Painting With Stamps_Journal in Progress_Painting Faces Part 2

Hello! I get so many messages and emails regarding painting faces -in particular - African American skin tones. So, here is a more detailed and close up look at how I build the layers for a darker skinned face. I always start off with a medium flesh/skin tone paint - in this clip I'm using Jo Sonja skintone (med) for my base coat...then I'm building layers with yellow, green, burgundy, raw sienna and burnt sienna.

Enjoy ... and thanks for watching. Stay tuned for more painted journals... :)

Updating Those Canvas Bags

If you're like me, over the years you've collected little tote bags...some have logos - some are plain .. but they all seem to pop up here and there.

Now, I'm not one to recycle (SSSHHHH!!!) but while cleaning up my basement, I kept moving a pile of canvas bags from one chair to another ... and I just decided I'd join the wave of bag toting ditching the plastic grocery tote folks.

I normally start with a pencil sketch ... I'e used transfer pencils, charcoal pencils and reg ol' number 2 pencils.

Now I know there are tons of fabric paints out there on the market ... but I ditched those long ago in favor of plain acrylic paint. These bags will be used to tote groceries to and from ... and will most likely rarely see the washing machine. The first layers, I'll scrub in to my fabric with water and glazing medium. I've found glazing medium to work wonderfully in sealing the paint into the fabric, while keeping the painted surface pliable.

Shading on fabric, at least for me, is just as easy as on paper. This is where I left off with my tote last night ... I'll post the finished bag soon!

Here is a pic of another canvas messenger bag that I painted last weekend .. . I love painting on fabric - and painting on canvas is actually my favorite.

For Sherise ... Painting Faces

This is for Sherise who commented on my double canvas post regarding painting with acrylics and darker skintones. I haven't done a video in a while - I need to get back to them - but here is a video I have on my youtube channel where I'm painting a face :

Double Canvas in Progress

Can you believe we are beginning the sixth month of the year!!!! I know I need to kick some things up a notch - the year is 1/2 way complete!! ...so not one to let time go a-wasting ... I'm working on my double canvas today - and so far so good.

Have a great weekend everyone~

Keeping The Creative Fires Burning

I started something new ... this time I am painting on 2 5x7 canvas boards. I have an inkling of what I want the finished canvas' to look like ... but I am learning to just let it flow. Basecoating with Jo Sonja and a little glazing medium:

Doing a quick sketch with my charcoal pencil:

Melancholy ....

Her name is Melancholy ... and she is currently on my painting table. I promised myself this year that I would be truer to my art ... dig deeper ... be freer ... not there yet .. but getting there. It's all in her eyes, isn't it? :)

Tea Time Tea Caddy .. Making Progress

Tea Time In Progress ... it's coming along ... I'm trying not to rush it. Roses aren't my best or fav thing to paint .. but I'm not done yet - so I'll see what happens. I'm just "winging it".

Tea Time .... In Progress

Good Morning! I have started a new piece .... it's amazing what you can find when you clean your stash room!!LOL This surface is a wooden tea packet holder - and I've just begun a loose freehand sketch with acrylic paint and a round brush. I hope to paint all the tea packet holders I was able to find - they are a really nice size and weight - so stay tuned!!

Painted Tin_Progressing

Well, I added a bit more shading and finally found something nice to put on the other side of the tin. I don't know if I will add much more, since the tin isn't that large ... but I do know I still need something...

Working on Angels

While trying to work out one of my sketches, I decided to work it out on a surface. I notice so many times when I am working out designs - its either in my journal, my sketchbook or on scrap pieces of paper...but never on the kaZILLION surfaces I have stocked away.

Different view:

What am I saving these pieces for?

Sooooo...I bit the bullet and tried putting the angel on the box. I used Jo Sonja texture paste on her wings, and though it is hard to tell from the photo - also on her hair. My son - my most honest critic - immediately touched the hair and wings...and said it was cool...awesome...and that I should keep it. (not paint over it)

So, here is the first of many angel designs - always a work in progress for me.

The Color Of Christmas

I am taking a break from coloring the last of my A to Z sketches, to post some funky Santa Bottles that I've been painting and putting around the house for the holidays. These are so much fun...and free handed using acrylic paints.

My Funky Santas


This tin bucket is one of my fav surfaces. You can hand them on the wall, let them stand alone on a table ... and use them for just about anything. This one, I call my Peace Bucket. I'm not quite finished - need to add some details, as its looking kind of plain ... but I think its a fun little piece.