Sunday, December 20, 2009

MERRY CHRISTMAS!


Christmas bear, originally uploaded by kquilts.

I just needed to get in here and tell everyone who reads (all 12 of you ha ha) Merry Christmas. This will be a busy week for most of us with the holiday upon us this week.

The little bear is a stuffed animal I bought at the local grocery store. I passed the time drawing him, while waiting for my sister in law to do her grocery shopping. I used watercolor pencils, watercolor paints and white gouache for the fur trim on his hat. All in all, he is a cute fellow. Have a happy and safe holiday to one and all!

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Hydrangeas in basket


Hydrangeas in basket, originally uploaded by kquilts.

I have taken 2 classes now on painting with acrylics-each class meet once a week for 6 weeks. This picture is from the second class set. I learned a lot in this class and look forward to more. I would like to work on some landscapes and maybe portraits. We have done 2 still lifes. Class won't pick up again until mid January. I'm still working through the artist's journal class Kate Johnson is teaching, plus am busy with Christmas being so near.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Mom


Mom, originally uploaded by kquilts.

I painted this portrait on the 24th of November- 4 years after Mom passed. She was a wonderful Mother and lady. She always encouraged me in what I wanted to do, and always had confidence in me that I could do whatever I wanted to do. Mom-I miss you every single day. I love you (I hope you know that). You were a wonderful person and the whole family love and miss you.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Handmade Journals (or not)


Covered journal, originally uploaded by kquilts.

A lot of people are making journals lately, and I was inspired by that. Last year I made one and have only done one sketch in it. I didn't like the fabric I covered that one with. This is a commercially made journal by Aquabee with 93 lb paper in it- labeled for use with both wet and dry media. I have covered it with quilting cotton to make it look pretty. Maybe I will be more likely to use and fill this one.

This is going to be used in Cathy Johnson's Keeping an Artists' Journal class I signed up for. It starts tomorrow!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

apple October Monthly Sketch Project Challenge


apples, originally uploaded by kquilts.

I am participating in the new Monthly sketch project and this was my attempt at the apples photo Leslie Hawes provided for the challenge. The red apple was not difficult, but I really had a difficult time with the green one getting it the color that I was satisfied with. I have been taking classes in acrylic painting so decided that I would use acrylics for this project.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Class-phase 3


Class-phase 2, originally uploaded by kquilts.

This was done during the third of 6 acrylic painting classes. I still need to work on foreground area and do some corrections on the taller of the jars. I also need to work on the basket of daisies. I hope to finish this with the next class. I do hope to sign up for another session of these classes. I do feel I learn more in a classroom setting than on my own.

Class-phase 2


Class-phase 1, originally uploaded by kquilts.

Today was the second day of my acrylic painting class. It went well. We went over some things and then started doing underpainting to establish the values in the painting- not so much detail yet. The teacher said that we will probably take 2 more classes to get get in the details and refine to the finished piece. I'm enjoying this class very much and would like to take the follow up class that starts in late October.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Still life


Stiil life, originally uploaded by kquilts.

Yesterday was the first day of the acrylic painting class I signed up for. I really didn't know what to expect. First day we were shown an arrangement that was set up on a table. Each side of this arrangement had a very different look. We were told to sketch the side of the arrangement that appealed to each of us, and the teacher walked around the room giving advice. Then she had us crop the image down to what we really wanted to include, and what to leave out. Next we redrew the final image on an 11 x 14 canvas.

This was all that we did on the first day. Next Tuesday we begin painting. I really think I am going to like this class. The course lasts 6 weeks.

I also have started an art journal, but really don't have anything yet to show on that front.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Time for art


IMG_0704, originally uploaded by kquilts.

This picture was taken at Sonoma Coast State Beach, up along the bluffs we hiked a week ago. I really liked this shot because of the bumble bee in it. I will be working on a painting or wc pencils (not sure yet which- aybe bot) of this one sometime this week and just thought if I put the picture up now, I will be more likely to follow through with this idea. Making the time to do the art work is hard for me and so I am looking for ways to encourage myself to do this. We shall see if this works.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Bodega Bay


Bodega Bay, originally uploaded by kquilts.

California's San Joaquin Valley gets hot during the summer months. This past week has been in the 100 plus degree range most days, so my husband and I decided to go someplace much cooler- which for us means the coast. The dilemma was deciding north or south. We opted to go north on the coast to Bodega Bay.

