What If? Little Free Library Update

What if you loved making painted bookmarks and secretly giving them away?  

You could find interesting novels in Little Free Libraries and tuck your bookmarks in the pages for the next reader to enjoy.

You could even get the help of someone who knew where all the little Free Libraries were in a neighborhood. 

Perhaps enjoy an evening stroll & chat together, slipping decorated bookmarks into books all around the neighborhood.

You could enjoy the artistry of the little Free Libraries themselves

Wouldn't that be fun?

I hope you take time this week to play with your art supplies, and share what you make with someone else.

Happy Creating!

Copyright Betsy Bangley 2024.  All rights reserved.

What if?

What if you were to feel inspired by spring and paint delphiniums & hollyhocks in bright colors,then cut the painting into three slim images to make bookmarks?

What if you trimmed the bookmarks with fancy ribbon, and set out on a secret mission?

What if you snuck them into individual library books for unassuming readers to find?

Wouldn't that be fun?

Watercolor Spring Flowers

I've been teaching Watercolor Spring Flowers at the Community College of Beaver County, and we have had so much fun in class, that I come home inspired to paint more. 

I brought in Erin O'Toole's book Create Your Own Artist's Journal to class last week to share with my students.

I was drawn to this painting in Erin's book.

After class, I painted my own version of it, enjoying using a variety of colors and splashing them in wet-in-wet.

During our last class, one of my students suggested painting bookmarks with flower designs.  Here are a few that I painted the next morning while drinking tea in my studio.

I started by sketching with a white crayon on white watercolor paper.  The white Crayola resists the watercolor paint, keeping the spots where you add it white.

I wet the paper, and touched in loose wet-in-wet splashes of color.

After that had dried, I added more detail in the foxglove flowers, leaves, & stems.

I finished by splattering on some white gouache.

A bit of ribbon added the finishing touch!

I have enjoyed giving these bookmarks away.

Starting small with bookmarks, and taking inspiration from another artist are great ways to get started with Watercolors.  If you're in the Northern Hemisphere like me, it's uplifting to see beautiful blooms and colors this time of year, even if they're painted on paper.

Happy Creating!

Copyright Betsy Bangley 2024. All rights reserved