Distressed Sketch

I took a sketch of down east and distressed it a bit. I love to take original art and make interesting changes to create a whole new piece.

Today is Memorial Day.  Take time to remember those past and present who served to protect our freedom.

Mother's Day

             Looking out across the Indian River over to Merritt Island 

I had a very enjoyable Mother's Day.  It was a peaceful and cool day.  I sat on the porch and just sketched what I saw while enjoying family and a hot cup of coffee.  It reminded of being back home and looking out over the sound to the beach.

Enhanced Back to my roots

I took a photo of my sketch and enhanced it.  I think it turned out kinda cool!

Back to my roots

I was raised at the beach and around boats my entire life.  This reminds me of my childhood.

Random thoughts on inspiration

There are times in my art journey where I am overwhelmed with inspiration.  Those are the times when the creative process just flows on its own.  The pages for my journals or images on a canvas just seem to create themselves.  But inspiration, like anything else, can come and go.  Those are the times when I think that there is simply nothing left to express.  Those are the times when I just have to walk away and pursue other interests.  When I come back, the world seems fresh and ready to flow from my fingers.

Then sometimes it seems that out of the blue, inspiration will strike.  It may be from something I see around me, something from the media, even sometimes it comes in the form of a dream.  Yesterday, I had a dream that screamed, sketch me.  I did a sketch that was only a snip-it of the dream.  I had to get it on paper.  It wasn't exactly as I'd dreamed it but then I think the dream was only meant to be a spark to something else evolving in my brain.  The owl wasn't part of the dream, but rather a nondescript bird nestled in logs and leaves.  I'd been sketching owls for another project and he seemed to fit this design better.

 

JJ commented: "I love it...I dream about colors...I think we are called....artists!!! xo"

Red-bellied Woodpecker

As most of you know from former posts, I have really been enjoying my birds this winter. One of my frequent guests at the suet feeder is the red-bellied woodpecker. I have several that visit, I can tell by their different sizes. I have really large one and some smaller ones. I did this art journal page to express how much I have enjoyed the red-bellied woodpecker. The word "Joy" comes to mind as I check several times a day to see which birds are at the feeder. Every time I look at this page I will be reminded of the joy they've brought. There is a lot of texture in this page. If it were a canvas, I'd probably work on it some more, but for an AJ page, I'll call it done.

Sweet comment from another site: JJacobenson "I love this...this is like looking out of a window~ love!".

Lady Slipper

I liked the Lady Slipper so much I drew it again, this time in my sketch book.  This was an experiment in seeing how the watercolor reacted to the sketchbook paper which is much thinner.  I'd  done my Funky Owls in this sketchbook and they turned out ok.  This one didn't do as well, mostly in the background.  The paper just soaks the color, as I really knew it would.  I probably should have gesso'd it as I knew I should, but really wanted to see the results.  I think that experimenting with your supplies is more than half the fun of creating.  So just pick up your supplies and just jump right in.

Lady Slipper

Lady's slipper orchids (also known as lady slipper orchids or slipper orchids) are the orchids in the subfamily Cypripedioidea.  They are narrow-leaved plants native to tropical America. One to six flowers with ribbonlike petals are borne on a stalk nearly 90 cm tall. The leaves are folded, and the flowers are borne on a spike at the tip of the plant.

I love Lady Slipper's.

Comments from an on-line community on this piece: from CJ " I like the simplicity of your sketch, with the black lines, soft washes, and underlying text showing through. Lady slipper seems like an elusive flower from stories in my mind. "

CM:  "How beautiful Carol. You are really a great artist. Love the soft colors. "
CJ: "I like the simplicity of your sketch, with the black lines, soft washes, and underlying text showing through. Lady slipper seems like an elusive flower from stories in my mind." 

Kate

I love sheep and have for over 20 years.  One of Junelle's new lambs is Kate.  She posted a picture of her at a month of age and I just had to sketch her.  I hope you enjoy seeing my interpretation of her beauty from nature.

Junelle posted this comment on our FB group "oh, you are going to make me cry!!! I miss her so much!!! She is coming home at the end of the month and I am going to kiss her a hundred times! (unless she has ticks, then I will kiss her just once! lol!)".  
The comment just thrilled me so much that she liked the sketch.  Love it when you can touch someone's emotions.  Makes art worth every stroke! 

Sweet peas

Some fun little thumbnail sketches of sweet peas.  Practicing sketching and watercolors.

A lovely comment from another site:   JM " Ooo, I love your sketches! I love the little baby sweet pea. That's adorable! Your drawings have a beautiful airiness to them. Like a breath that's clean and fresh. :)"

Funky Owls

      I've been working on some watercolor art journal pages.  This one is of some funky little owls.  To me they look like dad, little daughter and mom.   I asked my youngest grand-daughter if that was her and her mommy and daddy.  She thought that was funny.

       I remembered to take some pictures as I did this page.  I used Neocolor II water-soluble wax pastel crayons and pan watercolors. So here is the progression from sketch to finished page.  Hope you enjoy.

                                                                           Sketch

                                          
       Adding some color with Neocolor II wax
                    pastel crayons.                                         

                                 

 Blending the watercolor with brush and water.                                                        

                                      
                                                                   Adding detail with pen.

                                      
                                                               Adding more detail and shading.               

                                       
                 Finished page.  
  Left to right: Dad, daughter and mom.

                                       

cupcakes

                         I did this water color sketch of cupcakes.  Just a fun little art journal page.

Lovely comment from another site where I've posted this piece: PD "Oh my Carol.. this are great.. You have got all the right squiggles in the right places. just perfect!"