Pink Floral Heart Original Watercolor by Jodi McKinney 11×14
Let Your Dreams Blossom!
Sprinkling a little pink love after a weekend of splashing in the art room.
Just what this heart and soul needed for some January nesting time.
Embracing the muse.
Going with the vibe.
Happy Monday friends! Let’s make some magic this week! Let’s create some beauty!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Original watercolor, as well as prints in all sizes and cards, available at McKinneyX2Designs and Berry Vine Gifts.
Lucas the Lucky Lion OriginalWatercolor Painting – 11×14
Lucas the Lucky Lion.
In a faraway land that was known as Zion,
lived Lucas, the exceedingly lucky little lion.
No matter the game – played morning or afternoon,
Lucas the lion was always the most opportune.
He seemed to be blessed
with the very best success.
And never did he possess
even the teeniest bit of stress.
Lucas knew he was king
of kickball and juggling.
This extremely lucky lion was tops at kicking balls and batting.
He even stole the show when dribbling, dunking, and passing.
But the thing that made Lucas the luckiest of all –
the skill that made him so very exceptional…
Was Lucas the Lucky Lion’s quintessential charm.
For there wasn’t a friend or foe he couldn’t charismatically disarm.
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Lucas the Lion is a special surprise for one of my BFs. I was looking for recommendations on what to paint after taking a little break for the holidays, and she requested a Lucas the Lion and Harper the Hippo for her two grandchildren, who are fans of Klaus the Mouse.
I thought you might like to see a bit of the process I go through for a painting.
First I draw a pencil sketch.
Once I am happy with a design, I either redraw in pencil on watercolor paper or use a light box to trace the basic outline.
If the pencil markings are too dark, I then use a kneaded putty eraser to lighten up the lines. If needed, I use some masking fluid to preserve any areas I want to assure stay white.
I then consider colors using my watercolor swatch charts, choose a few brushes I may use, fill my water bucket, and assure paper towels and a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponge are handy.
I am then ready to put on my first wash of paint.
After the first wash is dry, I rub off the masking fluid, and I begin adding layers, allowing to dry as necessary until I am happy with the painting.
Once my original is finished, I take the best photo I can of it for printing. Most all of my paintings are available in our McKinneyX2Design Etsy shop in prints (sizes 11×14, 8×10, and 5×7 – matted or not) and greeting cards, like below. For those friends who are local, my daughter-in-law (who makes beautiful rustic wood pallet signs) and I also have our art on display and available at Berry Vine Gifts in BradfordWoods, PA. You can find all of our information here.
Look for Harper the Happy Hippo in my next post here at The CreativeLifeInBetween, which is scheduled to post Tuesday.
By the way, if you are interested in a custom watercolor painting of an animal character for a child you love, you can order via our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy shop at this link. Let me know the child’s name and the animal you would like. It will be an 11×14 original watercolor painting. If you would like an original rhyming poem to go with it, that can also be ordered for an additional charge. It will come printed on an 8.5×11 sturdy cardstock sheet that can also be framed. Please allow two weeks for any custom orders.
My artwork can also be made into pillows and clocks and coasters and mugs and tote bags and a lot of other fun things – all available at Society6. Let me know if there is a piece you like that I should add there.
Lucas the Lion Pillow
I hope you are all enjoying the beginning of this new year and settling back into your normal routines after the busy holiday season. It was good to undecorate from the holidays yesterday and find time to paint again.
Happy Sunday!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Bright Poinsettia 11×14 Original Watercolor
A Bright Poinsettia.
I so enjoyed painting this bright and happy poinsettia recently.
(And it’s nice to think bright and happy thoughts with all the dark and sad news of the past few days.)
Using my dagger brush (which I need to use more often), it was fun to just let this painting evolve and happen on the paper. The dagger brush is “floppy” and loose, yet also allows for wonderful control changing wide strokes to points.
I’m really pleased with how it turned out! It actually makes me smile to look at.
I’m also thrilled that my new printer is able to produce gorgeous 11×14 prints that look so much like the original, so this option will be added to my paintings in our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy shop. I also added this design to the Society6 shop, so it can be made into pillows and mugs and other fun stuff.
Wishing you a bright and happy day!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
PS Only 55 days until Christmas 😉 and only 2 1/2 weeks until the big Mars Craft Show (Saturday, 11/17/18) AND Christmas in the Woods at Berry Vine Gifts (11/16-18/18)
Under the Sea – Dolphin Watercolor 11×14
Under the Sea.
It seems like such a magical place to me.
So when I was trying to decide what I could see
in the splashing I created so free…
A fish… a dolphin… a magical creature came to be.
I recently bought a new printer – A Canon Pixma Pro-100, and I was anxious to see how it worked creating prints and cards. I am so pleased! Above is a shot of the original with a mat and frame loosely placed on it to see what it might look like framed, as well as an 8×10 print and cards I printed on my new printer.
If you are looking for me…
under the sea is where I’ll be dreaming to be.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Blue Pineapple Watercolor 11X14
A Blue Pineapple for a Baby Girl Nursery.
I had a commissioned request to do a turquoisey-blue pineapple to go with a pink flamingo for a baby girl’s nursery.
