Watercolor ATC Portrait

Here is my 2nd watercolor with pen and ink details

Butterfly Fairy

Here she is with watercolors. I like the colors a lot. I think I need to practice on faces lots more. When it comes to faces I tend to avoid it or overdo it because I am not really sure of where and how to apply the shading. The only way I am going to get better is to do more of it. So I look forward to doing lots more of these. I didn't make the mail on time today so these will have to wait till tomorrow and will also post the other portrait before it goes out.

Butterflies and Fairies

Almost missed my watercolor - pen and ink atc swap which must go out today. I used my daughter's fantasy book for inspiration and drew these characters. Butterflies and fairies are one of my favorites!! So I did a pencil sketch using the photos in the book as resource and added my own style to each one. I will be painting these with watercolors today and will post the completed pieces here when I am done.

Fabric Collage

I have been working on a fabric collage this week.
Go here for more details

Just playing a little bit more today with the paints and finished an atc. It is a sunflower or sun. Not sure which one. It could be both really. I have these sunflowers that look almost like this with sharp points for petals. So its probably a sunflower.

Sunflower Maiden Miniature Painting

Just finished a miniature watercolor painting this morning. I love the colors in this one. I think I have an attachment to sunflowers lately. I really need to pick up the brush more than I have been. My goal is to make more time for everything I enjoy and do it more.

These are so hard to photograph. They look much better in person and much sharper. I will have to explore that some more.

New watercolor and pen and ink ATC's

Finished these 2 watercolor ATC's today. The one on the bottom is a sketch I did for a handbag idea a awhile ago. I really dont know how I was planning in doing it but it worked out perfect for a watercolor illustration. Thats about all I have time for today.

Sketches for watercolor

Its so hard to get a good picture of sketches. These look pretty dark but hopefully the photos I take after they are painted will be better. I will be painting these tomorrow and posting them if they are worthy of showing. The garden always seems like a good subject to paint and I really like to draw womens faces too. Seems like I am always going back and forth between the two. I haven't gotten good at drawing the body yet so I will stick with faces for now.

Watercolor ATC giveaway

Its been awhile since I did any watercolor so here is an ATC I finished up tonight of a girl sitting on a toadstool. I drew this in pencil on watercolor paper and used a very fine tip pen to add details.

If you would like to win this watercolor ATC leave a comment here and I will choose from the entries
on the 20th.

More Practice

I had some practice on another ATC watercolor tonight and also finished my palchemy challenge earlier. It is listed in my shop on etsy of you feel like taking a peek at it here

My first Watercolor ATC

This is what I like about the whole ATC concept. I can finish a painting so much more quickly. Here is a large version of this painting that I started a year ago and haven't finished yet. I completed this small version in less than 20 minutes:) Oh yeah. I think I could become slightly addicted to working with this size and it is great practice for me. The whole reason I would like to do this is to continue to be inspired by other artists by owning a small piece of their work. I would also like to start looking into swaps online so if you have experience with ATC swaps and have recommendations for me I am open to hearing about them since I am new to this whole concept.

Something New

I was thinking that it might be fun to create some miniatures so that I can start completing art on a daily basis. This is especially important for me because being a creator of handbags full time is #1 right now. The only way for me to evolve as an artist and grow is to start painting and finding the time for that is almost impossible right now. So, I thought, why not try some miniatures. I don't really want to call them ACEO's because I am not sure that is what they are right now. ATC's are meant strictly for trade between artists and I would love to do this. If you are interested in reading about them click here. So what I am thinking of doing both. Creating cards for trade(ATC's) and also creating some miniatures so that my skills can get better. I really like the idea that the rule for ATC's is to "never sell" them so I will support this. I love the idea of swapping with other artists. I think this is important. So I will be listing my ATC's here when they are completed and if you are an artist and would like to swap, please send a comment in the my post and I'd be happy to trade with you. The same goes with my miniatures. When they are completed I will list them here and you have the option to buy them on Etsy. I am excited to start trying something new. I think this will be fun!

Random Sketches

Last night I stayed up late doodling and I came up with the beginning sketches of this mermaid for a watercolor. The other two are just random sketches that I drew a while ago. I hope to get the latest watercolors completed soon.
I am currently working on a new totebag as well

Counting Sheep Book

I completed this in 1996 and would love to get it published someday. I am so excited that I finally have a place to share it and would really love it if anyone would comment on it. It is a simple counting and rhyming book intended for very small children. I created it when my daughter was 3 so that is the age group. I could see this on fabrics or for decor in a child's room. Please let me know what you think and if you would buy this book for your kids if it you saw it a the bookstore. It is entirely done in watercolor paints and pen and ink.

If you are a publisher or an artist or have experience children's book illustration I would love to hear from you.

Front cover

Back cover

Walk in the Park Watercolor

This is a watercolor that I listed in my Etsy shop for sale that I completed over Mothers Day. I really want to explore more of the pen and ink style in my paintings and move into more fantasy and childrens storybook themes. This has been my interest lately and it more fun to just draw and paint this way rather than doing more realistic work, although I did a painting for my niece and I worked off of a small 4x 6 photograph of her and that is probably the most realistic that I have done so far.











Here is the picture of my niece I did. I sent it to her framed a couple months ago.
Hopefully this is something she will appreciate when she gets older.

Watercolor to finish up

One of my goals this month is to finish up this watercolor. I started this one back in May and had mentioned it on my handbag blog how I made changes to the layout and the girls hair

If you would like to read about why I changed the direction of the hair Here it is