Build Drawing Skills with DIY Christmas Tree Cards - Painting & Drawing Tips

OMG it has really been RAINING here!!

DIY Christmas Tree Cards - fun way to fight the winter drabs!!

I think everyone must have heard by now that here on the Southwest Coast of Canada we have had LOTS of RAIN!!  I am fortunate to not live in a flooded area. But I think of those people daily and what they must be going through.  Please say a little prayer for them and send them positive thoughts.  

Between Covid restrictions, the newest variant and the dark rainy days, I feel a bit of cheer and positive thinking is needed.  I know we are into the high tech days where everything happens on our phone or iPad but I feel we need to go back a bit to the 'touch and feel' days.  

There is nothing like feeling SPECIAL. 

It's a feeling you get when you opening the mailbox and there is card just for you.  Or when you meet a friend and they hand you a card.  Even more SPECIAL if they made that card themselves!  Suddenly it means soooo much more.   

 

Definitely a feeling of Peace with this little card.  😉

Check out my Christmas Tree Christmas Cards

They are user friendly, not too intimidating, one of a kind and guaranteed to give your special people a smile.  As an added bonus they allow you to easily feed your creative spirit.  They are something you can do while watching TV or listening to your music.  I suggest you make up a little supply box that is handy to grab whenever you have a minute.  

Creating DIY Christmas Tree Cards

I like Mixed Media Cards because I can use any media on them

SPECIAL NOTE: 

I have a video "Learn to Draw with Christmas Tree Cards" that will give you more ideas on making your Christmas Tree Cards.   

 

I have 2 Card Classes Scheduled: Tuesday, Dec 7,  2-4pm  & Saturday, Dec 11, 1-12:30pm 
Small group (3), all materials supplied, Beginner to Advanced Welcome, $50 each.  Walnut Grove area of Langley.  Contact Wendy to register

1.  Materials: 

- paper and envelopes - Strathmore has packages of Mixmedia paper cut and scored with envelopes ready to go. Scrapbooking/Stamp Stores let you buy cardstock by the sheet and have small packs of envelopes that can be purchased.  Envelopes can be expensive if you go to custom sizes so stick to standard ones.  (Even business envelopes make for an interesting card shape) 

I like white paper to work on as I love to add my own colour and I like the sharp, clean lines on my white surface. 

- pencil, vinyl eraser, kneaded eraser, white acrylic pen

- permanent ink pens: Staedtler or Micron 03 & 05  Using permanent ink means you can use wet media like felts or watercolour pencils and your lines wont run

My materials - note the white pen for making tiny corrections  

- your favourite colouring medium.  I like my Intense Watercolour Pencils because they give me bright colours but I also use my coloured pencils as well

- some Bling.  The dollar store has lots of little stick on glitter shapes.  The star shape is hard to find but little round ones work great too. (note them on the top of each tree above. )

2.  Layout

Decide on the size of your card face.  Do not fold card before working on it.  Cover the backside so only your drawing surface is showing. It is important to understand the size and shape your image will be. 

Note the paper covering the back and how light the markings are for the layout.  

Draw a light drawing of your tree/trees.  The layout should be dark enough to see but light enough to easily erase.  It should not score the surface.   Use your kneaded eraser to lighten any areas that are dark.  

When drawing your tree/trees think about curvy lines.  Try to move away from the idea of symmetrical.  Light gestural lines will give you great shapes to work with.  I like to dip the top over to give it a little character or round the top to make room for a piece of glitter at the top.  

Challenge yourself to try different sizes and groupings.  A few lines will indicate snow and I love my little snowballs under the trees.  They break up the line and move the eye along.  A few breaks in your snow lines also add interest for the eye.  

Layout for 3 trees - Challenge yourself to try different combinations 

3.  Draw with your Pen

Don't sweat it!  I know it is permanent.  Your layout lines do not need to be traced over exactly, they are to help you move along the surface.  If you made your trees a bit quirky, any deviation from your layout line will not matter. 

Single patterns give you more latitude for colouring. Note ow the shadows on the tree trunks and snow add to the composition.  

Add your patterns/doodles to your trees.  I like to fill in my trees with doodle patterns.  You can see my favourite ones but there are lots more on the Internet.  I find it is nicer to keep to one pattern per tree as it makes colouring more interesting.  But certainly a personal choice here.  Do a few practice patterns on another piece of paper and then draw directly onto your card.  

You will be surprised at how freeing that is.  That sense of moving the pen freely without tracing.  (I know you wont feel that right away but if you keep moving you will.  It is a real confidence busters) 

4.  Time to Colour & Decorate

Have some fun with your colours.  Add garnishes.  Add text.  And don't forget to sign it!! (My doodle signature is in the bottom right corner.  It is different from my fine art signature.) 

5.  The Finish

You can make several cards and I do suggest you make several.  You will be more relaxed and joyful after the first one is done.   You will find that the more you make the more ideas you will have.  Your mark making will reflect your building confidence.  

