Here's my very first attempt at a realistic (non cartoon-y) watercolor! I've always loved custom pet portraits, but never thought I'd be able to create one myself. I'm not sure if it's the #100dayproject keeping my limber and giving me courage, but last weekend I thought I'd give it a try.
This sweet dog Cooper belonged to one of my dear friends, and his unexpected passing broke all of our hearts. I wanted to do something to remind her that he was special and will be missed by all.
I will probably attempt a few more portraits before gifting her with the final piece, but I wanted to share my process to encourage others to try new things.
A couple of months ago I decided to take on an Instagram challenge that I had spied on a few artist profiles: #100DayChallenge. There are many different variations of this challenge, as it can be tailored to accommodate any activity to complete for 100 consecutive days.
I decided upon completing an art journal entry every day, as it was always something I struggled with doing consistently. Over the years, I'd pick one up, dabble for a couple of days and lose interest shortly thereafter. No matter how much I loved the idea of art journaling, I just couldn't seem to be able to commit to it.
I'll be honest. When I began this challenge, I didn't think I'd last a single 7 day stretch. However, I couple of days into it I decided that I wanted to set myself up for success, and so I included a total of 3 art journals into my rotation: a Large Dylusions journal, a small Dylusions journal, and a sketchbook.
You see, I know myself. I needed to have some flexibility, especially on days when I wouldn't always have the time, or even feel like pulling my supplies to create. This way, I could sketch something quickly with my Stabilo pencil and still feel like I accomplished the daily task.
As I type this, I'm on day 63 of the challenge and I haven't missed a day yet. I feel like I've grown so much, in such a short period of time. I've never created this consistently before, so I notice the change in my creative practice: I'm using my supplies, finishing up those online classes, and practicing using ideas and techniques I've learned from those classes! Finally!
I'm loving the daily practice, and how it's given me confidence to try new things in my art journey. I have a feeling once I've completed the 100 days... I may start another challenge to keep my momentum going.
Please visit my instagram account for all of daily posting!
Cheers,
Steph
Ahhhh yes, the funkier the better! I've always loved whimsical, quirky and colorful animals.... the further away from realism the better! Animals that are created from my imagination are what I enjoy painting, so this "Dirty Flirty Birds" mixed media class by Jodi Ohl is right up my alley!
I love her style and her process, so this is one of a few of her art classes that I've taken over the last couple of years.
This piece is a 6x12, created using acrylics, bleeding art tissue paper, Faber Castell Pitt Pen and of course my trusty Fineliner filled with black fluid acrylic paint.
I've just purchased another of Jodi's DVD downloads calls "Zen Painting", so I can't wait to dive into practice this weekend! Abstracts are so much more difficult than you think they are to create, so I'm really looking forward to watching Jodi's process.
When I take art classes such as these, I don't mind painting following the artist's style to the letter with my beginning practice. Over time, I begin to develop my own style and although you can see the class influences, they become more of an original piece. (already, after only a couple of paintings, I've incorporated my preferred googly, lidded eye)
As long as I give credit to the artist with whom I've taken inspiration from, and not profit from the pieces that I've created while trying to find my style within their teachings.... I see no issue with copying their work as I develop and learn.
Just my 2 cents :-)
Cheers,
Steph
ps I'm not affiliated with Jodi, I just love her work and her classes!
I've been trying to get better with my daily practice, and I've noticed a trend in my behavior: midnight scribbles before bed! On the days when I haven't had time to sit down and create, I find myself picking up my sketchbook and laying down a few marks before going to sleep.
They are usually quick and messy, and end up being favorites! Maybe not anything that I would share or hang on the wall, but that's not what they're meant for anyway :-)
Keeping loose with my marks is such an important practice. One that I never realized was so important until I actually started doing it and noticed improvements and growth with my drawings (I only started doodling/drawing a couple of years ago!).
Give it a try! You may surprise yourself as I did!
Cheers,
Steph
I know, I know... It may seem like I'm going off-script here with a couple of dogs! I realize many folks either identify as either a cat lover or a dog lover, however I'm actually a well rounded animal lover!
I grew up with dogs, and absolutely love them to bits! Cats are newer to me, adopting my first in my early 20's. They quickly became an obsession, and the Crazy Cat Lady behavior has been ongoing for 20 years!
I've been trying to incorporate more dogs into my daily drawing practice... so here are a couple of my recent favs!
