Today, I unexpectedly had some quiet time to paint. It’s been a busy couple of days, so it felt good to pull the paints out. The Shasta Daisies blooming out front are were my inspiration.
I hope everyone had a great Father’s Day with family! 🙂
ink
Learning with each painting
This Hydrangea was definitely a challenge. But whatever the outcome of a piece there’s still a takeaway – I learn something. When I multiply the number of sketches and paintings I’ve done since committing to my creative resolution (prob. between 315-400) and think of all I’ve learned (big and little things) – I am amazed.
While working on this piece, with all the little details of the flower, I thought, “This is hard.” But, it’s good to try hard things, it makes us better. And sometimes a piece isn’t about the final product, but about the process and the takeaway.
Here are my steps:
Wash, Ink, More Watercolor, More Ink
I worry that I overworked the final – too much ink. What is my takeaway from this piece? Hmmm. As I struggled to capture the dome of the hydrangea, I studied the photo, again and again. Should I have planned the piece out more from the beginning? Studied the photo before starting? I’m the girl who doesn’t read the instructions. Who dives right in and then tries to figure things out.
From the start I was fixated on the details of the flower petals – the shapes. In addition to this “detailed” thinking, I should have pulled back and thought about other “overall” elements before starting.
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Please vote for my Sandcastle pattern in this week’s Spoonflower contest! Thank you!
I would be so grateful if you took a minute to vote for my pattern “Sandcastles on Long Island.” Just click here: http://www.spoonflower.com/contest_voters_temp/new?contest_id=306
Uploading a pattern to Spoonflower is something I’ve wanted to do for years, since I first read about Spoonflower in Country Living. I used their Sandcastles contest as extra motivation to finally upload a pattern. I’ve ordered a yard of the fabric and can’t wait to show you when it arrives!
Thank you so much for the support you have given me all along, and for casting your vote for “Sandcastles on Long Island.” 🙂
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Dahlia flower pattern {My pattern for April}
Whew! Just in time! I’ve been contemplating April’s pattern for awhile now. I originally thought I’d use some of the flowers I created separately with watercolor and put them together in Photoshop. But it wasn’t working – too stiff looking:
So I went back to what has worked in the past. I sketched some flowers and leaves with Sharpie on Bristol (nice and smooth) and scanned them in. I pieced them together in Photoshop, added color, and repeated the pattern. I’m happy with how it came out. I love the loose sketchy feel.
I tried to stay true to the colors of the plant I picked up at the supermarket. I think it’s a Dahlia. This little plant has been my inspiration all week! I do feel the color comes across a little Christmasy. Maybe it’s the shape of the leaves? I tried adjusting the hue in Photoshop and liked the results, especially the blue!
If you’d like to see my other patterns click here. 🙂
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Love this Sketchbook!
Since I bought this sketchbook I’ve been busy filling it! I love the heavy paper. It works so well with watercolor. If you follow me on Instagram (@mycreativeresolution), you’ve probably seen some of these illustrations. Lately I’ve been posting everyday which helps keep me motivated. I setup my sketchbook and paints in the morning. Throughout the day I sit down to tweak or add to my painting. I’m going to need a new book soon!
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Gardening Pattern
Now that the snow has melted in the backyard, I have gardening on my mind. And painting outside! I can’t wait to have inspiration growing in the garden! My husband likes to call gardening “digging in the dirt.”
This gardening pattern, my March pattern, is the first I’ve painted in watercolor. The other two patterns (art/January and love/February) were painted in Photoshop. I limited the number of colors I used, so the items would be uniform. I scanned the illustrations and arranged them in Photoshop.
After I liked how the elements were arranged, I created a frame and duplicated the entire group several times. First, I checked how the items repeated left and right.
Then I checked how the elements repeated top and bottom. I had to make some adjustements when things overlapped.
I am happy with how it came out. It’s my favorite pattern so far. It’s amazing to see sketches turned into a pattern and looking so finished. Happy Spring! 🙂
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Many Versions…
For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been creating illustrations for St. Patrick’s Day and posting to Instagram. For each idea I have, I draw/paint multiple versions to see which one I like the best. It dawned on me, the it isn’t just hand-lettering that takes “Practice, practice, practice.” I have to draw several “takes” before I create an illustration that I like. I also take pictures along the way to see how the illustration will look when it’s finished, and to make sure I like the background and how it fits in the shot.
This way of working is new to me. In the past, I’d sit down to create a painting, and try to make it work. I began working in this way since starting my themed postings (first Valentine’s Day, then St. Patrick’s Day). I doodle, I paint, I plan in pencil. I try again. I wouldn’t say it’s about getting it perfect, it’s more about warming up and trying different things.
I really enjoy following one theme. The first couple of days are easy. After that, there is the period where I’m like, “What am I going to do now?” In both cases, the more creative ideas came to me towards the end of the campaign. I guess it’s the time when I dig a little deeper. All the obvious ideas are out of the way, so I have to think harder.
This Valentine’s Day post was one of my favorites:
This grumpy guy is my favorite St. Patrick’s Day post so far:
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Exciting News…
Yesterday, Country Living Magazine reposted my Instagram pic! In their April issue they asked readers to post “how and where” we enjoy Country Living. I shared the above picture of my sketchbook, where I created illustrations from the April issue.
Here is the back story, so you can fully understand why this is so awesome to me. 🙂
- Sometime after 2001 – Girl (new mom, me) from the suburbs of NYC falls in love with Country Living Magazine. She finds it creatively inspiring.
- 2014 – Girl starts mycreativeresolution.com and includes Country Living as one of her inspirations.
- Girl sees illustrations in Country Living and dreams about one day creating illustrations for the magazine.
- 2015 – Girl thinks about approaching Country Living with a sampling of “country” illustrations. She works towards this but doesn’t follow through.
- Girl reads April issue of Country Living and sees the call out to share on Instagram. She pulls out her watercolors.
- Girl posts picture of sketchbook with #mycountryliving.
- Country Living “likes” girl’s post. Girl goes crazy with excitement. Shares news with family.
- Country Living starts following Girl (@mycreativeresolution). Girl gets more excited. Shares news with family.
- Several uneventful days pass.
- Girl checks Instagram and sees numbers – next to the likes and follows – that don’t make sense. 44 likes? 23 new followers? Instagram must be broken.
- Girl realizes that Country Living Magazine reposted the sketchbook picture – thereby sending people to Girl’s Instagram. Girl passes out from excitement.
- Girl recovers and at the end of the day, realizes she has 43 new followers. 888 people liked her picture on Country Living Magazine’s Instagram!
Is this story over? I hope not. 🙂
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Finding my groove.
I’ve been all over the place this week, creatively speaking. With extra time on my hands, I participated in an online hand-lettering workshop, I painted with acrylics (for the first time in months), I created St. Patrick’s Day art, and I painted in my sketchbook. Even with all of these different projects, I’m realizing what I love and what my focus should be.
Not that long ago, I worried that my creative journey didn’t have a clear path. That I was headed in too many different directions. Back in January I wrote a post, “But where am I going?” As I mentioned in that post, I found the book, “Making Art A Practice: How To Be The Artist You Are,” very helpful. The Author, Cat Bennett, suggests that you analyze your work and look for connections in theme and style.
I’ve been looking through my work and I’ve noticed what current projects make me happiest. It’s funny because I started scratching away with the ink pen (on watercolor) on a whim, but each time I do it I love it. I feel like I’ve found my style. I won’t stop exploring other things – lino, lettering, patterns, etc., but I now have a focus.
Here’s a collection of new and old illustrations that feels like “me.”
mycreativeresolution.com 