Trying out Watercolor on Coarse Handmade Paper

About a year ago, I read about Khadi paper on someone's blog (sorry I really don't remember whose it was) and decided to order some with the idea of using it in a handmade book, but when it arrived, it was so coarse I didn't think it would do. I put it up on a shelf and forgot about it. That is, until this weekend. I was rummaging around in my stash of paper to find something to do some practicing on and rediscovered this paper.  First I tried a couple of still life paintings without sketching first.

This began as an apple and a pear, but I thought the apple looked more like a tomato so added a tomato-like stem. This one is in traditional watercolor with just a bit of Neocolor II in the shadow area.

This one started out as a pear, but turned into a vase, with a pear beside it and then a silver watering can behind. This one was done completely with Neocolor IIs with just a touch of water added afterward.

Last evening I decided to try a beach scene on a larger piece of the same paper. I began by thoroughly wetting both sides of the paper. I had already penciled in a light sketch. The watercolors didn't act at all like I wanted them to. I ended up putting random spots of blue and gray in the sky and then spritzing it. I then did a quick color blocking of the middle and foreground.

The horizon line needs a bit of straightening.

I've decided to treat this as an underpainting and work over it either with soft pastels or Neocolors. I think overall I like the composition, but not the colors.

Late, late last night I did some sketches on watercolor paper and a quick sketch in a journal, but those will have to wait for another day. I'm going to get a bite before exercise class and just sit for a bit and catch up on the blogs to which I subscribe.

xoxo

Quick Colored Pencil Sketch

I decided to make my Mom a hand made card in which to send her bird drawings and decided to try a jack-in-the-pulpit. She and I both really like them.




I used colored pencils - wish I'd used my Neocolor IIs. Maybe I'll try another just to see the difference.

Babysat today at my daughter's house. Afterwards I took my overfull car to Goodwill to drop off 3 large garbage bags full of clothes and a box full of hangers.

Busy day - biting my nails watching the Red Wings game.

That's all I have for today.

Bye!

Another Rainy Spring Day

I went for a short walk around the yard with the hubster this morning in a fine mist. By the time we had only walked around about 1/2 of it, the mist had turned to rain. It sounded like Spring, it looked like Spring and it smelled like Spring. Ergo, it is Spring.

Yesterday morning I decided to mix up my workout a bit, so instead of doing Cathe's workout, I got out a ball workout and did that one. It was a great workout and I am a little bit sore today. I used 5 lb weights for the lighter weights and 10 lb weights for the heavier weights. The woman who leads the workout has a British accent and at one point while working on the glutes, makes a comment about how this exercise is so great for the "back yard". I love that expression for referencing the bum, don't you? I followed up the ball workout with a 30 minute walk on the treadmill. I am really getting anxious to see this month's results when I do the weigh and measure next week. I am reminding myself that muscle weighs more than fat, so the number may not have changed much, but I am expecting the measurements to have changed considerably! We'll see. At any rate, I am addicted to working out every other day now and that is not going to change regardless of this month's results.

I worked on my Face in progress yesterday and am pleased with the eyes and mouth so far.


The next lesson we will be using Neocolor II crayons to add another layer of color to the face and to shadow and highlight the lips. At least, that is what I think we are going to do.

I also spent a bit of time in my art journal last evening. It had been quite a long time since I felt I had time to play in it. I dropped some Rosy Posy craft paint on each page and used a scraper to move it around. When it dried I applied a bit of Sunflower craft paint and did a similar thing. I really like those two colors together - kind of Springy, maybe even Eastery (I know, it is a made up word, but you get the idea, don't you?). Later in the evening while trying to decide whether to paste cuttings from magazines or doodle (I am still anxious about trying to doodle, but am determined to just try it - some day), I decided to do a big face and then color the eyes, lips and hair using Neocolor II crayons. I purchased a cute set of alphabet stamps called Fun Type from Michael's yesterday (that's a whole 'nother story), and decided to give them a try. They are cylinders of wood with a letter at both ends. For all of the letters up to the "d" in haired, I just looked at the letter on the other end and if it was upright, I got the upright letter when I stamped using the other end. However, as you can see, even though I was looking at the "c" on the other end of the stamp in the correct orientation, I got an upside down "d" which looks like the letter "p". My 6 year old grandgirl thought it was a hoot!




