I NEED A BIGGER ROOM!

 If I’m going to do these collage lessons (Drew Steinbrecher’s Collage Makers Summit) I’m going to need more space.  It seems, over the years, that my little art room is shrinking inwards due to all the bins and boxes of things around the edges of the room!

Here’s the first thing I made, Day 1 and 2.  

This was done after watching the first video lesson by the artist, Tara Axford.  She called her lessons: Remove from Cart, Using Recyled Materials in Collage.

So pulled out some of the packing boxes I’d broken down and put in the recycle bin to use, cut some pieces, did as she said to prep them and then painted and added embellishments.

I like it but not sure how archival/lasting the piece will be  since it’s using cardboard box material.  Perhaps if we sealed it with acrylic matte medium or something else (clear gesso), it might hold up for a few years…but it was fun trying it out and it resonated with me so that I had an idea what the design would be right away and then added the broken earring (center off the circle), the little gemstones (glued on) and the string (I found in with my needlepoint/embroidery stuff).  You just never know what you have lying around!

SLOW DRAWING NATURE SKETCHBOOK AGAIN

 For this first one (which is really the last one I’ve done), you just paint some watercolor blobs of color and then draw over them, whatever takes your fancy).

The last two are more realistic versions of the items I found lying around.  Soon there will be flowers - or at least buds - on the trees and in the gardens. 

THE TRUE SIGN OF AN AMATEUR ARTIST

 I read someone online who critiques artwork say the true sign of an amateur is one who jumps around from subject to subject (or maybe from medium to medium) so I’m am amateur.  And I never said I wasn’t so I’m okay with still learning and keeping things spicey…

Signed up for a collage workshop (Collage Makers Summit) through the artist (Drew Steinbrecher)  who hosted the printmaking workshop last year.  I have all these printed papers so why not learn how to use them well?

Here’s Drew’s bonus lesson (prior to the class starting Monday).

Collage a sheet of paper (I used a heavy piece of mineral paper - like Yupo but not as slick).

Then turn that collage over and cut the paper into pieces - same sizes or different, doesn’t matter.

Then see what you have and work with those, either adding more collage work, rice paper, etc., or acrylic markers, etc., to embellish the smaller collages and make them more interesting.

I liked the outcomes on all of them, but Sweetie says the lower right one looks better with the blue on top and I think he’s right.  Another thing about this is that you can turn in however you want and see what looks best to you.

DRAWING CLOSER TO ART ONLINE COURSE

 Just some more in my little square sketchbook of things until spring starts popping.  We are having a couple of warm, sunny days, which does get one in the mood for spring.  

JUMP AROUND

 While waiting for spring and things to put into my Drawing Closer to Nature sketchbook, I signed up for a week-long freebie course on Art2Life.  I knew when it was over, the instructor would pitch his 14 weeks lessons - but had no idea they would be over $2,000.  So I didn’t sign up.  I wouldn’t have done so, anyway, because it really seems more suited for abstracted art (which I have never really gotten the hang of)

But I did do a few little exercises in a Moleskine sketchbook I’ve had forever (and never filled up)…

I even tried my hand at a larger abstract one painted with watercolor on mineral paper (kind of like YUPO but not as slick).

The first one is in real life, the second I desaturated it to see if the composition was working…needs something more and perhaps to put back whites in areas?

SLOW DRAWING NATURE JOURNAL

 I purchased an online workshop from Amy Maricle at Slow Drawing Art…it’s about reconnecting to nature and I thought it would be a good thing to get me back into things for spring - when it comes.

I have done a few prelims (sketchy doodles and then colored in with watercolor bits) and then started the journal (a little square one that has really textured paper so not high end watercolor paper but interesting texture).  

Hoping March and April will bring me some more inspiration as I’ve just been working with things I have lying around the little art room until things start blooming again.