whip 3 - the one with the dragonfly hair...

About halfway through her hairdo, whip3 made it quite clear that a few dragonflies were needed... and she didn't have to tell me twice... 8-1/2 x 11 canvas panel, watercolor crayons, ink, paper, paper flowers, spackle...

Honored...

So very honored to be spotlighted on Sherri's incredible blog this week!

Ok - the link function isn't working for me (user error?) lol But here's the url... to copy and paste...

http://indigoearth-indigoearth.blogspot.com/2012/06/creative-magic-series-featuring-sandi.html

50 Shades of...?

My 3rd in this series of girls... which I call my Whip girls... (my take on WIP - work in progress)... yet all of them seem to have this sexy undertone going on.  What's up with that?????

Join me! I doodle too, two, 2!

cry harder...

one of the lessons I learned at Brave Girls Camp last year  (OMGosh, it's been almost a YEAR) was 'cry harder'.  I am not a crier.  I learned to suppress tears when my dad died.  It's rare that I cry, and it's rarer that someone SEES me cry.  I cry INSIDE. 

At Camp, the Red Carpet can become quite emotional... and many of us cry.  And what's the first thing we always DO when we cry? We say "I'm sorry"... "I don't know what's come over me"... and the staffers response?  CRY HARDER.  It's quite freeing...

I'm still not a crier.... but when the tears DO strike, I let myself cry harder.  My art journal pages this week aren't 100% complete... but I thought I'd share anyway.  The first is my little birdie... with cry harder:

the next one is very close to my heart -  those that know me through the program know that my favorite prayer is the St Francis Prayer - our 11th Step Prayer.  I was playing with Tar Gel, drizzling it onto my page, then coloring in the loops with my markers... and I decided the prayer would be what filled the colors...

Tar Gel is fun to work with. 

The next one is a bit quirky - I sprayed my Dylusions and walked away.  When I came back I looked at it, and saw faces.  So I outlined the faces... and unfortunately I ascared myself... so that was my  journaling. 

Supply List - I Doodle too, two, 2!

Ok friends - I've done the best I can with this - it's hard with this one, because there are SO many different things you can use, and create a similar look to what I've done.  So I am going to show you what *I* used, and you can choose for yourself to go with my supplies, or experiment on your own.

First, all the same supplies for I doodle, do you, apply here, since we will be learning to draw the eye doodle.  This:

So your paper and markers are once again called into play.  And of course, when we add a doodle to a mixed media canvas, like this:

 SO, now on to CREATING that mixed media background...

1) Canvases or canvas panels.  Available at all the craft stores, and online.  NOT hugely expensive, and you don't need HUGE  canvases.  Start smaller... and be prepared to make booboos.  LOL  For first timers, I would recommend using the canvas panels instead of a stretched canvas.  You will have more control over what you apply to it, and in how your doodle sticks down. 

2) A brayer will be your best friend.  They can get pricy, so if that is out of the question, use a rolling pin.

3) Spray sealer.  I am a spray sealer fanatic.  I have the WORST luck with smearing things, seriously, I can smear the most permanent of things.  So I learned to seal EVERYTHING with a spray before moving on to 'the next step'.  I prefer a matte spray sealant. 

 

4) Paint brushes.  I don't like the foam brushes, they seem to just soak up WAY too much paint and stuff... stick with a regular paintbrush.  DON'T spend $$ on this - you can pick up the cheapest ones and still do just fine.  I buy a bag of brushes for around $5.99.  

 5) an old gift card or credit card or room key to spread paint.  Best tip Melody Ross taught me.  LOL  

6) Matte Mod Podge, or any Matte Medium to collage with.  I love the Pam Carriker Mixed Media Adhesive, but it I use it more for collaging than adhering the doodle to the canvas.  Plus it's a little pricier so using it just for adhesion of a large drawing wouldn't make $$ sense.

7) Paint.  Regular old craft paint - the kind you can get for $.99 a bottle.  Choose a few of your favorite colors!  I like to mix and match with enamels and regulars, gives some depth...

