Class 6 PYH&S 2018-Mixed Media-Look In The Paint

This is class 6 of Paint Your Heart and Soul 2018 (link on sidebar), intuitive painting, and was inspired by Mystele Kirkeeng, but not like hers. In fact, I forgot one of the beginning layers. But that's okay, I learned a lot from Mystele and will do some more using her techniques!

First layer...

Second layer...

After adding more layers of texture and paint, this lady's image invited me to set her free. This is the first time I've ever tried to paint a lady of color.

I took some of the hair off the top so it didn't look as square, added some texture, brought out the texture and her dress, and added more layers to her skin and eyes.

I toned down the background and kept adding more layers and textures over all.

I added more lights and worked on her eyes some more and called her done. I kept on until I got her skin too light and covered up most of the collage and textures underneath, but she was a good experience and taught me a lot. The word, help, is showing through on her left chest, but not too good in this photo. She has a story, and I'm happy she told it to me. I did way better than I thought I would, and I love her! LOVE intuitive drawing and painting!

Moving on to class 7, which is a graphite portrait! Not a fan of graphite drawing, but we'll see how it turns out!

A Couple of Quirky Doodle Girls

Lyra water-soluble crayon on mixed media paper in my journal...

I used the water-soluble crayon on this doodle, but I liked as is, so didn't use any water on her.

I first saw a kneeling child among the random marks, but it morphed into a pregnant woman somehow, and I added water to this one. She was a surprise, but I like her!

PYH&S 2018-Class 5-Mixed Media "From Heart to Spirit"

Telling a story in mixed Media on MM paper in a 9" x 12" journal, acrylic/gesso background, collage, stablio pencil, acrylic paints, photo print, stencil blank, gel pens, and possibly colored pencils. Class 5 in the PYH&S 2018 (link is on sidebar) course inspired by Annie Hamman, but not like hers.

Starting collage with found papers, napkins, paper doilies, music, teabag envelope, tickets, and some painted scraps from other projects.

I used this photo from Pinterest for the pose, but changed her for my purposes.

I also used this photo from Pinterest for the idea of the horse, but didn't use it.

I did, however, use an original stencil blank, which I traced around, that I had made previously, of my first childhood horse, Old Pat. She was an old gray gentle mare, and she was awesome. I printed off the clown photo, used graphite to coat the back, and used an old pen to transfer the outline of her, which didn't come through very well, so I still had to basically draw her, much of it with paint. I pretty much covered up my collage, which I didn't mean to do. I did leave a phrase showing through, and there are other elements showing through that are not showing up in the photo.

I found the owl and the hat in a magazine, cut them out, and collaged them on and added the ticket stub.

Worked more on everything in paint, collaged another napkin town over the first on, because I had pretty much obliterated the first one, added a printed off photo of the little dog who owned us for almost sixteen years, Kibbles, and painted her a little drum to sit on, then added some details. The phrase just in front of the town is torn from a piece of sheet music and says, "I'll be waiting."

Still adding more layers of paint, plus more napkin pieces with French writing and flowers collaged on, and I gave Old Pat butterfly wings.

Still playing and trying different things, including a little clown suit on Kibbles!

"I'll Be Waiting"

The version I stopped on, after some more adjusting and details. It could have some more work done, but I like it here, for now, so I'm moving on to the next class. Wish I'd painted it on a wooden panel instead of paper in my journal! Oh, well! This piece taught me a lot, so I'm happy! Plus, I loved the process, and learning to tell a story, even if I didn't follow Annie explicitly! 😊

Memory Plank for My Father-in-Law

We said goodbye to my husband's dad in February, eight months after we said goodbye to my mama. He would have been 94 years old this month. His grandson and his wife surprised us a couple of weeks ago with this memory plank in honor of their papaw and my husband's dad. Such an awesome and thoughtful gift, and we had a wonderful visit with them, as well.

This is the best photo I could get, because it's at least six feet long, and we had to decide where to hang it, so, for now, it's sitting on the recliner in the living room. Then we decided on a place to hang it, and hubby got sick, so it's still resting in the chair, but we're enjoying it anyway!

