Design happens all the time around here. It's always something. Here's a sneak peak at the t-shirts I designed for youth conference. The kids get them tomorrow. Arise was our theme so I turned the word on its side to give it that feeling of moving upward, arising. I also designed the temple after the new Kansas City Temple and used negative space for it. Two different design colors. Light blue for the majority of youth and royal blue for the youth who are on the planning committee. "Youth Committee" on the sleeve for a little distinction. Doan's Printing did the shirts, you can find them here.
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Didn't think I should pull an all-nighter again so I started early. Though the night is still young so I reserve the right to change my mind. Here is today's portrait. Number 2 of 50. Does this count for 2 portraits? Upload an image on Shannon's Studio FB page and read this post to be considered.
I said I'd post a portrait everyday, except Sunday. Okay, I have to clarify something. What does a day mean? This is tricky. There's the calendar date that changes every midnight. But, for most of us the day starts when we get up and ends when we go to bed. And most people do that around a general time in the morning and at night. Except crazy artists. Well, at least this artist. I too judge my day by the time I get up until I go to bed. I just don't go to bed at the normally accepted time. So, while you are thinking that this is Friday since you're waking up, I'm still on Thursday because I haven't gone to bed yet. Technically in my mind I am posting the painting on Thursday. Make sense? I had appointments and meetings yesterday that took me away from home most of the day. Then I didn't actually get home until 10 and didn't start painting until midnight. I finished the first portrait at around 3. I'm thinking you shouldn't wait up to see the painting because some days will be like this for me. Well, quite a few days actually. I finally quit when I started to fall asleep with my paint brush in hand. Honestly, there were 3 adorable photos that I wanted to paint. (I got a couple of emails that the blog or FB didn't see.) I don't know how I'm going to deal with wanting to paint so many. Anyway, here's the portrait I started with. It's terrible lighting and not straight so I'll put up another one when I can take a daylight photo. I'm going to end my Thursday and go to sleep now for a few hours. Hope you enjoy the painting. 7/13/12 Update: Painting in the morning and after a couple of paint touch ups
It's the middle of summer and I'm thinking snowflakes. I did my first how-to demo video (with Wade's help) and you can find it here. It's DIY watercolor snowflakes. So easy. It's adaptable to any age. Hopefully taking it up a notch makes it so adults might like to try too. We were doing the video for a specific reason and we couldn't include these idea images in it. So, I thought I'd share it here. Sometimes it's hard to come up with ideas once you do the artwork. I took the project pieces from the video and turned them into these. Maybe this will spark a few of your own uses. Or you can just stick with putting it on a shelf just because you like it that way. What would you do with your artwork?
Did a little project. Don't let the word little fool you. I was asked to paint accent lines and leaves around a laser etched design of the Kansas City LDS Temple. On 15 gift boxes. In one night. Got them in the evening and finished at 4 in the morning. Yeah, that's how I paint. The boxes still need another layer of sealant but my part was done. Well, except that there are 15 more coming sometime soon. Though I don't think the turn around will be that much of a panic. I hope. Do you do projects from the heart, that your head says, "What?"
I'm surrounded by wonderful people. Last month was a Cultural Celebration that 3 of my kids participated in. Several adults had a very short amount of time to teach about 80 kids song and dance routines. No easy feat! They were to join about 3000 other kids in the performance so knowing the moves was extremely important. These people put in tons of time besides what they regularly do daily. When people do things like that you've just got to thank them. I couldn't think of a better way than sharing a "love note". It's a jar with little notes from all the kids who participated tucked inside. There were 4 people that I did 3 Love Note jars for (2 people are a couple). I'm always looking for gifts to give so I thought I'd share with you how to do it. This is adaptable to any occasion. Directions
It was actually super easy to put together. I know this because I bought the stuff 2 months ago and waited until an hour before I needed them to actually put them together. (I guess I like stress.) So, not only is it easy but it's quick too. Who can you give a Love Note to?
I spent most of a week at Girls Camp. I knew I'd have a little down time here and there so I brought along some watercolors and water color paper. First, I do a little pencil drawing doodle, go over it with permanent marker, then erase. Next, I go over it with watercolors. Very easy. The girls liked the ones I was doing so I did them each little individual ones with their names and some quality they have. Hope this gives you a little watercolor inspiration.
