The Wonder of Butterflies

"Maiden"

Do you ever find yourself sitting and watching a butterfly, and then realize minutes have passed, finding yourself wondering why they are just so magical?

I do... all. the. time.

I'm drawn to art with butterflies (especially collage), I'm drawn to the colors, the way the wings flutter, their gentleness, their life stages and how we make that into a metaphor for life, all of it! I love them so much I even have a butterfly, a painted lady, tattooed on my right shoulder in memory of my grandmother...who also loved the butterfly.

But I am still drawn to the question of....why?

"Danielle"

According to the light research I did from the Butterfly Conservation site, and other pages around the web, butterflies have two purposes in nature, aside from being beautiful.

They pollenate, and they are food.

Yep, they are at the bottom of the food chain. They're food for birds, mammals, and reptiles. Like, food for everyone. One of the most wondrous and beautiful visions on the planet get eaten more than anything else.

I'm not trying to depress you with this news. When you sit and think about it, here's what is concluded:

They are a source for life. They feed everyone protein, vitamins, and nourishment.
They pollenate flowers so that their seeds will spread and the earth can continue to give back.
They bring beauty and peace to us in our gardens.
They share color and pattern throughout a mostly green, brown, and blue environment.

And, they give us hope through their life stages of metamorphosis. A demonstration that we are all beautiful from the inside out, and if we are truly ourselves we will shine brightly.

They are a symbol of rebirth, to start anew because they do! They live two lives, one as a caterpillar, the other as a butterfly.

"Birth of Twilight"

You find so many butterflies in my work because of these thoughts. They will always make me wonder, but I think the simplest answer, they are BEAUTIFUL, is why God put them here. Yes, they have a purpose, to nourish, but that is part of the beauty.

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Best Friends Daily Sketch

I am so unbelievably blessed with some very open, honest, and funny girlfriends. I've always been one who struggles with friends, but as an adult, I believe I have some of the best and strongest relationships I never thought possible.

One of these friends is fellow illustrator and work from home mom, Candace Camling. We are so much a like, yet so very different, and I adore this about our relationship. We can be very honest, borderline offensive honest, and still want to talk to each other. I find this very special and I treasure it.

"Explore all the World" illustration by Candace Camling

She's on her way to New York today for a very important trip. She's attending the SCBWI conference where she will be presenting her top notch portfolio to directors, editors, and participating in the illustrator event (sorry, I don't know ALL the details). She's on her way to the top as a children's book illustrator.

I thought of her this morning as she's beginning this fun adventure. I've been able to help her out with printing her portfolio, and I am very honored to be there for her. She helps me out by being my soundboard for those really rough days and nights all about being mom or struggling artist.

She's my light for today, reminding myself that you get what you put in. She puts in long hours, money, perseverance, and hope for her career, and I'm inspired by that.

Visit Candace's blog and her portfolio!!!

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The Daily Sketch - Day 17

In a moment of great tension and stress (while driving I might add), I come over a hill and in the far off distance something bright white catches my attention. They are pigeons taking flight, and their bellies shine brightly of the morning sun. 

I am immediately made aware of my tense and negative attitude, and at the same time made aware that peace is present. 

Today is the day for white doves, and of course white pigeons. We are both, I am both. 

Tools of the Trade

Ever wonder what I work with?
I am always curious to see other artists' studios, the tools they use, even down to how they brush the paint on. It fascinates me.

I'm working on a project right now that has forced me to look closer at what I work with and why I work with it.

You can find commentaries on blogs, forums, and Facebook about how one artist will voice their favorite pencil, while another artist in the same field will swear by another brand. Call it the sport of art if you like (I'm sure there's an artist out there with a rabbit's foot).

Most of my tools have a story or memory attached to them. 

The oldest tool I've used every day in the studio is my kneaded eraser.

My dad is an art teacher most of my life, so I grew up with this wonderful tool laying around his art studio coiled up or made into small pyramids. Something to do while thinking or working. I was introduced to it very young.

The next tool oldest to me is a retractable Tuff Stuff! The moment I discovered this eraser years ago I fell in love and haven't gone back. It gets into the little spots and is always a clean erase. I don't go anywhere without it!

My pencils are newer to me. I have worked with mechanical pencils for at least 15 years now, but the one I used as a teenager...well....was great for a teenager.

Two years ago I did some research and tried Pentel GraphGear 500 on a whim. Love them! Great body weight, good lead selection, amazingly priced! The green Pentel is their most standard. Pentel P205...still a great drawing pencil!

