Scribbly Dogs and Bellingham!

Tags

dog drawing, dog sketch, Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals, drawing of dogs, scribbly dogs, The Art of Silliness, The Art of Silliness: A Creativity Book for Everyone, village books

“Scribbly Dogs” 

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Hello there! I wanted to check in and let you know about another book signing event this Saturday  in Bellingham, WA at 7pm. I’ll be speaking about “The Art of Silliness” and “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals,” you’ll be drawing, and then I’ll be available to answer any questions.

Readings Gallery at Village Books

Saturday, February 23, 2013 at 7pm

1200 11th Street
Bellingham, WA 98225

If you’re in the neighborhood, I’d love to meet you!

Animals, Faces & Flowers: Three Repeat Classes Open for Registration

Tags

Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals, Drawing and Painting Imaginary Creatures, drawing faces, drawing flowers, faces 101, flower crazy, imaginary creatures, online art class, online art classes, painting flowers, spring online art classes, spring online classes

Hi! I’m repeating three of my favorite online classes in February and March. There are two one-week sessions, and one five-week session. I hope you can join us!

Note: If you previously signed up for Imaginary Creatures, Faces 101 or Flower Crazy, you are welcome to jump in to this session as well. Just email me and let me know! carla[at]carlasonheim.com

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Imaginary Creatures

February 11-15, 2013

Find and create your own zoo of imaginary creatures from random watercolor marks, blobs of paint, sidewalk cracks, peeling paint and more. But mixed in with this nonsense is a healthy dose of “real” drawing exercises and lessons to help you imbue personality and life into your imaginary animals.

We will draw from life, from photos, and from our imaginations. Then you’ll learn my no-fail watercolor tricks to create a series of your own imaginary creatures on paper. You’ll put the finishing touches on with pen, ink, pencil, gesso, charcoal, marker, collage, or whatever else the piece “needs.” We’ll also cover line quality, shading & dimension, and composition.

One-Week Intensive; $35.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SIGN UP.

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Faces 101

February 25- March 1, 2013

In this fast-paced class we will focus solely on drawing and painting the human face. We will work through dozens of different assignments that allow you to approach your subjects fast, slow, messily, neatly, realistically, abstractly — all to help ferret out your own unique and personal style.

We will draw from live models, from photos, and our imaginations. We’ll use ink, watercolor, pencil, ballpoint pen, charcoal, pastels and more. End goal: You don’t want to draw faces like me or anyone else — you want to draw like YOU!

One-Week Intensive; $35.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SIGN UP.

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Flower Crazy

March 4 – April 6, 2013

It’s cold and rainy in my neck of the woods, but NOT here inside my studio!

If you want to take Spring into your own hands with gesso, watercolor, and a healthy dose of flower fun, join me for an extended five-week long play time — set to finish just when the REAL flowers start to come in!

This painting class (which will also include both drawing and collage assignments) builds week-by-week, so that by the end you can take your new-found tips, tricks, and flower love to your journals, paintings, altered books, and even your furniture, if you like!

Five-Week Painting Class; $100.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SIGN UP.

Two Quick Things, and… Horses!

Tags

Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals, horses, life imitates doodles, riding horses, third place books

1. Seattleites! I’m doing a book-signing at the Ravenna location of Third Place Books this Thursday, October 18th at 7:00pm. I’ll be giving a 20-minute  “creativity and drawing” talk and will then have you do an exercise from “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals.” Please come if you can! Click here for directions.

2. Susan Strait of “Life Imitates Doodles” blog has reviewed the book and is giving away another copy! Head on over and leave a comment… and many thanks to Susan for the wonderful review!

3. My younger sister Kelly and I got a pony when I was seven, and even after he was sold a few years later we were able to ride fairly regularly until our teens. Kelly has been riding on and off throughout adulthood, but I haven’t ridden in 35 years!

But last Saturday when I visited Kelly in Colorado, she took me out! Here are some pics… I got to ride “Angel” (left).

I’ve never woken up so sore in my life (Sunday), but it was worth it!

Bonus! Book Giveaway and Artist Marisa Anne

Tags

book giveaway, bunny and deer, bunny painting, counting animals, creativethursday.com, deer painting, doe painting, Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals, imaginary animals, marisa anne

Surprise! One more giveaway and artist!

I’ve long been a fan of Marisa Anne’s simple, awesome work. She is an artist, author, and textile designer out of southern California, and has a wonderful website and blog: CreativeThursday.com.

(Images reprinted with permission from Marisa’s blog.)

Sweet and sophisticated!

I was really nervous to ask Marisa to be in the book, but I’m glad I did because she said “yes!”

Marisa is widely licensed and has a new fabric line: Head on over to her website and etsy sites to see more of her wonderful work. Thanks, Marisa, for being part of “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals!”

BOOK GIVEAWAY
Marisa is giving away a copy of “Imaginary Animals” today over at her blog. Click here to leave a comment!

