Dancing Doodles

During my recent hospital stay, I spent some time doodling in one of my art journals -- my latest passion :) Here are some dancing doodles. I have yet to decide if I will embellish them with colour . . .

I am learning to embrace the imperfections of my art! Who cares if their arms are too long and their legs too short -- or their hands and feet all wonky?!?! I'm having fun playing -- and these girls are cute and quirky :)

Is it done yet?

I worked a bit more on my collage today, taking the advice of my friends in the comments below yesterday's post :)

I'm still not quite satisfied because it doesn't look balanced -- but I like it better. 


Any more suggestions? Or should I leave it and chock it up to a process piece (as opposed to a satisfying product)? I do like my birdies -- though the one on the right is a bit too Spidermanish in colour ;) (Unfortunately, the photo doesn't show the silver highlights on the birds and leaves. I outlined all the black lines with silver gel pen, which adds a neat effect.)


Now it is time to rest.

Pretty, Pretty -- Everywhere

I have lots of friends who are great at blessing others! During this hospital stay, two of my sweet friends found ways to bless me in creative ways. One friend brought me a bouquet of flowers -- but because she knows I like to "spread the love," she took the time to decorate a few empty juice bottles so I could share my flowers! 

Are these not so sweet? I only have one left now because I've distributed two to ladies on the floor that look like they could use a little prettiness to look at. 


And you know, it really helps me to do that. Today I was starting to get warn down -- by the drugs, some side effects, and the sadness that pervades the cancer wing in a hospital. There are sad, sick people all over the place. That takes a toll on a soul's view of the world. So what a blessing it was to change my negative thought pattern and get out and bless someone else. Thank you, Caralyn, for enabling me to do that in such a lovely way!

Another friend who has traveled her own cancer journey read in my journal that I was cold. So when she came to visit me, she brought this beautiful blanket that she made from those little dollar store throws you can buy:

So beautiful, don't you think?!?!?! And so wonderfully cozy! Many, many people have walked into the room and exclaimed at the beauty that Susan has brought to this little space with that blanket, and the lovely quilt (peeking out from under the blanket) she gave me for these hospital stays . Thank you, Susan, for the blessing of your creativity!

Today I felt like exercising my own creativity. I was flipping through my Drawing Lab book for inspiration, and didn't I discover that one of the people that inspires me most these days was a guest artist in the book! I've had the book for almost two years -- how could I not have noticed that before?! I immediately recognized her birds, which are the things that capture my interest most about her work. So once again, I tried my hand at some. I'm happy with the birds that look like they are sitting on tree branches, which are actually the lines from the sewing pattern that is glued to the canvas beneath them (and the canvas is recycled from one of my daughter's paint play days). However, I'm not sure that the collage is finished -- and yet I'm not sure how to complete it. I toyed with putting two more "joy" stamps (top left and bottom middle), but that didn't quite do it for me. 

Any thoughts on what this collage still needs?????

New Art Journal

I've almost filled my drawing book, and since I purchased two when I started using Carla Sonheim's Drawing Lab for Mixed-Media Artists, I decided to get ahead and decorate the cover so it's ready for use. 

I love the leathery texture of layered tissue paper, so I started by gluing pieces of old sewing patterns (nice, natural coloured tissue) onto the front cover, scrunching the pieces as I went to create texture. Then I layered chocolate brown, ochre yellow, and metallic gold acrylic paints, lifting some off here and there with some more tissue paper. To protect it all, I layered more glue on top (glossy ModgePodge). Glittered letter stickers and a piece of my old art attached with some leopard tape finished it off. I thought of adding more elements, but I want it to remain flat, so I decided to leave it at that -- at least for now :)


I've discovered that I can't use a journal or workbook as it is; I need to decorate it and personalize it.


Is there anything you need to "make your own" before you feel comfortable using it?  

More Little Birdies

This evening DS5 wanted to play outside in the front before bed time, so I decided to sit on the porch with another page from the encyclopedia and see what emerged while I kept an eye on him. I was inspired by our porch pillows . . . and then by some of the words that popped out on the page.

And then I had fun playing with the photo editing tools again! 

