King Night Owl

 

This fun "King Night Owl" is from a collage tutorial by Eulalia Mejia for Mastering Mixed Media 2026.

Back in 2020, I discovered Gelli Plate printing and I made a lot of sheet of mixed-media colored cardstock to make colorful mono-prints. I stored these prints in a cabinet for years. Now in 2026, I combined a used these  prints with pieces of printed scrapbook paper and colored cardstock to make this colorful owl.

Eulalia used acrylic paint for the background. I don't paint with acrylic paint, so I used black Stonehenge watercolor paper instead. I don't have any cardboard to use for the 3D effect, but I used Eulalia's templates to cut the paper into pieces that make up the owl and the pieces for the tree branch. I loved putting this together on the black watercolor paper and using a variety of pens to design patterns on the solid papers.

I loved working on this piece!

Challenge: 

 https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2026/05/challenge-202605-may-2026-anything-goes.html

https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2026/05/may-2026-anything-goes-w-optional-twist.html

https://craftygalscornerchallenges.blogspot.com/2026/05/challenge-277-anything-goes-woptional.html 

https://morgansartworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/morgans-artworld-challenge-100.html 

Creative Soul

 

This lovely "Creative Soul," is from a tutorial by Tamara Laporte for "Mastering Mixed Media 2026," which she hosted. I enjoy doing tutorials especially those by Tamara.

Tam's tutorial calls for acrylic paint, since I try not to use that paint, I chose gouache. I painted with Winsor Newton Designers Gouache, Holbein Gouache and Jane Davenport watercolors. I drew the girl with a Graphgear 1000 Pentel Pencil on Fabriano hot press paper.

I used a few pens for details including Posca Pens, Micron Pens and a white Gelly Roll Pen.

I love that the gouache I used work so well with the watercolors!

Challenge: 

 https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2026/05/challenge-202605-may-2026-anything-goes.html

https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2026/05/may-2026-anything-goes-w-optional-twist.html

https://craftygalscornerchallenges.blogspot.com/2026/05/challenge-277-anything-goes-woptional.html 

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/05/classic-design-challenge-05-2026-mayjun.html 

Permission to Play

 This lovely girl is "Permission to Play," a mixed media tutorial by Jenny Manno for "Mastering Mixed Media 2026." The tutorial calls for Toned Tan Paper, so I used my Strathmore Tone Tan Sketch Book. When I work in this book, I use dry media only. I had to work with pencils and pens I have and not the watercolors and gesso Jenny mentioned in the tutorial. This fact didn't take away from enjoying myself. This was indeed relaxing. I loved drawing this piece with a Graphgear 1000 Pentel Pencil.

I did my best with Prismacolor Pencils especially for her skin.  I used a Blackwing Pencil, Generals black charcoal pencil and a blending stump for darks and lights of shading. Highlights were done in white Gelly Roll Pen. I also used a white Sharpie Creative Marker for additional highlights and surrounding the image.

I'm very happy with the resulting finished portrait.

Challenges: 

 https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2026/05/challenge-202605-may-2026-anything-goes.html

https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2026/05/may-2026-anything-goes-w-optional-twist.html

https://creativecrafterschallenge.blogspot.com/2026/05/challenge-100.html 

https://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.com/2026/05/crafty-catz-challenge-713.html 

Victorian Vignette

 

This "Victorian Vignette" is from a tutorial by Karen Campbell for Awesome Art School. This large draped window was a challenge to draw as well as color. A ruler and a triangle helped with that large picture window! As I drew it, following Karen Campbell, I really wasn't sure how well it would come out.

I drew this window in my Ohuhu Marker sketch book with my Graphgear 1000 Pentel Pencil. I did the outlines with Molotow fineliners. I continue coloring this piece it Ohuhu Markers, but I did have substitute some the colors Karen used. I used a Gelly Roll pen for highlights around the "Victorian Vignette"

I was so happy with how well this window came out!

Challenges: 

https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2026/05/challenge-849.html 

 https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2026/05/challenge-202605-may-2026-anything-goes.html

https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2026/05/may-2026-anything-goes-w-optional-twist.html

https://paperfundaychallenges.blogspot.com/2026/05/may-2026-challenge-87-anything-goes.html

 

Frog Prince

 

This totally majestic "Frog Prince," is from a tutorial by Tamara Laporte for "A Year of Magic and Fairy Tales." This fellow took several days and a couple of drawings to get started, but boy am I happy with this piece!

I drew this fella with a Graphgear 1000 Pentel Pencil on Canson watercolor paper. I used two sets of watercolors: Jane Davenport and Prima. It took a lot of pencils and pens too.

I learned so much working on this "Frog Prince." I just thought I would mention that I love how the sky looks. What do you think?

Challenges: 

https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2026/05/may-2026-anything-goes-w-optional-twist.html

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2026/05/challenge-202605-may-2026-anything-goes.html

https://creativefingerschallengeblog.blogspot.com/2026/05/challenge-322.html 

https://craftygalscornerchallenges.blogspot.com/2026/04/challenge-276-anything-goes-woptional.html 

The Ghillie Dhu

 

This magical lesson of "The Ghillie Dhu is tale from Scottish folk tales and is from a tutorial by Lucy Brydon for "A Year of Magic and Fairy Tales. He is a mysterious woodland spirit.

 I followed the videos and reference material provided, to draw this fairy tale, with a Graphgear 1000 Pentel Pencil and painted this piece in Arteza Gouache. Some small details were done using a Molotow liner pen.

I love how this painting came out. I must say drawing so many leaves, was so over whelming at times!

Challenges: 

https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2026/05/may-2026-anything-goes-w-optional-twist.html

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2026/05/challenge-202605-may-2026-anything-goes.html

 https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/04/classic-design-challenge-04-2026-marapr.html 

https://creativefingerschallengeblog.blogspot.com/2026/04/challenge-321.html 

Victorian Gentlemen

 

This "Victorian Gentlemen" is from a tutorial by Karen Campbell for Awesome Art School. This 3/4 portrait was a challenge to draw. As I drew it, following Karen Campbell, I really wasn't sure how well it would come out.

I drew this gent in my Ohuhu Marker sketch book with my Graphgear 1000 Pentel Pencil. I did the outlines with Molotow fineliners. I tried to continue and color him with the Ohuhu Markers, but I don't have many of the colors Karen used. I substituted some colors and also used a different brand (Copic Markers). I blended Prismacolor Pencils into the hair and a Gelly Roll pen for highlights around the "Victorian Gentlemen."

I was surprised and happy with how well I did!

Challenges: 

https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2026/04/challenge-848.html 

https://avenue613.blogspot.com/2026/05/may-2026-anything-goes-w-optional-twist.html 

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/04/classic-design-challenge-04-2026-marapr.html 

https://alessandrasangels.blogspot.com/2026/04/allys-angels-105-anything-goes-theme.html 

https://hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com/2026/05/challenge-202605-may-2026-anything-goes.html