Creative Projects
Halloween 2019
The last time I took a tango lesson was during this year’s free day of dance. Since Halloween fell on a Thursday, I revisited my old tango school for their regular tango lineup: beginners, intermediate, followed by a practice milonga. The original plan was to do all 3, but since I’d gone to my usual … Continue reading
Watercoloring Breakthrough
May not look like much to others, but with this painting, I stumbled onto subtle blending–except for his hands. There’s usually an area or two where I just concede that the effort has defeated me. For this painting, it’s definitely the hands. The hands are so bad, one may not even notice the lips aren’t … Continue reading
Feminist Photos
This was one of the best interactive exhibits at EAST (East Austin Studio Tour). Since I produce a show that highlights personal narratives, I felt I’d entered a kindred space. We had the option of taking a picture while holding one of their prepared signs that resonated with us, or making one of our own. … Continue reading
Sexiest Dictionary: New Colors
After nearly two months upon discovering that my set of 84 watercolor crayons didn’t match the picture on the front, I returned to the art store to purchase several browns, nearly black, nearly white and two shades of red. The same woman who’d helped me before, helped me again. She remembered me. When she asked … Continue reading
Velma Mae’s 78th Birthday Celebration Powerpoint
For my mother’s 78th birthday, one of my sister’s thought it would be a great idea to have a surprise party. She chose an off year to throw mom off the scent. My one and only role, other than showing up was to create a powerpoint. Of course there was a technology fail and I … Continue reading
Sexiest Dictionary: Latest Round
Although I like the blending and contouring in “Contentious,” this guy’s chest remains undefined because the model in the picture was wearing a shirt. I have to develop a technique for painting an attractive man’s chest. I realized after the fact that his head was too small. In the picture I used, the guy wore … Continue reading
Sexiest Dictionary: Contouring & Shading
This week’s painting challenge was to add contouring and shading, so I could possibly cure the facial paralysis my subjects had. I still used non-watercolor journal paper, which made blending rough and it wrinkled. Plus, I still hadn’t bought the watercolor crayon colors I needed: black, red, white, and brown.This was my first attempt at … Continue reading
Sexiest Dictionary Paintings: A New Approach
In the latest round of practicing my illustrating technique for the sexiest dictionary, I disassembled my home office. Totally worth the sacrifice. I had no desire to sit at my work desk on the weekend. Instead, I relocated my work computer and monitor to the living room, so I could paint while the TV entertained … Continue reading
Sexiest Dictionary Rough Draft Paintings
Despite the fact that computer paper isn’t the best for watercolor paintings, all practice is good practice at this stage in the project. Here’s my workaround to not knowing how to draw. I used painter’s tape to place my paper onto the laptop screen. Then I brightened the screen, turned off all other lights, then … Continue reading
Watercolor Crayons
After researching about which medium I wanted to use for my latest illustration project, I finally bought the biggest set of watercolor crayons the art store offered. Making the financial investment came in a roundabout way. I’d bought a plane ticket to go back east to attend an event, which was a financial sacrifice, but … Continue reading