Inspirational Christian Prints

My new line of inspirational Christian art prints is something I've been thinking about and working on for a while.

I really wanted to be able to share my faith in a beautiful and meaningful way.

I chose some of my favorite verses, and ones that really inspired striking imagery. 

Each is hand painted in watercolor, gouache, acrylic, and/or ink and then scanned into the computer. There is a little bit of photoshop clean-up, usually on the lettering, so that it prints cleanly (watercolors tend to have finite overbleed), but I really wanted to capture the original colors and brushstrokes as accurately as possible.

By offering them as prints, I'm able to make as many as I want or need of each and allow them to hopefully inspire and encourage many others. 

Most are offered as 8.5" x 11" prints in the shop, and I hope to add 11" x 14" soon. 
I have several more in my sketchbook already that I'm excited to paint soon!

Do you have any verses you'd like to see as a print?

Greeting cards!

A few weeks ago I decided to have a few of my watercolors made into greeting cards. I had requests from a couple of people for cards; I wasn't certain that I wanted to delve into "paper goods" as I'd never really had any experience with it before, but I just thought it might be fun! 

I chose three of my favorite watercolors - the originals of each have been sold and, well, I kind of missed having them around! 

I outsourced the printing - my little HP isn't quite up to the task of producing sales-worthy printed goods. Once they arrived with the base level envelopes, though, I was underwhelmed and decided to upgrade to a high-quality colored envelope. 
 

 old envelope on left, new on right

I think they turned out pretty cute! I will have to see if I want to continue with paper goods - anything that takes away from studio time has to be super-important in my mind - but for now they fun and are for sale in the shop!

Is there something you tried on a whim? Did it succeed or fail? 

Wedding Invitation Update

My wedding invitation design is finally done, and not a minute too soon! 
(seriously, I was cutting it close there)

Here's a little walk through my process:

My first step was to play with the lettering A LOT. 
 (below is the original design)

After lots of playing with swashes and angles on the page, I finally landed on lettering that I liked, so it was time to incorporate the flowers. 

I wanted to choose flowers that I am actually using in the bouquets and arrangements, so I featured (my loose version of) peonies, spray roses, anemones, berries, and lambs ear... and there's some other greenery thrown in for good measure. 

This photo was a big inspiration (I apologize, I do not know the original source - found off Pinterest forever ago).

After sketching it out in my notebook, I traced it onto smooth Bristol paper with pencil. On one copy I left the flowers in graphite, and the other I used the Micron to outline. I was originally going to use brush pens to create a thickness in the swashes, but the pens I was using just started to feel too heavy - I wasn't in love with the line weight, so I switched to my trusty ole Microns (.03).

 The original intention was to do watercolor with the more graphic outlined flowers and acrylic on the graphite version; after using watercolor on the graphic outlined version, though, I liked it so much that I wanted to try a looser watercolor version with the pencil. 

Much to my surprise, I fell in love with the looser version! It just seemed more suited to the feel of the wedding, and the contrast between the inked names and the soft, watery flowers was lovely. 

For fun, I also added some painted text for the RSVP and info cards. 

The rest of the pertinent information is being typeset by the printer. 

I love the way everything works together - I chose the blush envelope (from Paper Source) and lined them myself with white and gold chevron paper by Fig. 2 Design Studio (from Fifteen Eleven). 

Glad this bridezilla is finally happy! #kiddingagain #thebrideisme

The Covered Bridge

I don't do a lot of commissioned paintings (they are usually pretty time-consuming, and a bit difficult without a full studio), but I have been working on one for a client for a Christmas present and thought I would share a bit of my process. 

My natural style with watercolors is very loose, so for most paintings I use an ink-drawn base to provide a bit of structure. 

I then mix all my base colors before I begin, but I will continue to mix as I go. Watercolors are reactivated by water and are very translucent; this means the colors won't go to waste even when they are dried - I can add water to make them useable again or remix them to shift the hue. 

The process is very fluid and requires constant reassessing of what colors are needed based on how they lie on the paper. 

As for paper, I tend to use Strathmore 140lb cold press watercolor paper. I really like the subtle texture and it takes water very well - I've never had a problem with over-saturation. I have heard good things about Arches watercolor paper (and I love the look of that deckeled edge), but as for right now, I'm just working with what I have. 

Anywho, coming from an oils background, I always have to watch myself with watercolors as I have a tendency to overwork them. With oils, you can add layer after layer and build up luscious, thick surfaces. But with watercolors, they are so transluscent - delicacy is your friend. And the REALLY hard part for me is remembering to leave my whites (aka, naked spots on the paper). 

I was given a couple of photographs to work from for this piece, all taken in the winter. But as the location is sentimental to the future owner, I wanted to give it a warmer glow. By making the trees in the background seem more springtime than winter and adding a warm light, my intention was to create a loved happy-place. 

My first real attempt at a sentimental landscape was the oil painting I did of my grandparents' house several years ago. Their house is white, but I shifted the color palatte to create an aura of a beloved, dreamy memory.

What special place would you love captured in a painting? 

A State Hoop Story

My custom embroidery state hoops are the most popular items in my shop. They have been featured in Etsy Finds at least three times, but first gained notoriety when I was featured on the totally awesome DIY blog Young House Love in April after being a vendor at the Richmond Craft Mafia's Spring Ba-Da-Bing. 

Being featured on Young House Love was a total game-changer. The funny thing is that I had never heard of the blog before I was on it (which is shocking given that it's the most popular DIY blog in existence...) Read it. You'll become addicted. It's a daily read for me now.  (news? who reads the news anymore?)

Anywho, at the show there were several people walking around taking pics with really nice cameras (ya know, the kind that aren't attached to a phone), but one brunette woman in particular was taking a LOT of photos... she would take some shots, look up from her camera and smile, and then take more.  

Jason (who had begrudgingly lovingly driven me and my stuff to the show) finally turned to me and said, "Wow, why are there so many people taking pictures?"  I replied, "Eh, they're probably bloggers..."  Ummm little did I know...
 

Months later, I still have a lot of fun with the fabric and felt combinations. The New York and Texas hoops pictured above were my attempt at appealing to a more masculine sensibility by giving a nod to the Yankees and the Longhorns... can embroidery hoops be masculine??

The Rock says, "Real men love embroidery." No, really, he said that.

I've been fascinated with color theory ever since I started painting, and I take special care in choosing fabrics.  Some of the custom combinations chosen by customers are really lovely, too. My favorite custom combination is the ice blue felt on the yellow floral ticking fabric, which was also featured on the charming blog Going Home to Roost. The contrast of the pale blue against the strong golden yellow pops without being jarring (oh, hey, split-complementary), and the coolness of all the colors keeps the overall feel very retro.

A few of my most prized fabrics are vintage flour sacks that I found at my favorite antique shop in Charleston, West Virginia. The fabrics are one-of-a-kind and the color combinations are so interesting and fun. Not only do I like that I'm reusing vintage items into something brand new, but I'm also creating something that cannot be replicated, which makes them extra special.

psst... Orders for custom state hoops must be placed by December 15 for arrival to domestic US addresses by Christmas.