Laly Mille’s online course, “Wild Roses” has rekindled my love for painting roses. So I decided I would work on two 4×4 canvases and paint a single rose on each one. These canvases have lots of layers. I thought of creating the usual layer of texture like I’ve done on my other paintings but that didn’t feel right. So I opted for lace doilies and tissue paper for a more romantic feel.
These paintings aren’t finished yet as there are still more layers to go. It takes a bit of time creating the layers but it’s so much fun. So stay tuned and let’s see where these go…
Hope this inspires you to create today, thanks for stopping by!!!
I can’t believe yesterday was Day 12 and the last day of Amy Maricle’s Inchie Challenge at Mindful Art Studio.
I had such fun creating these inchies in varying sizes. I guess what I liked the most is that you’re given a starting point on what to create with the prompts given. You don’t have to burn a fuse trying to decide on “what” you’re going to create. You only need to think about the “how” part of the creation process.
Plus I love seeing everyone’s creative muse at play. There were so many wonderful designs, loved them all! Now I have to make a mini journal to put these into 😊
Hope you enjoyed this adventure in art with me, thanks for stopping by!!!
Have you ever been in a tough spot and found you didn’t react to the situation as your best self? You let your feelings and emotions get the better of you. I know it’s happened to me many times during my life and I’m sure you’ve had some moments too.
Learning about personal growth helps us to become a better person and teaches us not to react so harshly and negatively in certain situations. It helps us to better understand ourselves and those around us so that we may live happier and more meaningful lives.
Brendon Burchard is one of New York Times best selling authors and he’s also one of the leading Life Coach and High Performance Trainers in the industry. Brendon wrote “The Motivation Manifesto,” to help the reader with personal growth by reclaiming personal power and freedom.
This is a well written book and Brendon does an excellent job explaining the nine declarations of motivation and personal power so the reader is equipped with the knowledge needed to unleash their inner strength. In addition, he also includes strategies and exercises to help apply these principles to life. Plus Brendon gives insights from his own personal journey and from some of the greatest leaders in history.
Growing up, dad kept the most beautiful rose garden. I used love to walk through and look at all the different colors and varieties of roses. Each one was unique and absolutely lovely.
Laly Mille is a very talented mixed media artist in France and has a romantic style of painting. When I saw she offered a course on roses I couldn’t resist. So this past weekend I immersed myself in her online course, “Wild Roses.”
It was a well taught class where you create this beautiful mixed media canvas. Laly did an excellent job teaching how to paint the roses plus color mixing, composition, tips and techniques. She also explained about adding light and shading to the painting.
I learned new things that I’ll be using in my paintings including new supplies that I hadn’t thought to use before. So I’m looking forward to creating art with these new techniques.
I need to work on my composition a little more because my painting is a bit busy and should’ve left more to the imagination. But after painting the roses, I fell in love with them and didn’t have the heart to cover them up. So I decided to leave them as they were. I plan on doing a few more practice runs on paper before doing a large canvas to see what speaks to my heart more.
If you’re interested, I highly recommend Laly Mille’s online course, “Wild Roses.” It was an absolute delight!
Hope this inspires you to create, thanks for stopping by!!
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“The rose speaks of love, silently in a language known only to the heart.” ~Unknown
Amy Maricle at Mindful Art Studio is hosting another Inchie Challenge. I participated last year and had so much fun I couldn’t resist joining again.
The idea is to create a small piece of art based on a prompt provided by Amy, every day, for 12 days. You should use 2×2 inch squares of paper but I already have varying sizes cut so I’m using what I have in my stash.
We all face challenges and struggles. At times you may want to give up and call it quits. But when you dig deep, you’ll find that all of the challenges you’ve faced in your life have made you stronger and wiser. So as unpleasant as they may seem, keep going and get through it. You’ve got this!!
These words of encouragement are by Mohandas Gandhi and are featured on my abstract art:
“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggle develops your strength. Whe you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”
Really love this quote. I hope you’re having a great week so far!
I was clipping images and words from a magazine to add to my journaling stash and came across an image with a lady in a black dress and large hat. I really liked it and thought it would make a nice journal layout.
I needed her to be looking at something beautiful, something that could take your breath away. What kept coming to mind was my dad’s love for the mountains. I remember gazing at them on our trips in awe, they were absolutely serene and majestic. So that’s what I went with. It’s a simple journal layout but I love the color combination on this one.
I finished it off with a quote by Helen Keller that reads:
“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.”
I hope this inspires you to create, thanks for stopping by!!
I created a few more pages in my handmade botanicals journal and thought I’d share them with you. These latest ones are flowers. I’ve been practicing painting loosely which can be quite a challenge for me at times. But I must say it’s been pretty fun!
What do you do to loosen up so you can create?
Have a wonderful weekend, thanks for stopping by!!
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“Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere.” ~Carl Sagan
You’ve seen art that you fell in love with but didn’t buy it because where would you hang it? Do you need a frame or no frame? What style of frame? Should it be a frame with glass or without?
Have you ever felt overwhelmed with all these questions? I know I have. Buying art to decorate and hang in your home can be a daunting task but it doesn’t have to be. So here are a few things to consider:
When buying a work of art, photo or print think about where you’d like to hang it in your home and make sure the size you pick will fit in your space. If it’s a small piece you may want to group several together, otherwise your are will be lost on the overwhelming wall..
Choose a frame style that goes with your decor. Whether it’s modern, traditional, gallery, floating or anything in between pick a frame that fits your taste. Most artists however, will create paintings on canvases that don’t require a frame. But if you want to make more of a statement or increase the size of the art, then a frame (without glass) is recommended plus it’s a nice finishing touch.
Photos and Giclee prints or paintings created on paper will need a frame with glass. You may want to consider getting a frame with UV glass to protect your art from fading and becoming discolored over time.
The depth of your frame will depend on your art. Canvas paintings will need a deeper frame to hang flush on the wall so make sure you measure the depth and buy the frame that will properly fit. A print or painting on paper won’t need anything that deep since it’s flat.
Matting is another option which will increase the size of your finished piece. In general, canvases should not be matted. But prints and paintings on paper can be matted. When selecting a mat choose a color, texture and thickness that complements your art.
You want to create an eye catching display with your art that enhances the harmony of your home. Remember, if you change the style of your living space nothing is set in stone. You can easily change the style of the frame and give an old painting a new look.
One last thing, Jane Seymour wrote in one of her books that she changes the art in her home frequently depending time of the year and her taste. The extra paintings are simply stored until she’s ready to switch them out. I like this idea because you can buy several paintings for one room and change them whenever you feel like a refresh!
Hope you found these tips useful, thanks for stopping by!!
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“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.” ~Oscar Wilde
Happy August!! I can’t believe that more than half the year has already flown by. With all of this summer heat, I’m definitely ready for the cooler weather this year.
Dick Blick Art Supplies was hosting a watercolor contest so I thought it was a good opportunity to practice my portrait painting skills. I worked on her for some time and this was my entry into the contest. I named her “Crystal” because of her crystal blue eyes.
I feel I’m getting better but the eyes are still a bit wonky. However, I recently found a better technique to get them more even so I’m working on that at the moment. I love how her hair turned out, it took lots of layers. Overall I was happy with the painting I entered into the contest. There are so many talented artists who entered and inspired me to keep going!
Hope this inspires you to create today, thanks for stopping by!!
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“If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed.” ~Unknown
Flowing Waters Art 