The Power of Good Materials

Late autumn's cold nights means bringing in annuals like this pink geranium.  The beauty of that is having a colorful subject to paint right in my studio.

I broke into a package of Stonehenge 300 pound cold press watercolor paper yesterday and made a watercolor sketch of the geranium's bright flowers in the morning light.  

I had been using less expensive watercolor paper and saying to myself, "It's just for practice; it doesn't matter."

But what a difference using high quality paper makes!!!

The paint seemed to flow effortlessly over the paper, and when I made a mistake and wanted to "erase" dry paint, I simply scrubbed the spot with a damp brush and dabbed it out with a paper towel.  The paint lifted with no damage to the paper's surface.

Honestly, I had forgotten how much easier it is to work with good quality materials.  You're not fighting the paper.  It's working with you.

I had felt resistance to using good paper.  What if I messed up?  What if I wasted it?  I told myself I'd just make a practice page and test out the paper.  As soon as I put brush to paper, my resistance vanished.

It felt like the paper wanted to make the painting with me.

Please let this be a reminder to use the best quality supplies -- especially paper-- that you can afford.  

Tips to Economize with High Quality Supplies:

*Choose quality over quantity. Purchase a small array of supplies of the highest quality possible.

*Use both sides of the paper.

*Buy sample packs -- they're often inexpensive.  Though small, you can test out more expensive paper to discern the best one for you.

*Watch for sales.

*Scour secondhand art shops like The Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse.  They get a wide array of different supplies.  

*If you have people giving you gifts, ask for gift certificates to your favorite art supply store.

Bottom line:  You can make art with anything from ballpoint pens to chunks of charcoal pulled from a doused campfire, but when you use high quality art supplies, creating is easier because the materials work with you.  It's as if they are just as eager as you are to create.

Happy Creating!

Rusty November Planner Pages

Inspired by a recent Wanderlust 2024 class, I chose rust-decorated paper to collage for this week's planner. 

The process began with layering rusty pieces of metal, vinegar water and a variety of papers in an enamel pan, and leaving the whole mess for 24 hours or more.

The rusty metal imparted its rich colors -- siennas and ochres -- much like the dead meadow grasses and oak leaves still clinging to the trees outside my studio window.

The mingling of earth tones with black print and creamy old paper have a beautiful appeal to my artist's eye.

I tore pieces from some of the papers without thinking about it too much, then glued them down with Yes paste, a thick, archival paste I use for a lot of projects.

All that was left to do was to add in the dates and appointments with black ink pens and a Pentel India ink brush pen.

I love starting the day with art!

You can find more information about Wanderlust 2024 here:

 https://www.everything-art.com/p/wanderlust-2024-artjournalingcourse 

Happy Creating!

A New Mini Nature Journal

What is it about these mini journals that makes them so easy to fill up?

A hike in the woods, a pencil sketch on a tiny square, and a splash of color with a limited watercolor palette -- each step feels easy, do-able.  And in a matter of days, I have covered miles of ground and filled another mini sketchbook.

The power of taking only a limited set of supplies is surprising!  With just a few choices, there are fewer decisions to make, and less gear to haul.

Less is more.

The entire accordion-fold journal measures 5.5" x 28", making each page about 5.5" x 4.5".

I love that I can mix a wide array of colors from a tiny kit.

My paints, pencil, pens and palette fit in this 3.5" x 8.5" pouch.  I tuck a water bottle, water spritzer and cup in a small bag and am ready to hike and work in my sketchbook.

The simpler kit makes creating easier. I find I create more.  I've been painting nearly every day for a week or more, and once you get the ball rolling, the momentum carries you into a satisfying rhythm.  You're more likely to create, so you're more likely to try new things.

Most of these pages were made in the field, or started outdoors, and then finished in my studio. 

I took a photo of these milkweed pods, and illustrated the scene in my studio.

Here are some of my reference photos.  I hope you'll feel inspired to practice sketching & painting from them!

Happy Creating!

Osher Figure Drawing Class with Model Amelia

We kicked off another Osher at CMU Figure Drawing course with many gesture drawings of model Amelia.

