Let that be a lesson to me...

I've been working on both versions of my art journal workshop exercise off and on for the past few days, squeezing in a scribble here, a smudge there, and a swipe of the paintbrush in passing.

Right now my desk is covered in supplies -- my color journal and my art journal, various watercolor pencils and watercolor crayons, pens, brushes, paints, and various other implements of artistic nature. And -- most significantly for this story -- a jar of water to rinse my brushes.

At least, that jar of water HAD been on my desk. When I walked away from the project early last evening, I forgot to empty it. Mayhem (one of my loyal feline studio assistants) took care of that for me.

You know it's a bad thing when you're sitting downstairs and hear a hard clink, a soft thump, and the sound of water hitting a hardwood floor in your office above.

The damage to the desk, floor, and supplies was minimal. (The toe I stubbed on the chair in the dark, however, not so much.)

Let that be a lesson to me: empty the water jar. No exceptions!

Art Journal Workshop 1: Do-over

My first attempt at the Strathmore Visual Journal workshop exercise was less than satisfying. I didn't like working with the oil pastels. I thought the charcoal dirtied up the page. I didn't have gesso, so I used a semi-opaque watercolor instead.

So I decided I needed a do-over, using materials that I'm more comfortable with. After all, they keep saying it's all about the process, right?



Steps from Lesson 1

• I resized the sketches and reformatted the text and printed them out.
• I prepped a two-page spread with a random application of turquoise watercolor, added texture, stenciled stars, and random sprays of ultramarine blue.
• Strips of blue metallic tissue paper provided my vertical element.
• After topping it with my sketches and text, I brushed on a light wash of my turquoise watercolor to tone down the white and darken some of the shadow areas.

Steps from Lesson 2 and Lesson 3

• I added a few details and "underjournaling" in white crayon, which will provide a resist under the next layer of water-based color.
• Using Derwent Graphitint and Inktense water-soluable pencils and an unknown brand of watercolor crayon, I added the shading in blue and purple, and highlights in yellow and green.
• A thin application of white gouache enabled me to smooth out and re-establish the white areas, and to add highlights to the eyes. I then added more shading and color.
• For the stars, I made a stencil using cardstock and a punch.
• I used a blue Faber-Castel brush pen to re-darken the text.

Lesson 4 is still a mystery. I expect we'll be able to access the video for it this weekend.

My Etsy Shop updates....

I've updated my Etsy site with four items:

1. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12292541
2. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9325736
3. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13240610
4. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8454218

I didn't do it! ACEO

"I didn't do it!" by Allison Stein.
ACEO 2.5 inches x 3.5 inches, watercolor on Arches 140# cold pressed paper.

I posted this little darling to my ETSY shop last week. I used a combination of watercolor and watercolor pencil. The texture was created with salt. I love the expressiveness of the eyes and the color, but I do believe I've reached the limit of how big I should make them.

What's For Dinner? ACEO

What's For Dinner? ACEO original watercolor

Secret Smile - ACEO

Secret Smile, ACEO watercolor original on Arches 140# paper

Where's My Peeps? ACEO

Where's My Peeps? ACEO watercolor on Arches 140#

All I Survey.... ACEO

New ACEO, posted to my etsy store tonight. Watercolor on Arches 140# paper.

Playing Catch-Up....

Posting several ACEOs created over the past month or so. All were created using watercolor on 140# paper. I've posted all of them to My Etsy shop (see right column for link).

(above) "Valentine? What Valentine?"
ACEO 2.5x3.5 inches, watercolor on 140# paper

(above) "Gift From The Heart",
ACEO 2.5x3.5 inches, watercolor on 140# paper

(above) "I Will Find It!",
ACEO 2.5x3.5 inches, watercolor on 140# paper

(above) "Just One Sniff",
ACEO 2.5x3.5 inches, watercolor on 140# paper
(above) "Hello in There!",
ACEO 2.5x3.5 inches, watercolor on 140# paper

(above) "Heart, I Haz It!"
ACEO 2.5x3.5 inches, watercolor on 140# paper

Three ACEOs

Three ACEOs to ponder. All of which should be posted soon in my Etsy store.

