Love

I just felt like doodling a little something, and I was feeling particularly loving...

I love my big roll of Stabilo colored felt tip markers. I try to make up excuses to draw rainbow-colored things as often as possible just so I can use them. ;)

I did this next one with watercolor and Stabilo felt tips.

Both were done in my Australian Artist Notebook Project book.



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Firey

I cut this out of a magazine page. It's one firey hairdo. :)

Done in my Australian Artist Notebook Project book.

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Wrens

A friend of mine spotted an adorable painting at the Canberra Handmade Markets recently, or two wrens canoodling. She mentioned that they are her favorite birds, so I thought I would attempt a painting for her as a little Christmas present (sticking to my handmade Christmas plans).

I've never attempted to draw or paint birds before, and if you've been reading my blog you'll know that I usually draw cutesy cartoony type things.

I may have a couple more attempts, but this is my first. What do you think?

I started by drawing a light pencil outline of the birds, and then using watercolor to give the background a bit of color. I tried wetting the paper quite a bit first, but the watercolor was still drying so fast that I've ended up with a very mottled effect, when I originally wanted a softer blended look.

Then I painted in the birds.

 Next I painted in the branch and a few more small details like highlights in the eyes.

 Then used a 0.05 pen to messily go over some of the lines for a little more definition.

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Fishy fascinator

I was roped into participating in a Christmas revue sketch at work, which involved a funny fashion parade covering the eWater tools in the areas of Rivers, Eco, Urban, and Toolkit. So, with only an evening to prepare I cut up some plastic shower curtain that had fish on it to make a sash, and whipped up a fishy fascinator. Here's how:

Cut a fish shape out of dark blue felt.

 Cut out a bunch of scale shapes in different shades of blue and start sewing them on, starting at the tail. Make sure you stitch close to the flat edge so the stitching will be hidden by each new row.

 Mix up the colored scales in each row, being sure to overlapping the stitching in the previous row.

 For the final row, so no stitching is visible, sew a blue sequin and little dark blue bead (to hold the sequin in place) in the middle of each scale.

 Cut out two small circles and stitch in place for the fish's eye, using a french knot, and voila..you have yourself a fishy!

 To turn it into a fascinator I used a blue feather, some dark blue ribbon, a sequin string, and some dark blue tulle. I gathered the tulle into a cap shape and secured with some stitches, then looped the ribbon and strips of tulle and sewed them onto the gathered tulle of the cap.

Then I stitched the sequin row along the strips of tulle because they didn't stand out very much on their own, and I sewed on the fish, using small stiches under the scales so they weren't visible.

Then, using some dark blue thread I attached it all to a thin metal headband I already had, but you could use a hair comb or elastic headband etc.

For the whole project, the materials I used were:

• Thin metal headband
• Blue feather
• 25 cm blue tulle
• 50 cm blue ribbon
• 50 cm sequin string
• Extra blue sequins
• Blue cotton thread and needle
• One sheet of dark blue felt
• One sheet of medium blue felt
• One sheet of light blue felt
• Small dark blue beads (to secure sequins)

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Olive

Anyone who knows me can attest my love for olive / army green. So I dedicated a little Etsy treasury to the lovely color. There are so many fantastic olivey things to buy!!

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Mr Toast: Holidays

I just came across a new site which is running Creative Tuesday drawing challenges. This one is Holidays, so I've done a quick drawing in hopes that I get it in before the cutoff!


I used watercolor and ink in my Artist Notebook Project book.

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Illustration Friday: Prehistoric

With her mother's prehistoric fashion sense, Rebecca should have known better than to let her mother dress her for the party!

Watercolor and ink in my Artist Notebook Project book.


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A Creative Odyssey

A creative Odyssey is a blog hop, running for the month of December, 2010. There are over 40 bloggers participating, with the goal of sharing our creative dreams and goals for 2011. Visit Epherielle Designs to learn more.

My creative journey

I started the year wanting to learn to draw. I hadn't taken any art classes, I didn't have this blog, I didn't even know that such a hugely creative community existed online. I was a creative virgin, I didn't know where to begin or what it was I didn't know... but I dived in anyway.

I took an online art class with Suzi Blu and started this blog as a place to post my work. Then I signed up to an night class at the Australian National University, both of which kicked off a journey I would never have expected.

