Random Thoughts.....Using What You Have

I read a post this morning by Danny Gregory (http://dannygregory.wordpress.com/author/dannygregory/.  You should go and read it, it is very good.

This post started my mind churning, thinking about what I have been doing lately.  I am currently in Michigan visiting family.  I packed a limited amount of art supplies for the trip.  If an outsider were to look at my "stash" it would seem like I brought the house with me, but it is really just a little bit of this and a little bit of that.  I participated in Doodle Camp from July 8th to the 12th and found that with imagination and letting go you can make do with what you have.  You can also learn to use those items more creatively.  I am now really comfortable with using a watercolor brush.  This really neat tool is great for traveling, you fill the barrel with water and paint away with your watercolors.  I have used Tombow watercolor markers for years but never to their full potential.  The colors are so rich when scribbled on watercolor paper and activated with a watercolor brush.

I cut squares of freezer paper and used them as a really inexpensive and easy to carry palette (saw this idea on pinterest).  I took my water soluble crayons and colored on the palette and then activated it with water from a mini spray bottle.  whoo boy the colors are so vibrant and I solved the problem of writing over the painted area.  You see  these crayons are waxy and when you color directly to your paper and then wet them, they leave a waxy film.  If you want to write over it, your options can be limited.  BUT......if you rub them on the palette paper and then activate, the act just like any other watercolor and can be written on with anything.  Of course a lot of people probably know about this, but it is news to me and what makes it more pleasing is that I was willing to experiment and try something new.

One other aspect of my art that I have found interesting is the color palette I have developed.  I find that I am liking vibrant colors, reds, oranges, turquoise are so yummy.  It is so fun to paint backgrounds for future work and these colors as a base just sing to me.  Plus that is pretty much what I have with me in various shades and hues. 

Since January of this year, I have been really exploring my creativity and Using what you have has been buzzing in my head for quite some time.  But it was more of a "suggestion" rather than a must do for me.

Now "Use what you have" has taken on a whole new meaning.  I will be taking a class Mastering Twinkling H2O 101 when I return home in August.  I purchased some Twinks, but I have some paints in pots called Angel wings (this may not be absolutely right because I can never remember off the top of my head).  They are little cakes of shimmering paints similar to twinks, so I figured I would use them as well as the Twinkling H2O's.  Colors are just as vibrant and they have the same shimmering quality.  We shall see how it works.

Using what I have has been a learning experience and it makes so much sense.  Why make life harder than it has to be?  Well those are my random thoughts for today..

Peace to you dear reader, thanks for stopping by.