ATCs and Art of a Different Kind…

Zentangle ATC – Ink on Bristol Smooth

and

Bleeding Heart Flower ATC – Colored Pencil on Bristol Smooth

These images keep getting worse….I’m sorry about that, hopefully I will get this resolved soon. These ATC’s are the cards that I sent Chrissy Marie. I think the Zentangle was her favorite out of the two and it’s mine too. Love those Zentangles!

Thank Goodness we only have a couple more things to do before we are finally able to put the house up for sale. Yipee!!! They are pretty big jobs and will have to wait for the weekend. So this week has been pretty easy. I could not bring myself to finish the W.I.P. of my retriever. Maybe I’ll be in the mood to finish it soon…I hate to leave unfinished projects. I did get a strange request this week that I could not resist. I have been asked to draw a lot of things (mostly dogs) but this was the first time I got a request to draw and design a tattoo. And let me tell you, I had a blast! I’ve always thought I would have been a pretty good tattoo artist. Not to mention, with what they cost now a days? Good Living to say the least. What bothers me is the places people choose to get them. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEK! I’m a tad bit bashful…well…. a lot bashful and I don’t think a tattoo done with my eyes closed would look too good… Anyway, I can’t wait to show you the design, but it has to stay under wraps until it’s on the skin. Heck, forget the fame and fortune! You know you’ve made it when someone wants your artwork with them forever….I’m just joking of course, but it’s still pretty cool. Have a great weekend and I’m wishing blue skies for everyone!

Be Well and Happy!

My IPod…

EDM #97 Draw a present you have received. Why is it special?

Graphite and ink on sketch

David bought this for me a couple of years ago for Christmas and it is still a very special gift. I always keep my IPod in my purse and whenever I’m bored or stuck in the car traveling I am able to pull out this little piece of technology and I’m instantly entertained. I guess I’m like a three-year old in that aspect and I always have to have something to do in a car or I will get really cranky. Cars make me claustrophobic after a while and I have to take my mind off of being in a metal box rolling at high speed. I have lots of music, movies, games, books and a few photos that keeps me perfectly content for hours so it’s the coolest thing ever, except maybe the ITouch….

Theatre Masks…

Theatre Masks

Pigma Micron on Bristol Smooth

(click on image to enlarge)

Just how awesome can a Zentangle be? I guess this AWESOME! Though I have way too many hours in this and I’m very excited how it turned out. My niece Leigh is studying theatre in college and was the inspiration behind this piece. I was looking at her pictures on Facebook and I was thinking how cool…the pancake make-up… the costumes…the lighting…..Then, BAM! the Theatre Masks were born. I like when ideas sneak up on you and hit you like a ton of bricks! Leigh is such a beautiful individual inside and out and I’m very excited to see what her future holds because I guarantee that it will be just spectacular!

BTW, I’m still working on the Van Gogh painting and it’s still going horrible, but I’m trying to hang in there!

ROCK ON…

Rocks

Colored pencil, watercolor with watercolor pencil, pastel and ink

on Strathmore 140 lb. coldpress watercolor paper

My rock models were variations of grey, black and brown. I thought it was really boring so I added different colors. It looks more like something you would find in a fish bowl. This took me three days to complete and I can’t decide if I like it or not, but it was good playing with all those mediums at one time.

It was brought to my attention that my poor blog has been neglected, and it has. I had been doing so well with keeping up with my posts up until this month, and I promise I will try to do better, but this is what’s been going on:

1.) I have three portraits I have been working on. Pretty easy… One lil white dog, and one portrait drawn twice. It’s for my cousin, and we are trading services, she is making me two handmade wall hangings and I am drawing her portraits. I’m sure the portraits are Christmas presents so I can’t show that, but I’m pretty sure I can post the dog after she gets it.

2.) I was trying to participate in the Drawing from the Masters group. This month its Van Gogh. Almost two weeks of work, and it looks h-o-r-r-i-b-l-e!! (so far) I’m not disppointed I knew it would be a big stretch for me BUT even if the painting tanks, I’ve studied the life of the artist and you’ll will have to suffer through a mini report.

3.) I have been trying to think of a new name for my blog, trying to come up with my own banner and changing the format. I like the black, but I think it just too hard to read.

4.) I have been working on a way over the top, Top Secret project that even the hubby knows nothing about it!

Throw in sickness, soccer, and school and that’s about it. I will try to better, I promise.

It’s Friday…

Zentangle 7-30-2009

Pigma Micron and graphite in derwent small journal

This is another Zentangle that I threw together while watching TV. It’s a little odd looking but who cares:)

Nothing goin’ on this week really, except for cleaning out somethings. I did go to the library and checked out a few books on Acrylic painting and one on abstract landscapes that I am really excited to dive into. But we’ll see. Abstract is on my “Art Bucket List” so I will atleast have to try it again (the right way) instead of this way and this way.

We are picking Alana up Sunday, and I’m pretty excited. I miss the little thing terribly! My Grandma use to tell me that the reason I had her was to have somebody to play with and I’m starting think she knew what she was talking about. I’m sure she had a great time. We will have Somer next week, so I don’t know how much time I have for art, but it will be a good time none the less.

Have a great weekend!

