Halloween Ink and Watercolor ACEO Witches and Goblins

Witch with cauldron
Gnome stealing pumpkins
Black cat on a crescent moon.

Painted Artist Canvas with Gessoed Objects For Texture

I was playing with items that have textures. I glued the items to the canvas, covered the items with gesso (Gesso is found near artist paints. It's a surface prep, bonds to just about anything and helps firm up the objects to be painted) and then painted the canvases black. The textures from left to right/top to bottom.

bubble wrap
terry cloth wash cloth cut into strips
Spanish moss (it's used in arranging silk flowers in a pot)

excelsior
manila folder strips with paper punches
seed beads

pepper corns
foil pieces raised into shapes
feathers minus the quill (I make feather Christmas trees and the feathers are striped from the quills)

Flare Tool Painting In Photoshop

Autumn Leaf Watercolor and Pressed Leaf Print ACEO

These abstract watercolor paintings were done by pressing leaves into wet washes. Then paint leaves and press the wet painted leaves onto the dry painting.

Dizzy an Abstract Acrylic Painting of Spinning

I used to love to spin, lay down, and feel the earth move. Just in case the neighbors don't think we are odd enough, we were doing this in the yard. It's a bit more disorienting as an adult than it was when I was little.

Pictorial Map Painting Of Our Road Trip

This is a pictorial diary of a road trip we took last summer. It was fun to do a retro style painting of some of the highlights; the tricky part is having items spaced throughout since activities tend to be clustered.

We started from Minnesota

Took our photos on a giant Jackalope

Had our first blowout; the car was a year old with Goodyear tires. We found a tire repair at 4:30 on the 4th of July in the middle of the Badlands. The repairman was excited since the used replacement tire was still a virgin (no previous patches). The tire repair shop was a one car garage next to a trailer house (it was a beautiful sight).

Wall Drug and Mount Rushmore

Reptile gardens where we watched alligator wrestling and a chicken that does magic tricks.

Another flat tire in the middle of nowhere; thank goodness I bought a can of fix a flat at the last gas station (my husband thought it was a dumb purchase since who gets more than one flat on a relatively new car). Gas was $4.65.
We stayed near an amazing mini golf course in Colorado Springs. It sprinkled while we played and there were multiple rainbows.

We started to get a flat tire 3 miles from another town in the middle of nowhere and stayed the night. The owner came in on Sunday and we replaced all the Goodyear tires, including the virgin, with Toyo tires (we had never heard of them but were happy to get them). We were outrageously lucky when it came to tires.

Pikes Peak—Scariest freaking drive ever—It makes the road to Hana in Hawaii seem like interstate. The rangers check brake temperatures before letting people go back down the mountain; I have never seen so many overheated cars. At the top, the road became extremely narrow and was so fogged in we could barely make out the front of the car. My oldest daughter slept through it; along with most of the trip in the car. She did have the uncanny ability to wake up every time we drove near a rock shop.

Grand Canyon. I got a kick out of the signs telling people to stop and buy trinkets from the nice Indians.

Route 66 and Arizona desert.

Bryce Canyon is so much prettier than the Grand Canyon; I would happily go back there. My husband's name is Bryce so we purchased a bunch of stuff at the park gift shop. It might have been worse, but thanks to my daughter, we had a trunk full of rocks that had to be moved during our frequent flat tires.

Salt Lake City. I had no idea a lake could smell that bad and there were fires in California which effected the air quality in Salt Lake.

Marilyn and Scout greeting us on our return. Scout, our peekapoo, refused to get out of my suitcase for days since she thought that would ensure her coming along if we left again. Marilyn sits on her bottom, but not in the usual dog way.

Morning Mist Being Blown Across the Lake Abstract Acrylic Painting

I did this painting from a photo for a client's Lake Superior home. The mist had settled in the cold and this is where the North wind blew it away from shore.

Deep Woods Sunset Abstract Acrylic Painting

My Artist Studio Space

I love viewing artist's work spaces so I thought I'd share a portion of mine. Most of the windows face north, the other is a western exposure.












This is my desk where I do digital art and some drawing. I prefer an easel to drawing flat so I never do larger pieces here. I use my Wacom tablet as a mouse pad and I want to get a huge monitor. My westiepoo, Marilyn, has one of her beds under my desk, the lhasa poo, Zelda, prefers leather chairs.















The photo became rather foreshortened but I have 2 large magnetic inspiration boards that I put things on. I use an antique milk box to store supplies and I move my chair behind the plant to paint (it doesn't look like it but there is about a 3 foot space). The painting on the easel is a voodoo doll that I'm currently working on; the charcoal value sketch is on the magnet board to the right. I have a large upright wood easel and an antique portable drafting table that I usually use (that's what the voodoo doll is on).

