Oil Painting AUTUMN - Time for Fall Colors - Scenic

Painting From Your Own Photographic Images

A Feeling of Complete Ownership

     It was such a beautiful Fall day, the sky was blue and the yellows, oranges, and red colored leaves looked vibrant and spectacular! I was walking my routine brisk-walk and stumbled upon a gorgeous creek with just the perfect framing of tree's Vs blended colors. It was one of those hands up framing moments, I had to take the time to snap a picture, this is what I got. I knew immediately I would oil paint this one, and it would be wonderful. When you work from your own photography, there is a feeling of complete ownership. I have worked from other's photo's and it doesn't feel the same. I guess that's why I hear many say, work with what's around you. Paint what you know. 

Creek in Lincoln, CA

     

       As you can see the sun was on its way down, so this in the film industry is called the Magic Hour when everything seems aglow. Someday I'd like to do some Plein Air painting, (a fancy term for painting outdoors). I don't think I could handle the passersby, but I know there is always room for growth and it's true we need to challenge ourselves. 

     

        It felt good having both the photo and the painting the way I wanted it. I often put the photo on the back of the painting for reference when the painting is complete, then when I look back at both I compare the current views with past renditions. Sometimes I'll say to myself, "oh I should have done this, or I shouldn't have done that, but it is what it is, our growth and moods can shift, and change from day to day. Artists are discoverers!

Flamingo Here Flamingo There!

 Ever Since My Teacher Miss Placed My Flamingo Art In College....

I Hadn't Attempted To Do Another One, Until Now!

    It's true! He said he lost it, but how does a teacher loose a students possession that she trusted him to keep safe. I worked hard on that flamingo and I got an A on the project, as I was hoping for, but where did it go? Talk about the tables being turned, did the dog eat it? Lol. 

     Ever since I've lost that piece, I've been wary of turning things in. I didn't realize it affected me so much until I found this picture from the 90's in a file. As I looked at the drawing, I asked myself, I need to get over it and draw a flamingo again. So I did.

Photo I Drew From
1990's at S.F. CA Zoo

Finale! Part 3 of New Flamingo Drawing!   

    I find flamingo's fascinating and weird. What I love about drawing is that it gives you a chance to really look and examine what you're drawing up close and personal. By that I mean, the shape of the neck,, the skin color of those twiggy legs and feet, the strange black, extraordinary beak that looks perfect for crushing things. 

    After watching them do their thing, observing their nature, I noticed how they love standing on one leg. So when I researched it a bit, evidently there is no proven explanation as to why they do this. The most frequent explanation is because they are conserving energy, which could be true, but there is no scientific evidence to prove it. Maybe it's something in the DNA that says this is the way we do it? One does it, so they all want to do it kind of mentality? Lol. If they're cold the logical thing would be to draw the leg up closer to the body and feathers for warmth, that's what I'd do if I were a flamingo. 🦩Ooooh, Halloween is just around the corner. I don't think I've ever seen a flamingo costume. Yes I found one.

   Florida is the state to find flamingo's in the U.S. I'd love to see them in the wild flying and being interdependent as they are. Birds don't try, they just are! I love all the birds, the weird ones especially. They are an unleashed symbol of hope!  Emily Dickinson once said about birds, "Hope is the thing with feathers." 

Dead Comes to Life, Much Much Better

Rocket Raccoon?

Alliteration Book Progress

"Letter Rr rallies using a Raccoon, a Rabbit, Two Rockets and a Rat!"

    

I'm Designing One of the Book Pages for...

A to Z 26 Alphabetic Alliterations: Apple Alligator to Zucchini Zebra

    I enjoy drawing and coming up with ideas for pages with funny scenarios pertaining to picture books.  I decided to attach alliterations attuned to art which also included the sing-song sound of silly symmetry. Rock 'N Roll rhetoric! Imagine spending hours of time everyday making up sentences where the first letter of each word must be the same, like this example, which is considered a tongue twister; 

• "A big bug bit the little beetle but the little beetle bit the big bug back."

