Painting

Papa Cardinal in Watercolor

/ Jodi / 48 Comments

watercolor cardinal

I had fun painting Papa Cardinal in watercolor this week in celebration of my Three Month Watercoloriversary!  (How do you like that made up word?!)

It’s been three months since I first ventured into the world of watercolor and shared my very first watercolor on April 4, 2015.

I think I am making some improvements, and I KNOW I still have a long way to go, but oh what a fun journey it is.  I’ve been trying to paint at least one thing a week.

Thanks to Laura @ CreateArtEveryday for initially nudging me out of the nest and encouraging me every day to continue, and thanks to all the other great artistic bloggers and family and friends who have really encouraged and supported me.  This is something three and half months ago I wouldn’t have even ventured at.  I would have told you I could barely draw a stick figure.

papa cardinalI used this photo of Papa Cardinal at the feeder in our backyard as my pose of choice to roughly draw the shape.  I then took LOTS of artistic license in creating an artsy version of him.    Because – hey – if I wanted him to look exactly like the photo – what’s the point?  Just take the photo – right?  (or maybe that’s my excuse…)  I put him on a branch instead of the feeder, because the feeder totally detracts from his handsomeness.  And then I spiked his hair a bit too to spiff him up.

We have several cardinal families hanging out here in our backyard here in Mars.  Maybe I’ll venture to draw Momma or Baby soon.  Baby is pretty grown up and there are other new kids now too.

Oh what a bird nerd I have become!  Thanks for visiting, and happy weekend – enjoy doing things you love with those you love – at life in between!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Fun with Watercolor Coneflowers

/ Jodi / 21 Comments

coneflower watercolor 1

One late evening this week,

coneflower watercolor 2

feeling loose and creative,

coneflower watercolor 3

I decided to paint some coneflowers.

coneflower watercolor 4

Some were pink,

coneflower watercolor 5

and others were just creative colors.

That is the joy of watercolor.  It is not a photograph.  It is an expression of feelings.

Hope these bring some expression of joy to you as you view.

Wishing all a joyful holiday weekend.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Gold Finch Mountains to Climb

/ Jodi / 30 Comments

gold finch watercolor card

After painting Spooky earlier this week, I still felt like doing more.

I was on a watercolor roll.

So while the paints and brushes were still out,

I saw a Youtube video by The Frugal Crafter.

Lindsay made painting a gold finch

look like a cinch.

So I made the one above.

Then I felt like Jodi’ing it up a teensy tinch,

which meant loosening it up and splattering a pinch.

So I went at it again – on my own this time.

That’s why this original is having a bit of a bad hair day…

Oh dear…..

I sure have mountains to climb!

gold finch watercolor bad hair day

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Remembering Spooky

/ Jodi / 22 Comments

black cat watercolor card

Our dear daughter-in-law lost a special beloved furry buddy this weekend.

My heart breaks for her as this is her first experience losing a pet.

I thought of her all day yesterday and wanted to do something special, so I decided to try to draw and watercolor a photo she posted in memory of Spooky and make it into a card last night.

This is my first try at doing a cat, and he sure doesn’t look exactly like sweet Spooky.  But hopefully it is close enough to give Colleen a little remembrance and show her how much I love her and ache for her loss.

Hugs & Sweet Memories,

Jodi

Watercolor Hummingbird Card

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watercolor hummingbird card

Monday’s Hummingbird Cake Recipe  post had me thinking of hummingbirds,
so I decided to try my hand at watercolor painting one.

I lightly outlined the basic shape in pencil,
filled it in with some clean, clear water,
then loosely dropped in some paint.

When I was mostly pleased with it, and it was dry,
I adhered it to some vanilla card stock and made it into a little card.

Today my wish for you
is that you find some time
to do things you love
with people you love (even if that is yourself!)
at life in between.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

An Iris Watercolor Experiment

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watercolor iris experiment

The other evening, after hubby went to bed, I had the urge to paint.  I didn’t know what I  wanted to paint, and I didn’t feel like putting any effort into it…. I simply wanted to paint.

Watercolor Iris Card 1

So I just grabbed some scrap pieces of watercolor paper and decided to try irises – very abstract irises…  Not sure if you can even tell that is what they are (except I gave you a hint in the title of this post!).

