3 Poppies Mixed Media

I've been working on this painting of 3 Poppies for awhile. I'm still doing school work as needed, but it's nice to have some extra time for painting while I'm not at school teaching everyday. Still miss my kiddos though, even the ornery ones!

Anyhoodle, thought I'd share a couple of photos of the acrylic painting in process before I share the finished project. I did some underpainting of the poppies before painting on the red color. That always seems to help cover the white of the canvas easier.

And this is the finished painting. I used primarily acrylics, but also used Prismacolor colored pencils for some details and shading, which is what makes this mixed media. 

I really love how this turned out. I don't know what it is about poppies, but they seem to find their way into my paintings every now and again. I think I'm going to hang this one in the studio. I love the bright color of the poppies. It just makes me happy, and every studio needs a little spot of happy.

Frida Kahlo - Wings to Fly Mixed Media

Soon I'll be back at school with little time for fun in the studio, so I've been trying to get in there as much as possible before school starts again. I was in there all day yesterday, inspired to paint Frida Kahlo.

There were a couple of times I almost gave up on this painting. It just wasn't going well at the beginning. But I persevered and, even though it's not perfect, I am very pleased with how she came out. I used mostly acrylic paints, but also scrapbook paper, stencils, colored pencils, and paint pens. Viva la Frida!

"Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?"

~Frida Kahlo

Everything Has Beauty Mixed Media

Sometimes I create something and I just don't love it. That was the case with this particular mixed media painting. She just didn't turn out how I pictured her in my head. But I decided to share her anyway.

I think that even though as artists we may not like something we've created, there is still beauty in it--even if we don't love it as much as other creations. And if we learn something in the process of creating, then it was worth the journey.

Happy Flowers in Mixed Media

Last weekend I was able to get into my studio for the first time since school got finished. It was so nice to finally be able to get in there and get creative. My mind is 100% focused on school during the school year (OK well, 99.9% anyway), so I seldom make it into my studio until summer. So, I cherish the time when I can get in there!

My first creation of the summer is what I'm calling my Happy Flowers. You all just know I'm a fan of Flowers by now, right? This is a Mixed Media piece that just feels happy to me, since it's filled with bright colors.

I started by covering a canvas with black gesso. Then I used a white colored pencil to draw my flowers. After that, I watered down some white acrylic to paint into the shapes--because it's easier to paint bright colors on a light-colored background, rather than the black. I used acrylic to paint all of the flowers, leaves, butterflies, and bees. I added some details with colored pencil, and then added even more details with a white Posca Paint Pen.

I really love how the colors pop off the black canvas. I have a feeling I'll be using more black backgrounds in the future. 

Brush Magazine - Let Love Grow

I've been so busy with school that finding time to create in the studio--let alone blog--gets to be extremely difficult. I'm looking forward to summer when I can get in that studio whenever I want to! At any rate, I was about to post a couple of art memes when I got an email that made me smile from Brush Magazine. They were letting me know that one of my art journal spreads had been published in the current issue (#10). I'm so excited, so I had to share it with you too!

This is an art journal spread I did in 2015. The blog post about it was simply titled, Let Love Grow. One of Brush Magazine's themes for this issue was Flowers, so I thought I'd step out of my comfort zone and submit this art for consideration for publication. I was so pleased to see it in the magazine. 

If you haven't checked out their magazine, you should. They have a digital and a print version, and there is lots of great creative inspiration to be found inside each issue. I may even submit more art to them in the future. :) 

Seattle Believe Art Journal Spread

Well I was back in the studio again after a little bit of an absence and I was in the mood to add a spread to one of my Art Journals. I chose Seattle as as my subject, and added a little bit of magic.

First, let me say that this spread was inspired by a tutorial video I watched on the Silas Art YouTube channel. I like hers better than mine! But I still had fun creating this. She has a lot of beautiful art journal spreads, so be sure to check them out if you want a little inspiration. I didn't copy hers exactly, of course. But her video gave me the inspiration I needed to create this. I like the sky the most here. I think I need to create more art with skies!

I chose Seattle for my spread because I grew up partly in the Puget Sound area of Washington state. Went to high school there and was married there as well. I still miss it so much and will always consider Washington my home. So it was an easy choice for this spread. I used acrylics for this, and the fairy images are stamped on. And I just added a little reminder to always...Believe.

