Finished painting of my daughter

Hello All!

I have been so busy and so inspired over the last few weeks. I have been finding time to do something creative most days which has been fantastic. On top of that I have been speaking to a group based in Chesterfield called Straight Curves about the possibility of running some workshops there. That is all looking really positive. I will let you know when those start to take place!

Today I thought I would share the finished painting of my daughter. In my last post I talked about starting one of her and had done an initial sketch. Well here she is:

I can't tell you how pleased I am will how she turned out! It was a challenge but I enjoyed every minute of it. It really captures her cheerful bubbly nature. I am looking to start one of my youngest daughter next and I will keep you posted!

Bye for now xxxxx

Portrait Practice

Hello All!

Today I thought I would share some of the portraits I have been working on. I decided after watching 'the big painting challenge' on the BBC that it was about time I practiced painting 'well known' faces. I have never had a problem painting people I don't know very well, but the more I know the person the harder I find it to capture them. Family members are difficult but the hardest by far is a self portrait.

Well practice makes perfect and so practice is what I'm doing!

I started with my mum. I did a sketch of her first:

That went well and once I have done a sketch I feel more confident that I can translate it into paint.

So here she is. I am really pleased with how she turned out and it is the best painting I have ever managed of her! With this boost in confidence I tried to paint myself:

I enjoyed working in monotone for this one and it looks quite effective over the wash of colour. I look really serious but that is because I was looking in a mirror and concentrating! It didn't turn out too badly but doesn't look entirely like me. 

I am now on to the next one and I have really set myself a challenge by choosing to paint my daughter! Not only a face I know as well as my own but a child's face which in itself is difficult to do. So far I have only done my first sketch but so far so good;

I hope you enjoyed looking at my progress so far. I'll keep you posted on how the latest one turns out!

Bye for now xxxx

Some Recent Art Journaling

Hello All!

Sorry it has been a while! I kept meaning to blog but life has been busy lately, and I have been distracted with various things. That all said I didn't mean to put it off for so long! I will hopefully make that up over the next few days as I have loads to show you. Today I am going to start off with some recent art journaling:

This first one was an experiment of bold colours and lines. For the lady I used a magazine cutting which I then painted over and I tried to keep to black and white to match the boldness of the page. The whole thing I felt had a confidence about it and so I found the text from a magazine which was in keeping with this. 

This page is in my altered book journal and you may see some of the original text coming through on the right. I have been playing around lately with a lot of portraiture and this is one is a self portrait. Again I stuck to black and white and I think it works well here. This again has an air of confidence and is all about being self assured. 

For this one I really enjoyed playing with layering stamps, ink, pigment powders and tissue paper. I loved the yellow streak running through the page and this is what gave the inspiration for the text. To me the page has a warmth and feels quite happy and relaxed.

Finally this one, done in my small journal, is a bright warm very happy page about my recent family holiday to Crete. It was the best holiday we have ever had, we all had such a good time. The holiday was to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary (we went to Crete for our honeymoon) and it couldn't have been better. It was a memory I had to journal about! The colours have a warm glow to them and the image is my youngest daughter paddling in the sea.

I hope you enjoyed these pages, I will be back with more very soon!

Bye for now xxx

Finished Painting - You are only as old as you feel.

Hello All,

I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed getting by teeth stuck into a portrait these last few weeks! It has been a challenge but I have loved it and it is always exciting to see them appearing in front of you as they take shape. Here is the final piece:

I wanted to keep the background quite simple but fun. When I came across the photograph I loved how despite initial appearances she is clearly young at heart, wearing her boppers. I hope I have managed to express this. I do believe it's true what they say... that you are only as old as you feel!

Bye for now xxx

Portrait Progress

Hello All,

Over the last few weeks I have been working on my new portrait and really enjoying it. It's been great getting back into painting a portrait and although its challenging I love seeing it take shape. I have taken some shots as I have been going along so you can see the progression. Here it is so far!

I am now on to the background which I am going to keep quite simple with a little texture and coloured with pigment powders. I hope you like her so far, I will post a final picture when it is finished.

