Postcard and nothing but with crayons

This is a postcard that will be mailed out to the UK tomorrow for a postcard swap.  The only caveats: must be a postcard and only a postcard and then made with crayons.  I thought I’d do an illustration of my mailbox (rather a wonky version too) out on the road and the farmer’s field behind it.  There isn’t anything planted yet since it is still too early but I thought I would add some vegetation anyway! 

I have always loved my Crayola crayons but today I was rather disappointed with how little pigment is in the wax!  Oh well, I did the best I could. 

Fence Post Friday

We have lost the sun but we do need the rain, the landscape is still a dull beige and brown. All that dead stuff was pretty crispy out there and definitely a fire hazard.  Oh well, in everyone’s world a little rain must fall.  Regardless, Happy Fence Post Friday everyone and enjoy your weekend. 

You can’t hear or see them behind the reeds and tall grasses but the Canada geese are making quite the racket and doing what geese do. 

Terrific Stamps from Kazakhstan

today I drew and painted two stamps I received in the mail yesterday.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE receiving and sending snail mail!!  I just wanted to document this.  There wasn’t much room left for a message but that was okay she had enough room to give me the information about the postcard itself.  It was a painting of a Saiga antelope that is endangered and considered a national treasure. 

Farming begins early

Such a beauty day!  My car said it was 16C!! I pulled over on a concession road by this farm snd pulled out my gouache and some acrylic paint markers. I heard a motor running and saw the farmer raking the ground with the tractor so I added him in.  The colours aren’t accurate; everything here is a dull beige or brown with a little bit of snow on the north east side (sadly my white was muddy).

New Pyjamas

G.T Boutique is a discount department store here in Canada. New PJ’s for spring 

First hand made case bound book

This is my first case bound sketchbook that I have made.  This is a prototype so I just used cheap 140 lb watercolour paper and the cover was made from the cardboard off the watercolour paper pad.  I used Kraft polka dotted paper on the cover (because it is what I had around) and acrylic ink and paint for the spine and the end papers.  I found a cute sticker from Redbubble and put it on the front.  I used a “kettle stitch”tutorial by SeaLemon on Utube to bind  my text block together.  Dug out my bookbinding glue and voila! Lots of mistakes but I’m happy with this regardless.  7.5” X 11” is a larger format for me!  The next time I make one, I’m going to have to remember what I liked and disliked about the process. 

Window on the world

I went on a whirlwind tour this morning: I made stops at: New Zealand, United Kingdom, China and finally landed in Russia.  This is where I drew this “window” into life in a different part of our world.

Homemade Mini Palette

I was asked if I had ever made my own handmade watercolour palette.  So I finally found my tin at the bottom of my purse! 

Spring is here

Woohoo!!!! So exciting to see this harbinger of spring on the back lawn.  The “grass” isn’t green yet though.  The ground is frozen solid although the snow has melted with the heatwave we had on Thursday.  Luckily our sump pump was able to keep up. I also saw that the red wing black birds are back too (although the red isn’t showing yet)!

Another shopping day

It’s another shopping day! A day I can get dressed up in “real” clothes!  I’m happy that I can buy cool earrings from Etsy even during this pandemic. I like to support artists when I can.  

Oops, just noticed that I made one leg longer than the other.  Oh well, moving on!

Pickled Peppers

My hubby likes these pickled peppers that Peter Piper might have picked (this just occurred to me).  I thought to paint the new jar before he opens it. 

Matte craft paint in my Moleskine journal. 

Draw tip Tuesday with Koosje

Thanks so much for this!  It was really difficult but I am so happy that I kept going. Pen, pencil crayons, and matte craft paint.  I stuck the fruit sticker on the page.....just because I had it at hand, no other reason. 

Geneva Theatre

I drove to town (to get out of the house) and thought I would try painting with gouache in my car.  At -4C it is still too cold to be outside with my paint box.  I used Tombow marker for the drawing.  I found the perspective quite difficult to do so I’m pleased that I finished it with red pen when I got home.  I think I need to try this again.  Traditional gouache on hot press Fabriano paper -Etchr sketchbook.

Day One comes in like a Lion

I haven’t been drawing loads of portraits (except myself) and so I thought I’d join the Sktchy  #30Faces30Days   Day one was not easy! I love Charlotte Hamilton’s work (Blueshine ART on IG) but wimped out on drawing this muse with watercolour and a brush!  I love her easy loose but accurate style so much.  I surprised myself and I even made the background she suggested.