Art

Pink Zinnia Bluez

/ Jodi / 50 Comments

pink zinnia

Last week I posted a photo of a zinnia that seemed like it was just begging to be painted, and I couldn’t wait to give it a go!

One evening, I printed the photo and lightly drew it in pencil using my lightbox – a great tool for us beginners who so often struggle with the drawing part.  (Well – let’s face it – I often struggle with ALL the parts!)

I gave it a light water wash and first glaze of pink before quitting for the evening, as I am trying to learn patience and allowing drying time to achieve more complex watercolor paintings.

When my friend, Janet was over one evening, she asked to see what art I’ve been up to.  When she saw the beginning of the zinnia, she said it would be a great post to show progress photos of the steps I go through.

Yes – great idea, Jan….   but I haven’t really figured out what steps I go through really!

Anyway – Charlie and I arose early the next morning – around 5:30am – and I decided to give my zinnia another coat.  Well – that led to another, and then a disaster, followed by another disaster and a third disaster.

I kept re-trying to reproduce with watercolor what I had envisioned in my head.

Now I am one to promote that it is all about the journey – all about the process – but sometimes I just want to do it perfect – do it right – do it beautiful —- and alas, it wasn’t happening with this beautiful pink zinnia.

This was my fifth effort of it, and I got to where I gave up.  It is not even close to what I had envisioned, though somewhat pleasing…  at least compared to the first four efforts!  I tried wet on wet, wet on dry, sketch first, sketch after, no sketching…

But WHY can I not reproduce on paper what is in my head?!

This is where I call out for support and advice from my artist friends.

Please offer your wisdom.

I obviously tend to “overwork” it.

Watercolor is something I’ve just had this urging to pursue.  I’ve watched a few YouTube videos, perused a few books, and follow some amazing bloggers, but I have no formal training and no artistic experience.

I would so appreciate anyone who would be willing to offer their top advice for a wannabee watercolorist!

I am writing this a few days ahead of when it will post, so who knows where my head will be when this posts.  But I so look forward to your tips and advice, and hope to be feeling a little better about my watercolor journey by the time you read this.

Can the encourager seek some encouragement this time please?   😉

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Happy Birday

/ Jodi / 44 Comments

Happy Birday whimsical bird

Once a month, a group of us bloggers celebrate Bird Day – draw a bird, paint a bird, photograph a bird….. on the 8th of the month.  So Happy Bird Day!

I was having fun with it this month and wanted to send our special hostess, Laura, at CreateArtEveryday a belated birthday card.  Since I missed it last week, this one is belated for her birthday, but just in time for “birday!”  This one was inspired by the amazing whimsical artistry of stressiecat.

Then I saw a cute little drawing of some simple birds on Pinterest that inspired the little card below that I sent to my BFF Jill in honor of some big news in our families that she is going to be a first-time grandma.  We are SO excited!

a little birdie told me card

This last one was a struggle, and I need to try again. I saw a tutorial of a watercolor robin done by Welsh artist Alison Fennell.  I’ll have to keep working on the robin!

robin watercolor card

So Happy #BirdDay!  Enjoy the birds that are around you – whether real, drawn, painted, or photographed – and chirp, tweet and sing, because tomorrow is Friday!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

#DrawaBirdDay

Nothing is Ordinary

/ Jodi / 44 Comments

celebrate today and everyday watercolor leaf card nothing is ordinary

Celebrate Today….  and EVERYday!
Happy Friday my LifeinBetween Friends!

Last night, Hubby and I went to John’s Bar for our usual Thursday night date.  We had a couple drinks and dinner and were home in time to watch the Steelers football game.  After playing a little fetch with Mr. Charlie outside, I realized I didn’t have a post for today.  Of course I was looking forward to today being Friday (though this week sure did fly!), and I wondered what I wanted to say for a Happy Friday message…

While in the office for some meetings this morning, I noticed some beautiful new watercolor prints that were hanging on the wall that were added during a recent remodel, and I fell in love with them.  They were extremely simple, yet so mesmerizing and delicate and impactful.

I thought to myself, “I could do that!”

Well – it wasn’t as easy as I thought…..

As many of my fellow watercolor artist friends out there know, restraint is key, yet often oh-so-hard to achieve – especially for us beginners.

But I literally only spent about 10 minutes start to finish on this card, and I kinda like how it turned out.  I free formed the leaf with watercolor and brush, splattered a few fall-colored splashes, and then stamped the sentiment on top.

Nothing is ordinary.

