Sketchy Sketches..

I haven't given up on my traditional watercolors, absolutely not! 
However, I mentioned earlier that I've gotten into sketching with pen/wc washes.  There's a lot you can learn by doing this and I never realized that it's also fun to do .. 
 Some are from life, I do still get to Paneras LOL !  and a few I found as photos. Of course your supposed to do them from life, but then again I don't think I'll be going to Europe anytime soon . 

  'The Taj Mahal' ... ok , so I think big. 

                           Sicily 

                            Somewhere in Copenhagen.   

Oh and a peek into my latest journal go to my 'Journey blog'.
and my all time 2nd favorite medium , the lowly pencil.
here 'tis .

Sorta, Kinda

I don't know how else to describe what I'm up to these days in my art work... Of course I still do my traditional watercolors.  A while back I got interested, very interested in doing pen and ink sketches  with watercolor washes. Drawing in ink and then washes over it seemed like a very easy thing to do... But when I first tried it I had too much information (as in the watercolor.) Somehow that wasn't what I was after... This is the little A- frame place across the road .
 I was pleased that I did it on-site. I've never been good at plein-aire, but I kinda, sorta liked this one. 

Stormy Sail

Although this one was done some years ago I thought I'd offer it for sale on my Etsy shop... I'd forgotten about it , kind of lost in the 'sea' of other works.. pun intended.. !  It's a year I started the Etsy shop ,,, in Fact ...oh I just checked .. a year ago on the 3rd.. It has sales every month .. one or two.. no, I can't fly to Paris on that, but it's a good way to keep yourself  'out there'.  I sold one today, that's what made me think about it ..  
 

Washday ~

Did this little painting last night. Don't really know why the color is so different on each, but somehow it's in between.
Sometimes those little spur of the moment paint feelings take over and it was a pretty quick on.  Glad I did it .
 

Autumn?

Picked these leaves on my walk yesterday.  I guess it's what's called
Autumn. Tried to depict them realistically and think I came pretty close.  

Sketchy Stuff

So I'm into the sketching but this is not what I'm wanting.. it will take some practice. Pen/ink and watercolor, but wanting more of a line drawing with some color washes... Not enough pen work in this, but it was fun anyway.  And does it take practice!! looks easy, but NOT!..  Too wish-washy but I'll keep trying. 
Have you seen the book Urban Sketcher . Well it's sort of what I'm trying to accomplish... I want to be able to sketch while outside . 
I'll probably be hiding behind a bush or a park bench. 

On this Day.

I want to wish my daughter Tina Marie a Happy Birthday. 

 

Just sayin'

Been posting a bit on my 'Journey' blog, but not much art so this blog has been quiet.. Not to say I've not been doing anything .. but I've gotten into some sketching..  pen/ink and watercolor. Something I've always liked but could never seem to do .. A prime example was the hilarious sketch attempt at an airport last year.. NO, I won't post it .. LOL !
 So I'm doing more reading about sketching than doing. 

The Inevitable Pears

Whenever I've been away from any real painting I always start up again with the old standby.  !! PEARS !! .
What is it about them that I can get at least a passable rendering with little effort and it seems to put me into that painting mood.  
 So I'm in my 'pear period' again..
Oh,  the other thing is that I've discovered the Gelli Printing plate... Yes, I'm playing with a new toy.  I sent for one after reading and watching videos about this printing with a gelatin plate. 
I hear you can make your own, but you all know I don't cook,  (this meant gelatin and water) .  So I ordered one... so much easier. LOL As soon as I get some prints made, Or if I take pics of the process I'll share them with you . 
Heres a pic of the package ... and if you want to really go nutz, then just google Gelli Plate. Or go on Pinterest..The package is sitting on a new book I got, called Painted Papers...

 

Watercolor Canvas Board?

    A few weeks ago I came across this pack of 3 Watercolor Canvas Boards.  Now maybe I'm a little behind the times, but I'd never seen watercolor 'canvas'.  So today I tried this little 5x7" and I must say it was a very different experience.. It's like painting on canvas, so what's the deal?  Totally different than paper, and it says it is primed with acrylic to accept any kind of media. WELL ! 

Just Sharing

'Savannah'

Been a while and I thoroughly enjoyed doing this drawing. 
From a photo by Edward Forster. 

If you want to visit me on my 'Journey' blog, I'll see you there. 
Barbra Joan

Thanks to all my blogging friends

Thanks to all my blogging friends who wrote and commented that I was missed.  Yes, missed you all too.  I'm back to painting, running my Etsy shop, and life in general .   I've been away in more ways than one.
A complete life change emotionally, and physically kept me from both painting and blogging.. I'll be catching up on you all very soon.  Hugs to each of you.  
Barbra Joan

YES!

"Even if I knew the world would end tomorrow,
I'd still plant my apple tree. "
MLK.

I have always felt just this way... and still do . 
I'll be back .... Barbra Joan

ATC'S Mixed Media

Most of you know and might even be involved with ATC's also known as Artist Trading Cards.  When I first came to know about them was around 2007. I joined a group and we traded . ATC's if you don't know are small art cards, sized as a playing card, made and traded by artists, but not to be sold ... only traded.. I know the trend has now gone a long way away from that original idea.

I can't say how many I created but let's say lots.. traded yes, but kept some of them which I mounted on a square piece of foamcore and framed..

Some had meaning for me, others were just wherever my creativity took me... Mixed media is the understatement here.

Ribbons, lace, stamping, cut out papers, gold leaf, beads, watercolor, gold string, etc.

