Swoon Sunday #3

Its Swoon Sunday again, which is were members of Effy Wild's book of days can share their Swoon Moments of the week.





I will be sharing the weeks paintings, starting above with the Angry Blackcurrant. Before I continue though, I am not around much this weekend, its the local Town and Country Fair and we (Woof Beginnings) have a stall, so Friday I was setting up, yesterday was working the stall all day, and tomorrow will be working the stall too. The weather is amazing, as in we are told by the forcasters it will be raining biblical quantities all day... only to find hot sun all day? then today being the 'best day' weather wise, my clothes are still in the dryer from the soaking I got walking the dogs earlier.

On to the paintings.... my personel art critic, other wise known as the husband came home from work when I had done the above painting and said "oh look its an angry ribena berry" it was actually meant to be a fun purple monster. I had also painted this one..




to which my critic then named the 'happy raddish' this one was just a fun happy general painting I had fun creating. So the next day I painted this one..





I wouldnt mind but he came home from work and announced "oh look, SPROUTS"... they are meant to be brocolli....

Hope you enjoyed this weeks selection of happy fruit and veg, maybe its due to my new smoothies I am enjoying to try improve my health, they are going down very well I had my first one on Friday, made one up to take with me yesterday morning, and today I am on my second one, in place of my usual 'pick me up coffee' in the afternoon.

Enjoy the rest of your bank holiday weekend.

PS I HAVE FINALLY WORKED OUT HOW TO TURN OFF THAT SILLY CODE THING, SO YOUR COMMENTS WILL GO STRAIGHT THROUGH NOW, WITHOUT HAVING TO TRY READ THE CODE FIRST.

Art Journal - Book of Days

This is my latest page in my 'Book of Days' Art Journal, I first learnt about Art Journalling through my friend Zoe (Fordie Fresh) blog, started to google for more information which lead me to the wonderfully talented Effy Wild and her group for the 'Book of Days'. This was back in January and I have learnt so much since then, not just about Art but life in general, and help for an improved outlook on life. The above page was 'inspired' by this weeks video from Effy, in the Book of Days program there are 2 of these per week completely free and a Facebook group you can join if you wish (and a flickr group) you can find more information and the videos here Book of Days.

It is in part due to my involvement with the Book of Days group I have had the confidence to try painting on canvas and larger papers - I'm not that great at it yet, but I have a wonderful time and can escape for hours with my easel and paints. This is the painting I did this week on canvas board 20" x 16".




This week I have learnt so much more and cant wait to put what I have learnt into practice, I have some A3 card all primed and ready to go, just needing a bit more free time......... infact I might just make a start this evening, why wait?

I have popped some illustrated ACEO's in my Etsy shop, so dont forget in a few years when I am a world famous artist they will be very valuable (LOL!!!!)

Before I forget, anyone who read my last post about my dimwitted Labrador who ate the jellyfish, he is fine now - thank you to those who messaged me to find out how he was:)

Dads Birthday

Whoops, been a bad blogger again - though I did have a spell of blog block. Here is the gift I made for my Dad for his birthday on the 4th April. The picture is of him and his mates whilst on National Service in Cyprus in the 50's. Dad is the shy one on the right! I mounted it on mdf, which was painted, collaged and varnished. Here he is on his birthday, he is normally dressed but had a nasty fall the day before so was unable to walk, so we normally go out for his Birthday this year we had to fetch it all to him.



I'm still busy drawing and painting every day, every evening is spent sketching - I 'think' I am starting to improve. Also spend far too much time on the book of days facebook page, and watching all the wonderful videos available to help me with my art, I even attended the 'live stream' at weekend, which was great fun. If you are interested in mixed media and/or Art Journal, do take a look here Book of Days best thing I did, has done wonders for my confidence in art and in other area's.

I do check in with blogger each day so always keeping an eye on everyone, I might not always comment (often I think I have only to find I didnt, sorry) but I do always read.

