free watercolor background AND I love learning about digital painting!! Step by step Tayasui app painting example...

You guys, I've been absolutely obsessed with painting with the Tayasui Sketches Pro app that I got for my iPad. I've included a link at the bottom to a digital paper file (12" x 12" .jpg file) created with the app.

It lets you work in layers which is wonderful for being able to delete a bit of work without losing a part that you were happy with!!!

The watercolor brush is the one with the pointed tip, and it's amazing. I know this sounds like some kind of an ad, but the wash option on the brush lets the colors bleed together; then a water option lets you flood it with "water"...best of all, the third option under watercolor brushes seems to be a "happy accident" brush option, which, if you've chosen white as your color makes the most amazing hard-edged stains on your work, or, if you're lucky, a pretty spreading "bloom" in your wash. In the little photo below you can see how one "tap" created the hard edge at its top edge, and a soft "bloom" at its bottom edge.

 

You can see how I built up layers in the photos below to make what sure looks a lot like a real watercolor painting. Not as wonderful as the real thing, LOL, but darn fun on a road trip or any other situation in which you need to kill time.

 

step by step watercolor with Sketches Pro for Ipad...

 

First (above) I used the wash brush (the fat drop shape which is the first watercolor brush option when you double tap the watercolor brush), chose a blue/lavender color, set the transparency to about 50%  (you see the size and transparency options off on the right when you tap and hold the brush.)Then I just changed colors and bled them in: pale gold and mauve.

Above, I added water - the second watercolor brush option, the thinner drop shape- and pulled it down to the bottom

(Above) Kept on adding more of the same colors, tapped on "dry" the red drop at the bottom right, and started some distant ridges in the same wash brush. They didn't bleed away because my virtual surface was dry, haha! I also erased away the sun shape with the eraser tool.

(Above) then I had some fun dripping water into the wet washes and tapping that last option I call the "accident" option (it's below the wash and water options, and looks like a circle with a wiggly outline). WHAT.  A.  BLAST.

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Anyway, I've been having fun making watercolor clips and backgrounds for my Etsy store, "Sketchroom", and here's a digital watercolor background you can have for free!

 

Have a wonderful, creative day and thanks for being my blog reader!

 

Susan

www.sketchroom.etsy.com

www.susankennedy.com

 

 

 

My set of "Down But Not Out" sketches and printables - free printable card

So proud! Here it is on Etsy. I sympathize with those who are down and depressed, and don't mean to make light of anxiety and depression; these sympathetic little doodles are meant to show solidarity, not poke fun. SO....I've put together this collection as a pdf ebook which has links to the full sized files you can download and use in any way you wish (except sharing or selling the files themselves).

Here's one for free: (it's the "Everything Going Sideways" card you can see on the bottom right in the above cover) click here for the greeting card.

I'll also let you in on my favorite thought for a depressed mood. Tell yourself: "just because you think it doesn't mean it's true!" That really helps to make me think more objectively, and preach to myself the truth that God loves me and that there IS a way ahead.

Stay in the fight!!

www.sketchroom.etsy.com

Everything Going Sideways? New sketch

You know, when everything's going sideways for you, at least you have a new perspective.

If you'd like to see more of my sketches and collections of printable cards, you can check out my things at www.sketchroom.etsy.com  Thanks for looking and let me know if you need a unique sketch!

More sketches about flowers and fighting the weeds

This one is about cleaning house!! I love making my flower sketches appear human, and what could be more human than indignation?

So get out there and do some weeding!

You can see some of my greeting cards and an ebook of Flower Guy cards at www.sketchroom.etsy.com and thanks for looking!

I'm Claiming My Stake sketch. Need Propping Up?

I'm loving sketching and learning about my graphics tablet these days. The only things I seem to want to sketch are gentle little cartoons, my "flower child" drawings, and I just put another one in the collection. If you're interested you can see a greeting card version of this one on Etsy.

I find it really fun to anthropomorphize flowers in pots (sometimes out of their pots). There are so many interesting metaphors there! They have readymade faces which can have expression, leaves which make perfect arms, a home they're in (their pot), needs and vulnerabilities. They need light and water, they can be happy and flourish, and they can be droopy and in need of nourishment and care. They can have kids (ok, seeds), they can get overgrown, attacked by weeds and pests, become rootbound, bend to face the light....I mean it just goes on and on! Love it!

Anyway, here's my sketch "Claiming my Stake"

Have you claimed a stake in your life?
The meaning, sortof obviously, is one's need to stake a claim in God's promise of love and care for those who look to Him for His love and forgiveness. Oh, to have peace of mind, PLEASE God, and it's the only source I know for the REAL solutions for our messed up minds.

Here's hoping you find peace of mind!

Susan

 

And some Photography

Okay, so I'm posting the occasional art photo too

www.sketchroom.etsy.com

Indignant Flower

Another one, this one indignant

A version of this flower, done in a charcoal style, is in this little ebook of printable cartoon flower greetings for sale on my Etsy sketch store www.sketchroom.etsy.com

Another Day in the Can - free dog art note card

Another one, brand new. Not all of my cartoons are about dejection :) but this one, like the previous might express my solidarity with those who are dejected, depressed, anxious. BUT, there is hope, so hold tight! If you want to check out my new Etsy cartoon/sketch/experimental art and photography store, you can go to www.sketchroom.etsy.com !
And here's a little free indignant yorkie note card : click here for pdf

Thanks for looking and check back for more!

My New Sketch and Cartoon Blog! free greeting card and WELCOME from Susan

Thanks for checking out my NEW cartoon and sketch blog! I'm in the throes of a new obsession, and I feel a little bit ambivalent about it. To those of you who may be familiar with my fine art (you can check some of it out at www.susankennedy.com) it's a little embarrassing. I've been sketching morning, noon and night (ask my husband) pictures of...ahem...anthropomorphized cartoon flowers. I haven't exactly filled up my sketchbooks yet, but I'm getting there, and I live in fear that I'll accidentally leave one on my desk at work, or on the floorboards of a friend's car, sitting there ready to reveal my very goofy mental illness/pastime. So....here's an example of my work:
So if you like it and would like a greeting card pdf which has this dejected flower and the greeting "Ok, God, it's Monday again", you can click here to get it free. (It's formatted and printable in a nice resolution)

Check out my little Etsy store which will be featuring my new greeting cards as I create them, and check back here, too, to see my new cartoons!

Thanks!! Susan