Valentine's Day Freebie!

Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays so I created a free download for you! I found these little sloth ink pens at Oriental trading and I used them as inspiration to draw a sloth valentine. oriental trading sloth pen

There were also some really cute sloth pens on amazon: Amazon Sloth Pens

Here is the final product!

Here’s how to make these cute little sloth cards. First, download the file. Its an 8.5 x 11 sheet with four valentines on one sheet. Click the button which will take you to the image. Just right click the image and save it to your computer!

Now, print the valentines and cut them apart. Now is a great time for your kiddo to sign them as well. At my daughters school, the kids are expected to bring the same thing for all the kids in the class so it eliminates the need to write “TO: so-and-so” A time saver! However, if your child wants to write “TO” each person there is room to add that or just have him or her write it on the back.

Next, its time to figure out how to attach the valentines to your pen. I used an Exacto knife and cut an “X” up by the Sloths head and another near the line that says “I Like.” I removed the pen cap, inserted the pen into the top X and back out the bottom X and put the cap back on. Alternatively it could be super cute to use a hole punch and a ribbon.

And there you have it! Sloth valentines! I hope you and your kiddo enjoy these cards and have a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Little Red Canoe

One of my favorite things about art is that it can mean different things to different people.  So, I try not to share too much about the story behind the painting unless someone asks- and then I'm happy to!  But in this case, its a funny story that inspired the painting so I cant resist!

Growing up, my brother, cousin, and I would spend time at our grandparents' lake property.  One day my grandfather volunteered to teach me how to paddle a canoe.  So we suited up in our life vests and away we went.  I was seated in the front of the canoe and we paddled along.  My grandfather is a man of few words so I didn't think much about the silence in the back of the canoe as we paddled along the lake through the hot, steamy, KY summer afternoon.  The canoe seemed to get heavier and heavier and I got more and more tired.  I turned to my grandfather to ask him a question and figured out why the canoe was so heavy:  he'd been snoozing in the back for no telling how long!  I woke him up real quick.  He thought the whole scenario was hysterical as did the rest of the family.  Me- not so much.  

Obviously:  this painting was inspired by this silly situation.  The main characters are my brother and sister-in-law's obese beagles.  The painting is painted over lyrics- a technique I have used in the past.  I love the way the words are visible at times, and other times they are hidden.  The lyrics are from a camp song I learned in elementary school about a boy and a girl in a little canoe.  Do you know it??  

This piece is painted on a cradled panel- which I really enjoy because I can hide little funny things on the sides and bottom.  

little underwater fish

Here we are at the lake - in the canoe

Stop Thinking- Start Doing

Stop thinking and start doing is my motto for 2014.  And maybe the rest of my life!  Yes- it may also be a Home Depot or Lowes commercial.  But it's really working for me right now!  I've already completed many of my New Years Goals!  One of these goals was to learn to do some illustration on the computer.  Growing up my grandmother- a writer and teacher- always surrounded us with beautiful childrens books.  I always dreamed of illustrating one myself.  Problem is- I don't watercolor- and that's my favorite!  Well- as my dad always says:  there's more than one way to skin a cat (which is a really disgusting saying when you think about it- but anyway). I slowly have become aware the last couple of years that many artists aren't actually water coloring by hand- they are using photoshop to achieve similar results.  Major lightbulb moment.  I ordered photoshop, bookmarked a couple of tutorials, and started drawing.  Here's what I have come up with so far: 

Going to Ballet

Princess Ava

Birthday Twins

Little Girl With Carriage

Little Boy With Marble Run

I'm having so much fun with these little drawings.  Most were inspired by my friends' children.  Goal accomplished!  Which one is your favorite?

The Painting Process Part 3

Well- I'm all done with this LOVELY flower painting.  I've never actually painted a vase flowers before- that I can remember... Anyway- My other obsession- besides my family and my art- is interior design.  This painting was inspired a lot by some pretty cool stuff that I'm seeing in interior design trends.  I love me some animal print- and the new one out there is dalmation print.  I think its so much fun!  And the other is the blue willow vase.  It reminds me of my great-grandma's dishes :)  

The final step in most of my paintings is a clear coat/ varnish.  Acrylic paint tends to dull down as it dries.  A coat of varnish on top makes the colors very brilliant!  Its fun too because you really can't mess it up.  I just take a big brush and the clear varnish and paint it over the painting- trying to mimic strokes underneath.  Voila!

Here's the clear coat I use.  It's called "Gloss Medium and Varnish"

So, thats a wrap! 

Here it is over the  fireplace!  So cheery...

The Painting Process: Part Two

Note to Self:  Next time you are doing a huge, colorful painting-- do a color study first so you don't waste a boatload of paint.

I started with the yellow background- and then had a change of heart AFTER I had it all painted.  But I LOVE the new aqua background.  That happens to be my favorite color!  

The Painting Process

Step One:  

Decide What You Want to Paint

Easier said than done sometimes... There are about a million ideas in my head wanting to be painted!

Step Two:  Do some sketching!  

I keep a sketchbook to record and refine ideas- but if all you have is a piece of copy paper- Fine!  Sketch on it.

Step Three:

Prep the surface.  

I usually paint on hardboard or masonite panels.  Masonite is my preference but in really large sizes it gets very heavy.  For this painting- I am using canvas because it needs to be a really large painting to cover up the really large hole over my mantle.  Seems the original owners had a dedicated space for a box tv.

 I use basic liquitex Gesso (pronounced Jesso).  Gesso is a primer and a sizer meaning it tightens a canvas.  And no one wants to paint on a saggy canvas. It is tempting to skip this step because I want to get right to painting!!  But dont.  If you are saying- "I bought a canvas from a store and it says that its pre- primed!  So I can paint!"  Drop the paintbrush and walk away.  The canvases from the store are BARELY primed.  If you try to start painting the canvas will eat up your paint and then you will spend twice as long- and twice the $ on paint- trying to cover the surface.  PRIME IT.  Prime it good.  Prime it until the canvas surface doesn't feel gritty.  

The primer I use

Use a decent house paint type brush to prime your canvas.  A cheap brush will shed and then you will have to pick hairs off your canvas.  Not fun.  I actually used a cheap sponge brush this time and it worked ok.  You want a smooth surface to paint on.

Step Four:

The Underpainting

Every gal needs a good foundation garment-right?  Same goes for your painting.  An underpainting is the girdle of your art.  Its the traditional way to start a painting.  You use one color: burnt sienna- to draw out the painting on your canvas.  You change the value (the darkness/lightness) by using water with your paint.  This step allows you to plan out your painting.  Its like a sketch.  Its good to get everything laid out in this manner.

The underpainting

Finally:  Start painting.  

Now, I usually allow my underpainting to dry before I begin because I want to be able to paint over it without the burnt sienna mixing up with my colors.  You may want to jump right in and thats fine too. 

Adding color...

I'm having so much fun with this painting!  I haven't done any paintings this large in awhile.  (36"square) I'm so ready for spring - and I don't think it will be here any time soon - so I will just have spring in my painting.