Magical beings

Last year I took an online workshop with Jane Davenport in Australia - who teaches mixedmedia art. (janedavenport.ning.com)   This particular Workshop was entitled Joynal, where we actually altered an old fairy story book, and created new fairy stories in it, whilst painting over the pages with all sorts of imaginery beings.
Above is a mermaid - I was practising in my sketchbook.   I've drawn on top of a painted background using mostly coloured pencils.

These are Girlimals (as Jane puts it) girl animals!  They are unicorn girls - again I am practising in my sketchbook.  Again I've drawn on top of an already painted background.  I painted all the pages of this particular sketchbook some few years back, and am now finding it quite exciting to decide which background to practise on!
I'll post a couple of pictures from my Fairystory Joynal next time.  Till then ........

Well, it took longer than I thought .....!

Just popped in to say hello again, after almost a year since my last post.  I've been busy learning mixed media stuff - which seems to mean anything you want it to!  Here is a mixed media portrait I did recently, using paper collage on watercolour paper, then creating the portrait with loads and loads of acrylic paint.
Really enjoyed creating this, altho' I really still dislike paper collage.....
I have been drawing in my sketchbook lately too - mythical girls.  Will show you next time ......

OUT OF THE BLUE

Two or three weeks ago I received an email, our of the blue, from Ty Hulse, asking if I would be interested in reviewing a book she has written - The World of Fairy.
As most of you know, I am well into mythology, so of course I enthusiastically agreed.
I subsequently received a proof a couple of days ago, and have just finished a most enjoyable read.
Herewith my Review ...........

The World of Fairy  Author Ty Hulse

To quote from the back cover “Inspired by the works of the greatest scholars, this book of sketches represents a journey through ancient beliefs and creatures which are far stranger than you ever imagined”. Ty Hulse is a Folklorist as well as an artist, and has spent some considerable time researching myths, legends and fairy stories from all over the world, and has put together ‘A Sketch Book & Artists Guide to Fairies’ which would suit all ages.
Whether you believe in fairies or not, to read snippets such as “Because ‘Fairy’ was originally a term used to describe a set of magical beings similar to deities, one can see many ‘fairy traditions’ from around the world, including the Kami of Japan and the Rusalka of Russia” really intensifies your sense of inquisitiveness and desire to find out more!

The Author has produced a book filled with anecdotes relating to folklore from every walk of life worldwide, and has illustrated them with beautifully naive drawings, not too pretty and sugary, and not too scary either. She has managed to create a nice balance where each page is very easy on the eye.

To view all the research go here - it really is most interesting.

The book is due to be published next week, and is available from the same site.

I'll be back shortly to share with you what I have been doing since February - my doesn't time fly!!

Till then ........... 





Painting over Collage - Week 6

This week on Life Book 2012 was a Workshop with Tamara Laporte using paper collage on watercolour paper.  Tam uses gel medium to stick her collage paper down, but unfortunately I don't have any, so I used PVA glue, which gets a bit messy!!  The idea was to paint with watersoluble crayons over the collage, except for the 'figure'.  So you could actually change the figure entirely, you use blended acrylics with the crayons (I think - it is some time since I looked at the video!!)  Anyway, as I got so messy with the PVA, and knowing it dries clear, I thought I would paint a watered down gesso all over it before I started to paint (BAD idea!)

Here we have a scan of my finished collage page.

Here we have the same page, now gessoed (you can hardy see the images underneath the gesso) and my drawing of the mermaid over the top of the image.  The watersoluble crayon, when adding the water, slid all over the place, and of course you could see my brush strokes through it!  I persevered, adding the scrylis to the figure, which thankfully did stay in place.

Hey Presto!  The finished page, but nothing like it would have been if I'd followed all Tam's instructions.

I'm very new to collaging with papers, and still haven't made up my mind whether I like doing it or not, but I am quite happy with this result.

I wonder what is in store for next week.....

Till next time.

