Photo portraits.....with LOVE.....

Take a photo of someone you know and draw their portrait from the photo and  decorate it up with things they love....was this weeks challenge from my friend Laura McHugh from the WEST.........
I wasn't sure who I was going to choose, but my son Ryan came to mind...he will be turning 24 this week and I thought it would be a nice surprise for him as a little mini gift so that is what I did...

I searched my picture file on line and found this nice picture of Ryan....

I searched for all his favorite magazines.....

I traced around his photo with black sharpie marker....

then put water color paper over the photo and set it on my light box and re traced all the lines...

I colored it in with my favorite water color pencils.....

painted with my water brush........

then went through all the magazines and cut out things Ryan loves....I mod podged it all down on the watercolor paper

and here is the results....I hope he likes it...HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN....LOVE YA

Very Late, But Here is My Portrait

This week's challenge, due last Sunday (7/15) was mine (Laura McHugh West). The challenge was to create a portrait of someone and embellish the background with things that person is about.


I chose to study my friend Mia. She is Persian and a beautiful woman. Strong, with decisive opinions, and a very good heart. I love her a lot.


I started by painting her face on a large (15x22) piece of watercolor paper. I'm not very good with portraits or watercolor, so I used a photo of her to lay down the basic proportions. I did that by tracing over the photo on the paper with a blunt object. That gave me a basic idea of where to do the outline.


It is surprising how much even a small change in the dimensions of a cheek, eye or hair style can change the look of a person.


Many friends who also know Mia saw my initial drawing, here, and recognized her. One person commented that her eyes are very souful, so I knew I had captured the essence of my friend Mia, because she does have very beautiful eyes. This is not the completed Mia, becuase I still had to finish her hair. I wanted to do the background first to be sure to keep the colors all in balance.

Mia is Persian so I wanted to start the background with a Persian tiled theme. I painted squares in watercolor as though she was standing up against a tiled wall. I also did some on her eyes and hair using a blue black for the hair and Inktense watercolor pencils on the eyes to maintain a bit more control. I went over the eyes with a small brush with some water on it.

I did more work on the background which then seemed too bright for what I wanted to do over it, which was put things I know Mia likes in the square so I covered it with a wash of opaque white paint mixed with just enough water to thin it  out so the background showed through a bit.

For the embellishments, I chose inspirational sayings my friend posts on her Facebook page. I find them soothing and wise and they reflect who she is - wise, kind, gentle. I tried to mimic the fonts used on the Facebook images, then added some small whimsical drawings to finish it off.

I hope you enjoy Mia's portrait. This was a challenging challenge because it is not good when you don't get someone's likeness in a flattering way, but I believe Mia will be happy with the results and the lesson for me is even when you are afraid, dive in and see what happens!

creating "SUMMER TIME" banners

this was the challenge I wanted us to do ...Laura McHugh from the east coast.......I had BIG plans for this challenge and then found out that this is such a busy and crazy time that I really didn't have the time like I wanted to put into it.....But I gave it my all....so here goes....

I wanted to create something QUICK since I am pressed for time...so I grabbed my shipping labels and thought they would work just fine....

I thought why not just write "SUMMER TIME"

so I  painted that on the labels...........and wanted to think of items that would represent each letter....

I found out that was harder to do then I would  have thought.....what can you think of that starts with the letter "M" and then to make 3 different objects for that letter......I couldn't do it so I doodled a bit......

I wanted to take some pictures of the banner in a summer like setting and I found 3 nice spots around my yard......

the garden gate.......

the apple tree..................

and then where it will stay protected from the elements...under the porch umbrella......I have to  say I am happy with this even though it wasn't one of my original plans....Hope you are enjoying your "SUMMER TIME"

Banners of Love

This week's challenge from Laura McHugh East was to create a summer time banner. 




I have wanted to make a banner for awhile now. I saw some inspirational ones early in June

and again a couple of weekends ago at UNIQUE SF in a booth. It was a sign - I had the hearts at home by then.

In the meantime, my friend Shannon made me some hearts out of water color paper.  Another friend Nancy, brought some sweet cut-out flowers from a new Martha Stewart die.





I'm in a mood to use things around me to make these challenges, so I gathered up the hearts and cut out two more from an experiment I had done a few weeks ago applying beeswax over stamped tissue paper.


I added two round cards also given to me by Nancy to make seven shapes.


I used some beautiful 1/4 inch wide buff pink ribbon and the sewing machine to stitch them together as a banner. I used the zig-zag stitch.




I feel better now that I've made my banner. I am not sure if hearts are the best theme for July, but I notice lately I've been doing a lot of hearts in my art.

Happy 4th of July.....

Laura McHugh from the west coast asked that we create something using RED,  WHITE, and BLUE only in 2D or 3D....

I gathered my supplies.....my water color pencils, crayons, water  brush, water color paints and of course my sharpie...hope that still counts as 3 colors........cause I love to outline.....

I started drawing a few things along the side of the page.....

then colored them in with my supplies...............then painted....

then outlined....

what do you think??????

I took a class with Joanne Sharpe called letter love....and did I love it.....check it out  you will not be disappointed..... http://joannezsharpe.blogspot.com/p/online-classes.html

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA...

                           

Red, White and Blue - Our Colors

 

Today's art challenge was to do something using only the colors red, white and blue - either 2D or 3D. This challenge was put forth by me (Laura McHugh West) as the kick-off to this month's theme - USA and patriotism.

I started with a cigar box given to me by Patt Sheldon. She brings them to Bad Art Night and decorates them to store her handmade jewelry in.

I liked that this box had strong, clean lines. I wasn't sure what it might end up as, but I went to teh hardware store earlier in the day to buy red, white and blue paint.

I started by painting around the clasp and hinges with blue paint using a small brush.

Then I taped off the top so that the blue paint on the sides would be neat and clean.

I did the same with the sides so I could paint the top white.

I used tape to mask out an area to put a red cross on the front. I was inspired at a recent vintage show by the booth for Seabold Vintage. They have such a clean brand - mostly red and white, with a little blue thrown in there at times.

When I saw the red cross, I knew this would be a first aid kit for my youngest daughter who will be leaving home soon for college. This photo, above, shows that though I masked off the area for the cross, some touch up was required.


I put the numbers along the bottom using some washi tape and the "help" at the top by stamping some tissue using vintage letter stamps.


I attached the tissue with Modg-Podge. Here's how the front (top) of the box turned out.

On the bottom of the box, I put a red, white and blue map of the San Francisco Bay Area. We have lived in and traveled around this area for all of Claire's life. She is driving now and will probably recognize many of these freeways and cities and help her feel more at home.

Here is the box with some first aid supplies inside.

I put the map of her new town - Monterey - on the inside. I added beeswax to the top, bottom and inside.

Here's a pic of the end of the box showing the little feet.

Here I am with my oldest daughter, Kati, applying the washi tape. The images on the front will remind Claire to count to ten when something bad happens.

Here I am painting the first coat of blue around the edge.

The wax always needs a little "hit" from the blowtorch to smooth it out. Dangerous, but fun!

I'm so happy to have this piece to give Claire. She is very patriotic and always looking for a band-aid! It is perfect for her.