Beauty of the Season - 1

It is time to start our Christmas Cards!

While searching through some of my older patterns, I came upon one from my early ceramic teaching days, more than 45 years ago. We did this design with our students to use as, what our ladies called, "Hostess Gift Plates." They filled the plates with homemade cookies. 

As for the pattern itself, I think I was inspired by another artist (can not think of her name, sorry) but I did modified it. So it is only my semi-original design. 

I transferred my pattern in an old fashioned method - on the back side of the pattern, I used an ordinary pencil to scribble (blacken) the entire design area. This way, when you ink the design, you can erase any remaining pencil marks. Or, you could use tracing paper. Either way, while transferring the pattern, decide how much of the design you want. Make this your card, your way. I'm sure it will be perfect. When transferred, redraw your pattern with a waterproof ink. 

I love blending with alcohol pens (markers). On my pallet, I'll do a little puddle, usually in the darker color, and pull the tip of the lighter color pen through it. As a rule, my preference will be just 2 colors per blend but sometimes I get carried away and ... who knows what will happen.

When complete, the fun of selecting the base card can be a challenge. When in doubt, I ask my husband. Usually we agree!

Material list:

Card front: X-Press It, 250gsm

Waterproof MICRON 05 Black

OLO Alcohol Pens: V1.1 Heather, R1.8 Maroon; Y1.2 Light Yellow, OR2.3 Salmon; YG8.7 Fern, YG2.5 Avocado

Card base - Green pearled (?)

Use stamp of your choice for the greeting.

If you decide to use my pattern, I would love to see what you come up with.

Till next time - Thank you for stopping by. 

God Bless.

 Elegant Writers

Have you tried them yet? So much fun with some exciting effects. Just add water and - wow!

I may have shown these card fronts on aNNie's World Wide site but I finally finished mounting those pieces. After pulling out the backgrounds using a flat brush and water, I filled in the slimline card using watercolors and PanPastels (total play-time!) The other card was finished with just the exciting pastels.  

I do not have patterns of those two but I am adding a pattern you may want to try. 

Well, I think I need to get back to stamping some some cards. Trying to come up with Christmas ideas and maybe a few for the fall season. Hummmm

Till next time,

May God Bless You and Yours.

Elementary! Elementary, My Dear!

Blue + Yellow = Green 

Yes, that color combination really is elementary to every beginner art student and serious artist! Once we fall in love with combining color with color, there is no stopping the romance. 

Materials for this card: Stratmore 140lb/300g/m Watercolor paper, Blick Studio Acrylic- Phthalo Blue, Arteza - Mid Yellow, and W. A. Portman 1/4 flat.

Today, I would like to challenge you to a color experiment. You can use my simple hand-drawn pattern or one of your own, to mix any two colors using acrylics, watercolor, crayon or pastels, to create a card front. When completed, please post your challenge piece - let everyone see your results - just list the colors you used. (Wish I could offer a reward for taking this challenge, but let your card be your self-reward).

Freehand Brush-stroke Practice with Watercolors

Many years ago, I taught several classes doing what I classified as "Fantasy Painting." I still refer to this style as Fantasy but in reality, it is basically simply using your favorite brush strokes by loading two or three colors on that brush. I also suggested that the students practice each type of stroke with different shaped brushes of different sizes. Then paint.

One day, one of my extremely talented students asked why her pieces did not look as good as my class sample. I remember trying to suppress a giggle when I answer, "you should see my waste can!" 

Today's watercolor practice piece says the I need more practice. With this type of technique, I do not sketch it out first - just relax my arm, put on some relaxing music and let the brush "talk" to me. For this piece, there are mistakes, flaws, and puddles that should not have been - but this was just a practice piece. I'll probably do one or two more using these colors before I feel comfortable enough to publish.

So, here is my flawed PRACTICE FANTASY BRUSH STROKE STUDY: 

ADDED PROJECTS:

Years ago, my husband asked that I design two of our large ceramic vases with my brush-stroke Fantasies. These were kiln-fired.

Thank you for stopping by today and letting me ramble on.

These vases were my passion and now trying to reduce my surface size, 

for greeting cards that has been a wonderful challenge. 

Please stop by again

and 

May God Bless Ya'll.

Autumn Leaves - Fantasy Line and Color

It has been a very long time since I've blogged! Like so many of our friends, our lives just got way too busy. For that, I apologize. I just realized how much miss sharing with you.

If you are visiting here for the first time, please note that I am just a card crafter, just like you. I do not consider myself a professional, just an old "want-to-be" artist.

During the past few years, I've continued creating and experimenting with new ideas and revisited some of my almost forgotten techniques. Watched so many videos that I was starting to get confused (ok, so I'm pushing the 80 year old mark and that may explain some of it!). 

When I finished the project I'm showing today, I thought it might be fun to share the step-by-step process. Years ago, when I did my Fantasy designs, I used  acrylic paints and would double and triple load my brushes. Recently, my husband asked me to try sketching out the design and use alcohol inks (pens) to blend. It was different but so much fun. 

Well - here we go - the material will be listed at the end. Fell free to borrow my sketch and let me know what you come up with. 

  

Materials:     

Sketch pencils

Tombow-Mono Zero Eraser

Susan’s Garden Specialty Cardstock – 8-lb.

Lavinia Stencil – Leaf Trails

PanPastel – Hansa Yellow Tint

Solve Make-up blush brush     

Gardeners Green Pea – 10lb Christmas cardstock

OLO ALCOHOL PENS (MARKERS):

·        O2.5   CARMEL

·        OR1.3   PAPAYA

·        OR4.7   CHOCOLATE

·        R0.6    CRANBERRY

·        R1.8    MAROON

·        R5.7    AMARANTH

·        Y8.6    FENNEL SEED

·        YG2.5   AVOCADO

·        YG8.5   MOSS

·        YG8.7   FERN

·        YO2.5   YELLOW OCHRE 

Well, that is it for today. 

Till next time - May God Bless You!