Sketchbooks are personal, in every sense, like a diary. I have always favored the large Strathmore or Canson spiralbounds, 9x12 inch. I have several moleskines too that are smaller....and I adore them, but I like space for my hand when I draw, this allows it.

Color Theory wasn't around in the beginning for me, so I just picked colors that worked to my eye. This did not help in finding the best palette for me, or how to lay it out even.

All of my palettes up to several years ago were rectangle and felt rough to me. Nothing progressed fluidly for me, only manageable.

There was a teacher of watercolor where I work (The Des Moines Art Center) who had a round palette out during one of her classes, and I was introduced to the Stephen Quiller Palette. A circle! Imagine color on a wheel!

I took her class, several times, and have since learned how to better use my palette effectively.

The paints I use are a blend of  Daniel Smith and Winsor Newton.  I always have a messy palette, it's cleaned maybe once every two months. I also paint on primarily Arches Hot Press and Cold Press 140lbs. It's a comfortable inbetween weight and their brand is one of the oldest. I'm open to other papers, but I'm a snob about Arches. The brushes? Cotman series 666.

If you know my work you'll notice my use of white. This started in the phase of trying to keep the white of the paper and failing. I taught myself watercolor, so I turned to problem-solving (an illustrator's best trait).

First it was FW liquid acrylic. I would brush it on, but it cakes easily. Nowadays I usually water it down.

The other partner in crime is the white gel pen. Discovered this while watching watercolor videos on YouTube. Genius! I don't think I use the best one, your basic Gelly Roll, but will be ordering a UniBall gel pen and I'm looking forward to seeing how it works!

Last but not least, the infamous indigo colored pencil. 

I started using this prominently last year while working on Tangerine. I was first introduced to Verithin Colored Pencils by Prismacolor a couple of years back. They're fantastic because of the harder lead with less wax. Because I'm not a colored pencil artist, this worked great for sketching!

The indigo was an accident. I was sketching with it, and as I added color (without thinking of the muddiness it could create) I noticed how it's more dulled tone worked. After Tangerine I continued to sketch with it. The hue is attractive to me, mixed with graphite or color. It helps to provide me my shadows.

Although indigo can create mud very quickly (it's not for the inexperienced), it does create a more earthy visual of color hues in the painting. I trust it so much I paint with indigo as well.

I try to sharpen always with a blade so that I don't go through the pencil as fast (taught by my dad), and the electric eraser was a gift to me. Never knew I would have a need of it until I discovered it erases the indigo colored pencil wonderfully!

Do you have a favorite pen or material that you use a bit religiously?

Starting Where I Left Off

Self Portrait - Pen - Journal 2012

I can almost remember every detail of moving my social life from Lost Souls Cafe a small place for teens in a quiet neighborhood, to Java Joe's, an urban downtown cafe. Lost Souls Cafe was forced to close because of it's nature...at least that's how we saw it and believed.

Java's presented something entirely different, it was full of young adults...either in college life or searching for "the" life. I was pretty vulnerable at this time. It was different than a bunch of kids trying to discover themselves. I think this is when my identity development halted. It's now been fifteen years.

I'm now, today, presented with this question of who I am. I'm not sure actually. I can't hold friendships because I abuse relationships, and I can't keep a hold of my own thoughts and emotions which just blurt out whenever. I adjust who I am and mold myself according to my surroundings and circumstances. Believe me, you run out of coping mechanisms living this way. Thankfully, I've been woken up from this sleepwalking!

So I'm starting where I left off...a coffee shop...I repeat...15 years later. But I hope I'm sitting here with some more wisdom, and even more so, hopefully with Jesus now at my side. I'm at Smokey Row, a very alive, vivid, and wonderful atmosphere of a coffee shop. It's not downtown or tucked away from the rest of the world. It's at an intersection near the freeway. A very open, airy place. I'm exposed...this is good.

Self Portrait - Colored Pencil & Ink - Journal 2012

These aren't the same people from 15 years ago, the age range is very large...more 30 somethings and older than college aged. I'm encouraged and feel as though, in some way, I can remain me. And when the college young adults do sit next to me, I relax in knowing I am the adult.

What are my expectations from starting where I left off? I'm not entirely sure. I'm not sure of anything other than I must change my patterns, behaviors, and out look on life. If I don't I will be dead and empty, because I truly believe I was created for relationships. Without them...what else is there?