Bye for now!

 xxx

You are only as old as you feel

Hello All,

It's funny how I go through different phases with my art work. I swing between abstract and portraits depending on my mood. I am not complaining, far from it. I love the way my art can be so varied and diverse, there is no rule that says I must stick to a certain medium or style. It's one of the things I love most about art, anything goes and the possibilities are endless.

I have been in an abstract mood for a while now but lately have the sudden urge to paint a portrait. I prepped a canvas and it was left sitting there for a week while I tried to decide what exactly I had in mind. I started looking at photos, books and magazines to try and get some inspiration and came across a photo of an elderly lady sitting in a crowd. In every way she is a stereotypical lady with a scarf, handbag and old brown coat but she is wearing deely boppers. She is fantastic and I love that despite appearances she is clearly young at heart. I decided I have to paint her. I started her yesterday after some initial sketches:

  I am really looking forward to seeing how she turns out. I have in my mind her sitting at the front with an abstract background perhaps containing some text but definitely with some texture. I am going to use really vivid happy colours. I want the feeling that you are only as old as you feel to come through.

I will keep you posted on my progress.

Bye for now xxx

A Few Art Journaling Pages

Hello All!,

I'm sorry its been a while, we have just got a new kitten and my time has been taken up with her and with it coming up to Christmas by evenings become busier and busier! I haven't managed to do a great deal except the odd bit of art journaling

This was a page in my small journal with a sketch of my daughter who just turned 5. I always struggle to draw my own children and although this is better attempt than most it is not quite her. I think because I know their faces so well I struggle to capture them, even the slightest line out of place means they aren't quite right.

This one is again in my small journal and is a happy doodly sought of page, I was feeling very content and I think my mood is quite well reflected in the page.

My mind has now turned to Christmas and all the crafty things that I love this time of year. I will hopefully be making some presents and I always like to make some decorations as well as doing some creative stuff with my children. I will get stuck into all this over the next few weeks so look out for some pictures coming soon!

Bye for now! xxx

Quick Portrait Technique

Hello All,

Today I wanted to share a quick technique that I like to use when I want to paint a portrait but haven't a lot of time. I quite often want to add a face or figure to my art journaling pages and although I do usually do these from scratch sometimes I haven't a lot of time or might just be feeling lazy. When I feel like this I use magazines to help me out. I find a nice magazine image and stick it down onto my page, paint over this with clear gesso and ta ta I have a template to paint over. (I usually use acrylics to do this)

If you want to start learning how to paint portraits or if you just need that little helping hand to get started this is a great technique. Here is one I did at the weekend:

It is a really effective way of getting a portrait on to your page and I love the results I get. 

I hope you have a go to!

Bye for now xxx

Self Esteem

Hello All,

Sometimes I go through periods of low self esteem as I am sure most people do. I have put on a little weight, not enough that would be noticeable to anyone but me but it knocks you a bit. I have to kick myself and be grateful for what I have. Everyone is a different shape and size. Wouldn't it be boring to all be the same! I am active and healthy and that is what should matter. I felt I had to do a art journal spread to give me that kick I needed to snap out of it:

This spread really has many many layers and I just kept adding to it. I started by sticking torn paper towels soaked in ink down then used a pallet knife and acrylic over that. then stencils, doodles, more paint, more stencils  more doodles etc. Finally decided I wanted to do a portrait to represent my self esteem and how I ought to feel about myself. She doesn't look like me she just expresses the confidence I need.

It did help and I do feel much better. That's the beauty of art journaling! 

Bye for now xxxx

Finished piece

Hello All,

I have had a busy half term with the girls going here there and everywhere and so haven't had much time to be creative however I did manage to finish my latest canvas:

It is a very light pallet for me but I wanted to challenge myself in this way. I used pigment powders and mica shimmer powers to get the colour and glass bead texture gel on the circles to achieve the glistening effect. It feels quite spacey to me like a nebula or something. I loved playing with the different textures in this one.

