Wonderkept : watercolor

FIREFLIES -a moonlit childhood-

8:21 PM

When you were a kid, when you caught fireflies and put them in a jar. When you ran in the dark barefoot without any fear. When you never cared what you looked like...and if you thought you did you never really knew.
When your siblings were your besties; when your Mamma had to drag you in from the outdoors. When you always got soaked (hose or pool or water balloon or ocean or cup of ice water take your pick). When you loved to dance; when you smiled. And laughed at everything.

When you cried and ice cream made you feel better. When a band-aid with a cartoon face eased the pain. When staying up late was 10:00 p.m. When Saturday mornings were special because of pbs kids.

Your not so different now; your flowers in your hair might be a little more open than closed, and the fireflies might turn into starlight. The late day goes till 2, and your Mamma might have to drag you out rather than in. Your smile takes longer to dimple. And your favorite show comes on at 10:00.

But through all of this...your thankful. Because God always had and has his hand over it all.

Your life is just budding; and how beautiful it's been so far.
Without the thorns, what is a rose, and without pruning the next bud cannot bloom.

Do you remember when you used to catch fireflies?

Do you feel the need to be more thankful (I do)?

animals

THE LION of many COLORS (a watercolor)

6:58 PM

I'm not really into African colors...or Reggae music or the colors red and orange.

But my Dad, now............he played reggae music on the week before Christmas. He loves lions' manes and all that island-y music stuff.

Literally, I've had "Swahili gospel mix" pop up on my Youtube recommendations page.

So I dug into the creative folders stored way back in my brain, and thought of something him.

Something in Isaiah. Something with a Reggae flair.

~~~

Yesterday I set out, determined to get a tan with Mom.
And I burnt.
Like a redhead. *shrieks*

then this morning, I had to cringe while suiting up in a leotard and dance tights.

But I'll have a tan...right?

Do you listen to many music genres?

Have you ever been stung by a jellyfish?

(yep that happened too)

art

Wonderkept---the YOUTUBE channel (ft. the 13 second video that took me much longer than 13 seconds)

9:31 AM

Believe it or not, I did what I've been trying to do for months all in one day. I created a youtube channel for my blog, and posted it's first video.

I use youtube for so much...from workouts to music to watching Keone and Mari Madrid dance (and now every time I see a Filipino/Asian person I subconsciously expect them to break it down in the super market) so making my own channel was something I just wanted to do. (this one is my best so far below)

Hopefully, Lord willing, I'll start by posting short clips on snail mail art (perhaps envelopes and/or bookmarks not sure right now) and then move to FULL scale actual art, like filming an entire process of a watercolor like the ballerina en pointe.

You all, go check it out and give me a follow! Here's the link-RIGHT HERE-and come back here with a few comments. Let's talk.

~~~

The "Imperfect art" is there because..........my art is imperfect. I have *grunts* *coughs* a little smidgen of perfectionist blood in me, not enough to stop me from posting a video but just enough for my brain to say

ya messed up here and here and there and wow where did that come from I wonder if I'm the only one who knows what it is okay this lighting is wow hope an elderly person can make it out

But then my Mom started to encourage me, and say that it was good to put on imperfect things. Because, as she said, we all see TONS OF PERFECTION on the internet, and it often discourages us more than it encourages us.

So.

Our imperfections, can help each other.

Wow.

Are you from the perfectionist race?

Do you inspire others while being imperfect?

Christian

GOD OF THE HILLS AND VALLEYS = You are not alone

10:11 AM

When I'm standing on the mountain aft, didn't get there on my own

When I'm walking through the valley end, no I am not alone!

You're God of the hills and valleys!

Hills and Valleys! God of the hills and valleys

And I am not alone!

~Tauren Wells

There is really no better way to say it than with those words, made into lyrics from the Psalms.

Truth is, sometimes we all feel alone.

Like we have to struggle through life, pull our own weight, get through our own issues. No person can feel what we are feeling...even sympathy can't lighten our burden. So we thicken our skin and build our muscles.

But then...it hits you.

Your not alone.

You never were alone. That pain you're harboring, those tears you cried in private, God felt it too.

And most likely He felt it more than you, because, He loves you more than you love yourself.

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

-Isiah 41:10

This burden isn't yours alone; it never was. At the moment it happened God was there. And He's there now...and now you realize this. Through this whole time, you've been treading a lonely path when you never were alone.

art

WATERCOLOR HAND LETTERING...4 pointers I remember when using watercolors

10:00 AM

Ballet and watercolor are a marvelous pair. Both are fluent, elegant, and art.
Both are colorful. Both take talent to perfect.

My watercolor style often verges 'water-doodling'...but, yours will be whatever comes out of you.

When I touch the paintbrush, here's 4 things I'm going for.

#1 Simplicity and aesthetics

Create an untouched, peaceful backdrop complimented by what appears to be 'effortless' art displayed in center. I like to shade, shadow, and go over when I've already done my first lines (and the black paint has turned a lighter gray) to add definition as well as character. A mistake can be more easily fixed this way as well...

......and can be made *shrugs* *cries* *falls over*.

