Friday, January 24, 2014

A VERY COLD, SNOWY WINTER

  aaah, yes indeed! We were all snowed in Tues. thru Wed. this past week and the bitter cold has made it practically impossible to get rid of. It doesn't look like the frigid air will let up anytime soon and it seems like some snow is predicted for every other day beginning on Saturday. Well, that gives me all  the more time to continue purging drawers and things and getting all the drawing lessons caught up. And I'm still working on the Downton Abbey series-halfway thru Season 3!

 First up is a page I'm linking to the Simon Monday Challenge blog for the theme this week of "A is For...". My response is "art journal"!

  The background had been done awhile ago. Sometimes I like to dedicate my art time by just painting pages in one of my journals. I recently found this beautiful quote. The butterfly was in an envelope in the back of my book. I drew a whimsical frame using markers and pens. The center was given a wash of gesso so I could write the quote out. I went around the butterfly with oil pastel and smeared the edges. Glitter glue was added for some sparkle. I'm also linking this to Mandarin Orange Monday.

 I played a bit in Photoshop too this week. I started with these two photos I took :



                 First I used Accented edges under the Effects tab, then changed the color to orange.

 For this photo I used "Find Edges under the Effects tab. I thought this would be a good one to watercolor so I printed the image onto Strathmore Texture paper then sealed it with a fixative spray and allowed it to thoroughly dry before adding some color:

 
 I completed one more lesson and page in my Awesome Year journal. In Lesson 5 we were given specific prompts for creating a frame and banner. We were then to draw in things that are meaningful to us, things that bring us joy. Have I said before that this class is a real challenge for me?


 Some of the things that bring me joy: B for Bill, a T for Todd, my English Cocker Annie, the heart flowers represent friends and family, of course a brush loaded with vibrant colors, the beach and the ocean, birds, flowers, music, summer sunshine, books, and travel (esp. to see my relatives in France). I am currently working on 5 other title pages of drawings but need to add the coloring yet. And that's not even catching up with all the lessons so far!

 Gotta get back to drawing and painting... see you soon. As always, thanks for all your comments and encouragement-it means a lot to me :)


                 "Let the sparks from that which brings you joy fire up your creative soul." 
                                                                                                               Whitney Ferre

37 comments:

  1. Lovely post, your art journal pages are great, as are the photos! Stay warm! Valerie

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  2. I love your quote in the first one! The butterfly looks great too!

    http://www.artworkbyjm.com/

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  3. Beautiful pages Linda. That is a great quote in your first one, and I love your lettering in the second. Terrific border, and I love how you included your dog in there! Hope all is well.

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  4. 2 more wonderful pages. I really love that vibrant backround with the gessoed wash for the great quote.

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  5. You've created some lovely things. Your art journal is full of creativity. Wonderfully done. And the photos are pretty darn fabulous. Thank you for sharing with us for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. I've really enjoyed seeing your work. Thanks again! ~Michelle

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  6. wow you have been busy Linda, loving all your artwork. Happy PPF, Annette x

    http://nettysartadventures.blogspot.co.uk/

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  7. I really like this composition, beautiful butterfly, beautiful colors!
    Exquisite beauty in these pictures!

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  8. inspiring quote, nice work on photoshop too!

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  9. Great work Linda, I wish I could use Photoshop but I'm a bit technophobic :)

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  10. Wish you could send some snow our way. We need it! Love all your art. The awesome year class has been a challenge for me as well, but I love everything I'm learning.

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  11. It is better that his work is based on the photographs and the butterfly is beautiful.

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  12. love these pieces and the quotes!!!! Wishing you a warm and cozy and Happy PPF!!!

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  13. We are snowed in too Linda! Love your beautiful photos and your journal pages. HPPF!

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  14. warm wishes; enjoyed your sharing; happy you stopped by my blog

    much love

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  15. Loved the beautiful art pieces you've made this week. I especially love the take off on the live, laugh, love theme. Yours is better than than. I like your phase.

