APRIL HAS ARRIVED

I wish I could feel and look this serene right now. I had such good intentions.

Hours ago I had determined to write a blog post. 

I even had an idea of what to share.

When I opened up Blogger, I discovered that MUCH HAD BEEN CHANGED !!!

And no one asked my opinion, or warned me.

Sweet simple Blogger became a maze of decisions and choices.

So here I sit HOURS later, yes HOURS.

Someone must have been feeling a bit sad for me, as things are sort of...well kinda...working out.

Not that I get "rattled" or anything, but for some reason I don't recall what I wanted to share. 

But I do think that sketchbooks was part of it.

You see, I have been lingering, loitering, loving my sketchbooks.

 

Tonight while I was hysterically lost in blog woes, some in this family needed to be fed.

I cajoled Mr. H. to prepare the corn-on-cob while I sliced up some pretty good looking tomatoes (and it isn't even summer.) 

Zippity-do  corn on the cob and tomato and bacon sandwiches with lots of mayonnaise.

But I digress.

A while back, I pulled out every book that had at least ONE sketch.  There were piles of books of every size and persuasion. Book shelves are now sagging!

I got pretty irritated with myself for not having more discipline and filling at least half of the pages of a book before moving on. 

But life doesn't work like that.  Probably for you, but not me.

It is time for an out loud commitment to fill at least one sketchbook this month.

Right now I Pinky Promise to fill in all of those blank sheets. 

No more scooting around from hither to yon...going to be disciplined.

Life is indeed in bloom here in North Carolina.

Green, green, green everywhere, blossoms popping out, wasps and jumbo bees are buzzing all around our front porch looking for a way in, cardinals and robins are boasting their red feathers, ants are forming trails to somewhere, time to collect the vacated bird nests and wasp hives, three neighbors' cats are sunbathing on our front porch because we have soft cushions on the chairs and I only needed one sweater in the morning!  

Ah life is looking good.

Smiles: Sharon

Rainbows of Color: a peek at a Sketchbook

Rainbow Travels: is my smallest sketchbook for traveling. 

This particular sketchbook I adhered checkered cotton fabric with gel medium to the top of the book. Separately I troweled plaster on top of rough canvas and got this really cool texture. After drying, I adhered with more gel medium, weighed down with books and let thoroughly dry. Fun part was painting a very simple design with diluted acrylic, followed by micro pen lines. Varnish completed the process.    The plaster renders the colors very intense.  Watercolor, gouache, acrylic or oil may be used.

When I get new watercolors I make small cards with the color/brand and name.  It can be very helpful when you have way too many tubes of watercolor, let alone "pan sets." 

I particularly enjoy Daniel Smith and some Winsor Newton colors.

Micron pen and very thinned watercolor. Sometimes I use the pen after the watercolor is in place and other times, before.  If you use gouache it is better to do pen sketching AFTER applying gouache due to its opacity.

Provencal fabrics are enjoyed all over the world, and I have done my share of "collecting" them.

They are a beautiful inspiration for an artist: design, color, pattern....everything to make one's heart go "ping."  

Tea in the Afternoon
Oil 16/2Tea in the Afternoon

Sketching is loads of fun especially working in a smaller format. But painting in oil is the "best-est" for me.

In 1990, I was "over the moon" to discover:

Sara Midda's South of France------A Sketchbook.

I can't imagine that half the sketching world 
isn't aware of this fabulously inspiring sketchbook.   
It is still available, along with other books she has more recently published.  
This week I am totally engaged with the idea of doing some 
"Sara-inspired" sketches.....soft soft colors, no drawn lines and tiny perfect handwriting. Not drawing with a micron pen will definitely be a challenge...but that is what art is all about 
 Personal Challenges.

Art Journaling 2010

Like many painters, a journal, sketch book or notebook are part of the process of creating. I call mine  Art Journals. They are full of everything possible from fully finished paintings to collage, sketches, writings, vacation doodles, class/seminar notes and sketches, odds and ends, photographs. After each journal is completed and there are no more blank pages left, it is a burgeoning story of exploration.What joy comes from creating them.

This year's journal is no different. Some pages I have shared on my blog, but basically they are just for my pleasure and eventually something to pass down through our family. They show what I am interested in at any given point in time.

It is exciting to start posting more photos of my Art Journals..there is so much to share with you.

Occasionally I will explain how I create a page, give a short tutorial; share what I have learned; supplies and materials. My journal postings is a bit experimental and it will be interesting to see how it evolves.  Would love feed back on what you would like to learn, see or experience.



A small glimpse of some of my supplies. As time goes on I will be more specific.

Before I left Maryland for Charlotte, I had a special table to do some of my journals on, but frankly, art journals can be and is done anywhere, everywhere, anytime...it is ART ON THE GO!!!



My next blog will share with you some before and after shots of pages I am working on now. If you are keeping a journal of some sort let me know. We can post a few photos of what you are doing.  This is exciting!