I'm writing and sharing this because I believe it's important to show that you are not alone. As an artist I live very much in my own world, wrapped up in lies I've come to believe about myself and those around me. I believe it's important to take responsibility for it, but to also reach out and share it. I've never done well to hold my tongue, perhaps I'll learn it, but until then, there's healing in sharing.

To show my art off and sell it is one thing, but to define it as I grow...as it grows with me...to share the artist behind the art and why it's created, well....I don't know about you, but I'm hooked already.

Being Featured

It's always fun to do an interview,
knowing how much I enjoy reading about others. To gain a bit of insight of who they are really helps me better understand their work.

Today an interview was posted about my work and a little about me.
http://creative-artists-blog.com/interview-sara-burrier/
If you read my blog regularly, I can't guarantee you'll learn anything new, but you can still celebrate with me.

For the next three days you can get BOGO over at the Etsy shop.  Buy one get one free (*equal or lesser value).
http://sarambutcher.etsy.com

Remember - you must tell me what you want your free item to be in the "Note" section upon checkout.

I had a great time filling in the answers and she did a great job. While you're there, be sure to read about other Etsy artists and their work!

Crazy busy month, yes, and only two more weeks of it! Soakin' it in. :)

Finding the Colors

I have stumbled upon something this week which has made me wonder "Why haven't I done this before?!"

Pantone comes out with colors for the Spring and Fall every year in February (I think). This includes the color of the year and the colors most companies and fashion designers will use to advertise and create.

With my goal to sell my work to manufacturing companies and to license it out, it would only make sense that I too use these colors! Certainly an "Ah ha!" moment.

Fall colors on the left, Spring on the right

Researching and finding Pantone's color groups. I find this amazing and was totally worth the work. Why? Because now I have something to follow instead of thinking "Which would be the best combination of colors to use?" Brilliant!
Resource: http://www.setufairtrade.com

Drew up this image on Sunday (?) thinking of Mother's Day and a request I received a while back. Placing the Pantone color schemes to work. Truly loved how my thoughts and problem solving was directed to other things, like painting skin, instead of what the colors where going to be.

Took it a step further and created the 10 Pantone colors for Spring/Summer and the 10 Pantone colors for Fall/Winter in watercolor. I googled this and didn't find anyone trying to re-create these colors.

Word of warning tho if you're going to copy these: probably not the most conventional way of doing it. Each set isn't made with one red, blue, and yellow like most palettes would. I just used what I had in my huge circle palette that would give me the color I was going for.

Find the list of colors used HERE.

I also started a project to paint at least one piece specifically for each holiday. I started with Halloween. To be honest, it was hard to get some ideas that were unique to my style and way of working, and not to conform to what has already been done or is "trendy".

They feel a bit staged, but I think it'll be a lovely piece. This is drawn on the watercolor paper, so next stop, paint! Gotta now choose the color scheme from my beautiful list. ;) Totally working on this tomorrow with the girls at Natalie's!

Week One in Watercolor

My class this past Tuesday was great! 
Wonderful company (Candace Camling of course), Melinda Kabel is a pleasure to learn from, and the other students are just some of the sweetest people. Tho, it was challenging for me, the watercolor fantasy artist.

The class in a nutshell is this: she gives a project to work on, tho you don't have to do it. If you have your own it can also be like an open studio.

I decided to work out of my comfort zone and do the project....which was landscape. -_- *sigh* I do not like landscape OR still life. Find them boring. But like in college and in growing as an artist they are just as important as imagination. So kudos to me for not painting a fairy or mermaid! :P

We chose a black and white photocopy of a landscape and then did a neutral value study of it. This wasn't too difficult, but required me to stay loose in my approach and thinking. I decided to use my watercolor moleskine thats been sitting around for years unused.

After that you find a color magazine tear out of a different painting, but applying the colors from that piece to your black and white study. Make sense? So in the end you would have two paintings.

I found this to be frustrating and difficult. I chatted with Melinda about how I can see the colors for what they are, but to start mixing them.......

let's just say that I felt like I was brand new to the medium and felt what every beginning watercolor student felt..the worry that I was going to mess it up.

I think over time of building up the painting it would have turned out fine. I felt like all eyes were on me tho because I was the only one doing a landscape on hot press watercolor paper. I understand where it can create a problem, but it's what I own and like most, I can't purchase more paper at the moment.

