Sunday, August 17, 2025

Fairy King in Gouache

 

I painted this Fairy King in gouache on Canson 140 lb. watercolor paper. He's from a tutorial by Karen Campbell for Awesome Art School. I drew this fellow with a Graphgear 1000 Pentel pencil and painted him with Winsor Newton and Holbein Gouache. I used gold FineTec Pearlescent Watercolors for his accessories and a Pental Portable Brush Pen for outlines and details.

Challenges:

 https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2025/08/august-2025-anything-goes-w-optional.html

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2025/08/august-2025-anything-goes-woptional.html 

https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/08/challenge-830.html 

https://morgansartworld.blogspot.com/2025/08/morgans-artworld-challenge-91.html 


Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Classy Lassie in Watercolor


 This piece is from a tutorial by Karen Campbell for Awesome Art School. I drew "Classy Lassie," by eye, while following Karen's directions using a Graphgear 1000 Pentel Pencil on Fabriano 140 lb. hot press paper. After I drew the girl, I drew the wall of apartments in the background. I used a blending stump on the buildings for shading.

I used Prisma watercolor paint doings parts of each each at a time. When the paint on the girl was dry, I used a Altenew gold gel pen for decorative details. I tried a sponge with watercolors for plants on a balcony. Decided not to do more with that, so I added plants on the background with watercolor and a brush. When the piece was dry I added a bit of Molow Blackliner for more depth.

"Classy Lassie," came out pretty good for something, I wasn't sure I was into doing!

Challenges: 

 https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2025/08/august-2025-anything-goes-w-optional.html

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2025/08/august-2025-anything-goes-woptional.html 

https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/08/challenge-829.html 

https://paperfundaychallenges.blogspot.com/2025/08/aug-2025-challenge-79-anything-goes.html 

 

Sunday, August 10, 2025

Red Head Fairy in Markers

This " Red Headed Fairy," is from a great tutorial by Karen Campbell for Awesome Art School.

I wasn't too anxious to start this lesson. I didn't think I did so well with the last watercolor tutorial for shading and highlights. I liked it when it was finished though.

I drew this fairy with a Graphgear 1000 pencil in a Ohuhu Spiral-Bound Pad.  I outlined the drawing with black Molotow Blackliners, and used three shades of Ohuhu Markers placing the highlights where I thought they should go. I used a brown Copic Marker for some depth in the shading and an additional Gell pen for facial highlights. I used the blackliner  for her eye make up.

I love how this fairy came out in the markers! I'm so glad I worked on it!

Challenges:  

 https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2025/08/august-2025-anything-goes-w-optional.html

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2025/08/august-2025-anything-goes-woptional.html 

https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/08/challenge-829.html 

https://paperfundaychallenges.blogspot.com/2025/08/aug-2025-challenge-79-anything-goes.html 

 

 


 

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Mermaids in Alcohol Markers

 

These cute "Mermaids," are from a tutorial by Karen Campbell and Lucy Brydon of Awesome Art School.

I followed Karen's drawing steps using my Graphgear 1000  Pentel Pencil, on a page in my Ohuhu Marker Pad.

I used both of my new sets of Ohuhu Markers to color these cuties:  the 36 skin tone color set and the 48 color set. I really enjoyed using these makers in this book. I love flipping through my work!

For the outlines I used a Micron Pen and the highlights were done with a white Gelly roll Pen.

I totally enjoyed working on these two characters and just can't wait to do another!

Challenges:

https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2025/08/august-2025-anything-goes-w-optional.html

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2025/08/august-2025-anything-goes-woptional.html 

https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/08/challenge-829.html 

https://paperfundaychallenges.blogspot.com/2025/08/aug-2025-challenge-79-anything-goes.html 

Sunday, August 3, 2025

Fairie Queen

 Although I made many mistakes, I enjoyed working on this tutorial by Lucy Brydon. I learned so much!

I watched the video tutorial with all its steps and did use some of the many tips. I drew this "Fairie Queen," on my own by eye, using the illustrations for references. This tutorial is challenging, but perfect to flex my drawing skills.

I used my Graphgear 1000 Pentel Pencil to draw this fairie on drawing paper. When I was satisfied with the drawing, I transferred   the lines of the fairie into my Canson XL watercolor book, using graphite paper.

I painted this fairie using Prima aand Jane Daveport watercolor sets, but the crown was painted in two shades of gold from Fine Tec Pearlescent Colors. The line detail was done in Molotow Blackliner and white highlights were in Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleed Proof White. The additional gold glitter on the fairie's hair was done with Gansai Tambi Gem Colors.

I loved the challenge of Lucy Brydon's tutorials!

Challenges: 

https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2025/08/august-2025-anything-goes-w-optional.html

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2025/08/august-2025-anything-goes-woptional.html 

https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/08/challenge-829.html 

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/07/classic-design-challenge-07-2025-julaug.html

Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Quirky House in Watercolors

 

This "Quirky House in Watercolors," is from a tutorial by Karen Campbell for Awesome Art School. I began this painting in my Canson XL Watercolor Book using Prima and Jane davenport watercolor sets. After drawing the house, I went off on my own, painting a foreground, background and fun details which I always enjoy adding to many houses I love to draw. I used Molotow Blackliners for details or outlines and a Gelly Roll Pen for the white highlights.

 I can't wait for Karen's new drawing book with more fun houses!

Challenges: 

https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/07/challenge-828.html 

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/07/classic-design-challenge-07-2025-julaug.html 

  https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2025/07/july-2025-anything-goes-w-optional.html 

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2025/07/july-2025-anything-goes-woptional-twist.html

Sunday, July 27, 2025

Elegant Swan in Gouache

 



I recently got a new book "Gouache in 4 Easy Steps," by Anna Koliadych, it has some really nice tutorials.

When I saw the "Elegant Swan," I knew it would be the first tutorial I would try in the book. I love how the gouache takes to the black watercolor paper. The swan has shades of white, grey, blue and pink in it. But no matter what I did, I could not get camera to catch all the colors. I missed the pink. I love this "Elegant Swan," anyway.

I used some older gouache I have in an enclosed palette to paint the swan on black Stonehenge 140 lb. cold press watercolor paper.

I enjoyed work on this swan and love how it turned out!

Challenges: 

 https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2025/07/july-2025-anything-goes-w-optional.html 

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2025/07/july-2025-anything-goes-woptional-twist.html

https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/07/challenge-828.html 

https://paperfundaychallenges.blogspot.com/2025/07/july-2025-challenge-78-anything-goes.html