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  16. Love your pages and quotes. We don't get snow out this way but it's chilly. Stay warm.

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  17. Leave it to you to capture some of the beauty of our frozen tundra in the photos you took and altered dear Linda...
    Both of your journal pages are so vibrant...colorful and rich...I Love how they came to be and how your special touches bring them to life!
    and as always your choice of quotes really speaks to me too...
    stay warm my friend...in the big scheme of things it won't be long til we can twinkle our toes in the sand again ;)
    oxo

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  18. So much wonderful art to enjoy here Linda!! Love your photo and what you have done with it ♥ Conny
    Piaroms Art Journaling

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  19. I love these colourful journal pages. Thank you for your welcoming comments on my first post for PPF

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  20. You sound really busy, and I love the different pieces you created. Especially the last one, it looks so joyful and happy, and I LOVE the paintbrush ... ;-)

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  21. Beautiful and creative pieces created by beautiful and creative Lady. Thank you for sharing. Your strength, creativity and positive approach is so inspiring!

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  22. Linda this is a wonderful post, sorry you are snowed in. Your pages are beautiful.
    Nicole/Beadwright

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  23. I love the bright colouring and everything in your first piece, and having read the text you have used … well, now I know why, in spite of all life's difficulties, I lead a beautiful life. Good to be reminded. Great fun working with Photoshop in the way you have, it opens up a new creative channel. The resulting watercolour is beautiful.

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  24. Love the way you warm yourself up with HOT colours. Hope it's working.

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  25. I think your red journal page with the butterfly is so cheery and uplifting. Makes me feel all warm and looking forward to summer. I have a terrible cold too and I have had just about all I can take with the snow. Stay warm! Happy PPF

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  26. I love the playfulness of all your pieces this week. Blessings, my friend!

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  27. Hello Linda, You have been busy! Your A is for, is vibrant. Just lovely. The photo manipulating you did looks great. It is so fun to learn these tools. I am amazed that you printed out the image and painted it! That is a fab picture! I also love your lesson 5 page...again vibrant and fab!
    Hugs, and stay warm : )
    Terri

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  28. You're putting all that cold weather to good use and producing lovely warm art in the process. And more snow to come too! You seem to be getting all the snow we're not!
    By the way I also loved your ATCs in the Somerset Studio issue that only recently arrived here in the UK. It takes its time! I love it when I find art from a friend in it.

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  29. You are having frigid cold and snow and Alaska can't seem to find a flake. What is up with Mother Nature?
    Love that you are playing with Photoshop.......isn't it FUN!?!?! SO many options to create.
    The piece with all of your initials and the lovely colors........perfection! I love it!
    Stay warm (if you can) and think about Groundhog Day that is fast approaching. Hopefully the little rodent will bring an early Spring for everyone!
    HUGS.
    Jan

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  30. Dear Linda, you´re looking also for spring :) yes, beautiful paintings to see and the last one´s quote is gorgeous.
    Greetings from Erika - Das blaue Haus

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  31. Hi Linda, Your journal pages are so vibrant and beautiful. I like having a background prepared in advance for the next step. Thanks for the tutorial on how you used photoshop for an underpainting of sorts. Very clever.

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  32. Your journal pages look fantastic and the class sounds so inspiring! I love your photos too!

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  33. Oh wonderful, creative and colorful art work despite being snowed in ~ Great work!

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  34. I love these journal pages! The colors are so pretty and your illustrations are adorable. You had me at heart flowers :) xoxo

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  35. Dear Linda
    I love the words on your first piece. I try to live a beautiful life!
    Your photoshop images just inspire me so much! I have just purchased some Creative Workshop
    PSE programs so hoping to get into that this year. Perhaps I can learn more by coming to visit you here too!
    Thanks for the visit and comment and you are in the Giveaway! - good luck!
    xSuzy

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Thank you so much for your comments; it's a pleasure to connect with you!