It has been awhile ....

The first part of this year has been what I would deem as NOT routine.  We lost our little min-pin due to liver cancer; hopefully we will have a little min-pin puppy to fill the void left by Danny Boy in late summer or early fall.  One of the few pieces of artwork I have completed this year included the one below with Danny Boy as part of the subject matter.  Actually completed shortly before he crossed over "The Rainbow Bridge".  It doesn't quite look like him, but enough so that I know it is him.

"Storytime" (February CPM Art Challenge) reference photo by Sally Robertson.

My hubby has been having a really rough time, health wise, and has spent a considerable amount of time in and out of the hospital.  We have been married for over 47 years, and I have found this to be very hard to experience.  At times I wish I had a magic wand that I could wave over him and make him healthy and happy. Instead, I pray ... a lot.  Guess you could say I am using a magic wand of sorts, it just happens to be called prayer.

One thing that has helped to keep my hand in art, during this time, are the monthly art challenges issued by the Colored Pencil Magazine.   Here is a link that will take you over to the entries:  Colored Pencil Magazine (CPM Challenge Pool) 

If an artist is able to enter each month's challenge for 2015, those artists will win a free subscription for one year to the Colored Pencil Magazine.  My goal is to complete each monthly challenge for 2015!  The above colored pencil painting is one of those entries.  Following are the others for this year:

January 2015
"Snow Baby" reference photo by Sally Robertson

and "Snow Babies"

March 2015 "Rust and Stuff" reference photo by Sally Robertson

April 2015 "Spring Daisies" reference by Sally Robertson

Currently I am working on the May Challenge (deadline is 6/10/15), the photo reference is a "White Peacock", already there are several magnificent entries!

Oh!  I did have fun recreating the clown I did in acrylics in December 2014, this time I did it with colored pencils for an entry in a "Nibblefest Art Challenge", this was a fun piece and ended up with a lady who really likes my artwork.

"Clown" reference photo by unknown photographer

Earlier this year I thought it would be fun to try out a few pieces using white colored pencil on black paper ... the results were actually better than I anticipated!

"Horse Silhouette" by Hannah Garrison

"White Monarch Butterfly" reference photo by Jacqueline Crawley

"Racoon" reference photo by Tim Bredow

This pretty much catches you up on my art activity for 2015, not much but at least it is something!

Take care and God bless,
Karen Anne

Two New Watercolor Illustrations

It has been awhile since I have posted anything on my blog, basically because I have been busy trying out my new Niji Waterbrushes (brushes with a water reservoir), Derwent InkTense Pencils, and Yarka Watercolors.  I really haven't tinkered around much with watercolors since I was in 8th grade, many many moons ago!  But I am working on a project and the need for the use of watercolors arose so I decided to experiment with them and see what results I could achieve.

I learned about the Niji waterbrushes while watching a YouTube Tutorial on Derwent InkTense Pencils (they are inks rather than watercolors) and decided to order myself some from DickBlick.com, a great place to shop for art supplies.  I really like the Niji brushes as they provide a source of control that I love, the Derwent InkTense colors are vivid and bright and work well with Yarka watercolors.  Once the Derwent InkTense colors are dry, they are permanent so I find they make a wonderful base to use the Yarka paints for shadowing and finer details.

I am no pro when it comes to watercolors, etc. but I found the results very much to my liking and thought it would be nice to share them with you and see what your reactions are.
The following are the two illustrations I have been working on over the past two weeks.

"Fairy Garden Fairy Home"

"The Enchanted Well"

I'd be delighted if you would let me know what you think of the results!

Karen Anne

A Wonderful Surprise from Australia!

Today in the mail I received a wonderful surprise from my Etsy friend in Australia, SunshineShelle.  Awhile back I had won an ACEO at SunshineShelle's Blog (be sure to check out her blog, it's great!) and I sent her a photo of our little miniature pinscher, Danny Boy, and asked if she could do him.  Well, today, her beautiful ACEO Original of Danny Boy arrived!  Shelle did a beautiful job on capturing his expression and I just have to share it will all of you ....

This is the photo I sent to Shelle of Danny Boy

 

And THIS is what she did!  Beautiful!

 

Thank you so very much Shelle!  

I just love it!

The Times Of Danny Boy

Good Day!  I have four new ACEO's to share with you.  These little drawings are all based around the character and antics of our little min pin, Danny Boy.  Danny Boy loves to be outside when it is warm and the sun is shinning.  But occasionally he does get

"Caught By April Showers"

At other times he will be outside, enjoying a warm breeze and soaking up the sun when out of no where he will be surprised by 

"Danny Boy's Nemesis"

Most of all Danny Boy loves going on long walks in the early evening hours with his "Dad".  Danny Boy especially enjoys the springtime and is constantly stopping along the way and 

"Taking Time To Smell The Flowers"

Once he and "Dad" get home from their evening walk, Danny Boy proudly bounds into the house to let "Mom" know he has done his job and exercised "Dad"!  For this outstanding job he earns a reward of some kind, in this case it was one of his favorite treats - A Chew!  Unfortunately, this presents the poor little fellow with 

"A Dog Gone Dilemna"

And he is confronted with the challenge of finding the ultimate safe hiding place for his treasured treat!

May you always have

Love to Share,

Health to Spare,

And Friends who Care!

Karen Anne

A New ACEO

Hi all!  It's been a bit since I have made an original ACEO so I decided to take on this month's ACEO Challenge with its theme of "April Showers".  I have additionally taken on a challenge from my hubby to draw a picture of our little miniature pinscher, "Danny Boy".  Drawing animals is, in itself, a very big challenge to me so I have really made a concerted effort to study Danny Boy and finally came up a small illustration that I will actually share.  Bear in mind that Danny Boy loves flowers (he is always burying his little nose into any flowers he finds on his travels) but its "I'm out of here" when it comes to showers!  That said, it took a real act of courage by him to pose for this illustration, he hopes you appreciate his efforts.

This little ACEO is titled "April Showers Bring Sweet Flowers"

May you always have

Love to Share,

Health to Spare,

And Friends who Care!

Karen Anne aka IrelandBrady