Thursday, March 31, 2011

Mar31Art

His song made me stop on look to see what sort of bird was making such a racket... I believe he was calling his mate, or perhaps scolding other males in the area... he was gorgeous.

Jean Haines 'Amazing Ways with Watercolor'

 This was supposed to be roses... didn't quite turn out... but it was fun trying.  As with most videos, it looks VERY easy when the pro does it... put the brush in my hand... not so easy LOL.
Warm up exercises based on Jean Haines DVD... playing with color and water to learn what my colors will do.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Mar30Art





Had fun throwing paint on paper tonight at class. For this page I sprayed Quin Gold over of doily, it looks cool, but a terrific waste of paint as I had to toss out the paint I didn't use.  Roz did a similar effect sponging the paint on... I may try that (or not) it's a pretty messy thing to do...I don't think I'm committed to it enough to buy bottles to hold different colors. ...

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Mar29Art





Almost didn't get to my journal tonight... I got two painting videos in the mail from England today, very quickly I might add.  I watched 'Amazing ways with Watercolour' by Jean Haines, I have her book on order from Dick Blick.. funny isn't it, I ordered the videos the same time I ordered the book, video is here... still waiting on my Blick order. GREAT video, if you've been wanting to do looser watercolor painting, this video is a good one.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Mar28Art




How do you eat an Elephant?  One bite at a time...
I've been thinking about doing the international fake journal month, coming up in April.  I'm just not sure I'm 'creative enough' to make up a fake person and keep a fake journal, every day for a whole month... Some days I barely get anything done in this journal, I'm taking 2 online classes and a Wednesday class as well... then there is the job, and all my political meetings, with County and State conventions... and... taxes... I've still gotta do taxes... Ok I've talked myself out of it... I can't do it, not this year... maybe next year.  I'll just watch from the sidelines this year.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Mar27Art





Empty net worked for us and we tied the game in the last few seconds of the game... unfortunately we lost in overtime. The team has a few more road games, but this is it for home games... Spring is really here, hockey is almost over.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Mar26Art

Our drought is finally over, rain, nice rain, washing the yellow pollen away... YES!!! 
I spent the day in a classroom in downtown Charleston, learning about 'Women in Politics'.  It was a very informative class.  I did get a little painting done this afternoon while Ron was at a Beer Brewer's meeting and finished my rose painting.  The rain started while we were at dinner, and is still coming down now... lovely rain.

Pink rose

Watercolor on 9x12 Kilimanjaro 300 lbs paper.  I am pleased with how this one turned out.  I took some photos today of my pink azaleas... I'm hoping I can paint one of those flowers next.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Mar25Art





Boy this page needs to go down in history as one butt ugly page... should have left the paint in the box the drawing looked ok before I started painting. At least the rose I'm working on is coming along nicely...

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Mar24Art

I've used sea salt before, but this time it didn't work... maybe it's this journal paper, I've never used it in this journal before... I got the look I was after with the gouache but not exactly.  Live and learn :-)

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Mar23Art





Had fun tonight at watercolor class... working on another rose...  I've been trying to use the pencil less and less in my journal... using straight ink and letting the lines fall where they may. I'm taking a sketching online class that Kate Johnson is teaching...  I'm a bit behind on my homework... but I'm trying to practice more quick sketches in ink only.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Mar22Art





I REALLY don't like how this turned out. His face is not this thin and I don't think it looks much like him at all. I painted his skin with Burnt Sienna with UltraMarine Blue for the shadows. But it makes him look orange, if you look at the photos of Tim he is NOT this color, he's a rich chocolate or coffee color... I really need to figure out a way to paint black people with more realistic color... It was a great town hall meeting, I'm so proud of Congressman Scott, and so glad that he is my Congressman.  Got to see his Mom tonight too, haven't seen her in a while.
Rushed to the hockey game afterward, we lost the game, one more regular season game to go.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Mar21Art





I'm usually a very up beat person, but the transition into my sixties has been very depressing to me. I don't usually dwell on age or birthday's much, so the fact that this is depressing is a bit of a surprise. My dogwood tree did it's best to cheer me up by blooming today, as well as my favorite pink azalea had a couple of flowers today, with many more to come.

Birthday wishes from my Watercolor friends...

I'm a member of a group of watercolor artists, that draw names and send each other little works of art on our birthdays... today is my birthday.. and these are my cards...

From Linda Davis, a flower covered fence... I love it..





