Spring Is Just Around the Corner

Hi there. I’ve been away from blogging for a few months for various reasons, and I hope you have been happy and healthy. On Thanksgiving night we made an offer on a new home. The process of buying a new house, moving, and then selling our old home was much more time consuming than I remember when we moved 25 years ago, but I was much younger then. Actually, the selling of our old house was a breeze because my son and daughter-in-law, who are expecting our first grandchild, a boy, in just a few days, wanted to buy it. It’s been fun helping them get settled in their new home, and I know they will be very happy there as they start their family. We are quite eager to meet Baby Boy!

These pansies were painted following a negative watercolor tutorial taught by Viv Cooper of Art with Viv. I’ve been following her for many years on Facebook and Instagram. She is a patient, encouraging instructor and explains clearly her process, and she keeps us students laughing with her sense of humor and quick wit.

Pansies

I’m looking forward to seeing what kinds of flowers pop up as the weather warms. Currently, daffodil leaves are poking through the soil, and I’m hoping that some of the dormant bushes and trees in our new yard are flowering types. Spring holds promises of rebirth of our world and surroundings, an I’m feeling very hopeful and blessed.

Berries and Branches

Sometimes I like to follow along with tutorials because then I don’t have to do so much planning. These berries and branches were inspired by a Skillshare class, and I plan to cut them down and make them into greeting card toppers.

Berries and Branches

Berries and Branches

Berries and Branches

Berries and Branches

Berries and Branches

I plan to get a lot of use out of Skillshare this fall and winter because of staying in more. It’s a great way to learn new things or just paint along for the fun of it.

Third Week Recap of World Watercolor Month

Charlie, the founder of Doodlewash and World Watercolor Month, has given us thought-provoking prompts this year; these are my interpretations for the third week. The paintings are not meant to be masterpieces. The point is to simply enjoy the process of painting and not worry about the end product so much.

Forgotten – Rain Gear

It’s a horrible thing to forget rain gear when it is pouring!

Machine – Screws

Most machines are held together by these.

Spontaneous – Ice Cream Run

On the spur of the moment, hopping in the car to get some ice cream!

Soft – Pillows

Favorite Scent – Magnolia

Magnolia flowers emit an exhilarating, heady floral/citrus scent. I wish we had a magnolia tree in our yard.

Wiggle – Bobber

We spent many hours as kids watching bobbers wiggle around in the lake, and it was so exciting when the tail end went vertical!

Organic – Mushrooms

It seems that people either enjoy the taste of mushrooms or dislike them immensely. I rather enjoy them. How about you?

Thanks for stopping by, and please be well!

World Watercolor Month is an annual global charitable event featuring the ultimate challenge of 31 Watercolors is 31 Days!  Artists around the globe come together to paint the world with beautiful watercolor and help raise awareness for arts education to get art supplies for kids who need them.  If you want to know more or help deserving children get art supplies, please check out the official WWCM website here.

Draw A Bird, July 2020, Plus the 1st Week’s Recap of World Watercolor Month

Hi friends. For this month’s Draw A Bird day, I painted an osprey portrait. When on vacation, we enjoy watching osprey fly over the ocean looking for big fish. Even better is when you see them flying away with their tasty meal (although a feel a little bad for the fish). We also like to see another type of osprey practicing maneuvers up and down the beach, as you will see in the last picture below.

Osprey

Charlie, the founder of Doodlewash and World Watercolor Month (WWCM), has given us thought-provoking prompts this year for WWCM, and here are my interpretations for the first week. These paintings are not meant to be masterpieces. The point is to simply enjoy the process of painting and not worry about the end product so much.

Rejoice – “The world rejoices in flowers”

Texture – Rust

Playful – Jumping in the Surf

Quiet – Tea and Reading

My Favorite Color – Blue

Flow – Shower

Free – Marines practice Osprey maneuvers over the beach we visit

World Watercolor Month is an annual global charitable event featuring the ultimate challenge of 31 Watercolors in 31 days.   Artists around the globe come together to paint the world with beautiful watercolor and help raise awareness for arts education to get art supplies for kids who need them.  If you want to know more or help deserving children obtain art supplies, please check out the official WWCM website here. See you next week with a recap of week 2. Stay safe out there!

Summertime Splashes

Hello there! I’ve enjoyed playing along with the Doodlewash prompts for June and posting on Instagram. These little paintings are done quickly, for the most part, and are not meant to be masterpieces. The point is to simply enjoy the process of painting and not worry about the end product so much. Here are some that I’ve painted in June.

Playing Cards

Tiger Eye

Brownie

Pencils

Beach Ball

Buttons

Cookie

Chrysanthemum

Looking back at these, I laugh because the prompt of chrysanthemum gave me the hardest time. I tried it few times and all attempts were pathetic. Then, the next day, I sat down to conquer it as soon as I woke up, and the flower just kind of flowed off the brush. Why can’t that happen every time?

Today, July 1, starts the celebration of World Watercolor Month, and I’ll post weekly recaps of the prompts here on WordPress while posting daily on Instagram. The July prompts are rather vague, and I am eager to see the interpretations of other artists. I hope you are having an awesome summer so far, even with all the oddities we seem to have nowadays. Be well!

Tulip

Hello! I hope you are doing well. Is life starting to feel more normal? Here in Ohio many services and business are reopening, of course with social distancing, masks, and other concessions, and although I am not afraid to be out and about, I think I’ll to continue to stay home as much as possible and bundle my errands to do all at once.

I’ve been working in my art journal lately but have also worked on some bigger pieces of artwork, like this tulip.

Tulip

Special thanks to photographer, Charlie O’Shields, for the interesting perspective of his reference photo.

Playful Splashes – Sketching Stuff Activity Books

Charlie from Doodlewash has written two activity books (for people of all ages) called Sketching Stuff Nature and Sketching Stuff Food. I’ve always admired Charlie’s “coloring book illustrations” and his watercolor style, leaving in so much white for brightness. He is a master of illustrating and painting transparent objects like glass, ice, etc. Although our painting styles are quite different, I enjoyed reading about his process and how he creates his artwork.

Scribble art is something we all probably did in elementary school. The goal is to scribble on paper without lifting the pencil and then find objects in the abstract shapes. When I started scribbling on my watercolor paper, my husband looked at me like I had gone mad! Right away I saw Mary holding Baby Jesus, so I painted those images and then decided to paint all of the sections hoping to make it look like stained glass. Honestly, this was a fun project and very relaxing, too.

Scribble Art

Charlie does his drawings in waterproof inks and then colors them in. I usually draw with pencil and then add watercolor, but I liked the look of my paintings outlined with waterproof pens.

Pen and Watercolor Flower
from Sketching Stuff Activity Book Nature

Pen and Watercolor Acorn
from Sketching Stuff Activity Book Nature

Pen and Watercolor Bananas
from Sketching Stuff Activity Book Food

Pen and Watercolor Onions
from Sketching Stuff Activity Book Food

These paintings were done by following the tutorials in the Sketching Stuff books, and I wish I had this knowledge when starting out. Honestly, if you or your children want to learn to make fun and interesting doodle and illustration artwork, these books will get you started. With so many people under the stay-at-home orders, now is the perfect time! All you need is some paper, drawing and coloring mediums of your choice, and your imagination. Stay well!