Art Journal - Happy Spring!

Watercolor, acrylic & pencil :)

Art Journal - Bouquets of Watercolor Flowers

Getting in the Mother's Day mood and painting lots of bouquets of flowers. These were painted using watercolors and a little acrylic whitewash on top. I'm loving this technique and how it's so light, delicate and sort of misty-dreamy. I tend to be heavy handed with traditional acrylic so this is a good exercise in self control, color speaking.

Most of these are wedding arrangements or bouquets. I love all the colorful, fancy bridal bouquet pictures on Pinterest. The textures, colors, unusual greenery, berries, vintage brooches, feathers and ribbons are so much fun and so creative... although I like a simple arrangement of just hydrangeas or lilies of the valley, too!

One of these might be re-painted to become Mother's Day card... but which one? Any opinions? :)

#1 - Blue & yellow flowers in milk glass

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#1 - Close up

#2 - Yellow ranunculus & sweet peas

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#2 - Close up

#3 - Pink flowers in blue vase

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#3 Close up

#4 - Orange & pink ranunculus with one succulent bouquet

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#4 Close up

#5 - Pink, white & blue bouquet

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#5 Close Up

I think I like #5 the best :)

Art Journal - Floral Watercolors

While anticipating "wintery weather" here in Cary (really, it mostly just slushed with a tiny bit of snow that lasted 12 hours... but it was really beautiful!), I did a whole lot of movie watching and doodling/art journaling while hanging out under a blanket (a very nice weekend, indeed!).

Whenever I use watercolors, I always run into the big question... should I outline these paintings or not?

So, I thought I would line them up, side by side... before outlining and after. What do you think? Which do you like better?

I sort of thought of this comparison idea after I started outlining the first painting... oops.

And I outlined this one in white paint...

I have one card in the line that has the outlined watercolor flowers... I didn't think it would be a popular design, but it turned out to be a good seller! So, I'm contemplating more designs similar to this in the future. Very 1960's wrapping paper... which I fancy.

So, what do you think? Watercolor flowers and watercolor flowers with outlines... yea or nay to this design?

Art Journal... & Some Doodles...

Art journal Valentine's Day sketches... Mostly watercolor:

If the Queen of Hearts had a "good" sister

Squirrels need love, too

Love payout!

Life, Love & Understanding.... gifts!

I wrote a poem... (I never do that)

I love art journaling because it's like right brain yoga or art stretches. Do you ever look back at some of your old artwork and cringe? Perhaps you don't have any of your old work to cringe at. Yeah... typical artist. I used to trash my old art stuff all the time. Then one teacher told me to never EVER do that. You never know when a little shape, color combination, element or doodle will speak to you again. So, now I keep everything... but I have yet to work up the courage to go look at all the old stuff ;)

Oh, and I added a new card to the card collection... I think I overdid it on the stripes... but it's fun, cheerful and colorful! That's a good thing, right? I think most of my cards are over-the-top, color and pattern-wise. But isn't a celebration or time when you are trying to send someone some good cheer the time and place for over-doing it? ;)

Art Journal #45 - Love Watercolor

I did this on Valentine's Day...

It's 8 1/2 x 11, watercolor, colored pencil and grease pencil :)

Lots more watercolor pieces (mostly florals) to follow!