From Joy McKenzie... sweet flowers and birds...




Sunday, March 20, 2011

Mar20Art





Spring is officially here.... my favorite time of year. Today would have been my Grand mother 'Hello's birthday... she's been gone 30 years but I still miss her.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Mar19Art





Chick-fil-A started in Atlanta Georgia (my home town), so I've been eating waffle fries, chicken sandwiches and drinking their divine lemonade for a very long time.  It's still not available up North, but they did open a store in New York City.... so watch for them when you travel in the South, and stop in for some FRESH squeezed Lemonade.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Mar18Art





Beautiful day today, we drove over to Mt. Pleasant after work and had some wings. We haven't done that in a while... it was fun.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Mar17Art





Wore green today... St. Partrick's is always fun. Had our Republican Party Reorganization meetings tonight, so no green beer allowed LOL

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Mar16Art





I had drawn up something I wanted to paint.... but I wasn't prepared at all... too much going on lately... so I got to class with no paper towels, no hair dryer and no real plan of what I wanted to do... as a result I ruined it and will have to start all over again.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Mar15Art

I thought about drawing something Roman in honor of the Ides of March, but the Wisteria hanging from the trees won out... couldn't resist but a little more lavender in my journal.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Mar14Art

What a difference... last week pear trees... this week red bud and tulip trees. In my own yard my white azalea (tiny new one that we thought was dead) is covered in blooms already.  The peach colored one is also in bloom, the red and violet and multi colored pink ones are covered in buds ready to pop any minute.  The dogwood tree is in the same state... covered in buds, busting at the seams.  Spring is coming everyone... it is just around the corner.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Mar13Art





Caught up posting all my pages from Washington.... back to normal tomorrow.

Mar12Art

Final day of meetings, and great inspiring speech by the Wisconsin Lt. Governor.  I bought some cute elephant pins from a vendor at the board meeting. This is a drawing of one of them.

Mar11Art

Horrified by the news this morning, and all day today about the earth quake and tsunami in Japan... thousands of people swept away by the water... so sad.

Mar10Art

It rained a COLD soaking rain, all day long... I couldn't take anymore walking.. so after lunch Dolly and I caught a cab back to the hotel. I other ladies told horror stories of walking over 4 blocks in the rain to get to the 'next' place on their agenda... I am so glad I didn't stay.

Mar09Art


I felt like the odd man out, I was the only one there wearing blue.... someone should have told me... not the first time this sort of thing has happened to me.

Mar08Art

Met the bus from Greenville in Columbia Tuesday morning...

Monday, March 7, 2011

Mar07Art





I won't be able to scan my journal pages for the next 5 days... I'm headed to Washington DC with several of the women in the Sea Island Republican Women's club. I went to the meeting held here in Charleston last year and I'm looking forward to this meeting in DC. I'll update all the pages next Saturday or Sunday at the very latest. Ya'll play nice while I'm gone.

The Voice of Freedom Awarded to Capt. Elaine Magliacane

The Voice of Freedom Awarded to Capt. Elaine Magliacane



I am so honored to receive this award.... thank you Charleston Tea Party.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Mar06Art





Rainy Sunday morning.... the wind blew it all away this afternoon and the sun came out again. Windy enough for kite flying... but we didn't get them out today.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Mar05Art

I've been obnoxious according to my crabby spouse... and I thought I was my usual lovable self... and that he was being a crab all day... We're probably both RIGHT!.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Mar04Art





I was so annoyed with the circles using the crayons... I used the template to make these circle, but painted them with gouache and a waterbrush... Got lots of new toys and tools at Michael's today.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Mar03Art





It's been a long day again today... moving into a new office space, followed by sitting in hard plastic chairs at the meeting tonight has my back SCREAMING stop or else.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Mar02Art





Busy all day, then went to shoot, out to dinner... finally home and too pooped to draw anything but a couple of circles.... tomorrow will be just as hectic with meetings after work...

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Mar01Art





My son-in-law Jon, creates a family calender every year, full of pictures of the girls, and my daughter JeAnna. The March featured pictures, are Ashton and Laurel, both with long hair and short hair.. Ashton's short hairdo is so cute, I had to try to draw her again. I think I got the hairdo correct, and the color too... her complexion is not this 'orange', I tried to tone it down... but the paper isn't strong enough to allow much lifting... Ashton is a teenager now, tall willowy red haired, smart and sometimes smart mouthed... she reminds me of her mother at that age.