Color

I've been playing with acrylic craft paints lately. They are great for design work and tons of fun to use! They come in lots of different colors so there is little mixing. It's fun to see all that color lined up in a box. I've done very little with paints in the past and I'm really enjoying them now. So much color!

The inspiration for this painting came out of a fantastic book about Russian printed textiles. I checked it out of the library, kept it way past when it was due back, and have now ordered it. The book is full of beautiful pictures of prints, one of which caught my attention right away. I loved the flowers in this one print so I redesigned them into a painting. I first used pen and markers to arrange and design and then switched to the acrylics. I'm not sure if the painting will simply hang and add color in our almost completed studio or continue to be developed, maybe into a fabric design? 

xo Abby

Canvaswork

Canvaswork, needlepoint in the U.S, was the second technique I learned at RSN. I was never in the slightest interested in needlepoint until I learned the technique and saw some beautiful examples of other students work. I guess I never really thought of it as an art form, but I found out it is and it's fun! The piece is a picture of my home. I took a photo and stylized it to look like American Folk Art. My inspiration came from the american folk artist, Mattie Lou O'Kelley. I love her work, it's so colorful! The clouds in the piece are what we now refer to as "Mattie Lou O'Kelley" clouds. In fact as I look out the window I can see some, dark and dramatic underside and bright white tops. It's beautiful in combination with a green field and dark trunks with a green haze surrounding them. I love the green of spring. Part of what I see in my home, growing up here, made it's way into the piece. I tried to combine several seasons in the picture. I love fall and the bright colors of the trees but I also love the bright yellow green of spring. Of the three pieces I completed at RSN this one is probably my favorite. Although, they're so different it's hard to say. 

I completed this piece and my silk shaded piece around the same time, just before I started for home  last December. I'll be posting a picture of my silk shaded carrot soon.

xo Abby

Art Markers

Last week I got home from a long day and found a package had arrived in the mail. I love mail in the first place but when it contains art markers (or art supplies in general)…that's the best! A couple weeks ago I started playing with a small set of markers, trying some fashion illustrations for fun. Markers are great for getting a lot of color down quickly. Previously while designing projects I would use colored pencils. They're great but they need building up to get the vibrancy markers give in a couple strokes. 

It's been fun learning how to use (and not use) art markers (I have one face that is almost completely grey, ick). Above is my first successful illustration. 

xo Abby