I also did a quick 10 minute sketch this week, over an existing background as practice:

I have been doing so much abstract I felt I needed to do this quick sketch just to keep my hand in. It isn't perfect but not bad for 10 minutes :)

I have been commissioned for a set of three abstract canvasses so moving on to them now plus a commision for a journal. I also need to get a move on and arrange some workshops! Life seems quite hectic at the mo :Z

Bye for now x xx

Finished page

Hello All,

Managed to find some time somehow to finish off this page in my small journal.

The background started as a gelli print which had lots of circles in it. I added the doodles in white and black pen over the top. I then added blue acrylic and a piece of a stencilled napkin. Finally I added the girl and the text. I think I like the combination of blue and orange best in this one. I love big bold colours and in particular orange at the moment.
The girl appears to be looking forwards and so that was what this page became about for me. Especially with new years approaching its all about looking forward to all the things I have to look forward to.

Bye for now! xxx

Commissions delivered

Hello All,

With both portraits completed I finally delivered them last Thursday and Karen was thrilled. I was a little worried as looking at a portrait of yourself is very different to looking at one of someone else. I was worried that she may not see herself the way I had portrayed her but she was very happy and she delivered them straight away to her partner. They were supposed to be his Christmas present but she said she couldn't wait.

Later that day Karen text me his response .... 

"I can't help looking at them. I'm moved to tears here, it's so flipping weird having you here but not .....And the colours are just so fluorescent, wherever I hang them they must have changing colours to bring out all the aspects......I'm flabbergasted. In fact, my flabber has never been so gasted."

What a response! I am well chuffed!

Bye for now xx

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Hello All,

I am sorry I haven't been about much! This time of year I get so busy with other things and Christmas prep I haven't had time for my blog. Its not that I haven't been creating, though my focus switches this time of year to what gifts I can make.

I am finishing a gift for my Mum (can't give any other detail away in case she reads this!) plus I have been commisioned for a journal and a picture so busy trying to finish them in time. The journal is going to be personalised with song lyrics and pictures in amongst the pages that have some meaning to its recipient.

Journal in progress

Picture now finished!

I did however manage to start a journal page last night which so far I am quite pleased with. Here is a detail of it:

 Really liking orange and reds at the mo. This will have a little portrait on it too once its done. Also I have been doing some filming in preparation for some workshops that I hope to run in the new year. busy busy editing them now! :)

As well as all the gifts I have been making Christmas pom poms with my girls and we will start making decorations including our own wreath from this weekend. The tree will be going up and it will all be mulled wine, mince pies and cheesy Christmas music from then on. In our family my husband's birthday comes first (this week) and then we can turn our focus to all things festive :)

I do love Christmas!

Bye for now xxx

Hibernation

Hello All!

I am finding lately I have very little time to get anything creative done. Perhaps it is down to the time of year with Christmas approaching it's dark and getting colder by the minute. I seem to be out more often than I'm in and when I am in, the kitchen (my usual work place) seems dark and cold and I'd rather sit on the sofa under a blanket. Perhaps I was a bear in my former life because I go into hibernation mode! I need to just put on a hefty jumper get myself a cuppa and battle through! Having said that I have nearly finished my second commission (which is for a Christmas present so need to get it finished soon!) and here it is:

I am going to add some text and you can't tell from this photo but I haven't finished her hands yet. I am really pleased with it and looking forward to giving it to her. Once this is done I will really try hard to get back into going some more journaling and I have ideas for a few more paintings plus a monthly challenge to get my teeth into, this month the theme is 'sky' and I love painting skies so really want to tackle that one. I also signed up to this months art swap which is creating some embellishments and goodies to send out which sounds fab :)

So message to self Lisa stop being nesh and get going!

Bye for now! xxx

Weekend Work

Hello All,

This weekend I had loads of time to work on my various projects. I am doing a another stall next month, a local Christmas fair. I have plenty of journals and labels left over from the last stall but I wanted to add something a bit more christmassy so I set about making packs of christmas labels:

I made these using my Gelli plate and some Christmas washi tapes.

