Spring Is In The Air!

"Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries

of the earth are never alone or weary of life."

  ~ Rachel Carson

April 9th- Sandarosa Studio Workshop

Celebrate Spring - Get Creative and Play!

See the slideshow from this workshop here.

"Nature is my medicine."  ~ Sara Moss-Wolfe

Thanks for stopping by and
Happy Creating!

Believe In Magic

“The world is full of magic things, 

patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” 

~ W.B. Yeats

Magical Things by Sandy Sandy SpiritArtist

Testing out some new (for me) paper. Stonehenge Aqua Cold Press 140# from Legion Paper. I mostly work on Yupo these days, but have also exclusively used Arches for over 4 decades. Really feel rusty working on the cotton, but liked the soft, forgiving, absorbent quality of this sheet. Trying the same image on the Hot Press Stonehenge next. Of course, after using Yupo, these colors really look washed out to me, but I'm getting used to it. This was done wet-in-wet, first wetting both sides of the paper. Your comments and any recommendations for improvements and for working on the HP paper is appreciated.

Have a great weekend and happy creating!!

Thanks for stopping by.

X ♥  O

The Trees Are Not Serious

“Take hold of your own life.
See that the whole existence is celebrating.
These trees are not serious, these birds are not serious.
The rivers and the oceans are wild,
and everywhere there is fun,
everywhere there is joy and delight.
Watch existence, listen to the existence 

and become part of it.”
― Osho

30 Paintings in Alcohol Ink by Sandy Sandy - Jan. 2017

As some of you who follow my work already know, I've been knee deep this month in creating #30paintingsin30days. I decided to revisit the theme of my very first 30 in 30 back in January of 2013 - Paintings Inspired by Quotes About Trees.

You can see each one of my 2017 alcohol ink paintings close-up on my website blog.

And some of my favorites have already sold, YAY! 

The 30 in30 is a great way to jump start the year! This is the 9th one and 

I highly recommend it if you're not afraid of a little pressure!

Now I'm looking forward to painting something other than trees!

Happy creating!

Thanks for stopping by. Hugs and Happiness!

X ♥  O

Yupo Demo Opportunity

ARTIST OPPORTUNITY - We are looking for someone who's somewhat accomplished with watercolor and/or alcohol ink on YUPO paper who lives in the Salt Lake City, UT area. If you are interested in a paid demo opportunity, at the NAMTA (National Art Materials Trade Show), please send a few samples of your work to me at: ssandyssan@gmail.com. Thanks.

Alcohol Ink on Yupo paper by Sandy Sandy

Day 25 - 30 Paintings In 30 Days - Only 5 days to go! 

See all images for the January 2017 Challenge here.

There are still two spots open for my Feb. 5th Alcohol Ink Studio Workshop.

See details here.

“We often miss opportunity because

it's dressed in overalls and looks like work”
― Thomas A. Edison

Thanks for stopping by. Hugs and Happiness!

X ♥  O

Live Your Life's Purpose

“You are one thing only. You are a Divine Being.

An all-powerful Creator. You are a Deity in jeans

and a t-shirt, and within you dwells the infinite 

wisdom of the ages and the sacred creative force 

of All that is, will be and ever was.”
~ Anthon St. Maarten

I am so happy to see so many peaceful demonstrations around the country this weekend.  A heartfelt thanks to all the caring women, men and children who participated. We have come so far, to turn back the clocks on knowledge and compassion in place of misinformation and fear.

I am still participating in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge and have painted and posted 22 tree paintings in alcohol ink so far. You can see my daily entries on my website blog here.

First 20 Trees in the 30 in 30 Painting Challenge

  
There are only two weeks left before my Valentines Alcohol Ink Playshop!

I still have three spots available and I am keeping the Early Bird Discount Price until it's filled.

I have some very special projects planned and of course, there's all the usual extras!

"You can do anything if you want it enough.”
~ Cherise Sinclair

Thanks for stopping by. Hugs and Happiness!

X ♥  O

You and Me

“Sometimes the smallest things

take up the most room in our hearts.”