If you have time make originals for everyone, if not, take your card to a shop and have it photocopied onto cardstock.  Either way, those SPECIAL people will be thrilled when they see what you have done. 

Looking for Help to start your Card Making: 

I have a video "Learn to Draw with Christmas Tree Cards" that will give you more ideas on making your Christmas Tree Cards.  

I have 2 Card Classes Scheduled: Tuesday, Dec 7,  2-4pm  & Saturday, Dec 11, 10-12:30pm 
Small group (3), all materials supplied, Beginner to Advanced Welcome, $50 each.  Walnut Grove area of Langley.  Contact Wendy to register

Looking to Move your work to NEW LEVELS?  

Contact Me for:

1. Private Drawing Lesson: (3 Sessions 2.5 hr each $250)

Do you want your animals to breath, your flowers to sparkle or your people to walk?  Whatever subject your like to paint or draw I can build a drawing program for you.  Private Lessons allow you to focus on the skills you wish to develop.  Wendy is a experienced teacher, providing a calm, relaxing experience as you learn how to use the principles of drawing.  Beginner to Advanced are welcome.  Special rates for younger students.  More info here.

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy

Full Scotland Travel Journal Report - Painting & Drawing Tips

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

Yes I am home!
Had an awesome time in Scotland with my two sisters.  Every day was full of fun, adventure and Scotland.  Edinburgh is an easy city to get around with transit and their rail system makes it grade to move from place to place.  And with our Scot Rail Passes we could hop on and off as we moved around the country.

Here are some of my sketchbook pages:

Sights of Portree on The Isle of Skye

The little town of Portree on Skye was fabulous.  All of Skye gave us a sense of the villages in the Highlands near the water.  There was a picture at every corner.


Journaling in Portree.
This part of the harbour was known as 'The Lovely Muck'.  I think it was because when the tide went out it was a mud flat.

Yes we found the Inn in Lauder and had lunch there!!  Our Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather was manager there and his son was a clerk in 1840.

Must have a Highland Cow in my book!

Tried my hand at a Major Street Scene - Windows, gables, chimneys and roofs made this a nightmare.

Loved having the thistles already on the page - really inspired me to draw more. 

Got my sisters drawing too!  Me, Sherry and Maureen

Tried my hand at people while we were flying.  Some people can sleep on the plane but not me.

I am really pleased with my journal, I have lots of great memories from each page.  I hope this inspires you to get your journal started.

FYI - New Observations on Journaling from the trip: 

 Finding time to journal is always a problem; so much is happening and there is so much to see.  My list of ways to journal with a group started with my May post here.    Here are a few more ways to add to the list

- divide and conquer: while your partners find the information for the next leg of the journey, you pull out your book
- work in the train, boat, car.  I found the bus a bit to bumpy but everything else is a go.  Not your detailed stuff but certainly the lay of the land and the big picture can be captured
- waiting; When you travel there is lots of waiting.  The obvious things like trains and buses but also things like lunch and your turn in the shower and with the blow dryer
- put them to work; my sister's did many photo shoots for me so I would have shots for blogging.  They scouted things out, collect brochures, picked up things and watched the laundry while I worked.  It really helped to give me a little time and not slow them down.

Of course not every picture turned out - that is Sherry doing a Photo Bomb!

Great Opportunity to get some help with drawing: My  Drop-In and Draw Sessions  for June are Monday,June 12 & 19,  10-12pm, or  1-3pm.  Expressions Art Gallery, 227 & Lougheed Hwy, Maple Ridge.  Bring your sketchbook and your project and come draw.  I will be happy to give you a few pointers as you work on your drawing.  $15 Pre-Registration Required. Contact Me.  Less set until September. 

***THIS SUNDAY**** June 11- Art on the Farm
 Kilby Historical Site, Harrison Mills. Join us for an Awesome ART Filled Day - sketch on the farm, join in hands-on drawing and painting sessions, see the sights.  My Hands-on Sessions will be at 12 & 2pm.  We will be drawing one of my flower favourites, Blackeyed Susies.  Have coffee and fresh pie afterwards at the cafe.  My personal favourite.  No registration, cost site fee only. 

 Etsy Shop now Open: WendyMouldsArt  Come on In!!
 

Father's Day is Coming Fast

Special Offer: 3 Horse Cards = 1 Pack = Instant Download for only $12

 My 3 Horse Doodle Cards LET'S RIDE, LITTLE ONE AND FREE SPIRIT are 1 Digital Downloads Pack at my Etsy Shop.  Yes, you can print and personalize your own cards instantly. Your father and horsey friends will love them. They are great for any occasion. See the story of their creation here.

 Be sure to like and share my posts.
 You won't miss a single one if you Follow by Email or Like my Facebook Page. Keep up with all the art events by joining my email list (see sidebar on my blog)

 Have a great artful day,
Wendy

Key Secrets to Watercolour Pencils - Painting & Drawing Tips

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

Watercoloured pencils can be harder than you think!

