M.I.A.

Wow! Where does the time go? Has it really been another six months? And how busy can a person be not to write a little roundup? If you are out there making art, you'll understand. Time gets away from you, and the only place you really want to be is with sticks of color in hand, applying dreams to the page. As usual, I can be found in any one of a dozen online classes or subgroups on Facebook. I must be meeting deadlines I set for myself, because, after all, there is no grade or punishment for tardiness or incompletion in the virtual classroom. But I feel the clock ticking, and I know what I need to accomplish to make me happy. And it does. Make me very happy!

In just a year I have come so far in my skills and knowledge, it is starting to feel like a college degree and more. I can't imagine I could have possibly had the time to make this much art in college, what with all the "core" courses and the outside work, and the clubs and friend time, and hanging out. No, I am in a different frame of mind and I am driven, and it feels so good.

The End? No, it's time for a restart!

You may recall that in 2013 I was taking the giraffe as my muse in Carla Sonheim's "Year of the Giraffe" class. This is a frame from a class video animation I contributed to. My portion was titled "Spot Goes Spot Shopping".

In October we did four "mini" projects. This was "Cardboard Giraffe" week, made entirely from boxes I had sitting around in a box, and old fashioned brass paper fasteners.

Another October week was "Famous Artist Giraffe". "Frida Giraffe" was one of my favorite creations of the year.

But back to the blogging and why I haven't kept a schedule there. I think it has to do with a big change in the way we are relating out there in the ether. I notice fewer and shorter blog posts by many of the artists and friends that I followed. Generally, I am not finding the time to read them and unless a post is under my nose with a link on Facebook, I'm not seeing it. Most of the time I only go looking if I want to find a tutorial, or just check up on an old friend I've lost touch with. I am also finding that while Facebook is the social medium we love to hate, many of my teachers are finding it the most expedient way to connect their students' work and commentary to the class.

In addition to giraffing in 2013, I continued to stretch my mixed media drawing talents and imagination for visual storytelling with the Jane Davenport class, "Joynal", nine weeks of fairytale type characters from fairies to unicorns to mermaids. This altered photo of my toddler self was the basis for a "fairy godmother" illustration.

"Joynal" was inspired by both joy and journaling, part of which was creating an altered book in which to do some of our artwork. I also created a larger format book out of several types of watercolor and mixed media papers. Both are still be used in my current Jane classes.

Since we were encouraged to draw characters, the classmates began to collect not only myriad art supplies, but shelves full of studio muses. The "Monster High" dolls are great posable tools for use as manikins.

A journal page showing my research in the shapes which fairy wings can take was a lot of fun, with a few tongue-in-cheek references.

Over the three and half years I've written this blog, sixty-four posts, I have only received 339 legitimate comments, an average of five per post (and some of those are my replies). So I am often left to wonder, who exactly is reading it, and would they notice or care if I stopped writing? When my original intent was for this to be a diary of artistic growth that I didn't mind sharing with the general public, I guess I was really satisfied just to know I had a running record for myself of what I'd been up to. If I touch or inspire others along the way, so much the better. But really, why should I always be filled with angst that I am not making my "story" a well crafted piece of literature, or making it too long or short, too frequent or sporadic?

For the week on fairytale heroines, I chose Alice, and later did a "tables are turned" illustration of grownup Alice judging the Queen of Hearts in her courtroom.

Galadriel served as inspiration for this elfin queen.

For those old enough to remember the movie, South Pacific, you will recall the intro to the song "Bali Hai".

After drawing two unicorns based on horse photos, I went on to create this creature totally from my imagination.

Our parting lesson was based on a painting Jane had designed of "girlimal" twins. She invited us to create our own combination of animal and female. What else could mine possibly be to end "The Year of the Giraffe"? This is a digitally altered version of my full color Copic marker painting.
The complete set of all the classwork can be found here on my flickr page.

So in the spirit of fairness to all, I'm going to try to post more often in whatever form strikes me creatively that week, and I'm going to be very happy to read and respond to your comments about what reading blogs like this means to you and consider that we could make this a dialogue, or not. I am finding that most of that is going on over at Facebook, and if we are connected in any way in the real world, (say, we both love Jane's classes) you can contact me over there. If you "like" my page, Second Part Art, we can be in touch without that friending business. Oh, and it still makes me glad that you stopped by for a visit. 