Thats all for now, back to the sketchbook.

Lynda x

New Art Journal

When the going gets tough... the tough make a new journal. Yesterday was a pretty awful day. Due to having to protect the identity of the person concerned I cannot go into detail, but sketching around the details it involved a family I know quite well, a young girl and an individual who is it seems on the sex offenders list. I only hope the young lady and her family can come to terms with this in time. I have said this before here, but I truly do not understand how some people can live with themselves.

Not my problem of course, but the only way to deal with the upset of the whole thing for me was some retail therapy, so off to the charity shop I went and came back with a few frames to paint and this...





which I then turned into this...



It started off as a bright cheery journal to take me away from the horrors of the world out there, but has now turned into a new journal of faces. Somewhere I can work on them each day. I took the picture before the journaling, as if it turns out anywhere near ok there is a specially brave young lady it is dedicated too and may receive it.




They should get better as I have been following a lot of tutorials on faces, some from Effy Wild and the Book of Days
and some on youtube by Jenniebellie, who is also a good teacher for the faces, art journalling and mixed media.

Well, paint should be dry now for Dads birthday pressie which I am also working on so back to it. Have a good weekend all. xx

What am I doing?

This is today's question. Think I might turn it into tomorrows Book of Days quote too... I have no idea.
Earlier in the week I was feeling super confident about art, now I seem to be somewhat floundering. I had a go with oil pastels which I really enjoyed so decided it was time to have a go with oil paints, this is not going so well. My friend has told me to stop trying to create a subject and learn the paints, so I have gone back to doing that now.
Last week I visited the charity shop and purchased a stack of canvas's to paint over, I have two now gesso on, some background on them - but not sure about what to do next? Here is the first one, it started life as a brown stitched design, I have added inktense pencil.



Here is the second one, gesso, paints and inks.



Then today I drew this, with the intention of smartening him up and perhaps making the blue one into a mixed media canvas.. since photographing I have added some collage to the canvas and done some painting on my picture.



I also have a stack of mdf boards, I have made 2 little plaques, one a bit of fun for me and one for Mum and Dads anniversary, will show those soon.

My face drawings are going very badly, and the painting of them even worse - one of the artists in 'book of days' has suggested I leave them for a while, maybe I am just not meant to do them, even though I would really like too - or perhaps just trying to hard again? anyway, having a break from Rocky Horror show faces for now.

Before I stop waffling, I must thank the lovely Janice at WELLYDOG I have been lucky enough to win her blog giveaway and will soon be the VERY proud owner of a piece of fantastic art from her, will show that off when it arrives too, I am just sooooooo excited about that, Thank you Janice.

Book of Days 2012

I mentioned yesterday joining a wonderful new group for art journalling, this group is called Book of Days 2012. It started at the beginning of January so I'm a bit late but that doesn't matter you can join anytime. Also its FREE to join, though you can pay a very small amount to join a premium class to if you wish. Run by a wonderfully kind lady called 'Effy' who does a weekly video to show you lots of tips on how to do so much with mixed media and your art journal.
Not only that, but there is also a facebook group full of wonderful members giving support and encouragement to each other, and a flickr page to show off your works and look at others.

So, I set to work creating a new handmade journal just for this... taking a redundant book I no longer use and covering with brown paper, not one of my better ideas as brown paper didnt really like gesso.




Then I had a play to decorate the cover. Might have been an idea if I had waited for my introductory email from Effy who shows you how to do this much better, so for my next book I will follow her advice, but still there is no right or wrong way to do things, just have fun doing it.



Not having had the best of weekends my first page was not such a happy one, so we will leave that one out. This is my second page I did today, you see I am practicing painting my girls, and still need plenty more practice - but this is more of a fun and less stresful way to do it.



I think I did get far too stressed trying to master everything, and need to take some time out to relax a bit - so this is just right for me at this time.

So, if anyone fancies starting an art journal, this is just the best place to start, follow the link and take a look for yourself - Book of Days