The tree behind the painting is a weeping ficus that is about 5 feet in diameter. I don't have window treatments I have plants. Every south facing window is a wall of plants and if you look at them from the outside they are pressed forlornly against the glass. I have a 9 foot high palm tree that we may need to cut a hole in the roof for soon.

The other side of the room has my Fender Starcaster electric guitar, a leather chair and a 7 foot high light-up palm tree. The window on that side of the room is covered with 100s of lead glass crystals and they make rainbows everywhere when the afternoon sun shines.
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Marilyn - Acrylic Abstract Painting

No, this isn't the more famous Marilyn but she does look like a bleached blond. Marilyn is a Westiepoo with a few issues (but we love her dearly).

She's afraid of the dark so we have night lights throughout the house.
She's afraid of the wind but not thunder.
She gets carsick so we give her Dramamine.
She likes to stalk her dog food and attack it.
She needs to bring you a present when she greets you—a toy—a leaf—anything that can be carried.
She likes to wash her paws in her water bowl but hates to walk in wet grass.

Cabin Quest

Hummingbird ACEO ink drawing. I made up the flowers since our hummingbirds eat at feeders and it's too early for the day lilies that surround the cabin.





















These are the Birch and Spruce trees across the yard at our cabin. We have bluebird houses along this stretch of woods. Ink drawing ACEO















This is a bluebird nest we cleaned out of the one of the blue bird houses. We had bluebirds nest there but the house had other tenants later in summer. We did not leave the nest on the ground since we didn't want to advertise for predators.
















One of the bluebird houses. They are very picky and we used natural, not treated wood (the boards actually came from our forest area). They prefer rough wood with no perch and a 1.5" diameter hole. We have had the best luck with the houses situated near the woods but not in them and with lots of surrounding grassy areas (they like the surrounding vegetation low and sparse). We edged the yard with houses at different compass positions and they seem to prefer the ones that are protected from the prevailing winds. We only have one family per nesting season but I suspect that may be a territory issue.

Pop Art Ink and Watercolor Doodle Drawing ACEO Hidden Pictures

I painted on ACEO sized watercolor paper and then drew the pictures hidden inside the watercolor paint.

You've Heard of Christmas in July, How About Halloween in June

Lucky Mildred got 2 dead cats from the trolls under the bridge while trick or treating ink and watercolor ACEO.


















Space witch on a rocket ink and watercolor ACEO

Purple Irises Blooming Along The Pond

Blooming Irises along the koi pond. The pond attracts many birds and the ducks like to visit with their new families.

Bearded Irises; I thought they were especially luscious after an early morning rain.

Strike a Balance

The letters were balanced precariously on each other using Illustrator.

Squirrel Ink Drawing ACEO on Bristol Board

Pop Art Ink and Watercolor Hidden Picture Doodle Drawing ACEO

These are fun little doodles to do. You take watercolor splotches and develop doodles from the shapes. I use a Micron Pen to embellish the watercolors.

Boundary Waters Canoe Trip Ink Drawing ACEO

The ink sketch was done on Bristol Board with a 005 Micron Pen.

Pop Art Ink Drawing of Favorite Things ACEO

I keep little squares of Bristol Board in my purse or pocket and it's the perfect size for a quick sketch.
ATC, artist trading cards, are small sized art work that artists trade with each other. ACEO, art card editions and originals can be sold and the only rule is they must be 2.5" x 3.5". They are a popular size for collecting and numerous artists sell these little gems on eBay and Etsy (as well as other venues)
This sketch was done with a Faber Castell Pitt pen on Bristol Board. I included a guitar, paint brush, flowers and plants.

Trout Stream Ink Drawing ACEO

This sketch was done on Bristol board with a Micron Pen.  I like the invisible wall that slices through the water.

