Fireworks

This summer I finally got the chance to take a digital photography class. I learned quite a bit and was able to get some really great pictures using some different techniques I picked up in class.

Here are some of the firework pictures I took in July. I think I fell in love with my camera all over again.

Colorful Trees

In this study I wanted to play with layering using water colors. I used the different colors so I could see the effects of the layers easier. I never intended this to be something presentable, however I like how it turned out.

Medium: Watercolor

Rainbows from Real Life

I actually wrote this post a while back, thought I had posted it and discovered today I hadn't. I love the days I get to spend with my girls so much that I can't help but post this now.

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 Today we painted "rainbows from real life," as my daughter called them. It was raining on and off throughout the day but the sun was up and shining bright so there were rainbows to be seen.
A fun day all around. I was happy to spend some much needed time with my two favorite girls.

Medium: Watercolor

Hearts

I thought it would be nice to paint something simple but fun. I have seen these posters all over and thought it would be a great way to experiment with color. I don't care for standard color wheels. I like more interesting ways to play with color and color blending. I also didn't want to create a bunch of scrap paper while experimenting, so I think this was a good compromise. I am supper excited because I also think they would be fun to frame and hang in my girls room. 

Medium: Watercolor

Spring

Where I live everything seems to liquify in the spring. Even the air has a cleansing wet glaze to it. I'm sure this happens in many places around the world, so it's nothing special. However, I find when I'm craving art this time of year I tend to lean towards watercolors. Watercolors happen to be one of my least favorite mediums, which means they surprise me each time I dabble in them.

This painting is of a flower, of sorts (not really sure what type of flower it was), my daughter picked for us to paint. I actually discarded it after I painted it, using the rest of the sheet to test a few techniques on. When I came back to it after it dried I was surprised by how much I liked it. 

In fact, I like it so much I might even frame this little gem to remind me to not be so quick to dismiss, to slow down a little, and have a bit more patience when I paint.

Medium: Watercolor on Paper

Summer Lilly in Color - Update

Here she is, all finished. We gave the original to my Mother-in-Law for Christmas this year. After Christmas I took her in to get it matted and framed. I love how it turned out. It is always fun to see your art all dressed up and ready to display. I don't think I will ever get over the giddy feeling that comes with seeing a piece completely finished (frame and all) for the first time.

The mat is actually a Mauve Taupe, similar to this primrose, but the lighting in this picture makes it look brown.

Do you know who invented the color mauve?

Scribble of Trees

I needed a mini vacation so I scribbled these trees on a lake. 

Somehow it helped, but now I want to go camping. 

Medium: Permanent Marker on White Paper with Digital Finishing

Happy Valentine's

Here is another form of art I love to create. Mmmmm.... I love cupcakes and I love making cupcakes with my girls, who also love cupcakes as much as I do.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Medium: Cinnamon Vanilla Cupcake with Cherry Frosting, Edible Gold Glitter, Sugar Crystals, and Pearls

On the Palette

I think it is fun to see the messy side of art so I thought you might enjoy a little peek behind the scene as well. 

The Medium: I have several in-progress pieces, however this palette is for a humming bird I am working on. What you see on the palette are water soluble oil colors. Because I can't work with the cleaning solutions needed for standard oil colors I opt to use these which clean up with soap and water. You might have noticed by now there are two whites on my palette. One of the whites is what is called a mixing white. It is used primarily to mix with other colors. The other white is used by itself as, you guessed it, white. You can still mix this white with other colors. Each white gives a different result. I usually put the mixing white in the middle of the colors so I can remember which one is which. Once they are on the palette it is easy to confuse the two, until you use the wrong one and get an unexpected result.

The Tools: As you might be able to see most of my brushes are really old, some over ten years. I am quite familiar with them which is important when painting. However, I have decided, now that I am painting more often, they are in dire need of replacing. The glass bowl you see in the upper left corner is holding all the colors that are on my palette at present. The wooden box on the right holds the rest of my oil paints, not on my palette, as well as my gouache, charcoal, and other art mediums that are small enough to fit in the drawers. There are a set of shelves above this that hold all my acrylic paints as well as gesso and other items too large to fit in the box. My easel, which is made of wood, sits to the left of this table. I have one of those tall office chairs, which my sweet husband got for me. I use it instead of a stool since it can change heights easily, which means I don't have to worry about adjusting the easel height to suit the piece I am working on. Somewhere I also have a metal table top easel which I have used in the past to help with this. I haven't seen it for some time now but am still hopeful it will turn up. My palette itself is actually a large piece of glass that was the top of a coffee table until the table broke. I couldn't bring myself to get rid of such a nice piece of glass and now I am extremely glad I didn't. It works really well as a palette and table protector. I put a large piece of white paper under it to create a background to make it easier to see the colors.