St Patrick's Day watercolor illustration

Oh March, you craft-tiful month you. With every crafting opportunity you already offer, you bring yet another that almost slipped my mind: St Patty's Day. It was almost too late to make something.

Although I'm not even remotely Irish, I still love this holiday. There's something cool in making everything green. Oh, and rainbows and pots of gold, how can you not love that?

And oh yes, and when you lack frames, use whatever you can find. Like unused embroidery hoops. I can't be the only one with those around...

cheeky little fella

Why is it so hard to get good natural lighting at home? Oh yeah, we live in Portland now...

Want to join? Grab some watercolor supplies, draw something easy (like a shamrock), let your kid paint it or do it yourself, and frame it with the hoop. Have fun trying this out and let me know what you come up with.

I hope you have all the luck of the Irish this week. Happy St Patrick's Day!

A day for giving thanks

I love Thanksgiving.

It's the one holiday, squeezed between two other awesome but very commercialized holidays, that still centers around family. At least for us it does. It's not that I don't love Christmas, I do. Believe me, I do. But there's just something fulfilling about thanksgiving and getting together with the family for a big feast. I like the idea of taking time to reflect on the things I am grateful for, and we do it almost every day before bed or at dinner time. But then, to have a special day dedicated to that, that's just gravy.

So, in honor of this great holiday, here's my list of 10 things I am thankful for (in no particular order).

The princess drew this for me at school

1. Life: waking up everyday to a brand new day, alive and healthy.
2. Beauty: take a look outside and find beauty around you. It's there.
3. Family: it's a given, but I love my family so much. All of them, even when I'm mad at them.
4. Laughter: its infectious, and the cure for the worst cases of the blues. Go figure.
5. Friends: a second family that I've chosen myself. Here's to making new ones and finding long lost others.
6. Opportunity: I've been given so many great opportunities, though I haven't succeeded in all.
7. This blog: it's been neglected but never abandoned because it makes me so happy and provides an outlet for my scattered brain.
8. You: my bloggy friends who still take time to stop by, read a bit, and say hello sometimes. You make my life happier.
9. My husband: life would be so much sadder without him to share it with.
10. My daughters: yeah, they're family of course, but they get a special place of their own. I'm so thankful and amazed that they're here.

And speaking of family, here's what I received from mine. My aunt sent me these adorable mittens for N1 (the princess) and the cutest hat for N2 (the dragon). One day I hope to be as good as she is with crochet...

Thank you for stopping by!

A free printable thank you card

A couple days ago I received a surprise during a work meeting: everyone in the program had come together to buy me a bunch of baby girl gifts! I was so surprised, happy, and humbled by their generosity.

I wanted to make some thank you cards for them, but in order to finish them in a reasonable amount of time and meet my work deadlines as well (grading, finals, etc) I decided to try something new. I scanned an illustration I had made with copic markers and designed a thank you card to give everyone at work.

I also wanted to thank you all who stop by the blog by giving you the card as a free printable that you can download. It's a simple 3.5 by 5 in card that can be used as a thank you note for baby showers, newborn visits, or gifts. Right now it's only in pink for baby girls, but I do plan on making one for baby boys.

Click here to download.

Puzzled }{ Illustration Friday

My entry for this week's Illustration Friday prompt - puzzled.

I used a sharpie and copic markers for this image.

There are a couple of things that I tried to represent with this, but I'd rather hear what you think this means.

Happy Easter! (And musings on drawing with kids)

Happy Easter everyone!

I try not to bring in religion to the blog too much, but I do hope you don't mind me celebrating some of the more important holidays for me. Easter is of course a big one, so I'd like to wish you all a blessed weekend.

I wanted to do a little illustration with an Easter theme, and N. of course wanted to join in. She never misses an opportunity to draw with me. In fact, it's one of her favorite things to do.

Here are a couple of things that I noticed when it comes to doing that:

1. No matter how stocked her crafting station is, as long as my supplies are out they're the only thing she'll use.
2. She will finish her work first, and then she absolutely must help me with mine. 

