Tuesday, March 13, 2012


it's borderline surreal to not only have gotten so many responses to the last post, but also to have so many people say that they'd like to have a painting that i've done. thank you everyone! i appreciate your kind words and support...

sandy mastroni, i drew your name from the hat! i think that most of you probably know sandy and her awesome art, but in case you don't, pop over to her place and check it out... she's a mighty sweet - and talented - woman.

'the magicians daughter' ~ watercolors, gouache & colored pencil in stillman and birn journal

i'm finished with the 4" x 6" stillman and birn 'gamma' journal that i started in early january, but before i move on i thought i'd share my thoughts about it with you. as i said in the last post, i *loved this book*! not only is the paper gorgeous and able to withstand way more water than i initially thought,


it laid flat when open until the very end. there are a lot of pogo prints in it, but the book handled the increased bulk beautifully. i only took the centerfold out of one signature; i loved the paper so much i couldn't bring myself to take out any more, and i really didn't need to.


initially i did a lot of faces like these where i used watercolors but was very sparing with the water.


i was a little heavier with the water here,


and by the time i got to these pages, i could see that i could paint in a 'normal' way with watercolors. the pages did buckle a tiny bit, but not much. most of the buckling went away when the paper dried. 'evangeline' (on the left) is on the only page that i put matte gel medium on first. there's a whole bunch of paint (gouache, casein, and watercolors) on her, so it was probably a good idea, but it wasn't absolutely necessary.


the flower on the right page is another example of the paper holding up to a lot of paint and water... if you click on these you can get a pretty good idea of how flat the paper stays with varying amounts of water.


another example of a watercolor page... i used colored pencils and gouache as 'accents' once i realized that i could paint freely with watercolors...


i'm showing you these pages because of the pogo print of the bowl. i cut the bowl out and then peeled the back off. i really like to do this. : )


one of the last faces in the book, and it brings me back to lips... i thought i'd try drawing the lips first to see how that went - no outline, nose, eyes, anything, just lips to start with. lol! it was complicated! it showed me how much the lips determine about a face. i never figured out her neck completely, hence the hair hanging down on one side. ; )

i highly recommend the stillman and birn 'gamma' sketchbook... now i'm working in a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" 'gamma'.

* * *

'Thought and Pleasure #2" ~ Squeak Carnwath

28 comments:

  1. Congratulations to Sandy, who I am so glad won because now I have visited her blog for the first time and am going to be going back of course! I so enjoyed looking through this book, Lynne. Thanks for sharing, as always, with love, sus

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  2. lynne! you are a rockstar!
    dangit i wanted to win!

    i say dangit!

    anyway. you are still a rockstar. maybe even more so to me now that we've gotten a peek into your sketchbook.
    xxa

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  3. I have enjoyed working in my journal...thank you...Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

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  4. oh lynne...see what i have missed out on while away from the blog world?
    lovely kind generous you!
    yippee to sandy whom i will visit right now!

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  5. oh
    I feel so SPECIAL
    I am THRILLED ..... Really happy
    thank you so much for such an amazing gift Lynne
    and also
    thank you to your blog friends for visiting me

    and I love your last illustration . I do that too .
    I'll start with shoes first sometimes and work upwards .....[ ha ha ]

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  6. Congrats to Sandy, although I'm green with jealousy!
    Thanks Lynne for the peeks into your "gamma". Everyone likes to see an artist's sketchbook, myself included. Oh those lips!

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  7. such a wonderful post. i enjoyed looking at each piece of art and photograph, reading the inspiring words and seeing what you have been up to. thank you for sharing.

    I have been drawing with inktense pencils and taking white gesso to them, you have made me thing to try taking white gouche to the sketches.... maybe even right now. fun.

    yea to the lucky winner, that is an awesome gift!

    xx

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  8. congrats to Sandy. wow that got our little fingers typing, Lynne!

    Fun to see you journal in all it's glory, to see the kitty and a pic of your breakfast amidst all your wonderful faces.

    Thanks for the peek. What voyeurs we are!!

