Sunday Sketches and Phoenicopterus

She is done and has been shipped, wow shipping a framed painting this big is expensive! 

Phoenicopterus!

I have truely enjoyed the experience of doing this painting.   I used techniques from Natasha May's Cotton Candy Girl class in doing the background and some valueable Mess/layering lessons from my time with Lisa Wright's class.  Ahhh, patience is a virtue!!!  At one point I had decided my background was mud and needed to start over.  I was in a panic because I needed to have it shipped before this weekend.  In my pj's- I drove like a mad woman to Michael's, it was Sunday and Hobby Lobby (closer) was not open.  Dashed thru Michaels trying to decide if I should just do a framed up canvas or watercolor paper again - I purchased both.  Charged home crashing into the diningroom where I had left my work and WAH-LAH.  It had dried and I loved how it looked.  Geez, why can't I just put the brush down, walk away and let each step dry before trying to finish it!  Yes, Lisa, I hear you!!!!
Here's to a great Olympics!  A wonderful ending to July and a fun upcoming August!   Alexandra our host for Sunday Sketches is very ill and unable to host this week.  Healing thoughts and hugs sent her way!

cheers, dana
make art, make friends - share art, share souls

all works copyright of dana strickland/sinderella's studio 2012

Back up and running....wow -

watercolor, stamps, and embellished

watercolor with jamaican coral
embellished

last weeks post for PPF was a disaster!  I have no idea what happened.  Trying to finish up the post and wham...computer goes into a fit and that was that.  Sorry it looked so confusing with comments going a mile down before you could find them.  All is well now.  Took it in, had a virus that locked it up.    All tuned up now and ready to roll.  I, on the other hand, wish I was computer tuned so I could clean things up a bit better myself before it goes haywire.

pure watercolor

Anyways, hope you saw the wonderful ATC trade I had with Celia Bradshaw...Sirens of the Sea.  I had so much fun opening hers and LOVED the steampunk mermaid.  I posted hers last Friday so here are the 3 that I sent to her!

Again, thanks to Wendy at Bliss Angels for hosting these monthly trades.  I have a christmas collection she hosted in 2010 that is one of my most treasured trades!

I trust everyone is having a great summer, I can't believe we are about to head into August!  Wow, time flies is no joke! 

Looking forward to Sunday's post...I finished the Flamingo!!!!!

Thanks to Kristin and Eva for this wonderful place called Paint Party Friday!  Can't wait to see the featured artist!!!

cheers, dana

make art, make friends - share art, share souls

all work copyright of dana strickland/sinderella's studio 2012

computer crashed omg!

no computer is a nightmare!

PPF and more...

So excited, just saw that the Featured Artist this week at PPF is Natasha May !!!!  As you know, I recently took her Cotton Candy Girl class and absolutely loved it!  I did it because, although I admire her work, I didn't think I could do it!  Her instruction was thorough and open minded!  Her videos were great and I loved listening to her accent!  She cracked me up with her humor.  It was a fun experience and I love these girls...my granddaughters are loving them too!

Okay so I have taken on this commissioned painting - I've been doing research and sketches on Phoenicopterus, yes, Flamingo's.  I thought I would share my piece as I go...any suggestions, feel free to let me know:

I plan on finishing it this weekend and hope to put "her" up on Sunday Sketches but no promises...might be a day or two later.

I received a great trade in the mail yesterday from Celia Bradshaw at http://adventuresofthestripedstockings.blogspot.com/
We did the July ATC trade hosted by Wendy at Bliss Angels and the theme was Sirens of the Sea:

I love what Celia did.  My favorite is the steampunk mermaid, each time I look at her I see some added detail.  Yes, she shall enhance my journey!  I have a fasination with steampunk but have not had the courage to try it!  Thanks Celia, I love them and the goodies!!!!

wow - computer went haywire at this point....don't know how far you scroll down.

 

My thoughts on my online classes & SS...

using one of Lisa's assignment backgrounds - working on ideas for
my commissioned Flamingo painting

WOW, in reviewing the last 8 weeks of my artistic journey, it is hard to express verbally all that has gone on in my head.  I took Lisa Wright's Wright Braine-Course...and Natasha May's Cotton Candy Girls just ahead of Lisa's but they did run together near the end.  There were points when I read an exercise from the Wright Brain course and went boo...this isn't what I signed up for BUT - HOLD ON THERE MISSY - YES, IT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING/SEARCHING FOR!!!  At first, when Lisa was talking about story writing...I didn't get that as part of my artistic journey but it is!!!!  In previous online classes I've taken the instructor just shows you how to duplicate "their" work - so If you do a good job & you post it - people think you have a piece of so & so's work - or they go Oh, she's taken so & so's class.  Your viewers really don't see it as "yours".  So how do you go about making your work your own?  That was Lisa's message.  How do I find things/subjects to make into art verses copying someone elses...?  Lisa's course has given me new thinking and SIGHT.  It took me a couple exercises to figure that out but when the bulb went on - WOW - a whole new world is opening up for me.  As I said, I was finishing Natasha May's Cotton Candy Girl course (excellent) as I started Lisa's.  It was beneficial to me to do both somewhat together.  I took the CCG class because it forced me to do something different! loved it!  Working Lisa's lessons too, I started to see things differently & one of my CCG's turned into a salsa girl after I observed a beautiful hispanic woman at a ballgame.  I would have NEVER put that all together without their class exposure!