I used to worry and fret about her using some of my more expensive materials, but then...

I want her to feel free to experiment with art supplies and have fun with them, not feel like they're so precious she can't use them. She should also enjoy doing it, not worry about what I'm going to do if she adds something to my picture or spills some water on my watercolor.

So, with a herculean effort, I let go of it all. I let her use any and all supplies she wants (unless it's dangerous of course - no hot glue gun yet!), however she wants to, including on the picture I was working on. If it's something I really want to do alone, I wait until after she goes to sleep.

Today, we did these -

A long-haired girl on an egg hunt:

A bunny on a field:

Did you notice her addition to the bunny? She said it was a girl bunny and she needed a hair bow (which N. promptly supplied):

This hair bow makes me so happy. How could I ever say no to adding a hair bow to a bunny?

What are your plans for the weekend? 

Where I find inspiration

My hands are itching to create.

Creativity comes in surges for me, and sometimes I go through horrible lulls. I had been going through one of these "dry" times a short while ago. Then I forced myself to complete small little nothings, doodles and sketches that wouldn't take more than 15 minutes. All of a sudden my mind started going a million miles. Today, I realized that I'm in full swing, adding more projects to my little book then I can get to.

But how to decide what to draw (or what to sew, to write, to create) at that point when you feel like you have to force yourself? Go for something easy, with no-pressure, and don't fret if you don't like the results. It's the act of doing it that will help, not the final product.

For themes, there are always prompts and challenges, like the Sketchbook Challenge, Illustration Friday, the A-Z challenge, Communal Global, and Texture Tuesday, among may others that give you the option of posting in groups and visiting other blogs participating.

But for me there's another place where I can almost always count on getting inspiration: books.

I'm a visual reader. I mean, as I read I vividly see the scenes in my mind. Stories associate themselves to images, as well as touch sensations, smells, and tastes. For example, The Turn of the Screw forever makes me feel feverish and brings up the color white to mind.

All it takes are a few lines of a poem sometimes (or a full one like this):

I'm Nobody! Who are you?

Are you-- Nobody--too?

Then there's a pair of us!

Don't tell! they'd banish us --you know!

How dreary --to be--Somebody!

How public--like a Frog--

To tell your name--the livelong June--

To an admiring Bog!

                              Emily Dickinson

(In this age of social media and reality tv with so many people shouting for attention and fame, this poem really speaks to me)

That poem inspired this super simple (and not so good) colored pencil drawing:

Although the final image flopped, it got me doing something, putting my pencils on paper.

I'm sharing all this because I think we all go through times where our creativity and motivation seem to move to some dark corner where we can't find it no matter what. I wanted to share a couple of strategies or ideas I've used successfully to force it out of its hiding place. I hope it's helpful to some of you.

Where do you draw your inspiration?

Dragon Lily }{ the sketchbook challenge

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, beginning on January 23, 2012 is a year of the dragon (see here for other years). According to their traditional zodiac, the dragon is energetic, fearless, warm-hearted, and charismatic as well as arrogant and impatient. Dragon babies are very popular in East Asia (also here and here). 

You can probably see where I'm going with all this - the growing dragon in my belly. To be honest, I'm not one to believe in zodiacs, but I find myself calling this little girl (yes, it's a girl!) my little dragon all the time. I even checked her compatibility, and it turns out they are most compatible with rats (N. is a rat). I hope it's true and they turn out to be the best of friends. 

Then, last week I stopped by a flower shop that I hadn't seen before just to check out their selection. They had these beautiful pink and orange flowers in one arrangement. I asked the shop keeper what kind they were and he said they were "dragon lilies." Boom. I had to get some.

March's sketchbook challenge's theme is "flowers" so I decided to draw a dragon lily in honor of my little dragon. It was quick work, nothing elaborate - just an outline filled in with copic markers.