Week 5 - Self Portrait from a photograph

Yeah! Yeah!  Before you take a sneaky look at my painting, there is a little artistic licence, I must admit.  No, not really, just that I used a picture of myself taken about 30 years ago.  Well, this week it was about our inner self, and I still feel a lot younger on the inside than I look on the outside!!  Anyway it was great fun, and the Workshop was by Kylie Fowler, an Australian Portrait Artist.  There are over 1000 of us who have signed on for this Life Book 2012, so from the tutor's point of view it must be extremely difficult to meet everyone's expectations, impossible I would say!  Kylie started the video with two black and white computer printed photos the same, but one was a mirror image.  We then cut out just the face of the mirror image and transferred it onto the watercolour paper using gesso - this was a first for me. (I'd done it on fabric - not with gesso though)  I rubbed rather too much of my face away, but it didn't matter, as the original was there for you to draw the face back in(with biro).  The idea was to make a type of cartoon, and fill in whatever you wanted for the hair and body etc. adding a crown or something, as this was representing your Inner Goddess! 

Kylie's second video was using a printout of her face, stuck onto watercolour paper and then colouring with watersoluble crayons.  She used all sorts of weird colours on her face, like olive green, prussion blue and red, as well as flesh, orange and yellow etc.  I decided to have a go on my face, and was quite delighted with the results.  Kylie's face was obviously still smooth paper when she coloured it, and mine was very 'rubbed up' and rough, but even so, the result of the weird colours I tried stll surprised me, which was the best bit of the whole exercise for me.   I'm really not into collaging - not yet anyway!!
If you want to join in the fun, click on the moving Logo - it's still not too late!
Till next time .........

Week 3 - Workshop with Bonnie Rose Bryan

This Life Book on-line course is turning out, at the moment, to be rather 'deep thinking'!  Bonnie Rose (this week's tutor) writes in her introduction:  "This project is all about using symbolism to depict the very differet parts of yourself, coexisting in balance and harmony.  It is a deeply personal and intensely introspective project .... to look inward into oneself, and represent, using archetypes or other imagery, both the light and dark aspects of your inner being .  This is no small task!"

Bonnie illustrated the Workshop by drawing two Goddesses with various attributes written down, but she  illustrated her drawings using ink, (a ballpoint pen) and hatching and cross hatching to create the shading and depth.

This I got very excited about, so ............

Here is the beginning of my two 'goddesses' (one public on the left and one private on the right).  You can see I've been working on the left hand side with more hatching.  I started by pencil drawing the portraits (not very much shading) and going over the drawing with the ball point pen, then rubbing out the pencil.   Point of no return is when you start hatching with the pen 'cos you can't rub out!

Anyway, this is my finished page, with a little colour added representing day and night or light and dark or sun and moon. and a few words.  The idea is to realise everyone has 'two faces' but they work in harmony. 
This is the first time I have tried drawing in ball point pen - I loved it and will certainly try again!!
The next workshop is around the 6th Feb. so till then .........

New Beginnings

Happy New Year to my blogging friends (and anyone else who pops by of course!)  To encourage myself to learn how to draw freely, I have joined an on-line workshop called Life Book 20l2, run by Tamara Laporte who is based in Brighton, Sussex.  She is a very caring, sharing person, who incidentally has only just had her second baby, just before Christmas, and has organised this YEAR LONG Workshop, which includes at least fifteen other Tutors from around the world.  It started on the lst Jan. and Tam did the first workshop for the first page of the Life Book, explaining that we are all goddesses (over 700 people have signed up!) and to include all our best qualities onto this first page, after painting the inner goddess we all have!  Well, this is my first page ........

 It is the first time I have tried to draw/paint a face, using an oval shape as a base, let alone a three-quarter face.  It was familiar though, as I have made and painted faces on fabric dolls, so I did understand the instructions, although you wouldn't think so.  It is amazing how drawing is one thng, then adding paint can completely change the expression etc.  I am hoping to learn a lot from all these brilliant tutors over the coming year, and will post each page as I go along.  I should then be able to see if there is any improvement!!