Every leaf…
every watercolor painting…
every day….
every person….
has something special about it.
Embrace it, friends.
Cherish the moments!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Paper Smooches Pretty Phrases Stamp & Stazon Ink
M Graham Watercolors in Sap Green, Quinacridone Red, Nickel Quinacridone Gold
Arches 140lb Coldpress Watercolor Paper
StampinUp Very Vanilla Cardstock

Autumn Leaf

/ Jodi / 44 Comments

leaf watercolor 1

One Autumn leaf inspired me to create a little painting that closely replicated it in watercolor.

But then I decided to go a little free form and make it whatever color I wanted.

leaf watercolor 2

And then another color.

leaf watercolor 3

And then a little different shape…


leaf watercolor 4

All from one Autumn leaf picked up on a walk back from the mailbox.

The simple, smallest things that can create such joy…

Cherish the moments!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Autumn Trees – to doodle or not to doodle

/ Jodi / 49 Comments

autumn trees watercolor doodle card

Happy First Day of Fall!

The other day – as I continue to convince myself how much I love Fall (and it really is happening!) I dabbled with a couple abstract watercolors of Autumn trees.  One I “doodled” up and the other I didn’t.

autumn trees watercolor card

Interesting what a different effect it gives.  And more interesting – I kind of like both.  (what do you think of that Charlie O and Laura!?!?)

So I asked my guys that evening, “Which do you like better?”

Hubby picked one… and my son, Nick, picked the other.

I knew that was going to happen!

Which one do you pick?

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Warm Thoughts of Fall Card

/ Jodi / 44 Comments

PP263 Fall CAS Challenge

This Wednesday, September 23, 2015 is the first day of Fall – the Autumnal Equinox – here in Mars and the rest of us in the Northern Hemisphere, so Happy Fall Y’All!

And this week’s Paper Player’s Challenge (#PP263) is to “Create a Fall Scene.”

PP263 Fall CAS Challenge 2

I’ve been having warm thoughts of Fall as this past week has to have been the most gorgeous ever that I can recall in recent history.  Seriously amazing here in Mars!  Crisp, cool mornings and evenings, pure blue sunny, sunshiney days, and NO humidity!  The birds seem happy, Charlie is in his glory, the windows and doors are wide open, and I even got hubby to sit out on the deck with me a little bit!

I am cherishing these glorious Fall moments!

For my Paper Players Design Team Inspiration card this week, I used:

Hope my paper crafting friends will join our challenge, and those who aren’t just enjoy the warm thoughts I send with this card and post!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful

/ Jodi / 35 Comments

Fall Leave Doodlewash Watercolor Card 091315

Like the beautiful leaves of Autumn…

each unique

individual

and beautiful in their own way…

Fall Leaf Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful Watercolor Card

Be your own kind of Beautiful.

Wouldn’t want you any other way!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

A Sprinkling Can Doodle Wash

/ Jodi / 31 Comments

sprinkling can watercolor card

Today I am celebrating my dear, sweet Joyce.

Today is her birthday, and I made this little card for her that I hope she receives in time!  (Yikes – just sent yesterday – so she may see it here before she gets it in the mail!)

Joyce is my second cousin by family, but she is also one of my dearest friends by choice.  She and her adorable hubby, “Oh Rob,” are some of our besties for so many reasons.

Joyce and Rob are true inspirations in the way they live their lives.  They truly CELEBRATE life!

They are creative and soulful and kind to others.

They are respectful of the environment.

They are generous with their time and money and gifts.

They are teachers, and they also love to learn.

They share their home (and their friends) in a way like no others.

They cook and preserve and eat with gusto!

They have open minds and open ears and open hearts.

They give REAL hugs – the kind where you really squeeze and hang on like you might not have another chance and like you really, genuinely mean it!  And they give kisses too – right on the lips!

And they have helped me through a lot of “stuff.”  (you know that kind of stuff we all have but don’t always talk about…)  Joyce and her family really helped me get through a tough time and period in my life, and for that, I will be forever grateful.

It’s funny how a post about Joyce turned into one about Joyce and Oh Rob…. but they are such a perfect pair and complement each other so beautifully, it is hard to  think of one without thinking of the other.  And that is a compliment and tribute to their marriage and the kind of people they are.

So please join in in wishing one of the world’s best a best birthday!

Joyce is, among so many other things, an avid gardener, so her card is a little “doodlewash” of a sprinkling can that I was inspired to do from a painting I saw by an amazing artist that I want to learn more from, RoseAnn Hayes.  Joyce is also an amazing watercolor artist, so I hesitate to even send my humble, feeble attempt to her, but she will love it anyway just because it was handmade for her from me.  🙂

On the inside, I wrote:

Thank you for sprinkling my soul with your kindness
and feeding my heart with your love.
You have helped me to blossom.