Any thoughts on what I might do with these little one-pagers????

A Little Birdie

Inspired by Geninne's Art Blog: For June, I used it as a guide for my own drawing. Since imitation is the highest form of flattery, I hope she doesn't mind me trying to improve my drawing skills by mimicking hers. She draws and paints the most beautiful birds on all sorts of substrates. 


Because I like the look of art on top of a printed page, I decided to use a page from an old encyclopedia for my base. I love the fact that the text camouflages the errors in my drawing! :) Of course, I see all sorts of flaws in my end result, but it was fun to do.

One-Eyed Monster

I had the urge to pull out my Drawing Lab book the other day, and settled on the task of creating a one-eyed monster according to one of the challenges. Who says monsters must be ugly? :)

As per the instructions, I started with a permanent pen, drawing a single eye and working from there. I must have chickens on the brain or something, because it turned out to look much like a pretty chicken -- or at least that's what DS5 says. (He also wondered why I scribbled all over the head and tail. They're not scribbles, they're villi, child! They help make my monster a monster ;)  I coloured with watercolour pencils, and then blended with water. I don't like working with watercolour pencils because they don't really look like watercolours -- but they're transportable and easy to work with even if the results aren't stellar. 


As I was creating the monster, I found myself wondering, "Why bother? What's the point of using my valuable time making a useless little monster?" I'm not sure I have a good answer. It's an exercise in creativity. It's a way of using my hands productively during moments of inactivity -- like supervising children at the park or waiting for an appointment. It's developing my drawing skills. (Well, sorta.) And I guess it's just plain old fun :) 


What pretty monsters do you have in your life? Do you ever create anything just for fun?

A Little Man that Blesses Me

The other day I found this little markered man drawn by my five-year-old little man. After I commented on how much I liked it, DS5 decided to outline it with pen, adding a new dimension to his work. 


Somehow, my little man and his little man bring a smile to my face :)

What little treasures have you found lately that make you smile?

Pass It Forward Art

A few months ago, a friend posted a creative challenge on her facebook status. The idea was that she would make something for the first five people who commented on her status, and they, in turn, would make the challenge their status and create something for their first five commenters -- and so on, and so on, and so on . . . 


Well, it took me a while -- and it has taken even longer for me to post here about it (mostly because I also took so long to mail them, and wanted the recipients to receive them before I posted) -- but I finally came up with something for the three people that committed to the challenge. While I was at it, I created one for a friend that I found myself thinking about as I created the others -- so the result was four creations -- and then something created from those four creations. 


Here are the original four creations -- oil pastel drawings on painted sewing patterns glued to flat canvases -- completed with bible verses chosen specifically for the recipients, and also to complement the pictures:

I actually created this one while having one of my chemo treatments back in March. I am quite certain the nurses thought I was strange -- drawing a picture of a random chicken! But my friend loves chickens -- so it was the perfect image for her :) And this chicken has attitude -- it's not being "chicken" -- so the verse is perfect both for my brave friend and the courageous chicken!

The friend this one was created for likes to walk outdoors and also loves to sing. She lives in the city where trees are not always easy to see, so I thought I'd draw one for her to have in her home. 

The friend for which I made this loves animals -- she has two cats and two dogs. I fashioned this kitty after the mixed media one I made a few years ago found here: http://created2bcreative.blogspot.ca/2010/08/drawing-day.html  . I thought the verse complemented the cat's big eyes nicely :)

This was the "bonus" picture. My friend and I both like birds -- and the verse has special significance for the two of us .

The metallic gold pastel and spritzed spray paint with which each of the pictures is highlighted do not show up well in the pictures, but I like how they look in real life. 


Because I have a tendency to appreciate functional art, I decided to go a step farther and create stationary from the mixed media pieces. I was quite tickled with how they turned out, though the scanner bed doesn't show them off very well.  (A big thank you to my DH who did the actual printing for me.)

A couple of you have participated in a challenge I issued here a few months back. Your little slices of creativity will be off to you soon, I promise! (Phyl, yours is just waiting for me to make it to the post office!)