• "The timely tugboat was in a terrible tornado!"

or

"Which way did the wallabies wander?"

    I fell in love with the idea of creating an alliterations alphabet book because I wanted to make funny scenarios for each letter of the alphabet. It was almost a game trying to make a sentence using the same beginning letter in each word of the sentence. I didn't know it at the time, but you can have an alliteration using just two words, like for example; "The mellow moon is on the rise." Or, "The mellow moon looks mystic tonight." or "The mellow moon looked like a magnificent marshmallow. Your mind will start thinking in alliterations as you keep making them. It's rather fun. "The moon melted into molten marshmallow would make a magnificent Smore." You could turn it into a family game, where whomever makes the longest alliterated sentence is the winner. You'll have 26 tries starting with the letter "Aa." The letter "Xx" being the most difficult.

    In many ways alliterations make expressing yourself in a more dynamic way. I believe our attention is drawn by hearing the same sounding words. It is captivating for some reason, maybe because it sounds sing-song. The repetitive sound becomes a tongue-twister, and that's alway fun. 

    Try to say the sentence three times fast. An alliteration is mostly based on the repetitive same sound you hear as you're reading it. 

Alliterations have been around for a long time, since the 1600's so they are nothing new. Shakespeare used them in his play Hamlet. Scenes from Act 1, as Claudius speaks to Hamlet...

           'And we beseech you, bend you to remain here, in the cheer and comfort of our eye, our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our son.'

    There are a lot of well know writers who used alliterations; Milton, Tennyson, Langland, Fitzgerald,  Dickinson, Hemingway, Joyce, Melville, etc. Here's one from D. Thurston from her, "Thank You for the Thistle;

                "Gee, Great Aunt Nellie, why aren't any golden goldfinches going to the goodies?" "Oh," said Aunt Nellie, "They thrive on thistle and I thoroughly thought that I threw the thistle out there."

How to Make Your Own Envelopes Using Ornate Paper

Got Paper? Make Envelopes! 

Be Unique! The Snail Mail Folk Will Love It!

    I still enjoy opening my mail box, the one outside, and receiving letters, #cards, invitations from friends and family. It's intimate, romantic, and will forever be special to me. I'm pretty sure it is safe to say most people love getting physical, tangible, hear the paper rip, mail to open without touching a screen in the process. I immediately want to know who it's from, "left top corner ✓ check it out!"

    If you love sending letters and notes the old fashioned way through the mail, here is an awesome video on how to make your own #envelopes. I'm including a #pattern that you can enlarge or decrease in size on your printer. I used chip board (ie; cereal box) to cut out a #stencil in order to use it repeatedly.

Click on Video to Watch

                Free Pattern 

6 5/8" x 4 3/8" envelope size finished,
increase or decrease as needed

   For an envelope to fit a 5X7" card size, you will need to enlarge by a few percentages. It's not an exact science unfortunately, but start at 2% and go up from there. Please be sure to check out past blogs on GoGo Daat Blog! You can visit GoGo Daat Youtube Channel for more interesting ideas! There are several playlists.

    If you are interested in Painting or Drawing, recently, I've been adding my oil painting and CP drawing tutorials to my Youtube channel. I call them tutorials but they're more like visual learning videos. One of the ways I've learned from others in my art journey, is just by watching the artist paint or draw. 

    I put my playlist visuals to music (mostly rhythm and blues, jazz) because I want it to not only be something to learn from, but also relaxing and enjoyable, inspirational.

Spacial 3D Cube Project Idea For Teachers and Students

Learning Eye-Hand Coordination and Small Hand Motor Skills

Manipulation, Patterns, Stacking, 

    Sometimes I come up with ideas that teachers and homeschool mom's and dad's might be interested in using in their curriculum. I think this would be a great spacial awareness project for teachers to mix and match with students in accord with their fine motor skill and pattern making capabilities Three dimensional looking blocks can be printed, cut out, colored by hand or one can use the pre-colored pattern I've included. 

    Maybe you'd rather try making three dimensional cubes yourself. It is great for spacial awareness. The ideas is to be able to stack them, placing them one on top of the other like in the video.