Cheers,
Steph
Here is my latest mixed media painting: The Cat of Many Faces (or a Bajillion faces to be exact!)
Last winter I bought a floor easel so I could work comfortably in my studio with larger canvas pieces. I set the easel up, and plopped a 24x36 canvas on it.... and left it like that for months. Seriously. Months!
One night before going to bed, I decided I was tired of looking at a blank canvas and quickly spread some paint on it. Fifteen minutes later, after making a bit of a mess, I immediately felt better and went to bed. At least I wouldn't be staring at a blank canvas anymore!
However, I couldn't decide if I should continue and use it as my underpainting, or leave it as is (I kind of liked the abstract look it had, but knew it needed more work (since I know absolutely nothing of abstract art).
Last month I finally decided to just go with it and have some fun. I painted, and repainted a cat face on this canvas so many times, I lost count. I'm not sure why I struggled so much, it isn't a very complicated piece... pretty basic cat cartoony face LOL I just was never happy with it until now!
He is finished, with top coat and wax coat, ready to hang.... let's just hope it doesn't take me another year to get it up on the wall. ha!
Steph
xo
Here are a few of the process shots from the last month and a quick video of the shading I did at the very end
A few months ago I decide to build and maintain an online art gallery to post my mixed media and watercolor paintings. I wanted something simple and easy to use, so that with one click, someone interested in seeing my work could view it all (instead of sifting through Blog tags etc.).
I stumbled upon Weebly, and was able to put something together quite easily once I got the hang of formatting the template that I chose. And it was free, so that was a bonus ;-)
I now scan and upload my art to Weebly as part of my weekly routine and I love the idea of having a chronological view of my creative journey! I've only been painting for a few years now (and watercolor for just over a year), so it's encouraging when you can see obvious improvement.
One of the unexpected results of having this one click view, is seeing "my style" come to life. In a digital world where we are influenced by other artists and creative folks everyday, it's often difficult to find your own voice. Through consistent and every practice though, I am finally seeing it evolve and it makes me so happy.
Last week, when uploading my art, I noticed something that made my heart ache for a moment: lots of orange kitties. I never realized I favored painting them until now, but it makes sense as my very first cat was an orange tabby named Seymour. He and my beautiful calico Bronte were inseparable, they were always found snuggling in various cat beds around the house.
Grief is a pain in the ass. It grabs hold of your heart and squeezes it without warning, even after all these years. My cat art helps me remember these beautiful souls, and I'm so grateful I discovered it... even if my gallery is full of orange kitties.
This painting was so much fun to make! It was just more of an exercise on Bristol Paper, but I love how it turned out! I'd like to explore simple backgrounds a bit more, bringing my subject in as the focus and see where that takes me.
Here is the process video if you're interested!
Music by Minnutes (used with permission)
I don't know about you, but sometimes my insecurities regarding the art I make can be very annoying. It gets in the way of so much that I want to do, and by George, 2016 is my year for kicking that shit those negative thoughts to the curb.
I'm tired of feeling like what I make isn't worthy of appreciation, or admiration. As artists, why do we let those negative voices in our head take over? The ability to create something beautiful and bright from a blank piece of paper should be enough to feel confident! It may not suit every one's tastes, and that's OK. All art is beautiful to someone in the world, especially if it comes from the heart.
I strayed a bit with where I wanted to take this blog post, but I just had to get it out there. We all have insecurities about the work we create. Some of it can help us grow as artists, but we can't live in that headspace, or it will hinder the entire creative process. I need to get better at getting past it and continue to make things that I love. Bright colors, crazy cats and messy splatters all the way!
Over the last few months, I had been thinking about contacting a few of the local animal shelters here in Nova Scotia about donating art prints and original watercolors. Most of them have monthly Facebook auctions to raise funds, but was always hesitant and doubtful that they would be well received. See? Stupid insecurities are like the devil on my back.
Last month, I contacted two of the shelters and was met with a lovely and excited response!! One of my art prints auctioned at almost double the retail amount and I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. (I in turn contacted the winning bid and will be sending them an original 5x7 as well!)
Here is my first original watercolor that will be auctioned off at the end of the month for H.A.R.T (Homeless Animal Rescue Team) Please visit their Facebook page for more information on the wonderful work they do!
This piece was created with the yummy QoR & Gansai Tambi watercolors.
A few weeks ago, a lovely friend sent me a set of Golden's QoR Watercolors, and I knew I had to get messy and test them out!