Pink Flamingo Watercolor 11×14
Sweet new mommy-to-be, Sarah, reached out to me through our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy shop and asked if I could do my pineapple in blues and paint her an original pink flamingo – with a couple dabs of gold in each if possible.
I have been having so much fun pouring acrylic abstracts lately, it was a mind-shift to gently and neatly “splash” in watercolor, but it came back like riding a bike, and I truly enjoyed creating these original pieces in 11×14 for a sweet baby girl’s nursery.
I love the fun, creative ways new parents are decorating nurseries now, and this nursery is sure to be adorable.
Wishing you a day that is colored with turquoisey-blue pineapples, bright pink flamingoes, and dabs of gold!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Golden Angel Watercolor 11×14 140lb Cold Press
Golden Angel
I recently read an adorable quote that stuck in my head, made me smile, and has me thinking about angels.
The question is not
“Will you find your wings?”It’s “What are you going to wear
with all of those magnificent feathers?”
You know – we all have wings… Some are flashier than others… Some are easily seen… some are tucked in and hidden.
Let’s wear them magnificently?
I haven’t had much time for painting lately, but I was really in the mood the other evening. I really felt like I needed to. So I decided to try something different, and this angel evolved. I think I will be doing more.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
This painting is available at McKinneyX2Designs and Berry Vine Gifts – original, prints, and greeting cards.
Watercolors used: Daniel Smith Quinacridone Gold, Raw Sienna, Lunar Black, and a splash of Cadmium Red. (Because every painting should have at least a hint of something red! Right Joyce?)
My daughter-in-law, Colleen, has been on a roll making fun signs for our McKinneyX2Designs ETSY shop!
We are also feathering the nest preparing for
the joy of our little one’s arrival in a few months.
And who is ready for Fall? With pumpkins and hayrides…
and time in the kitchen…
or end of summer ice cream cone treats…
and long, lingering bubble baths.
I love all these sweet signs and wanted to share with you.
If you or anyone you know would enjoy any of these in their home or find them a great gift, be sure to check out our shop: McKinneyX2Designs.
I also have some original watercolor artwork, as well as prints
and greeting cards.
Happy Sunday!
Do something you love, and cherish the moments.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
I found some time to splash in puddles this long holiday weekend…. Puddles of paint that is, because the sun was a shinin’ most of the weekend!
I watched a video on painting sunflowers done by Joanne Thomas, who is a queen of loose splashy watercolor. I’ve really admired her style ever since I started watercolor painting about a year ago, so I decided to give her sunflower a try.
I painted it on a 10 x 14 sheet of Arches 300 lb cold press. I put it in a matted frame to see what it would look like. Such a difference it makes when you mat and frame a painting – eh?
Sunny sunflowers is going in our McKinneyx2Designs Etsy Shop – the original painting, prints and greeting cards.
Fluttering my “artist” wings, and enjoying the sunny, sunshiny summertime weather!
Happy Tuesday and short work week for many of us.
Cherish the moments.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Tiny Glow yellow lily original watercolor – 6″ x 8″ matted to 8×10
My sweet artist blogging friend, Sharon Mann gave me a friendly challenge to paint my recent Tiny Glow Yellow Lily I got for Mother’s Day from my son, Jake.
I’ve been experimenting with some abstract techniques that I used for this painting which I’m showing here in it’s original format above, printed on cards below, and the scanned print lastly.
Tiny Glow yellow lily watercolor print greeting cards
I painted a random background wash first using Naples Yellow and a bit of New Gamboge. After it dried, I lightly and loosely drew the lily on top. I then negatively painted around the lily with Winsor Violet and splashed some more in the background. Lastly I used some Green Gold to add a bit of shadowing to the flower and for the stems and a touch of Burnt Umber for the little pods.
Tiny Glow yellow lily watercolor print
Check out Sharon’s MASTERPIECES here! She is a REAL artist and her lily truly glows! I love it!
And the best part is, we’ve agreed to exchange, so she is sending me one of hers, and I am sending her one of mine.
We all have our own styles and levels of ability and experience, but what a joy it is to share here through WordPress with so many wonderful artistic blogger friends. They have encouraged me and taught me so much in my journey into watercolor this past year. I am so grateful for them!
Wishing you all moments to cherish and the opportunity to glow today.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
This past weekend, I found a little time to splash in some paint, and I recreated an original watercolor of tulips in a jar. Tulips lend so well to impressionistic, loose painting. I adore tulips, and I adore painting this way.
I say “re-created,” because I recently sold a similar original painting in our Etsy Shop.
The funny thing was… when I painted it, I sort of liked it, but was hesitant to share it. I had it tucked away for a few weeks. Then last week, the little cash register dinged on my phone alerting me it had sold. When I dug it out to ship, I looked at it again and really liked it. I remembered how much fun I had painting it, and I longed to do it again.
So this is the latest version. It is its own original. The painting is 9×12, and I stuck a little white mat around it just to see what it would look like.
I kinda like it, and it’s kinda fun to say that. 🙂
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
This painting is now available at McKinneyx2Designs
the creative life in between 
