Almost Too Busy

I’ve been almost to busy to create art. Almost, but not quite! I still haven’t been creating at the speed I was last year but I’m convinced that’s just my way. I’m considering starting another home & family type blog since that’s where most of my energy is being devoted these days. One of my friends mentioned that she missed seeing my recipes on facebook. I do my best to avoid that site, so I think a blog would be an excellent alternative.

Here’s what I’ve been working on lately, mostly drawings these days, color coming from soft pastels and colored pencils. I love soft pastels! I love the effects you can create with them. I just need more work with them.

“Imagine Invent Explore” – drawing created by Melody Kittles – To purchase your print of this item, click the photo to go to my deviantArt page.

I started first with pencil, then inked over the lines. The balloon’s color comes from the colored pencils and I added color to the sky with the pastels. In this next one, I used ink and soft pastels.

“Changes” – drawing by Melody Kittles – If you’d like to purchase your own print of this piece, please click on the photo to go to my deviantArt page.

This piece is very organic…it’s a vine…or a tree…or just some random leaves and twigs…leaves a lot open for the imagination. My husband says he really likes this one.

If you like either of these pieces and would like to have a print of your own, you can click on the photos to go directly to my deviantArt page, where you can choose from a variety of items sporting my prints. They’d make nice holiday gifts!

Update!

I’m very excited to tell you I’ve uploaded 4 of my artworks to Redbubble. If you are unfamiliar with the site, it’s a place where artists of all kinds can sell their work on things like clothing, electronic accessories, home goods and more, as well as prints and framed prints. I’ve added a link to my Redbubble profile page in the menu at the top of my blog. The menu is the little icon with three lines to the left of the heart. Even if you aren’t in the market to buy right now, Redbubble is still a great place to visit to simply immerse yourself in the beauty and variety of artwork posted there. It’s amazing! I absolutely love their stickers. I’m a collector of stickers but I’m picky. Redbubble has a wide variety of stickers and there’s definitely something for everyone there! I’m going to share a photo of my laptop which shows 11 stickers I got from Redbubble. The other stickers were collected on family trips and shopping trips to different stores. The photo isn’t for sale or download but I did want you to see an example of the artwork available at the site. While my particular favorites are pretty rare and in a definite genre, I think they still show a decent scope of the variety you’ll find at Redbubble. Please do visit the site and please keep supporting your local artists and small businesses! We really appreciate your business!

This is my laptop. 11 of these stickers are from Redbubble and the rest are from different places I’ve visited or gathered from shopping excursions. I love collecting stickers!

Summer Daydream

“Summer Daydream” is a fanciful artwork, created by Melody Kittles. It is available as an art print or photo gift through my deviantArt gallery. You can click on this picture to get there!

I wanted to fingerpaint again. It had been quite a while since I’d done so. I also wanted to try working with larger canvases. I truly enjoyed creating this piece. I used acrylic paint and my fingers and hands. My signature is the only part I used a brush for. Next time, I’ll use a smaller brush for that but I do like the way the letters look. I’m keeping that in mind for possible use in future creations.

In other news, I’m going to start uploading some of my work to Society6 and Redbubble. Both are nifty outlets for artists of all genres and offer a wide range of items upon which art can be printed. I love variety and versatility. Having my work at several locations may make it easier for people to purchase it. I’m no longer doing this as a business but I won’t quit my hobby. If it turns out to be something worth all the time and effort that goes into making a business work, then I’ll see about that. Otherwise, I’m a hobbyist from this point on. Please do contact me if you are interested in one of my works! You can comment here and I will get back with you as soon as I’m able.

Also, if you like what you see here or in another post of my works, please do share the link or reblog! It would mean a great deal to me. Thanks for stopping by!