Kitty and I showing you a miniature journal we made with instructions from Tracy Moore in the Artstronauts club, one of our new online inspirations.

What a Charming Face You Have

When I began 2013 with the drawing and painting of giraffe faces, I had no idea that by year's end human faces would become my passion and an almost daily part of my artistic journey.
When we last spoke (entirely too long ago because I am now obsessed with my daily drawing time), I was finishing my assignments with the mermaid themed class and getting ready to begin a series of drawing classes with the same teacher and creativity mentor, Jane Davenport. I was also beginning a yearlong commitment to two groups of artists I had only met online in the "Mermaid" class, to paint a themed page (or page spread) in their handmade journals once each month. For someone like myself, just beginning to study the ways of mixed media and storytelling with faces and figures, this was either pure madness or a crash course in learning to swim by jumping into a shark tank (same thing, I think.) Not that any of my classmates were less than lovely and supportive, but my own brain kept yelling: someone distract them while I climb out and run!

One of my first round robin journal spreads made use of a technique learned in Jane's "Mermaid Circus": photocopy a face you've previously done, glue to the new page, and paint over it. Saves time, gives you a staring point, and since you've probably grown your skills along the way, allows you to remake it into something different and hopefully improved. (This was adapted from my very first face, last shown to you in the April 29 post.) 

I had an inkling during the process of making my own two journal covers that I was going to really enjoy this monthly opportunity to do something brand new  based on whatever my favorite new techniques or themes were calling. I had learned about "one-liners" in several of Carla Sonheim's classes. You know, those drawings where you set pen to paper and don't come up for air until the sketch is complete. Your rules may involve not crossing or retracing lines or be open to whatever happens, but generally the idea is to let a simple flow of ink tell the story with as little complication as possible. I decided to do this for my own self portrait and then take it further with a technique from Carla's book "Imaginary Animals" called "Oaxacan Dotted Elephant," (except without the final coloring steps.) I just loved the result which is very much the spirit of me. The photo I used as a reference was then altered on the computer into a number of special effects, cut and collaged into a new me for the back cover. 

The cover of my international journal featured collaged and paint altered photos of myself spinning the "wheel of travel" to see where I would "virtually" journey next.

While all this new adventure was commencing, the "Year of the Giraffe" continued its monthly course. In July, we sculpted the giraffe in a medium of our choice. Considering my large stash of polymer clay from my jewelry making ventures, and the large number of canes I already had on hand, I decided to try my first sculpted clay piece. First came the base layer out of a block of beige, squeezed and finessed into shape all of a piece, nothing added or subtracted. This was then baked to a rigid condition and the design layer added.

My goal was to make the covering look like a giraffe's spots without being pedantic about it and without having to make any new canes. I turned a number of bulls eye canes into squared shapes, sliced them thinly and collaged the surface. I even used a scrappy "rose" that was made for a previous project as the eye and eyelid/lashes.

 To solve the problem of stability, I had left the area between the legs solid and now covered them with a "garden" of sorts as if the giraffe were standing in tall vegetation.

My completed sweet guy was named "Spot" and has gone on to star in two subsequent monthly projects. (Note that he has two differently spotted sides.)

In August, I finally got around to starting the Jane Davenport foundation class called "Supplies Me", which is an in depth review of all types of drawing and painting mediums melded with a basic drawing class. The first week, a focus on the use of gesso and journals, had us create a mixed media piece with glued ephemera, stamps and stencils or whatever we liked, and the first of the faces/figures we would be drawing throughout. Since I had just visited some newborn alpacas at a local farm and done some photography and quick sketches, I decided to create a simple portrait titled "Welcome, Baby!" Having drawn all those giraffes and last year some of the farm animals of Katherine Dunn, it seemed a natural thing to do.

 Being it was now August, and I had in hand the first of the round robin journals, it was time to make art for other people. One of the themes at hand was just Color!, and so I decided on a doodle of sorts that started with a stenciled image in black gesso, an amazingly dense dark black that just loves to be paired with colored pencils and acrylic paint pens.

The second page had no particular theme, so I went with a simplified version of a very complex page spread I had done for the Mermaid class. The mermaid and dolphins are all made by stamping images of my own homemade stamps on tissue, them applying them to the page with matte medium. They are then embellished with further color, mostly in colored pencil and white paint markers.