~ A.A. Milne, Winnie The Pooh

Here are two of my regular student's paintings, based on my class demo today.

It was their first time using masking fluid on Yupo paper and they both loved the technique.

I don't use masking very much, but have been utilizing it recently for a few of my 30 in 30 pieces.

We used slate and black for the birches. I wrote down the colors that

were used for the backgrounds and listed them under each piece.

Ranger Inks - Bkgd. - Terra Cotta, Pool, Slate

  "Thanks It was fun. Happy with my piece today. ( : Time flies when we are so focused on our art. Never enough time. Grateful that your willing to share your talents." ~ Buck
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I really love how the unique, individual personalities of the makers

always shine out in these alcohol Ink pieces.

Ranger Inks - Bkgd. - Lettuce, Bottle, Denim, Slate

"Thank you Sandy, I was thinking today how blessed we are to have you in our lives.

What wonderful creators we are to have manifested the perfect art teacher and friend." xx ~ Lynne

My colors (see tomorrow)  - Ranger Inks - Bkgd. - Sunset, Willow, Meadow, Latte, Slate
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks For Stopping By And For Your Friendship,

X ♥  O

An Old Acquaintence

"I frequently tramped eight or ten miles
through the deepest snow to keep
an appointment with a beech tree,
a yellow birch or an old acquaintance
among the pines." 

~Henry David Thoreau

I based today's painting on one I did for the first 30 in 30 in 2013.

I used masking to preserve a few white areas in the painting.

See today's painting, Day 13, now

and the finished painting for "An Old Acquaintance" - Day 14
tomorrow here on my website blog.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks For Stopping By And Thanks For Your Friendship,

X ♥  O

The Oaks Ignored Their Pleas

"There is unrest in the forest
There is trouble with the trees
For the maples want more sunlight
And the oaks ignore their pleas.
 ~ Neil Peart
 

I based today's painting on one I did for the first 30 in 30 in 2013.

This is one of the many stages this piece went through.

I wanted to revisit the theme of this favorite, very visual quote.

And after squinting at this for a while, I realized that the light sky value at

the bottom right was distracting, taking emphasis away from my focal point.

I decided to try to make it better, so I changed one thing, and then another ...
Please check it out and let me know if you think I achieved my goal.

See today's painting, Day 12, now

and the finished painting for "Unrest In The Forest" - Day 13
tomorrow here on my website blog.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow, we are quickly coming up to the half way point of the challenge.

It's all down hill from there my friends!

Thanks for stopping by. Wishing You Much Happiness,

X ♥  O

The Ancient Law Of Life

“For me, trees have always been
the most penetrating preachers.
I revere them when they
live in tribes and families,
in forests and groves. And even more,
I revere them when they stand alone."
~ Herman Hesse

I based today's painting on one I did for the first 30 in 30 back in 2013.

Penetrating Preachers - Watercolor on Yupo - Sold

Willow - in progress - I flipped the painting and just winged it.

After letting this rest for a while, I realized it was missing something.

See the finished painting for Day 10 tomorrow on my website blog.

Wow, we are already 1/3 of the way through the challenge

and I haven't even broken a sweat yet, lol!

Thanks for stopping by. Hugs and Happiness!

X ♥  O

Friends Forever

“We’ll be Friends Forever, won’t we, Pooh?,
asked Piglet.

"Even longer,” Pooh answered."

~ A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

Here's a few in-progress shots of the second "Love Birches" painting in alcohol ink
on Yupo paper in my I Love Trees series.

8 x 10" matted alcohol ink painting on Yupo paper

Background painted over masking. Colors -
Slate, Mushroom, Cloudy Blue, Denim, Pitch Black, Rust

Masking Removed

Small Branches and heart added - Ready to ink the trees.

"You and Me"

• Sold

Hugs and Happy Creating!

X ♥  O

I Love You!

"Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love."