Butterfly Mixed Media Girl

I was in my studio again on Sunday. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to create. So, I decided to start by collaging my canvas with some scrapbook paper and printed tissue and then see what that might inspire. I added a little bit of acrylic paint too. At that point, my canvas looked like this.

After looking at it for awhile, I started to see something in the canvas. That happens sometimes after I've put a bunch of papers and paint down. It's kind of like seeing shapes in clouds--something just sort of appears to me. Once I saw it, I started drawing. Then the canvas started to look like this.

Yep, I somehow saw a face appearing in the middle of the canvas, so I just went with it. I drew most of her face, then I painted over the face with transparent gesso so that I wouldn't lose the face as I painted. After that, it was just a matter of painting! This is the finishing Butterfly Mixed Media Girl.

This is mostly acrylic paint, but I've added other media as well. I used Neocolor II crayons, acrylic paint pens, and black pencil too. I don't do a lot of faces that aren't facing forward. That's a skill I'm trying to improve upon, so I decided to give it a shot. I'm pretty proud of how it turned out, but I'm still going to keep trying to improve. And you know, for some reason I'm always drawn to pink hair. The butterflies were the final touch, but then I decided I wanted to add a quote too, which I did.

The butterfly counts not months but moments and it has time enough.

In other words, make the most of the time you have, and make every moment count!

Sunny Flower Mixed Media Painting

Well, it's been a SUPER long time since I've been able to get into my studio and do some painting. Teaching full time again takes so much time outside of school that I never seem to have any big blocks of time to get in there and get creative. But now that school is out for the summer I can finally get in there when I want to. I was in such a good, sunny mood on Sunday when I went in there that I decided to do a mixed media painting of a very sunny-looking flower! This is the result of my day's painting frenzy. 

I primarily used acrylics for this, but I also added a little bit of Prismacolors colored pencils here and there, along with some paint pen accents. This is 11x14. I tend to work smaller when I'm not doing oils, because I work on my counter, which isn't very deep. So I try to make sure I work on a canvas that fits onto my counter space. I generally gravitate toward square canvases, but the 11x14 was calling to me yesterday.

Not sure what I'll paint next, but I was just thrilled to be able to get into my studio again!

Creativity Let it Bloom

I'm hoping to take a break from my lesson planning and other school prep tomorrow so that I can get into my studio. But you know what they say about the best laid plans. At any rate, I haven't posted in awhile since I've been so busy with teaching (and all that goes with it). So, I thought I'd post a little past artwork to help inspire you--and me--to get creative.

I played around digitally with some of my previous Pink Poppies Mixed Media art. I added a quote to it as well. I love pink and flowers in general. But I tend to be drawn to poppies for some reason. Here's to warmer weather, lots of flowers, and much more studio time once I'm off school for the summer!

Big Red Flower Mixed Media

I've been so busy teaching that I literally was not able to get into my studio between June and October. It's been torture! But I finally was able to get in there the last two weekends and get creating again. I was in the mood for flowers. The result was this Mixed Media painting of a stylized big red flower.

I really loved creating this. It was a combination of acrylic paints, acrylic paint pens, and colored pencils. I was inspired by a picture of a marigold, believe it or not. I love the bright, warm colors. It just feels cheerful to me. What do you think?

Believe in Your Own Magic Mixed Media Girl Fairy

I can't tell you how glad I was to be able to get into my studio two weekends in a row for a change! My weeks are still busy with grad school and hanging out with the grands, so I can't always get into the studio during the week. But getting in on the weekend will do!

I wasn't sure what I was going to create, but I was in a Mixed Media mood. So the first thing I did was to cover my 12" canvas with some different scrapbook papers and some printed tissue paper as well. I like to use at least 3-4 different papers when I do this, and I use matte medium to adhere the paper to the canvas.

At this point, I decided I would do a Mixed Media Girl, so I whipped out my drawing pad and started drawing. I keep my drawings fairly simple, since I'll add all the important details with paint. Once I was happy with the drawing, I used transfer paper to transfer my drawing to my canvas.