Back in week two of Supplies Me we were learning about colored pencils and drawing faces (yes!). This was the first simple sketch-along I did with Jane's video lesson.

 Next I took my journal out to the gazebo and worked up some more face types in colored pencil. I was feeling it come to me that I could really get into this thing.

 And finally, with paint blobs to add character, I took them further with more expression and detail.

The August giraffe was to be "photograf"ed! There were several options. The one shown here was "finding" a giraffe out in your daily wanderings. This poor fellow is titled "The Unfortunate Accident." Even though the auto has moved on, I can still visit him, as he is permanently adhered to a street nearby my house.

Since I don't live close enough to a zoo to just pop over for a photo shoot, the third option was to photograph a giraffe we had. Of course, Spot was the only choice and he was game for a little trip with Mom and Dad. The entire series, "Spot's Day Out", was a really fun photo shoot that unfortunately is only available at this time on my Facebook page. Here is a little taste.

Spot decides he'll sit on the dashboard on the way to lunch and shopping until Dad makes him get down.

Giving Dad the evil eye. (He hates being told what to do.)

The two make up over a great pizza lunch.

"More quarters, please!"

I want my own bag!

 Back in the "classroom," we were learning to draw the rear view and make that the subject of the week 2 mixed media piece. I had enough ideas for two different page spreads and used the inspiration of the colors on pages I had previously pre-painted with no particular project in mind. The first is a philosophical view of the short sweetness of life, the second a mix of fantasy and reality inspired by my time with the mermaids and a friend who is always full of the possibilities of life. 

Just as she is turning to face the "camera", so my art now is turning to the possibilities that can be found in a face. Stay tuned. More to come! 

Earning My Fins

It's that time of year again when I make a notch in my belt and mark off another successful and grateful year on the planet. It will also be official on Tuesday: twenty-three years after leaving the teaching profession I will finally be "retired" and can begin to collect my pension. I wouldn't get overly excited about this financial independence. The amount being deposited in my bank account will maybe cover my monthly art supply bill, but isn't that wonderful? I am finally doing the thing I should have done all those years ago, studying and practicing what I love the most, but now the thing I did as my second choice (heck, maybe it was my third or fourth) will be helping me foot the bill. I am, month by month, class by class, fleshing out the path for this "retirement" adventure in the world of creative expression.

When I last left you I had shared many of the products so far of my "Year of the Giraffe" creative muse (with creativity guru, Carla Sonheim). Somehow I missed pulling out a few of the most creative of these, my four new friends from her "Imaginary Creatures" class. They delighted me so much when they showed up on the page, that I can't wait to incorporate them into some other artwork. I am also thinking it is time to update my Etsy store with some new sets of greeting cards, so look for them there soon.

"Have You Seen My Comb?"

"Just Washing Up"

"No Match for Rabitoid"

"What's Not to Love?"

While I was working on these guys I spent quite a bit of time experimenting with layering of mixed media. Most of what we use in Carla's classes is water based, but there is also Prismacolor colored pencil and permanent black fine marker. Learning to work until the effect and balance desired is achieved is serving me well, as I realize that an artist may not know how to get where they are going until after they have arrived. Trial and error is a big tool of the trade and nothing to be ashamed of.

Today is the start of week four in "Mermaid Circus" with Teesha Moore and Jane Davenport, our most excellently talented and hardworking teachers. The amount of truly fine video lessons they are providing makes failure a non-option, and the generous video tours of their journals and their process is a major inspiration and confidence booster. What I have achieved in three weeks is astounding, although the number of projects they have planned for the eight weeks is so great it will probably take me the rest of the year to complete. I am not concerned, because although I can see great progress in my work, I also see what skills are weak, and I intend to move directly into a series of classes with Jane to boost them.

I love the warmth of this beautiful Fabriano watercolor paper, pure and clean just waiting for what will come (since at this point we had only a little clue).

Although I may not have time to work in the second shaped book during the run of the class, I had to try my hand at designing one for my beloved hippos and their giraffe friends. Note the cover is a blow-up swimming pool for a merhippo to frolic in.

Meanwhile, April's "Once Upon a Giraffe" month continued with writing and illustrating a three panel cartoon: "Stasha Tales: The Treadmill".

While out searching for paint pens and other mermaid necessities, I ran across this very lovely lesson book for Zentangles, which not only teaches the patterns, but goes on to show how to make them art. Of course, in the midst of overload, I added one more thing to my schedule.

