Fern, Quotables; Poppy, Thistle, Snap Dragon, and Sour Grass

 Fern 

12 x 9

venetian plaster, celluclay, found fern, wax, resin on wood

For Mixed Media.  Use multiple media and let the process guide you.  I began with the Venetian Plaster on wood.  I them added the celluclay to the edges creating a berm.  After the celluclay was dry I added the fern and the wax.  I wanted to see how wax and resin reacted so I decided to pour resin on top.  All of the materials are in the natural state.  I really like the play of textures and subtle colors and tones in the piece.  

Quotables: The Traveler's Gift- 7 Decisions of Success

text paper and tape

5.5 x 68

For book making.  Create a book using a leporello format.  I have been reading The Travelers Gift by Andy Andrews and was inspired to create a book highlighting the 7 Decisions of Success described in the book. 

Poppy, Thistle, Snap Dragon, and Sour Grass WIP

11 x 15

tea and watercolor on Reeves BFK

For Mixed Media.  My final project.  Each of these is going to have a flower on it done in a style similar to my Sketchbook Project 2012.  

 

Moments, Half Clam, Love WIP

Moments

9.5 x 15

ink, gouache, watercolor, charcoal, sanguine on cellucllay

For Mixed Media.  Experiment with additional techniques. This was done on Celluclay, mixed with green tea, and dried in the oven at 200* for 2 hours.  The green tea gave the paper a nice tint and I like the way the tea leaves are embedded in the "paper".

It is super fragile.  As I was peeling off the aluminum foil, the edges cracked off, then as I was painting on the "paper" more of the edges cracked off.  If I was to do this again I would make sure to make the "paper" thicker as it seems to be a bit more sturdy.  My husband thinks it looks like a giant potato chip :) 

The one on the left is thicker.  I painted on the thinner one as the thick one wasn't dry.

Half Clam Tray

3.5 x 2.75 x 2

davy board, decorative paper, glue, book cloth

For Book Making. The case wrapper and liner are done with a decorative marble paper, and the tray is done with a black velvety book cloth. This was surprisingly fun to do.  I really love the way it turned out.  I may make more of these in the future.  

I created it to house my "Me Book"

L<3ve WIP

8.5 x 11

cardstock

For Book Arts.  Mock up #2 for my final project. Here is my first attempt at this project. This one is much more successful then my previous try.   I plan on using the pop up shapes as "bases" and then attaching black paper to add contrast.  The pages will have white card stock behind them.   

Bound, Slip Cover, Love WIP

 

Bound

9x12

wood, wrapping paper, card stock, glitter, modge podge, twine, yarn

For Mixed Media. Experiment with assemblage. Scraps and failures.  The wrapping paper, glitter modge podge, and twine are scraps from various other projects.  The card stock cut out into mine and my husband's silhouettes are from the book making mock up that went wrong. 

Some of the modge podge is still wet.  I really hope it dries clear.  

Slip Cover

5 x 5

davey board, book cloth, handmade paper

For Book Arts.  Create a slip cover for one of your previous projects.  I created a cover for my Leaf Scans book.  

L<3ve WIP

8.5 x 11

cardstock

For Book Arts.  Mock up for my final project.  Thank goodness I did a mock up.  As I was putting it together I realized my structures wouldnt pop the way I wanted them to.  I an going to do another mock up with the pages vertical. 

Hydrangea Collage

Hydrangea Collage

30 x 20

CitraSolv National Geographic on Reeves BFK

For Mixed Media.  My 3rd of 4 projects.  I used green tea to stain the paper so I didnt have a plain white surface. Then each petal, cut from the National Geographic pages, was glued to the Reeves BFK.  I only glued the centers so that I could then fold up the petals to add a 3d element.   Previous step.

A side view so you can see how the petals are folded. 

Before I folded the petals. 

Circles, Hydrangea Collage WIP

Circles

15 x 11

watercolor on paper

For Mixed Media.  Use printmaking techniques.  The bottom and left is a technique called chine colle.  The red circles were done with a toilet paper roll, the blue was done with the top of a plastic party cup, and the green was done with the bottom of the party cup.

