an art journal of an expressionistic spirit
it's me, it's you in creative fun
Today was the day. I said I’d post new work and it was going to be awesome. That did not happen. That’s ok because tomorrow’s another day! Well I did come away with one design. In between paper after paper I thought of this bouquet.
I don’t know what was going on today but I can paint. I’m going to enjoy the rest of my Sunday! I’m here. It’s been raining and spring is going to be beautiful! Has this ever happened to you?
Siempre,
Mireya
I’ve been painting! Don’t I always? Of course. I’ve been referencing photos, loosely. Then I get to work. When I want to throw it away, the real work begins! Here are my notes.
Tips to Paint Beautiful Roses
My best tip is, to begin. As you paint, you entertain your curiosity. Soon you discover there’s no right way to paint a flower. I forgot about that book. Do you have a tip for painting roses? Comment below. As always thanks for reading.
Siempre,
Mireya
For this session, I got out my crayons and swatched them. That made me smile and excited to draw! My set is missing a few blues, pinks, and greens but I didn’t care. I was smiling inside and ready to draw! I picked up a crayon and sketched the photo I was referencing. The title of the photo was rosy pink. I was feeling rosy and pink.
I did a second sketch. I tried to Layer and blend. I broke a few crayons in the process. I’m going to work with watercolor tomorrow. Crayons are fun but painting has my heart. Crayons are great for sketching and planning color schemes. Maybe I should get a Crayola educational watercolor set?
Quick question? Have you ever done a painting-a-day challenge? Comment below. Thank you for reading. I’m going fully into this roses project. I’ll be posting every Wednesday, Sunday, and sometimes more because I have much to share. Make sure you subscribe and tell a friend.
Siempre,
Mireya
Your mind is the most important, most powerful tool we have. Going for walks and seeing the beautiful flowers and everything in nature invigorates my mind with the words of a Super Bowl athlete about to embark on the game of his life.
We have everything we need to win. We can win. All we need is to have the right mindset. If we didn’t win, it’s because we didn’t have the right mindset.
By the way the quote isn’t word for word but I get the love! I worry sometimes but it’s like live in the moment! Just paint. You got this! I do! And I have one more blooming thought for a wild spirit.
Siempre,
Mireya
I was going to look for the flower shapes and doodle the details but cutting heart shapes was lovely! Thank you EttaVee! I can glue the hearts onto paper and turn them into art prints! I’m still going to do the flower shapes doodle. Tuesday I’ll get back to my roses project. Well, I did paint roses yesterday. I want to paint pink roses. I have been sketching roses. Oh, I have an idea for a wildflower thought. Yes, I’m still working on that project.
Do you have palette paper? I’ve just been using the back of mixed media paper or copy paper. Copy paper works ok. The creamy acrylic gets lost in copy paper and dries quickly. Let me know what kind of paper you use?
Siempre,
Mireya
All you have to do is believe in your work. That is a very powerful sentence. And yes, I believe in my butterfly.
The hero of my palette is pink. I worked with three colors: turquoise, magenta, and white. I did use a little indian yellow to have orange for my blue. My colors are bright and joyful. The Roses are looking good too. I like referencing my favorite paintings and nature of course. My three colors were on my mind. I thought about the great day I had with my students. I painted.
Today’s bloganuary question is about procrastination. Procrastination scares me. I like to plan. I think too much. I like James Victore’s advice. Learn it. Forget it. Create. I have the skills. I believe in my work.
Siempre,
Mireya
How about applying the color tips I read about yesterday? Yes! I referenced a few photos of, you guessed it, my favorite expressive abstract floral artist, Carrie Schmitt. Instead of painting today, I will observe the tips I’ve learned.
You can download your copy at the link above. Or, I’ll share the tips with you.
Color Tips
Group your colors
How about a field of pink flowers surrounded by a turquoise background? Turquoise will make my vibrant pinks stand out.
Enhance color by adding it’s opposite
Use a dark saturated color surrounded by an unsaturated very light and slightly warm tone. How about Magenta flowers with pistachio leaves.
Make one color the hero
Use one color and make it pop! How about one orange fish surrounded by blue ocean waves? Orange roses with mint green leaves. Ooh, I like it! What color would the background be?
Use color to move the eye
Have a beautiful red rose somewhere on the page. Then add a few small red flowers here and there to bring the work together.
These are simply my notes from Nicolas Wilton’s Free PDF. I’m so glad I found it. Oh, I almost forgot the tip I’ve used. Choose a main color. Mix a little of that color with the rest of your colors to create unity. I have been looking for the missing puzzle piece. I may have found it! Tomorrow, I’ll sketch and build a color palette. I’ll be painting for my shop. Well, see how it goes. I haven’t forgotten about the turquoise roses.
Have any color tips? Feel free to comment below.
Siempre,
Mireya
Writing allows me to freely express myself. Writing helps me reflect. With a book you can go anywhere in the world you want to go. Writing is a doorway to the spirit. I blog because I’m not confident being on camera for a YouTube channel. Yes I know, and that’s why it’ll be good to film my course. I’ve been filming idea pins for Pinterest.
Siempre,
Mireya
My earliest memory is finger painting and making a mess! I’ve loved art every day of my life.
I still like to make a mess!
Here I am stamping with an eraser. It’s Corita Kent, James Victore, EttaVee, Shantell Martin…who opened my spirit to an art that has me understanding, this has always be me. I am an artist!
I’ve been going through all of my art and penciling in projects. Beginning next week I will start using these prompts to share my roses project. Is it next week?
Siempre,
Mireya
Practice isn’t about getting good or great. Practice is about letting go. At some point, there’s this voice and you realize it’s there, always has been. I have sat and sat for hours trying to paint something. Nothing happened. On this occasion, I had one color, one damaged brush, and five minutes.
I’m putting together a creative exploration course with a paper collage. Sometimes I go into the process knowing that I’ll be creating flowers but it’s nice to just use random tools to stamp and blend colors. Then I’ll get an idea and start cutting and arranging. The idea blooms right before my eyes. That’s what happened with the letters M and L.
I like to experiment and paint. I occasionally post on Pinterest. When I do the results are awesome. At one point I had 80k monthly views. I had no plan but to share my work. It worked. I am still learning about SEO. I have ideas. Here’s to more traffic.
I know I’m the artist and I get attached to my work but I shouldn’t. I should only be that spiritual connection that comes as I create. I’m not the end result of my work. Nor am I entitled to the fruits of my labor. My best ideas come when I focus on the moment. For example, I many times have the opportunity to paint with my students. I set up the paint and brushes and wonder what will come of the dried-up dollar store palettes and beyond-bent shapeless brushes. These thoughts have nothing to do with me, my spirit. What is me is curiosity? I’m always curious about what everyone will paint? And every time before my eyes, the children mix up interesting colors, and awesome textures and they are artists. No one gives them permission. They just pick up the brush and go for it.
an art journal of an expressionistic spirit 