The Ah Ha Moment
During the class I also talked to the instructor about what I was hoping to discover in the course of 13 weeks. I want to learn how to get a great sense of light and shadow without muddying up my paint. I feel I tend to do that in my work. I have noticed that for some reason the colors just don't "go" with each other.

"Love Floats" Giveaway

We talked, and she asked me to make some color palettes for skin. I needed to choose a red, yellow, and blue for each one....making several palettes from different primaries. HOURS later as I was doing this it clicked!!

The reason my shadows don't work with my lights is because I keep changing my reds, yellows, and blues throughout the painting. There is no consistency! Duh! I couldn't believe it took this long to figure out.

I finished "Love Floats" with this concept. I think she turned out vibrant and cohesive. She's muddy in places because of the work I did on her before the class. But her tail, hair, and skin all flow together.

This does not set aside my fears. I did the palettes and still feel a bit lost. I think this will definitely be a growing period in my painting. So look forward to inconsistent works full of exploration. I think. :P

Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll have a skin palette that will be "my" palette!


Here's a study I'm doing with a palette similar to artist Paul McCormack 's palette (more links below). Testing it out trying to figure out how to apply the colors, where, and when. I think this is going to take lots of practice. o.O

Rose Doré, Yellow Ochre mixed with Cad. Yellow, Phthalo Blue

McCormack did a free art lesson with Jerry's Artarama that I watched this morning. It's fascinating to watch an artist you admire work. Currently sitting and soaking like a sponge. ^_^

Here's the link: How to Set Up a Watercolor Palette: Part I
It took about 5mins to load each video (and couldn't do anything else in Safari while it loaded), so be forewarned. But I personally felt it was worth the wait.

How to Set Up a Watercolor Palette: Part II

There are other videos by him, gonna watch those next! His website is full of stuff too. Wee!

A Woman with a Past

Rahab

Natalie gave me a series of books by Francine Rivers that basically took me away from reality for about two weeks. Five books, five women, all from the Bible. They are called fiction because much was "filler" to complete the stories and to allow the reader to feel right there. But because of these "fillers" I learned more about these women and was led to reading the scriptures.

Rahab was not the first, but she sticks out.....or was the first to enter my mind when thinking of this project over a year ago. I had to really think about why, and I think the answer is....because she had a past.

She (by most scholars and pros) was a harlot, she betrayed her people, and she boldly asked for something in return for helping. Is that giving with a cheerful heart not expecting any pay? Nope. I relate to this. I have a past, I've been and sometimes still am nasty to others, I think a lot about my needs and myself, I like to control others, etc. The list goes on.

Here's the beginning thoughts. Her pose and the place.

Yet she showed that she believed in the LORD who sent His people to take down the strongest city on the Promise Land, Jericho. She had faith in the LORD.

What I loved so much about Francine's story of Rahab was how she wrote the possible thoughts that were going through Rahab's mind about the LORD and who He was and what He was doing......and if He could love her.

Then, she began to trust Him....turn away from the destruction and pain....and turn to Him. She got to live in the Promise Land because of that faith and trust. It's astounding to me how wide and deep and far the love of God is.

Okay, so the process...it's a lengthy one. I first started with some soft tunes to get me where I needed to be, a bit melancholy but faith filled. The drawing of Rahab on the left page was the first response (above). The drawing of Rahab on the right page of the sketchbook was more about studying her legs. It's a weird perspective....but I felt I got it. Then the drawings of environment came in.

Figuring out the setting.

I struggle a lot with environment, and I think that, along with composition, it will be the biggest struggle for me with this project. So with that said, I had to do some research.

I knew that what I'd find for Jericho would probably be a lot of ruins that wouldn't help much, so I looked up Palestinian architecture since that is the location today.

SO beautiful!!! You never really see it in the sketches, but I plan on taking time on some of those details in the architecture for the final piece. It makes me drool.

After research, I re-sketched her, trying to figure out details of the clothing, seeing if I could draw the pose again, decide the lighting...and although she looks great, I felt it lacking.

Configuring details.

The whole point of the project is to "feel" and "be there" with the character. Shoot, if I don't get that how is the viewer?!

Nope, this wasn't working and I knew it. The hard part is letting it go. And I did. I decided I needed to sketch.

Candace gave me a great piece of advice she said to sketch from reference something other than the project. Paraphrasing of course, but ya get the gist. So for the rest of the afternoon I sketched random images from around the studio. It helped, because by late evening I was ready to try again, and I think I got something.