We are going to bind all the pages together, into a book, at the end of the year, and the 'flap' shown here was part of Tam's instructions.  She did say to stick collage paper on the back to form the 'hinge' but I don't have any suitable, so I used some fabric paper I made ages ago - worked a treat!

This is the back of the page, which will show as the book is opened.  I can always draw/write something on it to link to the next page, when I know what the next page is ....!
If you would like to know more about Life Book 20l2, or even join in, click on the button on the left.  Life Book 20l2 is also on Facebook and Flkr.
Till next time .......

A small gift for a special Friend

Each Christmastime I receive one or two christmas cards that really inspire me, and I now have quite a collection.  This particular little fabric and stitched quilt was inspired by such  a card I received several years ago, and reminds me somewhat of Zentangles.  The design appears to be hand drawn, and filled in with amazing detail, down to drawn lace and small embroidery lazy daisy stitches.  Anyway, my friend Alis was delighted with her little gift, and I would like to share the quilt wth all my blogging friends, to bring you all

Christmas Tidings. 

Here is the inspiration.  Unfortunately I do not know the artist, to be able to give credit where it is due.  I do hope you all have a lovely Christmas, and a very happy, healthy and creative New Year.

Fairy is finished .....

Following on from my last post, this is a scan of the painting actually, so it is a little larger than shown here - there is quite a few more leaves on the bottom and it is a bit wider. It is all water colour, except for the green background, which is layered acrylics.

This is also a scan of the finished Angel I posted some time back - now has a dark background, again using acrylics.
Bye for now ......

Getting there - slow but sure

Further to my last post, I've been working on this drawing I did, using a photograph of some toadstools I took for the background.  First of all I used a sepia pen to go over the drawing lines, then rubbed them out (very gently!)

I then added colours to various parts, using water soluble wax crayons mostly, then started to put the details in, plus some shadows.  The fairy is only very lightly coloured (nowhere near finished).  I am concentrating on the leaves mostly at the moment, and haven't quite decided about the background at the top.  Lots to do still, but I think it's coming on.
It's great for me to compare the pictures of the process, if only I could remember to do more scans as I went along!
Bye for now .....

Foraging for Fungus ......

Actually, to be honest, I was foraging for Fairies ........

but looking at the texture on these Honey Fungus (which is what I think it is) no wonder there were no fairies around.  It looks so spikey and rough, but really amazing.  The patterns are truly so inspiring!

Further along the lane I found these - much smoother, but still no sign of any fairy .....

wonderful Autumn colours though.  Even these round smooth ones were fairyless!

 I reckon they must have heard me approaching .......

and just took off.  I felt quite bereft, so decided I draw one .......

There you go - I just knew they were there really.  I'm off to add some paint.
Till next time ......

Another Fairy ......

 A new experience for me - I'm using A3 watercolour paper!  My Sketchbook is only A5, and smooth paper.  What a difference textured paper makes, as well as paper four times the size ........  Anyway, herewith my sketch.  Thought I'd give her feathered wings this time.

Add some flesh coloured pencils and paint, some water soluble crayons (her skirt) and some colour to her wings - plus a whole lot more graphite! 

She now has blonde hair as you can see, and I stippled the background with blue red and black acrylic paint and added some gouache white paint.  I did a lot of fiddling with her wings too.  I have to revisit all the flesh parts (lots of fiddling to do there!) and work on her skirt, and generally put a lot more detail in.  Still, she is getting there, slow but sure.
Bye for now .......

Bunbury Challenge completed

Here is my piece for the Bunbury Patchwork & Quilting Group in Australia.  The colours are a bit brigher than the picture shows, especially the edge of the leaves!

To recap, this is the challenge fabric - 11" square - 80% of which has to be used in the design somewhere.  The theme is Wonderland, and the quilts are for their Exhibition in 2012 - so I am in plenty of time!!
I'm still considering whether to add a couple of small 'pieces of leaves' at the bottom - or leave well enough alone.  What do you think? (OMGoodness - I've just noticed the pun!)   I've decided to call it Autumn Wonderland.
Till next time .......