Watercolor Iris Card 2

I literally only spent about 15 minutes on all five of these “paintings” – one rather large that I started with, followed by four smaller ones.

Watercolor Iris Card 3

I just starting mixing colors and splashing it on – spending about 3 minutes tops on each.

Watercolor Blue Thistle Card

After a few irises, I did do this other “flower” – supposed to be those blue thistly things you see growing alongside the road.  (Maybe called blue thistles?)

Watercolor Iris Large

As you can see, I was being completely “loose” with all of these.  I just ripped scraps of paper and painted.

Some I like… others not so much… But I went to bed happy, feeling like I had this opportunity to unwind and “express.”

When I awoke the next morning, I realized this could be a little gift set of sorts.  I simply adhered the small ones – all about 3.5 x 5 inches onto card stock and the larger onto a sheet of 8.5 x 11 inch black card stock, which I could frame.  The gift could be four blank floral note cards and a framed floral picture.

I’m trying to discover my “style” in this.  I’m getting comfortable with small single items, but can’t even begin to imagine taking on a landscape or cityscape or detailed painting like so many others can that I admire.  Maybe someday, but then again maybe not.

I do have to say I felt satiated after completing – or was it the Sweet Tea Vodka and Lemonade I was sipping while painting…. ?

Hmmmm….

Cheers & Happy Friday Hugs,

Jodi

Watercoloring Week 5

/ Jodi / 41 Comments

watercolor poppies

How did it become Monday already?!?

I hope you had a nice weekend.  We sure did!  And there is so much to share…  I’m certain it will take all week.

Our “Best Book Club Ever” started up again for this year, and Hubby got to choose the book and lead the discussion.  He rocked it talking about one of his favorite real-life adventure books, “Touching the Void.”

It was so great to see friends we haven’t seen for a few months, spend time at one of our favorite places on earth with some of our favorite peeps – the hosts – my cousins Joyce and ‘Oh Rob,” and drink wine and share some good food and discussion.

watercoloring

Joyce is another one of my artistic mentors, so the poor thing hardly had a chance to open her eyes and have a sip or two of coffee Sunday morning…after a very late night…. before I started drilling her with watercolor questions.  We sat in her studio for a couple hours yesterday morning (while the guys went out to breakfast) where she shared with me about the type of paper she uses, brushes and paints she likes, and a chest full of books she has used through the years for inspiration.  My discouraged passion was re-ignited, and I wasn’t home long before I was perusing the books and mixing paints and at it again.

watercolor poppy

To top that off, we arrived home to find an amazing package in the mail from a fellow blogger – and artist extraordinaire – Jill Kuhn @ Jill’s Art Journal – with a special drawing in it that I fell in love with and an extra gift to boot (I’ll be sure to share soon!).

AND to top the whole weekend off ….. we arrived home to an egg in the cardinal’s nest!  WOOHOO!!!

The sun was shining, the air was crisp, trees are budding, flowers are bursting open, and we thoroughly enjoyed our weekend.

I took about an hour to paint these two little paintings.

After reading through some of my newly-borrowed books and watching a YouTube video by Art TV, I did these two poppy watercolor paintings.  The fun thing about these is that I did NOT sketch them ahead.  Simply took water and paint to paper and created.  It was quite liberating and enjoyable!

These will become thank you cards for a few special peeps I need to thank.

Happy Monday my friends!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Watercoloring Week 4

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watercolor cat tails

I’m trying to work at getting “looser” with my watercoloring.

I surely have a long way to go, but I am having so much fun in the process.

watercolor 6 hibuscus

This hibiscus flower and the cat tails were more tutorials by Lindsay @ The Frugal Crafter.  If this is something you’ve thought about trying, Lindsay really breaks it down into manageable projects.  Hers are so gorgeous and effortless.  I cannot wait to get to that point.  For now, I try – and I enjoy.  Learning to loosen up while drawing and painting.

I’ve watched a few other YouTube tutorials, but so far Lindsay’s have been my favorites.  If you know of others, please do share and let me know.

It is so amazing to allow myself to put pencil to paper again. To brush water on it, and then add paint and watch it spread.  I wish I could describe how glorious it feels.  This last one was just kind of a random time time filler while I was waiting for another to dry.  I was just using the colors and trying to be loose.  It is supposed to be the view I could see from my deck while I was painting (LOL!).

watercolor random trees

Yesterday was so gorgeous…  I started out the day with a long walk in the morning (with my camera and a friend) followed by a bit of gardening, then some relaxing and painting on the deck.  The sun was shining, a breeze was blowing – temps were in the high 70s.  It was simply divine!

