Weekly Art Sessions

Hi, and welcome to my blog:
It is that time of year when I have to convert from the carefree days of summer to the busy schedule that fall always brings.  So, I have jumped in and my pens, brushes, paints, etc. are just flying!  Our fall art sessions have now started and the girls are working on all kinds of wonderful projects - pen and ink, oil, acrylics, texture, etc.  While they are busy creating new 'masterpieces', I still have some work they did early in the year to share with you.

This Tulip project (original designer unknown) was done by Linda on large canvas - I think it was probably 16x20.  She started by applying Texture Crackle to the canvas - after it dried and was sanded and sprayed, Linda did all the work with oil paint.  If you look at the background you can see the textured surface showing through - this definitely adds something to the picture.  I love the tulips!!  Linda has done a wonderful job - love the colours, and her background is beautiful.

Eggstra Special Delivery is a Mary Owens pen and ink (with oil rouging) piece.  Marie did this on 11x14 canvas, and she has done a great job with both her inking and rouging.  Over the last several years I have taught this piece many times - it seems to be a very popular pen and ink piece.  This fall Marie has switched gears and is tackling a larger piece that includes texture, stencils, and right now, I don't think she has decided what else she might use in the pic.  I will post the end result!

I don't know who originally designed this piece, but Cecile did this on 11x14 stretched canvas.  She was looking for a nice light, but effective, background, and I think she found it.  She used oil paint mixed with gel and just dabbed it on with a scrumbler....after it dried (and, since it was oil paint, it took awhile) she sprayed it, then went to work on the hummingbird and flowers.  When Cecile works it seems she goes into a world of her own - she has a picture in her head of what she wants, and she works away until she finally gets that look.  Sometimes it takes awhile, but her projects always turn out unique with lots of vibrant colours, and with unusual, but effective, results.  I think this picture is lovely, and I love the background.

Finally, this is another Mary Owens pen and ink (with oil rouging) project.  Renee did this on 11x14 stretched canvas.  This is a fun project, and, like Eggstra Special Delivery above, it has been a very popular pen and ink piece.  The original project called for a brownish/red sled, but Renee decided to do the sled green, and with the bright red bow, the picture certainly looks Christmasy.  I thought Renee might have some trouble with the snow, but she zipped through it with no problem at all.  Great job!

We have so many interesting projects underway at our art sessions, and I can't wait for them to be done so I can post them.  Several of the girls are experimenting with different things, and we are all sharing our thoughts and suggestions....I am actually learning a great deal and getting new ideas just by listening to everyone else.  This type of environment allows our creative juices to flow, and I think we are all inspired by each other.  It's great!

Pen and Ink artists, here is a tip for you!  At our art sessions last week Delphine was working on an inking project that she had inked quite a while ago.  She was trying to lift some of the ink off using the glass cleaner I supply at my sessions.  Ink wouldn't budge.  I just happened to have a brand new container of Windex with Amonia, so I opened it and Delphine tried it.  Much to my surprise the old ink lifted right off!!  So, if you are working with old glass cleaner and are having trouble lifting your errors, try using some new Windex with Amonia, and hopefully, you will be successful.

I have recently had discussions with Kim and Veronica from Sisterhood Craft Supplies, 1035A Pembroke Street East, Pembroke, about conducting classes in the spring in coloured pencils and pen and ink.  At this point, all details still have to be worked out, so I will be posting further information in a few months.  In the meantime, you might want to drop into the craft store - they have lots of art and craft supplies, and they are currently conducting classes in a variety of interesting craft areas - their work is absolutely lovely.

As for me, I am just finishing an interesting project that tried my patience somewhat....I didn't think it would be nearly as time consuming as it turned out!  However, I should be finished within the next day or so - it is a multi-media piece that includes texture crackle, stencils, texture glass, pen and ink, acrylics and oils - I will be so glad when I get this project finished!  My next couple of projects will have a Christmas theme, and I am looking forward to tackling them.  In a month or so, I should have 3 or 4 of my own finished pieces to post on my blog.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog - I hope you enjoyed it.  Please visit again in a month or so to see more completed artwork.

Joan

Pen and Ink with Oils

Hi, and welcome to my blog,

I hope everyone had a great summer - I did!  I spent a lot of time at my cottage, had quite a bit of company, ate and drank too much, and now I am ready to settle down and work on some art projects.  Over the summer I did manage to get a few painting projects done - I was quite interested in silhouettes, so that is what I worked on.

This project is called Waters Edge and was designed by Wendy Fahey.  Wendy's instructions call for acrylic paint - but, as usual, I converted the instructions and used some acrylic, some oil and some pen and ink.  This piece is done on 8x10 woood...I basecoated in acrylics, did most of the background colors in acrylics, used my pen to add some of the detail (some branches, outline of chairs, divisions on the dock, birds), then used oils to add all the highlights and shadows.  This project was a lot of fun to do.

This is also a pattern by Wendy Fahey - it is called Small Fry.  It is done on a wood surface approx. 6x8.  It was quite a bit easier and faster than the one above.  I used a lot of acrylics in this one - I just used my pen for the divisions on the dock and the birds.  I used oil paint for all the highlights and shadows in the sky and the lake.  I love this pattern - easy and quick!

This silhouette was designed by Roberta Hall and is in her book Silhouettes Maple Sugar 11.  I used acrylic paint to basecoat the background, oils to add all the highlights and shadows, then finished it off by doing all the actual silhouettes with my pen.  Another easy and fast project.

This pattern is also by Roberta Hall and can be found in her Silhouettes book.  Unlike the projects above, I did not find this one easy or fast.  I basecoated the background in acrylics, but, this time, in order to get the right colors in the sky, I decided to do all the detail in the sky and lake with acrylics...won't do that again!  Next time I will add all the detail with oil (acrylics dry too fast for me - I like to have time to work with my colors).  Anyway, after I did get the sky and lake finished, I moved on and used oils to complete most of the rest of the detail.  I used my pen to do the trees and canoe.

Well, the silhouettes were fun, but I have had enough for now...I have started a new colored pencil project, and I am going to tackle a large multi media that uses texture, stencils and acrylics.   I definitely plan to use some acrylics, but I will also be using some pen and ink and oils too.  It will be a challenge, and I am looking forward to it.

Our fall art sessions start the week of September 17 and run until the end of November.  I am looking forward to seeing all the girls again and seeing what they painted over the summer.  So, in a few weeks I will be posting some new work done by them.

Thanks for visiting my blog - happy painting!

Joan