magazine and marker magic

It's here, it's here!  My first article for Cloth Paper Scissors magazine has arrived to subscribers! (these photos are from my friend Mel)  The May/June 2011 issue should be on your news stands any day, if it's not there already. 

I'm over the moon excited about this, even made it on the cover!  Well, almost.  Those are my little hand drawn flowers in the upper right corner of the magazine cover.  My 5 page article is titled "Making Magic with Markers".  It's about my love for Copic markers in my artwork and teaching.

It features my original, hand drawn art, full color illustrations and some small tutorials on how to use Copic markers and get beautiful blends in your projects.  It's my take on an "artful" way to color.  After all, coloring is very relaxing and really good for you!

I must say that my favorite part of the article is some FREE ART!  I created this black and white illustration for readers to print out and color.  It's a special little "whimspiration" that you can practice your coloring and then display.

So pick up the May/June issue, color along with the little lesson and create your own Copic color-full masterpiece!

My original illustration colored for this magazine shoot

Thank you, thank you to my editors Jenn Mason and Barbara Delaney!  The article is gorgeous, and you've done it to perfection.  So very proud to have my name on it.

it's "in the NUMBERS"

Well, my art will "BE" the numbers!  Tomorrow, Easter Sunday, i will be featured on the Create Mixed Media website in the "The Week As Art" section for an entire week.  The hosts ask artists to illustrate calendar numbers on their page, and it links right back to the artists website for seven days.  


Create Mixed Media is an interactive website from the book publisher North Light Craft/ F+W Media.  It's such an enjoyable site, showcasing everything exciting and relevant in the mixed media art world.  There are technique blogs, book reviews and art product promotions, artist interviews and more.  A great site to find inspiration and the courage to create your heart out.  Go visit!

  

What an honor to be featured.  Thank you Create Mixed Media! 

Whimsey Making Wednesday

This week's "Whimsical Wednesday" post is a little tutorial on how i use a "Color Journal" to inspire my vibrant art.  All of these "Whimspirations" and illustrations were made with just four different products: Derwent Inktense Pencils, Sakura Koi Watercolors and Micron pens, Faber Castell Gelatos and Pitt pens.  Being an illustrator and mixed media artist, i use many products for my artwork.  I have the most fun with the challenge of choosing which mediums will achieve the look and best illuminate the message i want to convey.

I'm all about CoLoR and love color on everything!  Have you figured that out about me yet? LOL!  Maybe that's why i crave traveling to tropical places, as they are usually the most colorful destinations in the world!  

When i buy "collect" art products, i must have most every color that it comes in!  There are so many art products, all so unique.  Different materials give you  specific effects, variations of colors, hues and textures.  With a pile of art materials and choices in front of you, it's challenging to decide just exactly what product will give you just the right look, the perfect effect for an art piece.

I have a designated sketch book i call my "Color Journal", (i use the Strathmore Visual Journal Mixed Media) where i keep every color sample from the variety of art products in my studio.  Illustrated scribbles showcase the actual colors and effects for each product.  I label the page with the product and each color name.  It's also very helpful when i am tying to find the perfect color look for a specific project.   Playing with the materials and recording them in this journal is also a great activity when i "need" to just use my art stuff and not have to worry about creating a masterpiece. 

Here are samples some of my reference sketchbook pages and how i create the pages:

DERWENT INKTENSE PENCILS:

FABER CASTELL GELATOS:

SAKURA KOI WATERCOLORS:

WATERCOLOR TEST OVER BLACK MARKERS AND PENS:

Faber-Castell Pens

I also have color sample pages with my Copics, Ranger products, watercolor crayons, etc.  It's such a valuable tool that i use in my creating.  So, grab a little plain paper journal and have fun making your very own "Color Journal"!

whimsical wednesday on video….

Whimspirations on video!  Here's a different way for me to share my artwork, a video portfolio, telling musical stories with my images.  I know it's really Thursday, but i did make this on Wednesday but wanted to wait and post the best version.  Enjoy it anyway!   Here's my first try, such fun!  Pass the popcorn.

whimsical wednesday by the sea….

You thought i disappeared, didn't you??!!  All the days blur together in my island state of mind… but i'm being a "creating art machine" in my beach vacation art studio.  

If it were only a permanent address here on the Florida gulf coast!

 So far, I have completed 14 new illustrations in 5 days on my beach cottage "deck studio" nestled in the sea grape leaves.  Winter is brutal in upstate New York, and I desperately need the sun and our sea breeze retreat every year to recharge my artsy batteries and fuel my soul.  My  creativity explodes in this environment.

 …and it's so true, in the right frame of mind, covered in sunshine and surrounded by deep turquoise waters, everything is brighter………Everything DOES sparkle by the sea... 

Looking forward to sharing all my sunshine art with you in upcoming posts.  It's soooo good to be at the beach!

whimsical wednesday….

These are all the good things that enrich my life to it's perfection.  Here is quite a muted palette uncharacteristic of my usual color choices.  Some white doodles and script energize and focus my thoughts, over layers of acrylic paint washes.  It's soft.  

 It's just a message on a journal page, simple and sweet.  Sometimes you just have to walk away from a piece and let it take on it's own life.  Playing in different directions, and exploring… makes me stretch creatively and grow artistically…..

an artful life

I have been an artist my whole life.  It is what i do, it is who i am.  I have taught art to elementary and high school students, camp kids and adults.  I have created art for companies and manufacturers that have generated millions of dollars in retail sales.  It's not as easy as it looks, but it is what i do.  I am truly blessed that God gave me this gift of talent to share.

  Yesterday, i was having a conversation with my husband Tom, and my brother, Michael.  

Michael said, "No one loves their job, it's work!  Name one person you know who LOVES their job!".  

To that, my husband replied, "Joanne does!".  

I got goosebumps!  I DO love my job.   

When i first started licensing my artwork, i painted all my illustrations by hand with gouache and watercolors.  I would occasionally us watercolor pencils to accent the paintings.  That's all!  I had no photoshop, or computer.  Just crisp white paper and a palette of color.  My supplies took up no space at all!  

Now years later, i have accumulated so many more art supplies, enough to have filled up my daughter's old bedroom, coverting it into my full blown in home art studio!  I am able to go in there at all hours and explore with the piles of stuff that i love.

 The simple stash of watercolor paints and brushes has turned into "mixed media madness"! 


Pretty shelves, a full closet and little drawers house my journals, stamps, inks, reinkers, gel meduims, mists, acrylic paints and inks, pens, micron and pitt pens and gel and glaze pens and more pens, papers, ephemera, punches, die cuts, texture plates, modpodge, crayons,art books, markers, pencils and more!!! (breathe here)  And then there are my Copics.  Copics, Copics and more Copics!!!!!  Oh how i love my art stuff.  It gives me the opportunity to create every day, something new, exploring and experimenting. ***Note to self, i'll post a picture of my studio when i clean it up (do you ever think you'll see, it??)***


I consider myself an illustrator, but my current focus is stretching and experimenting with mixed media, using many products to enrich my creative process, while creating a pleasing work of art.  That's the fun part of my "job"!  Exploring with ink, paper, cardboard, paint, glitter, mists, pens, inks, stamps and modpodge.  It's a far cry from just paint, paper and a brush!

Inks, stamps, paper, pens, rub ons and mists….

 Acrylic ink, watercolor, white paint pen...

 …and stardust glitter pens!!!!!!!!  I have fallen back in love with blingy gel pens by Sakura.

…watercolor, inks, black and white pens….

 Yes Michael, i DO love my job.  And i am truly grateful that i am able to employ myself as an artist.