Alice

I watched Tim Buton's" Alice in Wonderland" and was so inspired, the imagination of it all is such a head spin. I wanted to draw my own take on Alice and not copy what was out there already. Using watercolour and pencil i have drawn Alice falling down the Rabbit Hole and Alice with the Rabbit. Will work on some more characters soon*

Artist Spotlight Introducing Visual Artist Alisa Steady

I am so pleased to have my first spotlight Artist Interview with USA Visual Artist Alisa Steady.
Her vibrant, original and playful work brings a smile and sunshine to your day.
She shares her experience, inspiration and a selection of her art, with us here at Heidi M.

 "Winter Snowman" on 6x6 canvas board painted in acrylic

 When did you creative Journey Begin?

My creative journey started when I was knee high to a grasshopper. I remember as a kid, my sisters and I would decorate the windows during the Holidays at our house. I took drawing ghosts, pumpkins, christmas trees and stockings very seriously. It was addictive back then, just like it is today!

Tell us about your work? what inspires you? what motivates you? what lights your creative fire?

 

I'm one of those creatives who will do a 180 and focus on a new interest. Right now I'm into illustrating holiday themed folk art using waterbase mediums like acrylic and watercolor. But I'm also drawn to fabrics and felts and will probably branch into textiles in the very near future.

 "Chat" ACEO 2.5"x3.5" on 300lb arches watercolor paper; recycled from artist's painting. Painted with acrylic and collaged with French paper.

 Describe your workspace/studio 

I live with my husband Addison, along with three cats and three rats. My studio is in the room otherwise known as the dining room. Were it not for Addison and his support (mainly letting me take over the dining room and use it as a center for making stuff), I probably wouldn't be as inspired to want to make something every single day.

What dreams do you hope to see flourish in 2011 ?

My dreams are pretty simple. I dream to continue to make great art, and eventually take my art and use it as a means to make a living. When someone tells you they love your artwork, it's one of the greatest feelings in the world! 

                                     "Spooky Bird" Folk Art on 11x14 canvas board painted in acrylic"

Find out more From Alisa with her Blog http://alisasteadyart.blogspot.com/

Her art is for sale here http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtByAlisaSteady

Something to give and something to keep.....

 Prudence, Frida,Katie...and more...I have been working on a new range of hand painted and very unique cards, they are all in apertures so can be framed as well.
 my character based work is created to make u smile...here is a peek at some of the cards...more soon.

Illustration Friday submission

Illustration Friday's Topic of the week is " Dusty" The Song " Son of a Preacher Man" came into my head and i knew Dusty Springfield had to be drawn..." The only man that could ever teach me...was the son of a preacher man..la aa laa laa"

I did an quick sketch of my idea and set to to do a more i guess controlled illustration but i challenged my perfectionism and left the sketch  as is adding watercolour to it.

New Blog Header....

I have been driving myself round the bend today trying to get a new Blog header, i scanned the above drawing in but am not 100 percent with it, needs tweaking, i would not call my self techy and trying to get the image to fit etc...i will spare you the details !!!

The White Square Project

Well how chuffed am i, My work was Selected for " The White Square Project"  The illustration is below.The Theme was  " Earth" and my inky sketch was a figure rising from the Earth...as my head generally tells me not to try and keep myself and my work hidden in the shut pages of a sketch book i am glad that i put some work out there.

check out The White Square project here http://thewhitesquare.tumblr.com/

thinking of love too

Thinking of Love too....

Thinking of Love

well i drew Edith thinking of love and i thought well what is her boyfriend doing? so here is" thinking of love too" and blue hearts? yes blue why not, they fantastic element to creativity is you make your own rules.

pencil and acrylic ink

creativity doesn't have to be about follow rules, classes i attended that where all about perpective, form, and the correct way to draw stifled me and made me feel rubbish....so go and create your own rules.....blue hearts rule !!!

singing lovehearts

this is part of a collection that will be available as postcards and prints

In the Clouds

Journal Entry 17/01/11

In the clouds i dream.

I am thinking Love

I was totally cheesed off yesterday...cheddar cheesed off and my drawing was not going well. I decided to switch paper to a heavy cartridge and came up with some very simple illustrations, i wanted them to be very simple in style so that the communication of love comes through !

these will be available to buy as prints soon.

The Weather.....

Days are foggy, days are clear-weather is changing throughout the year......few pages from my journal on my thoughts on The Weather......it often being a metaphor for how we are feeling!!!!

Secret Gallery

So what was i doing with a pile of sticky name badges filled with my illustrations??!! I decided upon a mini gallery of characters in a beach shelter for beach walkers to see...why did i do it?? well why not.

mini portrait with a beach side backdrop

The Gallery location

I headed down to the beach, the sun was in the sky and i had a pocket full of drawings.

A beach shelter was a perfect place for a mini secret gallery.
Below shows how the row of illustrations echo the row of beach huts.

Secret Gallery

I decided upon a secret gallery project, to share with beach lovers my characters. To the left you will see the sticky name badges i drew on

Sometimes

Straight from my journal onto my blog......Sometimes i don't know what i am doing and i just dream.....i grab my journal and draw and draw and draw.

Sea Shells on The Sea Shore

The sun was out and shining, so i headed down to the beach for some inspiration.I live on the Coast a wonderful place all year round for great walks, places to draw and the amazing beach huts that line the foot of the cliff tops.

•♥•.¸¸.•♥•Amazing Giveaway•♥•.¸¸.•♥•

For all those that "follow" my blog i am having an amazing giveaway of a unique piece of Art.!!!!!
One lucky person will be selected at random and will then be reciving a lovely package through the post....spread the word peep :0) xx

Details of Family Portrait

Family Portrait

In my fabulous moleskine watercolour journal i drew some characters for a family portrait....

I love to study people and what characters i can literally draw out of them, i sketched down some ideas on my long moleskine watercolour journal- wanted to capture the distraction in some, the uptightness of having pic taken in others and just see how characters work all together

My Heart is full of Love for you

My latest painting- The first of 2011!!! inspired by Valentine's day.
Acylic, and pastel on canvas with collage paper for the heart and Love lettering.

Nora Bone

This is Nora Bone, my beloved new cat, fat and naughty she has captured my heart. I like the composition of this sketch and the simplicity of it and the free way in which i have draw it.I encourage you to grab your sketchbook/journal/dairy and draw, or write about what has captured your heart lately.

dreaming

I drew this quick sketch of me!!! at my desk, from thinking of what to draw to dreaming with the sun in my face, i am posting this as it's important to show the workings/the sketches so i can break free from trying to perfect everything...it almost makes me itch to put imperfect things up and then i remind myself ...this is a sketch....neurotic or what!!!!

Blog Giveaway

The amazing Mini Canvas give away will be in January 24th 2011.
 If you are "following" my blog then you will have the chance to win a unique and original  Heidi M McDonald painting.

Miss You - Journal Page

I miss you - Journal page.
Here i have combined a quick sketch that i wanted to explore more, so i added a stamped background, collage elements, text and finished with watercolour and pencil and pen.

Its me sat thinking of those i miss and are no longer around.....no place to send a letter to.

Jan 1st 2011

a

A new year a new day, was feeling a bit daunted by it all, with armfull's of dreams and apsirations i wondered how will i achieve all this !!!!! Thinking too far ahead can make you stop before you have even begun, so i turned to my sketchbook and drew a few more characters and wrote about it all....feeling much better from it.

Was thrilled when the amazing and talented Australian Artist/Illustrator - Kaili Ittensjohn made lovely comments on my work...take a look at her blog....awesome  http://kailiart.blogspot.com