84 Sketchbook Drawing Ideas List To Jumpstart Your Creative Spirit

I've been writing drawing ideas in sketchbooks for years and these are some of my favorites.
1. Draw a jar and fill it with something that would not normally be in jar.
2. Draw an upside down light bulb and fill it with a bright idea.
3. Draw the view from a hammock.
4. What would your pet draw a picture of?
5. Design a box for an unlikely product. i.e. goldfish taxidermy
6. Draw a necktie, bow tie or scarf and design an interesting pattern on it.
7. Draw a city on another planet. What is the view from your window?
8. Draw a landscape and redraw it how you’d imagine it in other 3 seasons.
9. Draw a logo and design a business card for a favorite TV Show or book.
10. Draw a movie poster for an imaginary movie.
11. Draw your view from an airplane window.
12. Draw from the viewpoint of an insect or bird.
13. Draw an amazing sandcastle.
14. Draw what a spaceship cadet would see on the viewing screen.
15. Draw a portrait but make the person a robot.
16. Draw what you see through a magnifying glass and include the magnifying glass. (my daughter did this in grade school with conte crayons and watercolors)
17. Draw the view through binoculars and include the circles of the binoculars.
18. Draw a mad scientist’s project.
19. Draw a sculpture or whirly gig for a garden.
20. Pick a repeating shape such as a square and see how many drawings you can do incorporating the shape.
21. Combine a plant and an animal to create a new species
22. Draw a modern device as though it existed in Victorian times—steam driven?
23. Illustrate a favorite word or quote.
24. Draw from the point of view of a fish. What would the Loch Nest Monster see?
25. Draw a how to poster; ie. how to make trees grow upside down.
26. Draw a map for a journey to the center of the Earth.
27. Draw a CD cover for your favorite sing in the shower song.
28. Draw a pop art poster
29. Do a cubist portrait.
30. Draw an object from 4 different points of view and have it all exist in one drawing
31. Draw a bubble and what is reflected in it.
32. Draw a magic mirror and what is reflected in it.
33. Draw the contents Elvis’s trashcan
34. Draw a holiday window display.
35. Draw a picture of a word or feeling.
36. Draw the view through a keyhole
37. Draw the world upside down.
38. Create a mythical creature, what does a Bandersnatch look like?
39. Draw a bad idea
40. Dreams vs. Nightmare
41. What does Atlantis look like?
42. Draw a force of nature
43. Draw a cyborg.
44. If you found a lost city what would the artifacts look like?
45. What would your view be it you were an amoeba?
46. Draw the Seven Deadly sins
47. Draw the monster under your bed or in your closet.
48. Draw a well known product but make it a silly variety—Campbell’s Elephant Toe Nail soup (Warhol style)
49. Draw tea leaves in the bottom of a cup, what do you see there?
50. Draw an x-ray of a suitcase or purse filled with objects that you couldn't take on a plane.
51. Draw an elaborate mousetrap.
52. You’ve been chosen to colonize Mars and you have 5 minutes to pack; what are you bringing?
53. Draw your neighborhood in a Dr Seuss style
54. Draw you surroundings if you lived underground, what does a mole's world look like?
55. What's living in the bottom of a spooky old well?
56. What was your favorite childhood story? Illustrate it.
57. Make a poster of something people do every day i.e. tying shoelaces but make it look interesting.
58. Illustrate a favorite recipe and mail it to friends and family.
59. Do a cave drawing as though you you are a prehistoric caveman.
60. Flip through a magazine and design a logo for something that doesn't have one.
61. Make a card to use for Christmas, Valentines Day, Birthday or a Thank You card.
62. Design a T-shirt
63. Draw caricatures of people in a magazine.
64. Illustrate a cliche
65. Turn your name into a piece of art
66. Draw a pirate's treasure map
67. Design signs for silly things, I saw Bigfoot crossing signs last summer.
68. Draw a cartoon strip of the travels of an escaped helium filled balloon
69. Stuck what to fill a page with, doodle a border around the page.
70. Write someone a real letter and illustrate it.
71. Draw the negative space around an object, make it the focus.
72. Draw something in extreme closeup
73. Draw a sound, i.e. car crash, running water, gargling.
74. Pick an object and see how many ways you can reinterpret it or incorporate it in a drawing.
75. Draw a silly or impossible world record
76. Design a postage stamp.
77. Design a tarot card
78. Draw impossible track and field events, i.e. pole vaulting over the moon.
79. Draw a spooky cemetery at night
80. You are king or queen, design a flag or crest for your new country.
81. Design alphabet cards
82. Where do socks go when they are lost?
83. Draw a smell. i.e. cheese
84. Design a candy bar wrapper, tasty or gross is fine.

Vector Flower Circle Bouquet

It's cold outside so I used Illustrator to play in an imaginary garden. I know grungy, muted colors are in fashion but I prefer the brighter colors in the box.
I surround myself with color. The foyer is pumpkin orange, the dining room has a cranberry red wall, the living room has a hunter green wall, the kitchen is butter yellow with a black white border and floor and my bedroom is Caribbean blue. I don't have window treatments, I have plants.
There is a nice tutorial for doing this at bittbox