She's A Maniac!

First of all, welcome to February!  A month for love and lovers, and a month closer to SPRING!  I know we're already into day three, but I'm happy to say I've been busy with art activities this week including writing an e-zine article, judging an art show and taking my first colored pencil drawing class.  In addition, I've been trying to put one of my creative muses in check!  So...let's catch up.  This is going to be a lengthy post, so pull up a comfy chair and bring along your favorite beverage!

My "inner child muse" is a maniac!  Every year, she comes out after the holidays and because she has more time to look at fabulous art on the Internet, she wants to try EVERYTHING!  She's like an out-of-control 5-year-old constantly wanting this and that.  She seriously had me thinking about ordering an encaustic wax kit a couple weeks ago, and she keeps nagging at me to do some more silk screening projects.  I finally had to put my foot down.  I had to remind her that I still have unfinished mosaic projects and scads of stamping supplies and inks that have been untouched for months.  I told her I need to make use of the supplies I already have and that there's much more creative experimentation to be had with them.  She's not real happy, but she'll recover.  I was able to quite her by taking a colored pencil drawing class.

I judged an art show on Tuesday, and as it turns out, the Jennifer Kosarko (who hired me to judge) is teaching a drawing class on Wednesday mornings.  I had my first 3 hr session yesterday morning.  I'm using this photo from my picture file, torn from an old National Geographic magazine.  I really want to learn how to capture skin tones accurately. 

I learned a lot yesterday!  I confirmed that I am indeed, heavy handed.  Jennifer's method of colored pencil drawing requires layers, upon layers of color, and a very light hand.  It took me three hours to get to "light hand".  This method is tedious, exacting, and methodical.  All of the things I am not.  It is also very time consuming.  Colored pencil will never be my main medium, but I am having a lot of fun learning these new techniques.

Jennifer first enlarged my photo so I could trace it on a light box.  (I've altered the image making it darker so you can see it! It's much lighter and less grainy than it appears here.)  That was the first "something new" for me.  I've never used a light box before.  (Using the light box shortened the amount of time I would have spent accurately sketching in the face.)  We're using Prismacolors (ironically I gifted myself with a 72 tin earlier this year) The first color I was instructed to use was Lemon Yellow, applied in tiny, lightly applied circles.  I didn't reach "lightly" until I started on her neck.  This was followed by a layer of Peach, leaving the lips alone until 4-5 layers down the road.  Jennifer completed the eye instructing me along the way.  There are 5 colors in the eye.  My next layer will be Blush Pink.  I can hardly wait to see the finished skin tone.  I'm sure it will be rich and full of depth.

I created around 8 journal spreads for the e-zine article.  Here are a couple of cropped images.  I used an Asian inspired stamp on the jacket.  That's the first time I've incorporated a stamp into any of my journal pages, and it was a lot of fun.  I'll be using stamps again.  I also used water soluble crayon, craft acrylics and colored pencil in this spread.  I'll be talking more about the e-zine when it comes out next month.

Here is another cropped image taken from a 2 page spread.  I spent over an hour cutting out scads of flowers from a gardening catalog, and I even found a couple butterflies.  This spread is an homage to Frida and includes an interactive window.  I applied heavy body gesso to the background and used blue craft acrylic.  I applied the cutouts with a glue stick.

So, that's what I've been up to.  I'm still playing catch up, so I'll be posting Tuesday Tips and Techniques, Wednesday's Word and Thursday's Child tomorrow - on a Friday.  Gotta love it!

I have to share one more thing with you today.  My dear twitter friend and Angelia's Art Journals follower, Luna Raven, nominated me for a Shorty Award.  I'm so surprised and honored!  This sassy gal has got it going on herself, so take a trip through her blog - you're going to love it!

I've posted a link to the Shorty Award nominations on my sidebar, so if you'd like, cast your vote for me or one of the other fabulous 1,000 nominees in the art category.  In the meantime, have a fabulous day and remember: "Celebrate, LOVE, and Create!"