"Texas Proud"
Pen & Ink/Rouged Oils

DECORATIVE PAINTING                  
What is Decorative Painting anyway?   I have been "painting in some form or fashion since I was a child....always the "creative one".  I have always longed to be the perfect painter.  Not possible...but it's been fun learning and trying to do what I have seen in magazines and pattern books.  It wasn't until a few years ago that I actually considered myself an artist.....I was told by a very wise woman once..."if you pick up a brush, pen, or pencil and put it on a surface...you are an artist"....

I know from experience that anyone can learn to paint.  All it takes is the desire to do it....
I thought I would share this definition of "Decorative Painting" with you....I read it somewhere and thought it's so true....

*Decorative Painting is the application of paint to any surface to enhance and decorate.  Decorative Art is used to beautify our surroundings and includes the use of many media and surfaces.  Decorative Painting is a "teachable art."  Anyone can learn to paint and create beautiful projects on both functional and strictly decorative surfaces.

~~~~~

This is especially true doing the Pen & Ink/Oil Rouging technique that I teach and love so much....if you have always wanted to learn to paint...give it a try...you will be amazed at what you can do even if you can't draw a straight line or have never picked up a brush before....it's mistake proof and lots of fun and results are guaranteed....
check it out...take a look at my website for information... judybdesigns.com 
The pictures I have posted are two of my original designs...you can do it too!


"Bluebells & Butterflies"
Pen & Ink/Rouged Oils on glass



My Bluebonnet Trials cont'd....

There are several species of Bluebonnets ( I read recently that there are actually 6), five officially named and all of them are the official State Flower of Texas....so when you see a Bluebonnet such as the little ones that only get from 2 to 7 inches tall or a beautiful 3 foot tall flower spike...it's still a Bluebonnet and it's still "A Texas Treasure".  Bluebonnets have been called other names such as Buffalo Clover or Wolf Flower over the years, but it was officially named the Bluebonnet and made the Texas State Flower in 1901.  In the language of flowers it means "imagination" and I know stirs many imaginations every March-April in Texas.  It's my favorite flower and I am proud to honor it with my humble drawings and paintings....thus the next installment of my work to transfer my original pen & ink/rouged oils into a picture done with colored pencils. 

This is my effort on white Mi Teintes paper...

I had to decide whether I should burnish or not, stay with the same colors I used on the blue paper or change everything to get the look I was after.  Pen & Ink/Oil Rouging sure gives you the freedom to play and change things and not have to start over...I will post the one done on hand made paper and all of them side by side next so check back soon.... you never know what you will find...

Thanks for looking...

Here are a couple more of this years beautiful work of "Art by God"... 

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My Bluebonnet trials...

I have been working on converting my "Texas Treasure" Pen & Ink/Rouged Oils picture into colored pencil...I have made quite a few attempts as it has been harder than I thought it would be and I'm not sure why because I have done lots of colored pencil things.  I just wanted it to look as good as it does done with Pen & Ink/Rouged Oils...there are lots of things to think about...the flower is very unique and I have to say doing it in Pen & Ink/Rouged Oils is so much eaiser!!!, but I wanted to be able to share what I learned...I will be posting my progress so check back often...

Decisions, decisions...white paper? blue paper? texture? smooth? burnish, don't burnish, dark value with this color? medium value with this color? highlight with this color? and what happens if ???..... here are a couple of things I have tried so far      

(some of the photos didn't come out very clear,

but I think you can see it)

I started with the decision to try blue Mi Teintes paper...getting it on the  paper several times so I could compare the things I liked with what didn't  work well...then trial and error...lots of trial and error with different            colors to get it just right.

 I'm working with white Mi Teintes paper next and then hand made paper....then eventually I will post the things that work well and lood good to me and I may want your opinion so come back and see this one finished and the progress with the rest.

Thanks for looking...

In case you didn't get to see Bluebonnets along the Texas landscape this spring...In each of my Bluebonnet posts I will share a few of the photos several of my friends shared with me so you can enjoy what they saw.... God's art is beautiful!