Once I get the face on the background, I brush over it with Clear Gesso. This helps to give me a good surface to paint on, and it helps keep my drawing in place and prevents smearing while I paint. It can smear a little bit during the gesso process, but that doesn't bother me. It's not really enough to worry about it. Once my drawing is gesso'd, I'm ready for the fun part: painting!

I tend to use the colors of the background papers as inspiration for my painting's color palette. I don't think you *have* to do that, but that's just generally what I do. So this Mixed Media Girl, who became a fairy (as I am wont to do), took her color cues from the background. Some pinks and greens mostly, with black and white accents. And this is the end result.

I'm pleased with how this fairy came out. I added the text digitally, because sometimes that's just easier than painting. I really thought the painting needed some words or something. And as it says...

Believe in your own magic!

La Beaute Mixed Media Girl

Now that I'm off work for the summer, I finally had a chance to get back into my studio and finish this painting that I began over Spring Break. I call her La Beauté. 

She was created with watercolors, Neocolor II Crayons, Zig Brush Markers, and a hint of acrylic paint pens as well. I was inspired by Alphonse Mucha and his beautiful art nouveau portraits of women. I know that's not obvious in my painting, but then, I wasn't trying to copy him either. I love his art though and it definitely inspired this piece.  I posted about her initially in my Mucha-Inspired Mixed Media Girl WIP post.

I find inspiration wherever I can: in nature, in music, in books, in the art of my peers, and from the masters. 

With Brave Wings She Flies Mixed Media Girl

Well I finally managed to find time to get back in the studio, after about 2 months of not being able to. It felt so good to be back in there and getting creative again! I had just gotten some new scrapbook paper and I was anxious to put it to use in a painting. So the result is this new Mixed Media Girl.

It may be awhile before I can get into the studio again. I was glad to be able to spend about 6-7 hours in there yesterday painting away. And you know I have this thing about mixed media girls with pink hair. Not sure why, but I love that. The butterflies and roses are all from the new scrapbook paper I got.

"With Brave Wings She Flies," is what it says. Keep soaring!

7 Red Poppies

I finally had a chance to get back into the studio to complete my painting of Poppies that I began a couple of months ago. It's so difficult to find time for the studio when I'm working and taking graduate classes! But since I'm home for winter break I finally managed to get some creative time. And I finished my 7 Red Poppies painting!

This painting began with a black acrylic gesso background. Then I drew on my flowers and butterflies with white colored pencil, and then outlined those lines with a white paint marker. 

Next, I colored the poppy stems with colored pencils. I used some gray acrylic paint where the poppies would be, because gray makes it easier to get a brighter red paint color (this is especially true if you are painting with red on top of a white canvas or background!). Then I painted the poppies with a combination of watercolors and acrylics, and a touch of colored pencils too. The butterflies are also a combination of acrylics and colored pencils.

The next step was to paint over the black background. It looks light blue in the photo, but it's really more of a blue green (called Sea Foam, I believe). I left a little bit of the black around all of the imagery, then added a bit of teal colored pencil next to the black. I also re-outlined the white lines with my white paint marker, because they can get a bit dirty after all of the coloring and painting. 

The final step was to add some stenciled designs over the background, and I added some white dots over the stenciled areas for contrast and texture--and to help tie into the white outlines.

I really love how this turned out. I want to hang it in my home somewhere. I just need to figure out where!

Poppies and More Poppies

I started a new painting last month of one of my favorite flowers, Poppies. Life has been hectic and full of unexpected and not-so-fun surprises of late, so I haven't had a chance to finish it. But I wanted to share at least a peek of that work in progress.

This so far is a combination of acrylics and colored pencils. The background won't remain black, so this will look a lot different once it's completed. But I like the look of it so far! I'm hoping to get back in the studio soon to get it finished. 

Just Breathe--At My Society6 Shoppe

I just realized this week that I never posted one of my latest mixed media girl paintings, Just Breathe, in my Society6 shoppe. So I did that this evening, because there is currently a Free Shipping sale going on at Society6, along with 10% off many items. Here's just a sampling of the products you can find my art on in my shoppe, including prints, of course.

The sale lasts until Sunday, September 25, at 11:59pm (PT). As I said, many items are 10% off. Combined with free shipping, that is a really great way to save money and get some art and/or products at the same time. 

