butterfly – an art journal of an expressionistic spirit

What was I intending to paint? Intentions, what happens to them. I scribbled…folded…all ready for the trash. But why not practice Decalcomania. I added paint and let the left side blend with the right side. I still wanted to throw it away. I kept working and all of a sudden a butterfly appeard giving me wings to fly.

a little note to self

Keep going, stop just stop the maddness of wanting to throw out your work. Not everything you make will be for the shop. Create and when you feel stuck shut up and keep going. Yes intentions are good but it’s the surprises that happen in the midst of intentions that …that’s what great art is made of. I know, I have seen my work. For every idea that you think didn’t work there’s an idea, a technique that does. Look closer. The flowers that bloom don’t have perfect petals so don’t expect yours to be either. Wait that’s one for the book. I’m going to paint that too.

Be proud of your work. I sure am!

Thanks for reading. As days go by there’s more of you. Want to subscribe? There’s a link to the right of this post. Next year I am releasing a few books and more products. My current shop is moving.

This butterfly was painted in layers. The first is liquid watercolor/ink. These ink pigments are very vibrant. I used two acrylic colors to add layers and blend with a blush brush. I could have just as easily painted a layer of acrylic paint instead of the ink. I applied the paint in a swirl motion. I wet the brush a little and then wiped most of the water. As I pick up color. I blob and swirl the paint around. Since I know that red and blue make purple, I create these tones. This is so simple and beutiful!

This is an easy project. I first created this in my creative exploration journal. Now this bird is in Different Is Beautiful. Aside from relaxing, you can practice color mixing and see what happens. I probably should have gone with a lighter pink then blue and end with a vibrant pink.