PEN & INK & RED & SPARKLE

Quick pen & ink drawing I did for Tophatter.  The red bird was just right for the bidders.  Can't tell if they liked the glitter.  Still need to do more tests.  I feel like this auction site is a game.  It's so addicting for me!

The photo was awful again.  I knew it would be an issue.  I need to perfect my photography.  I really want a new camera but I don't think that's happening anytime soon.  My little cannon that I dropped in the ocean is still limping along.  Darn it!

SCHOOL PROJECT TREE

The school project tree was fun!  Not sure why....maybe because I knew it would eventually be covered with birds so mistakes weren't as important?

All the black lines are done in sharpie.  I LOVE SHARPIE! Especially on this cold press (bumpy) paper.  The pen didn't dry up and sort of soaked into the paper.

I love these lines that look like mapping elevation lines.

The trick was the sky....what trouble.  My MIL was here to witness the frustration.  LOTS of hard lines, back washes and funny white hard water? lines.  The color I used was quinacridone violet.  Ugh...don't like it.

The trunk was fun.  Lots of rust colors.

All the birdies done by Mr. Jensen's 5th grade class!

They are paper clipped to their names so I wouldn't lose track.

Mr. Jensen is at the top!

Tommy's fat pink bird. Love it!

These were such charming little birds.  Anyone know how to rotate a picture after it's loaded?

Nice brown frame to complete the work.

Everyone did such a great job.  I love that they are all looking the same direction.  Except for one!  Can you find him?

MAKING AN OWL

Made an owl for a school project with my niece!

This owl comes complete with eggs in the nest.

We had to trim all the feathers outside and it looked like a bird was killed on our lawn.

His big google eyes were so funny!

This owl was made with a Styrofoam ball carved a little bit for shape.  Then we added wire wings and tail.  Next we glue gunned tons of feathers.  We cut the feathers for more shape.  Finally google eyes and sponge beak complete the owl.  At first he the owls didn't look like it was going to be a good one but we hung in there and committed to the design.  Finally it looked good after the last feather trim.  I love owls!  Owls are my favorite.  On at least one of my new paintings I think I will add some owls.  New show coming up in April.  I need 30+ paintings for the gallery.  Whew, now I need to make sure to take pictures as I go for this darn blog!  :)

TREE PAINTING WITH BIRDS

Some of the birds are asleep!

Strange swirls...they look like snails.

Another painting I'm working on.  I added little birds and some strange circle designs.  It's hard when I get half way through the drawing stage and start changing the design.  Sometimes half of the drawing will look like a totally different painting.  SO, I always have to mentally give the painting a set of rules.  Like in this one, no full swirls without black dots or something like that....I've forgotten the rules already! HA!

PEN & INK DRAWINGS

New pen and ink drawings.

I worked on them last summer and finished them today. I do that. I draw something and then right before it's finished I stop and sometimes forget about it altogether. Luckily these were in my note book I carry all the time so I didn't forget them. As usual a bird. Also, something new, fields. Now that I think about it the drawing brings up a neat memory for me. I used to fly with my dad in his Bonanza Beechcraft when I was little and I loved looking at the world from the air. All the fields in the Hillsboro, Banks, Forest Grove area were awesome with the patterns and repetition. It's to wet to fly now but maybe I'll go up again when he's back from Palm Springs!

Now, do they need color?

DECORATED ENVELOPE SWAP

Here is a postcard and an envelope, front and back, in the theme of winter for the Decorated Envelope Swap over on swap-bot. I made a boo boo and sent the darn thing without checking the address. It needs to be sent to Canada, and I forgot to put the appropriate postage. Darn it! I'll need to come up with another little sumthin sumthin for my partner in the mean time.