What A Close-Up Can Do

I did a painting in my journal today and took some photos as I went along.  When I took a close-up of the word baby, I noticed how terrible the upper lip looked in the first photo.  I went in with black paint and fixed it.  It's much better now.  

That is one way to use the close-up feature on your camera!

And if you were ever curious between the difference between macro, micro, and close-up photography, check out this clarifying blog post here.

Thought for Today

click to enlarge image

Life is full of ups and downs and surprises and all arounds.  

Some days it might feel like it is all happening to you, and it doesn't feel good.  So, I am here to remind you, and to remind myself, that we are not alone.  Life happens, and it is up to us to decide how we are going to handle it.  It will get better.

  You are not alone, you are not alone, you are not alone.

New Visual Journal Pages

Moly_X: An International Moleskine Sketchbook Exchange

On Wednesday, I took my mom to Open Book in downtown Minneapolis, to listen to some artists who participated in a journal exchange.  The organizer, Marty Harris, was also there.  Some of the journals are on exhibit at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, and it is amazing work!  I feel so blessed to have such a great facility where I live.  The exhibit will be up until March 6th, 2011, so boogie on downtown, if you can!

Recorded Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at MCBA in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Thank you Roz Stendahl for inviting Marty Harris and his guests to share their experience and artwork from Moly_X:  An International Moleskine Sketchbook Exchange.  It was a wonderful event to attend.  Thank you Marty, Tim, and Claudio for opening yourselves up and speaking honestly about your experience in this ongoing project.
For more information about Moly_X, go to the flickr site here.  You have to be invited to the group if you want to participate in an exchange.  Just send Marty a message via flickr.

pink ink

the pink ink will not show
all i see are black, blue, and yellow

New Painting

For the latest assignment in the online class Get Your Paint On, I was to try my hand at mixing colors.  The teachers warned:  DO NOT USE THE PAINT STRAIGHT OUT OF THE TUBE!  I was really tempted to, since I thought I found colors that were pretty decent matches.  However, I do like to learn, and color mixing is something that is good to practice. I found myself mixing the colors with a little Titanium White, or a little Mars Black.  Sometimes I needed to add a little Anthraquinone Blue. 

What colors do you have around you that you'd want to put in a painting?  If you are a painter, what colors of paint do you enjoy the most?

For further, totally awesome, I mean educational videos, on how to use Golden products, you can click here.  (I just discovered this tonight, and I am really excited!)

New Journal Pages

 I just loved this color of paint water.  I felt like my students who mix paint in the water more than put paint on their paper!

 These pages were done in my new Initiation journal for the class with the same name by Juliana Coles.

I got that crazy man transparent tape from the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis recently.

Roses are RED

I don't know about you, but I love roses.  I love how they look and how they smell.  Rose is one of my favorite scents.  It is difficult to find things that smell like rose, but I have found a few items.  My favorite rose scented candle is made by Yankee Candle Company.  They call it "Fresh Cut Roses" and you can find them here.

I also like the gentle smell of l'essence de Provence linen water.  I found it at the dollar store, but here is a link to ebay, too.

What was your Valentine's Day wish?  Did you ask for something, buy yourself anything special, or receive a special surprise?  Feel free to share in the comments of this post.  

Note:   If you didn't receive a red rose and you wish you had, consider the above photos a little valentine just for you.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

The Selby Website

I have seen, and maybe you have, too, the book called The Selby is in Your Place by Todd Selby.  I didn't realize that the website came first, and is rich with inspiration.  Wow!  I love it!  You can view the website that contains photos, links, and videos right here.

Walker Art Museum Day in Photos