Inspired by Shortcake pets!

One of the things I loved to do as a child was to draw my Strawberry Shortcake dolls.  So yesterday, I grabbed my collection of dolls and pulled out 3 of my favorite pets..... Hopsalot (bunny), Marza Panda, and Marmalade (butterfly). These pets are from the 1980's original version of the Shortcake friends collection made by Kenner.  These dolls smelled so incredible and by keeping them preserved in a container they still have a slight scent left on them. Even after 35 years. pretty amazing!

Using the Prima Watercolor confections (mainly in the tropicals set), I recreated these little cuties on the small watercolor pad. Love this size of paper for this particular project!

supplies used

stabilo graphite

prima watercolor pad 2x3.5" - 847692

prima watercolor confections - tropical - 584269

Inspired by Gucci

Vogue magazine is my favorite for inspiring figures and fashion. I often use these magazines to jumpstart my faces and in the process evolve and learn something new in my process. It stretches me to see differently than just creating from my imagination. I love using the Prima watercolors for this practice. I start with a sketch with a stabilo graphite pencil and quickly move to the watercolors. I create finishing marks with the Prima watercolor pencils to add depth and dimension. The pearl color bloom spray is FANTASTIC for adding the illusion of ruffles and/or a spray of baby's breath. Give it a try!

supplies

watercolor pencils 576714

color bloom - pearl white 573751

Watercolor set - classic 584252

stabilo graphite

sharpie white paint pen (water based)

original available here

Working with Prima Watercolor

For this project I wanted to celebrate the way watercolors work. I wanted to allow the color to meander where it wanted and allow the spontaneous flow to happen. So many times I try to control watercolor....but surrendering to the process is what I wanted to achieve. I hope you enjoy!

supplies used:

watercolor pencils 576714

watercolor set - decadent pies 584276

8x8 watercolor pad - 847739

sharpie water based marker

masters touch brush - #5

video process:

SaveSaveSaveSave

Inner Child

Yesterday was a doozy of a day with my therapy session. Physically and emotional wore me out but maybe it is a good thing. I feel renewed and refreshed today. Maybe that is part of the healing.

I woke up with these words:

I am working on mothering my inner child.
I don't have to be controlled, manipulated, or have it all together.
I don't have to be the responsible one.


I don't have to be afraid all the time.
Afraid that i'm "not there" for you to confide in.
Acting as your peer at 8 years old.

I am gentle with her.
I have something inside of me that can feel loved.
I want to be protected and free to be a child.
I must give myself this gentleness and freedom.
And to just play.

I am not happy with you God that you allowed this childhood.
I must have skipped a step when declaring "this beautiful gift" of brokenness.
So perhaps a wrestle is in order. *
Maybe you will give me a new name.
A name that means Freedom.


(*inspired by scripture Genesis 32 when Jacob wrestles with God and is given a new name)



So no, I can't "be there" for anyone right now. I have much work to do on myself. Much conversation with God.
I don't want this to be what defines me anymore. It's almost as if I am "proud" that I survived it. Thanked God for the gift.
I want to be defined now through the light of Christ. I want to be held gently in His hands. I want to be in the depths of His stillness and Peace. Because that is my true self. She is 8 years old.
Standing in front of God begging him for Peace.

Painting a face using Prima products

I wanted to challenge myself to create a face with only a few supplies. I immediately thought of the beautiful Prima oil pastels and watercolor pencils. They are so color rich and amazing when activated with either the 3d gloss gel or the white gesso. You can also activate both of these with water.....so they work nicely in conjunction with each other. I started off laying down color with the oil pastels activating with gel or gesso as I went along. I then used the watercolor pencils to focus on the smaller details.

Supplies:

Soft gloss gel 961459

white heavy gesso 961374

oil pastels 814328

3d gloss gel 961381

watercolor pencils 576714

no. 4 brush - 963866

my process!

1st Prima Project - July

I am so excited about this project I created for Prima using this image as inspiration:

I just adore this color scheme and theme. The first thing I thought of was the beach and a little sailboat in the water.

Here are the supplies I used:

Soft gloss gel 961459

white heavy gesso 961374

black heavy gesso 961459

art alchemy paint: steampunk copper - 963064, pink blue 963668

watercolor set - decadent pies 584276

oil pastels 814328

color bloom - pearl white 573751

star stencil 960469

8x10 watercolor board 585679

stabilo pencil

ephemera

I painted the girl on a piece of ephemera using the white gesso and the decadent pies watercolor set. The watercolor paints nicely on top of the dried gesso. I love the tooth that the gesso creates. I created the lil crab on some ephemera with the red oil pastel and stabilo pencil. I cut the girl out as well as the crab and glued them down with of the gloss gel. I love creating in this way because it allows you to audition out the characters as well as be able to play with the composition.

The watercolor panel is a beautiful substrate wrapping around to give you that gallery-like feel. And it comes ready to hang (which is awesome). I extended the colors around the board to give it some amazing depth and professional look.