Our nephew's wife used a plank off dad's old shed behind his house, prepped it, then attached five small pictures of hubby and his dad on some of their fishing adventures, because fishing was dad's life, a larger one of dad with the fisherman's prayer, the last fishing pole that hubby bought his dad, some of his floats and sinkers, and one of his favorite fishing shirts and caps.

The Fisherman's Prayer with a smiling dad, and we sincerely hope is sitting by that big fishing hole in the sky doing what he loved best. We all love and miss him so much! Life is not the same without him!

Quirky Doodle Ptg-Winter In Summer

Mixed Media on paper in my journal using black stabilo pencil, collage, and acrylic paints.

The character that emerged from my random marks...

I collaged a torn napkin onto the paper, but forgot to make a picture of that step. The napkin was thin enough for the drawing to show through, so I added a layer of acrylic paint. It then occurred to me that I had a summer background, and she was wearing a fur cape. I'm thinking, as she is an older lady, that she is in the winter of her life, but still enjoying life's little treasures.

I tore and collaged a paper heart onto her cape, and added more layers of paint.

I kept adding layers to her face and cape until I could live with her, then added a couple of details and high lights, called her done, and left her to reflect on her life thus far. I love her!

Quirky Doodle Ptg-Mr. Orange Cat and Ms Mouse

Mixed-media quirky doodle painting using inktense pencils, gel pen, acrylic paints, stencils, colored pencils, and a stablio black marks all pencil. I have already saved the sketch to a back up drive, so didn't have it handy to add, but you can see the sketch that emerged from my marks pretty clearly in the first layer of color.

First layer of color with inktense color blocks; Mr. Orange was in the midst of washing his left hind leg when something caught his attention, thus he's still sitting on his right hip.

I added some dots with a bought stencil and some lace using a paper lace doily. Wait! What has his attention? Something moved in his peripheral vision!

I added a few layers of black stabilo pencil and acrylic paints, and I got the idea to add the mouse and hole in the wall with paynes gray acrylic.

I added whiskers on both, a tail on Ms Mouse, some glazing on Mr. Orange, circles around the dots, more of a shadow under them, and a couple of high lights and called it down, for now!

Ms Mouse is wondering what Mr. Orange is watching for!

Quirky Doodle-Super Bear!

Look who popped out of my random marks to say hello! Lyra water-soluble crayon on rag paper, also in my journal.

I love her! 😊

One day I'm going to write my interpretation of these sketches and what was going on with my life at the time, or maybe fictional short stories to go with them?

Quirky Doodle Wabbit!

Lyra water-soluble crayon and water brush on rag paper...

Quirky Hearts and Bird Sketches

It's been a busy week, and my eyes are giving me some trouble, because of slow growing brown cataracts, plus, I've had the toothache, but I managed to get in a couple of quirky doodle sketches Monday and Tuesday. Water-soluble Lyra crayon on 100% rag paper with a water brush in my sketchbook.

This little bird emerged sleeping on a flower. At first, I thought he was dead, but now I think he's just sleeping. Love him! He reminds me of myself. When I get depressed, overwhelmed, fatigued, or life just gets to be a bit much for, I tend to take a nap! :)

These hearts emerged after a trip to the Dr. for a checkup and bloodwork, which didn't divulge good news for me. But I love the hearts and teardrops! Perhaps, because my heart is currently trying to mend from losing my mom and my father-in-law so close together in the last few months.

Wednesday was a trip to the dentist, where I had xrays and an exam to see what needed to be done, since I had some broken teeth. I have a couple that hurt off and on. After the exam, I had the toothache until Thursday night, then not at all Friday.

Thursday and, this morning, I worked on a class assignment in acrylic painting/collage that I started before my father-in-law got sick and passed at the beginning of February. It's for the Paint Your Heart and Soul 2018 (link is on sidebar) year long course, which I have fallen way behind on, but that's okay. It's available from now on, so I can take my time, which I want to do, because I'm learning a lot from each teacher.

Hubby came down with a nasty bad cold night before last, and is feeling really bad today. I hate when he's sick. He's usually such a vibrant personality that it's really weird when he's quiet and still. Praying that he feels better soon!

Anyway, I'm really trying hard to keep up with everything, especially my art, but it's a struggle for me, as I know it is for you. Don't quit! The art thing is worth it! It's good for our soul! :D

Accidental Still Life-Tools of the Trade

A little accidental still life that I noticed on my table. A roll of duck tape holding a tiny stapler, a pen, a dried rose from Valentine's Day, and a couple of rose petals.

