Pencil on crappy paper

I really, REALLY wish this was on better paper so I could paint it!! I gotta keep better paper close to me for doodling. Day 2 of moving to NY - we should be arriving today. I'll let you know!!

Life-changing

Big changed coming. Ready? GO! Today I'm moving to New York. It's going to be a long drive!

Cloudy Day

I've been experimenting a lot lately with started with a prepped page. Now, I have zero fear of the blank page (sorry for everyone who is scared of it!), but I think this adds a lot more depth to the page. I could be wrong, but it's making me happy lately. This page was (obviously) pink, orange, and a little vanilla. I drew her with pink pen and journaled in her hair.

I didn't intend on covering up all of the journaling, but that's how it worked out and I LOVE the finished page. The blue drippy water was the last thing I did, and I wasn't sure if I liked it at first, but I really do!

A little closer up of her face:

Ship

Journaling Restrictions

I made this journal for a class with Jane Davenport. I ADORE her - her work, the way she teaches, pretty much everything about her. She said it would be a good idea to use a new journal for the class and I'm a good little student (graduated from college 6 weeks ago with highest honors!) so I made a new one, and I love it. I really do. But.

Jane is one of those people who talks about how they like to keep their journals "positive". Personally, I am not in a positive frame of mind most of the time. I'm a worrier, a doubter, a skeptic, an atheist. My days are mostly struggle. So even though I liked the journal, liked the size, made it out of my favorite paper - I never USED it. Because the pressure to keep it positive was a turn off.

I journal to get CRAP out of my head. My thoughts loop like your favorite song on repeat but not as fun. Writing the thoughts helps to get them out of my head for a little while. Sometimes only a few minutes - but the relief is enough. Sometimes longer. Sometimes I write the same things day after day after day because they come BACK day after day after day.

So I reclaimed this journal. I collaged over the "happy" cover and haven't decided if I'm going to leave it or layer some more stuff.

I spray random things on the pages and write wherever and whenever I need to. Here, I wrote the big word first, then journaled about it. It doesn't matter that you have to struggle to read it, reading it isn't the point. The point was getting it out of my head so I didn't have a panic attack in class.

This is a thought from an episode of Bones. How our bodies are like dust covers on books, and what's underneath is what counts. In my head, I'm thinking about what it means if I'm not beautiful on the inside OR the outside?

I think putting restrictions on things is the fastest way to discourage someone from doing it. I can't have the "need to be positive" restriction on my journals because I don't feel the need to journal as much when I'm happy. Journaling is how I self-sooth.

Shmousin's House

OK, I'm cheating and posting something I made in July. Sue me! I was at my cousin's house and I only had a few paints with me (I fit nine in a quart-sized baggie). Also, I didn't have a real brush, just a water brush.

But I think she came out decent. A little paler in the face than I generally like, but decent.

All finished! 

Wolf Canvas

I so very rarely pay for art classes, because every single time I do I'm disappointed - either by teaching methods or lack thereof, or content vs cost. I was spoiled by Suzi Blu being my first online teacher - her classes are so fantastic, that people don't usually measure up.

However, I have been really enjoying Micki Wilde's class "Paint Happy". This canvas is based on one of her lessons. It's about the story of the two wolves, and a reminder of which one to feed.

First I covered the canvas with music - a piece I used to play, of course. 

Then just painted some color on. 

Then the girl in a wolf outfit. I LOVE it.