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  9. First of all, congrats to Sandy, oh boy I do love her work. Fantastic to see all the stuff you have been doing Lynne. I particularly like the last face, lovely lips and beautiful eyes. Your cat looks just like my cat Tansy. Cheerio Lynne, thankyou for sharing your joyous beautiful work with us. Marg, oxox

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  10. Congratulations Sandy....how lucky to win Lynnes beautiful painting and those wonderful goodies.

    Lynne that little book withstands a lot of artymess...I like that and especially how it lays open flat.

    LOVE the face where you have done the lips first...beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. and that little star on the Magicians Daughter is so sweet.

    Lovely seeing your faces again.

    Jacky xox

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  11. Congratulations to Sandy M.
    Lynne, gorgeous peek inside your loved journal. So happy to for the opportunity to peek inside the day in the life of....
    The other Sandy M.....

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  12. Congratulations to Sandy!

    This book you've created is a real treasure, Lynne. Your faces and flowers shine on each page. (And I really liked catching a glimpse of your happy feet in the snow!)
    xoxoxo

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  13. so true... that last quote... so nice to see so many works and i am especially fond of evangeline... i seem to remember a .... poem.... xox

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  14. dear sweet...i want to come with a big pot of tea and borrow the notebook and take one of your walks and find a log to sit on so that i might read and look and learn. you are my queen for inspiration. i love each page and would love to run my fingers over the surfaces with eyes closed and image being you brush and pencil and pogo in hand creating. i can't stop looking. i saw this last night by the light of my iPhone and want to jump for joy for seeing all this work. you are my "heart tender" xox ani

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  15. Yay, congratulations Sandy!

    LH, I love your photos! LOVE! LOVE all of it!

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  16. Big Congrats Sandy. You are one lucky girl. Doin a happy dance for you.

    Journal love.

    There is an indie art store here called Wet Paint and lo and behold they have the journals by S & B and I have to say the next time I need to pick up a journal I will be getting one of these. Just the feel of them in my hands was a pleasure and any journal that will hold up to multiple media is a big plus for any journal I consider. Thanks for sharing them here. Your journal is fantastic Lynne.

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  17. I love the feet photo...and being flip flopped in the snow makes it that much more fun. I could wear flip flops 24/7 if my toesies would not freeze off. : )

    I am going to check out the journal...your pages are all so creative and peaceful. Like your faces. I feel blessed to have Lunette. : )

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  18. Congrats to Sandy!

    I bought a Stillman & Birn sketchbook for my art journal class - I'm loving it.

    Thanks for all you share!
    xxoo

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  19. Great lot of paintings you have shared today. It does appear that you enjoyed using this book.

    Be well.

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  20. What an amazing draw and so pleased Sandy won :D Your art is sure a treasure to own!

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  21. Congratulations Sandy :D

    I do love these peeks into your books. I also love your thoughts on the paper within them.

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  22. I think this is my first time commenting here--I love your book! Thank you for sharing :-)

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  23. OMGoodness the contents of this journal are so beautiful. THank you so much for sharing. The Tree Tender is also so lovely. I am glad you had a good break from the blogging world, but from my perspective it is wonderful to have you back!

    Kim

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  24. I think John Singer Sargent said "a portrait is a painting with something wrong with the mouth".
    Beautifully filled sketch book Lynne!

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  25. Sandy congrats u lucky duck i have u on my google reader also lol ...

    Lynne thanks for the info on the journal ....Daisy . Lena , Ivy , Evangeline and lovely lips, she turned out great Lynne , im still not worried u will go all realistic , i think your lovlies will keep control lol

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  26. Congratulations Sandy, you lucky girl you! And thanks for sharing the images and fun you had working in that beautiful book, Lynne. Art in loving hands...sigh.

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  27. Lovely to catch up Lynne. I enjoyed paging through your Journal in this post, but will be back to check out your 31/31 days post.

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  28. That lucky duck..I love the book.
    I always love all your art..
    I miss you.
    Hugs,
    Katelen

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