Altered Bottle Art - A Tear Bottle

I've been wanting to create an altered bottle as a gift for a friend for a few months.  I wanted to make a Tear Bottle.  Now, my only experience with altered bottles was using beeswax as an adhesive.  That was a fun process.  But it didn't create the look that I wanted for this particular bottle.  But I was unsure as to how to go about it in any other way.  I mean, I would be adhering all kinds of things to glass.  What adhesive would hold well enough to last the test of time?  I wasn't sure but since this was for a gift, I didn't want to gamble on any of it.  So I took a workshop in altered bottles from the master herself, Christina Zinnia Galliher of Roses on My Table, and also of Artful Gathering 2011 and 2012.

Now, Zinnia handles the administrative part of my Creative Pencils online learning site.  So I was well aware of how capable she is and how well she communicates and how high her standards are for online classes.  So I pretty much assumed she would be a good teacher.  But she was so much more than a good teacher.  Zinnia was an excellent teacher.  She covered everything I needed to know with abundance.  She thoroughly demonstrated every step there was to be taken and she was richly generous with a variety of examples and with her time.

After watching the videos I was able to jump right into my project with confidence, clarity, and direction.  I was very pleased with the results of my bottle and I'm sure I will have fun altering many more to come.  If you have any thought that you might enjoy altering bottles, I would encourage you to take Zinnia's Mixed Devotions Class in the second session of Artful Gathering 2012 this July.  I just know you will have the best time creating your bottles with Zinnia as your guide.

All of the images used on this bottle were from The Graphics Fairy blog.  Thank you Karen.  

Wind and Honey Creations

A Look Into My World

A Rose For You Workshop

You can learn to draw a beautiful rosebud in my A Rose For You Workshop. Roses are timeless and are loved by most everyone. In this video format workshop you will learn how to layer the colors of watercolor pencils to achieve both depth and dimension in your rose.  You can post pictures of your drawings and ask me any questions you might have.  I can help you with your rose.

This rose can be framed, used on a card, bookmark, or gift tag, or it could even be used in collage art. The possibilities go on and on. This workshop will be offered until March 15 on Roses on My Table. Come on over and take a look. I think you'll like it.

The cost of the workshop is $25.


Wind and Honey Creations

One Amazing Man and Artist - Paul Smith

Paul Smith was born with a severe form of cerebral palsy.  He was not expected to live long when he was born.  But in spite of his challenges, live he did.  Paul used an old manual typewriter to create beautiful intricate art.  He was an amazing man and equally so as an artist.  This video is a bit lengthy - 12 minutes.  But it is worth your time.  It might be the best 12 minutes you spend today.  I hope this video inspires you as much as it did me.

Wind and Honey Creations

Just Gotta Brag On My Creative Pencils Students!

My pioneer students at Creative Pencils have come to the completion of the Pencils 101 class.  Pencils 101 is the introductory set of 10 lessons that gives the foundation for all the other lessons and projects that will fill the Creative Pencils site.  I am so proud of how well they have done.  Most of them were complete beginners when they started Pencils 101.  And now, a mere 2 months later, they are doing wonderful drawings.  I've been given permission by two of them to share their final Pencils 101 project with you.

I am so proud of their hard work and how well they stuck with the lessons even when they were unsure of themselves.  These two artist did not have drawing experience in the past, or at least very little.  But as they have progressed through the weeks I have seen them grow before my very eyes.  These drawings were completed with just a simple graphite pencil!

This rocking horse was drawn by Vanessa Cherry.  

This bird house was drawn by Sandy Simpson

Want to learn more about drawing and creating your own pencil art?  Try out my online pencil art learning community at Creative Pencils.  We are having a great time there and my students are progressing so well.

****Creative Pencils Workshops have moved to Creative Workshops****


Wind and Honey Creations

Thursdays Just For Fun - My Daughter's Funny Cat

Maybe I'll grow if I sit in here...

After a long nap in a packing box.  

Wind and Honey Creations

New Pencils That Are Like Coming Home - Derwent Tinted Charcoal

Many years ago an artist friend of mine, Sharon L Bell of Windom, TX, gave me a stubby charcoal pencil and a much weathered paper blending stump. And she sent me on my way.  I had it in my head that there might be an artist hiding inside of me.  So charcoal was my first experience and first love in the world of drawing and pencil art.  I was inspired by Clare Turlay Newberry who often drew in charcoal and who, like me, loved to draw a beautiful cat.

With time I moved on into paint, graphite pencils, and colored pencils of many different kinds.  As I got busy I left my charcoal pencil sitting alone in the drawer for a long time.

Three times each year my local students and I order supplies.  Each time I order some new colors or I try a completely new set of pencils to feed my addiction to pencils.  I've looked at the Derwent tinted charcoal several times.  But I really thought they were either just like a muted soft pastel or just another version of the graphitint pencils.  However, after reading a favorable review about them, I decided to add the tinted charcoal to my order this time.

Well, when the package arrived I sat right down and opened them and began to doodle.  Oh my!  About 20 seconds into it I knew I was in love with these pencils.  They go on very smoothly. And the colors!  Oh what beautiful colors they are!  These charcoal pencils were like coming home to me - only better.  I remembered those early days with that stubby charcoal and how much I enjoyed it.  As I marveled at the beautiful colors Derwent had created I began to wonder just what I could draw that would do them justice.  One of the fun things about these charcoal pencils is that you can set them with water.  So, when I had the pupil of this cat done, I could set it and then as I worked on the rest of the eye, the pupil did not bleed onto the colors.  How cool is that?!  And unlike the graphitint, who get much more intense when water is added, these do not change in appearance with the water.

This feline face was created with the Derwent tinted charcoal pencils on Strathmore 400 series vellum bristol board.

I will be going today to my students and encouraging them to purchase the Derwent tinted charcoal pencils.  They will love them too!

Want to learn more about drawing and creating your own pencil art?  Try out my online pencil art learning community at Wind and Honey Classes  We are having a great time there and my students are progressing so well.

Wind and Honey Creations