I do like the look of the stamps, though!

A reminder, if you haven't left a comment on the giveaway post from several days ago, you still have time. I will be drawing the winner on Friday. Good luck!

Bye!

CED2009

I took Sunday off from the treadmill. I am planning to do six days a week, alternating between a program one day and a no incline 3.5 mph for 1.5 miles the next. I am not planning to step on the scale or take measurements until the end of January. That will give me an entire month of walking and doing the programs to see what the results are.

Meanwhile, I had the girls all day yesterday, but did get in my art room near the end of the day and made a two-page spread using circles and colors. For the most part I wanted to play with my Neocolor II pencils and my water soluble oil pastels. Both of these are quite fun to pay with. Once I had the circles drawn and colored in the different sections, I cut words associated with color from a magazine and glued them to the pages using PPA. I then used PPA to adhere the color words in the shape of a flower. As a final step, I wrote "colorful" words in the centers of the circles. I left the middle of the entire drawing blank. I am not sure what will go in this spot, but when I find it, I will recognize it and will add it.



I am planning to go to Hobby Lobby today to pick up some supplies to do more work with the dominoes I am working on and to purchase some Chinese brushwork supplies. I also need some watercolor paper for a swap I am in with art techniques. I am to make 25 winter themed pages in 4 x 7 size. This is for a skinny book and they are due at the end of the month.

For now, don't forget to live in the moment!

AEDM and ATC progress

Yesterday while the baby napped, Tweetie Peetie and I did some painting. Actually she did some painting and I supervised. She likes to be watched and complimented - don't we all *-)

She used a combination of my Neocolor II crayons and watercolor pencils. I have to be careful not to lead her while she makes art. I am always tempted to give color advice and must bite my tongue. She does not necessarily want to use "real" colors and prefers lots of color when she paints.



Last evening I spent a little time adding to the ATCs I have in progress. I think some of them are done, but am not sure yet. The few that I put a golden wash on are a little hard to see, especially the "In the Garden" one, so I took a picture (a little blurry) of it separately so that it shows better. I really love to use the Golden Fluid Acrylics Iridescent paints with a bit of water to make a wash over a finished ATC. The look is much nicer than I can show in a photo.


It is Saturday morning. DD soon has to go to work and I have her two little girls plus my son's 5 year old for the day. I don't think I am going to get much art time, but I will surely be creative as I play and interact with these precious girls. I will be totally pooped this evening, but will have tomorrow morning to finish some of these so that I can post them on Monday.

Until I see you again, don't forget to live in the moment.

AEDM6 and the Fat (Obese) Book

I had the most wonderful delivery by the postal service today. It was the fat book that I participated in with 119 other artists. Each of us made 120 4 x 4 pages with an example of a technique on one side and the instructions on the other. Can you imagine what a book with 120 techniques with examples and instructions would cost???
I am in awe and can't wait to try some of them. There were too many to try to bind them, so I borrowed an idea from another member of the swap and put them in an 8 x 8 scrapbook with 8 in each page protector - 4 on each side back to back.


I also did a little bit of drawing today. I tried my hand at making a picture ala Brenda of The Crafty Chook. I am not totally happy with it, but I think it is not bad. I think I will try coloring it with my new Neocolor IIs and see how I like them. I have been thinking about a technique I read about online somewhere (sorry it was a long time ago) in which you cut a picture out of a magazine and gesso lightly over it so the features still show a bit through and then use pens or colored pencils or acrylics or watercolors to do your own rendering of the photo. I may have to try that sometime as a change of pace.



We had another beautiful day in the low 70s today. The weatherman predicts that this is the last one for a very long time. We are expecting 50s tomorrow and then 40s and rain for a couple of days after that. I knew it couldn't last forever.

I have blood work, a mammogram and a dexascan (bone density) in the morning, so need to get settled for the night.

I'll say tata for now and don't forget to live in the moment.