Illustration

Christmas Pajamas and Cookies for Santa

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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Day 15 of the Christmas countdown. It’s freezing today. I wish I had a pair of footie pajamas to keep me warm! I made a last minute change to today’s prompt because I had cookies on the list twice. Hope I didn’t mess anyone up. So I included cookies in my painting too. I was simply going to have the girl in her Christmas pjs but then decided to add cookies for Santa, which led to a tree, which led to a snowy window. These things sometimes have a mind of their own. 😄

This prompt turned out to be a fun one. You have got to see what Marion and Teri each created. Just click their names to see.

Hope everyone is staying warm tonight!

Draw/paint along! Tag adventmcr when posting.

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Christmas Gifts

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

img_1178Day 10. Lots of gifts under the tree today as we celebrated Christmas early at our house with the cousins. On this side of the family my 3 kids have 17 cousins! It’s a party!

Take a look at Marion’s drawing here. It’s so fun to do my interpretation of the prompt and then see Marion’s. My paintings are “nouns” and her’s are “verbs.” Take a look and see if you know what I mean.

Join us! Tag adventmcr when posting.

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Reindeer

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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Day 9 of the Christmas countdown. I started my painting this morning with a pencil sketch of 8 reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh. First I painted the night sky, then I added shapes for the reindeer that looked like blobs. But I wasn’t giving up – even when my 11 old said, “Want some advice? Don’t post that.” I added ink details, then I gave up, and started drawing one reindeer. It’s so much easier to add detail and work at something when you are working big.

For the night sky I used the same technique as my first attempt. Salt. If you’ve never used salt with watercolor before  – you sprinkle the salt on the painting when it’s wet. The salt absorbs some of the paint causing this cool crystal like effect. When the paint is completely dry, brush the salt off.

Marion has been drawing along with me. Here is her reindeer. On Instagram Teri is painting along. See her reindeer here. If you’d like to join in, tag adventmcr when posting.

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Gingerbread

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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Day 8. It’s a tradition in our house to decorate gingerbread houses. My kids love it – mostly for the candy. They give me a hard time for trying to out do their decorating. What they don’t know is that I aspire to make a gingerbread house that’s a replica of our house. But every year December is too crazy to even think of starting a project like that! Hmmm, maybe over the summer.

Here’s our setup this year.

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My house 😂

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Marion has been drawing along with me. See her gingerbread post here.
It’s not too late to join in the creative countdown. Tag your post “adventmcr”

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Christmas cookies

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but boy is there a lot to do. I wasn’t able to finish painting my cookies (day 3 of my Christmas countdown) yesterday because the day was filled with Christmas preparations – buying a wreath and tree and other outdoor decorations, decorating inside, shopping for gifts, and seeing the Nutcracker at a local college.

I was very excited to see the Nutcracker as I’ve just designed my first pin – a Nutcracker – and I didn’t remember that much of the story. The production was a blend of amateurs and professionals and I really enjoyed it.

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Interested in buying a pin? Click here to purchase through PayPal (U.S. only). I appreciate the support!

Today’s prompt is ornaments which is perfect because today we will be decorating our tree. Want to paint/draw along with me? Here is my prompt list. All mediums are welcome! Use #adventmcr when posting.

Marion is doing a great job, see her adorable day 3 drawing here. On Instagram see moxiemisfitblues’ posts here. Jill Kuhn created mixed media sugar cookie sprinkles.

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To add ink or not to add ink? That is the question.

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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I have to admit, I sometimes don’t know the right answer to this question. Most often my style is to work in watercolor and add details in ink. But sometimes I hesitate to add the ink details.

When I think about, the occasions where I question adding ink, are when I’ve added a lot of details in watercolor – a lot of layers. Sometimes the decision is easy. The painting looks finished, like these donuts. Other times I’m not sure – like the cupcake above.

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Adding the ink is definitely a different look. Just watercolor is softer and sometimes more realistic looking. Adding ink looks more illustrated, more whimsical. Like this cup of cappuccino and this ice cream sundae.

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One thing is for sure – once a line of ink is added, there’s no turning back. I often think of scanning and printing a painting and adding ink details to the printout. This way I can make sure I like it before touching the original painting.

Painting potatoes and donuts

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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Today’s painting prompt is potatoes. My parents’ parents were born in Ireland, so my mom made a lot of potatoes when I was growing up. I hated them, but I think the only food I liked were sugar cereal and candy so that isn’t saying much. I used to hide my food at dinner to make it seem like I ate. One time I pretended to drink my milk but actually was spitting my mashed potatoes into the milk. I put my unfinished milk glass in the refrigerator. Later my mom made tea and went to pour a little of my milk into her cup, but out plopped my mashed potatoes. I have come to like potatoes but rarely make mashed. Most holidays I ask my mom to bring hers.

Yesterday’s prompt was donuts. I like them much better! 😄

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