Grateful for this Unique Gift

At the start of the month of September I joined a contest from a co-wordpress blogger Anne of  Tenukihandcrafts and fortunately was announced as the winner by the third week of the same month.

I was thrilled to receive this unique handmade gift and additional papers from Anne today.

I am now a proud owner of a very unique handcrafted artist trading card made intricately and lovingly by Anne. It is not often that I win contests, more so, to receive gifts from family, friends and all the more from artist friends. Hence I am very thankful to receive such wonderful, beautiful presents.

Today is a good day. A blessed day.

Documented Life Project – Week 37

September Theme
Journaling with Photos
September 12
Art Challenge: Digital Imagery & Design
Journal Prompt:  What Makes Your Heart Sing?

This project was quite easy for me to do. I have been using Picasa 3 for more than a year now and have been playing with its different effect and features. It was just fitting that when the challenge called for digital altering, I already had a plan of action.

I used an old photo of Hubs and me (2012) and amused myself with Picasa’s many effects. When I was satisfied and done with playing, I asked Hubs to size and print the image for me. I then worked on a simple background in my art journal using colors from the altered photo. To incorporated the journal prompt, I  borrowed a few lines from the Carpenters’ song You to finish my page.

Mini Mango Calla Lilies

From the time I made my love wreath, my mind automatically drifted to thinking about flowers, how I could somehow represent their beauty on paper and how to color them accordingly.

Actually, I have been saving this flower/s project for sometime now. I specifically wanted to use colored pencils and a black sketchbook but unfortunately I am still saving for them. Nevertheless, my enthusiasm for learning something new, enjoying the process and sharing them pushed me to go ahead and try another media. So, again, I used my trusty watercolor sticks and inktense blocks.

The internet is such a treasure chest that in just a few clicks here and there, I found a picture of Calla Lilies I wanted to illustrate.

I made use of the daler rowney cold pressed watercolor paper and started coloring first with derwent aquatone watercolor sticks. Then moved on to using inktense blocks for a more permanent and vivid rendering of colors.

When I finished coloring in the flowers and the leaves, I was thinking of putting a black outline to make them pop more. But I decided against it and instead used a black colored pencil for the outline. Then I made a bold move of coloring in the background with two coats of after midnight dylusions ink spray. Since the background was too bright, I was contemplating of putting in a quote using a white pen but again, decided against it at the last minute.

This first watercolor flower project was a sort of trial and error thing for me but I loved how I was able to do something new, learn to trust my guts and appreciate what came out of the whole process. I am definitely sure that this will not be the last of my flower adventures. And when I get those yummy colored pencils, I will still try to use them against a black paper and see which color media is best for this endeavor.