Have you participated in any creative challenges lately? Why not give it a try?! 

Hospital Art - yet another piece

Well, an unfortunate infection in my PICC line (which has since been removed) has landed me in the hospital yet again. This time, instead of lamenting the weight of my art-to-go kit, my dh encouraged me to bring it :) 


Interestingly enough, we both had some creative inspiration last week while we sat at this very hospital for an outpatient appointment. He imagined writing a symphony using the notes of an IV monitor alarm (I told him it might make me and other patients scream in horror. That sounds curdles my blood now ;) 


I envisioned a piece of art in which I was holding my husband's face, looking into his eyes, with the words of the hymn "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" written around the picture. At first I wondered if that was sacrilege. But then I realized that if we are to be Jesus to others, to let Him live through us, then it made absolute sense that I could look into my believing husband's eyes, the man who is Love to me, the one who meets my day-to-day needs in a real and physical way, and see Jesus. As if to confirm what I'd been thinking, the pastor spoke on Sunday about the times we pray for others. When we pray that Jesus meet the needs of our neighbour, we should be going out there and helping to meet the need. When we pray that He comfort someone in their loss, we should be offering them comfort ourselves. The Spirit of Jesus is in us, and we are His hands and feet . . . 


So this is the drawing I did based on my "vision." I really think I should stick to mixed-media collage, but maybe one day I'll learn how to draw ;)

Have you had any visions of art you'd like to create? Have you tried to make them real? How did they turn out?

Monday Musings on the Creator in Me

Last week the theme at HSB Front Porch was Children’s Authors and Illustrators, and in our Monday Musings we explored ways in which we can appreciate these creative people. As I finished that article, it occurred to me that a good sequel would be an article that explored ways we can encourage ourselves and our children to be authors and illustrators. We really do have it in us – whether we ever “get published” or not! ;)

Ideas for adults:

• Write letters. I mean REAL, hold-in-your-hand, pen-to-paper letters – to family, friends, children, spouses. Then, do a few doodles or clip out a few pictures from a magazine to adorn the letters and envelopes. These letters might just become a keepsake for the recipients, cherished for years to come. My husband and I corresponded for years before we were married, and each kept all of the letters we received from the other. On one of our wedding anniversaries, we sat and organized them all chronologically – so now we have a documentation of our friendship and romance. While they still hold value for us now, I believe they will have even more value to our children in years to come.

• Keep journals. Here are a few ideas that nurture the author and illustrator in many of us:
• Gardening journals with little diagrams of where to plant next year’s flowers and food, as well as little sketches of how favourite plants are growing
• Pass-it-back journals to be shared with a spouse, a child, or the whole family. When she was about 10, my oldest daughter and I began writing notes to each other in a journal that we’d leave for each other to find, read, and respond. Sometimes we’d doodle little illustrations to correspond with the content and demonstrate our affection for each other. At another time in our family’s history, we would take a weekly opportunity to write kind words to each other in a Blessing Book, and these notes would be read aloud at our Blessing Meal. Words matter, and this is a little way to use them for the edification of others.
• 

  

