Watercolor, gouache and Inktober

October is Inktober and its all over Instagram! I can't say I've fully participated but I've done a few things and I'm using the definition of ink pretty loosely....ball point pens, micron markers and the real stuff (to me), my Winsor&Newton colored inks. Here are few :

 

Then I have been using my watercolors and gouache. I realize I have so much to post because I haven't been blogging alot lately. I've just recently got the blogger app so I think that will help me to be more consistent. Below are some new watercolor paintings. I'm trying to stretch myself and create more abstract pieces, which I love, love, love doing, they just take alot of planning.

 

Today is Sunday, we don't have alot planned, just laying low today... It's going to be a busy week coming up. I hope everyone has a great day and lovely week!

Busy

 My job has got me so busy and I

feel like I'm getting in just bits of life activities
 in here and there. This too shall pass:)
I tried to get some painting in the other night
and I'm happy with the result.

 

 

Painting is my escape, brief as can be, but still...

I get lost in making these abstracts.

Happily lost, I'd like to say.

 

 

I wish I had time to paint or draw up my list for

Artsyville's LIST IT Tuesday but it's

 not in the cards for me this week.

I can even imagine what I would draw...

but not enough time in the day!

So, here goes -

This week's suggested topic was "what's working for you."

1.My new haircolor

2.My decision to no longer micro-manage J's homework and after school activities. I've just let it go. And amazingly we both are surviving.

3. Painting multiple times a week. Gotten into a groove. I've still got some days left.... I'm not giving up hope on squeeking out some time this week.

4. My new meal plan. I've been rolling 20 days now. It works if you work it, Frannie

5. Going to bed before midnight MOST days.  This night owl can actually do that. One day, I'll be a morning person, its my dream.

6. Eating dinner earlier in the evening. Switched around homework time and dinner time. Mucho better plan.

7. Staging my coffee maker the night before. Gee, what a bright idea I had, will wonders never cease? 

I hope to get another post in this week.

Please visit Artysville's blog,

she is sparkling, colorful and humorous.

Also, why not have a peek at some others

I've listed on my side bar? I love going to these spots.

Maybe you will too I hope so! :)

 

Also linking up to Show Me What You Got art linkup.

 

 

Have a wonderful day!

Take care,

 

 



 

Wednesday's Tuesday List-It

Another List-it coming right up!

Thanks again to Aimee's blog for such great inspiration.

 

I doodled these out last night. I like this challenge, simple and fun but allows me to be reflective and appreciate the little things ;)

 

I've also been doing some abstract work.

I love to get to do this because I just get lost in the process and can just meditate.

My scanner did a terrible job so I ended up using my iPhone to photograph but the color is still weird

 

Please get over to Artsyville and check out this Tuesday's List-It participants:)

 

You'll be glad you did!

 

Friday Finally

some bits of foliage left over from summer...fall is soon coming

I walked the dog tonight and was

picking at all my neighbors' plantings along the road and sidewalk.

My anniversary/September bouquet kicked the bucket so

I need something new to study.

I noticed the house at the corner has these terrific flowers but

the pots are on either side of the front door,

and I wouldn't dare, truly.

 

Earlier this morning I noticed down the block these amazing

morning glories but

1. I just couldn't pick it as it was true perfection and

 2. its broad daylight

I console myself by saying that I'll probably never 

capture that blue/purple anyway.

I found my stash of index cards from ICAD challenge from a while back.



 I have been following DPP at Daisy Yellow and

thought I saw 'circles' as a prompt..when

 I went back to link up my art to her blog, I couldn't

 find it as a prompt at all.. I'll just chalk that one up to a 40s-moment.

I found another stash of small pieces of watercolor paper I cut last winter.
 I didn't realize what a squirrel I am.



I'm glad this week is over. So many big unexpected things happened,

forcing the cash to fly out of my wallet. 

 I'm going look on the bright side and just say they were all improvements...

to the car, the kid's glasses...etc.

Half full, half full.

Have a totally FULL weekend!

End of August

Oh my, where has this summer gone! Tomorrow is the last day of August. I'm off to the ocean tomorrow and plan to do some painting while I'm at the beach. We'll see how that turns out, LOL. I've been very busy the past few weeks but getting some artwork in here and there.  I painted a few things while on my vacation this week.



this is an abstract that I am still working on , putting the finishing touches.

 

I got this great insect book out of the library and having some fun making up my
 own journal pages based on the information and the illustrations.