Hydrangea Collage

30 x 20

CitraSolv National Geographic on Reeves BFK

For Mixed Media.  My 3rd of 4 projects.  I have cut out each petal from my Citra Solv pages and will attach them to the paper.  I still would like to add some background color and I need to cut out some more petals.

i love you, Freesia WIP

 i love you

12 x 9

watercolor on illustration board

For Still Life 2.  Trompe d'oeil. Previous step. I like the way this turned out and I enjoyed the process.  I may do more paintings like this :)

  Freesia WIP

14 x 11

watercolor on board

For Still Life 2.  Paint to board. The hardest part.  You got to start somewhere. 

I leave for Scotland for a week on Friday so it looks like this painting will be coming with me :) I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

i love you WIP

 i love you WIP

12 x 9

watercolor on illustration board

For Still Life 2.  Trompe d'oeil.  I had huge issues coming up with an idea for this assignment.  I was thinking too complicated.  I decided to go for more of a modern take instead of a traditional one.  After quite a bit of struggle I finally got over my artist block and came up with an idea.  I like the way this is coming along a lot.  I feel like there is nice potential with this.

Standing Figure WIP

Standing Figure WIP

~ 3 feet

clay, aluminum wire, & wood

For Head and Figure Sculpture.  Adding more clay to this.  I love the curves.  It is nice to work from a curvy model for a change.  I have painted/drawn/sculpted enough skinny people. I also love how lose I am applying the clay.  It gives the piece more character. Its about the overall picture and not just the tiny details.

I deconstructed the Female Portrait Sculpture and the Reclining Female and repourposed the clay for this sculpture.  It is so big that I ran out of that clay and will have to buy more.  

I get more and more excited with the piece as I spend more time on it.  Lets hope that excitement continues to grow.   

Autumn Grisaille

Autumn 

9x12

watercolor on illustration board

For Still Life 2. Grisaille or under-painting done in Burnt Umber. I went on a nice little nature walk to find these leaves.  I know California doesnt really have seasons but we do have a few kinds of trees that change.  I picked leaves that had the prettiest colors and so I am excited to add the color to this. 

Standing Figure WIP- Block-In

Standing Figure WIP

~ 3 feet

clay, aluminum wire, & wood

For Head and Figure Sculpture. The very beginning stages of my block in.  Previous step.

Not at all as far along with this as I would like.  I thought I had enough clay for the block in.  Turns out I dont.  Lame I know but it is what it is.  I am trying to avoid buying a bunch of clay.  When I took the Foundations sculpture course I bought 50 lbs of clay and didnt know what do do with it when the class was done.  I ended up giving it to the local elementary school when we moved.

On a side note, I had this song stuck in my head as I was working on this piece-

Dancing Skeleton (Skelly) WIP

  Dancing Skeleton WIP

   48 x 36

  acrylic on wood

For my my "day job".  We have a Halloween Event every year with candy and prizes and fun.  This is for the trick or treat area for the little kids. Previous step.  I have named him Skelly.  Working on this has been a nice break from my school work.  Reminds me why I love painting.  I mostly spent time today putting in the background.  I need to finish the pumpkins, add some stars, a spider web, shading on the bones, and glow in the dark paint.  A few hours tomorrow and this baby will be done!

Dancing Skeleton WIP

  Dancing Skeleton WIP

   48 x 36

  acrylic on wood

For my my "day job".  We have a Halloween Event every year with candy and prizes and fun.  This is for the trick or treat area for the little kids.  I think he looks fun.  I still want to add a spider web, haunted house, bats, and a full moon.  I bought some glow in the dark paint that I am excited to use on the skeleton, the windows on the house, the spider web and the moon.  

Orchid, Negative Space Figure Studies, Datsun at Willow WIP

Orchid

  12 x 9

  watercolor on illustration board

  For Still Life 2.  Point of View.  Seeing it on my computer I feel like there is soo much more I could do to this.  I will probably go back into it and do more. I feel like it is missing something and I just cant figure out what.  I think overall it is too red and not purple enough.  

 

  Negative Space Figure Studies

  12 x 9

  acrylic on board

  For Quick Studies.  Using the negative space around the figure to create the form.  The 1st 3 are 25 minute studies and the last two are 40 minute.  I find myself overworking the 40 minute studies.  I prefer the fresh feeling of my 25 minute studies.

