Sunday, July 31, 2011

Have a look in my sketchbook

I keep a sketchbook that I use to develop artwork. Have a look.

Sketchbook

I practice new techniques, doodle, create etc. in these. Looking through them later helps me develop new ideas. The sketchbooks I have been using lately are hand•book journal co. They have a very nice, acid-free paper that accepts gouache, watercolor and ink very well without bleeding onto the back or the next page. They have a nice canvas hard cover and come in a variety of interesting sizes. They even have a clear plastic pocket in the back to keep your items of interest from nature walks.

Chicken Love (Illustration Friday)

They are obsessed with their chickens and their chickens are obsessed with them!
haha!

Chicken Love

Monday, July 25, 2011

New Work

Little people I have painted for the past few days. Sorry about the not so glamorous photo...its late and I am tired! Just wanted to post these tonight!

chicken love (closer)

painted characters

goodnight!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

A Precious Summer Night

The most busy time of year for me are the summers. Almost all of our family's birthdays are in the spring and summer and we kick it off with March and move throughout the entire summer with party after party. It is a beautiful thing. There is nothing more important to me than those people whose birthdays we celebrate with our whole hearts. We celebrate with elaborate food, icy drinks, swimming, presents, fireworks, warm nights filled with lanterns on trees, music, love and pure joy. I spend most of all this time getting ready for these events. Yesterday was one of those great events. It was no one's birthday, but a family get together with my brother who lives so many (hundreds of) miles away. I relish and savor the time, knowing there are only so many of these moments we get in life. One of the things we did was go into my studio and look at my art. One of my adorable nephews had made me a BEAUTIFUL drawing. Everyone wanted to look at art. He is so wonderful, he loves art and music. I think he is going to be so good at it, and my brother kept saying "he doesn't get it from me..." Everyone was so encouraging about my art that I realized that I don't encourage myself enough. I abandon this blog for months at a time...I abandon my art for months...I actually sit and stare at paper and I want to make something...but I can squeeze nothing out. Do any of you experience such things? I make my living in visual communications and sometimes I think it is enough...but no, not really...it's not. So I think I should promise myself that I will spend more time creating...if for no one else...myself. Recently I bought myself some new paint...I think I will celebrate!

A little girl I was making...experimenting with new gouache paint. I really really really like the paint. I will let you know more about what I like about it when I have used it a bit. One of the best things about it is that it is opaque.

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Gouache.

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Acrylic (some cheap paint from the hobby store...but look at the fantastic colors!

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