 ~ Albert Einstein

Here are some of the 30 paintings in 30 days tree series, in-progress shots for my eighth challenge. I've learned to work ahead a day, so this was actually what I did today - Day 4, but I'll be posting it as Day 5.   I've already got tomorrow's painting finished, photographed, blog post written and scheduled for the morning. It's a big load off my mind doing it that way.

I'm revisiting some of my trees on Yupo from my first challenge, back in January of 2013. I'm using masking fluid on some of these, and usually don't use it, but we'll be covering its use - among other things, in the 5th week of my fast approaching FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink E-Course, so I wanted to experiment and have some fun with it.

Making a record of the colors that I used for future reference was achieved with  a photo of each one with a color recipe post-it note. If I remember, I'll also write it on the back, very lightly in pencil.

Here's the piece after the background was inked and the masking was removed. Check out my blog post here tomorrow to see the finished painting for Day 5 of this month's 30 paintings in 30 days, inspired by quotes about trees.

Thanks for stopping by and
Happy Creating!

Thirty Paintings In Thirty Days - Day Two

"If you observe really happy people,
you will find them building a boat,
writing a symphony, working in the garden,
educating a child, or painting in alcohol inks.
These people will not be searching for happiness as if
it were a button that has rolled under the radiator.
He or she will not be striving for it as a goal in itself.
They will have become aware, that they
are happy in the course of living life -
twenty-four crowded hours of every day."

  ~ W. Beran Wolfe

I decided to participate in Leslie Saeta's January 2017  30 paintings in 30 days challenge this time around. I have participated in every one except the last one in September because I was launching my first  FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink E-Course. The second session of this online alcohol ink workshop starts this Saturday, January 7th and registration is still open!

I wanted to show you how I added the stag to this winter scene using one of my sketches which I scaled to size on my copier, then transferred using grey transfer paper.

My sketch was scaled to size on the copier.

Then it was traced onto the tile with transfer paper.

You can see this finished painting and all my daily 30 in 30 paintings for this challenge on

my website blog.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy New Year!!

Happy Winter Solstice

"The winter solstice has always been special to me as a barren darkness

that gives birth to a verdant future beyond imagination,

a time of pain and withdrawal that produces something joyfully inconceivable,

like a monarch butterfly masterfully extracting itself from the confines of its cocoon,

bursting forth into unexpected glory."

~ Gary Zukav

Winter Solstice ~ Alcohol Ink on Yupo

 

"Of winter's lifeless world each tree


Now seems a perfect part;


Yet each one holds summer's secret


Deep down within its heart."

~ Charles G. Stater


At The End Of Your Comfort Zone

“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it,

move with it, and join the dance.”
 ~ Alan W. Watts

1996 -2016 ~ SandySandy.com

 SandySandy.com is now over twenty years old! I created it in 1996 and have updated and maintained it since then. Long story short, I moved the site, SandySandy.com over to a new web hosting site. The old hosting site, where I still have my domains registered, is merging with another company, so everything is in transition there. After days of talking to over a dozen and a half different technical support reps., in the four separate companies that are involved, I am still unable to hook up my main emails; info@sandysandy.com or sandy@sandysandy.com. I don't know if or when this - finally admitted "known issue" will be resolved, so I am notifying all friends, family and companies that I have used those emails with (99% - for the last 20 years) that my email address has now been changed to: ssandyssan@gmail.com. Ugh! So please update your records everyone!

Hugs and Happy Creating, xo Sandy

“The comfort zone is a psychological state in which one feels familiar, safe, at ease, and secure. You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.” ~ Roy T. Bennett

Learning Is A Treasure

"You don’t understand anything

until you learn it more than one way."

~ Marvin Minsky

The FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink - January 2017

The FUNdamentals videos are short and to the point. There are no long, boring demos or lectures on theory. Through various demos, you'll see that there is no one way to paint or one style. The lessons presented here encourage you to find your own way, your own voice and your own joy in painting what you love. Registration for the January 2017 Session closes December 18, 2016!

• Learn How To Create A Variety Of Backgrounds From Smooth and Varied To Abstract.

View My Last Pre-Course Sample Demo Video here.