Datsun at Willow WIP

  16 x 20

  acrylic on canvas

  For Quick Studies.  Creating a larger finished painting. Basic block in done from my sketch.

An Apple A Day WIP

An Apple A Day WIP

  11 x 14

  watercolor on aquaboard

  For Still Life 2.  Apple on my Mom's apple tree.  I was really having a hard time choosing between the apples and a fireplace mantel but in the end I really like the color in the apples.   I think I can get some really cool looking blends with this piece.   I am trying out another painting surface.  This one is Ampersand Aquaboard.  It is quite interesting with the watercolor.  It works a lot like the gessoed surface but a bit more forgiving.  I think (if I dont chicken out) I will be able to get some really vibrant colors.
Here is the sketch before I began painting-

Female Portrait Sculpture WIP

 Female Portrait WIP

 ~ 12 inches

 water-based clay

 For Head and Figure Sculpture.  There are a ton of imperfections in this.  It looks pretty good from this view though.

Here is the previous step-

I am taking a Leadership Class through my work and the assignment for the first week was to do a shortened version of the Myers Briggs Personality Type Indicator.  I got ENTP, which means I am- " Quick, ingenious, stimulating, alert, and outspoken. Resourceful in solving new and challenging problems. Adept at generating conceptual possibilities and then analyzing them strategically. Good at reading other people. Bored by routine, will seldom do the same thing the same way, apt to turn to one new interest after another."  I think it fits me very well.  I also had my husband take it and we are almost total opposites.  Maybe that's why we work so well :) 

Posies and Peaches

  Posies and Peaches WIP

 11 x 14

  watercolor on illustration board

  For Still Life 2.  The beginning lay in.  I need to work more on the values but I think it is coming along nicely.

This is watercolor on illustration board.  Instead of using gesso this time like I did for Tea and Posies I used Daniel Smith Watercolor Ground. It has a different feel then the gesso more like watercolor paper but smoother.  We'll see how it does when I add more layers.

Reclining Figure WIP

Reclining Female WIP

~ 6in

clay

  For Head and Figure Sculpture.  Based on Rodin's Danaide.  This is the basic block in.  Next week I will begin refining the forms.  

AAU Expo

Today I went to the AAU LA Expo in Downtown.  I got to meet and chat with my teachers, alumni, and other students.  It was an amazing experience.  I love connecting with people.  

These were done during the figure drawing workshop with Craig Nelson.  Both are 25 min poses done in watercolor.  

These are the drawings I did almost a year ago at the last LA Expo. 

Viva Tequila, Figure Quick Studies, Mugz

Viva Tequila 

watercolor on paper

 12 x 9

For Still Life Painting.  Low-key subject. A tequila bottle and some money. I guess you could say it is a statement about alcohol. 

Here is the underpainting-

 oil on canvas

 For Quick Studies. 25 minute figure studies. I am a bit out of practice with oil but I still think these turned out well. 

 Also for Quick Studies.  These are 40 minute studies. 

 

Mugz

water based clay

For Head and Figure Sculpture. Our first assignment was to create a 1:1 mug.  Once with our own technique and one taught by the instructor. This is much harder then it looks. I redid my technique twice.  First I tried to create a coil and that didnt work.  I ended up making a cylinder and then hollowing out the center.  The instructor taught technique was much much easier. 

Pacific Coast WIP, Future Site of Another Camarillo High School

Pacific Coast  WIP

watercolor on paper

  22 x 24

For Landscape Painting. Final work in progress. Previous step.  Much better.  I worked a lot on the ocean and the mountains.  I still need to do a little bit more in the ocean, concentrate on the wave, and finish the sand.  Im really liking the way this is going :) 

Future Site of Another Camarillo High School

watercolor on paper

  9 x 12

For Landscape Painting.  Paint a location that is going to be developed.  This beautiful field is the future site of another high school. This was difficult to do as it was at sunset at the beautiful highlights that were on the mountains when I started were long gone by the time I finished.

Night Tree

watercolor on paper

  12 x 9

For Landscape Painting. Another nocturne. School is about learning and I have learned that I do not like painting at night. I think it is silly.  I painted this underneath a street lamp so the colors were very different when I brought it inside.  The image below is what it looks like under the streetlamp light.