After being put aside for quite a while and although somewhere in one of my blogs I may have them... I decided to post them today. 
Want to see the rest of them go to my Journey blog.

Untitled

 
 

A recent pencil drawing. Haven't done any pencil works for quite some time, so this was enjoyable... It's in an 11x14 " mat.
Image size 8"x10" . Using a small range of Derwent Graphic pencils. It is for sale on my Etsy shop.
BJ  

YES

'Party on my Head' took a fourth place award in the Pro Division, Graphics and Mixed Media Category at the Plant City Strawberry Festival.
I was especially pleased as the competition was tough, and the judge is an international artist.. So yes, I'm happy about it ..
I'll be at the show for a 4 hour shift on Sat. eve.
WELL ! someone has to guard the masterpieces . LOL !
The show runs for ten days.  Hey , it's why Plant City is on the map.  Barbra Joan 

This One...

ok, I like this one better... 
 Yes, I'm talking to myself ...

Flowers #2

 

Using my flower vase as inspiration and some of what I learned from the workshop last Sept. I did this still life.  
I photographed it as a WIP .. Funny after you photograph it, you do see all the "what did I do that for?" 
However this is how it came together..  I may do a smaller version for my Etsy shop.  

A light sketch for placements ... the one thing I know is not right, and that's the flower placements.. Trying to get five in there. 

Putting the second wash .And for those who think I don't get messy.
 

I do like the color, the setup, everything about it .. the looseness, 
BUT composition was wrong from the start... sooo, I'll do it again and pay more attention to that very first step.
I'll hang this in my bedroom because it makes me happy to look at it.   

Time Out!

Time out for painting, drawing and the arts. This photo is of an old 
water cooler. Not sure how it worked but it has sat in my house for years.Kind of summery all year long .. and possibly would make a good painting.. if anyone would like to try it... feel free. 

P.S. Some of you have asked me what this is ... so I've posted 2 new photos up close ... I don't know what's missing on it possibly a spout of some sort at the bottom... 
It was laying on the ground of a friend about 15 years ago, I admired it and she gave it to me.. It has always been on this table.  

Strawberry Festival Time

Entering the Strawberry Festival Art Show again.. It runs for ten days starting Feb. 26th. It's Statewide and here in Plant City Florida we are famous for Strawberries.. In those ten days  half a million people visit from all over this country and abroad.. If it's made with strawberries it's here. Country Music shows every day, lots of exhibits, and of course the art show...
The first 2 years I entered I won awards...This will be my fourth year and my entry is "Party on my Head" .. a mixed media Pencil/Watercolor/Gold Leaf... I finished this piece last year.
Come on down... we are 'live and in color'  .

Brain Freeze. !!!

A lot of my paintings come from the copyright free site PMP.

I painted these a while ago, and can't for the life of me remember where I got them from .. I know it was very recent like the past week.. So can't even name the bird... if I find it I'll come back and tell you...
The important thing is that it was taken with my new Nikon S6800... I love, love this camera... easy , simple, great photos. 
I cannot have a camera that I have to change lenses... I am camera challenged LOL !!! In other words I'm not a techie , heck I don't even know if I spelled it right.. 

OK.. Thanks to a fellow blogger Laura I now know the name of this bird, it's called a Eurasian Oytsercatcher .
Laura's watercolors have been my inspiration for as many years as I've been blogging. 

Sunday Flowers

Feeling bad for all of you up north, having cold weather .. Even if it's not today you know it will be... Soooo just a warm, colorful painting .

Today

My philosophy is simple. I'm passionate about the art I create.
 I don't paint paintings to match someones sofa. I have to love what I'm painting, then be willing to part with it.
 Barbra Joan

This painting has recently sold.

Today

Seeing the date on this I realize I felt the same way 22 years ago.
 I still have days like that. 

' Bob '

This is 'Bob' . I did the painting of him for someone as a commission from my Etsy shop .
 His coloring was so white/cream not your usual orange or marmalade cat. Bob passed on some years ago, but as all of us animal lovers know we never forget them.

 ok heres' BOB.

The Year Past- 2014

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

To all my blogging friends that come visit me through the year. 
As the year comes to a close, I thought of what exactly did I do this past year. Could I have done better? more? 
First of course, what did I do for others?  Humans and animals. Well, that would be a personal thing.. so let's leave it at that. 

 I exhibited in the Strawberry Festival at the beginning of the year.. 
 and finished my Alaska journal from my 2013 trip.

How could I forget my trip to Alaska and the Northwest, the year before.  Managed to make a quilt, two actually, one for my dear friend..  

  Also did some Florida series paintings, after all I do live there.

Forum Challenges, and how could I forget the '30 paintings in 30 days Challenge" ?

  It took me a month to recover from that .! lol . 
 A trip or two to Biloxi,.
Then the 4 day workshop that I took in Sept.. over on St. Pete beach.
The memory of that will last and will do another one this year. Same place different instructor .... after a lifetime of painting I finally got to take a class. ! 

  

Opened my Etsy shop and working at it to make it a success. 
I've gotten a few commissions from it and that's always nice..made a few sales already... that's good too. !!

Letting any unpleasant instances go, and there are always some.
Life is never without those bumps and bruises...My mom had a saying that 'what doesn't happen in a year, happens in a day'.
We never know. So,... I'll put my foot into the New Year and start walking like I've always done.  
Thanks to all of you for your support and encouragement for my art, my health, and my life. 
Barbra Joan...