Pretty Cleo, 2.5"x3.5" ACEO, watercolor on 140# Arches

"Pretty Cleo" is another attempt at an image I posted a few months ago. She's a cutie, isn't she?

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The Twilight Castle, 2.5"x3.5" ACEO, watercolor and watercolor pencil on 140# Canson

This ACEO started as I contemplated castles and landscapes. I need to start adding more environments to my work. My imagination apparently inhabits a barren, rocky world that has specatular sunsets.

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Smokey Joe, 2.5"x3.5" ACEO on 3"x4" paper, watercolor on 140# Canson

"Smokey Joe" started as a practice piece, experimenting with wet-in-wet on Canson paper. He's such a well-mannered kitty.

Two Purple Princesses, 5x7

(top) Purple Princess With Orb, 5x7, watercolor on 140# Arches

(bottom) Purple Princess With Wand, 5x7, watercolor on 140# Arches

I started these two paintings several months ago, but abandoned them. They seemed weak, washed out, and a little cartoon-y. Last weekend I gave them a fresh look. I decided they needed some depth of color, some contrast in tone, and some detail. So, I darkened the darks, built up some depth in the shadows, and added some detail to the face and dress.

They are still in search of a name. She's still in search of a name. For now, she's known as the Purple Princess, even though the one with the wand is a little misshapen, like a fairy godmother who has seen better days.

Pile of Pumpkins, 8x10

Pile of Pumpkins, 8"x10" watercolor on Arches 140#

Another pile of pumpkins, for the season.

Pile Of Jack Wannabee's, 8x10

Pile of Jack Wannabee's, 8"x10" watercolor on Arches 140#

A pile of pumpkins, for the season.

Offering, 8x10

Offering, 8"x10" watercolor on Arches 140#

Another figure, exhibited at the Contra Art Show earlier this month. I'm not happy with this one -- I don't like her eyes.

Temptation, 8x10

Temptation, 8"x10" watercolor on Arches 140#

One of my first successful attempts at a figure in watercolor. Exhibited at Contra Art Show earlier this month.

Dragons, Dragons

Archon Orange Dragons 1 and 2, approximately 3x4, watercolor on Arches 140#

Here are two more dragons, doodled while at my artist alley table at Archon/Nasfic in August. If I do this again next year, I really need to bring a lamp. The hallway was dark, and I had trouble seeing what I was doing. Thus, these little guys are a bit gnarly and awkward.

Two dragons

Archon Green Dragons 1 and 2, approximately 3x4, watercolor on Arches 140#

Two of my dragon doodles, done while at my artist alley table at Archon/Nasific in August. The size got away from me. They were intended to be ACEOs, but they got too big for their britches.

4 Contemplations on Fruit, ACEO

Contemplation on Fruit, 1 - 4, 2.5" x 3.5" watercolor on Arches 140#

I doodled these Contemplations on Fruit while sitting at my artist alley table at Archon last month. I'm not sure where these little guys came from, but I find them intriguing.

Who? Me? 4x6 OSWA

Who? Me?, 4" x 6" watercolor on Arches 140#

I'm back! After an incredibily busy summer with back-to-back art shows, science fiction conventions, and work-related travel, I'm back in my studio and putting brush to paper. Feels good.

Here's a quick little painting, titled "Who? Me?", inspired by a silly cat photo I found on the Internet. It's 4" x 6" on Arches 140#. Looks like I need more practice with perspective.

This painting is an OSWA, which is an acronym for "Original Small Work of Art". That means it is a standard 4" x 6" size and will fit in standard photo albums and frames. Like ACEOs, the OSWA size standard is becoming all the rage on Ebay and other art websites.

Red Peppers, 4x6 OSWA

Red Peppers 1, 2, & 3, 4" x 6" watercolors on Arches

Here are three different approaches to painting part of a red bell pepper.

Red Pepper 1 relies on the reds and yellows to create depth and shadow.

Red Pepper 2 relies on the blues and purples for shadowing, but I think it feels "labored".

In Red Pepper 3, I stopped trying so hard and slapped paint where ever it "felt" right. And then I stopped. I think I like this one the best.