     Learn how to color 3D blocks, cut them out, and stack them up. The more you make the more fun it is. There are two patterns (below) that you can easily print out. One is colored version and the other is not. 

    I challenge you and your students to build a large paper tower on the floor. If you do, send me a picture of it and I'll post it on my blog and give you some recognition and kudos!

    Be sure to subscribe to GoGo Daat! Thanks

Colored Cube Pattern or https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XKI0WAiTHvtuoMh8GruyxGw4SjHwjgyx/view

Place Cards are Fun for Dinner and Get Togethers!

 Cat & Dog Display Name For Seating Arrangement

A Good Design For a Kids Gathering

    If you are having a get togethers, a fun way to spruce up the table is by using place-cards. Sometimes, especially when it's mixed company, people feel more comfortable knowing ahead of time where they are going to sit. Of course you may find people rearranging your cards, unbeknownst to you. If you are chill, you'll just let it happen, if anything it lets you know that so and so wants to be near so and so for future planned gatherings. 

    Although this design I'm sharing with you is more attune for kids and a small kids gathering, who says you can't create some sort of theme card for adults, ie; Pumpkins for Halloween, Turkeys for Thanksgiving, Stacked coin image for Poker night, Books for Book Club, Tea cups for a Tea Party, you get the idea.

    In this video, I show you how I went about crafting the image and place card. Below is the actual pattern that you can print out.

    The other thing that is nice about a place-card for kids is that they can take them home along with their goodie bag. They will be eager to use them at their own table at home. They may even want to make one for each member of their own family.

    Here are some of the items I used to create the place-cards: Enjoy!

Pattern for dog and cat

Needed:

Firm white paper, scissors, pencil, markers, printed pattern

• I used a Bristol board paper
• I used Prisma Color Pens
  
  
  

Lavender Iris Project - Mixed Media - Prisma Pens -

Doing Art on a Rainy Day 

Helps Lift Up Spirits During Covid!

    Ok, I admit it my emotions have been all over the map these Covid months and I'm sure we are all in the same frustration at times. The thing is we need to find some things that help us to cope with that frustration. Keeping a positive attitude is not easy when so many things are working in the opposite direction. Here are my suggestions to keep from falling apart: 

        One, realize your not the only one going through this pandemic, we are in it together.

        Two, "this too shall pass!" It's not going to last forever and we are gaining some headway, hallelujah!

        Three, take a big breath and let it out very slowly whenever you feel overwhelmed,                                  (do this in 3's and when I say slowly, I mean slowly).

        Four, do something you know will make you feel good once you have accomplished it.

    I took my own advice and created this video for you. The art part was the most fun, but for me if I can't share it with someone...you get the idea. Spring is just around the corner and soon the iris will be popping open and helping us to smile.

     Pray for others who are worse off than you, help by giving in some way, giving always gives my heart a joyful big boost. Count your blessings.

        Six, (extra thought) take a picture of your art and do a four up copy on some 40lb paper, cut them out and snail mail as postcards. This will pay the love forward. 😀 

Lady Bug Costume Craft Idea - Cool Wings DIY!

Antenna's Out Of Pom Pom's?

Halloween Fun!

    I had to come up with an idea for a costume that allowed me to be functional with my job as a preschool teacher. I wanted to stay in character all day, because the kids love that sort of thing. 

    I love ladybugs so... there you go. I had to figure out how to make a wing that might me used over and over. If your going to spend the time you might as well make it something that will be long lasting. 

    Watch the video and see what you think; Allow for 2 days in the making of this costume.

Lady Bug Wings DIY and Antennas

    I had the red material which I believe is felt, but needed more thickness with strength and flexibility. I used some mylar because it is very durable. It's not hard to find if you look online. You could also use a stiff pellon found at sewing stores, they use it to stiffen collars on shirts, etc. It comes in iron on as well, I think, which means no sewing!

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Mylar Link

Pellon Link

Free Pattern

Stool Cover Made from Forgotten Skirt - Easy Up-Cycle DIY!

