Experimenting with expressive colour

I love to paint

One of my favourite things it just just let loose and spread loads of acrylic paint all over the page.

I get my hands dirty by using my fingers to spread the paint which really helps me connect and get a really fluid finish.

Even adding some white gesso can help lighten things up and I sometimes create a quick texture at the end by using the wrong end of a paintbrush to draw lines in the wet paint.....why not have a go?! :)

Zoe xx

 

New Project #5daysoflayers

So after a break from painting this summer (Ive been busy on my jewellery stall!) I have felt the pull back to painting and what better way to start than with a new project!

5 days of layers is really a quick daily exercise. By doing 10 minutes of painting each day it's a great daily practice to help get my creative muscles moving!  Each day I work on the same page spread in my journal just adding more depth and detail each day.

This is also a great practice for being brave and taking risks. Covering up bits that you like and seeing what unravels in return. It's also great to experiment   with colour combinations and pushing myself out of my comfort zone.

What not give it a try yourself?  After all, it's just a page of your journal so if you don't like the outcome, it doesn't matter. And I promise you will learn lots along the way!

Happy painting!
Zoe xx

Solar Eclipse!

Very exciting that today we experienced a partial solar eclipse! The line of totality ran through the  sea north of Scotland so we had about an 80% coverage which was still very dramatic. As the moon covered the sun an eery light draw in. I was expecting it to feel like dusk but due to the sun being much higher in the sky it had a strange yet mystical feel.

Here is a (fairly blurry) photo of the eclipse as the moon was moving away yet it still shows the partial eclipse. So beautiful.

I couldn't help but create s quick art journaling page to celebrate this amazing universal phenomenon! 

Zoe Howarth Video; a snippet of my creative world

Zoe Howarth; Mixed media, Art Journaling and Paint: http://youtu.be/VOVbyyJfXD0

Lush Layer Love!!! ♡

So after being brave and pushing myself with my painted layering process I'm putting this new found love into practice.  By repeating the process I hope that it will make it easier each time and help to grow my creative confidence as I go, striving onward into the unknown!

Here I have started with some intuitive abstract painting.

Then adding a layer of stencilling in contrasting colours.

One of my favourite layers is then to go back in with blocks of paint that I smudge into the paper with my finger. This layer really helps to tie the previous layers together. 

Lastly I love to add in details with fine line pens, adding in doodles and decorative shapes that give a focal point. 

Art Journalling - Abstract Paintings

So over the last week or so I have been dedicating my daily art practice to creating patterns (patterns everyday). I am really surprised that this simple exercise has already transformed itself into creating abstract paintings everyday in the form of art journalling.

I am loving this process and can't believe how addictive it is so wanted to share with you how it's going so far.

Pure Joy Abstract Painting

I love being expressive with paint and today I pushed myself out of my conform zone to work BIG!

Using A1 size paper I spread scratched and rubbed paint into the paper. Working big means you can get your whole body involved in the movements and motions of expression.  Almost performing a dance with the paint.

What a refreshing and freeing feeling!