I love the blank stationery cards--great to have on hand when you need a card for any occasion. You can also frame them so that you can have some small artworks around your home, at great savings. The cards are on good, heavy cardstock and the color reproduction is wonderful. 

I have several of the totes myself and they are a really good quality. I carry them to and from work with all my must-haves for the school day inside. And I swap them out when I feel like a change. I like the 16" size the best; the 13" is too small for my school stuff, and the 18" one is just a bit big--but it's great for taking on long car trips or as a tote to the beach or something. 

I get the 15oz mugs quite a bit (not pictured here) because they are a great size and the art photo fills almost all of the cup. I have a nice little collection of my favorite mixed media girls on the mugs and I use them every day!

The quality of the prints is wonderful, and I own one of the clocks too (also not pictured), which is in my studio. I always want to order a pillow because they look great--but I can never decide which one I like the best so I haven't ordered any of those yet. I will one day though. :) The phone cases are quite durable and very pretty. Oh, and I have one of the large carryall pouches--very handy for make up, or would even be great for art supplies on the go. There are too many products in the shoppe to show you here. Just hop on over to my shoppe and have a peek.

Art Chick Studio Society6 Shoppe

Christmas will be here before you know it, gang. So now is a good time to start your shopping!

Destiny Fairy Mixed Media

With so much to do before the start of my first week of my return to teaching upon me, I'm surprised I let myself spend the day in my studio yesterday. But I really felt the need to get in there and be creative. I wasn't sure what I was going to create (I seldom am), but I ended up creating this Destiny Fairy in mixed media painting.

I used a combination of acrylics, Neocolor II crayons, and colored pencils. And the stars were stenciled on. I found the quote online, and it seems to be attributed to Shakespeare. I liked it so I added it to my painting. And hey, I didn't do pink hair this time. LOL. She seemed to need blue hair for a change. 

It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves.

Just Breathe Mixed Media Girl

I can't believe I got to spend two Sundays in a row in my studio! That is not the norm of late, since I always seem to be busy with school work or something else. But I made the most of my Sunday studio time yesterday to create this new Mixed Media Girl I'm calling, Just Breathe.

I covered the background canvas with 4-5 different scrapbook papers. Then I added some acrylic paints and stenciling here and there. Then as that dried I drew my mixed media girl onto some drawing paper, and then transferred her onto my canvas. Sometimes I draw straight on the canvas, but sometimes it's just easier to draw it and transfer it. Once I transferred the drawing (which smears easily from the transfer paper) I put a layer of clear gesso over the drawing so that it won't get messy and smeared. Then I could paint my girl with acrylics and add all the little embellishments. And once I was happy with her I added the little quote at the bottom--a little reminder that sometimes what's best is to slow down and...just breathe.

Red Poppies in Mixed Media

I've loved poppies for a long time. It may have to do with growing up on the west coast--there were lots of poppies in California where I lived. Whatever the reason, I've always loved them. So yesterday, as I was looking at a stained glass project of poppies that I made for my mom in high school, I decided I'd paint some poppies while in my studio. 

I did these on watercolor paper instead of a canvas because I was in the mood for a bit of watercolors. So I created these using Neocolor II crayons, some colored pencils, and a Stabilo All pencil in black. I added some music stenciling in the background too--because I wasn't feeling like it needed solid color. But it needed something, so I settled on the stencil. And a little butterfly never hurts. :)

Believe Piggy

I've been doing the One Little Word project this year (by Ali Edwards) and my word is 'Believe.' At the start of the year when I began the album for this project, I also decided that I needed a logo or symbol for my word, so I chose a flying pig. So when I was in the studio yesterday--for the first time in almost two months (thanks to an abundance of grad work and busy life in general)--I decided that I was going to create my own mixed media version of a flying pig. And this is what I created.

It's difficult to tell, but I added glitter to the tips of my piggy's wings, to give them a little sparkle. He's just a cute little flying pig, created on a background of torn scrapbook papers. He's mostly painted with acrylics, but there is also some stenciling added and some little embellishments here and there. This little guy is going to hang in my studio, to remind me that I need to believe that anything is possible. I think we all need to believe that sometimes. :)