Combining drawing, painting and collage.
 On brown paper.
In a tropical mood.

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

The view from here.

The sewing table, better known as the coffee table.

The work table, better known as stand-in for my easel.

 Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 So far, October has been sunny and warm but with a distinct autumn scent in the air. May it continue.
Someone called me fearless when it comes to artwork, but that's the only way I can explore and discover. I'm not concerned whether it works or not; the important thing is to try. I like mixing it up to see what happens. So when this painting was going nowhere, I changed directions.

Be fearless, my friends!


Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Today is a civic holiday so it feels like an extension of yesterday. On Sundays I have an old friend and his dog over for dinner, so I do some real cooking (for the dog, too).

In between the cooking and the clearing up, I do this and that.

This:

and that:

 Today I'm going to see a movie. Red 2. Helen Mirren!


Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

It's hard to believe that it's already Friday. This week has sped by so fast; I want to say faster than usual, but that's probably just my perception, and perceptions can be inaccurate.
Anyway..... my cloth is progressing slowly.

 And I've been painting, tweaking some existing techniques and doing things backwards to see what happens. I think I'm more of a tweaker than an inventor, although tweaking can sometimes lead to something new. I do the same with recipes and cooking.

Wishing you a pleasant weekend.

 
Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

craftsy.com giveaway

craftsy.com is a website where an impressive array of arts and crafts are taught online by experienced instructors, from fine art to sewing, quilting, embroidery, cake making, cooking, knitting, jewelry, papercraft, spinning.... you name it, they teach it.
      When I was offered an opportunity to take and review an art course, I jumped at the chance. I’d watched video demonstrations before but had never taken an actual art class. Since I’m also a painter, I opted for a fine art course and the one that caught my eye was in narrative portraiture in acrylics by New York artist and art instructor Micah Ganske. Narrative painting is about creating a whole scene with a story, a mood, working from a photo. I’ve been painting in acrylics for decades and am always open to learning about techniques, and this course gave me exactly what I was looking for, particularly glazing and building layers, subjects that I really wanted to learn. (Glaze medium is used instead of water to thin the paint and layers are applied for an oil painting effect.)
     Ganske's explanations and demonstrations throughout the 8 lessons are wonderfully clear and to the point (kudos also to the videographer). I tend to be impatient with instructors who talk more than they demonstrate, and I was not disappointed. Working from a photo, he explains and demonstrates the painting step by step, stroke by stroke. I came away with a number things demystified and a wealth of information.

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  I'm very happy to join craftsy.com in offering a giveaway to my readers. The winner will get a free class in her/his subject of choice. You can watch classes whenever you want, in your own time, ask questions as you work, and get an answer from the instructor. You have a week to enter; the giveaway ends next Monday.


 Click here to enter. And good luck!
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 I did a little painting today. Actually I've been learning about glazes, among other things, in an online class that I'll be reviewing here soon (with a giveaway.... shhhhh), so watch this space!!

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

I'm still here, in case anyone wondered... time has slipped through my fingers.

My fingers are still working, however. My work is my medicine (as in First Nations language - good medicine).

This is what's on my easel at the moment. Watercolour on canvas, a first for me. I usually only use acrylics and oils on canvasses. I'm not sure where this is going. We'll see.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Work in progress

I'm beginning the week with a clean slate. I decided I didn't like this, so I scrubbed it and began again. This time I used water-soluble NeoColor wax crayons for the background and began collaging it. The effect is smoother, without the grainy look of the original (which I really didn't like).

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Playtime.
I was looking at the blank canvas and thought, why not draw with a brush using calligraphy ink? I checked that the ink was waterproof, and off I went.

Hey, Goodlooking!

 Have a happy Sunday.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 Feeling happy. I know one person who will approve -- when she calls, she frequently asks me if I'm happy. It must be a Welsh thing.

I painted this the other day. I felt like working on something big.

Cheers!



Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

After a long sleep that I sorely needed, I woke up to a lovely cool day. Cool weather gives me energy and I went about my day feeling happy.

I seem to be in a bird painting phase. I love this olive watercolor, made by Van Gogh, that I used straight out of the tube.The indigo gouache is too blue, so I mixed with a little black.

And a little stitching.

 Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 A little of this, a little of that.

Gouache on paper.

Tags.....

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

What I've been doing.

A little painting, a little sewing, and a little trimming.

Detail of mixed media on canvas board.

A different shape.

\

My best one yet. If I can figure out the measurements I might even surprise you and make a hat!

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

More rearranging and cleaning today. A little at a time. And it feels good.

I set aside my daily tag making to make these little postcards.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 Antidote to electronic mayhem. I paint. At night.

Blues, (c) Colette Copeland

The memory stick misbehaved; I'm taking it back to the store and asking for an explanation....


Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Dedication

 February was never my favourite month.
The antidote is to turn to full-blown colour.
I get out my gouache paints and go.

This piece is dedicated to Suz's beloved Jud, now at peace.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Foul weather.
It has 10 days to clear up before I travel.
Please.
Oh, please.

Acrylic on watercolour paper

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Slippers/pantoufles

Walk softly in velvet slippers. When your feet are happy, the rest of you is happy. Feet are our base, supporting the rest of our body.

Gouache on brown paper. Available in my Etsy shop.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 If you know me, you know that I love brown paper. For the longest time I searched for heavy brown paper, not the usual kraft paper, but darker and much heavier. One day, my prayers were answered when I found it at Curry's Art supplies. It's scanning as greyish, but it really is brown.

I tried painting on it with black gouache.

It made me very, very happy!

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown