Welcome to my blog

If you enjoy finding a lot of different outlets for your creativity, then we may just be kindred spirits.
This blog is an outlet for my interest in miniatures, crochet, plastic canvas, and many other various arts and crafts.

I also love walking, taking digital photos, and most recently, have rediscovered an old love...bike riding! I purchased an amazing new bike, a comfy Townie by Electra this summer, and have been having a grand time exploring the area as though for the first time. It's like being a kid again!

If you enjoy any of these things too, pour a cup of coffee and tea, sit down, and join me.


Take care!
Kat

Friday, July 14, 2023

July is World Watercolor Month, here is Week 1, completed (watercolor, gouache, painting)

 World Watercolor Month

Himi Gouache
So this first one was done a week before #worldwatercolormonth. I'd just purchased a new set of Miya Himi Jelly Gouache and wanted to try them out.  I really like it. I followed a tutorial by Ruth Wilshaw.

Maimeriblu Venezia paint on dollarama paper, lol; 19 year old paint!

This second one was my first time trying out my 19 year old Maimeriblu Venezia paints, to see if they still worked. They were fine!  I just used Dollarama watercolor paper because I had no idea what I was doing, and the paper curled. I followed a tutorial by the Frugal Crafter.



Nancy's Kayak, Himi Gouache on Dollarama Paper.

I still didn't know that World Watercolor Month was a thing, or that the prompt for the day was 
"sunlit",  but I just happened to paint this, based on a photo my friend Nancy took while out kayaking.  It was Canada Day, July 1st and I wanted to paint a Canadian scene (this is Lake Superior).

First time trying Plein Air painting, Belleview Park, the wind turned the page and made a mess, lol

Redoing the scene from Belleview Park at home, with a photo I took while out trying to plein air paint.  

On July 2nd, I went out to our local park to get photos of the sunset,but more importantly, to wait for the moon rise. It was the night of the Buck Moon, and it also would have been my Uncle Buck's 92nd birthday (he passed away in late June).  On  a whim, I took along my mini (palm sized) sketchbook and my Winsor and Newton Cotman field kit. I forgot to bring a pencil or a clip for my book, and sat down to try to paint. The sun set AND the wind turned the page, leaving me with a mess, but I still had fun. When I got home I tried again in my sketchbook, using a photo I'd taken at the park. I started it but it was very late so I finished it on the 3rd. I was very happy with my first "original" artwork in watercolor.

The next day July 3rd, I discovered World Watercolor month was a thing, and that the prompt of the day was "raspberry". When I started my sketchbook, I'd left the first page, front and back blank as I didn' want to ruin it, lol and started my first painting on the second page (see above).  I finished it and decided to use the back of the first page for the raspberry. I followed a tutorial by Julie Lis Art Tutorials for the berry.


"burst" 

July 4h, the prompt was burst. Since July 4th is Independence day in the US, I did some fireworks in watercolor with a crayon resist.

"startle"
July 5th was Startle so I did owls, as they always seem startled. I made one much fatter and he broke the branch, but the snapped branch doesn't really show, lol. I put the wrong date in my sketchbook. 


My second try at plein air, Cotmans in tiny sketchbook, Whitefish Island

On July 6 I took my little sketchbag on my walk to Whitefish Island.  I sketched this quickly while sitting on the boardwalk over the beaver pond.  I remembered my pencil, and a clip to keep my pages from closing this time. I also brought a pen. I was much happier with this experience.

"flavor", watercolors
I did an extra painting on July 6 because the prompt was "flavor" and I wanted to try out my Mozart Komorebi Watercolors 
"Lemon" Miya Himi 

Day 7, July 7, the prompt was "lemon", so I painted these lemons using my Miya Himi Gouache, from a reference photo.  I was really happy with this one and discovered I prefer gouache to watercolor for painting more detail.  I have more control with gouache; but not as much as I do with acrylics (which I still prefer).  The gouache is fun and I am learning a lot. I do love the watercolors; I just need more practice.   Which I will get if I keep going, painting every day.  It's an excellent challenge and a fun way to learn, but a LOT of work, lol.

Well, that's it for week 1. See you at the end of week 2.






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