In the Meadow We Can Build a Snowman...

Every year I come up with a design and use it for a Christmas card which I print and send out to family and friends. This is the design I created for this years card. I used a combination of watercolor and watercolor pencils for this illustration. I plan on one day getting my designs licensed so I can share with the whole world what goes on in my mind.

May Peace Be Your Gift

At Christmas

And Your Blessings All Year Through

Drink Coasters

I have put some of my designs on natural tumbled stone tiles from Turkey.

 They can be used for drink coasters and they are sealed to protect from moisture. I have put four felt pads on the bottom of the coaster to protect furniture from scratches. 

I like the variation and uniqueness of each stone.

WELDING FOR WOMEN CLASS

I took a Welding for Women class at LTC (it was FREE :)   

LTC is Lakeshore Technical College in Cleveland, WI .  

We learned how to use a plasma cutter and a wire feed welder, this was a Nontraditional Careers course. Their goal is to allow women to try these classes to see if they are interested in entering jobs that are traditionally for men, so they offer this course in spring and fall. The instructors, who were men, say that the women make excellent welders because they are very detail oriented. The class consisted of four days, from 4-8 pm for a total of 16 hours of training. The class was very fun and informative, and I like that I could use things that would normally get thrown away and turn it into something awesome. 

  This is the project I completed using scrap metal pieces, I think it is a "Gooney Bird"

 "GOONEY BIRD" 

The parts I used were two pinballs for eyes, a pair of pinball casters for knobs on its head, two railroad spikes for ears, some washers, old rake wires for the tail, an old rusty decorative hook for on top the head, the body is a brake drum and the head is flat axe or hoe.

 The legs and feet are scrap metal pipe and pieces.

My Dog Frankie checking out the Gooney Bird, He thinks it is pretty cool.

OWLFEST at Woodland Dunes Nature Center - 2012

Owlfest poster

Lake Michigan beach stone owls

My Owl Art Display

Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserve featured my owl design "Regal Raptor"on their t-shirts and posters this year for the annual Owl Fest. I set up a table of my owl related art to sell.  I made little owl drawings on Lake Michigan beach stones, prints of my art, greeting cards and magnets. It was really fun and we learned about the migration of the Saw Whet owl and were able to see an owl that they had just caught and banded. I love being involved with the preservation of nature and Woodland Dunes does a wonderful job with educating the public and offering these wonderful programs.

 

Owlfest t-shirt design

Creative Progressive Illustration Process:

When I illustrate a picture, this is the process I usually use to come up with an idea from start to finish. 

This is an illustration from a children's book I was commissioned to illustrate, 

called "The Umble Bunny Family" - Easter Dinner, available at Amazon.com 

This gives you an idea of my creative process and what is involved from idea to finished image.

I've Illustrated a Book : The Umble Bunny Family

I've been published :)

I love to do illustrative art and was asked to illustrate a children's book. 

The Book is called "The Umble Bunny Family" - Easter Dinner.

The story is written by Joan Juttner, it is self-published and available at 

 Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com

I really enjoyed the process of coming up with what the characters would look like and then creating the scene that they would be situated in. It was quite the challenge and a great learning experience.

This is the synopsis for the story:

 

These are the illustrations that I had drawn that are included in the book:

 

THE END

Been Gone Too Long...

   Wow, I can't believe I haven't posted since last January. I have been very busy with many projects and I also have my own Gardening Maintenance and Design business so spring, summer and fall are my busiest times. I look forward to winter so I have some down time to focus on making art and various other projects that were neglected the rest of the year ( like updating my blog ). I am fairly active on Facebook where I have many albums of the projects and art I have been working on. I would also like to get my blog up to date and get some interesting content to read and look at.

   I plan to add a portfolio to the blog and start selling my art designs on www.Cafepress.com and possibly www.Etsy.com  I would also like to write and illustrate a children's book that I have been getting ideas for the last couple of years. I have no shortage of ideas for projects but just need to focus and accomplish them one at a time, also prioritize which ones are most important to me. OK, now to get up and running!!

Here Fishy, Fishy

This is a funky little fish I drew on some colored textured paper with colored pencils and ink. I like to experiment with different papers to see what the results will be.

"Cold Weather Indicators"

Since I live in Wisconsin we have temperature extremes and I am also a gardener.  I have made an observance of a rhododendron plant in my garden. This rhododendron plant keeps it's leaves all year long. My husband and I can tell if it is really cold outside just by looking out our front window at this plant. When the weather is mild (above freezing ) the leaves on the plant are flat and spread out, but when it is very cold they curl up tightly and do not look very happy. Just thought this was interesting :)

Can You Say "Psykko"

Ok, this piece is a little wild and off the wall. I had drawn it awhile ago and decided to color it in.  I used watercolor pencils on watercolor paper then I wet the colored areas to blend the soluble pencils.  I like it, it is fun and funky and a bit crazy. Can you see what stuff goes on in my head?  I am never bored...

A New Pet Portrait

I was commissioned to do a pet portrait for a cute Corgi mix dog.   I love doing pet portraits as I am a big animal lover myself with many pets of my own throughout my life. This is the reference photo I was given and my version of what I see him to be. I started out by sketching in pencil and then black lined him with ink. I then used markers to color him in and finished with colored pencil to add depth and texture.

He is fun, colorful and whimsical with a wee bit of seriousness to him. 

His name is "Charlie"

"Charlie"    ©2011 Paula Radl

Happy New Year 2012!!

I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday season visiting with family and friends. At this time of year I have a little more down time to work on my art and various projects I didn't have time for in the busy months of the year when I am doing gardening. I have my own gardening business where I provide the service of being your own personal gardener and taking care of the plants and flowers throughout the spring, summer and fall. This keeps me very busy but I truly enjoy seeing the benefits of my labor when a customers garden/landscaping is providing so much beauty. I will try to add more pictures of my art and thrifty garden ideas as I make them, so stay tuned for more fun and inspiration.

This piece I had made for my 2011 Christmas card.

I used a piece of vintage sheet music and scanned it, then printed it in this purplish shade to look like night time.  I then drew the picture and colored it with Prismacolor colored pencils.  I call this piece "Silent Night" as the words of the Christmas song from the sheet music are visible through the drawing.

Paula Radl © 2011