Wrap-Up

Tags

art, book giveaway, cat drawing, Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals, quarry books

Phew! You made it. Thanks so much for tuning in to this two-week celebration of the release of “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals.” I wanted to write a one-stop post to list all the giveaway winners, as well as to say THANK YOU to all of you who left such wonderful comments over the past two weeks. 😀

The winners are:

Day #3 
Book and Elephant card — Valerie B. from Canada
Book — Trudi I. from Canada
*Book — Abigail from New York, USA
*Book — Jeannievh from Washington, USA
*Book — Serena M. A. from Minnesota, USA
*Book — Birthe L. from Denmark

* Note: Those starred above were GIFTED copies of the book by artist Savannah “Silly-Dawn O’Brien (savvangogh@earthlink.net). Thank you, Savannah!

Day #4 — Book from Karine Swenson‘s giveaway — Claudia K. from Germany
Day #5 — Blobimals artwork — Carla D. from Washington, USA
Day #6 — Book from Karen O’Brien‘s giveaway — Gill W. from the U.K.
Day #7 — Tape Bird artwork — Linda M. from Washington, USA
Day #8 — Book — Shena M. from Canada
Day #9 — Book from Dar James‘s giveaway — Vee
Day #10 — Book from Lisa Firke‘s giveaway — Tina W. from Minnesota, USA
Day #12 — Book from Petra Overbeek Bloem’s giveaway — Sharry M. from Alaska, USA
Day #13 — Eraser Cat artwork — Paige from New Jersey, USA
Day #14 — Book from Julie LaPointe‘s giveaway — TBD

Also, there were two book winners during the interview with Rebecca E. Parson’s Artistically Speaking Talk Show interview — Genevieve C. from Canada and Sandra S. from Oregon.

(And a HUGE thanks to my publisher, Quarry Books, for donating the books!)

Thank you again for sticking with me these past two weeks… and I hope the winners enjoy their books and artwork!

(I’m off to Colorado….)

Day #14 • Book Release Blog Celebration • Artist Julie LaPointe and Book Giveaway

Tags

bird drawings, Datcha Web, Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals, drawing animals, Julie LaPointe, La Datcha, painting animals, whale painting

Today I’d like to introduce you to the wonderful art of Julie LaPointe (“La Datcha“) from the Eastern Townships (Canada).

(Images reprinted with permission from Julie’s blog.)

A website designer by day (Datcha Web), Julie began her blog in August 2011 as “a journal about my journey back into a not so virtual creation.”

I just fell in love with her beautiful, restrained, elegant work.

And I love her quirky side, too!

Thanks, Julie, for being part of “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals!”

BOOK GIVEAWAY
Julie is giving away a copy of “Imaginary Animals” today over at her blog. Head on over (and scroll through her posts for some great photographs, too)!

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This post is part of a Two-Week Book Release Celebration for my new book, “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals: A Mixed-Media Workshop with Carla Sonheim.” For the schedule, which includes book and art giveaways, contributing artists features, tutorials, and assignments, click here.

Day #12 • Book Release Blog Celebration • Artist Petra Overbeek Bloem and Giveaway

Tags

chinese brush, Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals, Petra Overbeek Bloem, rice paper, sumi-E, sumi-E animal work

Today I’d like to introduce you to Netherlands-based artist Petra Overbeek Bloem. I “found” Petra online last year (I can’t remember where, now), and was completely taken with the sumi-E animal work she was doing!

(Images reproduced with permission.)

Petra writes, “In the 1980’s I was introduced to sumi-E. I was fascinated; the power of a single brushstroke is overwhelming. To paint with ink and Chinese brush on rice paper gives me energy, strength and joy. ”

“I started to paint in the old eastern tradition, but being a western woman in this day and age I had to find my own way. The technique stayed the same, but growing up and living in the Netherlands has made its mark.”

I just love these dogs, don’t you?

The works shown above are all recent works. I chose a different dog and a beautiful ostrich to appear in “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals.” Thank you, Petra, for agreeing to be in the book!

BOOK GIVEAWAY
Visit Petra’s blog today and leave a comment (opmerkingen) for a chance to win a copy of the book! (Remember, leave a comment at Petra’s site!)

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This post is part of a Two-Week Book Release Celebration for my new book, “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals: A Mixed-Media Workshop with Carla Sonheim.” For the schedule, which includes book and art giveaways, contributing artists features, tutorials, and assignments, click here.

Day #8 • Book Release Blog Celebration • Artist Feature, Book Giveaway, and Radio Interview Today

Tags

animal paintings, Artistically Speaking, Artistically Speaking Talk Show site, Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals, elephant painting, fox painting, Malathip Kriheli, painting animals, penguin painting

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Radio Interview Today! If you have time today (Sunday, Sept. 30), go on over to the Artistically Speaking Talk Show site and listen to my interview (live) with Rebecca E. Parsons. It airs at 6:30pm Eastern Time (3:30pm Pacific Time).

