Sketchbook Practice: Cartoon Sketching

Every month, I write a post on how we can fill the pages of a sketchbook.  

Do you remember the feeling of excitement when buying a fresh sketchbook? But when we sit down and see the blank page, we are at a loss. We either don't know what to make or are too afraid to create something that isn't perfect. I was that person. But over the years, I've learned to just play in my sketchbook. There's always an eraser for mistakes and there's always a new page to try again, right?

During the Sketchbook Revival Workshop last year, I learned about Cartoon Sketching taught by Brandon Dean Johnson. He is an artist, producer and CEO of Create Now, and he makes drawing cartoons quick, effortless, and fun!

During his demo, Brandon sketched out a unicorn stuffed animal. He says, "You need a fast hand when drawing." Note to self: don't overthink while drawing. 

He used simple materials like markers. Notice that he used a limited palette and swatched his colors on one side of the paper.

After coloring the unicorn, he made an outline using a black marker/crayon. 

He added some shading, shadows and highlights, then he signed his work. He did this drawing in a few minutes (he works in animation where they practice a fast turnover). He says he can scan this and use Photoshop to clean it up as a final step.

I drew along while Brandon was doing the demo. This is what I made...TADA!

There was time to make another sketch:

Brandon quickly created a rough sketch of a dancing elephant.

Then he added some details.

Then filled in with crayon (he didn't forget to swatch colors at the side of the page).

Here is my version of the dancing elephant...TADA!

Let me tell you about the paper that I used to sketch...it's an expired calendar! I didn't want the blank pages to go to waste. Maybe I'll glue these drawings to my sketchbook or scan it like Brandon does to make his final art.

As a final tip, Brandon has these recommendations:

Please try your hand at cartoon sketching. That way, you can turn your blank sketchbook page from "blah to TADA!"

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DIY Stickers

I'm delighted by your presence!

On a scale of one to ten, how much do you like stickers? It would be a ten for me. My inner child gets butterflies in the stomach at the sight of the sticker aisle and I'll always buy myself some as a little treat.  

I found this pack of sticker flakes at a Japanese Dollar Store. The spring theme is totally my vibe.

Here is what each of the stickers look like. The smaller ones are dainty bouquets and the bigger ones can be used as labels.

With this as our inspiration, let's make our own DIY stickers!

We will need: a craft punch (if you have it), scissors, a shape ruler or stencil, a pencil, paintbrush or water brush, sticker paper, and watercolors. 

I made shapes on the sticker paper with the craft punch. I also traced shapes with the aid of a ruler/stencil and pencil. Then I painted floral motifs directly on the sticker paper using watercolors. 

These heart-shaped stickers, similar to these ones I made in the past, can be used as gift tags or nameplates...TADA!

These oblong-shaped stickers are a perfect finishing touch on the envelopes of handwritten letters...TADA!

And these smaller stickers can be added to a bullet journal or travel journal to give life and color to the page...TADA!

That's how I turned plain sticker paper from blah to TADA!

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Handpainted Blue and White Vases

It's lovely to see you! Are you ready for some crafting?

I spotted these vases at a shop and I'm using them as inspiration for some D.I.Y. I just love the blue and white patterns! Even if there are no flowers inside them, they already make a statement.

Let's make our own by turning empty food jars from blah to TADA!

After cleaning and drying the jars, I painted them with white acrylic paint. I used three coats until I got an opaque and smooth finish.

To add the blue flowers, I'm using a blue ink pad and cling stamps mounted on an acrylic stamp block. 

Tap the cling stamp on the ink pad. Make sure the stamp has an even and generous amount of ink. Then stamp this on the jar, rubbing the back of the stamp to make a clear impression of the flower. To get into the curvy parts of the jar, the cling stamp can be removed from the acrylic stamp block so that it's more pliable. 

Once satisfied with the stamped flowers, take a paintbrush, dip it in water, and pull the ink (from the outlines) and drag it into the white parts of the flower. This instantly gives the flower a blue hue.

Add some fillers like polkadots to tame the stark whiteness of the jar. Allow this to dry for a few hours.

Use the same technique for the other jar. This time I'm using a cherry blossom cling stamp.

This is what the jars-turned-vases look like...TADA!

All we have to do is fill it with our favorite flowers.

Because we have an extra vase, we can give it away to brighten somebody's day.

And that is how I turned some empty food jars from "blah to TADA!" You can find more ideas here (marbled jars) and here (single color jars). 

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A Very Sweet Handmade Envelope

Hey there! 

I love chocolate. I love it so much that I keep the empty boxes, too.

 

It's not that I don't want to let go, they're just very ideal for crafting.

In a previous post, I did a little D.I.Y. turning an empty chocolate box into a mailing envelope. 

I made a few more if you're interested to see:

The chocolate box already looks like an envelope.