As you know, I have been busy getting my journal ready for my trip to Scotland.  After a bit of research and practice I settled on my kit.  (My journal prepping posts start here.)   As a result several of my students have come to me looking for pointers on watercolour pencils. Turns out many of you have a set but have really never used them. Or if you did, found them very lacking.  I was in the second department.  However, after working with my journal I have really changed my tune. Here are some of my best secrets to success.

My Kit: 2 - 03 Pigma Pens, HB Pencil, Waterbrush,  Stillman & Birn Journal Zeta Series 8 x 5.5in, kneaded eraser, 12 Derwent Watercolour Pencils, sharpener, 

Some Key Secrets to Watercolour Pencils

1. Use your pencils dry like any coloured pencil.  Used dry they provide a lot of texture to the picture.  The harder you press the more pigment on the paper, the darker the colour. You can mix this up in your picture if you want. The contrast in texture can be very interesting.

Note the text on the left (dry pencil) and the smooth blended colour on the right. (wet with brush)  

2.  Activate the colour carefully.  Using a waterbrush or regular brush with water still means you work in your colour area.  For example: In the picture of Dunvegan Castle below, texture is created with the brush strokes.  Short strokes just in blue to activate it but not blend it completely into the gray that was also there.  Blending everything together ends up with grayed colours.  If you want separate colours, then activate the areas separately and clean your brush in between.  

Using short strokes without mixing my blue and gray, I was able to get texture in my wall. 

3.  Do more than one layer.  Once you have 'painted' an area, don't hesitate to do a second layer if it is not dark enough.  There is no limit to the number of layers you can put on an area to get the kind of dark you want.

In order to get the really dark areas in the rocks I repeated the layers many times. 

4.  Get a sharp bit of colour right from the tip. Just like you can use colour straight from the tube you can use colour straight from the pencil.  Just wet your brush, damp not dripping wet, touch it to the pencil tip and you will have straight pigment to add that punch you need in a special spot. See the shot of orange around the door and one window on Dunvegan Castle above or the dark blue on the shadow side of the fish shack above. 

 5. Get some good Darks in the Shadows.  When you are working with a set of coloured pencils the tendency is to reach for your black to get your really dark shadow. But, there are many other ways to do that. Here is a little picture I was working on with a student as we tested out her pencils.

 Cactus by the water in Mexico

Yes you can add black, note the dark shadow at the base of the bush line in the bottom left corner. But check out the tones on the main cactus.  That is a shadow laid down with a 8B graphite pencil in the dark area and then a lighter bit of graphite with a 2H on the lighter side.  Then a light wash over the graphite to smooth it out.  When it was dry I put my colour on top with my pencils.  Then activated that colour with water.  Note the rich dark blended area.  I have set up the second cactus with the graphite so you can see how it looks before the water and colour go on.  To me it is a warmer, richer shadow tone than the black coloured pencil.  A good contrast when I need it.  Note the dark shadow on the small cactus on the left side.  That is just a really dark blue line over the green.

So get those watercolour pencils out and try them again. They can do lots more than you think.  I for one am adding an 8B graphite pencil to my Scotland kit.  I really like the fast, strong dark I can get with it.
 Do you use watercolour pencils?  Any secrets you can share?

Great Opportunity to get some help with drawing: My  Drop-In and Draw Sessions  for June are Monday,June 12 & 19,  10-12pm, or  1-3pm.  Expressions Art Gallery, 227 & Lougheed Hwy, Maple Ridge.  Bring your sketchbook and your project and come draw.  I will be happy to give you a few pointers as you work on your drawing.  $15 Pre-Registration Required. Contact Me.  Less set until September. 

June 11- Art on the Farm
 Kilby Historical Site, Harrison Mills. Join us for an Awesome ART Filled Day - sketch on the farm, join in hands-on drawing and painting sessions, see the sights.  My Hands-on Sessions will be at 12 & 2pm.  We will be drawing one of my flower favourites, Blackeyed Susies.  Have coffee and fresh pie afterwards at the cafe.  My personal favourite.  No registration, cost site fee only. 

 Etsy Shop now Open: WendyMouldsArt  Come on In!!
 As you know I am off to Scotland next week,  so my Shop will be closed until June 10. Look forward to seeing you then. 

Special Offer: 3 Horse Cards = 1 Pack = Instant Download for only $12

 My 3 Horse Doodle Cards LET'S RIDE, LITTLE ONE AND FREE SPIRIT are 1 Digital Downloads Pack at my Etsy Shop.  Yes, you can print and personalize your own cards instantly. Your family and friends will love them. They are great for any occasion. See the story of their creation here.

 Be sure to like and share my posts.
 You won't miss a single one if you Follow by Email or Like my Facebook Page. Keep up with all the art events by joining my email list (see sidebar on my blog)

 Have a great artful day,
Wendy