Time to RELAX...

Spring Break is HERE! I have made a vow that I will create somehow EVERY DAY while I am off work and kid-free for 9 whole days. I got a rocky start with my allergies acting up, but I have made progress on each piece I am working on. The small watercolor/zentangle piece is all sewn together.

7x9
This little piece is all blanket stitched together

The portrait of the 5 different women is moving along very nicely. I have enjoyed every minute that I have been able to work on it. Each face is very different and challenging in a new way. It is the perfect piece for me to be focusing my time on.

Colors are all chosen, laid out, and ready to be used

Skin tone and hair started 

Hair and skin tone finished

Finished piece

Moving right along

New experiences....makeup and bleach blonde

Full piece with 3rd face started

Beautiful beginning

I have even spent some time on a new washi tape zentangle. These are the small pieces that I like to take to a local public spot and enjoy creating with my earbuds in. Sometimes I just have to get out of the house and my art room in order to feel creative.

Needs some tiny details 

New EXPERIMENTAL piece...

I have been debating this piece for a while and today i decided to just get started! I really like having different projects going simultaneously, but its really hard to focus sometimes. I thought that by beginning something big like this piece, then maybe I can find some motivation for some other pieces. The last experimental piece I worked on was the girl with the braid in my earlier post. I wanted to practice hair, so I worked slowly on that piece. This one is larger and there are many different skin tones and hair colors. After a lot of searching i found 7 photos that I really liked. I cut them down and used my amazing opaque machine to get the layout right.

My 7 choices

By the time it was all put together the final image is an 11" x 22" piece with 5 faces included. I had to cut it down in the process of drawing them, but HEY! its only an experiment so I wasnt too bothered by having to cut down my images.

Final drawing with 1" border 

I have always started my portraits by beginning with the eyes. They are one of my favorite facial features. So, I didnt want to just stop working tonight after getting the layout finished. Got a little progress in before bed :)

Cant wait to do MORE!

My forever LOVES...

I have been involved in creating art since I can remember. When I was younger faces fascinated me and I always wanted to get better at drawing them. As I got older my love of realistic portrait art grew. It has stuck with me and it has been my first love in the realm of art since a very early age. I have taught myself many aspects and techniques in using colored pencils to create realistic images. It has been and still is a wondrous journey. I am constantly impressed by what I am capable of when it comes to portraits. Each piece has made me better in some way.

Recent portrait - Hair study

The second art-induced love of mine is zentangles. I have tried many different ways of getting these doodles and designs onto paper. I have tried black/white pen on scrapbook paper, pages of books, transparency paper, with washi tape boundaries, etc. My newest creations deal with doodles on top of watercolor. This is my favorite thus far, but it is an ever-changing infatuation.

Large venture into zentangles

Zentangle on scrapbook paper

Zentangle with Sepia pen and white gel pen on scrapbook paper

Zentangle and Washi tape

Zentangle and Washi tape

Zentangles on top of watercolor circles

Zentangles on watercolor stripes

Zentangle on watercolor doodles
Work in progress...

My third infatuation in the art world has been ‘hearts’. Just the simple heart shape has been a love of mine since my high school years. I have always wanted to create a series of interesting hearts. My thought process was “that’s childish” or “no one will want/care about hearts”. Well, I am taking a stab at this and I cant even explain the joy that this has brought on. I created one and the process was so relaxing and enjoyable that I have created 3 pieces total! I have been pulling from some of my favorite song lyrics and adding them to the pieces. I just LOVE them!!

(Yes, this is the unfinished piece that I showed in my last post)
"The truth never set me free, so I did it myself"
Beautiful Truth

"I believe there is hope buried beneath it all"

Work in progress...

It just goes to show that no matter what anyone thinks or what you believe they will think you should do what makes you happy. Sounds silly at first, but not everyone is going to like your work and everyone will have their own opinions. Im so glad that I am taking a chance and using new/old mediums that make me happy!