Current Goings-On

I know it’s been some time since my last post. I’ve been so very busy lately! I’ve hardly had time to do normal everyday things, much less any of the arts I enjoy. I have been teaching our daughters for summer school and we are really enjoying our study of the history and geography of Japan.  We’re also continuing our science studies in physics and having fun with many science projects. In our study of Japan, we’ve studied some of the arts practiced in that country:

Zen Painting on fan shapes – The one on the left was done by Magiba, and the one on the right, by Starshine.

These are our attempts at Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging. It really isn’t that easy!

Moku Hanga is the art of woodblock printing. We created ours using an idea shared by Consie Sindet. She blogs at http://www.atopserenityhill.com so I hope you’ll stop in at her blog. She’s a wonderful artist!

We also studied a bit about hiragana.

These are the worksheets we used to work on our hiragana skills.

The above photos were taken by me and edited in either Pixlr or Instagram. They are not for sale and you do not have my permission to use them in any way.

I have been working on little art projects here and there when I can but time is scarce. The storm season is upon us and we’ve been out storm spotting quite a bit. This in itself could produce some interesting paintings, if I didn’t mind the havoc it would reap in my spirit. I’ve got two current projects to share with you. One is a work-in-progress and the other is a collaboration with Magiba. I hope you enjoy them!

This is a simple line drawing base that I plan to paint and add a poem or lyric to. If you’d like to download a copy, you can do so by clicking the link to go to my deviantArt page. It’s free but if you use it for any projects of your own, please link back to my deviantArt page, and give me credit in the caption. Thanks!

This is the collaboration artwork Magiba and I created. If you’d like to purchase a print or photo gift of this, please click on the picture to visit my deviantArt page. Any earnings we receive with be split down the middle.

Thanks for reading! Have a beautiful, wonderful, and whimsical day!

My Second Mandala

My first mandala sits unpainted while my second just flowed freely in both digital editing and in watercolor. I’m calling the second one “Refining Fire” and it’s based on Philippians 4:8. This verse is so helpful for positive thinking! It encourage people  to “focus your thoughts on what is true, noble, righteous, pure, lovable or admirable, on some virtue or on something praiseworthy.” This is one of my favorite scriptures because this is the way I want to be, what I want to keep my mind focused on. My digital art skills still need work, mostly because one much be more patient. I think this piece came out well, considering I’m still a novice in digital art. I’m much happier with the painted version which I will share when all three mandalas are completed. I hope you enjoy this one and the positivity I hope to convey through it.

“Refining Fire (Digital Finish)” – artwork by Melody Kittles – To read more about this piece, or to purchase a print or gift, click the photo to be redirected to my deviantArt page.

Mandala Creation and More

I’ve been very busy over the last week or two. I was inspired to paint a little picture on the inside of my grandmother’s birthday card. I was inspired to create a triptych of mandalas based on some scriptures which resonate within me. I’ve also been working a little more with photography and reading a book on the art of writing titled, “Write To Discover Yourself” by Ruth Vaughn. There have been so many thoughts and feelings and ideas rushing through my entire being I’ve had quite a time keeping up with them all.

I grabbed “Writing To Discover Yourself” on a whim, thinking it might help me create a photo ebook. That’s another of the ideas which has been floating around in the limbo of my mind for a while. I’m not sure of the viability of such an idea. I planned to do a bit of research today while at the library. I was pleasantly surprised when I cracked open the cover of the book. I immediately found it to be something I craved. I love how Mrs. Vaughn’s faith shines throughout the book without being pushy or preachy. She sticks to the topic and brings her own point of view to bear in such a way that it is encouraging, not judgmental. What a fantastic way to show how true Christians should behave and live! What we DO is much more important that what we SAY, no matter whether you are a spiritual person or not. So I’ve begun digging deep inside myself through journaling and poetry, expanding my vocabulary by making lists of strong nouns and verbs, and trying to grasp once again the ability to view everything I see every day with fresh and untainted eyes. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to be a better writer or creator, as the exercises included herein will help you know yourself better.

