Fiendish HELLoween PAT swap

So, I joined another Pick-A-Theme (PAT) swap over at ATCs for All!  This one is called Fiendish HELLoween.  I'm not sure if these are "Fiendish", but I worked really hard on them. 

I was able to use my new Sakura Glaze pens on two of them and I love these pens.  They are so much fun and once they dry the texture is so cool.

For:
locatray - black cat
Shawnicaitlin - cats in hats
pixiecorpse - crows
mrubyjean - witch

Mondo Mail Art Chunky Swap

It's an Unnaturally Colored Face World Swap

Orange, Green, Blue, and Purple

Wow, talk about out of the comfort zone.  I have gotten much better at faces, but I feel I am still not where I want to be.  So, I joined the It's an Unnaturally Colored Face World Swap and came up with orange, green, blue, and purple faces.  Hmmm, wonder what kind of prejudice problems they have.

Artist Trading Cards - Stained Glass Art

When I was a teenager I used to sit and doodle for hours.  I also liked to do art that looked like stained glass.  Some day I will find my composition notebook where I created decorative alphabets and doodled.  But, for now I have to satisfy myself with trying to remember how I did these things and see if I can reproduce them.

Any one of the following designs I would choose to have as a stained glass window.  Well, maybe not the walking man, but he did turn out rather cool.  Maybe that one for an elementary school gym!  I would love to actually learn how to do stained glass and maybe some day I will.

I used a Micron 02 pen and permanent markers to hand draw and color the following artist trading cards (ATCs).  I am also thinking about starting a swap over at ATCs for All titled "Stained Glass".

Stained Glass - Butterfly

Stained Glass - Dolphin

Stained Glass - Flowers & Circles

Stained Glass - Moon & Sun

Stained Glass - Walking Man

Politics! Everyone's Got An Opinion!

Peas in a Pod...

 Typically, I stay out of political and religious discussions.  It never bodes well for anyone that is, I guess, liberal.  However, I would like to point out that everyone has an opinion and everyone is entitled to said opinion.  My Alumni, Colorado Technical University, recently posted on FaceBook a link to an article that displayed 22 Executives and what the best advice was that they had ever received.

Having been a business owner myself, I wondered what it was that set those familiar and successful people aside from people like, who only wished we could be like them.  So, I proceeded to read each and everyone of the 22 executive advicements and the one that stood out for the most was the one by Mohamed El-Erian, CEO and co-chief investment officer, PIMCO.

He said "I remember asking my father, 'Why do we need four newspapers?' He said to me, 'Unless you read different points of view, your mind will eventually close, and you'll become a prisoner to a certain point of view that you'll never question.'"  From a 2009 interview with CNN Money

Wow, that was so profound for me.  Know why?  Because lately everyone is so fixated on their opinions about the war, Israel, the United States deficit, etc. and it seems like it is only on the negative.  It also seems that as humans, by nature, we look to blame those that are in charge because we don't like how something has turned out or where it is going.

So, before you consider someone's elses opinion or assume that something someone says is GOLD, remember there are different points of view and you don't want to become imprisoned by only that point of view.  Research and talk to others so that you can form an educated opinion of your own.

Color Palette I Purple/Blue/Green

 I never really join the "color palette" swaps, because you can use very little black or white and the main portion of the artist trading card (ATC) has to be the colors listed.  However, I really like the colors purple, blue, and green.  This was going to be a challenge for me and I had to think outside the box.  What could I do that would allow me to use all three colors while incorporating little to no black and white. 

I decided to break out the watercolors and start there.  I took three ATC sized watercolor cards and started to paint the three colors on the cards without really thinking about form.  When I was done I walked away, so when I came back it would be with new perspective.

When I returned to the cards; I was excited to see some type of form or shape and immediately broke out the glitter and metallic markers to start adding the needed flare for each card.

Needless to say, I was both pleased and impressed that I could actually handle doing a color palette ATC without alot of strain on the brain.

Turtle, Birds, & a Gecko

I'm not sure what got into me tonight, but I had this uncontrollable urge to draw something Native American.  So, I whipped out the watercolor pencils and made four backgrounds.  Let me explain something that I like about watercolor pencils; they, in my honest opinion, have the most brilliant colors.

Turtle

I did the Gecko card with my watercolor blocks and the rest I did with my watercolor pencils.  See how bright they turned out.

Gecko

Next, I drew each Native American symbol and then colored them in with permanent marker, which works really well for drawing over watercolor.

Bird 2

I posted these as available to trade and hope someone takes the bait!

Bird 1

Our Fine Feathered Friends Swap

I was invited to join another art doll swap.  I was really excited to find out that it was about birds!  I made four bird dolls and they all turned out very colorful and pretty.  I drew each bird and then used watercoloring for coloring the birds.  I then used my permanent markers and outlined and added the details.

I haven't even begun to pretend to know how to watercolor, but I sure do like the effect.  I tried some different techniques like using a watercolor pencil to "draw" in the wet watercolor.  This can be seen on the parrot.

I really enjoyed making these birds and just wish I knew the name of the bird that hangs upside down.

Jungle Fancy Pigeon

Jungle Parrot

Jungle Blue Bird

Hanging Tropical Bird

Cat in the Window Popularity

I made a silhouette ATC called "Cat in the Window" with a Citra-Solv background and I couldn't believe how popular it was.  I've had 3 requests for the ATC.  So, I made another one using a different colored Citra-Solv background and am trading it for a Halloween ATC called "Frightful" from Rogue Gal.

Cat in the Window 002

You can never have too many Halloween ATCs and I really like her work.  Then I received another request for the "Cat in the Window", so  I PM'd the third person and asked if she didn't mind me making her one as well to trade.