In the past year I've gone on to grow this blog, to participate in five creative projects, a few art and card swaps, and I'm about to have an illustration published in a magazine! Some of the projects I've undertaken include:

• Sketchbook Project
• Australian Artist Notebook project
• 1001 Journals project
• Pockets Project
• A Million Little Photos Project

I'd feel bad for not having achieved more, but I also worked full time and finished my Masters, doing more than a full time study load this year. ;)

For a bit of a laugh, here's the first painting I ever posted up on the blog, and the latest:

My creative dreams

So, where to now? I feel like discovering my creative side has illuminated a path that was always there, running in parallel, that I couldn't see. In 2011 I want to follow that path. 

It's scary putting your goals and dreams out there for the world to see, it makes them real, makes you accountable. It's a lot of pressure, but here goes:

• I want to grow this blog into something more focused, more fun and useful for others, not just me.
• I want to keep working at finding 'my style'.
• I'd like to get another illustration published in a magazine.
• I want to be included in an art show. Even if it is just an amateur one. Even if I have to put on the show myself!
• I'd like to publish my very own zine...either hard copy or for iPad (if I can work out the technology).
• And ultimately, I'd like to be able to make some money doing this new thing that I love. So I can do more of it.

Now that it's out there, you dear reader, can hold me to account. Don't let me slack off!

If anyone has any advice, ideas, or comments on how to achieve my creative goals...or how not to, I'd love to hear from you!

While you're in blog-reading mode, why not check out the other Creative Odyssey posts so far this month:

• Epheriell Designs
• Dannielle Cresp
• Mikaela Handmade
• Marked by the Muse
• Wouldn't it be loverly

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Mikaela Handmade

I went along to some handmade markets recently and came across this lovely graphic designer come jewelry maker. Mikaela Handmade decor and accessories makes a variety of lovely items in Canberra, some of which are available online. Anyone need any last minute Christmas presents?

This is the brooch I bought, it's wood and has a lovely pattern on it.

You can buy a version of this one here: http://store.mikaela.com.au/product/sakura-brooch-bellaroux

Coincidentally, Mikaela is also doing the Creative Odyssey blog-hop that I'm participating in (stay tuned for my entry tomorrow) and read about Mikaela's creative goals for 2011.


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Christmas collage

I'm not normally one for collage so I thought I would give it a go. I used just about everything I could find from buttons and ribbon to old film and cardboard cut-outs. It was a lot of fun to make, but what do I do with it now? Maybe I'll give it to Mum, like I did when I was in kindergarten and she can pretend to like it and then stash it away somewhere so as not to hurt my feelings. :)




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Christmas is coming!

It's almost Christmas, and I'm starting to really get in the spirit. I sent out 45 Christmas cards today, so I only have a few more to go. Plus, most of the pressies have been bought and wrapped and are sitting under the tree.

This year, rather than using gift tags, I printed little photos to identify which present is which. Each one has a photo of the person it is going to, and either a photo of them with the person who is giving the gift or if there are multiple gift givers, then just a photo of them without the gift receiver. (Sorry if that sounds a little complicated, it isn't really).

 I had a series of funny time-lapse pictures of my sister so I used those on some of her bigger presents. I also stuck little resin snowflakes on each one, and found some pretty white-stitched red ribbon.

The boy is away for work and we had wanted to decorate the tree together...so I'm taking photos as I go, so he feels like he was there. If you click on the photo of the tree it should animate to show you all the decorations going on.

I was feeling rather crafty so I also made my first ever felt ornament. What do you think?

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Handmade Card Swap

I've just finished making five cards for the Handmade Christmas Card Swap. This is the first year I've tried my hand at making Christmas cards. It was a lot of fun, but coming up with ideas (using the materials I had) was quite challenging.

Can't wait to see what I get back in the mail!

 I used gauche for the first time ever to make this card. I like it so far. Watercolor-type consistency and application but a lot more opaque. These are all stuck on using foam tape to lift them away from the page.

 I made this one just using watercolor and ink on thick watercolor card.

I used a snowflake border cutter that I had, and then stuck some of the cut out snowflakes up the side of the card. Finished off with a Christmas tree stamp and white ink.

 You can't really tell from this image, but most of the red shapes on the bigger bauble and all of the lines on the smaller one are cut out to show the red card stuck behind. The rest was done with quill and ink.