I've been doing a lot of creating lately but nothing I can share right now. But, I decided to share what's happened with my umbrella project. Six of the eight panels were done. One day it rained here, so I used it before it was finished. Then, it rained the next day and I couldn't find it. I thought to my self, "Self, I just used it yesterday." (Yes, I talk that way.) But, I was in a hurry so I left. Then a couple of days later I walked into the studio to find the umbrella in this condition. You get the general idea even if you can't see the torn sections or the teeth marks. One word - dogs. Grrrrrrr. I must have dropped it on my way from the car to the house, though I'd really like to blame it on someone else. And the dogs leave no opportunity untouched. Mutilated. Dang it! (We swear with a G-rating around here.) I'm wondering if I should do another one or cut my losses.
Why couldn't it have happened when only 2 panels were done? Don't you hate when you're the one who wrecks something you've spent a long time to create? Take your own photo. This one is of glitter laid out on a piece of white paper, laying on the ironing board near a window. I got really close so that it focused on one area and blurred the others. I could have taken it farther away but it didn't have that great of an effect. The only change I made was to make it a little darker because I wanted to use white lettering. Here is a download if you want to use it sometime.
Add your own text with no more than 2 font types. If you're not sure which ones, just use one. It's better to error on the side of understated. Vary the size of your font, it makes it more interesting with little work. Also, leave a little "white" space. In this case, it's really not white but glitter, but it's space that the eye can rest while viewing.
It doesn't need to be used for only New Year's Eve, it can be for any type of party in the future. I saw this image on Pinterest in my explorations. It's an umbrella with the Mary Poppin's song, A Spoonful of Sugar, lettered all over it. I thought Leen Sadder did a clever job with it. Then I said to myself, "Self, I want to do one." So I am. Thought the spoonful of sugar song is delightful but I decided on quotes and sayings about art. I designed the lettering in InDesign, printed it, and placed it under the umbrella. I traced over it with a black sharpie®, fine tip and regular. Then filled it in. I've designed all the panels and have finished three of them so far. Here is the first panel. It rained the day before yesterday so I was able to test run it. And there were no smears or runs. Yay. One artist tip. If you try this (which is really a lot of fun) decide if you want to write on the inside or outside of the umbrella. Leen did it on the inside, see below, so you can see the writing when looking at the person under the umbrella. I wanted my writing to be seen from the outside, so people could read it from a distance. I don't know how easy, or not, it was for Leen but for me doing doing the lettering near the top is a little tricky. Some of it I have to do standing up with the open umbrella in a chair just because it's awkward for me. I'll show you the finished project when it's done. What quotes would you put on an umbrella?
I did another art & craft project like the tattooed totes but on jeans. And I took some still shots while doing it to show the step by step process. I tried to figure a way to make it easy for someone to DIY and follow along, without having a million (ok, not a million but over 100) photos. So, for the inner artist, I put them in video form. The idea is that you can stop/start for each step of the tutorial. Since this is the first time I've done this tell me what you think, what you would do differently or a better way to do it.
Maybe being an artist doesn't lend itself to writing a Bucket List. It's kind of depressing and it's limiting. Doesn't leave room to recognize the moment and seize it. But, as I was lusting over some artistic type tools this morning, figuring out how I can manage to get them (oh, and I will get them) I realized that my Bucket List (a wish list of things to do before I die) came in an entirely different form. Mine is a Studio Wish List - a wish list of things to try before I die. So, I have started to create my wish list. I'm dreaming already. STUDIO WISH LIST (a bucket list for artists)A Bucket List? No. A Studio Wish List? Yes! Yes! Yes! (Can I use anymore Yeses or exclamation points?) This is the way people must feel about their Bucket Lists, the way I feel about my Studio Wish List. I would give up food for some of these things. Is that sick and wrong? Wait, don't answer that.
Since I am just starting it today, what would you suggest goes on a Studio Wish List? I am so giddy I can't think of them but if you mention one I've probably thought about it before :) (Reposted from the blog I'm closing.) The Boyfriend built a boat! There was nothing Bitesized about it. Well, except the kid's efforts compared to his efforts (which the Boat Builder was very grateful for but jeez, he built a boat! And it floats!) Since they did add here and there with their small efforts they are invested in the "we built a boat!" My Husband gave them a chance to be part of something bigger than they could ever do on their own. And making more memorable moments has just begun. I love that man!! Have you ever built a boat?
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