RETREAT TIME 3

Here are a couple more treats for my friends.

I found the cute pattern for cup shaped coasters, and then had to make "saucers" also.  I assigned a color to each friend!  Now they have 8 coasters!

Then I couldn't find boxes to fit the coasters, so I made some myself from watercolor paper!  You can see one box with the coasters nestled inside (below).  Originally I tried to make origami boxes, but got my measurements off, so that was a complete disaster.

I then cut simple boxes and taped them together.  Well, you can't have plain white boxes, now, can you??  So then I decoupaged initials and something that made me think of each of them.  Maybe they will use those boxes to store the coasters and think of me this year!

Then, to keep with my original origami idea, I make some little origami cranes.

If you are able to make them without watching the YouTube video - you are a total genius in my book!

ART RETREAT 2

Of course presents were exchanged.

Since I have been heavily into crochet, most of mine were crocheted objects, but not all.

Here are baskets I made - different sizes and shapes - one for each of my friends.  Some began using the baskets right away - filling them with pastel pencils or pens - or their drink glass!  I told my friends to use them until they "dissolve"!  I'm still new at this and not sure I always finish off the way I'm supposed to.

Another gift was a neat journal I found last year just after that retreat.  I'm just proud of myself that I was able to keep track of them and not lose them over the course of the year!  The one below is one I kept for myself; the others all had different designs.  These are nice because they have a zipper where you can store your pens.

RETREAT TIME!

It's that time of year again - time for our annual art retreat!

Here is SOME of what I took - which does not include more bedding
my duffle  bag, two coolers and some food!

This year the retreat was only one hour away - hooray - but also meant I had to drive ALL THAT WAY by myself!  Haha!

THURSDAY WIP

Here are the patio chairs again!  (Final time, I promise!)

I left this painting at this stage to show my classes how important value is.

We joked that only "Flat Stanley" could sit on the chair on the left - but the chair on the right now has depth - we could sit down on that chair!

So many struggle with value.  This picture shows a dramatic "before" and "after" on how to use value easily and effectively.

THURSDAY W I P

More photos of the continuing process . . . .

I think it's finished - it's in the "live with it" stage now!

THURSDAY W I P

At about this point in the development of the painting, I was asked to give a presentation to the Greater Cincinnati Watercolor Society.  I stopped here for a couple of weeks so that I could make this painting my demo.  (Click to go to the article)

At the GCWS meeting, I showed them how I did the colors on the dish towel, and how to paint the egg realistically.  I also added some color to the letters.

Then it's just a matter of moving on through the painting, inch by inch!