Oh – and I was notified that my “Oh Happy Day” card was chosen as a winner in both challenges I entered Friday  The Paper Players and Can You Case It!  Woohoo! How awesome is that?!?  🙂

And then… a sweet friend let me know she was cooking and baking some of my recipes, and she and her family loved them.  YAY!  Lori made the Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chicken Caprese Lasagne, and Poppy Seed Cake.  What a way to make a great day even greater – eh?!

I hope you are finding time to do things you love this weekend.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

 

Watercoloring – Week 3

/ Jodi / 61 Comments

watercolor 5 magenta wildflowers in field 0415

Oh how I wish I had more time to play with this medium I am growing to adore!  I am thoroughly enjoying it.

watercolor 3 clover daisy buttercups 0415

Here are a few wildly varied samples of what I played around with this week with drawing and watercoloring.

watercolor 4 flower whimsy 0415

Do you have a favorite?

Thanks for visiting!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Discovering the FUN in Art

/ Jodi / 59 Comments

watercolor 2 tulip 040415

Can you tell what it is?

This is Watercolor #2 on my journey to learn watercolor painting.

So I have to admit……   I found myself struggling to post this….  Not feeling it is good enough…..  Starting to take this “art” business much much much too serious!  And then one of my sweet bloggie friends, Laura at CreateArtEveryDay, inquired about how my painting was coming.  I told her I was struggling with whether to post or not… what everyone would think…. not wanting people to feel obligated to “Like” or comment….  Wondering if it was “better” than my first  (hubby said yes – son said he liked first better…) Oiy Vay!  Then I worried – Does anyone care about my “art?”  Will they stop visiting my blog if I share less than lovely art work?  Sheesh!

Then wise, sweet Laura encouraged me.  She said (and she gave me permission to share):

If I let those feelings stop me, my blog would be private. I think the point here is encouragement and support and FUN, not perfection. I’ve done all of that second-guessing, but part of making something every day is really forcing me to not worry about what anyone thinks and just post it. Your first flower was really good, I thought. You definitely have talent. It just takes lots of practice to be happy with watercolor paintings (in my experience) and I’m still not there yet. I’ve come to the point that it’s about fun. FUN. And Relaxation. And DE-stressing. Forget everything else. If you painted it and you enjoyed it, that’s all that counts. Your followers love you and they want to share in your experiences and experimentation. At least, that’s how I see it. Otherwise, I’d post nothing, ever.

It’s all about fun. I just want to see you have fun with whatever you do. No one would expect to sit down at the piano and play Beethoven, but people put such high standards on their artwork. (I’m preaching to myself too, believe me.) But for me, this is about growth and happiness and relaxation and healing, more than anything else. So I just can’t take it seriously. I won’t. And I really hope you don’t either. If it’s not fun, it’s not worth it. I really hope you fly and just set yourself free, Jodi! 🙂

How lovely is that?!

Thank you, Laura!

And then I remembered WHY I started this blog…. not for “likes” (though I certainly LOVE your LIKES!)….

Not to “prove” anything….

It is a hobby…. It is my space to share the stuff I love to do at life in between!

So I’m posting it – and you know what?  It was FUN to do!  Fun to watch water and paint create something on paper.

Gallery worthy?  No!

Fun?  Yes 🙂

So last week for my first watercolor, I drew the flower with a pencil first.  For this one, I just “drew” the basic shape with water and paintbrush.  This was another tutorial by Lindsay at The Frugal Crafter.  Lindsay makes it look so simple!  She just whips these up in about 5 or 10 minutes while chatting away and being funny and relaxed and silly.

Wonder if I’ll ever be able to get so free and loose and relaxed while doing this?   I’m a bit “heavy handed” with the paint.   I want to just touch the paper with the brush and watch it “move.”   This watercolor stuff is HARDER than it looks!  (FUN Jodi – FUN!)     I have a new appreciation for some of the talented artists I know that do this now!

Thanks for sharing the journey with me my friends!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

P.S.  Hope you’ll visit Laura’s blog too – she shares a fun new creative experiment every day @ CreateArtEveryday