8)  Watercolors.  LOVE working with watercolors - I picked up a kids set in Michaels for a couple of dollars and it works just fine.

9) Watercolor Crayons.  THIS is my alltime favorite go-to item.  I've only used the Caran D'Ache Neocolors.  They are the ultimate in excellent, but I have no comparison to give you.  I don't know if the store brand watercolor crayons are horrible or not - if anyone DOES know that, please chime in.

10) Tissue paper, sewing patterns, book paper... all great for collaging onto a canvas for a background.

11) White pen.  There are many different opinions on quality of white pens, my preference is a Signo Broad Uni-ball.  I don't know how easy it is to find these, I was lucky enough to have a few sent to me by one of my besties, Mel.  

12)  Spray ink.  Fantastic for creating quick, easy and perfect backgrounds on an art journal page.  I am in LOVE with the Dylusions spray from Ranger.  

So there you have what I can think of so far... happy shopping!  Questions? Just ask. 

Whip 2

I'm SO enjoying these Whips... I think they will all be Whips.  And they will all have really cool hair. 

This Whip is a 5"x7" canvas panel.  I used Caran D'Ache watercolor crayons, paint, book paper stained with Dylusions spray, artists pen, Rock Candy Crackle paint... and probably a few dozen other things scattered around my studio. 

Thanks for looking!

i doodle too, two, 2!

Wanna learn this?

How about a doodle like this?

 

 Or backgrounds like this?

 Or incorporating your doodles on to a mixed media canvas?

Let me teach you...  Class is tentatively scheduled to go live July 15, 2012. 

I will not be teaching HOW to do the mosaic doodles in this class - if you haven't taken "i doodle, do you?", then now is the time... 

This class will focus on how to draw the eye doodle, using different media to create backgrounds and bases for doodles, and using your markers direct on a canvas.  

I promise you'll have fun, if you enjoyed "i doodle, do you?" please come join me in "i doodle too, two, 2!"

I Doodle Too, Two, 2!

Coming soon... I Doodle Too, Two, 2! Why the funny name? Well, the 'too' is because if you've taken 'I Doodle, Do You?' then you are doodling 'too'.  The 'Two' is because it's the second of my online classes.  And the '2' is because we'll be covering 2 different things in this new class.

We're going to learn how to incorporate our doodles into and onto other things like canvases and canvas panels.  We're also going to learn how to bring the doodle into our art journaling, so we'll be doing some backgrounds.  And an eyeball will probably be making it's way into it also... ;-)

Let's take the Doodle to a whole new... level.  :-)

whip...

Meet Whip. After weeks of calling her my WIP, (work in progress) I finally finished her. She was a true labor of love.

She's available in my Etsy shop - link is over there to the right somewhere ----->

just me...

I am an artist.

I am right brained.

I am filled with creativity, yearning, passion and a love of color and beauty.

My mind works differently than a left brained person. I see numbers and start twitching. The only numbers I care about are the ones I can draw.

I have nothing against left brained people. The world needs them in order to survive. They are logical and think things through before jumping in.

I jump without thinking.

If there is a blank canvas in front of me, my inner artist jumps for joy and splashes paint everywhere...

I think if I cut myself I would bleed ink and paint... and perhaps a nice gel medium. Matte finish of course.

My eyes see art in everything. I look at a person and think about how I would shade their face if I drew them. I see the color of their shirt and wonder which ink would be the best match for it.

I stand in the art supply aisles and stare... taking in all the wonderful tools and thinking about how I would use each one.

I speak in a different language to other artists - that of finishes and colors, of masks and textures, of balance and beauty...

I am passionate about life. I am passionate about love. I am passionate about art.

My sobriety gave me the opportunity to grow. My Higher Power took away my fear of exploring a creative life. And in turn, has opened a door into a world filled with such incredible beauty that it almost takes my breath away on a daily basis.

If you are lucky enough to have an artist in your life, embrace them. Love them. Smile at them when they disappear into their own heads... because you know they are dreaming of their next creation. When they are excited and happy, be happy and excited with them. When they are down and discouraged... push them into their studio. For it is there that they will find the peace and the sanctuary that they crave.