When I sat down at my desk, I knew I had to just go for it. There was no room for doubt or hesitation to get in the way. I hadn't picked up a paint brush for months and I knew I needed to loosen up and get messy to break out of my rut... and this is what happened.
She's not the prettiest of kitties, but she was SO FUN to make!! These QoR watercolors are so dreamy and bright, I need to buy more!
Here is my quick process video... you can even tell with the poor resolution that these watercolors stand out and make you take notice! That teal.... *sigh*... so lovely!
This painting had so many different lives. It began as a bunny with wonky ears, then covered with black gesso and started a new life as a fox... or a cat. In all honesty, I was going for a fox, but it didn't quite work out! Everyone I've showed this to says that it looks like a cat...I guess I just can't help it!
Other then the fact that I tried to paint an entirely different animal and failed, I'm loving the look of this painting. The background, texture and colors are lovely and soft in person.
Foxy the Cat was painted on an 8x10 Wood canvas, using acrylics, ink, modeling paste and all the other usual supplies (punchinella, pen, tissue paper)
OK. So I gave it a try. I've uploaded my first scrapbook process video. Disclosure: I am not doing anything mind blowing or new. It's a layered mixed media layout using Studio Calico inks.
After I posted a few layouts using this ink technique a couple of months ago, I had a few folks ask for details on the punchinella dots. The layout is random, messy and full of hesitation... but that's how I roll! I'm such a SLOW scrapbooker! I tend to spend more time pushing paper around my table then gluing anything down... and in the end, they always look same.
It is what it is, and I'm just going with it <grin>
Had lots of fun with this... and the only thing that was left out of the video what the bit of pen that I used to outline the page title and underline the inked journaling.
Have a look, let me know what you think!
Cheers,
Steph
xo
Here's another new media for me: Gouache paint! It's essentially an opaque watercolor, and there are some pretty amazing colors out there! I picked up a cheap set of 12 at Winners, and splurged on my one tube of Windsor Newton Opera Pink. This one tiny tube of pink cost more then the entire color set from Winners, but I couldn't resist. It's such a beautiful pink!
What I love about gouache is that it reacts to water, but has more coverage like an acrylic paint. It's a change from a transparent watercolor palette, and I like having the variety in my studio depending on my mood. (although I think I'll stick to my cheapo paints for now, I'm not ready to invest in better quality paints just yet)
I recorded a process video since it was my first kick at the can, hope you enjoy!
Steph
I was reluctant to even post this video, because you see... Luna the Bunny doesn't exist anymore. The day after filming, I just couldn't get over how her ears weren't right. She just wasn't what I had intended, and the following day I covered her in black gesso. Do I regret it? Maybe a little bit, because in hindsight, she is cute in her own way I suppose.
The biggest surprise and the most wonderfully unexpected result of filming my creative process, is seeing where I went wrong (for me... as there is no right or wrong way to create!). After editing the video, I re watched it, and I could almost pinpoint EXACTLY when I overworked the piece and turned it into something I didn't like anymore.
This is such a wonderful learning opportunity, and if I hadn't recorded the process, I would never have figured out: STOP IT WITH THE INK ALREADY!
There, I got it out of my system and put it out there... now only if I can remember this the next time I get messy and play in the studio :-)
Here is the process video, hope you enjoy it!
Products Used:
8x10 wooden board canvas
(I covered it in Black Gesso before the video)
Misc Acrylic Paints
Liquitex Matt Medium
Sharpie White Paint pen (fine point, water based)
Liquitex Modeling Paste
Hard Foam Stamps
(handmade with kids craft items at Dollarama... feels like mini pool noodles!)
Foam/Sponges
(recycled electronic packaging, instead of foam brushes)
3 weeks. That's all it takes for me to be out of practice. I need to remember this, to help me stay focused and maintain my motivation! Life just got busy this fall and I spent more time in Photoshop then creating and getting messy. I must remember to find that balance!
I'm not sure how to explain it, but my spirit feels so much better, sated even, when I find the time to create something. My mind is always thinking of things to do next, things to create, that if I don't try and make one of these ideas a reality every now and again, I feel antsy.
Here is my latest mixed media piece, BlueBelle the Bird.... she just makes me giggle! I love this cartoony style, and I hope to make a few more characters (non bird like) with the same googly eyes soon!
Here is the process video, and the Original painting is for sale in my shop!
Thanks so much for visiting!
