Left handed sketch

photo.JPG, a photo by lelloavengers on Flickr.

Here's a spread from the sketchbook I'm working in for Amy's sketchbook exchange. One page out of 3or 4 that I did. I'm trying to keep up with the lessons in Carla Sonheims's book, this one was to use your non dominant hand to sketch a face. I did two and they turned out better than I expected as I really have no control with my left hand. Then I just had to try it with my right hand to see what a difference it would make.
Sorry for the green splotches, the mandala I did on the other page bled through, oops!
You can go to Cameron's blog: paintmyselfpretty to see some other people's tries at it!

lines and colors and words, oh my

I've got a video for you this week of making this latest mandala.

It's a bit shaky  in certain sections as I handheld the camera while I was painting. Totally need a tripod I guess. But it's a first try so don't judge it too harshly! It's alittle over 5 minutes I think so just GO WATCH IT!!!! I really enjoyed making the videos, almost as much as painting so let me know what you think, and hopefully I'll get better as I go and I've started the next video already...

full of rich color

paint flows and blends together

dancing pen lines move

and......
One more Rainbow mandala,
and a sip of sangria to go.....

See you soon!

I'm linking to Paint party friday here

I'm also linking to haiku my heart here

and Butterfly effect for their flower theme here ( can you see the tiny white flowers I added, just a touch but my next mandalas is ALL Flowers!)

and don't forget to visit the artist's play room this week too with their rainbow theme, here.

Tea and Mandalas, of course

Chamomile or chai

Or peppermint with honey

In a pretty cup

Random tea facts about me...

*I remember asking for seconds of a delicious homegrown herbal tea at an herb farm my Mom and Dad and I visited so many years ago. I remember it being the best tea!!

*Honey and lemon tea makes me feel better when I'm sick with a cold.

*I loved Wu Wie tea from isabella catalog but they discontinued it so now I buy Immortalitea from there. It is made from the jiaogulan leaf which is said to be what some of the civilizations that live to be over 100 drink and have in common. I need to order more.

*I love all the tea packages with pretty boxes and quotes . I can stand in the tea aisle forever. Makes me wish I designed packaging.

***Tea is good but wine is better.

*I have a special teacup,just for reading tea leaves but I forget to use it.

I'm linking to paint party friday, and
IA whose theme is inspired by words, as this was inspired by the quote on the side of the Bigelow box: "Bigelow tea.... good for the mind body and soul" maybe not what they had in mind when deciding the theme but it worked for me!
and to Justaddwater as their theme is coffee or tea.
And to haiku my heart for all their wonderful haiku!

leaves

leaves of earthy green

artichokes , shoots unfurling

nature begins fresh

linking to paint party friday, inspiration avenue for their green leaves challenge and haiku my heart!

Thanks for stopping by!

rainbows

The theme over at Butterfly effect where, as most of you know, we are ALL PRETTIER!!!, is rainbows. I have always loved rainbows....

A few random facts...

**I wore ski sweaters in highschool because you could find them with rainbows on the sleeves.

**I owned a tiny 2x2 watercolor painted rainbow that Thom Klika made . He was the original rainbow man. He had a shop in Woodstock where my family went in the summers on our way to Cape Cod for vacations. He used to (before my time there) hand out hand painted tiny cards with rainbows on them. I had a jigsaw puzzle with the image of 100 of them on it  and an actual card which I seem to have lost over the 30 years since. :.(

** I painted a pastel rainbow on my bedroom wall when I was a teenager.

**I'm late for work or I'd think of more rainbow facts...



Here's one of my latest mandalas.... I started naming them...It's called fluid spring...

 Here's my son's rainbow!

These next 3 are from a lesson in Carla Sonheim's book that I'm trying to work through, and keep up with Cameron over at Paintmyselfpretty. It's a great book but if you want to see more lessons go to cameron's blog! In this one you paint random swirls of watercolor then try to find imaginary animals in it and sketch them in. I kept seeing faces but here's a few tries anyway...

see ya soon!

Let it rain

photo.JPG, a photo by lelloavengers on Flickr.

thinking of summer rain....
BIG drops
Warm
Wet

I did this acrylic piece a few weeks ago, maybe as practice for the "palette" I'm working on for the Hammondsport Art Auction. I don't have any photos of that yet to show as it is very slow going. But this piece was fun, I painted the whole canvas crazy colors then picked out my favorite areas and painted around them to make the raindrops. I had no plan in mind when I started, about what the canvas was going to be, but I'm pleased with the end.

happy paint party friday !
Oh , and I guess I will link to the Butterfly effect as their theme is Forces of nature....