Now let's just hope she doesn't breathe fire. 

Do you believe in zodiacs? What's your Chinese zodiac sign?

A mixed media card }{ tutorial

I'm calling this post a tutorial, but in truth it's more of a process post. What I mean is, if you follow the steps, you may be using the same process I did, but most likely your card won't be the same. You might change the colors, the background, the final touches, etc. In any case, it's been a while since I did a tutorial-like post.

To be completely honest, I'm not 100% happy with how it came out at the end. So I'm asking for help. What would you have done differently?

This all started with an idea to sew ripped up music sheets together. I didn't know anything else about the project, only that it had to include that. The whole process went along without planning ahead - after each step I'd try to think "what's next?" So I gathered a bunch of things I might use, but here's a final list of what I did use:

• watercolor paper
• old sheets of music
• alcohol-free ink
• walnut ink spray
• sketch paper and pencil
• gesso
• watercolors (and brush of course)
• scissors
• matte gel
• ribbon
• small jewel
• sewing machine and thread

And the process:

1. Cut a piece of watercolor paper and sprayed it with pink ink. 
2. Then grab a ripped up piece of sheet music

1. Rip the sheet music into 4 smaller pieces and then sew them together.

1. Press the edges of the sheet music on the ink pad

1. Sketch some girls on separate piece of paper. This step in particular can easily be made simpler by using a stamp, like these.

1. Decide which image to use, color it (or not), and cut it. I used watercolor for this, but I've seen people do amazing cards with copic markers and other supplies too.

1. Decide on an arrangement on the background paper and paste it together using matte gel.
2. Put on the finishing touches, whatever you deem necessary. I added gesso on the girl for some highlights, as well as some darker colors for shadows here and there. Then I also added some thread using various decorative stitches to the side, then a jewel to her hat, and finally some ribbon.

So back to my question up there, what would you have done differently?

Intention }{ Illustration Fridays

"Perhaps not the best way to check his intentions after all..." 

Poor flower... And all for naught.

watercolor and gesso

Did you ever do this as a young girl? Did it ever work out?

Close up }{ The Sketchbook Challenge

I'm starting to get some of my energy back. *only some* 

Although that still leaves me with little time to post more often, it does mean that I have the energy to fit in a quick sketch or two into my week. Like this one.

That's N. sleeping

I got inspired by the February sketchbook challenge theme: close up. Drawing faces usually presents a big challenge for me, and I thought the theme would be the perfect excuse to practice drawing at least a portion of a face. Especially the nose........ What is it with noses? I can never get them right. But focusing on just a small part I was able to do better than usual. 

This was the full page of the sketchbook by the way. I didn't use it all, so when I cropped the picture I only kept the actual sketch.

What is your biggest drawing challenge? 

Confession

I have a confession.

I've been sick, exhausted, and barely keeping up with our daily routine. But... I shouldn't complain too much.

There is a good reason for it: We have a new Ricefield baby on the way.

Yep. I'm pregnant and just getting over the first trimester. Looking forward to having a bit more energy, but it doesn't like it's getting better any time soon. I'm not going to lie, pregnancy doesn't make me glow or thrive. It makes me sick. But yes, the end result is more than worth it, so all's good.

We're due in August by the way.

Other than that... We had a good valentine's day with pink cupcakes and origami boxes with treats for N.'s friends and teachers.

Ok, hit me with your good news.

Shoes

I love shoes.

I don't have many of them, but I absolutely love them. They can make or break an outfit. They make up for my lack of... stature (yeah, I'm a shortie). They can tell so much about the wearer too!

Look around you at the shoes people wear. See if they match the person (if you know them), or try to image what the person is like who wears shoes you find interesting. It's a fun "people watching" exercise in observation.

What kind of woman would wear these shoes?

Comfort

According to dictionary.com

com·fort

   [kuhm-fert]  Show IPA

–verb (used with object)

1.

to soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to: They tried tocomfort her after her loss.

2.

to make physically comfortable.