Products used:
8x10 wooden board canvas
(I covered it in Black Gesso before the video)
Misc Acrylic Paints
Liquitex Matt Medium
Sharpie White Paint pen (fine point, water based)
Hard Foam Stamps
(handmade with kids craft items at Dollarama... feels like mini pool noodles!)
Foam/Sponges
(recycled electronic packaging, instead of foam brushes)
There are a couple of new Scrapbook layouts using some Echo Park and Studio Calico collections, and a bit about my new process video adventure. Please pop over for a visit!
I've been trying different types of watercolor paper to use with my Twinkling H20 paints, and I think I have found my favorite so far: Arches Cold Pressed 140lb 100% cotton. I think it may still be a student grade paper, as it was the least expensive of the Arches papers (mind you, it was a pad of only 12 sheets!)
I was really interested in trying out something that is 100% cotton, and was curious to see how the Twinkling H20s react to it. I was having "blooming" issues with my black Twink paint when using the Fabriano Hot press papers, and I thought perhaps it was a wonky reaction due to only being 25% cotton.
Here are the results, and I have to say I really enjoyed these papers! They were much rougher than I expected, but I didn't mind it... It's not like my work has super fine details that would be hindered by the texture :-) I loved how the paint dried without pooling too much, as I tend to be heavy handed with the water.
Here's a quick process video, hope you enjoy!
Steph
xo
This feathered friend was such fun to make! I struggled a bit with the background, but all in all I am pleased with how it turned out.
I bought some new supplies last week and wanted to give them a try, however I think I need to spend some time using them on a Bristol paper piece before using them on a canvas again.
The Golden Fluid Acrylic paints were lovely, but I need to get to know their properties and how best to use them. I have a few more colors on their way to me next week, so I will be sure to spend some time playing once they arrive.
The oil paint sticks were a bit tricky, and not at all what I expected. I think they would have done better on a smoother surface to begin with, rather than my textured star background... but again, I need to play and get to know their properties. I forgot to prepare them before recording the video, so my apologies for the struggle captured when I was trying to remove the "skin" before using it! LOL
I used a ton of ink on this fella, I just can't seem to help it these days! I love the messy, inky, scribbled look! Going between the bamboo and glass pens really gave me a variety in line definition, and I had so much fun!
Here is the process video, hope you enjoy it!
Steph
xo
Supplies used:
8x8 Gesso Canvas
Misc Paint brushes
Foam (recycled electronic packaging, instead of foam brushes)
One of the things that I love to do when trying out a "new to me" product, is to draw a cute group, or clowder of cats and color them in! So far, I've tried it with various watercolor products, Distress markers and I'm currently working on a large piece with my Faber-Castell Gelatos.
Here is my favorite clowder so far using Faber-CastellPolychromos pencil and Gamsol on 11x14 Bristol paper. I've tried other "high end" pencil crayons before, and wasn't very successful; the leads kept breaking when I was sharpening them, and most are all down to nubs after using them for only a short time.
The Faber-CastellPolychromos pencil crayons are a dream to color with! They can be sharpened to a nice fine point, and they lay color down smoothly. I'm still learning about shading, and I find these cat collages are great practice.
Gamsol was used to blend the pencil marks with a paper stump. (Be sure to use Gamsol in a well-ventilated area) It took a few cats to get the hang of using it, but going in a circular motion seemed to work the best.
The paper stumps have to be sanded down after every color, so it does make a bit of "dusty" mess in your work space. Be sure to have your dust buster handy if that bugs you!
Have you ever used Gamsol? Any tips/tricks are welcome!
Steph
xo
Here is the latest kitty doodle! A 9x12 cute Tortie, inspired by our beautiful cat Summer Girl.
(aka Summer Lovin', Summer Breeze and Miss CrankyPants...LOL)
This was my first time using Watercolor Paper: Fabriano 140lb Hot Press, and I really enjoyed it!
If you are unfamiliar with the difference between Hot and Cold pressed Watercolor paper, it's very simple: Cold=Textured Hot=Smooth (I'm sure there are other variables that distinguish them, but I'm still learning)
The paint and water flow differently when you're working on a smooth surface, so I'm sure there will be a bit of a learning curve while I work through the paper pad.
Along with the Fabriano paper, I used my lovely Twinkling H20s and favorite Pilot pen. I still can't seem to leave the dark pen marks off my page. I love the soft watercolor look on other artists work, but I never feel like my pieces are finished until I messy mark them up with black!
