Greeting Card Idea

 From an old sketchbook, here's an idea for greetings done on watercolor backgrounds:

Still Going Through Journals...

 to see what I might want to revisit.

I forgot how much I like Art Nouveau letters...

and a mandala made from an Eiffel Tower stamp!  This stamp is included in an alphabet set called Paris Lower from My Sentiments Exactly. The way the shape forms the mandala is an idea that I want to let percolate for awhile.

Spiral Roses

 

Pencil Crayon Weaver Writing

 This monoline weaver writing could be done with fine felt tip markers too!

I keep learning the same things in church, by the way.  Maybe I should say "hearing"; I may not be too good at "learning" them.  Thankfully, our God is a forgiving God!

Neuland

 Not a great example, but I do want to revisit this!

Lettering Variations

 

Lettering in a Square

 

Watercolour Gridlines

Still working on clearing out my studio, I'm looking at old journals to see what I might want to revisit.  I haven't done these watercolour grid lines in awhile!

And Cars Too

Trucks Again?

I was looking at old truck drawings yesterday and the experience made me want to draw another. This first one isn't any less wonky than the old ones!,

First Snowdrop Sighting of 2023

 

The first snowdrop sighting is always a highlight of January.  I commemorated this year's first sighting in an older teeny tiny journal I found on the shelf.  I made this journal in one of Joanne Sharpe's classes and I added a little collage before painting the snowdrops.  Lots of fun!

Teeny Tiny Landscape Journal

I attended a live Watercolors Made Simple workshop and and was captivated by what Nicki was doing over the Christmas holidays.  She wanted to do something a little different and turned to making small watercolor journals.  They were beautiful and inspiring, so I decided  to do the same.

One of my favorite watercolor techniques is wet-on-wet landscapes, so I'm devoting an entire journal to doing them.

This one was inspired by this week's photo from the Creighton Online Spiritual Retreat I'm doing right now.  I can see there might be a lot of sunset paintings in this journal.

 

Watercolour Sketchbooks Made Simple BOTANICALS

 

I started a new class with Life I Design called Watercolour Sketchbooks Made Simple BOTANICALS. I'm using my Paul Rubens landscape watercolour sketchbook - 8" x 5.5". 

Lesson One was Payne's Grey Florals.  A monochrome spread is perfect for days when I don't want to think too much but want to slop paint around.

Lesson Two was Loose Dried Florals.   I added some Neocolor crayons to the watercolour.  I often pick up things on my walk to capture in my sketchbook.

Next we painted leaves, mixing our own greens, some of them right on the page.  This time we sketched our leaves first; I used some watercolour pencils here too.

I'm having fun so far, and that's the main thing, right?

Painting With Joy

 

After a brief summer hiatus, Painting With Joy is back.  It proved to be what I needed to end my own hiatus!

We painted Van Gogh's sunflowers yesterday, and I really enjoyed it.  I used watercolor, Neocolor crayons and watercolor pencils in my 9 x 9 Leuchtturm1917 sketchbook.

Sketching in the Garden

I did this sketch back in June and found it today.  Much of the summer was too hot for me and I didn't do much drawing or painting at all.  Reading was my summertime pastime this year.

Miss Fiona

 

You can find the inspiration photo by @mozarts_ride here.  Carey reposted his photo for St. Patrick's Day and I learned something new about the feast day reading it.  

Miss Isabel

 

You can find the details for Miss Isabel, along with the inspiration photo by @mozarts_ride here.  In his Instagram post, Carey goes for a trip down memory lane remembering one of my favorite bands - ZZ Top.

Playing With Inktense Blocks

Years ago my sister bought me a set of 72 Inktense Blocks for Christmas.  (What a lucky girl I am!)  I've been using them lately as a massive set of pan paints to paint truck drawings.  I've been using my Paul Rubens Hot Press Watercolor sketchbook which is lovely to draw and paint in.  It's another more recent gift from Dianne.  She's queen of (the) Amazon.

Matisse - Vase of Amaryllis, 1941

 

I'm almost finished my Traveler's Notebook journal.  There might be room for one more Matisse!

Les Coucous Tapis Bleu et Rose, 1911

 

I moved from my largest to my smallest sketchbook with this Matisse.  (This is in my Traveler's Notebook.)