  An excerpt from my nature journal

  Nature journals are a way to draw our attention to the wonders of creation and document the beauty in the world around us. If we don’t feel like we can draw well enough (though it’s a great opportunity to practise!), we can always take photos, print the best ones, and make simple notes about the time, place, sounds, smells, and sights we experienced.
• Personal journals are, of course, ways to document our thoughts, feelings, hopes, and ambitions – and a good way to sort through the ups and downs of life. Little doodles and illustrations here and there help to label our emotions and experiences.
• Prayer journals are another form of personal journals, with a little more focus. Entries help us to see where we’ve been, and how God has been working in our lives. Several times in the last 13 years I’ve returned to a particular journal entry in which I’d drawn a diagram of what I viewed all our parenting options to be next to a page of graffiti-like doodles exclaiming, “Kill my will!” It was that very evening that the door of my heart flew open when we were presented with the blessing of our first adoption. What an awesome way to be reminded of God’s answers to prayer!
• Poetry journals might not be everyone’s cup of tea – and yet I think we tend to underestimate our own abilities to write powerful poetry. If we try, we’ll find ourselves in good company. It was by the creative power of the Holy Spirit that David was able to pen the psalms. When the Spirit of the Creator is allowed to work in us, we might be amazed at the words that wend their way onto paper. Even if the poetry remains under lock and key in our journals, it is a powerful way of wrestling with words that give our thoughts and convictions shape and form.
• Record the stories of our children’s births or adoptions. I know my daughters especially have often pleaded, “Tell me the story of when I was born.” What a gift to offer them a written version for them to keep tucked away, perhaps to share with their own children one day. Photos or simple drawings would add to the memory bank, reminding the children of how they were and are cherished.
• Scrapbook. I know this might seem like a stretch – but when you think about it, the purpose of a scrapbook is to keep a visual documentation of a time period, and it usually involves words and pictures. A scrapbooker writes about and illustrates (with photos and decorative elements) significant life experiences. In my books, it counts towards being a writer and illustrator! 
• Write down some of those great stories you tell your children or grandchildren. And if you're interested in publication, I just found this interesting site.

 Ideas for children:

•   Have little people write and draw in shape books. Apples, pumpkins, emergency vehicles -- there are lots of patterns available for free online. This makes authoring and illustrating so much more fun!
   
 



Canada lapbook


• Create lapbooks. Not only is it a creative way to write and illustrate, it's a great way to document learning.

A Letter from a pen pal



• Find penpals for your children, and encourage them to write letters and send drawings to their penpals. It's especially great for homeschoolers to connect with each other.
• Sponsor a child and have your children write letters to him or her, and send drawings and little paper projects as well. 
• Write a family newsletter or newspaper and include drawings and photos. Truly publish this by sending it to friends and family.
• Journals -- of course, these are great for children as well. If your stuck for ideas to encourage journaling, have a look here.
• Create homemade books from scratch. You can start with plain paper, paper bags, a stack of note cards, cereal boxes, fabric -- you name it! Here are some more ideas to get you started in writing and illustrating homemade books.

 These are just a few ideas that we can use to jump-start the writer/illustrator in each of us. And when we consider that the Word was God, and the Word was with God (John 1:1) -- it should come as no surprise that, in the image of God, we are created to work with words and images.

What ideas do you have to nurture the author and illustrator in each of us?



More Imaginary Creatures

I completed a couple more imaginary creatures. "Baby Bump Bliss" is still my favourite, I think because she was so much fun to create -- but here are her friends, Boo Boo and Stella:

Did he startle you? ;)

I don't know why my snail lady is named Stella -- I tried her out with "Shelly," but it just didn't stick.

Have you had any fun with art lately? It doesn't have to be perfect to be fun!

More Drawing Lab Work

As I'm able to snatch bits of time, I continue to work through Carla Sonheim's Drawing Lab for Mixed-Media Artists, in no particular order. As I pulled out my sketch book last night, I realized that I hadn't shared my "Eyes Only" page. The task was to sketch in pencil four eyes as identical as possible, then use different media to embellish them -- lead pencil, black ink pen, charcoal, and coloured pencil. Here are the results:

Last night I had the opportunity to work on Lab 8, "Imaginary Creatures," which involved making random strokes of water colour in red, blue, and yellow, then using a black micron pen to define the lines of an imaginary creature that became "visible" when you looked at the random marks, and layering with more watercolour and vine charcoal. I started three, but only had time to finish one, which I entitled, "Baby Bump Bliss." As I had fun creating it, I thought about two ladies that have inspired me -- cyber friends, if you will -- Leah  and Erica -- both of whom are expecting their first child. So, as I played I also prayed for them and their baby bumps. I hope they both get a little smile from my imaginary creature :)

I've never used vine charcoal before, and didn't really know what to do with it, so I just did a bit of shading around the edges. I really don't know much about shading, though . . . Any words of wisdom about that?

I was actually pleasantly surprised at how fun this activity was. I expected to have a really hard time "seeing" anything in my random markings, cuz I'm not much of a visionary. But I got quite a kick out of creating this happy, little critter.

Have you had any fun with your imagination lately?