3.

Obsolete . to aid; support or encourage.

–noun

4.

relief in affliction; consolation; solace: Her presence was acomfort to him.

5.

a feeling of relief or consolation: Her forgiveness affordedhim great comfort.

6.

a person or thing that gives consolation: She was a greatcomfort to him.

There quite a few things that bring me comfort. Like the steady breathing coming from the sleeping little girl next to me. She passed out tonight, she was that tired. We're at my family's house since we'll be leaving early tomorrow for the beach. But I'll be blogging from there. No break this time.

Something else that brings me comfort - a hot cup of tea or coffee in the morning and afternoon.

What brings you comfort?

Friendly animals

"Nice to mooooooo you"

I've been in the mood for drawing animals - funny ones. Well, I mean, with funny expressions on their faces.

Lately my mind has been going a million miles a minute, and it just won't stop. Even when I'm trying to sleep. So I decided to sketch slightly wired, a bit wide eyed and insomniac animals. Yeah. Nice to moo you.

Ever had to deal with insomnia? How did you get over it?

Launch }{ Illustration Friday

"Launch"

When I got the prompt for this week's Illustration Friday, the first thing that came to my mind was this David Bowie song. Along with it came a little soldier boy saluting the launch. Don't ask me why, but he was there.

Notice however that I made one big mistake. I didn't mean for the launch to be of a weapon as I don't like what that implies. I much prefer space adventures to wars. But the rocket looks like a weapon. And so it goes.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Swept }{ Illustration Friday

The Illustration Friday prompt this week was "swept" and this is all I could think of. 

The husband came back for the weekend, and so tonight was the first time I sat down to draw something. 

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Soaked }{ Illustration Friday

Trying to catch up. 

This week's prompt for Illustration Friday was "soaked." It's pretty appropriate since we've had nothing but rain lately. I like rain. I like the way the earth smells after it, the cool air that lingers once it's passed, the pitter-patter sounds on the window. I even like thunderstorms, always have. It reminds me of my childhood. The city I grew up in has one of the highest incidences of lightening hits in the world. 

In any case, soaked. This isn't a very original illustration, but it's what I kept going back to. It just seemed the right thing to represent it. 

mechanical pencil on recycled paper

Safari }{ Illustration Fridays

Giraffes to me represent majestic and elegant beauty. Their grace reminds me of ballet dancers. 

So when the prompt for this week's Illustration Friday turned out to be "safari" giraffes were the first thing on my mind. 

I already had a few drawings of giraffes laying around:

sharpie and color pencils 

But I did a new one of course.

Markers and watercolor

And this one has nothing to do with giraffes, or safaris really, except maybe that he's an animal?

graphite

Still, I like my little guy up there. He's stuck.

Beginner }{ Illustration Fridays

Beginner... There are so many beginnings. Every day is a new beginning, no? Every moment, we could choose to make a new beginning in one way or another, big or small.

When I saw the prompt for this week's Illustration Fridays, images began to swirl in my head. There were so many things I could do. In fact, anything I do at this point represents a beginning because I am a beginner in this world of drawing, illustrating, painting.

I chose to try two of the ideas I had.

graphite pencil on my sketchbook

N. reading a book, which she loves to do. She's beginning to sound out letters and find them in words in a book, though she can't string the letters and make a word yet. She recognizes all the letters though, and I'm pretty proud of her (gee whiz, she's only 2.5 y/o!). That's why I put the letters around her - this is what I imagine her thoughts to be as she leafs through her picture books.

watercolor and colored pencil on heavy weight watercolor paper

Spring is a new beginning every year - beginning of life, greenery, sunshine. Since lady spring has finally graced us with her presence I wanted to do something to honor her. I choose pink flowers, because they remind me of early spring. To me, these delicate light colored flowers represent the newly come, still shy palette of colors that will soon explode.

Happy Mother's day to all you ladies with little (or big) kids out there.

What comes to your mind when you think of a beginner?