All we need to do is paint it to block out the labels. It will take at least five coats of paint with some drying time in between.

I added a contrasting color and let this dry.

I'm using these unicorn stickers for fun and whimsy. 

Stickers, stickers everywhere! I left some space to write the recipient's name.

Enclosed are handwritten notes on handmade cards and a sticker sheet to share.

Here is a smaller chocolate box that I also painted. 

I decorated with dots using pink and purple paint. 

They look like sprinkles!

Fill the envelope with sweet things like candy, stickers, and thoughtful messages on postcards.

All that's left to do is to seal (I'm using glue), address, and send.

That's how I repurposed these chocolate boxes from blah to TADA! If you're interested, there are similar projects here, here, and here. 

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Five Things for July

How is it July already? Let's relish every day with a good mix of work and leisurely activity! 

 

The beach we frequent in the Jersey Shore always puts up this installation during the Fourth of July. It's the American flag made from painted red, white, and blue seashells...TADA! I applaud the creativity and patriotism for all beach-goers to admire and enjoy. 

There's no such thing as too much ice cream and gelato, would you agree? A visit to our local ice cream shops like Dairy Queen and Van Dyk's help beat the heat and are always a welcome treat...TADA!

At home, I like brewing iced tea by mixing different tea bag flavors (this one is pomegranate and cranberry with black tea and honey). Sometimes I add some fresh fruit like berries and peaches for some natural sweetness (or tartness)...TADA!

Summer reading! Don't you love it? I borrow most of my books from the library and sometimes they have a library sale (for as low as $1). When I'm done, I donate my books to The Little Free Library...TADA!

If you're looking for a summer craft with the kids or your friends, try tie dye t-shirts...TADA! You can find the tie dye tutorial here. Make summer memories with cute souvenirs to keep.

May your July be calm, cool, and creative!

Sketchbook Practice: Drawing Manhattan's Oldest Tree

Hi there! Let me tell you about a drawing session that I attended last Sunday.

The venue was New York City's Washington Square Park. Here, you'll find the oldest tree in Manhattan (more than 300 years old). It's an English Elm and it's known as the "Hangman's Elm." Legend has it that traitors we hung from its branches around the time of the American Revolution.

I know, it sounds a little morbid, but I can only imagine all the stories this towering tree has seen. She's a real beauty! I frequent this park a lot but wasn't even aware of the history of this tree.   

 

The group Washington Square Park Eco Projects and artist Kristin Jones of Behold lead strangers like me who are willing to stop, observe, and draw Manhattan's oldest tree. 

The session was absolutely free! Sketchpads and pencils were provided, but you are welcome to bring your favorite art materials. 

We sat on the park benches that surround Hangman's Elm and just began to draw.

Different artists are invited to provide tips, techniques, and encouragement. This class was led by Jennifer Orkin Lewis (@augustwren on Instagram). I've been a fan of her use of color and whimsical style. Meeting her turned my day from blah to TADA!

I sketched several versions of the tree using different media:

My warm up exercise: a pencil sketch

My second attempt: sketching more details using green pencil

My third sketch using an ink pen

Another version: what if I painted a blue tree? I used blue watercolor
directly on the paper; I didn't do a pencil sketch beforehand. 

And still another version using watercolor and colored pencils.

For the final one, I went wild with the watercolor.

It was so much fun making different interpretations of the Hangman's Tree. You can take a look at other people's drawings on the @treewonderwsp Instagram account. It was also freeing to know that you can keep starting over if you weren't pleased with your first attempt and that even with the same subject, many different versions can come out.

I'd definitely do this again, especially when the seasons change (the dramatic leaves in autumn and the bare branches in winter).

If you are in New York City, why don't you stop by? They'll be at Washington Square Park's northwest corner every Sunday from 11:30 am to 1:00pm.

Let's keep practicing, stay creative, and transform ordinary days from blah to TADA! 

*****

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More Ephemera Envelopes

Hey everyone, I'm glad you're here!

Last week, we scoured our paper stash to make this ephemera envelope: 

It's a handmade envelope from the book "The Art of the Travel Journal" by Abbey Sy. It is folded in an origami style where the seams are sealed and embellished with washi tape. It's called an ephemera envelope because it's where we can safely store paper souvenirs like tickets and maps that we've collected during our travels. It's also meant to be included in our travel journal, as an analog way of memory keeping.

When I started making one, I just couldn't stop! Here are new versions using different sizes and kinds of paper:

These are made from hand-painted paper.

These are made from brown packaging paper and decorated with fodder and collage.

These are upcycled from a mailing envelope and decorated with stamps.

Make the ephemera envelope part of your travel journal spread.

Find other purposes for it, too: as an envelope for handmade cards or as a flat bag to wrap presents.

This is just one of the ways I transform paper scraps from "blah to TADA!" 

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