Random nonsense in blue

I have been procrastinating on posting...its been about 3 weeks :(. The last few times I've posted it's taken me a long time to upload my photos etc. I guess I need to post more often so that there are less images to post, huh? I'll get back on track soon, I promise and there be alot less time between posts.

We celebrated an anniversary and my husband sent me an amazing and gorgeous bouquet. One of the best ever! Two days after I got it I had left for a few days to my parents and I was afraid the bouquet would completely wilt while I was away but its still going strong!

 

 I painted this one today, a week later:

 

OK I was going to post more but this blogger is really annoying me now!

I hope to catch up on everyone's blogs this weekend and looking forward to browsing and catching up on everyone's posts.

Take care and happy end-of- summer!

Have a safe holiday weekend,

 

Early Sunday morning

I'm posting this for Sunday Sketches. I worked on this tonight and technically ran thru to Sunday a.m.:) Big day tomorrow (Sunday) and little time for art. I've been doing ICADs alot lately so I'm not thinking big and I typically don't paint large at all. I did this 'kind of' large and you can see in the photo below its not too huge but when you work 4x6 anything more is pretty big...LOL! I'll admit I am a thief. Our neighborhood has some awesome flowers and bushes so I 'm snapping off specimens here and there while I am walking the dog at night. I painted this one pretty quickly and I can see now that I overworked the blue glass. I like the way it looked when I first started but at the time I thought it was too plain.

I also left the tabletop white and there was practically no shadow so I added one but I think I should have used paynes gray rather than the purple. It looked better when it was wet:) Oh well, that's how we learn. Another day another painting.

I was also working on this crazy abstraction.

 I am completely obsessed with just making a particular pattern I put it on everything, geesh.

I know. I know. its nuts. But I have to do it! I'm compelled. I'm not in love with the shapes but whatever. 

The whole time I worked on the green sections I was listening to the very cool Matthieu Ricard, a Buddhist monk on TED. I thought he was great. I think I have a crush on him and his serenity... Check it out if you have time. Its all about meditation and the mind and happiness. That is exactly what it feels like I am doing when I do 'my' little circular patterns, I zone out. Its very meditative.

I also started this tonight earlier but got bored, I will got back to it, I think. The boys were watching Gattica and the movie got to be more interesting than the painting.

I hope everyone has a happy and cool Sunday. Its hot as hell here.

Tomorrow is looking to be a 100 degrees.

Take care and go easy.

Small Steps Will Lead You There

When I paint realistic its more stressful to me than doing an abstract. I feel so much more relaxed when I paint abstracts. So that is my intention going forward. I am not going to stop my journalling and sketching but I feel this strong pull to paint much more intuitively. I need this in my life right now. I have so much going on with work, the new house and just things in general. I need to slow down, get meditating a little more/longer every day and stretchhhh :)

My son is back home and all is right in our house:) Joe took a mini vacation at Grandma and Grandpa's. He got to have a sleepover with his cousins. I know he loves going there and spending free time with the kids. Now that he's back the dog is a bit more settled. Poor Einstein was concerned about our missing child. And, boy, did Joey get a welcome home from the pooch. Very touching. I hope everyone has a wonderful, relaxing weekend. Take care:)

AEDM Day 14 - Once and Again

I avoided the large empty white journal and decided to paint another abstract. Tomorrow I'll attempt the journal I made this weekend:) I trying to keep with a theme/style here with the abstracts I have painted so far. My colleagues at Art(that matters) are very supportive and give me alot of tips and encouragement. I also have to say that support I get on Flickr is amazing and I've met so many nice and super talented artists on there as well as thru AEDM!! Its all good.

AEDM Day 6 - Four Boys and a Girl

I am back at attempting another abstract painting. I worked on this all morning. I am rushing this post so I can get over to the soccer field! My son's last game of the season.

Pages and pages

I had some creative time this past Friday and got to paint/draw, etc on old book pages. I'm using an old Peter Rabbit storybook which is in pretty bad shape.. Its great fun to try and I'm not throwing it away, I look at it as recycling.

I have been painting more in my own abstract style and getting so much pleasure from doing that. Its really freeing and incredibly fun. I am all for realism but those days are gone for me. It is so much less fun to paint that way, for me. I used to really enjoy it but became so incredibly critical of myself and wanted to find out where I can go with my art. Who knows where I end up!

Creative Challenge

I have been keeping busy but kind of weak with the posting :( Here is some art that I've been working on. one was done yesterday and the other the day before. I am going to try to focus on exploring my abstract work more. It a bit more freeing and I am less likely to judge myself. So far I like what is happening and want to delve further into this type of work to see what comes of it!