Koi Sketch plus Gelli Print

Gelli Plate print using acrylic paint plus stencils 

Gelli Plate print with sketch of Koi in watercolor

You know the lucky accidents I mentioned? I just took a wonderful workshop with Elizabeth

St. Hilarie Nelson called Paper Painting Collage (more about that in a future post) and wanted

to start some sketches for a painted paper collage of Koi. When I leafed through my sketchbook

for a blank page I ran across a Gelli print that I'd pasted in.  The orange and red in the print sort

of reminded me of Koi so I tried a sketch, then added watercolor. Of course watercolor on top

of acrylic meant that the colors of the print shined through and also meant that I could rub the 

paint off where I wanted to and play with texture where the watercolor resisted the acrylic a

bit. I really love this effect and am looking forward to creating backgrounds more intentionally

for future sketches.

Round Gelli Plate Water Lily

Round Gelli Plate background created with acrylic paint, textured foam sheets and stencils
Waterlily painted with acrylic, iridescent medium, Gelly Roll Pens.

OK, I am officially in love with my round Gelli Plate.  The mandala shape is just so exciting and inspiring.  I found

myself wanting to paint flowers enclosed in that shape. Blue acrylic paint and the textured foam sheet and stencil really

made me think of water.  Love the way the paint that makes up the waterlily petals is kind of translucent (the plus side

of bargain paint). The Gelli Roll pens made for fun, shiny marks. Overall I like that the feeling of color shimmering 

in a watery environment.

Betty's Ficus

 Had a drawing date with Alice and Betty a week after we met to draw in Alice's garden. I had
a page in my art journal that I had sprayed with acrylic ink spray and stencils.  I had made
acrylic ink spray by adding water and droppers of FW acrylic ink to an empty spray bottle.
The colors are subtler than water soluble spray inks like Dylusions but the real attraction for me
is that they are permanent and won't bleed when you layer over them.  I decided to do a drawing
based on the large Ficus tree that Betty had near her drawing table.  I did the drawing with
Derwent InkTense watersoluble pencils and used a brush to move the color around.  I love
patterned backgrounds, like Matisse uses in his paintings so really like this drawing on top of
a patterned background.  Since the ink spray is permanent I could have also used gesso to
white out the areas inside the sketch so that the background pattern would read like the
fabric drapes in Matisse's work.  I think I like the way the pattern looks on the trunk and
branches in this drawing.   I last added watercolor to the pot to give it dimension and washi
tape to bound the page.  I will later post the adjoining pages that also have this washi tape
border.  I last scanned and printed out a copy of this page to make a thank you card for
Betty for her hospitality.  I added more color and detail to the card. Using Gelly Roll Pens.

Painting of Alice's Shrine for Her Sister

Drawing with watercolor and mixed media

When Alice's sister died Alice made a lovey shrine for her with leaves, rocks, a special cloth and marigolds.

I had the opportunity to see a photograph of the shrine and just loved the image she had captured.  I got

permission to paint it and really like the outcome.  I did a fairly elaborate pencil drawing, inked it, then used

watercolor to color it.  I did end up using acrylic paint on the marigolds since I was not happy with how the

watercolor painting of them turned out.  I am especially happy with the way the cloth turned out.  I used

Cerulean Blue to begin with, then Ultramarine.  I finally lifted areas by painting them with clear water and

blotting the wet area with paper towel. I like the way the drawing was more revealed in these areas.

This drawing was in my art journal.  I've since matted it and given it to Alice for letting me share in her

honoring of her sister.

Drawing in Alice's Garden

Peony Thank You card for Alice

Peonies in Alice's Garden
Pencil sketch with Koi Watercolor and Sharpie Pen

My friend Alice and her husband have a back yard that is entirely given to a vegetable garden and flowers. I was lucky

enough to be invited to paint in her garden. Her peonies were glorious!! Ended up scanning and printing out this piece

to make a card to send to Alice.