Thursday, January 22, 2015

Dear Courage...

   Thanks to the wonderful challenges I find on blogs, the techniques found on You Tube and in books, I continually get more courage to TRY new things without fear of "messing it up". I have learned that if I don't like it, even after letting it sit a few days (or more) it can always be covered up and a blank slate is ready to begin again.

 It says "dear courage , I've been looking for you." This thought came to mind as I was tackling techniques to create this portrait page as described in Dina Wakley's book Art Journal Courage (pgs 36 - 45). Oh sure, I can pick apart what I'd like to change about this but it IS after all a learning experience that takes practice. And practice  with doing faces/portraits especially is what I want to keep working at.

 The page began like this:

 The basic face was drawn first with pencil then gone over with a Stabilo All black pencil over a deli paper printed page in my journal. I am discovering that I really like working over a painted pattern or page as I love when bits of the background peek through!

 Linking to Art Journal Every Day, Art Journal Journey, Express Your Creativity, and Paint Party Friday.

 Art Journal Journey and Mix It Monthly are two favorite monthly challenges of mine because since discovering them my eyes have opened up to SO many new possibilities! Both Conny (Piarom) and Susi (froebelsternchen) provide participants with wonderful monthly themes and you can tell by all the links these challenges have that they are extremely popular! DO have a look and visit -I dare you not to be inspired! On that note, here is my final (I think:) contribution to this month's themes:



                                                                      "Rain Dance"

 This was inspired again by Mattisse's "cut outs" art and the theme and colors were inspired by all the dark , grey rainy/snowy days we've had recently. You can see my other "cut outs" pages here and here.

 And another favorite past time of mine - cards!

 This is the sketch for this week at Freshly Made Sketches:

 And this is my card:


 It was very difficult to get a really good photo of because the pink heart is silver embossed. It was from a pkg of older valentines that had been given to me. I'm also linking this to the Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog (theme is "Have a Heart").

 Are you working on Valentine projects? What are you doing to be more courageous in your art?
 I'd love to know!

        " What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?"   Vincent Van Gogh


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42 comments:

  1. peggy gattoJanuary 22, 2015 at 7:44 PM

    Love both!!!

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  2. Jen BrumJanuary 22, 2015 at 10:01 PM

    Lovely cards! Love the colours on the Valentine! What a great heart! The doily heart looks great peeking out! Thanks for joining us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

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  3. Linda CallahanJanuary 22, 2015 at 10:29 PM

    Sweet sweet Valentine! Glad you shared it at FMS!

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  4. suziqu's thread worksJanuary 23, 2015 at 12:08 AM

    Hello Dear Linda,
    I love the title of your page in the challenge group "Dear Courage - I've been looking for you!" It is a gorgeous portrait. Clever girl!
    Your Valentine Card I am sure is beautiful in real life with the silver embossing. Yes so much love in creating with hearts as we get to express our hearts.
    Love Suzy

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  5. froebelsternchenJanuary 23, 2015 at 1:20 AM

    Gorgeous face .... She is so beautiful Linda and the colors of your Matisse inspired piece is amazing... and last not least I can tell you that card is beautiful as well!
    Have a happy weekend dear Linda!
    So glad that you are with us at AJJ and what you did write about blogging and youtube and books is so right.. I feel the same!
    xoxoxo
    Susi

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  6. Valerie-JaelJanuary 23, 2015 at 2:17 AM

    Love what you have made, glad you are enjoying my theme at Art Journal Journey! Valerie

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  7. Boo GJanuary 23, 2015 at 5:05 AM

    The nose on your girl is amazing. Love your color blocks with the silhouettes. I am being courageous in my art by drawing dogs

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  8. Anewdawn 16January 23, 2015 at 8:34 AM

    love what u said...dear courage ,ive been looking for u...thats the story of my life !!!!! love ur page ..ur words ...hugs

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  9. ChristineJanuary 23, 2015 at 8:41 AM

    Lovely work this week Linda. I love your Valentine card

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  10. GlorV1January 23, 2015 at 11:27 AM

    Very nice work Linda. Love your valentine. Love the Van Gogh quote, so true.

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  11. K J DJanuary 23, 2015 at 12:15 PM

    Great post Linda.... I love the face. I know what you mean about working on patterned/painted areas for the face. Those pokey through bits are a bonus!

    Love your rain dance.....

    btw how many Valentines cards do you send ;)

    Karenxxx

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  12. K J DJanuary 23, 2015 at 12:24 PM

    ps you are putting me to shame with your experiments from Dina's book.... I will play with it at the weekend!

    Kx

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  13. GeckostoneJanuary 23, 2015 at 12:49 PM

    Your work is beautiful Linda! I know its so easy to critique our own work to death. What makes PPF so fun is we get to see our work through other's eyes. And yours is gorgeous to me!!! I could never do a face that good! Hugs...

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  14. caitlyn (ladyphlogiston)January 23, 2015 at 1:31 PM

    Isn't the internet wonderful? The other ladies at my congregation think I come up with super-creative things to do with my girls, and most of them are just stuff I found online. Keep practicing courage!

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  15. katJanuary 23, 2015 at 1:32 PM

    Great to see you having so much fun, it's all looking great, I especially love that rain dance piece!

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  16. AnonymousJanuary 23, 2015 at 1:56 PM

    love the rain dance

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  17. BLOGitseJanuary 23, 2015 at 2:37 PM

    Your work inspires me right now, start painting, drawing...but it's soon bedtime so I store it in my mind and hopefully I have time this weekend...
    Well done!

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  18. LeoviJanuary 23, 2015 at 4:10 PM

    Exquisite your inspiration, deliciously evocative that face. Nice work "Rain Dance"!