More Sketchbook stuff ...

A sketchy beginning ..........

Added background using water soluble wax crayons and salt ....

Popped into the garden to find some leaves - for colour and shape ....

Added a bit more colour ....

Ta Daa!  I reckon she is done.  By the way, my sketchbook is A5 size.
Till next time ....

Sketching, stitching and painting

Further to my last post - herewith the finished drawing/painting of my latest fairy attempt.  As you can see, I did add something in the background and also the berries at the bottom, to cover those weird shaped arms a bit!  I have lots of beautiful berries on the trees and in the boundary hedges in my garden at the moment.

I've also been dyeing, stitching, painting and more stitching.  I decided to enter the Challenge of the Bunbury Patchwork & Quilting Group in Australia, under the theme 'Wonderland' - well, how could I resist?

 This is my effort so far (about 20" x 30").  It doesn't have to be in Australia under February 2012, so I have plenty of time.  The Challenge is , however..........

to incorporate this piece of fabric into the design.  It is only 11" square, but I can't overdye it or bleach it or change it in any way, and I must use it witin the design, not in the borders or on the back!!
I'll keep you posted as to how I get on ......
Till next time.
PS.  Any body else out there taking up the Challenge, or anyone know of anybody who is?

Sketchbook - pencil and water colour

I've been dabbling again in my sketchbook, inspired as usual by Linda Ravenscroft and her beautiful artwork.   I've collected a few 'poses' from Sunday supplements and magazines etc. that I thought might give me a start, and the one above is the one I used - just to give me a shape to go by, not to try to copy the image itself.

I washed the background with watercolour, then drew the image with a graphite pencil.  I should have taken a scan before adding any paint really, but forgot!

Added water colour to the wings and a bit more detail to the hair.....

Added more colour and more detail, with coloured pencils as well as the graphite pencil.
I know the image itself is not very good, the more I coloured it and added detail, the more I could see her nose is too long and her body too thin etc. but generally, the shading and colouring is not too bad.  Just as well she isn't supposed to be a copy of the original!  She is a fairy from another world after all!
She isn't finished yet - I want to add more detail to her wings, and something in the background, and perhaps some fairy dust here and there!  I'm off to have another go, with a different 'pose'.  Hopefully the next one will be better.
Till next time .......

Last but not least - the fifth piece...

 I think this is my favourite of the five pieces, although it could be a close second to the white silk trees!
Again, it is a wholecloth quilt, with a dyed (in a cffee jar) background.  Since discovering acrylic ink there has been no stopping me!!  I drew the design on the fabric (the tree shapes) with a permanent white marker pen, quilted the outlines with black invisible thread, and some of this was eventually picked out with white gouache.  The small painted flowers in the centre are just one layer of acrylic ink, and the blossoms on the trees are several layers, up to nine I think, to get the brightness of white I wanted.  I made up the pattern for the 'mound' under the right hand tree as I went along, and filled in with acrylic paint afterwards, and added tiny blobs of gouache to look like beading (Oh how I wish I could do beading!)

Here is a closeup of part of the centre section.
I'm on duty tomorrow and Sunday, and we take the Exhibition down on Monday.  It has been a huge success, with lots of quilting friends coming quite a distance, and lots of people visiting RHS Rosemoor Gardens just stumbling across us.  It has been a wonderful experience, but very hard work, I must admit.
Till next time ........

Fourth piece for our Exhibition

Whew!  The Exhibition is going very well - the weather has been quite kind really - sunshine and showers.  When the venue is an RHS Gardens, the sunshine brings them to visit, and the rain sends them inside!!

Anyway this is my fourth piece, which I call The Copper Tree (for obvious reasons!)  The pieced background was inspired by Kay Neilsen and the tree itself by Virginia Skerrett.

Here is a closeup - the quilted background is more obvious here.

I also made a few postcards for the sales table.......

I think they have all been sold, so I'11 be off to make a few more, as I am 'on duty' again tomorrow!
Till next time ......