A Couple of Tries at ATCs

Taking a cue from my sister again, re art, I thought I'd try my hand at an ATC (Art Trading Card).  The idea behind ATCs is that you are so good that people might want to trade their cards for yours. I am very obviously not in that league!

But here are my first two attempts:

This is a pen and ink drawing, but I did cheat and drew it with a pencil first.

And this is pen and ink in watercolour.

They are drawn on little cards 2.5" x 3.5"

- not so easy on the eyes!

I'm going to try a design next time.

Alternative Art...

...NOT alternative lifestye!

I've been looking for some different forms of art, these days.

I've tried my hand at sketching -- love it! 

I've tried using coloured pencil sketching -- that's great too.

My watercolour experiences are still growing on me.

I have yet to try acrylics, but I have some paints ready to use.

But first...

Yesterday DOTH (daughter of the house) and I went to Michael's Arts and Crafts - lots of fun,

but lots of money, too!

But they had a sale on easels, so -- guess what?  I bought one!

I haven't taken it out of the box yet, but it looks something like this one

Only mine has a storage drawer along the bottom.

It's nice and sturdy, folds up compactly and isn't at all heavy....and it was half-price -- that was a bargain!

After DOTH has finished painting the basement she's going to find me a spot where I can set up my 'stuff' and head down there anytime I need a moment's relaxation. Awesome!

But, to get back to alternative art, there was a form of this staring me in the face all along -- on my bedroom wall!

I brought these back from Romania. They were a real 'find' for me, because I love it when art is unusual and innovative. I found them at a craft sale in Bucharest, and I treasure them.

They are made from dried grasses, leaves and tree bark. The little houses are so typically Romanian

Note the church spires in the background (you might have to enlarge) - probably made from a corn husk

The leaves etc are glued to a painted background to give the appearance of sky, or water.

I think they are so lovely and detailed, carefully and patiently made.

I took them out of their frames just to show you.

Now they are going back in, and back on my bedroom wall again.

Next time around I will show you some other attractive forms of art I've collected

My First Attempts...

...at watercolour painting.

I'm back home in Canada after a great time with my sister in California. The weather wasn't the greatest, but that didn't stop us from having a good time together.

And we certainly enjoyed our times of drawing and painting.

Chris gave me some brief pointers and this was my very first attempt. I post it here with some trepidation. I am not at all pleased with it, but I learned a lot from the experience!

A couple of days later, I worked on this one -- it still needs to be fixed up a little, but now that I am home I'm not sure when I will get to it. At least I know HOW to fix it up!

Thanks to Chris for helping me along with this new hobby.

I am not sure that watercolours are my 'thing' - not sure, yet, what my 'thing' is.

But it was a whole lot of fun! 

Now I just need a studio, where I can set up all my art stuff and go to it, whenever I need some down-time (not likely to happen any time soon - the studio OR the down time!)