Adventures in Pretty

Nature Journal in Watercolor --art class in Seattle

I am so looking forward to the class I'm teaching on Sunday! My first love was watercolor (well first came the 48 color pen set...). I know a lot of people say that watercolor is hard, but don't you believe them. It is a very expressive medium and with a few tips you'll be delighted at how fun it is. 

Nature Journal in Watercolor

Have you ever been out in nature that was so breathtaking, you wanted some way to record the moment? Watercolor is the perfect medium for capturing your emotional response to these delicious moments. In this class you'll learn easy and fun techniques to create visually rich pages mixed with journal writing. Discover what supplies to bring and how to set up to make it easy to paint next time you are on location. You'll learn how to use composition to tell your story, mixing soft and hard edges, and how to create the illusion of trees, grass, and rocks. Plus you'll go away with several ideas of how to mix in journal writing with your paintings. You'll work from your own reference photos of landscapes, animals, plants, flowers, water, or stones. This is a perfect class for those who have taken a Beginning Watercolor class or equivalent, and want to expand their skills. Join us and have fun using color and mark making, any place close to your heart!

If you'd ever like to join us-you'll find all the class info here.

And here are some of my own watercolor journal pages. 

 

Summer camping trip.
 

 

A trip to Mt. Rainier

The postcard is watercolor, craypas and marker.

Page with flap closed.

Page with flap open.

Have a fabulous day! Thanks for stopping by!

Art Workshop in Seattle: Layered Confections with Fabric, Paper & Paint

Oh what a week we've had! Two weeks ago we had four inches of snow-THIS week we had one or two days that got up to 60 DEGREES! It was glorious-the sun came out to let us all know that she was still up there, despite not seeing her for several months. Today we are back to normal-overcast, spots of rain and 49 degrees. But oh it was so nice to feel the air outside soft and slightly warm. Here is journal page I did on one of the sunny days of the view of the Olympic Mountains from my studio.

I've been working on things for Artfest, a design project for the zoo, teaching classes and also managed to get a new page (mostly) done in my journal. Like a lot of my work, this page evolved organically. I first did the right hand page with the tea cup and writing, then another day I painted the left side with Chloe cat. The last session was when I added the trees and mountains.

 

Chloe Darling. I love her coloring, however she is not the easiest to paint!

I've also been making some pretties to sell at Artfest's vendor night. These are my Story Necklaces. First I write a short story, and then I make a necklace inspired by it. I love stories and creating narrative jewelry. 

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In Seattle, WA, on Saturday, February 18, 2012, from 10 to 3, I'm teaching Layered Confections: Fabric, Paper & Paint. I'm super excited about. There are a few spaces left if you'd like to join us.

Here is what we'll be making:

You'll get to choose your own theme and colors. I'll provide the base material, and have lots of paper and fabric scraps, paint and two sewing machines for everyone to share. You are welcome to bring bits of ribbon, fabric, lace and paper ephemera from your stash to personalize it. You can either make it as a wall hanging, or a component to use in a shoulder bag, or journal cover.

 

If you'd like to join the fun-all the info is here. You do not have to have sewing or painting skills to be successful and have a good time either! You'll discover how fun it is to layer everything together and how to use paint to enhance your piece. 

The next day, Sunday, I'm teaching Nature Journal in Watercolor where you'll learn how techniques for using watercolor to illustrate your journal and record nature that delights you. I'll share more samples next week. 

 

So there you have it! Wishing you a cupcake kind of day!!!