Teesha started us off in our shaped (and now colored) mermaid books with a lesson in collage. Had a blast and fell in love with the possibilities.

And as you can see, I am already using my Zentangles in my art, in this case a lovely belly tattoo for my unnamed queen.

A closeup of her face shows the use of paint pens and metallic markers along with Copics to turn her blue. The coral formation behind her will be part of the landscape of the inside back cover.

And here she is in all her glory swimming in waves of discharge screen printed fabric I made a couple years ago. 

Week two was Jane's turn to teach us a different mermaid style. She wanted us to be able to paint over previously drawn artwork, but since many of us have not done face drawing before, she first gave us a lesson. The pencil drawing on the right was done as a base, then I traced out the basic shapes and features on another sheet of paper.

After a session with learning to blend Copic markers, plus some pencil and a bit of paint pen for those gorgeous green eyes, she was ready to reduce, print and collage. (Now I have this face in my "portfolio" of faces to use again and again.) The colorful painting she leans against was shown last time. 

Starting to design the mermaid, we added our photocopied face, and laid out other collage elements to tell the story. Jane's girl had a tattooed sleeve, and many of ours followed suit. I got to spend a fascinating half hour or so perusing tattoo magazines at a local bookstore before choosing a couple I found useful.

First layer of paint to block in the body and background colors.

The face, now painted over the marker drawing, the tail fins (from a previous painting) attached, and more colors added for texture and cohesiveness.

The completed page after many hours of work: "She Was Particularly Fond of Hippos". (The hippo is from a previous watercolor painting, and over-painted in the same manner as the face.)

Two weeks, two pages!

Meanwhile, back in Giraffe World, we were writing poetry!
I had made this stamp earlier in the winter, and decided to make some more to help illustrate my poems.

I used the new Moo carving blocks I had bought but not tried, and they cut like butter. So quick and easy. I made the giraffe stamp from my one-liners exercise, and the eye and tail from my giraffe parts for the "Flower Crazy" class. Again, finding my style, reusing my designs. Things are starting to fit together.

I wrote five haiku-like poems, and made a sixth page as an introduction.

The backgrounds are painted with my newly purchased Golden Fluid Acrylics and Liquitex Soft Body Acrylics. Both are densely pigmented and lovely. The lettering was done with my Pentel Pocket Brush. Some of the highlights are done with a lovely neon yellow paint pen by Molotow, but unfortunately it didn't scan true.

I am practicing developing this writing style as my own. I quite like its loose, modern, and poetic feel.

Learning that an effective journal page can be quite simple.

The second assignment in week two was fancy lettering in a "circus" style. Teesha provided a wonderfully detailed lesson (as in: watch her do this entire page on video while she talked) and I pretty much copied her technique. Here I have laid out all the lettering with a minimal amount of embellishment.

The letters fleshed out with drop shadows added.

The page complete with colored pencil shading, additional gel pen and paint detail on the main title, sparkly gel pen around the bottom line and the border, and overpainting on the last line to make it appear to be under water.

While I was contemplating how much I was enjoying the lettering lesson, a high school friend reminded me of our yearbook, for which I was the art editor, and designed the cover art as well. Well, lookie here! Who was into telling stories in lettering, 60's style?

Several classmates have chimed in to tell me just how innovative everything was about our yearbook design, from landscape orientation to color to almost everything inside. (And yet I didn't go on to an art career. Silly me!)

In week three, we began working in a hardbound journal format. I purchased the new Strathmore 500 series with mixed media paper. Loved it! The paper took both the wet paint background and the pen media beautifully, although I have a lot to learn in handling drawing and painting over magazine cutouts. Somehow, with my longing for the warmth of spring to arrive, I created a mermaid scenario of warmth and light under the sea.

"The Keeper of the Door at the Mermaid Palace" was an obsession from start to finish. I learned so much; had such a good time. Looking forward to many more adventures in creating new realities.

When I took on this new class and its odd theme, I really had no connection to either the circus or mermaids as beloved muses. It didn't take long to realize that inspiration is everywhere, the more unlikely, the more it can spur the imagination. I have a feeling, that just like the love poems to my giraffe, I will now have an ongoing love affair with creatures both under the sea and the big top. My tail fins are all aflutter. I must be off to create my newest best friend.

Preferences