Mandalas – I have viewed many mandalas over the years and drowned in their exquisite designs and complexities. I finally challenged myself to create a mandala and this challenge has morphed into a challenge to create three mandalas based on three Bible scriptures containing some important lists. While creating this mandala, I was concerned with form and symbols to include within it. I had trouble decided which mandala to create first, and in the end, the number of items to include ruled the day. I started with the shortest list. I first drew it in pencil, then inked over the lines with a micron pen. The version you’ll see today is finished in Gimp to make this work a mixed media piece. This mandala includes eight virtues with symbols that work for my own perception. Yours may be a bit different. The eight virtues are: purity, peacefulness, kindness, mercy, fruitfulness (or productivity), impartiality (or logic), and the opposite of hypocrisy (truthfulness).  I’m not certain I conveyed those virtues well in my work so that’s one area I’ll try to improve upon in the next mandala creation.

“Heavenly Wisdom” – mixed media artwork by Melody Kittles – Please click on the photo if you wish to purchase a print of this artwork or gift item. You’ll be redirected to my deviantArt page for this piece.

Today’s Photo Upload

Today, I uploaded three more photos I took earlier in the year. I hope you will enjoy these! As I usually do, these prints are available for sale in my deviantArt gallery. Please click on the photo(s) you like to read more about them or purchase a print of your own. Thanks!

“The Road To Nowhere” photo by Melody Kittles – To read more about this photo, or to purchase a print or gift item, please click the photo to be redirected to my deviantArt page.

“Spring Comes Softly” photo by Melody Kittles – To purchase a print or photo gift, or to read more about this photo, please click it to visit my deviantArt page.

“Fiery Blades” photo by Melody Kittles – To read more about this photo, or to purchase a print or gift, simply click it to visit my deviantArt page.

If ever  any of the photo links do not work, please do let me know.

Another exciting event happening for us this weekend is our local Artwalk event, hosted by some of the local businesses in Eunice, LA. Many of the stores on 2nd Street display art from the local artists and artisans and help us get our work seen. I hope we have a good turn out! I was able to replace some of my older work with some of my newer pieces and I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of attention it will draw. I framed up “Spring Half Dreamed”, “Desolation”, and “Purple Pouf” and all that’s left is to wait and see. John is also going to replace some of his older pieces with some of his newer ones, though the prints may not all arrive in time for the Artwalk on Saturday. If you’re in the Eunice, LA area and want to see some really awesome art, please stop by at 7 pm. The event starts then, and ends at 9 pm. Support your local artists, artisans, musicians, thespians, and small businesses!

Art and Photography Mashup

I have several things to share with you today! I had an idea about two or three months ago and I was only able to complete it over the past weekend. I’d painted three background panels in three different styles for a mixed media project. I won’t share the photos of each of them because I really like how the collage photo came out. I’ll share that to save space, since I use the free version of WordPress and space is limited. I also have four photos I snapped and edited with Gimp for you to view. To find out more info about any of these items, please click on the photo you like here to be directed to my deviantArt page for each. (Info on the triptych is all on the same page at dA.) There, you’ll also be able to see which of them are available for purchase and in what form (print, canvas, art print, mug, magnet, cards, etc.) None of them are available to download.

The Glitz and Glamour Triptych is made up of A: HoloShi; B: DiscoRo; and C: Purple Pouf and they are all named for three lovely and wonderful ladies in my life. To read more about them, please click this photo to go to my deviantArt page.

“Dreamset” photo by Melody Kittles – To read more about this photo, or purchase a print or photo gift, please click it to go to my deviantArt page.

“Mystic Sunset” photo by Melody Kittles – To read more about it, or to purchase a photo/photo gift, please click on the photo to be directed to my deviantArt page.

“Waking Dream” photo by Melody Kittles – If you’d like to read more about this piece, or purchase a photo/photo gift of this work, click on the photo to go to my deviantArt page.

