Its ok laugh with me

Ok I am posting this so everyone can see how truly horrible my watercolor attempts are. I am looking at this and you just have to laugh. I think it may be my materials or at least that is what I am telling myself. I am going to keep trying but this does nothing for my confidence. Where is the light, the beautiful glazes? Oh they must be under the mud!

Spring Easter basket

I completed this sketch in my handmade watercolor journal. I am still very new to watercolor but really enjoy the possibilities it opens up for adding color. My goal is to do larger paintings but for now just the small ink and watercolor creations. I have read everything I can get my hands on about working with watercolor successfully but if anyone has some suggestions as to paint brands, paper or brushes please share what works best for you. I have tried it many times and just cant seem to get the desired results. So I give up!!! Not this time I am going to keep at it until I get something I am happy with.

I am still working on my sign in pages for the international moleskine exchange 68. I am struggling with the concept but keep checking I hope to have a preview posted soon.

Moly_x_68

I visit several artist blogs frequently for inspiration and motivation. A few months ago I stumbled across the moleskine international exchanges after viewing some of Andrea Joseph's contributions. I have wanted to try it ever since. Here is the web site http://moleskinex12.blogspot.com/ I recently received an invitation to moly 68. Now the hard part begins. The theme for the exchange is "vintage pin up girls". I have researched the subject on the net and I just don"t know where I want to go with mine. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

The exchange usually begins with each artist completing a sign up page for all the artists involved and designing the first few pages so everyone gets a feel for the journal. I hope to have pictures in the next few days.

Until then follow my new adventure at http://moleskinex68.blogspot.com/ I am off to get creative!

New journal

This is in my handmade journal. I am always nervous starting a new journal. I know you shouldnt worry about making the pages perfect but really who wants ugly pages. So I decided to just create a color mixing chart, how could I mess that up.

The tractor was created using pitt pens and cotman watercolors. I am still very new to using watercolor I am more a pen and colored pencil girl!

Handmade Journal & Moleskines

Here it is! This is my stack of moleskines and 1 handmade journal. I had mentioned in an earlier post that I was going to bind my own journal with heavy watercolor paper and here it is. I found an instruction video at http://milliande.ning.com/ which was very helpful.

Actually I made two journals. They are slightly different. In the first one I used 4 signatures with 4 pages and in the second one I used just 2 pages in 6 signatures. I used illustration board which I covered with brown kraft paper for the covers and handmade college papers for the end papers. I had to improvise as I didnt have any waxed thread in which to sew the signatures together but I found embroiders thread works quite nicely.

I was wanting to try to add watercolor to my sketches but I didnt want an entire journal of wrapped and buckled pages. So I made my own!

ATC's, Moleskine Exchange

I wanted to show you what I had been up to. I finished several swaps I had signed up for on swap bot. These are all atc's completed in a variety of media, including collage, pen and ink, watercolor and charcoal. I really enjoy these but I found something new I had been yearning to try.

Several weeks ago while surfing the net instead of drawing I stumbled upon the moleskine exchange. I have been drawing in moleskines for a while now and on flickr they have a group entitled international moleskine exchange. You exchange your japanese moleskine ( it opens up to one long piece of buff colored paper)with other artists after they have completed their spread. I wanted to be invited to join a group and guess what it happened! I was asked to join moly_x_68. The group is working on a vintage pin up girl exchange. I hadnt thought much about the subject but after researching it, I am so excited! But I have to get my head all wrapped around it before I get started on my sign in pages and the 1st layout. Check us out at http://moleskinex68.blogspot.com/ Pictues to follow soon. What a great opportunity to meet other artists and make new friends.

Have a great day!

Just some quick sketches. The cat was painted on acrylic canvas ATC blanks by Strathmore. They are precut and rather pricey but preform very very well. The ATC's were for a swap on swap-bot.

I am looking for artists' who would like to do a moleskine exchange. If you are interested please leave me a comment or email me. If you know how to go about this please let me know. I have looked at several moleskine exchange sites but cant find a forum for arranging new exchanges.

The top picture was a quick one in my moleskine. I am trying desperately to get this sketchbook filled. Today I am going to try binding my own sketchbook with watercolor paper. I will have pictues tomorrow. Have a great day!