One-of-a-Kind Idea Turned Out Great!      

Nothing into Something!

    In this project, I used a soft cotton jersey skirt that I purchased for a dollar at the thrift store. It was a long skirt cutting in length it gave me about 10 yards of material to use to weave. Here is a creative stool cover re-cycling a forgotten skirt into a tactile and useful project. Be inspired, you can do it, it's easy and fun. A unique project, for furniture decor and comfort.

    I was rather surprised at how this project turned out, and very happy with it. It was one of those "let's see how it looks finished," kind of work ideas. The first thing when I started, I told myself well it could be a rug, but then I didn't have enough material, and when I saw my stool sitting right there, the idea, stool cover came to me. Then as it kept sliding off the stool, I followed with the underbelly and fashioned the drawstring and cord. It turned out so well that now I think I want to make some more for the bar in the dining room.

Valentine's Day Card - Colored Pencils and Mineral Spirts

 Swirls Make Up the Pattern...

 Mineral Spirits do the Blending!

    Learn to make your own patterns because they're therapeutic in nature. I started doodling on paper and started making swirls, the next thing you know I was liking the effect as they were bunched up on one another and in different colors. I wanted to blend them and remembered by mineral spirit purchase made. What you do with colored pencils is dip an ear Q-tip into the "Gamisol" Mineral Spirts and start rubbing in a circular motion. Get playful and see if you can't blend some of the colors to make new colors. You are in control of this project and any direction you go in is up to you. 

    Easy to Do and Therapeutic!

    Any type of colored pencils should work well with the Gamisol (brand name) or mineral spirit. I use Prisma Color Pencils. It is a non-aromatic solvent meaning it is odorless. It can be shipped in the mail so it can't be too dangerous. I would wear gloves if that makes you more comfortable. It spreads the color like a watercolor almost. Use Bristol paper, or a 40 lb smooth surfaced paper, unless you want some added texture. When it is dry, cut it into a shape. I used a heart as you can see.

    Homemade cards are very special because they take some effort on the giver's part. The receiver usually appreciates the time and effort when they ask, "Did you make this?" and you say, YES! ❤️

   

Seed Pod Trio -:- Subject Pastel Artwork-:- Live Drawing

 Appealing Simple-Minimal Look 

    I Took a walk and found this interesting twig with seed pods that are very unusual. I Google Lensed it and nothing came up that looked similar. So I'm still curious as to what they are, and please leave a comment if you have any idea. The Autumn colors are what pulled me in and then the black seed that is so striking. Could have been the other way around, regardless, the beautiful dried pods intrigued me to draw them and my pastels became the medium. I may watercolor them as well and see how that works.

    It's amazing to me, there is nature all around and finding a subject to paint or draw , well it's endless. "Paint what is around you," are words you'll often hear from artists out there in the art world. As far as cameras go, It's nice to have phones now that capture the fine details. I prefer painting or drawing from real life like I did in this particular drawing if I'm able.

    For one of my assignments in drawing class at Chico State, we had to draw a picture using 4 different human faces where one had to be from a real life pose, like a person sitting in front of you. Then when we examined the drawing, we had to try and guess which drawing was the real life image. It was interesting to see the differences. Most people guessed my real life image correctly, it was my roommate  Debbie, who was nice enough to pose for me.

Here is the video:

NuPastel chalky 

This is the Thumbnail to look for on my Youtube channel 

Thumbs ups are appreciated.

Hair Clip Designing!

Be Inspired!

Clip'n it! Make With Fuzzy-Balls! Use Various Colors!

Time to Get Creative!

    I had some extra brown fuzzy pompoms in my odds and ends collectibles along with some silky 1/2" wide ornate blue #ribbon. I took an old clip and one by one glue-gunned 6 or 7 balls onto the top part of the hair-clip making sure the glue didn't get on the opposite side inhibiting closure. They went on easy and it was fun to see the clip transform so quickly into something useful and creative. 