It was much cooler there by about 40 degrees, and we encountered a lot of fog, but it felt nice after the heat of the valley.

This little sketch was done at Sonoma Coast State Beach. I was sitting up above the beach because it was cold and starting to get windy.

We hiked the bluffs and saw all sorts of birds and one deer and a snake then went back to the car and had lunch. Then Bob went on another little hike while I stayed closer to the car and painted.

It was a lovely way to spend a weekend.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Day-lily





June is here and I have joined a blog that will hopefully keep me on track with my art goals. My June goal: I want to paint twice a week and sketch 5 days. I'm also planning to be better at posting on this blog.

Yesterday we went to Yosemite and later on this week I'll have something put up here for that. Today I played with watercolor paints and I painted this day-lily flower. I see them a lot here in California in the summer. My watercolor version of this did not make me happy at all so I did another version of it using the Neocolor II watersoluble wax pastels (I would personally just call them watersoluble crayons). This one I liked much better. I seem to have a bit more control with these. Plus it's just plain fun coloring like a kid again.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

EDM #1 Shoe


Shoe 2, originally uploaded by kquilts.

Well it's been a while since I put anything up on the blog. Life has been busy lately. I'm hoping it will soon settle down. My father had his surgery and is recovering nicely.

Here is my EveryDay Matters challenge. Draw your shoe. This was drawn with my new pen set. I bought a Faber Castell PITT pen set in sepia ink. Who new sepia was green? I always thought it was brown. Now I know. I have the black set also. I really like these pens. I tried the Rapidosketch pen in the 000 size and didn't really bond with it, so I gave it to my husband who is now beginning to sketch. I also went online and found another PITT pen set in Sanguine. Maybe that will be brown.............

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Garden Gate


The Garden Gate.
I made this quilt 1 1/2 years ago. I loved the colors and wrought ironwork. I really love florals anyway. We had spent the weekend in Ft. Bragg California for my birthday and this was one of the souvineers I brought home. I usually have to check and see if there are any quilt shops or fabric shops in the area we are traveling in and sure enough Ft Bragg had one!

The white tag on the left side was a label that was put on it for our local quilt show that took place April 18 and 19

My loving husband is the photographer here. You can see this and some of his other pictures at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jestrbob/

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Rhododendron


Rhododendron, originally uploaded by kquilts.

I have been wanting to participate in the Virtual Sketch Date challenge for months now. I finally sat down this last week and made two attempts at the chosen picture. I liked this one best of the two. The reference photo was by
Jeanette Jobson. I enjoyed this process a lot. It was interesting to look at all the different ways other artists approached this challenge.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Sketching and waiting.....


cottages, originally uploaded by kquilts.

I had planned to do this little lesson with watercolor wash along with the ink, but ended up using water soluble pencils instead. It just seemed easier to do it this way, as I was at the hospital waiting as my Dad had some tests done. I do like these pencils, but found the sky challenging. I didn't want a flat wash, I wanted it kind of mottled looking. I tried out a new Rapidosketch pen on this little picture. It worked pretty well, but it's going to take some getting used to.

.




While waiting for the nurse to take Dad in for tests I sketched this picture. He was napping and snoring quite loudly. When he woke up I showed him the sketch and he thought it was ok.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Ink & watercolor wash cottage


Ink & watercolor wash cottage, originally uploaded by kquilts.

I like looking at and trying out little painting lessons I see on the "net". This is one I found by Raymond Whitehouse. It was a lesson in ink and monotone wash. I really liked this technique. It just seems like it is easier- a very low stress technique. I'm not trying for perfection. That would drive me crazy.

Tomorrow I'll be working on another one that has more colors to it. I'll also be trying out my new pen- a RapidoSketch pen. I'm not sure if I'll take my little travel watercolor set with me, or watercolor pencils- maybe both. I can then decide at that time which I would like to use.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Karens bluebird


I painted this little bird last year. He just reminds me of spring and warmer weather. I really don't like the cold. I know... this is California and we are nowhere as cold as a lot of the United States get, but 75 or 80 degrees would feel real nice. I'm thinking I may go back and paint this one again.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Second picture


Okay obviously I didn't get this right the first time or both pictures would have shown up on the first message. This is my great niece.

New Blog


This is a new experience for me. I have never blogged before and hope I'm doing this right. Today I'll just share a couple of pictures I drew this week.