So much to celebrate!

 Champagne glasses - 8" x 10" oils

I've done a calendar for the last 5 years. It gives me focus and a goal of at least 12 new pieces. But, this year there's two big weddings in the family, plus more things to celebrate, so most of my creative energies will be focused on those things. Originally this piece was going to be January 2026, and who knows, maybe it will still end up being January 2027.

Here are the steps:

This is the first layer in acrylics, just getting it laid out.

Second layer done in oils. I love the frosty look!

Third step

Fourth

Fifth

Sixth

Seventh

The results of the seventh and eighth steps are at the top - 

fine tuning the material, and adding the bubbles to the glass on the right.

Cheers!

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June Calendar Piece

 Die cuts, drink photos, and fun paper.

Wishing everyone a great summer ahead!

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Olive - Colored Pencil Portrait

"Olive" colored pencil on toned paper

Some of the steps:

Steps one and two were on the same day.

I was excited after one session so I came back to it a couple hours later.

This was the second day. Same thing - 

I was excited so I went ahead and did the finishing touches (top image).

 Tip:

I drew the image freehand. When it looked like this, I dropped it into Procreate in a layer over the top of the photo. Then, I reduced the opacity until I could see both images at once. I was able to see where I had gotten it wrong. The one you see above is actually after I corrected it. I had drawn the eye on the right side way too low. There were also little adjustments here and there, but I was pretty happy with myself for getting so close. As it's colored pencil, if I get something wrong from the beginning, there's not much I can do about it later. 

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May 2025

 Die-cuts and digital work in Procreate

Hope you're all having a wonderful spring!

APRIL

 Die-cuts and digital work in Procreate

The month is more than half-way over and I realized I forgot to share the April page of my '25 calendar.

Contrary to the image, I've hit a bit of a dry spell. I always pull myself out of them. It's just a busy and complicated year!

This is the one bit of artwork I've done in the last month!  A little sketch of my granddaughter I did in my sketchbook. 

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Rainy Day

5"x 7" watercolor on aquaboard

This year I want to practice watercolor. I've done several in the past but have certainly never mastered it.

The look of watercolor as it flows over the paper and does its own thing, all the effects that can be achieved, the energy of it. Yeah. I want to do that!

I've never quite gotten there, but that's what practice is about. One thing that is so so important is the surface you're working on. To do watercolors, surface is everything. This little painting is on aquaboard and it certainly has its benefits. It is very forgiving. The paint will lift off the surface (for the most part) with a wet brush. You can even scratch at it with an exacto knife. That's great. But what I wasn't able to achieve is that beautiful watercolor flow. Of course that could be me and my own inexperience. But I'll try the next watercolor on a different paper. 

Here are my steps:

With this bottom one, I realized I didn't like the eyes. That one on the left is just a bit too far away and higher that the other one. What now? Again, the aquaboard is forgiving, so I did manage to fix it a bit.

the final (at the top of page) is not perfect, but I was content with it.

This one below, I did several months ago in a watercolor sketchbook. The portrait itself isn't great, and his hand is unnaturally huge, but see how the paint does its thing, especially down in his sweatshirt? I like that. That's what I'm trying to do, that I couldn't seem to do on the aquaboard.

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