TGIF

Make it a great one!

Garden Doodling

A garden doodle to make you smile.

Sometimes I wish I could reach for the sky,

with my feet firmly rooted in the warm soil,

and twist and dance and bask in the sun,

and show my full glory to everyone I encounter.

I hope you will try to do the same today.

Vicuna makes Friends

Matteo the vicuna quickly discovered

that friends come in all different shapes, 

sizes, colors, textures, smells and even noises.

A children's book prompt-

now I may need to write the rest of the story.

iPad Doodling

random iPad doodles...

Bloom or Fly

Bloom where you are planted...

or move on so you can.

My newest digital piece for 

Make Art that Sells Bootcamp.

She was inspired by St. Francis.

Walking in a Flower Forest

I have been rather prolific the past week.

I finished three assignments for MATS.

I love being able to draw on my iPad when I don't feel like getting messy.

It's the perfect art tool you can take anywhere.

I am off to teach my elementary kids how to use it today too.

I teach at two schools and I am always amazed how quickly they learn.  

Most of them grasp layers after a couple of lessons;

Even the kindergarteners ;)

It keeps me learning and on my toes so to speak.

If you look closely you will see that the dictionary page is the definition of uppercase.

It made me laugh and some days, well everyday,

that is a good thing.

Dress for Joy self portrait

Why is it we don't dress for ourselves-

to make each of us smile and feel the joy 

and love that would help us just get through the day?

Usually the simplest outfit is thrown on as an after thought most days.

I love this outfit so I may need to get out the patches and needlework 

and sew these pants.

Now I just need a crow to visit the studio and allow me to dress her in lace.

It could happen.

This was created on my iPad for a prompt 

from UPPERCASE Magazine and Make Art That Sells.

I decided to continue the prompt so

I envisioned my granddaughter playing with my cat

in an outfit I designed for her too.

Do you think my cat would let me dress him? 

 I will need to think on that...

85 degrees in Seattle and I am drawing Winter Snow Globes

Meet Wilbur.  

His friend Pierre sent him the snow globe as a reminder of their adventures last winter. 

Wilbur is busy cozying up his den for the long winter rest.

It is 85 degrees in Seattle and breaking all records for the hottest day ever in April.  

And it was the same yesterday.

I am drawing on my iPad for MATs Bootcamp.  
The assignment was holiday ornaments and mine morphed into a snow globe.  
Now to work on MATS A & B next.  

I think iced tea is in order while I sing Christmas carols.  

In the Palm of my Hands

Learning the Adobe Sketch app.

Love the watercolor effects.

Happy Valentine's Day a little late

Better late than never...

Hope it was a good one!

Merry Christmas iPad style

Wishing you a joyous Christmas and

 a blessed New Year!

Time for Hot Chocolate Mugs

If you are looking for something to do this summer

while the kids are still home,

then look no further.

Draw a cow for a mug!

You can paint, or draw, or paint on an iPad.

These cuties were made by my students last trimester.

Then I added the writing with PicMonkey,

uploaded their art to Costco's Photo Center,

then patiently waited for my mugs to arrive in the mail.

Seriously they always arrive in a few very quick days.

Aren't they adorable?

Like I always say,

kids are the best artists!

Now go grab your kids

and make some Christmas presents for grandparents.

Because that time of year will be here before you know it!

Graphic Arts and Illustration on the iPad this Summer!

Summer classes are taught

and Wow were they fun!

Junior High photos follow below...

First we made letters.

Then some cloches.

Next some pattern design...

which we used to decorate vases and flowers

and learn about layers

and how easy it is to slip those designs in behind our outlines.

And then we moved on to tunnel books...

and a cool app called Foldify.

Of course individual projects were realized too.

I am already missing these little artists.  

Some Lettering Fun!

If you have kids,

or know of kids,

or you are kid-like in spirit,

then this lettering project is for you.

You can either draw a letter in your name

or make a random design.

So first draw a thick black letter in Brushes XP or similar app.

Then use a thinner brush line and make a design 

all over and off the edges of your picture.

Then open another layer and move it under the first layer

and start coloring in your designs.

your coloring will automatically fall behind the black lines.

Use warm colors for your letter and cool for the background.

These pieces show the finished piece and the second layer

with the black lines hidden.

Kind of fun to see the design that way.

I highly recommend that you add patterns and dots 

to your art to give it a finished look.

You may find this is rather addictive.

The kids were very quiet and really got into this process.

I hope you will too.

Enjoy!

Do you need some lemonade today?

Need to remember this daily and even hourly sometimes.

Think Big!

It's the last week of school

and I wanted to give my kids a pep talk

so I made them each cards with a note.

Here's one for you too!

Let's start dreaming....

Pinocchio's Nose Grows!

We studied Pinocchio-

well not too much as it really is an awful story for kids-

but we focused on the lying part of it and how his nose grows.

So I figured we needed to make a puppet and have his nose grow.

So we make 3 layers-

background, puppet and a nose.

We cut them out...

and used metal fasteners to attach the body parts.

Here is one of the student's Pinocchio layer.

And here are some students with their finished pieces.  

Wish you could see the nose grow as we made extended noses

that go back and forth from a level pulled behind.

Aren't these fun?