    Sometimes in order for ideas to present themselves, you need to put all your supplies in front of you. This works for me as I pair and imagine pieces of this and that together. Color combination has a great part in deciding what looks good, also size and shape and balance. As you pick up and move items around the mind starts creating, there's no right or wrong, it's just what feels right to you. I always ask myself, is this something I'd wear? Or does this make me feel good when I look at it? If not, start again.

    Most of these clips are for the young, age 5-10. My niece is 13 but I think she would enjoy these regardless. I plan on giving them to her as a gift. 

    Fashion ones hair with homemade clips and barrettes, it adds to your presence and gives a conversation starter for admirers. Make some clips! Do your hair differently! Jazz it up!

Self Portraits Are More Difficult Than You Think Ask Van Gogh

Van Gogh Did Several Self-Portraits!

It's a Challenge to Draw and Paint Yourself!

All of these Van Gogh self-depictions were done in the same year 1887

Van Gogh, by Frank Elgar, FA. Praeger Publishers, NY. 1958

        I believe self portraits are some of the hardest work to do, but every artist who calls themselves an artist should make an effort to do one.  Start off with a photo that you really like. I like to see some sort of emotion taking place because it is more interesting to the viewer in my opinion. 

    Van Gogh probably had to use some sort of reflective devise (mirror) in order to do his rendition. That would actually be another challenge in itself and might have a better 3D quality you miss in a photograph. I remember a professor at Chico State always encouraged his students to draw or paint from a live subject if possible, and I quite frankly agree.

    I would have loved to watch Van Gogh paint live. Here is my attempt. If you enjoyed the video, please consider subscribing to GoGo Daat channel, it's totally free. Thank You!

Video of my self portrait

Make a Handmade Mask You Can Do It!

Quick & Easy Masks (No Sewing Machine Needed!)

A DIY CHALLENGE FOR YOU

Created in March of 2020

    Sewing by hand can be very time consuming, but it will help you gain fine-motor skills and if your learning something new it's good for your brain synapse. I do many things by hand, and if you want something just right, and fit properly you will have spent your time wisely. Another aspect I want to point out and include is the feeling of accomplishment you will receive from finishing it, and you can brag about how you did it, with a little help from #GoGo Daat channel. Lol!

This video was made before any of the manufacturers were making masks, so it was more relevant then.  

    I was not only promoting, the making of handmade masks, I was volunteering making surgery gowns for doctors too as they were running short. Our community played several roles in the process. We needed someone to design a pattern for the gowns the way the doctors needed, we needed material gatherers from people donating sheets and the like, we needed cutters to cut out the material, (those who didn't have a sewing machine did this), we needed sewers who were available to sew and committed  to create at least ten or more each, we needed organizers to keep everything running smoothly, which was probably the hardest job. I didn't have regular work at the school anymore so, like many, I chipped in. There were many people doing this in our community together, we made at least 500 gowns, and masks sum total.  I felt so proud to help during this time of need as did everyone else. 😀

    

DIY Teddy Bears - Sew From Grandpa's Old Shirts! Pattern!

Recycling and Making Something with Meaning; Great Gift Idea!

Flannel Works the Best!

    My employer, who knew I enjoyed sewing, asked me if I would try to sew a teddy-bear for her. She wanted it to give to someone else for a Christmas Gift.  She explained that she had old shirts from a special someone and wanted it patchwork. It was not meant for a child to play with but rather a token to sit on a shelf or propped in a chair.

    Because I loved the idea, and still do, I said I would give it a try, hence the video. I think this was before all the challenging crazes started.

    I found a McCalls pattern that I liked and increased the size by 20% on my printer. I wanted it to be about 10" high when sitting. 

    The flannel that I used was from 4 shirts and I offset them to make it patchwork looking. The only concern I had was with the thickness of the material, some were more dense than others. It all worked out though regardless of the varying thicknesses. Flannel is pretty easy to work with as it does give more than other material.

    The video shows my struggles here and there, which makes for more interesting video anyway. Enjoy!

Please comment if you so choose.

   Free Pattern

Bear is about 10" Sitting Up

Bear Pattern