Listen to this Podcast
Recently, I spoke with Jamie Riddler of Creative Living with Jamie about all things art – how to make time, how to stay inspired, how to get published and more. I hope you listen to this conversation and find something that speaks directly to your heart!
Art Journaling Class goes LIVE on Creativebug TODAY!
How would you like to learn to add fluid vibrancy to your art journal pages with tea stain dyes? Not only that, in my Art Journaling: Mixed Media on Paper, you’ll learn how to draw everyday objects in a simplified form, document your day or record an observation, create focal points, and finish with doodled details and dimensional elements. Whether you’re new to art journaling or a seasoned mixed media artist, you’ll enjoy this playful and experimental way of approaching art.
This online workshop is about 40 minutes in length and divided into the following segments:
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Overview
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Materials
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Creating backgrounds with dye
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Observational drawing and mark-making
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Other examples of mixed media
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Adding collage and other embellishments
Not a Creativebug member? Wanna try it out? Follow this link!
New members will get their 1st month of Creativebug + 1 class to keep forever for just $1. They’ll also receive 30% off at Jo-Ann Fabric.
When you sign up through the link below you’ll receive a welcome email from Creativebug, then a second email with the coupon code to use either online or in-store at Jo-Ann Fabric.
How cool is that!
NYC Sketching
Of all the cities I have ever walked the streets of, New York is special. This Memorial Day weekend, Nini and I took the train from Dover to go to the Big Apple. With cameras in our hands we stepped out of the Penn Station and walked all the way to The Ink Pad, a stamp store on 7th Avenue.
After a brief stop for lunch, we walked to China Town. It was not a short walk. But after being cooped up indoors from the cold and rain for months, the cool breeze and the warm sun was such a welcome respite! We walked, we watched people, we had bubble tea, coffee and ice cream. We walked across Canal Street into the busy alleys of China Town where Sunday is market day. There were fresh fishes and seafood, fruits of all kinds, steaming rotisserie chicken, handicrafts and souvenirs and incredible colors and textures all around. The Starbucks was housed in a pagoda like old building.
Just around the corner, we walked into Little Italy. Sidewalk cafes were brimming with people. Tourist groups walked past us in tight lines. We watched the graffiti while enjoying scoops of Lemon and Tangerine gelatos.We shopped till we had no cash left to spare.
We walked more – past landmarks, with our eyes set on catching the details beyond the landmarks – the occasional lion head knockers, the seasonal flowers cascading from a small window sill with white lace curtain blowing in the wind, the peeling green paint on wooden doors, the lights strung outside a Lebanese restaurant where the smell of the smoke was divine. We watched the pigeons whose feather gleamed like rainbow in the afternoon sun, all the dogs that crossed the streets with their people, the photographers who looked disappointed to see our big cameras while I stood in front of the Flat Iron building, the odd painted tiles here and there.
I took photos of buildings because they fascinate me the most as do their water tanks. I knew these photos would be the references for my future sketches. Speaking of which, here are the first two sketches from that day.
With 22,000 steps and about 10 miles on my i-watch, we ended the day with a train ride back home and took Tylenol before going to bed to soothe the aching feet.
San Francisco Sketches
I spent a lot of time each day staring through the window at this lovely building across from the Creativebug studio.
Such amazing views all around the city!
In 3½ Weeks… on June 14th
My first Creativebug class will go LIVE in just 24 days!!! I’m THRILLED!
We filmed three mixed media art journaling classes. The first one to go live is Art Journaling: Dye & Ink Backgrounds and Observational Drawings. I’ll post links as soon as they become available!
A Coloring Tutorial Video
Hello there! It’s raining outside. Feels like the perfect day for some coloring! Here’s a coloring tutorial for you to enjoy.
The last time I posted a coloring tutorial, some of my viewers mentioned that they would prefer full length tutorials over time-lapsed ones. So, here’s the full 26 minutes of me coloring in my studio. I do hope it inspires you to pull out your coloring stash.
I used my Printable Coloring Book Farm Fresh: Printable Coloring Book of Produce from A-Z with 14 Bonus Pages of Ideas & Extras. I printed it on regular white copy paper and colored with watercolor pencils. Sometimes, I leave a page without using water to blend the colors. If you wish to watercolor, just print on thicker paper.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. I welcome your comments!
Day trip to D.C.
Washington D.C. is always a treat! At every turn is a monument or museum. Statues and gorgeous buildings at every angle of the camera. I can never get tired of this city.
This Sunday, Nini had a recital at Lincoln Memorial. So the rest of us tagged along.
After getting ready, Nini went on to join her company. I snuck away for a few minutes to take a long look at one of my most favorite Presidents. There’s always huge crowds around him and not easy to get a clean shot, especially because I’m so short!
But I found a spot to sit on a ledge that most people avoid for the fear of falling. In my peaceful spot, I sat and sketched the incredible view that stretched before my eyes. Only a few minutes, but blissful none the less.
I walked around some, taking photos around the bridge to Arlington Cemetery.
Once I caught up with the rest of the family, we couldn’t find parking ANYWHERE. So, we drove around and I took as many photos as I could. Blurry or not, I didn’t want to miss a single shot.
We picked Nini up and drove close to the Smithsonian. One of my main goals for this trip was to take Jia to the Natural History Museum, my favorite and her first!
Here are my girls in front of my favorite mammoth. I have photos of me before I was a mother and of all my kids at various ages and stages in front of this mammoth – yeah, it’s one of those family history photo spots for me!
Of course, we love all our primates!
And Jia connected with our long lost relative.
But Nini was tired. We had a LONG drive home. Jia was so excited that she ran from one to the other and we could barely keep up. So, we decided to call it a day. We got home around 11 pm. It was a fun impromptu kind of day!
Video Tutorial: Art Journaling with Coloring Pages
Did you know?
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That you don’t always have to color within the lines on a coloring book page?
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That you can use your coloring book pages in your art journals?
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That you can print them in reduced sizes to fit your page needs?
I have included several such ideas and step-by-step instructions in my newest printable coloring book Farm Fresh.
And here’s a video tutorial to show you what I am talking about.
I hope you enjoy!
Splash some colors with Make it Artsy Season 100, Episode 106
Catch episode # 106 from season 100 of Make It Artsy. It’s available from 5/5- 5/12 over at makeitartsy.com.
You wouldn’t want to miss crafty chica Kathy Cano-Murillo mixed media artist Dina Wakley and hostess Julie Fei-Fan Balzer showing you some fun ways to add colors to your projects.
Here’s a sneak peek into the episode – my segment showing how to create a watercolor painting out of a simple coloring book page by using the principles of light and shadow. You can watch it below. Be sure to catch the whole episode!