A TEXAS TREASURE

March and April are Bluebonnet blooming months in Texas....I have been seeing them along the roadsides...they are really beautiful and deep blue this year.  Maybe that can be attributed to all the rain we've had or maybe God decided we needed some of that beautiful Texas color to brighten up our lives.

This is my orignial Pen & Ink/Rouged Oils painting " A Texas Treasure"
This month I will be converting it to Colored Pencil and I will be sharing my progress here. 

Follow my blog and check back often to see the progress....

You can see this and others of my orignal artwork when you visit my
website at  http://www.judybdesigns.com/
my zazzle store at www.zazzle.com/judybdesigns*
my 1000 markets store at JudyBArt.1000markets.com

Creativity... What is creativity anyway? Webster says it is "the ability or power to produce something new through imaginative skills, to make or bring into existence something new." I hear all the time "oh I can't do that--I'm not creative".

I believe we are all creative in some way. I have heard that we are born creative and as we grow we learn to be uncreative. I think it is inherently "in" us as humans we just have to be aware that is is there and be willing to try new things. There are lots of ways to be creative, painting is just one. As kids we were uninhibited when it came to artistic expression then life happened and somehow we decided we just had no creativity.

Try something new...take a class, help a child with a project, take a walk and look at nature....take a picture...inspire yourself...you might just surprise yourself.

You cannot use up creativity...the more you use the more you have....Maya Angelou

Vist my website: judybdesigns.com

Visit my 1000 Markets store: JudyBArt.1000markets.com

Visit my Zazzle store: zazzle.com/JudyBDesigns*

Double Duty Gift

Greetings!
Well, the season is upon us. I am not ready for it. So much shopping to do...so little time!

I am posting something new for the Christmas season...the Fall wine/stem glass markers were so much fun I wanted to make some more. I decided this time I would make a gift instead of a project.

I know how busy everyone is this time of year. Some printing out and cutting will have to be done, but hopefully these will save some time, be useful and maybe even given as a gift ...thus...the

"Double Duty - Wine/Stem Glass Marker/Package Topper"



Download the image
Size it so that the image is 3" across.
Place it on your page...you can get 6 to a page.
Print them onto card stock.
Cut them out.

If you are using them as a glass marker cut straight across in the place shown then cut out the center.

Let your guests put their names on the bow tails, slip onto the glass stem and your guests won't loose their drink!

If you want to use them as a package topper/nametag...simply cut them out, add the
name of the package recipient and tape it on.

Enjoy!
I wish everyone the very best for the holidays.... Merry Christmas,
Judy

visit my website:
judybdesigns.com

vist my 1000 Markets Store:
JudyBArt.1000markets.com

visit my Zazzle Store:
zazzle.com/JudyBDesigns*

Fun Free Fall Project

I really love Fall; although here where I live there aren't many real fall days.
I love the change of colors, and the crispness. The gathering of families and all the food start the holiday season which I cherish.



I have a free, fun, fall project to share.

Wine/Stem Glass Collar









Whether you want to Ink & Rouge or Paint with Colored Pencils it's fun to add your own touch to your holiday meals with a wine/stem glass collar. I have done some wine/stem glass collars and I thought I would share them with you. If you like them you might want to make your own for your holiday meals. I have included the pattern and directions for the ones I created or you can just use mine...


Copy the photo, size it so that the image is three inches across. Copy and paste it on to a good card stock 6 times. You can get 6 to a page. Cut it out, cut a hole across to the center and cut the center out. Now your guests can add their names to the banner and they won't loose their glass!

Enjoy!

If you would like to add your own fall colors just use this
pattern and directions for the Wine/Stem Glass Collar:

Just downoad the pattern, size it so the image is three inches accross. Copy as many as you want onto watercolor or other heavy paper suitable for colored pencil or inking and rouging. Add the fall colors you want to your leaves and background.
Cut straight accross to the center and cut out the hole. Let your guests put their names on the banner and they will have something you made for them and they won't loose their glass!

Pattern:








visit my website: judybdesigns.com
visit my 1000 Markets store: JudyBArt.1000markets.com
visit my Zazzle store: zazzle.com/JudyBDesigns*