Paintings and Effects

I just finished a sweet little painting I am calling~~~~ get this ~~~~ Trees.  Pretty original title isn't it ?  One thing I absolutely hated when I painted traditionally years ago and when also entering my photography in shows is the titles.  So now I just name them what they are.  Kind of like you get what you see or some wonderful saying like that.  

Karen Bonaker provided this photograph so I painted it first and then used a filter, which I am not a fan of at all.  The use of filters that is, I guess I just don't feel comfortable with filters.   I do have to admit she and I like this effect.  Now the question is it cheating ?   I really don't think so, I did paint the original painting and then just ran the filter over it .  I don't want anyone to think that digital painting is just running a filter over a photograph and then you have a painting.  Not so, it is a stroke by stroke  process just like painting with oils or pastels or any other media at your fingertips.   Am I going to make a habit of it ?  I don't think so I just wanted to play a bit.    Karen teaches Open Studio at Digital Art Academy.  Open studio is about four times a year and like the saying--teach someone to fish and they can feed themselves forever.  Now I am horrible at getting the sayings right but you get the message I hope.    Karen teaches the program and some great art theory.  

The original photograph Karen took.

The painting,   certainly Ben Konis influence here.  He is the artist I took so many lessons off of, close to thirty years ago.  His words are coming back to me, slowly.   Karen, when teaching sparks little things in my head, which in turn my little voice in my head says --Hey this is what Ben said to you.   Guess I am never to old to learn or relearn is more like it.   I wanted to put some water reflections in the trunks and just a little texture going on in the bark.  I haven't ever been an abstract painter more of a realistic painter. To the point of painting with oil on the smooth side of Masonite with a sable brush.  Like photographic with the oils and Masonite. 

The same painting but with the filter over it, certainly looks different, kind of watercolor looking.     I used Marilyn Sholin's messier brush on the painting and with my wonderful pastels.   I think they are my safety net being as I painted with them for so many years.

Well I will be back with some more zentangles, paper paintings or something that is sparking my interest at the moment. 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world.

Pretty maidens all in a row

     When we went to Dallas in October, Lane and I went to a mall and she knew of this wonderful store.  I don't even remember the name of it but I am sure it does remember it's name so I guess that is all that counts.  It had a wonderful assortment of goodies to keep us occupied looking for a while.  Well lo and behold but there was this stand filled with wonderful knobs.  Yep knobs.  I had no idea what I was going to use them for, but had to think fast to justify why I should buy some.  Ladies do have to be able to justify their purchases you know.   OK, I quickly thought, I have this little cabinet thingy that I use to hold some of my jewelry in.  Not really a jewelry ( whatever the fancy French name for cabinet is ) but just a little thingy.  So that is where they were going to go.  Lane helped me pick them out and off I went with the knobs in hand and I was  happy as a lark knowing they will be in a happy place. 

I got home and put the knobs by the cabinet and there they sat, something in the back of my head kept saying is this really where you want to put these jewel of knobs ?  Guess not, because they sat for a couple of months.   Every time I looked at them I thought poor little things they don't have a home except for sitting in the closet at the fancy smancy dressing area.  

If you remember we bought this wonderful black scrapbooking cabinet.  It had and you notice I said had, plain black knobs and just plain black fronts.   Well not any more.  The knobs are proudly displaying themselves on the cabinet where I can enjoy them daily along with my shoes I bought that are just to cool but way to big for me.  

Here they are all lined up ready to be attached and shown off.   The fronts of the cabinets are still plain but hopefully that won't be for long. 

There you go the pretty maidens all in a row. 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in Annette's world.  

A Paper Painting or Collage or just a spot of Tea

Painting in any media is a challenge sometimes.  You have this wonderful idea , sketch it on you surface and think oh man this is going to be so fun.    It started out that way and then just kind of grew into a two or three headed monster.   First I was going to make it just a pure painted paper, then go on from there.   

I blocked the painting in, that was a good thing.   Martha Stewart sorry that I used that phrase for a painting but it was for the moment.   I was getting a little sure of myself and thought hey hey this is going to work. 