"Learning is like rowing upstream: not to advance is to drop back."

 ~ Chinese Proverb


Removing Oil Spots on Yupo Paper

"A teacher is one who makes herself progressively unnecessary."

~ Thomas Carruthers

Use Dawn Dish Soap to remove grease spots

See the step by step slide show here:

Thanks so much for your friendship,

X ♥  O

Happy Creating!

Home For Christmas

They'll be home for Christmas,

If only in my dreams . . .

It's that time of year again when I start really missing

my friends and family that have moved far away.

"Christmas is a time when you get homesick;

even when you're home."

~ Carol Nelson

Hummingbird Feeders make great holiday gifts.

See proven methods on how to attract your own l'il band of buddies here.

Thanks so much for your friendship,

X ♥  O

 

One Day Only - Black Friday Sale

“Who you are tomorrow begins with what you do today.”
 ~ Tim Fargo 

Get 1/3 Off - One Day Only - 11/25/16

Remove stress and have FUN!

Take advantage of the Pre-Launch BLACK FRIDAY SALE

on the January 2017 FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink E-Course

Get 1/3 off the regular price of registration

ONE DAY ONLY!

Get more details HERE.

November 25th - ALL DAY to closing at midnight

Sign up to receive updates, prices and resources.

A Revolutionary Approach To Painting And Design

"Invite the viewers into the picture

and entertain them everywhere." 

~ Edgar Whitney

Ed Whitney 1979 - discussing the Three Bears
(Momma, Poppa, Baby Formula) photo by Shirley Landgraf

Edgar Whitney was a brilliant artist, writer and watercolor instructor. His Seven Elements and Eight Principles Of Design can be applied to any art medium and truly revolutionized my own artistic journey. Ed's students benefit from an accelerated understanding of art and visual design, leading to a broader scope of exploration and creativity.

Edgar A. Whitney spent twenty-five years in commercial art before devoting himself full time to painting and teaching. He taught at Pratt Institute in NYC and lectured regularly at New York University. Twenty years after his death, his book, Complete Guide to Watercolor Painting, continues to be one of the foremost and extensive manuals on philosophy, design, and watercolor painting. In his golden years, Ed demonstrated and taught workshops from Maine to Florida, producing many extraordinary modern day watercolor masters while establishing himself as a legend in the Art World Hall of Fame.

THE SEVEN ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

THESE ARE THE PARTS OF A PAINTING

* SHAPE - Anything with height and width - They can be . . .
* Curved
* Angular
* Rectangular

* SIZE - The relationship of objects to each other - think 3 bears - Momma, Poppa, Baby
* Small
* Medium
* Large

* LINE - There are two main types
* Curved
* Angular

* DIRECTION - The overall dominant direction of an art piece can be
* Horizontal
* Vertical
* Oblique

* TEXTURE - There are three basic textures
* Soft
* Hard
* Rough

* COLOR - Warm or cool, one should dominate

* VALUE - The lightness or darkness of a color
* Light
* Medium
* Dark


THE EIGHT PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

These are the building blocks OF ALL ART!
This is what we should strive to do with the SEVEN ELEMENTS, listed above.
For better understanding; read each principle and then apply it to each element, one at a time.

* UNITY - The painting must be consistent throughout. Each part must look like it belongs to the rest.

* CONFLICT - or Contrast - Must be present in all of the elements.

* DOMINANCE - The most important principle because without it, there will be too much variation and no unity of the elements. In each of the listed SEVEN ELEMENTS, one should dominate in a painting.

* REPETITION - Elements should repeat.

* ALTERNATION - Repetition with variation.

* GRADATION - Gradual change from one element to another.

* HARMONY - Similar elements.

* BALANCE - Most noticeable with shapes and should generally be informal (asymmetrical) vs. formal (symmetrical)

Come Create Online With Me in January 2017!

More of Edgar A. Whitney's Teaching and Philosophy Woven into 

the FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink ECourse coming soon!

Click the link to see a short video of student work from the September 2016 ECourse.