POUTINE

I haven’t been posting because I’m into this project of “finishing” what I started ages ago. 

I’ve started 8 of 15 pages and have only completed 2 of the “Sketchbook Project”!  It is due in August  so I’ve got to pull up my socks! 

I’m creating travel pages.  If you haven’t had POUTINE don’t bother having it unless you have it where it originated.  This restaurant is in the old city. 

I can see some areas I want to tweak but for now I’m done. 

Explore

No prompt- I forgot to post this yesterday. Joust documenting how I made this stamp.  I was sending my granddaughter a letter and decorating the envelope (you know that I hate -yes hate- white envelopes)! So I had made this quite awhile ago and wanted to replicate it here so I won’t forget that it was fun to do. 

Magpie

I didn’t like my drawing much so I painted the background with acrylic gouache and now I like it better.  I’m not quite finished but got this far during the allotted time. 

Self portrait Sunday

Here is a selfie sans glasses! One brush, flat size 4.  It isn’t easy to manipulate craft paint on an index card with one brush.  My substrate was a cast off from mono-printing.  I used a white gel pen for the highlight. 

My Undersea Garden

This is my response to Carla and Liz’s circles. I started with acrylic ink circles over gesso and then ended by weaving in some cheap ribbon.  Abstraction isn’t something that I do often but I had fun doing it even if it took me awhile to be happy with my result.  I liked it way more after I added the ribbon, it feels finished now. 

It is my undersea garden on an index card!  I like to use a cheap substrate so it doesn’t feel precious and then I get concerned about wasting it. 

Happy Birthday

I want to wish my husband a Happy Birthday!  I made him this illustrated card in celebration.  Hmmmm, not sure that the beer goes with cake but that doesn’t matter cuz it isn’t my birthday! 

Acrylic gouache on an index card. 

Sagrada Família

This double page spread took many days to complete.  I was watching a video and there was a discussion on beautiful buildings.  Obviously the Taj Mahal was discussed.  My mind wandered to the most beautiful architectural building I have ever seen - the Sagrada Familia., Barcelona Spain. Construction began in 1882 and it is still not completed.  The original design and concept was by Antoni Gaudi and he died in 1926 so it was hoped that the church would be completed by 2026.  This church has to be seen in real life to appreciate the beauty of the design.  Now this page doesn’t look like the church but it is representative of it.  The post-it note figure represents me walking up to the front door.

Pen, coloured pencils and acrylic gouache in my Moleskine Sketchbook 

We have shamrocks!

My husband found some shamrocks under the deck so I thought I would crest a page.  The pattern on the PJ bottoms would have been better if I could have completed it properly.

Oh well, watercolour with clear gesso as a glue for the shamrock.

Pygmy Owl

From this weeks photo prompt with Sketchbook Skool .  I used brown ink then Quin burnt orange watercolour and a white gel pen. 

Self portrait Sunday

It has been awhile since I’ve done a self portrait so for this “self portrait Sunday” I used India ink and a cheap brush.  

Sequin in my hair

Just a little bit of silly whimsy inspired by Carla Sonheim.  Just if you’re wondering, this is a true story. 

Blind contour in pencil. Acrylic paint, post it note and Neocolor II crayons. 

Did mono-print

I just want to remind myself (and anyone else) to not throw out a dud mono-print.  I was going to chop it up but today I saw the value in what I didn’t like about the print before.  

Calmness of the desert

I was thinking of the calmness of the lake when the water looks like glass. Sometimes that stillness is broken by boats. Camels are ships of the desert!  I got to thinking it might be nice to ride one at sunset! What an expedition that would be. 

  

Another day, another index card

Wasn’t sure I was going to get this finished for today but I guess persevere pays off. 

A few different layered and  mono-printed cards with beads and sequins. 

Summertime Rudolph

I watched a U-tube video with Danny Gregory (Draw with Me- Sketchbook Skool) yesterday while he re-drew a drawing by a young girl that he taught when he was an artist-in-residence.  I thought that it was fun so I thought I would have a go too.  I re-drew a picture my granddaughter created a couple of years ago! It is hanging up near my computer and I see it everyday.  This is my version of her fun drawing of Rudolph.  I made my Rudolph an unhappy summer reindeer who wants to go home to a cooler climate.   There really is something about making art like a child. It was very fun!  I included some stitching on a mono-printed card. 

A. Y. Jackson painting

The government of Canada issued some new stamps last month showcasing some paintings by the “Group of Seven”.  I chose to copy this particular painting because it was titled “Labrador coast”.  I use to live in Labrador so that was what gave me the the idea.  Upon further research it seems that A. Y. Jackson travelled to Ungava Bay (now Nunavut) with Frederick Banting (co-discoverer of insulin) in 1927.  They had hitched a ride on a government supply ship.  The original oil sketch was called Ungava Coast.  This was the only sketch done on this trip. 

The sketch painting was found in St Johns Newfoundland in 2018 at a public appraisal event.  It was used to create a  4’ X 6’ painting was completed in 1930 and is now kept in the University of Toronto Hart House collection.  

As an aside, I often purchase Ungava gin made with Artic herbs! I didn’t realize it was a body of water.  

Happy Canada Day

It is Canada’s 153rd birthday today! Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canucks! 

Yikes, the stitching took me forever!!!  But I was thrilled to remember that I had the heart washi tape in my stash!! 

I think that this tractor might have been partially made and assembled I. Hamilton.