Got the painted started and was having a good time and then one morning came in and looked at it and thought OMG,  texting slang there and sometimes it just works OMG.  That background or something is not working.  Now it has been years since I have done traditional art and remembered to turn it upside down.  Well at this point upside down, sideways or just the backside of it wasn't going to help.  A friend, Marilyn suggested to hold it up to the mirror.  I had forgotten that, thanks Marilyn.  

I was tearing paper, remembering that in scrapbooking if you tear a certain way you don't get the white edges.   Then I thought OK, how about some lace and a dryer sheet ?  That would work.  So that came next.  I knew the dryer sheets were good for something else. I don't really use them but had read somewhere that you could use them.   so now I proudly have a box of them in the utility room ready to do their job of softening something and then to the art room.   I did use one to make my fairy Gossamer Moon Dancer.  So why not a teapot ?   

I then found a broken  Christmas star thingy and cut it up.  It was like a capiz shell or whatever you call it  and thought that would work also.   I just glued and cut to my little hearts content. 

Here is the sketch, it is on a recycled canvas.  I did have a cupcake on there and thought no don't want that, might make me hungry while painting it. 

The blocked in painting, still a cupcake but not for long.   When you block them in sometimes you can see your problems.  I guess I just was not  looking good enough or my eyes were looking at the cupcake wondering what wonderful flavor it was. 

A close up of the shell that I added to the painting.   Now remember these things don't look to spiffy up close.  

A close up of the lace and dryer sheet.  Don't you know it thinks it is the cat's meow for not ending up in the trash and on a painting.  Well, if dryer sheets think that is.  I don't think they do. 

Here you go the finished painting.  I changed part of the background and left some pink showing thru and thought that was the culprit.  It just had to much reddish going on in it.  Needed some more of the foreground color somewhere else in the painting. 

OK, that is it for now.  I have another one in the works and it should be fun.  I know this was suppose to be also, but this next one should be.  Well, if I don't get to detailed with it.    I do have to remember when I painted traditionally that I use to work on the smooth side of masonite to get  a super real looking still life with my oil paint and a wonderful sable brush.   Oh that felt good to paint with a sable brush and was so nice and smooth.  I painted forever on a subject.  We are talking layers and layers.  I keep reminding myself if I painted this digitally I could just delete the layer and go on my merry way.

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in Annette's world.  You just never know.

A few more Zentangles

Happy February, we have to write and read fast.  This month, even though it is  just two days short seems to just fly by.  It is a good time to trim roses , usually valentines day it the target day and then you get beautiful roses in about 6 weeks or so.  If you miss it by a day or so I don't think they will know the difference.  I have not noticed them wearing a watch or checking the calendar. 


OK, I know these calming pieces of art work are fun and so habit forming but I just had to post a couple more of them.  I am doing several a night.   Every time I get by the TV watching chair, that pad and pen just jump in my hand.  Now grant you other activities happen in the chair besides watching TV.  The list starts with petting our fur babies, eating a snack, petting the fur babies, reading my art magazines,  doing Zentangles and petting the fur babies.  Now these babies are not inside dogs but we let them in to get love while Eldon fixes their food and of course getting a snack for them.

The last few nights have been so cold, I mean massive cold---like zero, 5, and 6 ish.  that is to cold even for them to go to their tropical hideaway.  Which we don't tell them is the back garage for the plants and have a couple of heaters in there for the plants.  We just disguise  it as a tropical hideaway.   

Back on track here, so I am showing you a few more Zentangles.  If you haven't tried it you really need to, I know you are saying I can't do it.  Yes you can and after the first one is done you think hey that was OK and I need to do more.  

The leaf, well it started out as a leaf.  If you really look you can tell it is there. 

This one may be one of my faves, if just started growing and finished up all on it's own.   They do that, just take their own little personalities.

The little dragon flies, I love them in the late summer.  When I am mowing the back, Eldon does the front, they just follow me around.  Not sure why, maybe the hat I wear with the hot pink and lime green hatband.  Maybe they like those colors also.    This one I started with the little dragon flies and built around them.   The little curly ques are just so easy and cute.

OK, I promised not to get to carried away.   I hope you try some of these.  Remember just paper and a micron or fine tip pen and you have all the supplies you need.  These in real life are 4 inches or so, no bigger.   I have tried a few bigger ones last night.    My friend Suzanne is doing full page ones, she is the brave one. 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world.