“One Crazy Day” photo by Melody Kittles – To read more about this photo or make a purchase, please click to visit my deviantArt page.

I hope you enjoyed seeing these photos, which I’ve had to sit on for a while. The absence of internet at our home has put a severe halt to how often I can share. I also have to choose which items seem the most important to share first. I’ve tried to upload my items in the order in which they were created but this set, I felt, needed to be grouped thus. I’ve been uploading current works as I complete them since we’re now able to go to the library on a somewhat regular basis. I thank you for taking the time to stop by and check out my work and for your kind words and encouragement, which seem to come when I most need them. Thanks again!

Paintings!

I haven’t had much time to paint so far this year. I’ve only done three. I really like the first two, which are mixed media (ink/acrylics) done with a straw painting technique. The last one is a mixed media creation done in watercolors and acrylics. I’m happy enough with it but I still have a lot to learn about watercolors. I’m going to keep trying. I hope you enjoy these paintings of mine. If you do, please take a moment to leave a comment. I’ll be happy with constructive criticism, too. Also, if you really like what you see, please spread the word! These are up for sale at my deviantArt site. Thanks for reading!

“Inferno” – mixed media artwork by Melody R. Kittles – Please click the photo to visit my deviantArt page to read more about this piece and/or order your own print!

“Dance” – mixed media artwork by Melody Kittles – Please click the photo to learn more about this piece and/or order your own print at my deviantArt page.

“Journey Together” – mixed media artwork by Melody Kittles – To read more about this piece, and/or order your own print, click the photo to visit my deviantArt page.

What I’ve Seen

I have been able to slow down some but that doesn’t mean I can get posts uploaded any easier. This kind of frustrates me but not to the point of pulling my hair out. 🙂 Since the last time I blogged, I have let go of my business license. It doesn’t mean I can’t sell you an item. It just means I can’t do it as a business…more as a hobby and only sporadically.

On to happier things, I have two photos to share with you today. I hope you will enjoy them. I’m trying to get back into my art creations but it’s been tough. Finding the time and energy to pull out all my gear, paint something, then put it all away properly is sometimes impossible at the end of my day. I know I need more rest and maybe that’s because I’m getting older…physically. I don’t know but it’s my best guess. So photography has been my creative outlet lately. It’s cleaner and less cumbersome when it comes to creation. Instead of needing a paint surface, one or more paint brushes, one or more kinds of paint, pens, pencils…whatever I need for the target product that day, I simply need my cellphone and my laptop. Easy-peasy, so to speak! Without further ado, I present for your perusal…

“Looking Up” – I created this photo twice, once in the Pixlr app on my phone so I could upload it to Instagram and once in Gimp so I could create a piece to sell. This is my Gimp creation. To see my Pixlr creation, you can check the sidebar menu and follow me on Instagram. No Instagram account? No problem! I’m also on Flickr and Tumblr, where I share many my Instagram uploads.

“Looking Up” self-portrait by Melody R Kittles

“Disconnected”- I created this panoramic photo when we had a nice cloud deck hovering over our area. It provided a wonderful chance to see what details I could bring out in a black and white photo. When I uploaded the photo, much to my dismay, the phone lines were misbehaving. I don’t know if I shifted position when I snapped my shot or if it was something else but it ‘ruined’ and otherwise pretty awesome photo. I had to figure out how I could still save this. I made some border overlays in Gimp a month or two ago and when I added one to this photo, it solved my problem. I’m really pleased with the outcome and I hope you enjoy it.

“Disconnected” – panoramic photo created by Melody R. Kittles

No downloads, please, as this is detrimental to my family’s total income. If you’d like your own copy of one of these photos, click on them to go to my deviantArt gallery page when you can choose the option that works best for you. If you like the panoramic photo, I highly recommend you consider one of the larger prints, as some of the details may not be as visible on the smaller ones. I appreciate your consideration 🙂 I hope to see you again soon!