Now to let her know which ATC I want from her gallery!!

Citra-Solv Backgrounds

I love drawing "silhouettes" and I have these really cool backgrounds made using Citra-Solv that I can use as backgrounds.  I drew the silhouette, cut out the white areas, and added the Citra-Solv background so it looks like you are actually viewing something in the background.

I am super excited as I am listed on the Citra Artist Contact Info page and some of my previous cards are listed in the ATC gallery.

Cat in in Window

Cat in the Window

Why do you sit and stare?

Are you waiting for something special to happen?

Is something on the other side catching your attention?

Do you secretly wish you could be on the other side?

Are you contemplating life?

Or, is this just a relaxing past time?

Please, share your secrets with me.

More Metal Embossing

I had some scrap metal left over from the embossed metal ATCs that I did the other day and doodled on them.  I've only walked past them for the last five days wondering what to do with them.  Last night I decided to take these small pieces and put them onto ATCs.  I had some scrap paper from some very nice people that have recently sent me extras with the couple of personal trades that I've done, as well as, some Citra Solve background scraps.

I then proceeded to add some old language torn up book pages and other picture scraps and then I sprayed them all with alcohol ink.  Once the alcohol ink was dry I started tracing different patterns on the paper with various colored permanent markers.

After all the collaging and coloring were done; I glued on the metal pieces and ended up very pleased with the final results.

What I am not pleased with is the scanner I have.  My printer is going down hill and so is its scanning quality.  I scanned the four cards together and they all have the same metal, but one of them scanned really dark.  I still enjoy looking at them and I hope I get to trade them soon.

Captured Destruction

Great Work

The Dream of the Illusion

Truth in the Streams

Mount Sunflower, Kansas

Mount Sunflower is 26 miles northwest of Weskan, Kansas and we drove by on our way to Colorado. 

Our family traveled from Oklahoma to Colorado for Christmas and on the way, in Kansas, we saw a sign for a place called Mount Sunflower. I couldn't stop thinking about drawing or painting it, so when I got home I did this watercolor.

Mount Sunflower

I'm not sure if I should take this place seriously or laugh.  It really isn't a mountain, but as it is the highest point in Kansas, it deserves some recognition, I guess.

Metal Embossing

Well, I joined another swap, but this one has to do with Metal Manipulation.  I remember making some Christmas cards one year using a similar technique and decided I would try to free hand some art on the metal and make some ATCs for the Metal Manipulation Swap over at ATCs for All!

I first used the tools I had, which equated to a sculpture tool, thin end paint brush without the end, a 2/2.25MM crochet needle, and a stylus.  While you can see what looks like scratch marks up close on the scan, it doesn't look like this when you just look at the card.

I ordered some actual metal embossing tools tonight from Dick Blick and should get them around the 15th of January with their super saver shipping and then I plan on getting serious with this new found fun thing to do!

This first one is called Water Lily and is based off of a piece of art that I hand drew last year.  When I was done with the embossing I used alcohol ink to color it in.  I think it's pretty, but the jury is still out on the alcohol ink.

Water Lily

These other two are simply embossed drawings on the metal.  Both of these were done based on drawings I did last year.

Mermaid Head

Sunflower

LADYBUG Swap

I recently joined a swap over at ATCs for All! that I thought would be a lot of fun and get me over my fear of LADYBUGS!  The swap is called LADYBUGS!! and is Due Date January 10 2012. 

I finished two of them and still need to draw and color two more. 

So, without further ado here are the two that I finished;

Ballerina Ladybug

Mr. Bo Bug

Seedy Garden People Paper Dolls

I have never "made" paper dolls, so this swap was a bit of a challenge for me.  We had to use vegetables, fruit, and flowers in order to come up with these "Seedy Garden People".  The fruits and vegetables were easy, but trying to fit the flowers in somewhere was the greatest challenge.

I used brads for the four moving parts, which included the arms and legs and then I just secured the head.  The fun part was putting each little person into an actual seed packet, where they will reside until they meet their new owners.

 

We also gave them names and I used word from the catalogs that I received and put them together to give each a unique name.  There names are, from left to right:

Ruby Red Seascape

Paula Nemours

Sarah Blossom

Alcea Bernhardt

Back into the Swing of Things!

Last week I was able to whip out some artwork and I feel really good about it.  I was able to get in some trades with people over at ATCs for All!  I plan on focusing on doing some serious artwork and laundry.

Feather Mask

Mr. Sun Mask

Coffee Lover's Dessert Recipe Card

Lemon and Blueberry Bread Recipe Card

Fire and Ice Face

So, I've been working and lost my muse for a while.  Seems that is happening alot lately.  I am seriously always trying to get something done, but never in the art department.  I made this ATC a while ago and am now just getting around to posting it.  The really funny thing is that I can't bare to give it up for trading.

I love the porcelain masks with the different pictures painted on them and that is what inspired this particular piece of art.  I think I might just keep creating ATCs with more like this and then I won't feel so guilty about trading one.

Happy New Year!

I know, i know, this is only like day 8, but I have been so busy with work and all.  I'm really bummed that I haven't had time to do any artwork.  I've been busy with a new job, kids, household stuff, etc.

I am sure hoping that 2011 brings much needed changes to our lives.  I don't believe in making resolutions, because, like the other 92% of people who don't keep their new year's resolutions, I won't keep them either.  So, I hunker down and just keep going.

Today, I plan on getting some artist trading cards done for some swaps I've joined and then we will see what the rest of the day holds for me.

I hope you all have a blessed and fulfilling year and don't forget to break out those pencils, pens, paint brushes, and whatever else you can think of to help you make some wonderful art.  Would you want to try and imagine a world without art?  I know I wouldn't!!