Sketchbook Practice: Impressionist-Style Painting

One of things I like to do in the summer is to take a class. Growing up, summer was always an opportunity to learn something new: dance, art, baking. I was never a sporty girl and I leaned into artistic pursuits that I've taken with me as I got older.

Summer in New York City overflows with outdoor activities. One of them is the DUMBO Drink and Draw that takes place in Brooklyn. 

There is an archway right under the Manhattan Bridge where fun things happen like concerts, a flea market, and art classes taught by Creatively Wild Art Studio. Register on their website, pay a reasonable fee (or bring your own materials like I did), and just show up.  

On this particular day, Tyler Scott taught us how to make an Impressionist Landscape painting. 

An example of an Impressionist painting is Claude Monet's "Bridge Over a Pond of Waterlilies." Other Impressionists include Pierre Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, and Camille Pissarro.

Impressionism was an art movement that originated in France in the 1860-70s. It attempts to capture the subjective impression of a scene instead of a realistic portrayal. Less detail, an emphasis on light and color, and visible brushstrokes bring a softness and dreaminess to the final work.

Here's what our outdoor classroom looks like. You'll hear the rumble of the trains above and feel the breeze from the East River. There's also a booth to purchase drinks. 

Our teacher did a live demonstration on this canvas while giving us a few guidelines:

Step 1: Start with a loose sketch, capture the scene, not the detail.

Step 2: Build your palette by choosing 3-5 major colors for your scene (sky, ground, tree, shadows, highlights) and explore warm and cool balance.

Step 3:  Apply the first paint layer starting from the background (ex. sky, mountains) and moving to the front. Use bold, unblended strokes, and visible brushwork (ex. dabs, dashes, or using different brush sizes). 

Step 4: Create depth, definition, and movement by layering brighter highlights or deeper shadows over your base color. 

 

Here is a photo of my work in progress showing the base layer. 

Here's what it looks like now with new layers added...TADA!  

I've been practicing the technique using gouache in my sketchbook. The flowers in my neighborhood worked well as my subject...TADA! 

Inspired by Claude Monet's water lily paintings,  I also made a few postcards on blank watercolor cards...TADA!

Because I'm more of a watercolorist (I usually start with light layers and gentle strokes), I took me some time to adjust to gouache and acrylic paint's stronger hand and bolder colors--there's always something new to learn!

And that is how I turned a blank page from blah to TADA!

*****

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Five Thoughts for April

Happy April Everyone!

Here are some of the things I'm looking forward to:

1. The Cherry Blossom Trees 

Pink trees are a sight to behold! These trees flower before growing their leaves. In Japan, the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival is called "Sakura" and people travel from near and far to appreciate this brief season by viewing them ("Hanami").

I have yet to visit Japan for this reason, but closer to where I live in the U.S. East Coast, we can visit Branch Brook Park (New Jersey), The New York Botanical Garden (Bronx), The Brooklyn Botanic Garden, or the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC.  

It's a good excuse to slow down and be one with nature, take pictures, and even create some art...TADA!

2. Art Inspired by Spring Blossoms

I've been seeing a lot of spring blossoms in the neighborhood and they inspired me to make these postcards...TADA! They started as watercolor paintings, then I cut them out and glued them to printed card stock. I'll be sending these to my penpals very soon. 

3. Joann Fabric and Craft Store is Closing 😞

The retail chain Joann has filed for bankruptcy and I think it's blah. It wasn't too long ago that A.C. Moore also shuttered its doors. These craft stores are such happy places for me, it makes me sad that they really struggled in the current economic environment. I stopped by two weekends ago to say goodbye.

While most of the merchandise has been wiped out, I was able to find a few items I really needed. Joann was my go-to spot for fabric and sewing supplies. It was bittersweet to step out of the store for the very last time. Thank you for the craft materials and all the memories, Joann! 

