Design Experiments, Repeat Patterns

I'll be loading this little painting to my zazzle store to see how it lines up and if it will work as a repeat pattern. If that experiment works I'll be adding a lot of my designs on top of it to make different patterns. I'm excited by the possibilities.

Speaking of repeat patterns, here's a photo of one of my wrapping papers. Not only did I love my design on this background color. I was very impressed with the weight and the quality of the paper it was printed on. Yes it came from my store
 zazzle.com/julia_art

Now I'm following up by learning all that I can on repeat patterns and methods of creating them from internet videos as well.

So far the challenge for me is creating patterns that meet up perfectly at the seams. Don't laugh, it's harder than you think.

Just before Christmas I redesigned my Sunflower tree but wasn't quite happy with it so here I grabbed my markers and drew in a trunk  a pot and a lot more leaves and branches. I'm sure it could have been accomplished on the computer but it felt really good to get back to pen and paper again.

I also revisited this painting and made some changes.

 I'm liking it much better now that I have reshaped some of the flowers.

I looked back over my old posts and it had been since November 4th before I made these changes so it does help to live with a painting for a while before you decide whether it is really finished or not. It pays not to rush into drastic changes and helps you avoid mistakes.

Red Tulips: Garden to Canvas

Don't let the lack of an impressive garden slow you down. You can create art out of anything. I've only got 2 red tulips, the trick is to catch them at every stage of the bloom and make the best of it. Shoot lots of photos from different angles.

I started this oil painting many years ago but was never quite happy with is so I thought I'd give it one more try.

I started by holding the live flower in front of the painting and move it around to see where I'd like to paint another flower.

I'm not sure whether or not I like this any better but it was great to be outdoors on a sunny day and painting again.

Lazy Daisy: reworking and old painting

Here's the old painting that used to hang in the living room. I'll be pulling it out of the frame and "playing" with it next to turn it into something we might like better.