A Greatful Heart

Hello all, a very quick post from me today to share my latest project created as part of Lifebook 2018

This latest class was taught by Kathy Glynn and was called words of gratitude. Like usual with Lifebook projects I cannot tell you exactly how I went about it, but it was basically a watercolour portrait with flowing hair into which you added words of things you are grateful for.. I pretty much did my own thing, both in terms of colours and in the way I added the words and did the actual face part of the painting.

It's a long time since I have done a portrait all in water colour, all I can say is, - it was useful practice, even though I really don't like the finished result, but this is all a journey, so live and learn and better luck next time.

Well that's it, hope you all get some creative time and that the weather is kind to you, - here more winter weather is forcast, and I am sooooo ready for Spring.

Anyway, like usual, thanks for taking the time to visit

xxxxx

The Custodian

Hello friends, just a very quick post today to share my next project from Lifebook 2018, this was week 5.

This was probably my favourite class so far, the teacher was a fellow Dutch lady called Juna Biagoni, an amazing mixed media artist that does the most incredible soulful portraits. The portrait is called the Custodian, because she is the guardian of our resolves and intensions, she has her eyes closed, because she looks inward, into her own soul.

Like usual, I can't really share the techniques, but let me just say it mostly involved pastels, both hard and soft ones, layered on top of a textured base. It is so wonderful finally to use some of the art materials again that I have been hoarding for years...

Juna is a fantastic teacher and I am saving up already to do another of the classes she offers on her website. I just love her style...

Anyway, that's it for today. Hope you are having a creative week and see you next time.

Thank you for your visit like always

xxxxx

Serendipity

Hello lovely visitors. Doday I am sharing the latest piece I created for the classes I am doing with Lifebook.

The teacher for this class was Lucy Brydon, who like me live in Scotland. She is a wonderful artist and I fellt really inspired by her class and plan to make one or two more pieces.

I can't tell you of course how it was done, all I will say is that there was a gelli plate involved.

One of the things I love so much about the Lifebook classes is that they make me use some of my art supplies that have been neglected for years. I can't wait now to do some more playing with my gelli plate :o)

The animal I chose is a coyoti, and of course there had to be the inevitable moon he howls up to.

Well, that's iti for today, short and sweet. I apologize for not visiting in the last few days, I hope to do better at the weekend.

Have a lovely weekend everyone whe  it comes, and thanks for your visit like always.

xxxxx

Watercolour portrait play

Hello friends, - today I have another little portrait and some warm up exercises to share. These were inspired by the second week of Lifebook 2018. This week we had a guest teacher, Andrea Gomoll, who inspired us to work creatively with water colour. Loved her class!

Here first of all are two warm up excercises, the first one followed her instructions pretty much exactly.

I just did it in my own chosen colours and elements. Adding the water droplets was an idea from Shirley Deatcher from Papercreations by Shirley, who is also doing the Lifebook classes. I think many of you will know her, if not check her out, she is an amazing artist!

With this next one something went wrong and it became a complete wet mess, so I put some clingfilm all over the wet painting and let it dry. This then gave me the background to add the other elements.

Finally, the main project of this class, a watercolour portrait with an inspirational quote. Andrea's portrait style is very different from mine. At first I tried to follow her style (more cute), but I absolutely could not do it and failed miserably, so in the end I gave up and did my own style of portrait... There apparently is something deep inside me that really resist "cute" lol.....

Anyway, that's it for today. Hope you are not getting too bored with all my portraits, I am trying to keep these posts short as I know how busy we all are, - but in any case, thanks for your visit, and happy creating!

xxxxx

Garden Fairy, Lifebook 2018 no 2

Hello friends, before I share today's piece I woudl like to welcome all the new followers who have joined me since the beginning of this year. Thank you so much for joining me here. I also want to thank you for your kind comments on my previous page.

Today I am ready to share my next page, which is more coplex, though using many similar techniques. Again I can't really share them, as they are part of the Lifebook 2018 classes, but as you can probably see I have stepped right out of my usual comfortable colour scheme....

I love painting these kind of semi realistic portraits, but always have a hard time showing them, as there is so much I still need to learn, but of course, that is partly what this journey is all about.

I also attempted some hands (so hard) and my little bird, part of my chosen theme for this year, makes an appearance again too.

I am not really into "cute", but I do love whimsical, so a few whimsical houses make an appearance also....

And finally some stars in the background, I love stars, they did not quite come out the way I wanted, - but so be it.

Well there you have it, - I followed some of Tamara's example but then pretty much went my own way, just using her techniques for inspiration.

So that's it, my garden fairy, who is meant to be my muse for the coming year, whether she will or not will remain to be seen, - but one thing is certain, I am really enjoying Lifebook, and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for some new art inspiration this year.

I am linking this piece to Art Journal Journey were this month's theme is "New Year New Adventures"

Thanks for coming by like always, and happy creating!

xxxxx

A New Adventure

Hello friends and thanks for dropping in. Just recently (or to be honest for quite a while really) I have been in dire need of some inspiration for my art and creativity. So after thinking about it for some time, I decided to join Tamara Laporte  from Willowing Lifebook 2018 classes. Here is my very first creation from the first class: It is just a warm up excercise, but I had great fun with it.

Obviously I cannot reveal the techniques used, as they are part of Tam's class. She has called this first class "Make your Mark", and it is full of personal symbolism, letting go of old stuff and opening yourself up for new things. (Lifebook lasts for a whole year).

You choose your own totem animal, - I chose birds and feathers. You are also to choose your word for the year. I had chosen Transformation as my word a while back already, but as that seems to be just about every second person's word this year, I changed mine to Realize, I like the double meaning of the word, - you realize, as in understand/discover, but also you realize in the sense of bringing things into reality, if that makes any sense. I chose birds and feathers as I love drawing and painting them and they symbolize flying free to me. Anyway, that's enough waffle, here are a few more close ups:

More birds, this one was a scrap of washi tape, on some text paper.

And another one from the same washi tape, I enhanced it a little with a black pen to bring it out a bit more from its background.

Well, that's it for now. I am nearly done with my next painting and will be sharing that in a few days time.

Thanks for your visit like always

xxxxx