#2 Adventurous letters

I like lettering. Lettering is not always my thing. It's easily messed up, and I don't like doing it sometimes because I can't keep a word straight.

How people used to write without lined paper....*shiver*.

However, the transparency and fluent beauty of words painted in watercolor has got to be tried out. I'm definitely not an expert at this, but, after I paint them (and they are still wet) I sometimes go through with the same color and dab it on edges to create an even more texturey, pintresty, artsy look.

#3 Playing with color

So...I mentioned this in my last post, about color having THE WORLD TO DO with this style of painting. Not necessarily color in general, but the way you play with it. The ballerina above (wearing pointe shoes *cringe*) is shades of all different blacks and gray tones. I left her colorless, and then used a dark blue color to emphasize the George Balanchine quote. This way, our main focus is both the dancer and the letters.

The letters being bold blue, and the dancer's pose demanding attention = nothing missed by viewer.

And the dancer is just more romantic in black and white.

#4 Go with Mistakes

*whispers*...here's a secret. I painted the top leg first (the one in the scorpion) and it came out dis-proportioned with the lower one. So I made the knee fatter---you can see my flaws *cry* *cringe*. And the proportions turned out right.

Granted, I do not favor this odd knee...no. But the painting was not a complete mistake, and I sort of "closed the wound" to make it view able.

Lesson?

DON'T ALWAYS GIVE UP ON MISTAKES.

I painted this in less than a half an hour for my dance teacher on teacher's day! I was so happy with the way it turned out...and apparently other people were because I may have my first watercolor job.

5 of your art pointers?

Have you tried pointe shoes?

How did you show your teacher appreciation?

art

May Inspiration \\ WATERCOLOR eyewitness = How colors add everything

8:30 AM

Some art projects need color; some, absent of different tones, are barely anything at all. Like a small sketch.
Do you know something crazy? We will never be able to imagine another color.

*BRAIN BLOWS*

I always like to think that in heaven, those colors we can never imagine are there.
When you think of that....it reminds you that earth, all that we know, it's beauty and peace, joy and life, are all a small sample of what's waiting for us.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

- Ecclesiastes 3:11

We cannot fathom.That's a great line to remember when life feels like a dead weight.

>> Here each of these are left without color-simplicity, tones, mixed between white and black. The imagination fills in what lacks in color. With black and white we have a wonder, a sort of unspoken power that makes us think more.

Do you prefer to create art in color or black and white?

Have you ever wondered what impossible things are in heaven?

lifestyle

WHY I WANT TO GO TO ENGLAND and why you do too

4:25 PM

Since I was a wee lass, I've been reading the Chronicles of Narnia. Watching Peter Pan. Winnie the Pooh. British accents all 'round. When I began to grow up (dear me it's a trap. I'm not even joking) I started to read Jane Austen, watch British films, and happily indulge in the quirkiness of the Great British Baking Show (as I quoted to Dad, the difference between Americans and Brits is the "knitty gritty" and "needy greedy"). I also learned I'm at least 15% British...and I'll hold on to that with every cup o' tea. This American girl has a board full of England travels on Pinterest. So no, the following are dreams and not my own pictures besides the watercolors; but someday, someday.

So...why do I exactly have this thing for everything British?

Castles. Castles everywhere

I'm a fantasy girl. Castles, knights, old fairy tales and old books. Old church graveyards with mossy old tombstones. America, however amazing things she does have, does so not have the castles. I mean LOOK AT WINDSOR. The history!! And all those amazing Pinterest-y photos of Big Ben, the London Bridge, little rolling meadows in fall. Ahh. These are the true consequences of Jane Austen, people.

Basically, the older the better. Medieval or Victorian...it's a castle. And castle is just a synonym for adventure.

The best accents world wide...just ask the new Star Wars.

AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO NOTICES DISNEY'S FREQUENT USE OF BRITS?? And it's the best because British accents are...the best. Period.
For instance *cough* *cough*
Americans can say "splendid" but it doesn't sound "absolutely splendid!" like only a Brit can say.
EVERY song in The Sound of Music wouldn't be as cute as they are if they weren't sung by Julie Andrews, and her classically British singing.
You can try and be deadly factual when you are debating someone, but if you don't have that cutting 'matter-of-factly' Brit tone, it's no use.

British Lit. I.e, the birth place of great fiction.

I basically only read British literature. Okay...I mostly read British literature. Matter fact, most of my favorite authors aren't American. And aren't alive. ~~I'm getting off topic~~
When you really think about it, Americans are EXTREMELY influenced by England. Sometimes I wish I could have a 'fortnight' in Jane-Austen era England. You all wanna come along??

Think about it for a moment. Let it sink in. Do you have an old form of a British accent 0_O ?

The royalty and their little ones

Okay so I'm not obsessed with royalty. I just google them every once and awhile and 'awe' over the cuteness of George. Look up 'Prince George' right now and you won't regret it...his cover photo for google is the bestest thing.
Plus, most of Princess Kate's style is worth copying. For the most part, she wears lots of modest outfits that are supremely adorable. With class.
And their royalty...so their a few generations down from Queen Victoria...*MIND BLOWN*

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