Back to civilization

It's amazing how much more I can accomplish when I am up in the mountains and there is NO internet access. Once I got past the initial computer withdrawal symptoms I got to work, and without my numerous "computer breaks" throughout the day I actually got some full work (or should I say play) days in. I spent the week working with 3-D shapes to experiment with how the glass placed into different shapes, textures, glass and prism variations played with the light most dramatically. By the 5th I started in on a mixed media piece, pics to come. It was a fun experiment in just play. Now I'm home plugged back into the internet, let's see how much work gets done. Sooooo glad to be back doing Art-A-Day!

Just couldn't do it.

In an earlier post I mentioned a concept I would be working on but not likley to share publicly.  Still not ready.  Thought I could at least share a few sketch book captures but that didn't feel right at all.  Going to  trust that.  The work will be small and have moving parts.  Nothing ground breaking though makes my little heart leap with delight.

Rabbits and Pocket Watches

Ah, yes another "Alice" painting.
For some reason the classic fairy tales have always resonated deeply with me
for my painting subjects. I think its the freedom of making a fantasy painting with as many lavish details and layers as I want without it slipping into the "Oh.. your a.. fantasy painter?".
Lisa Frank I am NOT. An illustrator.. yes. Someday I hope to tackle my favorite classical fairy tales like Peter Pan and Sleeping Beauty, but until then I'll experiment and master Alice in Wonderland. Baby steps.
For my series (Yes, I said series!) It'll be the characters from Louis Carol's Alice in Wonderland.
I'm approaching it as though I'm the court portrait painter. Each portrait will have hints as to who each character is, right down to the cuff-links and patterns of fabric.
First I'm starting with the White Rabbit, who is a relatively simple character.
I used a reference photo and a #2 pencil for the rough sketch.

Next, I added my rough shadows.
(Thanks Lisa!)

After that I started the first layer of color for the background and suit.

We'll see how our dear friend turns out, but don't expect it to be a quick painting. Even
With his "Don't be Late" attitude urging me on, I doubt I'll listen.
Stay Artsy,
~Sarah Bosserman

"A Quick Trip to the Beach"

Ok, so I thought the rule was that everyone that participates does a new piece of art each day in January then posts it here. But, it seems not everyone has taken the "worm," and today, I didn't get anything done either.

So, I'm going to pretend that I went to Lincoln City, OR, for just a few minutes today. The sun was warm, and the sand felt good against my naked toes. The dog chased a stick into the surf and we had cheese and crackers and wine and hot dogs and s'mores, and we flew our kites.

I did a quick watercolor sketch, and then we crashed in the cabin. And for just those few moments of what was really one of last autumn's final glorious days, the cold air, the heavy gray clouds, and the promise of freezing rain, disappeared.

Just for a few moments.

Maybe you can take a quick trip too.

watercolor, moleskine

Ring a ding ding

Was so happy to have a chance to work on some jewelry tonight during Kennewick Art Walk. Neither are finished, but had a good time staring on them!

Watercolor & Digital

I took one of my earlier watercolor attempts and then tried some subtle computer changes - was going to call them enhancements, but not sure that's what's happened. I like the experimentation though it's very time consuming. Top is the digitized (added some textures & brushwork), bottom is the original.

1st post - patti

Hello Art-a-Day artists,
On January1st and 2nd I completed weaving the shoulder strap, (8 cedar strands braided) of my cedar clam basket. The challenge was to use 4 crayons, blindly chosen, to work in your medium, I chose basketry.
On the 3rd of January, I took 6 completed projects to Allied Arts for entry into the Desert Fiber Arts Show. The pieces of art were; one bookarts project titled Water Drum, one tapestry titled Storm and Sunset and four baskets, my favorite being a rustic picnic basket with lids.
January 4th I began to weave a small backpack basket that my daughter will be using for reinactment of a war. On the 5th, I was learning the ins and outs of waxed linen medallions and began a small piece. Today, I had my first lesson on downloading a picture onto this post!
I am also collecting ideas for my next tapestry.
Wish me luck, Patti

"Hey Big Boy"

Our Heroine, falling to desperation, has begun frequenting seamy places contemplating unspeakable things.

"Please!  Won't somebody save this poor girl?!"  

Inner Child

 I didn't get to the studio today so turned to the computer this evening, photoshopped images of some of my older copper wall works with lots of patina, found 25% cotton business card printer paper in the file drawer and printed 1 page with 4 different cards.  I thought to simply relax and make art cards - and then I turned the whole thing over to my inner child, giving her free reign.  Here's the result.  My job was to poke holes for the needle and keep the cap on the glue stick.  The rest is all her.
I've been giving attention to inner child stuff lately focusing around 2 or 3 years old.  Must be having my unexpressed Rainbow Brite experience.  It was absolutely joyous!