Final sketch and layout.

There are still some adjustments to be made, but I understand this one. I can smell and feel the breeze, I can figure out her emotion, her yearning to understand God and wonder where she fits in it all, how His love could include her.

Now the tricky part...the placement of that sketch. I want freedom with these. I want open space to play.

I was reading Stephanie Law's blog today and she said something pivotal. It was if you don't draw enough, what you do draw becomes precious, thus you work harder and possibly over work to make it perfect...special...no more fun (paraphrasing again). I totally agree and I can feel it. I feel stiff in thought and execution. I teach all of the fun techniques that I know in watercolor to my students, but use only two or three.

Why?! Why am I not exploring and applying my own teachings?
Hopefully I will in these pieces, which is why I want the 12x16 space!

Which brings me to my final bit of this project....practice, practice, practice.

And I need your help!

I need to sketch more, just to sketch. I need to loosen my mind, hand, and imagination. I need to become comfortable with my favorite mediums again to where I can run free with them and enjoy the act of drawing/painting.

Please go to my Facebook page and post a word, or two, or three, or however many you want. I will sketch it in my wee little red sketchbook that I will be carrying around with me this year. I need a lot of words! Is there something you'd like me to draw? Go enter your words!

New Series

A‧N‧G‧E‧L  #1

 

photo reference from Tracie76Stock on deviantART

Focus of the series is to create an angel for every time of the day. Angel must not be older than 15 years of age, is female (which I know I know, kinda against what I believe....girl angels don't exist, but these are children so I'm making an exception), and each has an animal that goes with that time.

Now, this one is currently titled Twilight. But should her name be Midnight? Because that's the time of day she is, tho Twilight sounds cooler.

So here's the poll (answer in comments):
Should her name be...

☽Twilight or ❍Midnight?

For those wondering...here are the times of day and animals that are to come.
Dawn w/ robins
Noon w/squirrels and chipmunks 
Dusk w/rabbit
Midnight w/barn owl

From the Book

Working on some more Ikarian mice.  Ikara is a land were the wee mice dwell and have magical hearts.  Tho they use very little of their magic, and prefer to use what God and the earth provide.  Such lovely little creatures.  The girls have beautiful fairy wings, and the boys have strong, dashing angel wings.

A piece I hope to make into a large painting some day.  My sister in law mentioned I should do more couples in my work, and I agree!  So on a small road trip this past weekend I drew this.  Again the woman has fairy wings, and the man has angel wings.  I came up with the concept because in the Bible it does not mention the angels being female, and we see more female fairies then male.  So I decide that since women are delicate and nurturing creatures the fairy wings fit.  And because men are strong, and protective creatures they should have angel wings.  I like this idea because in my heart, it fits.  It's my imagination anyways.  :P

IF - Early WIP

Got a sketch in, hopefully I'll get to paint it. :P

I got this book titled "Virtual Pose children& teens".  There are some helpful poses, but sometimes it's difficult when working around the clothing.  Having to truly figure out what's going on anatomy wise can get tricky...especially with children.  But I gave it a shot.

I don't see why there isn't a book of children in swim suits or leotards.  I know, we live in a very perverted country thus we'll probably never see that published.  But as a children's book illustrator I don't always have access to children.  I can photograph my niece, but my nephew isn't  quite the age I need.  Still too young. 

So, thus the reasoning for the book.  I was hoping for a bit more, but this will do.  :)

Happy Earth Day!

From the Book - More Ikarian mice sketches

{ graphite | 2010 }

HAPPY EARTH DAY EVERYONE!!!

I am truly enjoying these mice.  I return to them every now and then, trying to find the most comfortable and right look for them.  They started out so simple, almost cartoon like, but have matured into these fine creatures.  Granted, not everyone likes mice.  But I can't help it.  Thanks to the inspires of Beatrix Potter and her adorable tiny characters. 

Inside Look

Another look at the moleskine.  I had a hard time with this week's Illustration Friday.  I won't show the two pages that has the word "BLAH" written across them.  Kinda embarrassing, I haven't done that for a long time.  I had the concept in my head but no concrete image.  So this is what I drew before I finally came up with the dryad and the mouse.

I have to say a huge thanks to my fellow IF children's book illustrators!  You definitely got my motors running and my brain finally decided to turn on and work.  You guys are always such an inspiration!!!

IF - Detach

Boys do learn their limits...but you gotta let them fall first. ;)