4. A Simple Joy

I'm all about finding joy in the everyday and I really try to pay attention: feeling the sunshine and the breeze, receiving a letter from a friend in the mail, having leftovers in the fridge, and little treats like a coffee with pretty latte art (I'm aware that not everyone has this skill). These joys definitely turn my day from blah to TADA!

5. Indie Bookstore Day 

Indie Bookstore Day is celebrated on the last Saturday of April (April 26) and I'm all for it! Let's keep reading new books (or old books) and support the businesses in our neighborhood. Their success is the community's success.

April heralds the start of spring and I wish all of you fresh beginnings!

*****

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Art Journaling: Lessons from Dina Wakley

I've fallen in love with art journaling. When I don't have the words to express my feelings, bringing them to life through sketching, painting, and collage in my art journal is very satisfying. I try to keep at it regularly, making it a practice.

I also like learning new techniques from experts like Dina Wakley, a mixed media artist and teacher, who has her own product line and she's also an author.  

One of her books that I found at the library is Art Journal Courage. I like that the subtitle is "Fearless mixed media techniques for journaling bravely." Fear and self doubt are real and in many instances, they get in the way for us to even try.  

This is Dina's pep talk for us. Here's to overcoming all our fears!

Now, let me show you an art journal page that I made based on one of the projects in the book ("Painting the portrait" on pages 42 to 45). 

I'm using an old book as my art journal. The printed page and pictures add character but I wanted the words on this page to be less visible. I covered it with two coats of acrylic paint using a paintbrush. Then I let the page dry. 

I'm still in the stage of experimenting with gesso and I applied a small amount on top of my page. Notice that I decanted my gesso in a squeeze bottle (empty bottle of glue) so that I can easily control the amount. 

I used an expired gift card/rewards card to help spread the gesso on the page. I find this better than using a paintbrush because it covers a bigger surface and allows for an even layer. I let this dry for a few minutes.

Then I brushed on some paint. The under layers of white paint and gesso gave the paint some texture...TADA!

I sketched a self-portrait and added paint to enhance the hair and skin tone. She doesn't look anything like me but I keep reminding myself that with practice, I'll eventually get a closer resemblance. Practice over perfection.

Then I included some collage at the bottom left of the page. I also added some journaling: "I am grateful for my body's ability to heal from infection and disease. Thank you body!"

I made this at a time I had COVID-19. The red side symbolizes the infection and the green side represented healing. I wanted to honor my body for its strength and resilience, and that I should never take good health and wellness for granted.

On this page, I was able to express feelings of vulnerability, the lack of control, also relief and appreciation. 

This is how I turned a journal page from blah to TADA!

*****

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A Butterfly Keychain

At the end of every January, I create a butterfly-themed craft. You see, I lost my Mom on January 31, 2017. 

While I no longer have her, my Mom appears to me as a monarch butterfly. Whenever I see one, I know she's checking to see how I'm doing. Crafting with butterflies is my way to honor her memory, a little mother-daughter time together.

Here are some of the butterfly crafts I've made: 

A butterfly watercolor sketch

A butterfly wall hanging 

An embroidered butterfly 

So today, I'll be making something simple but one that I can carry with me on a daily basis. 

This is a keychain that was advertising a service (one side was printed with all the details). I didn't need the service but I wanted to turn this keychain from blah to TADA! So I "erased" the printed details by covering it with black paint. Then I left it alone to dry. 

 

I found this set of rubber stamps with an insect theme. We're using the butterfly design. 

Here are the materials we'll need: keychain, butterfly rubber stamp, white paint (I'm using watercolor or gouache), a brayer, a plastic placemat/flexible cutting mat (use this exclusively for crafting), and black scrap paper.

Squeeze some white paint onto the plastic placemat/flexible cutting mat (don't use this for food prep).

Roll the brayer to spread the paint upwards, downwards, and sideways until you have a square-shape of paint. 

This paint square will serve as our ink pad (this is a nifty trick of you have different colored paints but no ink pad; just make sure the paint can be washed off so you can keep reusing the mat and the brayer).  

Do a test print: dab the butterfly rubber stamp on the paint square and stamp an image on the black scrap paper. Keep testing until the design is evenly covered and the details are clear. 

