Catching up

I've been creating - just no time for blogging lately.


I learned how to do a repeat pattern in Photoshop. I drew the puzzle piece outline in Procreate on my iPad, then filled it with gray in PS

I'm preparing for a special "diner en blanc" next week - here's a start on the table setting:

Saturday, I did watercolors with some of my granddaughters = here's a Santa inspired by Patience Brewster designs

falling leaves - three ways

I'm catching up - didn't quite get anything finished yesterday

My second assignment for "The Art of Holiday Goodness" is to paint falling leaves using acrylics. 

I laid down some thick white paint for texture in my art journal yesterday and today added the color and outlining.

I kind of like the results - but I think the watercolor version is prettier. I like the way the watercolors move and blend.

I decided to do one more version using markers (to make up for doing nothing yesterday). Markers are the easiest to use - but, so far, watercolors win.

art of holiday goodness

I just started a wonderful online class today - "The Art of Holiday Goodness" by Junelle Jacobsen and Christy Tomlinson.

It's just what I need to jumpstart my creativity.

Here's my first 'homework' assignment.

Can't wait to see what is next!

just sketching

I'm working on more natural movement in poses - trying to get a bit more lifelike

Catalogs are great sources for models

Sketchbook

I love Moleskine notebooks - my current one is the extra large Cahier with a natural cover - it came in a set of three for about $18 at Barnes and Nobel. Moleskine uses great quality paper in their cahiers, but it's not really designed to take paint. However sometimes I paint anyway but only use one side of each page. Pencil drawings can go back to back.

practice  practice

I just bought six Moleskine large Cahiers in white - love!  I used my Michaels half off coupons during the week.

my first pattern!

My daughter, Jennifer is the owner of Taylor Joelle Designs - a children's clothing company.

I help her design the clothes, but she's always gone to the outside for her surface patterns. We have lots of ideas, but didn't know how to translate them into repeating patterns.

So I decided to learn how to create surface patterns in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

AND I FINALLY DID IT!

This is just my first try - it needs lots of work. We'd like a watercolor looking print for a summer 2014 mini collection.

I sketched some clothing design ideas last week - now we need to see how it all works together.

Creating a repeat pattern in Adobe Photoshop 6

I followed the instructions in these two videos:

simple sunset

My first post on this blog

Most days I create a least something little

I thought it might help my progress (and motivation) to document my creations

and I thought it would be helpful to share my process and review the materials I use

Friday, November 8, 2013

Today I did my weekly trek to Michaels and Joann's to use their coupons

Distress paint
I've been wanting to try Tim Holtz distress paint so I bought a bottle in my favorite color - turquoise (Broken China)

These paints have a dabber top so I blotted and spread it over the paper. I splashed water on the paint and expected it to move and do interesting things, but the paint dried almost instantly. Maybe it was my paper -  I used Mohawk Felt 80 cover cool white paper for the larger sketch and an index card for the smaller one. I need to experiment a little more to see if I want to buy more colors.

Copic marker
I had bought one Copic marker (in R22 light prawn) a few weeks ago from Hobby Lobby. Why only one? -  they are pricey @ $6.99 each and I wanted to test it out. I liked it but didn't notice a huge difference between the Copic and the Tombow.

I did the sun with the Copic marker along with an old orange Tombow marker (933). Water highlights are from a Tim Holtz distress marker (tumbled glass).

I doodled over the sun and water with two different Gelly Roll white pens - I'm in search of a good white pen. Neither showed up very well but the regular pen did better than the Souffle version. I've ordered a few more white pens/pencils to try in the future - a Signo Uniball and a Stabilo pencil.