Tag Archives: drawings

May30

What About Prep Work?

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Prep work?  What do you Mean?

We always talk about inspiration, subject matter,  paints, their color,  pigmentation.  All these things are important.  But as a mixed media artist I know how much other stuff is needed just to start painting.

Do you save everything?  Are you obsessed with all kinds of things to put into your artwork?  How about fabric, have you tried that yet?    It seems that isn’t the thing I think about when I’m getting ready to create.  In reality, if you are a mixed media artist,  you collect everything.   Everything!  

My husband is very tolerant of all the mess I create.  Many times my studio is so disorganized, I move into the kitchen or dinning room.   In my defense, my studio is very small!  So small I find myself moving slowly, and very quietly into the best spots in our home.  Still not any complaining from my husband.   Doesn’t he sound like a great guy?  He is!

I have been sitting here tearing out words that look good to me in an attempt to construct a large piece of paper I can copy, tear, and insert into my mixed media work.   I don’t like to do it, and it takes time to tear and paste.  I did it, I completed and entire page….

Sketching has been on my agenda lately also.  I don’t sketch often and I need to keep my skills polished!

The classes I take are an attempt to learn new things.  A way to learn how to see differently, or look at things through a different lens.   As long as I’m learning, I’m growing.

Do you have a sketch book you can grab and a pencil or pen.   Try sitting for a few minutes and just put down on paper what you see.  Pick one thing, don’t try to draw everything, you build up to that!

Also, perfection is for cameras!!!

Don’t try to be perfect, that’s for cameras.  Everything is perfect in it own being.  The more creative the more interesting, and you don’t have to beat yourselves up!  Don’t expect to do a great job at first, it takes time, and practice.

 

 

Oct29

Thursday Time Out for Art

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This is what happens when you have time on your hands, and are too lazy to do anything else!

This little journal page was created last year, when I was having a difficult time creating something larger.  There are times when one just needs to contemplate, and be left alone.  I’m guessing this was one of those times……Journaling does the trick.  I don’t think there has ever been a time when slowing down to do little sketches, or doodling a little doesn’t help relax me, and open up the door to larger art.

Zebra Designs & Destinations sponsors Thursday Time Out For Art, and right now they are having a tough time with the weather.   Waves have hit on the beach of their little town El Matol in Ecuador, and things are looking very sketchy.  When storms hit their little beach  they erode the beach, and the waves get even closer to their homes and businesses.

El Matol needs all our positive thoughts, and prayers to help them.

Feb26

Thursday Time Out for Art

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I’ve been making an effort to sketch, and maybe paint each day.  It isn’t easy when it seems everyone want’s a piece of my time.  If I can take it early in the morning, I’m in luck.  I’m an early morning person.  As the day wears on, I lose all my energy, rendering me Toast!  Burnt toast at that.

This week I did this little sketch, and had to add watercolor just because…I could!  Simple, imperfect in its imperfection, and that’s what I like most.  As you can see, I was playing with mixing greens.  I love mixing my greens, and rarely used premixed greens any more.

Check out Time out for art on Zebra Design & Destination.

Jul13

Packing Up and Heading Out!

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After weeks of planning, my husband Les, and myself are finally packing our bags in preparation for our Scandinavian/Russian cruise. It’s an exciting time for us, since we never thought we’d take a cruise like this!

But here it is…

The camera is ready, my iPad is charged, we have sufficient underwear for the trip (Mom always said to havean extra pair of clean underwear with you when you travel), and we’re now running around in circles.  You know when you get to that point where you’re so excited, and don’t know what to do next?

I have decided on almost all the clothes I’m going to take, with only a few last-minute decisions to make.  We both have packed, all except for the last-minute bag, and Daisy, and Kramer will be on vacation too….from us!

I made us bags of trail mix for our backpacks, and have turkey jerky in an emergency! The emergency would be… horribly, bad airplane food! I won’t let us starve on this fourteen hour journey, not me!

The thought of  going to Europe again is exciting in itself, but going to a place I never thought I’d be able to go, is beyond exciting.  I’m told that Russian food is really bad!  I guess I’ll find out, because when I travel, I like to try new foods, talk to people, and see the kind of places  they live in.  I  love different cultures, and the colors that are used in any culture.   Although, I’m not too sure Russia is very colorful, who knows, I might be pleasantly surprised!    I can’t wait to see those cathedrals, and the beautiful domes, and maybe sketch a few!  We are taking a tour which I think is a really good idea, because there are so many restrictions going into this country, I wouldn’t want to do it any other way!  I wouldn’t want to get detained, and have to spend the rest of my life there!

We have other stops of course, but two days in St. Petersburg is what I’m excited about!

Oh yes, I’m taking a visual journal too:  pens, and pencils, and Inktense blocks too!   I even have a couple of tortilliones!

Usually when I travel, I journal.  This makes for interesting memories, even if the sketches aren’t perfect.  As you know, being a recovering perfectionist…..I don’t do perfect!

I can’t wait to tell you more.  Stay tuned for the Travels of Les and Karen!