Roll the brayer between stamping to even out the paint (add more paint if necessary). When done, wash the brayer and the mat immediately to get off the paint. Let these dry, and again, use the mat exclusively for crafting. 

Once you are confident, stamp directly on the keychain. Press slowly, apply pressure so that the butterfly design transfers well, and let it sit on the keychain for a few seconds before removing it. 

In case you aren't happy with the result, let the butterfly design dry then cover it up with black paint. Let the keychain dry before starting over. 

I like that the butterfly is off center. I can add my name or a quote with a white pen and brush lettering later on. This will be the keychain for my everyday keys...a reminder that my Mom is always watching over me.

That is how I turned a plain keychain from blah to TADA!

*****

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DIY Advent Calendar Part 1

Thank you for stopping by! 

Today it's all about Advent Calendars. I know it's only November but because there's a good amount of preparation involved for this to be ready by the first of December, let's start early. 

Advent Calendars are boxes made of wood or paper that has 24 or 25 doors. The idea is to open a door each day before December 25 to count down the days before Christmas. There's usually a surprise tucked inside the door. It creates anticipation, helps keep track of days, and you are rewarded for your patience. You get to open a small gift each day until Christmas day when it's time to open the gifts under your tree.

There are many versions of Advent Calendars and the cute ones I've seen are those with jam, perfume, Lego, Play-Doh, and Sesame Street books.  

But the more common Advent Calendars (and less expensive option, too) are filled with chocolate: 

This was a gift from a dear cousin last year. Behind each door was a small square of milk chocolate. It's a perfect December tradition that I open after dinner where the chocolate serves as dessert.

But when all the chocolate has been eaten and the box is empty, you know that I won't throw it away just yet. I'll turn the empty Advent Calendar box from blah to TADA!

I'll repurpose the box into a new Advent Calendar but instead of chocolate, I'll put tiny handmade ornaments that I can use year after year.

I'm using air dry clay for this project...no baking involved! But as an alternative, you can use salt dough clay. 

I shaped the air dry clay into these tiny pendants. Each one is less than an inch tall and only a quarter of an inch thick. I also put them on a sheet of wax or parchment paper to make it easy to peel off in case they stick.

I used the back end of a paintbrush to make very distinct holes on each one. I left these out to dry and harden for a few days.

Don't forget to return the remaining air dry clay in its packaging and store in an air-tight container so that it stays pliable for next use. 

Sun prints via Etsy

I wasn't sure how I would decorate the ornaments but these botanical sun prints really caught my fancy.

Once the pendants hardened, it was time to paint. I used watercolor to add an indigo shade to the air dry clay ornaments. I like how the paint didn't dry evenly -- very similar to the sun print paper. 

With a small paintbrush and white acrylic paint, I drew on some botanical prints. I'm veering away from the traditional Christmas themes and colors, using spring references instead: ferns, flowers, and first blooms. These remind me of the Baby Jesus and the new life He promises. 

Here are my air dry clay ornaments...TADA! I made 24 blue ones and one white one for Christmas Day. The painting on this white one is an Easter lily, another symbol for birth and rebirth.  

With the aid of a needle, I strung on some white embroidery thread through each hole. 

The thread was long enough to tie into a bow. Look, the ornaments are more festive!

The Advent Calendar box came with this plastic tray. After cleaning the tray, I tucked an ornament into each square. 

Then I slid the plastic tray back into the Advent Calendar box.

If you peek in each door, you'll see the ornament inside...TADA!

Since the perforated doors have been opened, I used stickers (or washi tape) to keep the flaps in place and prevent the ornaments from falling out.

I found new use for an empty Advent Calendar box. I can share this with my family or pass it along to a friend so she can start a Christmas tradition.

That is how I turned blah to TADA!

Please stop by next week for a decorating idea using the ornaments from this Advent Calendar.

I wish you all a surprising week ahead and please subscribe here if you'd like my future blog posts right in your inbox.