Fashion Collage Sketchbook

Here is a little sketchbook I did using some found papers (for the background) and blue paper with pencil for the illustrations of the lovely ladies.  I love playing around with mixed media in my sketchbook:)  

Fuji Apple Sketchbook

I think it is important to draw what you love.  Writers write what they know, artists should draw/paint what they know and love.

So today I drew part of my breakfast!  A lovely Fuji apple:)  They are my favorite except of course for Honeycrisp apples.  I cannot wait until the fall when those come out:)

 I used pen and my favorite Prisma colored pencils.  I am a very messy and sketchy drawer if you cannot tell:)  Patience is something I am still trying to master!

Have a fabulous Friday!

Summer Days

The one thing I LOVE about summer vacation is that I get to sleep in as late as I want and there is usually no hurry to get up and go!  I get to relax and drink my latte while watching the news.  That is what I am doing right now:)  Sleeping in late means 7/ 7:30 am though because Mr. Jack Henry likes to get me up early to go outside.  Today he got me up at 6:30...ahhh!

This is how Mr. Jack Henry usually spends his time.

I hope you are enjoying your summer as well!  Today I am going to continue working on my projects for my online masters class.  I cannot wait to be done with it!  I also hope to work on some more artwork and to finally list some new artwork in my etsy shop.  I actually have some prints to sell in my shop and I am excited to post them!

Well here is another little artwork I worked on yesterday in my summer studio.  

 

This 5 x 5 original painting is part of my Head in the Clouds series. I am obsessed with clouds right now.  They can be so happy sometimes:)

Well I am off to start my day!  Have a great one!

Bloggity Blog on a Wednesday

Hello!  Hope everyone is having a great week so far!  I have been crazy busy trying to finish some school work for one of my summer classes.  I cannot wait to be done with it!  I just thought I would post a new mini painting I just completed.

This mini painting is called "Afternoon Tea" and will be in my etsy shop as soon as I get a chance to post it!

Meanwhile, I also have fall on my mind already!  Here is a little fall tree painting/collage:

I hope to put this in my shop soon also!  Oh lots to do, lots to do indeed! Well back to work I go!  Have a great day:)

Collage of artwork

Here is a little photo collage of some of my artwork.  I think it is fun to see a group of artwork done by one artist all together.  It really shows the feeling and style of the artist.  

Little Red Bird

I just finished this little painting/collage tonight!  Planning on adding it to my etsy store soon:)

Purple Bird in Garden/Mini Painting

New artwork that can be found in my etsy store!

 

This is a little mini 5 x 5 inch painting.  I think it would look so cute in a little white or black frame:)

Hope you all had a great weekend.  I have been reading and painting a ton! Just what summer is for, right?!   Time for me to work on my summer class tomorrow though:(  Boo!  

Garden Scene

Here is a little summer garden scene I just completed.  I would just love to have a little bistro table and chairs out in my garden.  There are some adorable bistro sets available to purchase I might just have to splurge and get one for myself:)  Until then I have this little painting:

Have a great Saturday!

Mini Garden Painting

Well, the week is almost over!  Wow..it is really flying by!  Hope all is well with you, I have just been painting away in my little studio!  Here is a mini painting inspired by my garden that I just completed:

Up close:

I just love summer...I feel like everywhere you look there is some sort of inspiration:)  Well I am off, I have LOTS of errands to do but hopefully I will get some painting time in today:)

Bistro Scene

I have been busy working away in my studio! 


Here is one of my newest paintings:

Up close:

Have a great Wednesday:)

Set Sail

                                                              Another collage:)

This collage was inspired by my husband's love for sailing.  He wants to buy a sailboat in the worst way!  Maybe someday:)

Have a great Monday!

Sunday Painting and Collage Techniques

Hello!  Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend:)  Today the husband spent most of the day watching the final World Cup soccer match so I was able to paint out in my studio ALL day long!  *Lovely*

First I made myself a lovely and refreshing drink to keep me going:

This little drink is made up of cranberry juice and club soda with a squeeze of lime!  I am obsessed with club soda right now.  It makes everything fizzy:)  Also it is KEY to have a fun straw..straws make everything better:)

In my studio I decided to work on some collages.

I am using found papers from magazines, old envelopes, and basically anything pretty that catches my eye:)

Here is the matte medium I use to glue down my papers.  I use a paint brush to apply the medium to the back of my papers and also apply this on top of the papers to give a nice hold.  I also use the back of my paintbrush to burnish the top of the papers so they stick down.  Matte medium dries clear so it is a wonderful material to use for collage:)

After I have my collage pieces down, I use acrylic paint to paint over parts of my collage.  Here are some finished painted collages:

Once I have my painted collages,  I begin to paint my subject matter on a separate piece of paper with acrylics or watercolors.  

For this piece I chose to paint a coffee mug and saucer.

I also LOVE to use Golden fluid acrylics.  They are amazing for fine detail!

When my coffee cup was dry, I used an x-acto blade to cut it out and then I glued it to one of my finished collages with matte medium:

I also added some writing to my little painting with white fluid acrylic paint:

So that is what I did today:)  

Scenes from my backyard...

 

What a lovely day I had in my backyard!  It was sunny and warm and I was able to finish a book. Love sunny Saturdays:)  Hope you had a great day!

Floral Still Lifes

Hello!  Happy Friday to you!  Hope you had a lovely week!  I have been busy in the studio creating many little floral still life paintings.  Most of these are not in my "usual" collage style.  I love to paint with acrylics and was just playing around with some different pictures I found in some of my old Martha Stewart magazines.   Her magazines always have such wonderful photo references:)

Here is a still life more in my usual collage/abstract style:  

Still Life 1

The rest are just some fun practice paintings I did using acrylic paint:

Still Life 2

Still Life 3

Still Life 4 (copied from a vintage painting I found in a magazine)

Well I wish you a wonderful weekend!  I am off to work on some more paintings:)

Another Alfresco Scene

Today I have been working in my studio and wanted to post an artwork that I just finished and a couple of pieces that I just started:) 

Here is my newest painting:  Wine Cafe Alfresco (I am obsessed with dining alfresco...especially in a quaint little forest!)

 

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Here is a little series of 6 that I am working on.  These are just the backgrounds, I will be adding something fun on top when they dry:)

 

Well I am off to work some more in my studio!  I will post pictures later after I work on my series a little more!  Have a great day!

Happy 4th of July!

Hope you have a lovely and relaxing 4th of July!  This flag was actually used as a postcard promotion for my school's annual spring art show.  Our theme was the "Great All-American Art Show."  I thought it would be fitting to post on this special holiday!

Now go and enjoy some fireworks!

Working in the studio...

Today was an absolutely gorgeous day to be working in my summer studio! 

Here are some of the mini paintings I worked on:

I also picked some lavender from my garden....I am in LOVE with lavender!  So fragrant! 

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Well I am off to start my weekend, have a HAPPY 4th of July!