Drawing #30 - Pacific

Back to the small format, this one is named for a bit of coastal Washington in a map from an old atlas. The drawing inspiration was actually avian but Dick has a great theme for it of a Hobbit-like house in the hills. Shiny paper and sometimes even the acrylic paint can be too slick for markers. I used a clear gesso over all of this but ran into problems with pen points picking it up and clogging. I like the matte look though. I love this process with the added bits of experimentation.

The actual page may be a bit darker than this scan but it seems to me that the angle from which I view it alters how dark or light it looks. Maybe the gesso changes the light too. As always, click on the image to see it larger.

Drawing #29 - Year of the Dragon

Chinese New Year was a month ago, but this multimedia drawing has taken a long time. I am especially partial to the year of the dragon in part because I love the images, a favorite childhood poem was about a cowardly dragon and especially because Dick was born in the year of the dragon. I am so pleased to have my very own version now. Of course you may find many scenes here. Before he knew its name, Dick first saw a tidal wave. I know my designs bring many water images to mind. I really enjoyed doing the Scribbler drawings yesterday, but as much as I liked them, they did not feel so personal as these drawings. This is one of my larger, 16 x 20 inch pieces done on a watercolor block. A small one is in the works. As always, click on the image to see it larger.

Scribbler Online Drawing

Deb Ammerman shared a fascinating website on her blog (see sidebar) where one can go and "scribble" in a fascinating program. This is the link: http://www.zefrank.com/scribbler/scribblertoo/

I'm afraid it could be addictive. You can save your results and go from there. You can change the canvas size, brush aspects and colors. I just tried the basics but saved one and altered it with underlying color. What fun...and maybe something more.

It seems I just can't resist. Here is another with underlying color added.

Drawing #28 - Lily Grew

The bit of paper in this multimedia drawing really says "lil'y grew El'len sev'en ty" but it seemed to grow and develop as I worked, so the name of "Lily Grew" feels apt. The sequence I followed was a little different this time, starting with and defining the first shapes with paint. Every time I do feel these are mental landscapes with the details emerging from unknown depths. This is the small sketchbook size but I have a larger drawing in the works.

Family Photos, Now and Then

I've recently done pages for two photos I consider "family". The first is of Dick on Christmas Eve when all was ready for Santa to come. I love the peaceful photo. It was for a challenge requiring the use of seven of ten items, a heart required. I just used the minimum seven and really like the result which I titled "Love Is the Key." Next was this week's AnnaLift featuring a totally fantastic layout using a photo of the artist's grandmother as a girl in 1930. I used another photo of my mother as a child in a four generation picture. I don't think I've done this one before, but even so, this would be better, I think. There are layers and blending to achieve the look. The photos are probably a little over one hundred years apart.

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Designer Credits:
-background, frame: Fresh Start by Ashalee Wall
-paint, button: Terra Toni by Maya de Groot
-love word art, stitching: Corinthia by Kitty Designs
-bird, spray design: Let Love Be Your Energy by ZuzannaH Designs
-key: Take me to the Old World by Lotta Designs
font: BlacklightD

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Designer Credits:
all Anna Aspnes
ArtPlay Palette Autumn Haze
-edging (used as frame): ArtPlay Palette Ablaze
-gold leaf: Gold Leaves No. 1
fonts: Lithograph, Loosie Days

More February Designs in Nature

I've been creating scrapbook pages for the February challenges, but haven't gotten any but the deer posted. I'm also working on more drawings, but haven't gotten far. Here are a few of the new pages starting with one of my favorites so far done for last week's AnnaLift. I think it makes a nice Valentine for Dick.

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Designer Credits:
all Anna Aspnes
-ArtPlay Palette Autumn Haze plus
-right angle brush: ArtPlay Palette No. 10
-heart-shaped brush: ArtPlay Palette Ablaze
fonts: baby dont worry bout it, BakerSignet BT
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Then two with flowers in my sister's garden last summer (tree peony) and last fall (colchicum)

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Designer Credits (left):

template: February Copycat Challenge by Elisa (EHStudios) based on "full of promise" by gavinsmum 

-green paper: Let Love Be Your Energy by ZuzannaH Designs

-purple and gold papers: Royal Blending Paper, Creations by TinaMarie

-bracket (recolored): Free to Fly by Vera Lim

-butterfly, butterfly spray (blended): Shimmer by Kitty Designs

fonts: Baveuse, James Fajardo

Credits (right)

Fun but strange flowers.

-background, tag, newspaper brush: Oscraps Collab Homespun

-green flower: Oscraps Collab TrOpical

-green and orange papers: Free to Fly by Vera Lim

-red paint: Prego by Maya de Groot

-photo mask: Fallen Sun by TaylorMade Designs

font: Boopee

Deer with no fear & Signs of Spring!

Yesterday we had proof that spring is coming. We had a pair of Mourning Doves in the pine tree behind our yard. They were the first we'd seen this year and that is a tree in which they nest. So, we're still waiting for our first grackle, but Cardinals are now singing in the morning and the doves are pairing up. Great Blue Herons are also reported returning to a local rookery. Still, we're looking for winter birds. A lot of White-winged Crossbills have been reported and one winter some stayed in Lake View. We are checking the hemlocks, their cones a favored food source. Yesterday we made a quick check before closing time as it was sunny and gorgeous. We didn't see many birds, but did encounter a group of four bold suburban deer. Newly planted trees in Lake View now have wire protection to prevent deer feeding on them. One of my photos seemed a good choice for a creative techniques challenge on blending with gradients. The tutorial was for PSE, so I had to wing it in PSP.

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Designer Credits:
-background, pale paper, star: Oscraps Collab Homespun
-patterned paper (blended), word art (blended), painted cluster: Photographed in Black & White by Sue Cummings
fonts: Davida Bd BT, Pea Beth

Gilded by the Light

I did another page for the January color challenge with its warm colors using a photo I took back in December when the camera challenge featured light. I used a sky photo taken further down the street at that time, but really liked this too.

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Designer Credits:
-papers, stitching, frame: Fallen Sun by TaylorMade Designs
-moon: Winter Escape by TinaMarie Creations
-pebbles: Sunrise, Sunset by Fei-fei's Stuff
-leaf pattern: Profiles no. 2 by Fei-fei's Stuff
fonts: Lithograph, Pea Anderson