh eyes in the morning.  Pretty good advice.  He told me he saw a white house, and I realized I saw a bird in the center.  I also see a waterfall in the right lower corner.  When I posted this on facebook a friend told me he saw a nativity scene!

This is what I love most about painting abstract . . . each person who looks at it sees something different.  I love the discoveries!!  I love the images that just show up!

So now its  your turn.  What do you see??

Sharing at Paint Party Friday

xo

Sketching Faces . . . Its Been Awhile

I don't quite know why or how I got so far away from sketching . . . anything . . .

The other day I was watching reading through Misty Mawn's book Unfurling (amazing book, a must read!! )and felt inspired to sketch a face.  It was so long since I had sketched that I feared I couldn't do it.  I used charcoal and white pastel which is new for me.  Typically my sketches were only graphite.  I used the eraser to pull out the light areas.  I found this way a bit trickier, adding the light with the pastel.  Despite the fact it blended like a dream with the charcoal I found myself annoyed with the dust.  And then there were too many layers to erase.  Don't worry, there is a happy ending to this rant!  

The moment I began writing the word love all over her I finally fell in love with the sketch . . . 

Sharing with Sunday Sketches

Meet Emma . . . A Portrait

"Emma"

mixed media on cardboard 8x10

As I have mentioned too many times on this blog I am scared when it comes to portrait painting. So much so that I avoid it at all costs. I just don't have the patience for anything less than perfection despite the fact that I love art that looks messy and imperfect.

I am continuing to be inspired by Misty Mawn's class and was finally ready to try a portrait. I went into it thinking that I would be messy and not worry about getting everything just so. I was the first portrait I ever tried with just starting to shade in shapes. Typically I would sketch out something perfect and try to fill it all in. While that may work for some artists I enjoyed this process more.

I used a piece of cardboard again that I layered with paper collage and gesso. Using only watercolor crayons and gesso this girl eventually emerged. The most fun for me were the final touches, the stamping, outlining, shading around the edges to bring it to life. I really like her face. I surprised myself with this piece. Of course in the end I got a bit perfectionist when it came to her eyes but I just love the eyes!

The name just popped into my head when I finished her. Not sure where it came from but maybe she told me! ;)

I am sharing Emma today at Paint Party Friday.

xo

Challenging Myself . . .

untitled

mixed media on 8x10 cardboard

I feel tired as I write this post. I was up late last night painting. Creatively, I seem to do my best work at night. I try not to though because I need my sleep! But this was just one of those moments when I had to break the rules.

I am taking Misty Mawn's "Open Studio" online class. Up until now I have just been soaking it all in and not creating much. But something finally got to me and I needed to try to take my art to another level. I have been wanting to paint faces and also sketch directly onto the canvas. I wanted to not be afraid of painting a messy face. I want to embrace the imperfect. I am finding that of many things I am learning from Misty that is a big lesson for me.

I used a piece of cardboard for a canvas and I love it! I also loved painting directly onto a layer of gesso. The texture and tooth feel good under my paintbrush!

It was just fun to be messy and just let this girl speak to me. It was a whole new experience for me. As you can see from the initial sketch below I didn't intend this girl to be sad and teary eyed. I was originally thinking, light, happy, and lots of hearts. I initially resisted the colors I chose, didn't like how her face was coming out, and then just gave in.

I initially resisted the colors I chose, didn't like how her face was coming out, and then just gave in. And I am so happy that I did! I really love her! I think I will be using more cardboard for a canvas in the future! Its a cool surface to paint on!

For those of you who have painted on cardboard . . . any tips on finishing? I need to spray fixative on her but other than that what do you recommend?

I am sharing her over at Paint Party Friday. Click HERE to join us!

xo

My First Image Transfer . . . And A Cookbook Giveaway!

It is no secret that I love photography and I am always excited with new ways to incorporate it into my art. I have tried image transfers a few times before with no luck. And with my low frustration tolerance I tend to easily give up!

I just received Misty Mawn's new book Unfurling in the mail last week and dove right in. I missed getting into her most recent online workshop back in the winter so I knew I would be purchasing her book when it came out. And I am so glad I did! It is like a workshop in a book! If you love her work you will not be disappointed with this book. I read the section on image transfers and it looked easy so I decided to give it another whirl. Surprisingly enough I was able to have some success! As you can see from the photo above it is no where near perfect but I am pleased with how I did for my first attempt.

I used my tree photo posted from this weeks Wordless Wednesday post and an old poem I wrote. I found a stack of poetry the other day that I wrote about 10 years ago. I hope to share more of that with you. I did the transfers above on 140 lb canvas paper. Not sure what I am going to do next but boy I am excited!

And speaking of books I wanted to let you guys know that I am hosting a book giveaway on my other blog "In My Life". I will be giving away a copy of Sheryl Crow's new cookbook If It Makes You Healthy! All you have to do is leave a comment! I will be announcing the winner on June 1st. Check out that post HERE!!

Hope you are all having a wonderful start to the holiday weekend! xo