A Zen Weekend…

Zentangle I

Pigma Micron in Derwent small journal

(Click on the images to enlarge them)

I came across the Zentangle about a year ago from a twelve year old artist’s blog. I wish I could remember her blog because she has some outstanding Zentangle artwork. The Zentangle has been on my “Art Bucket List” and now I can mark it off (yay me).

The only way that I can explain it is that it sort of like doodling with purpose, and you have no idea of the outcome. Well, that’s not exactly true you are guaranteed not to mess it up. Beware though, they are extremely addictive. The supplies needed to create your own Zentangle is smooth card stock, and a fine felt tip pen and a pencil if you want for shading. The directions are fairly simple make a shape fill in with squiggles and fill them in with doodles.

If you want your zentangle as a keepsake, I recommend acid free paper and use archival ink to keep the paper from turning yellow and your ink from fading. The second Zentangle was drawn while traveling to Farmville to celebrate the birthday of David’s Mom and Aunt. Sadly, David’s Aunt and her husband couldn’t make it, but just about the whole family was there. We had such a good time visiting with the family. It was just a feel good kind of day and I really hope we can have times like that more often.

This is a photo of the family. Thank goodness Vicki had brought her camera and tripod. Thank You Vicki, for the pictures! I brought my camera but only took one picture. Now how pitiful is that! I should be ashamed of myself because I was too busy running my mouth. lol

After the party, we drove to South Boston to meet up with my brother and his wife to drop off Alana for a week so she could spend some time with her cousin Somer. Then we will meet up again and Somer will stay with us for a week. The traveling is a pain, but a promise is a promise.

The weekend ended with swimming, dinner off the grill and a movie. It just doesn’t get any better than that.

Well, for now that’s about it. I’m sorry this post is rather long winded, but I thought I’d share my Zen Weekend.

You say tomato, I say mater . . .

EDM #14 Draw what you see in the morning when you get up

EDM #17 Draw a musical instrument

EDM #206 We call it (a)

EDM # 14 is my vitamins. I have to keep them on my dresser so I will remember to take them. EDM #17 Is the electric guitar that my daughter got for Christmas.

EDM#206 is a new challenge and we call it suppa not dinner. Back home lunch is dinner and we call it dinna. We went out to eat with some friends on the 40th birthday of my sister and myself. It was a very nice restaurant in a renovated old church. We had so much fun and at the end, the husband of a couple ask me how I liked the food. I said, “Suppa was really good.” He turned to me and said, “Suppa, what the hell is suppa?!” I am almost sure he knew what I was referring to, but chose a smart remark to belittle me, so I replied, Suppa is when you share food with people you love and dinner is food you share with people you don’t and then I walked off. Of course I didn’t mean it, but I wasn’t going to let him talk down to me I think he was drunk. Idiot!

Let me see if I can remember more stuff : going shopping=goin’ to town, tractor trailer=transfairy truck, aluminium=a -lyewn-yum, yours=yalls-is, and=’n, bologna-bolonie, alot=a mess, ing=in’, tomato=mater, potato=tater. If my Granny Lucy was still around I’d have a bunch for you.

I guess you can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take country out of the girl, and that is completely a okay with me.

My remote and a tulip.

EDM#103-Draw some exercise equipment you use.

Graphite on sketch

Yep, there’s my excercise equipment. My thumb is the strongest in town!

Tulip

Crayola crayon and ink on Bristol Smooth

The ink didn’t get along with the wax of the crayon, so I have a few marks of ink but not much. This and all my sketches are to go in with a project that I am working on for my daughter. She is always asking for my drawings, so I bought a scrap book and I am filling it with sketches. I think (hope) she will like it, because I am really having fun making it.

Fall is Coming. . .

EDM #34 Draw a fall leaf

Water color and Ink on Strathmore 140lb. cold press

ACEO (Art Cards, Editions and Originals)

(Click image to enlarge)

I was in the mood to paint. So I decided to follow the lead of the many bloggers and I went a searchin’ for some fall leaves. I didn’t have much luck finding the perfect fall leaf with the perfect fall colors. You’d think with nine trees in the background I’d find atleast one nice leaf. I didn’t. So these two are the best of the worst.

I am looking forward to fall. I have no idea why because I don’t like to be cold…no….I hate to be cold. I guess I am just ready for homemade soup with a side of cheese toast and dressin’ up dog for halloween.

Butterfly

“Butterfly” Mixed Media Watercolor and Ink on Bristol Smooth

from photo taken by V. Welsh

This is from a photo taken by my sister-in-law, and I hope she doesn’t mind me drawing or posting this. I have drawn this before in colored pencil and had to scrap it because I chopped the background. Thank goodness I saved the drawing.

I wanted to experiment with watercolor and to paint something that I couldn’t mess up. I think it turned out nice, but it looks more like a tattoo than a drawing. It would be pretty cool as a tattoo wouldn’t it? Note to hubby: Don’t worry I’ll save my art for paper and canvas; not my skin.

Anyway, This was really fun and quick, but the drawback to watercolor and ink is that if you mess it up, it is difficult to impossible to fix. I wish I could stick with one medium and learn it well. But I really don’t know what my favorite is yet, and possibilities are endless. It may take me a while.

Carol Ottaway

Back to the drawing board…

Category: Ink