Working Small with Pen and Ink

Rockin' on the Porch
Ink and Colored Pencil
Beth S. Macre © 2011

I organize an ATC exchange on the Colored Pencil Forum called ScribbleTalk. I have a wonderful collection of original art from a variety of artists from all over the country and some international artists.  ATCs are very small works of art. They are 3 1/2 inches x 2 1/2 inches.  Today I posted the most recent exchange on ScribbleTalk. I managed to finish this one for the exchange this time.  It will be going to its new home in North Carolina.  I will receive one from an artist who lives in Oregon. 

My inspiration was from a photo that I took while on a trip this summer with my old friends from high school. I posted a photo of the front porch here.    I'm sure at some point, this porch or house will be in another work of art from me. Right now its still in my mind, but it will be done someday. 

Have a nice week!

Beth♥ 

Yellow Rubber Duck ATC

Yellow Rubber Duck ATC
Colored Pencil on UArt paper
Beth S. Macre © 2009

Just thought I would share a colored pencil piece that I did over a year ago, but never posted it, for some reason.  Anyway, I painted a dog portrait for my niece with the yellow rubber ducky. I enjoyed painting it so much that I drew it for an ATC exchange a while back.    At the time, I planned to do some more things using the Rubber ducky theme, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.  I think I will try to do something with soon.

Have a great Friday!  
Beth♥ 

Artist Spotlight - Tim Hunter

By Tim Hunter © 2011
ATC in Colored Pencil

I wanted to share the illustration that I received in the mail a few days ago. I asked an online artist friend to create an illustration of me.  He makes the cutest illustrations and I hope that he will be illustrating a children's book someday!  So I sent him some sketches that I had done and he took those and added his touch and this is what he came up with.  I think its perfect!  If you know me, you know that the glasses on top of the head are perfect! They are either on my head or on the tip of my nose. Those that know me also know that I wear alot of turtlenecks and light blue is one of my favorite colors!  Pink is also one of my favorite colors and he added the pink scarf, which I thought was perfect too. 
Tim Hunter is the artist/illustrator of this little gem.  Check out his Etsy shop: Timbo's Art   and Hambo's Stamps  where he and his wife Monica create and sell Rubber and Digital Stamps.  Hope you will check out both of his sites.

This illustration is ATC size, 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches, done in colored pencil and ink. 

I think it is important to support, not only handmade, but American made. So please consider supporting the creative individuals that are working very hard to make a living, or just to supplement their incomes.  And understand that an artist works as hard to create, as your local professionals that you hire and pay good money for their services. 

Support an Artist Today!
Beth ♥

ATC Exchange and Future Project

We just finished another ATC exchange over at ScribbleTalk** and this is the little piece that I created for the exchange. This one will be going to Nancy. I hope that she will enjoy it. I am also working on a larger version of this door in colored pencil also. I don't have much time to get it finished, so I will be working on it alot this week. That is, if these sinus headaches don't put me out of commission!

**You do have to be a member to see the other images on ScribbleTalk. But it is a great forum to be a member of and the exchange is set up for members who actively participate on ScribbleTalk.

Working Vacation?

I am attending the Colored Pencil Society of America Annual Exhibition and Convention next week in Atlanta, Georgia! I call this a working vacation, but I think it will be alot more fun than work. I will be attending 2 workshops, plus all of the activities of the convention and spending time with other artists! So I'm sure it will be an enjoyable, but busy trip.

I am working on some ATCs for trading at convention. One of the new activities for this year will be a groupwide ATC (Artist Trading Card) exchange. I have one completed and hope to do another before I leave. So, I have to get busy packing and drawing!

~Beth

New Artwork...

I 'Hare' You!

Colored Pencil on Uart Paper 400

Beth S. Macre 2009

ScribbleTalk Exchange

I have two pieces that are done and ready to be delivered, but I couldn't post them until the recipients saw them first. The rabbit is for the ScribbleTalk ATC exchange, and the other is a painting for a friend. The rabbit will be heading out to Arizona next week, to my online friend, Toni. She is a wonderful artist, mentor, and a funny lady!

The painting was delivered today to Emerson and her Mom, Leigh. You can read about their adventures here. Toddlers are so cute! I wish that I had this blog technology when my kids were little. There are so many things that would be cool to remember and let them read about. My journal on paper is just not the same. Sorry the picture here is dark, but I delivered the painting before I looked at this image on the computer. This painting matches little Emerson's bedroom with the pink and green and lots of polka dots! Its really cute!

Spring break has been very nice, both in my time in the studio and weather wise...so far. It has rained quite a bit, but its been at night and sunny during the day! But Monday we go back to work and start working towards the end of the school year! My advanced art classes will be working with clay, so that means I will have some new clay work to show.

Have a wonderful day!
~Beth

Back to Work...

Love that Yellow Rubber Duck!