Same picture softened. Playing with editing.

More Animal Quirky Sketches

Yesterday and the day before's quirky doodle sketches! I got lazy about cropping them this time. They are also in my MM sketchbook, also using a Lyra water-soluble graphite crayon and a water brush. I'm loving this crayon, although I didn't spend as much time on these. My mind was a little distracted.

Mr. Cat

Fantasy Flower

Rabbit Dog?

4 Quirky Doodle Animal Sketches (with water)

Another session of quirky doodle sketching with Lyra water-soluble and non-water-soluble crayons in my sketchbook! There are things that need fixing on them, but I'll do that in the final paintings. Meanwhile, I'll love them as they are!

The first three I used a water brush on, and the last one, the sheep, I didn't.

Ms Bird with patchwork wings!

Ms Bunny is my favorite character out of this session, and is actually the only one I shared in the group Series 52, because I had already shared this week in my series. I LOVE her!

I let these characters be who they want to be, and this one wanted to be a cow with hippo ears! 😳

Wish I had used the water soluble crayon on Mr. Sheep! But he is cuddly just as he is!

I have gotten up early the last three days to finish the three paintings I'm working on, but got sidetracked on sketching. I really love this visual journal with the rag paper, and I'm glad I ordered two of them, even if they are a little smaller than I'm used to! Also loving the Lyra graphite crayons!

Love it when I stumble onto art supplies by accident and find out how fun they are! It makes me so happy!

Quirky Doodle Sketch-Dog with 2 Birds

One of my favorite quirky doodles so far, again, in non-water-soluble Lyra crayon in my mixed media sketchbook! I love the dog's expression at the birds on her head! She also reminds me of the little Pekingese dog we had for sixteen years, and still miss terribly.

I think what I call quirky doodle sketching is what is now called intuitive drawing/painting. I close my eyes, meditating and focusing beforehand helps, and make random marks and swirls in light pencil marks all over the page, then open my eyes and look for the hidden image to emerge. Then I bring out the image with darker marks, adding lines and shapes, as needed, mixed with my imagination. A sketchbook full of quirky sketches becomes an original coloring book, which can be used as jumping off points for larger paintings, cards, prints, etc.

One day, when I'm brave enough and good enough, I may try to sell some of my work. In the meantime, I just enjoy the adventure that is art! As I've said before, it's good for my soul and peace of mind!

More Graphite Quirky Doodles!

Another session of quirky doodle sketching in the rag paper sketchbook with a Lyra non-water-soluble crayon!  :D

I know there are things that need to be fixed on both of them, and I will, maybe when I paint them. In the meantime, I love getting acquainted with these ladies!

New Sketchbook-New Quirky Doodle Sketches!

I thought I ordered the same small sketchbook that I had been using, but this one is smaller than the last one and has 100% rag paper, which I have discovered that I like a lot. I played with a Lyra non=water-soluble pencil and some quirky doodle sketches in it, and, so far, have six new pages of original sketches to color. I am having to get used to the slightly smaller size though.

I never know what will emerge from my swirls, marks, and imagination on these pages, but they are all my babies, and I love them, even the ugly ones!

This rare nude quickly showed herself on this page and lent herself to a beach. I am debating whether to dress her in a bathing suit, but she's arguing big time with me. I like her, so she will probably win, as I think she is tastefully posed. Perhaps when I paint her I will add something in front of her to explain what she's doing, when I figure out what that is.

The second sketch I did in this session brought forth a pear trio, which I rather like! Another rarity, a fruit still life! I can already see it in color!

The third sketch brought forth a single flower, which also speaks to me! Can't wait to paint it!

I am now five weeks behind on my PYH&S classes, although I'm working on number five, a mixed media piece. I also have a couple of quirky doodle paintings in progress. Still trying to get caught up with posts and stuff too. The house has gotten completely out of control and overwhelming too, but it will all work out like it's supposed to, somehow.

Anyway, I'm going to keep on painting as long as I can see through these brown cataracts, at which point my optometrist says to let him know and we will get them removed. Gotta' keep trying! :D