More class work

Well, it's getting me into the studio! I hope this will become a habit, because I have enjoyed playing with pencils and paints again. My skills are still quite rusty, but I think that probably has as much to do with my age than anything. My hands don't always want to do what the brain says they should these days. Have to admit, the brain is a bit slower now too, but it still recognizes sloppy work when it sees it! ;o)
The first is a prototype for a wine label I've thought about for awhile and seemed to fit one of the projects Laure gave us, a study of borders. The second is a collection of border ideas that were fun to play with. I plan to do more of these to keep as a reference.

I'm Ba-a-a-a-ack!

It has been too long awhile since I've posted here, and just as long awhile since I've done anything "postable" in my studio. I've been entertaining the mother of all artist's blocks (well it has been that overwhelming for me, anyway) and I feel like I'm starting all over again.
Albeit with some trepidation, I signed up for a class with Laure Ferlita and am finding that the lessons are just the right challenge without being too intimidating....which I think was Laure's intent in setting this class up. Anyway, though I've been very slow about keeping up with the class, I have accomplished a few things and here is a sample. I'm very bravely posting even the "oops" factors, so have fun finding them! LOL!! Some things turned out better than I expected and some things didn't..........

New/Old Journal page

After almost a year, I finally remembered I hadn't finished this spread in my Grandma's House journal. 5x8" watercolor in Moleskine journal

Journal Page Purple Hollyhock (2)

Journal Page Purple Hollyhock (2)
Originally uploaded by MaryO 2

I had some more photos of the hollyhocks we used to have in the garden and couldn't resist drawing this beauty. I should do them on better paper, they look pretty washed out in this journal.
6x9" on handmade paper. Watercolor pencils and sepia ink.

Hollyhock

In keeping with my latest attempt to simplify, simplify, simplify...here's my sketch for today. This is from a photo I took in the garden we had a few years ago. Wish I had these lovely things growing out there now. But I surprised myself by completing this all in one day..it usually takes me that long just to plan what I intend to do!
Watercolor pencils on (spongelike)handmade paper in 6x9 1/2 inch journal, which unfortunately doesn't scan very well, either.

Frustration

Okay, this is one of the sources of the frustration I mentioned in the previous post. I wasn't going to post this, but at least you can see I was working on *something*!
I finally got the blossoms to an acceptable stage, but the background just would not cooperate in spite of (or because of) multiple glazes......and a mild expletive or two.
This is watercolor and WC pencils on hot pressed paper, 9x12".
LOL! I see I inadvertently left a tiny white spot beneath the upper blossom! Oh my...

Back to Drawing

After a frustrating week of working on paintings that never seemed to come together, I went back to my journal and did some quick and easy drawings just to loosen up. This is a 6x9" journal containing handmade paper without too much sizing so it's difficult to add much watercolor, the paper sucks it up so quickly. I think I'll stick to this way of working for a little while.....