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Today I’d like to introduce you to the work of NYC-based Malathip Kriheli. I found her wonderful series of animals at her etsy store and was delighted that she agreed to allow me to reproduce one of her images in “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals.”

(Images reprinted with permission from Malathip’s website).

“Slip and Slide on the Slope,” © 2011 Malathip
Malathip writes: “I like to create things. I am an interior architect from Bangkok, Thailand who moved to New York City in 2004 to expand my growing appetite for creativity. And trust me, I have a BIG appetite.” 

“Sharing Good News,” © Malathip
“I am also the principal and creative lead for EcoPatterns, a company I founded in 2008 with the goal to raise awareness and conservation efforts globally for endangered animals through art.”

I just love her sophisticated design, composition, and use of color! Do check out more of her work at her etsy shop!

Book Giveaway
Malathip doesn’t currently have a blog, but I’m giving a copy of “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals” away here on her behalf. Just leave a comment and I’ll pick a random winner on Wednesday, October 3, 2012. Update: Today’s winner was Shena M.

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This post is part of a Two-Week Book Release Celebration for my new book, “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals: A Mixed-Media Workshop with Carla Sonheim.” For the schedule, which includes book and art giveaways, contributing artists features, tutorials, and assignments, click here

Day #6 • Book Release Blog Celebration • Artist Karen O’Brien, and Book Giveaway

Tags

Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals, drawing animals, imaginary animals, Karen O'Brien, Oaxacan Dotted Elephant, painting animals

Today I’d like to introduce you to Oregon-based Karen O’Brien, a very talented artist and a very nice person to boot! UPDATE: Karen’s winner was Gill W.

(Photos used by permission from Karen’s website and blog.)

A retired nurse, Karen is very prolific and paints richly layered mixed-media paintings, mostly with unique figures, “often with oddly distorted features and eyes that mirror their soulful, quirky nature.”

When I took a class from Karen last fall, I was able to take a peek inside some of her sketchbooks. There was one in particular that I just loved; she had limited her supplies to just black ink, red conte crayon, and pencil (I think!).

Karen has three pieces in “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals,” including this wonderful drawing of her dog, “Max,” somewhat inspired (I’m pretty sure) by the Oaxacan Dotted Elephant Tutorial:

Thank you, Karen, for agreeing to be in Imaginary Animals!

Book Giveaway!
Today Karen is hosting a book giveaway over at her blog, so head on over and leave a comment (at HER blog) for a chance to win a signed copy!

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This post is part of a Two-Week Book Release Celebration for my new book, “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals: A Mixed-Media Workshop with Carla Sonheim.” For the schedule, which includes book and art giveaways, contributing artists features, tutorials, and assignments, click here.

Day #4 • Book Release Blog Celebration • Artist Feature and Book Giveaway!

Tags

bunny sketch, Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals, drawing animals, drawing bunnies, drawing rabbits, Karine Swenson, Karine's Blog, painting animals, painting bunnies, painting rabbits, rabbit painting, rabbit sketch, sketching animals

Today I’d like to introduce you to my friend Karine Swenson. I met Karine about 8 years ago when I lived in Salida, Colorado, and was fortunate to show my artwork in her gallery for several years before she closed up shop and moved to Joshua Tree, CA.

(All images are shown here with permission from Karine’s Blog.)

Karine is a wonderful painter and person, and she’s great at everything — figurative work, abstraction, animals…. Since moving to the desert, she has started a series of wild animals — and in particular, rabbits — that I just LOVE.

Regarding her animal work, she wrote recently:

Why are we so infatuated with animals? I suppose we see ourselves in them, in a way. We project onto them our own emotions. Sometimes, their struggles become our own. I often ask myself why I like painting animals so much. The answer is fleeting, at best. I know that I am much more interested in painting wild animals than I am in painting domestic animals or pets. I think it’s because our encounters with wild animals are so much more fleeting. I want to capture that moment and preserve it. Remember it. How special it seemed. As though, just for one moment, God was looking right at me and saying, “here is a gift.” Whatever it is that keeps me painting the creatures of the desert, I know I am not done yet.

And just look at these quick sketches she made recently with ink and a feather!

One of Karine’s jackrabbit paintings is featured in “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals” (not one of the above, I want to preserve the surprise!), and I’m so glad she agreed to be in the book.

Book Giveaway!
Today Karine has a book to give away over at Karine’s blog, so head on over and leave a comment (at HER blog) for a chance to win! Update: Karine’s winner was Claudia K.

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This post is part of a Two-Week Book Release Celebration for my new book, “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals: A Mixed-Media Workshop with Carla Sonheim.” For the schedule, which includes book and art giveaways, contributing artists features, tutorials, and assignments, click here.