The other thing I worked on was my commission which is coming on nicely but still has a way to go, here it is so far:

I also had a friend over who has been going through a rough time and has started coming to my art journaling sessions as a form of therapy to try and help her make sense of things and vent her emotions. It is brilliant for this and I myself use it in this way a lot! She was stuck though, she had started a page and just didn't know where to go next with it. We got out loads of materials and I helped make suggestions and point her in the right direction. She managed to finish her page and was happy with the result:

Susan's page

I really love that about teaching art journaling. It is really relaxing just to sit and play with all the different mediums and at the same time it really helps to get things sorted in your head and process how you are feeling about something. To see that working for the people I teach is wonderful. :)

Bye for now! xx

Some Time To Myself

Hello All,

This week I actually managed to get some time to myself to do some Journaling and other bits and pieces I have been meaning to do for a while which was fab!

I love making collage papers, it is great to just play with mediums and tools without really thinking too much about the outcome, just enjoying the process. I am really pleased with how this turned out. Once I have created a collage paper I put it aside and use it chopped up in my journals. Also I clean my stencils on top of paper towels with a baby wipe and the paper towels often come out looking great, so again I save these for later!

I also created this spread which is inspired by a Fiona Apple song that I have always sung to my daughter. I particularly like the line I have used here from the song.

I even had enough time to do more on my commission which is going well. It is so great to get that time on my own without any distractions to really get stuck in with some art work. It is quite a rare thing!

Bye for now xxx

First Commission Finished!

Hello All!

I realise I have been a tad quiet on here recently, I have been very busy with my commissions and I have finally finished the first one!

I am really pleased with it and when I delivered it last week she loved it! It is the first time I have ever painted a beard (and lets face it what a beard to start with) and I am really pleased with that bit!

The text is taken from one of the subjects songs as are the crabs and fish.

And so straight on to the second one which I am doing in wintry colours with lots of snowflakes. Here is what I have done so far:

I am loving this one so far and can already really visualise the final thing and where I will be placing the portrait. I have to get this done before Christmas so going to be busy on this for a while!

In other news there is a new monthly challenge which I will be looking into and I am planning a series of bookbinding workshops to create a 'journal to go' which hopefully will also include some video tutorials as well. busy busy busy!

Bye for now! xx

Monthly Challenge

Hello All,

The monthly challenge on journalworkshops.ning.com  for August is 'Windows and doors' I didn't start the page as the challenge but it must have been on my mind cause it just kinda happened.

I initially thought about cutting windows into my page for the challenge but as I worked on the background for this page I was really enjoying the colours which inspired me to add my new stained glass window stamp and then as I was sorting through some old magazines I found the quote and it all just fit! I really like how it turned out :)

Bye for now!

Holiday page

Hello All!

Just got back from a lovely family hol in Angelsey. Lots of beach combing, making sandcastles and paddling, walking and visiting castles and cafes. It was Lovely :) This is the reason I haven't posted for a week but I did manage to take some art stuff with me and get some journaling done. Here is a piece I managed to do in my altered book.

I was inspired by all the beachy colours and the all the flotsam and jetsam washed up. The painting is my daughter and brother in law having a paddle. I am pleased with how it turned out. It has loads of texture to it and for me really expresses the seaside.

Now back to work, loads to do! I also have a new vid that I will be posting up hopefully later today.

Bye for now! xx

Self Portrait

Hello All,

Over the last few days I have been a bit poorly and stuck at home. I hate feeling ill and in the UK we are having a bit of a heatwave which just made me feel even more hot and bothered and unable to enjoy what let's face it is a rarity!

The only up side has been lots of time to get some things arty stuff done! I have been binding journals and planning my workshops but the made thing I worked on was this:

My parcel containing my spray inks and brushos arrived and of course I have been experimenting! This is a self portrait and I am really pleased with how it turned out! I started the background with a handmade Moroccan lattice stencil and by adding colour with the inks, brushos and acrylics. The portrait is done in acrylics!

Anyway thought I would share it with you all. I have lots on the go, more journals to make and a new monthly challenge which is to create a 'tonal page' plus more workshops! I will post about my latest workshop (which was yesterday in a bit)

Hopefully be feeling better soon! Bye for now x