Illustration Friday "Cat"

I started with a pastel sketch from my “reject” files...opened in Photoshop to experiment with colors, filters, layer effects etc. Also, I copied one of my papercut designs onto a layer adding an interesting texture to the image. It's great to be able to create an image like this to use as a thumbnail for pastel, oil or watercolor painting.

Blind Contour Friday

Well, six more days ’til we move! Another one of those "I just can't get up off the bed" blind contour drawings. Looked to the right...there was the lamp and my watercolor brushes in a ceramic cup thing on the night stand. Looked to the left...there was the 4 shelf "tower" with a bud vase & silk flowers on top of the small TV on the top shelf...and the stereo receiver on the shelf under that. And I said to myself, “...gotta pack that, too.”

Strawberry Break

Taking a break from packing for our move to NY next week! Pastel sketch from one of Dad's photos. I added the berries for a splash of color.

Art Class

Insomnia attack. Couldn't sleep, so I scanned in a pastel sketch of dancers and mutilated it in illustrator & pshop. Now that I got that out of the way, I guess I'll go to bed.

Illustration Friday “E is for...”

Erika, my youngest of 3 daughters, who is a phenomenally talented artist. This is a pastel self portrait she did a couple of years ago (without any formal art training). After obsessing over possibilities for this week's illustration, I decided to go with the first thing that popped into my head. So, Erika, this “E” is for you.

BCFriday the 13th

Took time out from thinking about getting ready to move in a couple of weeks to blind contour draw Bubby on the bed. I'd just about rather do anything than get ready to move, much less think about it. Thank you for stopping by.

Gone Coastal

Two (watercolor + pastel) alternates for Illustration Friday "Sea".

North American Brown-Breasted Bushy Tail

Watercolor, a little pastel and X-acto blade scratching.

Illustration Friday “Sea”

Delicate balance.

Allie’s Story

I've been meaning to post this little series of photos for a long time. This is my daughter, Allison...about 20 years ago. If you scroll down several posts to "Christmas Eve", you can see that she survived my mothering.(click on image to enlarge)

My Brain

This is my EDM challenge entry for "something from the past year". It's something I discovered last year that changed my life: sketch-blogging. The words came to me in the middle of the night last night. Scary, but true.

Clover Dancers

Cutout dancers + clover pastel combined in Photoshop. Happy January!

Dancers

2 more cut paper compositions. Expressions of my love for dance. In the first one, I've used one of my floral pastel paintings. 30 minutes to 2006! Thanks to everyone for sharing their art & soul...and for all the wonderful comments. As for resolutions: As I start a new phase in my life, empty nesting in New York with my husband, I plan to take advantage of all that New York has to offer while continuing to practice, learn and refine my fine art. Another biggie: to GET OUT and mingle; exchange ideas; make new friends and try to stay healthy so I can paint ’til I drop many many years from now. Now I gotta go get the champagne ready. See y’all next year!

Illustration Friday "Flavor"

Erika and Nelly enjoying flavors of the day in Myrtle Beach a few years ago.

More Fun with Cut Paper

Good ol' paper and scissors like making snowflakes in grade school art class. I like to experiment with different folds...ie. I accordian folded with the folds converging on a point to cut the figures dancing in a circle. The decorative background was created using a french fold and diagonal fold combination. Nothing is drawn, it's just me, the paper, the scissors and Photoshop...and in this case, Planes, Trains and Automobiles on the TV.

Christmas Eve

Allie, Nelly and Erika waitin' for Santa baby.

Illustration Friday "Holiday"

I created this image with cut paper pieces (below), scanned into photoshop, colorized, multiplied and arranged. Happy Holidays everyone, everywhere!

Blind Contour Friday

"The Kids" trimming the tree (finally!). Actually, I BCdrew the kids separately and added them to the BCtree drawing...so it's 2 bc drawings for the price of one! Merry Christmas y'all.

Christmas Card

I made a card this afternoon for friends who have a summer home in Hilton Head. This is their Hilton Head house around which I created a snowy Christmas eve.

When EDMs Collide

This composition was inspired by Detlef Jumpertz's "Fish drawing" and C.J. Zeke Miller's "Stop and Shoot the Cadillacs" EDM posts.