Flower Power!

I bought carnations for my drawing students at the Community College of Beaver County to practice on last week, and had some leftovers after class.  

The flowers have brightened up my studio, and inspired me to play with India ink in a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen. I focus on making marks that feel freeing & expressive.

 After the ink dries, I add watercolor washes.

Because India ink is waterproof, you can add watercolor washes over the top as soon as the ink has dried, creating bold contrasts.  

I hope you can have a play with colorful art supplies and a bouquet of flowers.  

The flowers will lift your spirits twice - as you enjoy the blossoms decorating your home, and as you create artworks based on them.  Remember, you're not a camera.  You don't have to create a super-realistic artwork.  Just play with lines & colors inspired by the flowers! 

Color in Winter

When the weather is February gray, and you feel like you need a splash of color, try cutting up small pieces of watercolor paper and playing with watercolors, making brush strokes that feel natural to your hand.

I began this piece by splashing in watercolors.  After that layer was dry, I added India ink touches to pop the contrast up.

These are great to prop in a place you will see them, so you can benefit from their bright colors.  I dropped this one into a letter to my best friend.

Happy art-making!
 

Collage Journal Pages

I use a small, spiral journal as a daily planner.  

It's filled with to-do lists, creative ideas, & notes on projects. 

 I've been playing with collage, using pages from old books, typewritten sentiments for inspiration, homemade stamps, washi tape and tissue paper from old sewing patterns.

And what better place to play and experiment than in my daily planner? 

I make this art for myself, to spruce up my planner, and to experiment with collage designs.

It's a lovely form of self care that gives me space to play creatively, 

and give myself encouragement as I go through my daily routines.

Many of the old papers, sewing patterns & some pens came from the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse, a thrift shop dedicated to art materials.

I bought this new-to-me planner there.  Filled with luscious thick, creamy paper and fine lines, it calls out to be decked with collage, encouraging words, and my own wonky stamps.

Making art doesn't have to be expensive.  Use what you have, and give yourself some time to play.  

You'll be surprised what a few scraps of old paper and some stamped designs can do to brighten a simple spiral notebook.

What words of encouragement would you like to read as you jot tomorrow's to-do list?  Write them, type them, or cut them out of an old book or magazine, and glue them down.  

A little self care every day lifts the spirits, especially this time of year.

Upcycled Stamps

A Sunday morning in my art studio got me inspired to create some new stamps for my journaling and collage projects.My materials were: wine corks, a gum eraser, a pink eraser too old & hard to erase pencil marks any more, an X-acto knife, a pen, a pencil and ink pads.

I began with sketches of ideas, then drew my design onto the surface of the cork or eraser with a ballpoint pen or pencil.  

With the X-acto blade, I cut away everything that wasn't the design, and left what you see above as the stamp. I tested the stamp out, made any changes I needed, and then stamped away.

It's exciting to see your new design printed on paper! I use mine in journals, on cards & letters, and to decorate my daily planner.

I've been making cork and eraser stamps for years, and have collected them into a pretty box.  The dividers inside are fashioned from cereal box cardboard.  Several of the stamps above were made from old shoe soles (see the cardboard X handle?😉).  

I love repurposing old junk into art supplies!

Many of my materials came from the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse.  They have erasers, a barrel of wine corks, loads of different papers, and I've found stamp pads there, too. 

I hope you'll give this art form a try!

More Upcycled Affirmation Cards!

Collage is an easy medium to work in -- there's no need for exact lines or perfect composition.  In fact, I have an 87% rule -- If the layout is 87% of the way there, I grab the glue and stick it down.

I simply lay down a base layer that I like (a Gregg shorthand or Magic Squares book page for instance), and add bits and layers -- stamps, typewritten messages, cut paper, and perhaps a top layer of old sewing pattern tissue as I've done on these two.

A few layers later, something organically has arisen, and I realize that words that I need to remind myself of are now artfully before me.

The joy is that I can share these little cards.  I make extras with the same affirmations, tuck them into a drawstring bag, and offer friends, family and folks along the way the opportunity to "Take what you need."

If someone else is reminded to believe in their journey, or that they are enough exactly as they are, we are all lifted up.

These cards are made of upcycled papers and thrifted stamps on old playing cards purchased at the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse.

If you're lucky enough to live in the Pittsburgh area, 

I recommend giving yourself the gift of a trip to the PCCR shop.  

Friendly staff will help you find what you're interested in, from fine art materials to vintage papers, 

office supplies, frames, fabric and even photography equipment.

Happy Creative New Year!

Osher Figure Drawing with Model Denise

 
My Osher Figure Drawing class had the good fortune to draw model Denise, a body builder and photographic art model who calls herself Artistic Physique.  

Denise held incredibly beautiful poses, and we were swept away trying to capture them with our charcoal. Above is my final drawing of her long pose. 

Many thanks to the amazing Denise for the inspiration of her amazing poses and strength.

Interior Decorating for a Goldfish

I have a new pet named Dory.  

Actually, Dory lived all summer in my garden pond, but I had to bring her indoors before the winter weather froze the entire pool.  

I didn't have a decorative backdrop for her tank, so I took some inspiration from my color journal, and created this scene during winter storm Elliott.

I started with watercolors, and after the washes dried, I used Posca paint pens to add details like the bubbles. It was a wonderful stress reliever to play with colors!

And I get to see my artwork everyday as I pass by Dory's aquarium -- a miniature mural!

I hope you find ways to display your art in your living space and celebrate yourself as an artist!