I did not do every single less on paper but read them over and over, even if I didn't have time to do that particular assignment.  I will at some point though.  I read them silently, then aloud.  I  read them off the monitor - then in print.  I read until I heard the message and a flip switched in my brain allowing the true lesson to be "WRIGHT" in front of  me.  This has been a wonderful experience and I believe my abilities have grown immensly because of it!  Thank you Lisa for sharing the artistic message of creating!

Thanks to Alexandra for hosting Sunday Sketches where I first met Lisa Wright!!

cheers, dana
make art, make friends - share art, share souls

Giveaway winner is... & Phoenicopterus, of course!

IN MY HAST TO FINISH THE FLAMINGO....I TOTALLY FORGOT TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNER OF THE GIVEAWAY...OMG.  YES, I THINK I AM GETTING MEMORY ISSUES AS I AGE.

  BUT THE WINNER IS NORA CLEMENS-GALLO !!!! 

 HER WORK IS BEAUTIFUL AND I HOPE SHE ENJOYS THIS BOOK!!!

I finally finished my ATC to send to Minnemie!  As, I am sure you read in her interview last week, she grew up in South Africa.  She loves to paint animals of her native country.  Although I am not as skilled at it as she is - for our trade I decided to do a Phoenicopterus!!!!  I am working on a large comissioned painting of a FLAMINGO and discovered in my research that they are native to South Africa too!  Wha-la!!!!  My subject matter for our trade.  Minnemie sent me this incredible elephant which I posted upon receipt and now I am fulfilling my end of the trade! 

Wednesday,  I discovered that she too, is a chocolate lover...I knew we were kindred spirits and this seals the deal...we both are tomboys that are want to be princess's!!!!  She is surrounded by boys...I have 3 brothers, 2 sons, and a boat load of nephews and now 4 grandsons!!!...no girls around early in life but now - 2 step-daughters, 3 neices, a daughter-in-law, 3 granddaughters!!! Talk about princess-ville!  So how could I not do a PINK Flamingo!

So here is my Phoenicopterus:

Hope everyone stops by to see all the Paint Party Friday participants!!!  A great place for inspiration and knowledge!
Thanks to Eva and Kristin for hosting!!!!!  Can't wait to read about this weeks artist!

cheers, dana
make art, make friends - share art, share souls

all works copyright of dana strickland, sinderella's studio

Paint Party Friday GIVEAWAY !!!!

Yep, I am giving away a copy of Sue Bleiweiss's book, The Sketchbook Challenge.  I posted on Sunday the pics and my excitement over my tiny piece in the book.  Hey, I am published!!!!  So in celebration I would like to give a copy of the book away.  It is wonderful, packed with all kinds of how to's and inspiration.  All you have to do is read last Sundays post - http://sinderella-studio.blogspot.com/2012/07/sunday-sketchesdrum-roll-please.html and leave a comment here or there!  We missed Sunday Sketches and I am still celebrating the books release.   Here is my sketch triggered by Natures Beauty

I started with a photo my cousin had shot on the streets somewhere in California!  and from there my mind wandered!

I will announce the WINNER next Friday at our Paint Party.  Winner will be randomly selected!  It takes me all week to get through as many participants as I can !!!!  Thanks to Kristin and Eva for hosting!  I am also super excited that MINNIEMIE IS THE GUEST ARTIST !!!!  If you follow my blog you know I am a fan of hers and received an incredible ATC not to long ago from her!  She is still patiently waiting on mine, thank you!  YAY, don't miss checking her out!!!!  AMAZING!!!!!

cheers, dana

make art, make friends - share art, share souls

all materials copyright of dana strickland and sinderella's studio 2012

Sunday Sketches...drum roll please....

It finally arrived...Sue Bleiweiss's book The Sketchbook Challenge!!!!  I have waited a whole year for this week!  Sue approached my in early 2011 asking if I would be willing to take her word prompt and submit a sketch or two for her to consider for her book.  Are you kidding me...HELL YA!!!!  So I took the prompt and sent her two sketches...the prompt was Nature's Beauty...it has been hard not showing anyone this piece and keeping it under wraps until the release of her book:

birds' of paradise

I am on page 27 in this wonderful book!  It is full of techniques and sooooooooooooo much inspiration, everyone should have a copy of this!!!  Thank you so much Sue for allowing me to be part of this experience!!!!!

Can you believe it???!!!!  144 pages of incredible information and artwork!!!  Of course, I got a dozen copies!!!!

Thanks for stopping by,  whoops, it looks like Sunday Sketches is busy this week !  Hope everyone has a safe and happy upcoming 4th of July!

cheers, dana

make art, make friends - share art, share souls

all works copyright of dana strickland and sinderella studios