Mini Portrait #4 --After Theodore Gericault

Well even with a slanty head, pale skin, soul patch, and Kramer-like hair, he does resemble this master's painting just a bit...you just have to tilt your head and squint a bit too in order to see the similiarities. (I didn't load the original, but if you really want to see it you can click here). I thought it might be fun to do some recreations of master painters' portraits as part of my mini portrait journey. These little guys are time consuming. I may yet need to stray to do something fun as well as challenging ... like free sketching, or making zombies or something. (smile). Anyway it's all good. Art creation will heal the world!

A little Yellow

Well I grabbed this masonite board, 18 x 20, already had the background sky on it for a few years (yes I know I have a painting focus problem LOL) and added a pseudo pyramid, and the start of foreground. I don't have much to say except, watch this space.

On another note, I grabbed this 12 x 16 canvas board cemetery scene I had already done last year as a sort of sketch. So I have NOT worked on this this year, but I plan to add a ghost. But the real experimentation comes is I am going to make the ghost glow in the dark. I picked up a couple of Glow-In-the-Dark paints from Hobby Lobby. I have been playing with them, they are a little funky. Too thick when you need thin, and vice versa. But should be cool. Unfortunately I probably won't be able to photograph them, but will try.

Tonight my family and I watched a 60 minutes on the history of Bill Gates and Paul Allen and it was actually very entertaining. Those guys did incredible stuff besides making the computer(with a lot of help) what it is today.

With all this tech history and achievement I got to thinking about how in the 50's our future was thought of as robots and flying space ships. They couldn't even comprehend that our greatest achievement would be a device that takes up a few square feet and offers unlimited information stored in non-existent space!

So cool!

So, after all that thinking I made Arnold, the average House-Bot-of-the-Future.

He cooks, cleans and lets you win at chess.

My favorite detail is his Heart-O-Meter, because even robots need a pat on the back now and again... otherwise they take over the the world. It's a small price to pay.

I used sharpie and Prisma color pencils.

~Sarah Bosserman

Grapes

OK, my subject matter and style aren't exactly edgy and I haven't stepped too far out of my comfort zone, but grapes are new for me. Most watercolorists work light to dark, and I usually do too, but I've had some success in previous paintings by extablishing the shadows first. Thought I'd try that again since the sharp shadows are so important in this scene.

Skull quilt

This cute little lap quilt I designed and hand embroidered. Using flannel for the front and polar fleece for the back. I quilted around each of the squares as well.

The second piece is an experimental piece in the making. I tried my hand at etching copper with an Orthodox Icon. While it not being used for it's original purpose, I am going to make an art book with it. I had fun learning the fine art of etching with etching solution and the next step is to use electricity and salt water.

Modigliani's "Sitting Algerian Almaisa"

My rendition of Modigliani's "Sitting Algerian Almaisa," is another in a series of quick sketches I'm working on for the "Sketchbook Project," sponsored by the Brooklyn Art Library in Brooklyn, NY.

Once completed, participants mail in their completed sketchbook which is then placed into the library's permanent collection.

This year the collection will tour a number of cities in the United States, Seattle being one of them at the Form/Space Atelier, June 10 - 11, this coming summer.

watecolor, pigma micron pens, moleskine

Long Distance Love

This is a composite made from three different photos I took in Las Vegas last weekend. Vegas is a great place to capture texture, nuance, and emotion. I have been wanting to do some composite/collage work for a while now, and purposely shot with that in mind on this trip. I thought about posting all three individual photos but thought it might spoil the over all effect. Any thoughts about that? Click the image for a larger version, this size doesn't show much detail.

Tall Nerd

ahhg! Have I already reach that point were I'm desperately pushing something out??

hmmm, well today was one of my long work days so I guess its ok.

This is a silly satire on the reaction most of my little students have when meeting me for the first time. I'm 5'10" and to a kindergartner, that's tall.

I used an ultra fine Sharpie and prisma color pencils.

Cute little guys aren't they ...kind of funny looking too.

~Sarah Bosserman

gold & guts

XOXO- Cameron T Mills

Some blind contours, and mixed media from A.M. today.

xoxoxo

-Cam Mills

Recommendations for a camera

My old camera won't even turn on when plugged in.  Can you recommend a good, easy to use, inexpensive one for a camera-dweeb?