Starting with the October Obsessions class with Gulfsprite, you can find out more about this and other classes here Christy's Website
Above was week one, which is (as requested by me) lesson on collage, I think I am making more progress now, I was struggling on how to connect my collage idea's onto paper, this excellent lesson has helped me understand this concept. Part of the lesson was to focus on something currently on your mind, I have just started to read Eckhart Tolle's book 'The Power of Now' which has so far given me a lot of much needed help.
This was Lesson 2, and focused on making art from an already chaotic background. Again I am trying to encorporate other idea's alongside my beloved faces, I am trying to draw other things, but I just want to do faces.. and why not? I feel they can be a bit boring though by themselves. Also in this peace are some of the folk art theme's I am learning.
Here is another exercise from the Folk Art book I am studying, I have been having some difficulties so I have some better brushes en route to help me with the strokes. I also learnt 'stippling' new to me, and I enjoy that process.
This one is a bit of everything, the houses were taken from lesson 3 in the book of a house, the tree's from another book, my own garden idea's, and the pigs are collaged from papers, I drew the pig onto and cut out, added a bit of shading too. I am enjoying this journal, it is very different from my usual ones with 'just' faces in, this one has lots of colour and full pictures.
I am looking into the idea of running off some prints for my Etsy shop at some point, I have looked into giclee prints but they are so expensive it may well be better for me to invest in the archival ink, archival papers and do my own.. watch this space................... (but dont hold your breath as it might take me a while to finance this idea).
Oh dear, a bit behind with the blogging I see. But I have not been slacking on the art front, loving the Obsessions Mixed Media with Gulfsprite - above is my latest inspiration from the last lesson - Its a self portrait attempt before we were taught to do it, knowing it was coming up I had a go - my friend says it does look like me so thats a start.
Here is the 'work in progress' of this weeks lesson, going to be finished in oils which I am really looking forward too, but having to await their arrival before I can finish off, and some new brushes to apply it with.
I am really loving these mixed media backgrounds we have been taught, I even ordered a new journal so I can practice some more.. still not enough hours in the day though. I am also studying two books, one is portraits were I had a try at my husband and dog (he's not seen it yet LOL)
It can only get better right? Next time use softer lines, yes I know that now...
My other teaching book is on Charcoal, I love charcoal and pastel - luckily I can do these together in time, such an interesting medium and when studied that there is so much more to it than just scribbling with some vine or refining with a charcoal pencil its fascinating, here is one of my latest practice pages..
Again not enough hours in the day, and its getting too warm in there in the day and I dont have the right lighting for evening work. I have a plan to sort all that out soon, so fingers crossed. I really need to be able to spend more time in my studio, so changes need to be made to that end.
