Watercolor: Building up the Layers

March 22, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

When I first started working in watercolor I was intimidated by paintings with highlights and shadows. I thought I couldn’t possibly paint several layers. I hoped I could paint one layer and make it good enough. As I got comfortable with watercolor, I realized it’s all about building up the layers of paint. You start out in the ugly stages and as you add, and add, you [hopefully] turn the ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. I liked that you built it up, because mistakes could be covered or fixed. Each brushstroke wasn’t make or break. It’s a process.

This is what I was thinking about when I painted this sunflower this morning. How the ugly stage was awfully ugly! And how each layer of watercolor I added made the painting better. Originally I planned to add ink to the flower when I was done painting. As I got closer to finishing, I liked it the way it was. My daughter agreed.

Gardening Pattern

March 20, 2015March 20, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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! 🙂

17 blogs that enriched my Sunday morning.

March 15, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

I spent the morning drinking coffee and catching up with all of your blogs. It was a busy week and I was a bit behind. On Wednesday I went to Daily Show, with Jon Stewart, in NYC which was a real treat. On my walk from the subway, I snapped a few shots that I’d like to sketch.

But enough about me, back to this morning! As I scrolled through my WP reader, I was amazed with all the stuff I saw, learned, and was inspired by – all from the comfort of my bed. (I could lie and say the couch, but I’m being honest here.)

Since I had several days of posts to catch up on, it really hit me how incredible it is – all this stuff we share with each other, give each other access to. I get as much, if not more, from following all of you, and experiencing your blogs, than I do from creating my own blog. So, thank you!

Here are some blog highlights.

Artwork. I love seeing what everyone is working on – whether it is a similar medium to my own or something totally different. I love it. Check out The Sketchbook, Shari Blaukopf is so talented – those puddles are amazing! Createarteveryday is working in collage. I’d add that to my list…but my list is getting really long!
Photos. I love seeing pictures from all over – Margie, Late Bloomer Buds, sharing pictures of Lake Michigan, Nature has no boss sharing Yellowstone National Park, and the Russian artist.
Books. I’m adding to my list, “How to be Creative.” Thanks decorartuk!
Videos. Andrew Nixon’s Photo Blog shared Miss Aniela’s work process (photography and Photoshop). It is very cool. And this interview with Children’s author Roald Dahl that Oreos&spiltmilk shared was awesome. Dahl said “Keep your bottom on the chair” when talking about being stuck. I can relate, when I think of the ugly phase with watercolor!
Personal stories. May 13th‘s personal story, told through poetry is so moving.
Materials. Brad Young Art used tea in his painting. I’ve always wondered if that would work. Awesome!
Writing/Collaboration. Alisa, Sweet Afternoons, is adding words to her amazing illustrations! She is calling for collaboration. What a great idea! I’m excited because her illustrations have so much character, you want to know the story!
Healthy Eating, Fashion, and more. I can’t wait to go out and buy soba noodles after this post from A Style Study.
Apps. I loved Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday‘s illustration created with “Procreate” for the ipad. I can’t wait to download the app and try it.
Tools. dkatiepowellart reblogged Citizen Sketcher’s post about picking one brush if you were on a desert island. Thank you Katie for introducing me to Citizen Sketcher‘s blog!
Technique. Sandsaltmoon‘s jellybean post reminded me how leaving some whites is so important. I don’t do this enough!
Places to visit. K. Ryan Henisey posted about the Center for Contemporary Printmaking. I was surprised to see it’s in nearby Connecticut. Hmmm. Time for a roadtrip?

I couldn’t believe how motivated and inspired I felt this morning. And I hadn’t even gotten out of bed!

Many Versions…

March 14, 2015March 14, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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:
helovesme

This grumpy guy is my favorite St. Patrick’s Day post so far:

Exciting News…

March 12, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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. 🙂

Finding my groove.

March 7, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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.”

Happy March! Time to pull out your green!

March 1, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

I’m planning another Instagram art series and I’d like you to join in the fun! The theme is St. Patrick’s Day. Include #mcrstpatricksday in your Instagram post. Join me for a day or all 17 days (March 1 – 17th). It will be fun!

I had a great time last month posting Valentine’s Day art for 14 days. Working within the same theme was really interesting. You really explore the theme as the days go by, and you come up with different ideas. I used several different mediums: watercolor, watercolor and ink, scanned doodles from my sketchbook and painted them in Photoshop, created a pattern, and a linocut.

Hope to see you on Instagram! Look for me: mycreativeresolution 🙂

Painting Digitally

February 26, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

I’m still playing around with painting digitally! The original idea for this illustration was a quick sketch in a lined notebook. I intended on redrawing it more carefully, but I liked the messy one better!

Original sketch:

I scanned it and opened it in Photoshop. I’ve been using Photoshop for years as a Graphic Designer, but I’m learning and practicing great stuff with brushes that I never used before. This previous post links to an awesome video tutorial. It opened my eyes to another side of Photoshop. Before watching it, I didn’t know it could be so quick and easy to add texture.

In Photoshop, I first went to Image > Adjustments> Levels and made adjustments so the paper didn’t show and some of the blue lines disappeared. Then, following what I learned in the tutorial, I made my sketch one layer and put the “multiply” effect on it. (When you select multiply all the white stuff disappears, only the black remains and the layer underneath shows through.) Then I did all the coloring in a layer underneath it.

My color layer:

The sketch is visible on top of the color layer because “multiply” is selected:

To give it character, I applied a mask to the color layer, and filled it with black. (The entire layer disappears.) I selected the Soft Oil Pastel paintbrush and painted white onto the black mask. (The white parts of a mask is what shows through.) This gives the effect you see at the top of the post.

It’s fun! Give it a try and let me know your results. 🙂

Color!

February 24, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

It may be shades of white and brown in my garden but inside there is color! The Burpee (seed, plant, and flower) catalog arrived. I couldn’t be happier using every color in my palette to play in my sketchbook. There is something very freeing, for me, when I work in my sketchbook. The pressure is off! And my new sketchbook is a heavier weight paper, so it’s better for painting with watercolor.