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  19. JoannaJanuary 23, 2015 at 4:28 PM

    Your blog posts are always so inspiring, Linda. I love your girl with her soulful faraway gaze.

    Have a lovely weekend!

    xx
    ps thank you for the reminder to make a Valentines card!

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  20. MarjiJanuary 23, 2015 at 4:38 PM

    You've been busy. So much wonderful inspiration here. Courage for trying new things is a wonderful trait to have. I think art is cumulative, so all the things and trys that you do, will continue to come together into something grand.

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  21. My name is Erika.January 23, 2015 at 5:50 PM

    Love your pages. They are very interesting. I especially like rain dance-it has a unique feel to it-not up on all my painting history so I was wondering if you were using an artist's style as a model.

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  22. EVAJanuary 23, 2015 at 6:13 PM

    I am really taken with "rain dance" Very very cool! And Dear Courage is lovely.

    I hope your courageous steps nourish your soul in 2015 Linda!

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  23. Arnoldo L. Romero, MLAJanuary 23, 2015 at 7:12 PM

    I really like your painting, which reminds me of Modigliani's work, so I wouldn't change a thing. I also like the fun Valentine you made inspired by FMS 170. Blessings, my friend!

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  24. Karen LetchworthJanuary 24, 2015 at 1:08 AM

    Fabulous art, Linda!
    You're invited to come play along with us! Word Art Wednesday has weekly Anything Goes Challenges with GREAT prizes every week. We hope you will join us here:
    www.wordartwednesdsay.blogspot.com

    Karen

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  25. Beverley BairdJanuary 24, 2015 at 1:11 AM

    Loved all your creations! Your thoughts on courage to try new things is so true. Thanks for the links - new challenges are fun to check out,

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  26. ColourFlyJanuary 24, 2015 at 1:48 AM

    I love your "dear courage". The background is amazing and the face a beauty. My goal is just to learn to draw/paint faces and took the Dina Wakley online class 100 Faces in 100 Days. And she is right: practice. practice, practice!
    Have a fun and creative weekend!
    Sabine

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  27. GigglesJanuary 24, 2015 at 5:17 AM

    Rain dance speaks to me...it's wonderful to have courage to try new things...Every time I visit your banner makes me so happy...you know how much I love it but wow it always brings so much happiness!! Thank you for that, and your wonderful inspiring posts!

    Hugs Giggles

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  28. UnknownJanuary 24, 2015 at 6:43 AM

    Hi Linda, Thanks for stopping bye my blog yesterday and leaving the lovely comment. Your Valentine piece is beautiful. I just finished 6 Valentine illustrations and will be posting them tomorrow if you would like to see what I've done.
    ~ karen

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  29. minnemieJanuary 24, 2015 at 8:31 AM

    Rain dnace is my favorite!

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  30. FayeJanuary 24, 2015 at 8:39 AM

    I say amen to your first paragraph, Linda! Your Dear Courage is beautiful. I should do faces on top of some of the multitude of backgrounds I have made. Maybe you have given me the courage to try this.

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  31. FallingladiesJanuary 24, 2015 at 8:51 AM

    Love the face as well! Very fun style!

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  32. carol l mckennaJanuary 24, 2015 at 10:59 AM

    Love all your creations! Favorite is the cut out ~ very zen like ~

    Happy Weekend to you,
    artmusedog and carol

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  33. UnknownJanuary 24, 2015 at 11:25 AM

    Fantastic art work Linda, your portrait is beautiful and thoughtful and I love 'Rain dance'. your creativity inspires! Thank you for sharing!

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  34. PiaRomJanuary 24, 2015 at 12:21 PM

    Oh dear LInda, thank you so much for your sweet compliment about our Challenge Blogs :) I am so blessed with all you who create with me....I so so love your cutouts and here the colors let them really pop! I am always amazed, how black let all the colors explode ;) Aaand Henry Matisse is one of my favorite old masters too! Mix It Monthly ♥ Conny

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  35. Lisabella RussoJanuary 24, 2015 at 4:07 PM

    She's beautiful, as are your other creations! I think there's a point at every painting when just going forward takes courage, I lack it sometimes, but if I push through it, it's possible to continue on. Your courage painting is lovely!

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  36. Nancy BJanuary 24, 2015 at 4:17 PM

    Lovely art! I enjoyed looking at it.

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  37. dentheJanuary 24, 2015 at 6:00 PM

    Too right! That's what I learned too: you can't mess things up, you can always change it and see it as another layer. I love your Matisse-inspired piece ♥

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  38. GinnyJanuary 25, 2015 at 10:40 AM

    As Aga wrote "Your creativity inspires." I love seeing what you are creating each week and how you are constantly learning something new and stepping out of your comfort zone. All of your pieces were lovely.

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  39. ~*~Patty SJanuary 25, 2015 at 11:16 AM

    You have great courage dear Linda
    and I so enjoy seeing where it leads you with your artwork!
    oxo

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  40. Karla B January 26, 2015 at 6:43 AM

    Both are lovely, my friend!Courage is divine!We all need it but I don't know why it keeps running away from us!

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  41. Frieda OxenhamJanuary 26, 2015 at 11:54 AM

    A wonderful quotation by Vincent and one of my favourites. Courage is my word for 2015 and like you I hope to work my way through the Dunah Wakley book. Love what you have done with the face.

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  42. CarynJanuary 28, 2015 at 7:23 AM

    Beautiful project.
    Thanks for joining in at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.
    Hugs,
    Caryn xxx

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Thank you so much for your comments; it's a pleasure to connect with you!

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