We began with 5-Line drawings: allowing ourselves only 5 lines to describe each pose.  I find this creates abstract drawings, but gets our hands moving.

We turned our vine charcoals on their sides and created mass gesture drawings next, followed by mass gestures with lines added.

After a break, we finished up with a 1.5 hour long pose, taking breaks every 20 minutes.

It felt amazing to be back to figure drawing, especially with Amelia's creative poses and bright energy to inspire us.

Many thanks to model Amelia!

Turning My Art into Stickers!

I have had the dream of owning an electric car for the last decade.  I pictured myself driving it out to the park, plugging it in, then hiking down a trail & painting while it charged.  I imagined road trips in an electric car, plugging in while dining or overnight, and taking my time to see America, & make art.

I finally achieved that dream at the end of October. I named her Bluebird for the bright, sunny way she makes me feel and her blue color.

  

The experience of driving Bluebird, plugging her in at home or at the local park, and living lighter on the earth buoys me up!  I feel grateful that my dream has come true!  

Just after buying her, I drove Bluebird to the park, plugged her in, and took my art supplies for a hike.  I painted in the mini-nature journal shared in recent posts.  

It felt so wonderful to live out my long-held dream that I came home inspired, and made this art of a bluebird in flight. I sketched the idea with a pencil, then inked it in with a Lamy fountain pen, and finally added color with Caran D'Ache watercolor crayons.

A quick internet search yielded a sticker company with a special offer, and I snapped a photo of my artwork and uploaded it to Sticker Mule.  They emailed a proof to me within an hour or two, and I completed my first order.

In about a week, I received a package of these stickers!

I've created a simple nature journaling kit that I leave in Bluebird, so that I can draw and paint while charging

Inside this box are watercolors, a few brushes, a pencil ...

...and this accordion-fold watercolor nature journal I made.  

Now bluebird has her own sticker and art kit.

I am grateful for my dream becoming reality.  

May you realize your art dreams, too.

Happy Creating!

Upcycled Nature Journaling Kit

I found a vintage box that I suspect was used for mailing 35mm films to theaters. It's beautifully worn from years of use. 

I fell in love with this vintage veteran of the mail service, and bought it for 50 cents at the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse.

The box was solid and in good shape except for the straps used to hold the box shut during shipping.  They were frayed and, though they had been repaired, they needed an upgrade. It took too much time and effort to open the box to make it useful in carrying nature journaling supplies.

I hand sewed Velcro strips to either side of the heavy woven straps.  

This way, I can peel the Velcro-ed straps apart and open the box.

Inside the reinforced box, I plan to tuck a nature journal, a mechanical pencil, and a small watercolor palette.  More on this in the next post!

Wishing you Happy Creating, whether you're drawing, painting, making music, or upcycling an old box into something fun.

The Finished Mini Nature Journal

In my last post, I shared how I've been taking an online course from Cathy Johnson called Quick Sketching in Color.  

Cathy explains that one of the tricks to doing a lot of sketching is keeping your journal and supplies simple.  She's right! Her techniques inspired me to fill this concertina journal in less than a week.

My simplified art kit includes: 

a travel watercolor palette, two water brush pens, a pen with waterproof ink, a mechanical pencil, an indigo colored pencil, a jar lid for extra mixing space, a water spray bottle, a tiny container to rinse brushes in, a small water bottle,my journal, and some paper towel.

And, here's a tour of my journal, start to finish.

When the page spreads are this small ( 9"x 6"), it takes very little time to fill them.

The size forces you to simplify complex landscapes.

A single 4.5" x 6" page gives just enough space to explore one facet of the natural world around you,

like a sleepy flock of geese or a tiny newt underwater.

Whenever I flip through this journal, I remember each of the experiences that inspired a sketch.  This last one was made on a beautiful, chilly afternoon hike with David.  The sinking sun lit up the woods along the creek, making the last bits of color seem electric against the shadowy trees. 

I hope you give this approach a try!

If you'd like to learn more about Cathy's online, self-directed classes, follow this link: https://cathyjohnson.info/art-classes/

Happy Creating!