Girls Rule

I absolutely never say "girls rule," as I have a son and a husband and I feel like the rest of that little sentiment (boys drool) is just mean...however! Just two days ago, Vice-President Kamala Harris was sworn in and for the very first time, a woman is in the White House, 2nd-in-command of the country and shattering glass ceilings forever. GIRLS RULE, BABY!

Okay, I think I got that out of my system for now. I am just so proud of this moment in our history that I could burst. But, instead, I'll share some girl art I've done in my Whimsical Girl Art Journal.

On this page, I used Tombow Markers on the flowers and added small amounts of water. The green is all colored pencils, as is the woman. I haven't doodled nearly enough on this page but I expect some quote that I like will end up here.

And for this page, I used Tombow Markers and white Uniball gel pen to doodle the heck out of these ladies. I used light water on these images too, which turns the marker into watercolor paint.

I love this image and even though I didn't have any earth colors or good skin color markers, I have some now, so I can make even more varied skin tones or hair tones. I might go back in and see how it works to layer some of these new colors on here. Very often I forget you can do that with watercolor paints.

Hope you're feeling as hopeful as I am with the new leadership in the White House!

Happy Friday,

Chark

It's a Jane Davenport Kind of Day

I encounter Jane Davenport's art just through social media and then found out she has books and classes and art media with her name. So I bought some paints and books and have been coloring and doodling along in my Whimsical Girls Art Journal ever since. I haven't yet opened my paints, but it's on the list of fun art stuff to do. She sells some of these images as acrylic stamps too, so check out this page if you're interested.

Here are some of my latest pages from the journal. I don't think I'm finished with the background, but I purposely faded the dresses just to do something different.

This page is on watercolor paper, so I think I'd better use some paint on this one or at least more marker and water. I added the quote and I'm sure I'll be adding more doodles.

I love this fun quote, though I wish I'd lettered in pencil first, because I'm not too keen on the lettering. I might fussy cut her and adhere to another page.

Happy Friday and have a whimsical weekend!

Chark

Women's History Month

Although it's odd that we have to have a month to highlight women in history (just as we have a month to honor black people in history), I think it's awesome. When I saw Hidden Figures, the movie, I was astounded that I was fifty years old and had never heard of these women and their contribution to the NASA program. It is an amazing story and a great movie. One day, the history books will be more inclusive, but until then...

Have a Happy 

To celebrate, I've decided to share some coloring I've done of a woman in my Whimsical Girl art journal from a talented woman named Jane Davenport. Here's the drawing.

And here's my colored version, using Prismacolor Pencils. I love those pencils...I have Polychromos and like those too and find them less waxy but Prismas have beautiful colors and I just like how I can get dark coverage, even though I wear those babies down! I used blue marker on her dress and White Uniball for hair highlights.

And here's the close-up.

Okay, here's a little story of how I stopped tearing down other women. One day when I was being jealous of something another woman had achieved, I realized she didn't take it from me, she didn't stop me from having my own success, and that it was stupid to envy her. That was kind of an eye-opener. It doesn't mean I won't snark about someone's Oscar dress that's hideous, lol, but it's said in fun. 

We need to lift each other up, celebrate success of others and be happy when someone is happy. We succeed when we all achieve. We benefit from the success of women in our society. And so I love this fabulous quote, from a fabulous young woman, Malala Yousafzai, who was thrust into the spotlight and is now working for other women. You can see her story here.

Here's a link to some very cool Women's History books as well, with books I have read and books I want to read...maybe you'll find something good too.

Happy Friday!

Chark

Watercoloring Without Paint

I think I was first introduced to watercoloring with markers and inks by a video by Jennifer McGuire. She is for sure full of inspiration, unique ideas and quality video classes.

For these two panels from an Adornit mini coloring book, I used Tombow and Arteza brush markers that I scribbled on a non-porous surface and applied like any watercolor paint. They are so much easier for me than pots or tubes of watercolor.

Of course, it's still a little looser and less precise than markers or pencils, but that's the interesting thing about watercolors...any version of watercolors.

For this full page painted piece, I used another art-on-watercolor-paper from the Jane Davenport art journal that I write about here so much. I used the Tombow brush pens and a glitter marker afterward. You can't see the glittery goodness in the pic, but trust me, it's lovely! Her hair started out blonde, but I wanted some darker shades and then I just went all in with reds and oranges and some pink.

For the sentiment, I used the nib point of the Tombow marker. Some people love the brush end for lettering but I wanted teeny letters, so I went with the smaller nib.

What medium do you use for watercoloring? You can check here for those mini watercolor books from Adornit, they have a lot to choose from!

Happy Monday!

Chark

More Whimsy

As I told you in the last post, I received the Jane Davenport Whimsy Girls Art Journal for my birthday and have been playing around with it. It comes with drawings and papers and stickers and then you add to it with colored pencils, markers or paints and collage. 

This girl's face came without hair, so I gave her some white and pink doodled strands.

She's printed on kraft paper and I knew I wanted to use white pencil with her. I used a white Uniball and other Prismacolor pencils in aqua and pink and doodled with a black Faber Castell pen. I think she looks like Marie Antoinette...I may have to go back in with some cake doodles.

The quote was there already too, but I could add my own. Did you know that Marie Antoinette said "pardon me, sir, I did not mean to do it" at the execution because she stepped on the executioner's toes? She's definitely not as bad as history makes her out to be. She was so young and inexperienced with ruling. I've read several books about her (I love me some historical fiction and biographies) and Confessions of Marie Antoinette was a good one.

I couldn't find a picture of what the journal girl started out like, but I'll try to do that next time. This journal is so fun...I love faces and doodling so, it's right up my alley!

Happy Wednesday!
Chark

Unicorn Girls

Today I wanted to show you a page I colored in my brand-new Jane Davenport Whimsical Girls Art Journal. I love Jane's art and this book was published around my birthday, so guess what? My husband bought it for me. I had to tell him that he bought it for me, but that's neither here nor there :)

 

There are lots of drawings and doodles that you add your own spin to, with some pages in kraft, some suitable for dry media and some for watercolors. It's been fun and I knew the unicorn and girl would have to have rainbow hair.

Then, my adult daughter sent me a pic of her new hair color...this is the first time she's ever gone to the salon for coloring and it turned out beautifully. So, now Colleen's a unicorn girl too. 

She usually has curly hair, so this is different in lots of ways! 

I'll be posting more of my doodles with Jane as I play around with the art journal. I highly recommend it if you're looking for some whimsy in your life.

Happy Tuesday!

Chark