Prismacolor Pencils on Uart ATC

Beth S. Macre © 2009

...with colored pencils. This is one of my latest colored pencil drawings done for the ATC (Art Trading Card) exchange over at ScribbleTalk. I used a sample of the Uart paper with the 500 grit. I really liked this grit. It has just enough texture to really grab the color. You do go through the colored pencils with it, but the color goes down pretty fast. I did another one on 600 grit, similar to this one, but I think I like the 500 better.

By the way, this Yellow Rubber Duck ATC is going to Timbo from hambostamps.blogspot. Timbo is part of the creative team from 'Talk to the Ham'. Timbo and his wife sell stamps and have lots of creative ideas of what you can do with those stamps! So please check out their blog.

...After being out of school/work for 4 school days because of the ice storm, we went back to work today. It was a pretty normal day except many of our students, teachers, and administrators still do not have power at home. Everyone understands how they feel. All of us have been there. We all have our power outage experiences. I think we've all learned to appreciate the conveniences that we expect to be available to us any time. Although I love the convenience and connections that come with the internet, that is one that I could do without...if I HAD to, but heat is one of those conveniences and comforts that would be difficult for me to do without!

What convenience or comforts do you value the most?

Hope you are warm and cozy wherever you are!

~Beth

ATC Trade

I've participated in ATC exchanges on ScribbleTalk many times and it is very exciting to receive one of these little packages in the mail. One of those little packages came from Paula Pertile last year. It is the beautiful fortune cookie image in this post. Paula Pertile © 2007 -2008

Thanks Paula, I proudly have this on display in my studio! So I found out about this Holiday ATC exchange from visiting Paula Pertile's blog about this Strathmore Artist Papers Holiday ATC Swap. I'm thinking about participating if I can get one done by November 26th, which is the postmark deadline. It says the theme is Holiday or Winter Theme, so maybe I can come up with something, if I can come up with the time. I've been sick for the past week and I'm finally feeling human again, so hopefully I can get back into a creative mood soon!
I do have a holiday themed colored pencil drawing that is on the drawing board and waiting to be finished...I started it last year, so my goal is to finish it this year!

October ATC Exchange

by Brandy Perez © 2008
I am the lucky recipient of this little beauty that was created by Brandy Perez. Some of the members of ScribbleTalk.com, a website for Colored Pencil, and other pencil media, participate in an exchange of ATCs (Artist Trading Cards). For the October exchange, I received this drawing by a very talented young artist. Brandy Perez is an award winning artist who, I predict, has a very bright future with her art. She is known for her amazing colored pencil paintings of cows, but she has proven to be talented with many subjects.

Strawberry ATC

"One Strawberry"

2 1/2" x 3 1/2"

Prismacolor on Stonehenge

Beth S. Macre © 2008

This ATC (Artist Trading Card) will be traveling to England to its new home. The latest ATC exchange on ScribbleTalk was announced Sunday. As usual, there are some very nice little works of art on display.

Tulips ATC

"3 Tulips"

2 1/2" x 3 1/2"

Prismacolors and Neocolor II

Blue Colourfix

Beth S. Macre © 2007

This is my latest ACEO. I used neocolor II underpainting with prismacolors on top. This is included in the online trade of ATCs at ScribbleTalk. ScribbleTalk is an online community of colored pencil artists (and some others who use other drawing media).

Pumpkin ATC

Beth S. Macre © 2007

Here is my latest ACEO for the trade on ScribbleTalk. This is prismacolor on white stonehenge.

September ATC

“Three Apples”
Colored pencil Stonehenge

Beth S. Macre © 2007

This month has been extremely busy because it was the first full month of school. The first couple of months are always very busy trying to get organized, learning new procedures, computer programs, meetings, etc. etc. Plus I decided to paint my kitchen and breakfast room this month. It is mostly done, but I still need to finish up the baseboards and the wall going down my hallway. So, I haven't had much time or energy for completing much artwork. I did manage to complete a small piece (ACEO size) for the ATC trade at ScribbleTalk. So here is my image that I will be trading. "Three Apples" is Prismacolor on White stonehenge.

I have 2 projects on the drawing board that I will post later. Hopefully this month will be more productive, artistically.

Candy anyone?

"Lemon ~ The Chosen one"

Colored Pencil on Stonehenge

3 1/2" x 2 1/2"

Shown here is my most recent addition to my ACEO size colored pencil artwork. It was created for the August ATC trade at ScribbleTalk. August has been a very busy month with school beginning last week, two weeks of in-service before that, and the CPSA exhibition the week before that. So, my artwork has been limited this month. Also the temperature outside has been over 100 degrees plus the heat index in the 110's. Not that I work outside, but any activity in this kind of heat can be draining...especially after working with 140 teenagers all day! Hopefully I will be able to work on some of my art this weekend. I'm beginning to get cranky from not having something on the drawing board. ...plus I have a group art show to get at least one new piece ready for. So back to stare at the blank papers on my drawing table.