Friday, June 5, 2020

Watching paint dry.... mandalas flowers mermaids

welcome to paint party Friday... lots of color being used this week.
Painting takes me to where life is manageable...
Continuing with my circular/mandala series, I always think I will paint a simple one, then ink over it.
then I don't. This one reminded me of a landscape/sky in the circle, surrounded by water. The only ink added was Posca pen in white for little horizontal dots and the spiral bottom right.
I painted, dabbed, over-painted, dropped color on in dots, watched it all merge and spread as it dried...
The color is intense. The process for my non-paint obsessed friends... choose colors you like, use strong paper, start. I go around, merging and blending in radiating circles. Then I crossed the circles with yellow vertically.
Then crossed that with blue horizontally. Watch it blend move meld into this lovely. Horizontal dots of white crossed the circular lines and look what it made itself into...

A bonus class given by sketchbook revival coordinator this week led to this daily practice.
The artist

 has been lettering the date on her sketchbook for years, then writing a few words
As you can see in the portrait, I tried to capture her little quirks... teeth are hard, as are the little lines under an eye that define them in person but look old and tired if done in a sketch. Delicate shading is needed. I'd never tried to do pigtails either.

The next day I was intrigued with using my wide flat brush, pulling it across two pans at once, then swirling it in a curve to see the colors blend
I wouldn't normally use those two colors but interesting... and then after dabbing it with a paper towel I dabbed the wet towel across the painting and that added texture. How would it look to have the flat end dabbed on the painting?
hmmm grassy kind of... gotta remember that
So I enjoyed the swirling of the flat brush and thought, let's do a fantasy flower by swirling the flat brush on watercolor paper, 4" X 6"
the color is more intense than this. Using the same color scheme as the one above it, I showed restraint in doing only three petals.
So I learned rhythm can add form.
Mixing colors on the brush not in the pan
Green fine tip liner, black ink and posca opaque white were added for shading and details.
Later I added stamens
it's always a bit unnerving to alter a painting but like Michaelangelo said, "I am always learning"

This week I took my pink flower painting from last week, and printed it onto fabric. The first print came out black and white and I was disappointed but didn't want to waste the expensive fabric sheet.
I used it not as I intended in an art quilt, and that will be shown tomorrow. Here's a peek
The printable fabric sheets cost enough that I didn't want to waste any of it, and printed tiny detail shots of my painting too. I tried to ink over the black and white image, then pencil over with prisma pencils
very interesting. I've done this before, for an art quilt challenge,  and it's always surprising how it comes out. I love how the "failed " printing flower piece came out by the way. Please come see that tomorrow and tell me what you think.
I liked merging my two current artforms.
Yesterday an artist held a zoom meeting of her people across the globe, and focused on mermaids for fun! She encouraged us to paint a mermaid scene. I've done many a mermaid art quilt, but not painted one

til now!
She encouraged us to add inspirational words but I couldn't think of any.

I'm trying to develop a logo image for the "I Like Thursday" group I host here and would love to show you for feedback, but it's still too soon to show...
that's it for this week til tomorrow's reveal, happy painting to all

18 comments:

easyweimaraner said...

I love the flower too... it is great!!!

Sara said...

I think the black and white version is turning into a happy accident. I like the little hints of colors that I see you adding. Can't wait to see the whole thing.

Valerie-Jael said...

I love all your art experiments this week, especially the circular ones. The journal pages are fun, too. Happy PPF, hugs, Valerie

Barbara said...

Your painting is fabulous. I especially love the first one, makes me think “other worldly”!

DVArtist said...

Wow so much beauty here today. Your colors are intense and gorgeous. Yes, creating takes us to a place that is manageable. I love that saying of yours.

Molly the Airedale said...

Your artwork is always soooooooo pretty!

https://linsartyblobs.blogspot.com said...

Lovely art.

sirkkis said...

You've been productive... lovely art, the flowers are my favorites.
Happy PPF xx

Christine said...

Lovely work, you are learning a lot!

Tails Around the Ranch said...

Your painting and sketching are so wonderful. Adding glasses to a face is not easy-well done.

Linda Kunsman said...

Beautiful art, and i love the mandala circle! Happy PPF!

Joanne said...

Hi LeeAnna,
Bright and cherry uplifting flower post!
hugs,
Joanne

Mary in Peoria Handmade said...

I really like how the 2 paints on the brush turned out. Genius. The black and white with stamens is cool too. What an interesting choice of mermaids. Your mermaid is sweet. Not a care in the world.





Christine said...

Lovely art this week, you are learning so much.

Gillena Cox said...

Lovely art. Have a nice Thursday
I am inviting you to joinmy linky on Sundays where i ask what's your Sunday like

Much🌸love

Elkes Lebensglück said...

Your wonderful experiments are great works of art and your diary page very nice!
Hugs Elke

Andrea @ From The Sol said...

My goodness, your talents go in every direction. I love your use of colors and even the black and white turned out to be a treat. I picture you has having endless energy and have found a wonderful way to use it. Lovely post ...

Andrea @ From the Sol

Rain said...

"use strong paper"...those are words of wisdom LeeAnna. At this point, I only use student grade watercolour paper because of affordability, but one of these days I will "graduate" to the more expensive good quality 300 pound stuff. Your mermaid is adorable! And I do LOVE your "failed" flower (NOT FAILED)