I made this one simply by cutting out circles of Christmassy paper and gluing them on to make a wreath shape, then gluing on some green and white ribbon for the bow.


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Stephanie Fizer

I've been home sick all week so decided to put my time to good use and write all of my Christmas cards. I had grand plans of designing and printing my own cards this year, but time ran away from me. In a way I'm glad it did because it means I went out looking for cute cards, and came across Stephanie Fizer.

Stephanie is a West VIrginian illustrator with some of the cutest designs I've seen! I ordered three packs of cards, and I'm sure my friends and family are going to love them as much as I do.

My dream is to one day be able to illustrate with half the skill of Stephanie, I'm busy looking for some short courses on illustration at the moment to give me a kick start (so if you know of any in the Canberra region let me know).

Check out Stephanie's Etsy account or blog if you want to see more of her designs.


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Unique Christmas idea

I don't know about you, but this Christmas I'm determined not to give my loved ones more 'stuff' that will end up at the back of a cupboard gathering dust. I've decided that all my gifts need to be handmade, consumable, or 'unique' in some other way. This next idea falls into the unique category.

Bush Heritage Australia has put together WILDgift packs that will make you, your gift recipients, and Australian wildlife feel good. Gifts range from $10-$200 and you can chose one for a specific Australian support: 

• $10 – Safe Nest Eggs: With your gift, BHA could control foxes around beaches where endangered loggerhead turtles nest. This gift could buy five fox baits, which might protect hundreds of baby turtles.
• $60 – Tassie Devil Heaven: Right now, Tassie devils need all the help they can get. With this gift, you could guarantee the conservation management of 1 hectare of the devil's woodland habitat for one whole year.
• $80 – Wildflower Country: Imagine a carpet of wildflowers, running from your feet away into the distance. And the knowledge that it's safe all because of you. This gift could buy 2 hectares of wildflower country - the equivalent of around 40 suburban house blocks.
• $100 – Friendly Fire: Fire is a vital part of the Australian landscape, so burning country is important to keep it healthy. But it isn't just a matter of putting a match to dry grass - controlled burns are a fine art. Your gift could allow us to map our controlled burns - a vital part of planning our fire management.

More WILDgifts can be found at: www.bushheritage.org.au/wildgifts

When ordering your WILDgift you can send your friend or loved one a personalised e-card or order a beautiful card, on recycled paper, to send through the mail. Your card will demonstrate how your gift will make a difference to BHA’s conservation work in a truly unique and eco-friendly way.

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Sketchbook Project: Final pages

I just finished the final pages in my Art House Co-op Sketchbook Project book! It's so bitter sweet. I am keen to send it off, but at the same I'm so sad that it has come to an end.

I still have the cover to go, and I have too many ideas to chose from, which is why I've left it until last, hoping I would make a decision...I haven't yet.

Here are the last pages:

Little watercolour robot.

Illustration Friday: Savour. Savour the holidays, time with loved ones, and snow if you have it!

 Christmas decorations. Ink and quill pen on watercolour paper.

 Dance. I thought this was a nice note to finish on. Dance until you can't dance any more, until you fall over delirious and exhausted.

This was a photo I took of the Dance Central Dance Crew a couple of years ago. Very talented young ladies!

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The Fiction Project

I might really be a sucker, to fill up all my free time like this when I've only just started to get it back. But I've just signed up to the Art House Co-op's Fiction Project.

This is in addition to the:

• Sketchbook Project
• Australian Artist Notebook project
• 1001 Journals project
• Pockets Project
• A Million Little Photos Project

Here's how the project is described on the Art House Co-op website:

"Calling all authors, 'zine makers, comic-book writers, diarists, poets and storytellers: Our library needs your words!

The Fiction Project is an opportunity to tell stories in a different way by fusing text and visual art. Add your voice to this year's coast-to-coast tour and create new work grounded in the act of writing. After traveling across the country, the Fiction Project will enter into the Brooklyn Art Library's narrative collection, archiving your stories to share them with the public."

I really only have experience in corporate writing, web content, and advertising copy. I don't think I've written any fiction since the 9th grade...but I'm happy to give it a go, especially if there is a visual aspect to it as well. Through the Sketchbook Project I've seen some people do amazing things with text as a visual medium, so that in itself could be a lot of fun to try.

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