Wishing you the happiest of birthdays with lots of love, my Joyce!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Doodlewashing for Draw a Bird Day

/ Jodi / 43 Comments

september draw a bird day cowbird art journal

Happy Back to ‘whatever it is you do on a regular basis’ after a nice long holiday weekend!

I recently did some “doodling” in my new art journal for Draw a Bird Day…

september draw a bird day rose breasted grosbeak art journal

Then “washed” it with some watercolor.

#Doodlewashing is a fun word and “movement” that Charlie O’Shields and friends created that describes sketching and watercoloring.  Charlie’s blog inspires me daily.

And Laura at Create Art Everyday is one of my bestie bloggin’ buddies who puts the call out monthly for #DrawaBirdDay.

These were just really quick little sketches done in roller ball pen late one night and then painted early the next morning (for some reason I got up at 4:30 am that day, so took advantage of some free time).  If they look a little bit familiar, I drew them from two photos I had posted from the birds that visit our backyard:  The Rose Breasted Grosbeak and the Brown Headed Cowbird.

I’m looking forward to seeing all the fun and truly artistic creations everyone shares!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

PS  In honor of Laura and in memory of her recent loss of her beloved Penny, I sketched my first cat in my new art journal the other day.  Laura was on my heart as I was thinking of her grief and loss.  I just used a No. 2 pencil and followed some illustrative instructions from a new book I got called Drawing for the absolute beginner by Mark and Mary Willenbrink.  This is my first try at this book, and I look forward to doing more to better understand techniques and values and perspective, etc.  I’m such a jump-iner!  I need to slow down and learn!  Love ya Laura!

penny laura createarteverday

My New ( and very first) Art Journal

/ Jodi / 74 Comments

journal red leather cover

On our recent vacation to New Orleans, I kept scoping out little book stores and gift shops as we sauntered around the French Quarter and the Garden District for one particular thing I wanted for myself… an art journal.

I’ve been wanting to get one to practice drawing and sketching and painting in, and I thought it would be a great “souvenir” to bring back from NOLA.

I was so excited when I found this little gem bound in bright red leather and filled with handmade cotton paper.  It is about 5×7 inches with about 50 luxurious sheets of paper held shut with an elastic band.

It fits perfectly in my purse, and I couldn’t wait to use it.

Except…

I got nervous.

It is so beautiful, and I really don’t know how to draw very well.
What would I draw on the very first page of this beautiful little book?
It had to be something fabulous or memorable.

I was frozen in indecisiveness and carried it around for days without daring to draw.

I visited many art galleries while wandering around in the French Quarter, but one made the most profound impact on me…

the Alex Beard Studio on Julia Street.

When I walked in, I asked the friendly gentleman if he was Alex?

He kindly told me that Alex had just left, but he would be back tomorrow, and he asked if there was anything he could help me with.

We struck up a brief conversation where he inquired if I was an artist.

Well – “not really,” I replied, but I would love to be and am “dabbling.”

He told me that Alex welcomes anyone to come and join him in his studio to sketch or paint or draw any time they would like.  He loves to share his space.

How fun would that be?

I then told this sweet young man, “I did just buy this beautiful little sketchbook (which I proceeded to show him).  He caressed it just like I did when I first found it, and admired the beautiful handmade sheets of paper.

He was drawing himself when I interrupted him, and I inquired about what he was using and what he was making.

He was making a birthday card.

A CARD!

I told him how I make all my own homemade cards.

He told me how he does too, and how if he ever sends a store-bought card to a friend or relative, they know he must be really busy, because he always makes homemade cards.

Anyway – to make a short story long ….

I told him I was nervous to start drawing in my new art journal.

I said, “I don’t know what to draw on the first page….. it needs to be something significant, and I’m afraid to just draw in it.”

He gave me the best advice ever, and I so wish I could remember his name, for he was such a sweet soul…

He simply said,

“Well then start on the second page.”

Brilliant – eh?

Well – I didn’t get enough nerve up to draw in my new art journal until the second leg of our flight home several days later.  From New York to Pittsburgh, the flight was only about 1/3 full.

SCORE!

journal first drawing

Hubby and I spread out and each took our own row.

I stretched out, and I opened up my little art journal, and this is the first thing I drew….

…on Page 3.

journal gin cocktail nola

My journey has begun.

gin cocktail at wwii museum nola

Gin Cocktail at The American Sector Restaurant, WWII Museum, NOLA

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi