Need a creative interlude?

Need a creative interlude?

by | Oct 12, 2019 | Art Cards, Create, Fountain Pens, Journaling

Life is hectic, art-making is rejuvenating!

I find that art-making  gives me the chance to observe the world around me and reflect. I’m designing workshops and classes that give artists, non-artists, or would-be artists a chance to be creative. Learn more from these short media pieces:

Art Cards and Journals:
 

Fountain Pens:

Register now for workshops in Boulder, at Two Hands Paperie:

Contact me to host a class or workshop. 

Single-session workshops can run from one to four hours. Multi-session classes allow for more skills-building and in-depth projects. Workshops or classes can stand alone, or fit with other professional development or community activities, conferences or retreats. Let’s talk! jsalmons[at]vision2lead.com. 

 

 

Get Creative! Workshop Options

Get Creative! Workshop Options

by | Jun 1, 2019 | Art Cards, Create, Fountain Pens, Uncategorized

Does your group, organization, or business
need to get creative?

My creative interlude workshops are based on three principles:

  • We need time to refresh our minds and spirits. We are collectively under stress from a tumultuous time and information overload. We spend too much time looking at screens (this from a digital geek!) and not enough time using our hands.
  • You don’t need to be an artist to benefit from a creative experiences. We focus on process, not the product.
  • You can do it! Start with some basic techniques, play and have fun!

Consider offering one of the following classes, or work with me to develop one that meets your specific needs.

Hands On Fountain Pens. Did you know Americans alone throw away at least 1.6 billion disposable pens every year? Learn the basics about how to buy, use, and maintain refillable fountain pens. Experiment with writing and drawing.

Wish You Were Here: Art Cards. Creating and sending small paintings is fun for you and will make the day of anyone who receives it. Learn watercolor and writing techniques that will make your cards stand out in a pile of junk mail!

Start Journaling. From to-do lists to life observations, journaling can be practical or reflective. Learn a variety of styles including bullet, art, nature, memoir, dream, and choose the ones that fit your life now.

Paper-Paint-Paper: Multimedia Collage. Who doesn’t remember the fun of cutting and pasting? Try a grown-up version with rice and decorative papers, and watercolor paints.

Contact me to discuss options for class length, size, supplies, and of course costs! Write to jsalmons[at]vision2lead.com.

 

Resources for Art Card Painters

Resources for Art Card Painters

by | Apr 19, 2019 | Art Cards, Create, Uncategorized

Thinking about Painting Art Cards? 

Painting art cards has multiple benefits. The painter takes time for reflection and sharpens skills in observation. The card brightens the day of the recipient, who continues to enjoy it. Painting for art cards can be quick and informal, in plein air or a coffee shop, landscapes, still life, or abstract. 

I consulted the following resources for the “Wish You Were Here“ art card workshop at Two Hands Paperie in Boulder, Colorado. 

Online Resources

Doodlewash: Home of World Watercolor Month and a thriving community of artists. Led by Charlie Shields, who offers a cheerful painting and post every day

The Watercolor Learning Center: Lots of great resources from Ellen Fountain

Free nature journaling online course with Jan Blencowe 

Angela Fehr: Classes and examples

Landscape painting from David Bellamy. PDF excerpt.

John Muir Laws resources on drawing and nature journaling

Liz Steel is good resource for capturing the urban side of postcard creating.She shares lots of tips on color mixing, drawing, telling a story and feeling comfortable creating out in the world.

Suhita and Shari Blaukopf both work in sketchbooks but have styles that would translate well to a postcard. They capture in their paintings the places they live and travel in a way that tells a story about the season, place and moment in time. 

Supplies for Painting on the Go

Paints and Palettes

Some palettes come filled with paint. Some are made to simply use until the paint is gone, then discard. Others have plastic or metal pans that can be removed to switch out with other colors, and to refill and keep using.

Others include empty pans, which you can fill using watercolor paints that come in tubes. It is easy to fill your own pans. You fill them with tube water color paints, and let them dry overnight. If you look at the sources listed above, or search online, you will discover lots of approaches for selecting the colors for a palette. You might decide that you need more than one, or that you will change for the seasons, or for travel.

The term “palette” also refers to the sectioned dish you can use to mix paints. They come in all sizes and in plastic or porcelain. For on-the-go painting, the lid of the paintbox works just fine.

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This small Cotman set is great for mobile painters. When you use up the paints, you can refill the pans with paints from tubes. Cotman paints come in 40 colors, so you can customize your palette to your liking. If you are in Boulder, Two Hands Paperie carries these sets.

The Portable Palette is a fold-up plastic painting set up, and the stand doubles as a water reservoir.

MEEDEN Empty Watercolor Tins Palette Paint Case Metal Box with 12 Transparent Half PansThis type of empty palette comes in all sizes, from this small one to styles that fit 48 pans. 

Travel Painter Palette with Brush

Pans are removable in these options so you can easily change your color combinations.

 

If you want to be really mobile, you can buy or make tiny palettes in mint tins. Here is a how-to tutorial and detailed description of options on the Scratchmade Journal website.

 

This set of brushes offers a flexible assortment. Another travel option is the type of brush that has a protective cap. See a review of travel brushes on the Scratchmade Journal site.

Reviews & comparisons of travel pocket brushes for watercolor - ScratchamadeJournal.com

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