Hawaii Book

I had some sketches in one book, and some in another, so I'm moving a few into the book I took with me last year. Now they will all be in one place. I cut this sketch out of the back cover of the old book, and combined it with memories from both trips and a bit of maps and such I picked up.

June Calendar

June does not have 31 days...who'd a thunk it?? Oh well, regardless, June is history after today and I'm on to better months! I was right not to make the calendar anything more taxing than coloring while watching the news this month...too many other crazy things going on. I'm off to dangle my toes in the water and never go inside. I'm taking my sketchbook, so we'll see if I lift a finger during the next week!

Odell Filling Station

I'm having trouble getting a good photo of this one because of the reds and oranges.... fun colors, but apparently not so easy to photograph! I used my drawing of the Odell Station and this time did an image transfer using acrylic medium. This one also has some tissue paper and the Route 66 sign stamp I carved.

I'm trying to pack to spend a few days at the lake, and I'm ending up with more art supplies than clothes. That's OK....lots of room in the trunk...if only my car would get back from the shop!

More Route 66...

This time we have the Gemini Giant from Wilmington, IL and Del Rhea's Chicken Basket from Willowbrook, IL. Since I started drawing Route 66 sights I have really become fond of the signs and advertising gimmicks used along the old road. Creative and fun ways to draw attention!

These are done just like I draw them in my travel journals...wonky, fun little drawings of sights along the way. I used a bit of border from a vintage map around the sides of these two. They are painted on 5x5 inch artist panels that are 3/4 inch deep. You can see the beginnings of these pieces in the previous post.

Here's the Gemini Giant who stands in front of the Launching Pad Restaurant in Wilmington. I carved my first stamp (the Route 66 shield) and used it on this one. I'm sure I'll be carving more stamps. It was fun, and I need to practice a bit more to get control of that knife.

I hear Del Rhea's Chicken Basket has some of the best chicken in Illinois. Next time I'm up that way, I'm going to stop in and check it out. They sure have a great old neon sign!

Working away...

My little studio is uptown at the shop, so I am treated to the traffic noise of Route 66, radios blaring out of peoples cars on a nice night, street lights, and the occasional loud partiers from the bars strolling by.

 All of which is part of being downtown and I like it.

I've just been getting a little work done..playing around with the paints and paper, doing a little drawing.

Travel Journal

...without the journal. This one is to hang on the wall.

That little strip of color is a piece torn from the paper I lay my journals on to paint the backgrounds. I like the way the paint builds up on them, so I save them.

Stamp, stamp, stamp....

Found a clock face that says "Illinois."

When I'm sure I'm through fooling around with this, I'll give it many coats of acrylic poly in a satin finish. I like the depth it gives and how it brings out the colors. I share my work online, and I've gotten more comfortable with that, but I was a little intimidated about doing something that will not get shut in a book...but hey, you have to step out of your comfort zone to stretch, right?