How I Create Dimensional Painting with Underglazes on Clay

First I sart with a sketch on the greenware that compliments the body of the vessel

Working from the outer edges in, I  lay 3 washes of color glaze, lightest to darkest, leaving white in the center and shortening the length of the overlay from the outer edges toward to center

Next, I surround  the image with a complimentary or lighter color that will cause the main color to pop!

Next I add in the flat black spots

Then the really fun part. Using a very thin liner brush, I outline all edges and use crosshatching strokes beginning tightly at the outer edges and spreading as they go out.  Lastly, I did a little sgraffito around the edges of the black spots but I forgot to take an "in process" photo of that . You can see the effect on the finished piece below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                            Available on my website. Just click on the image.

Here's another one, Sadly, it didn't survive the kiln. It had a big "S" crack in the bottom.

 

Here is how potters feel when they find a piece comes out of the kiln with an "S" crack in it! :

How (and why) I Self Published My Children's Book or My Labor of Love-Part 1

I self published my first children's book in softcover using Print on Demand and sold 300 copies mostly at art fairs and festivals. At that point, having evidence of a market for my book, I produced a new hardcover edition and have sold 400 more copies. These are not bad numbers in the tough world of self publishing. Many people have approached me as they page through my book "Millicent and the Faraway Moon" and wax fondly about the children's book that they always intended or hoped to write someday. They pepper me with questions and I answer as many as my time, (usually at an outdoor art show) will allow. People generally seem to have a curiousity about the steps it takes to create a book, so I thought I would share my process and adventure into the world of self publishing in a few posts. 

Step one: Draw on a good or meaningful story. In my case the story grew out of a negative incident with a teacher in 5th grade. She berated me in front of the class because I couldn't do a math problem and swatted me with a yard stick. What hurt worse than the stick were the words she said. "You're no good, you're family is no good and you'll never amount to anything." Ouch.

I have lived with those words and feelings my whole life. They became my "not good enough story " that I have continued to struggle with. I had heard of therapies where adults write a letter to the child inside of them and say what they might say to another child to help them heal. So I thought I would write a letter to myself. Then I started thinking about other people and figured that I wasn't the only kid in the world to have her self esteem crushed by a mean person. So the letter morphed into a story and then a book. 

Since I had been painting cows for several years, it stood to reason that my characters should be cows. There was also no question that I would illustrate my book. The story is autobiographical. It starts out "Millicent was a sad and lonely" cow. I didn't have the greatest childhood, I was sad and lonely much of the time. It then moves into Millicent trying to succeed at something and be just as good as the other cows. That was me. I was always looking around at other people, trying to find out how they did it, what (I thought) made them better, more special than me.

But somehow, somewhere deep in my soul, I knew that I was just as special, talented, smart and capable of success as anyone out there and that one day, I would totally rise above the circumstances of my early life and touch the world in a grand way. So I decided to write the book and make tangible evidence of my future. I was writing a declaration! And so, while "Millicent starts out "sad and lonely" my book is a story of overcoming and triumph.

I can't say that I did a lot of research into publishing a book, I just thought: "I need to do this." And so I set about my project.

Once I wrote the story, I drew out what I imagined the book would look like in page layout in some sketched story boards....

I have been asked where the name "Millicent" came from. All I can do is point up. It was just given to me. The next step was to develop my characters which is where I will end for today and pick up in my next post.

 I invite you to stay with me through the journey of writing a kids book. It is no easy task and not for the faint of heart. If you are thinking about embarking on writing your own book, follow your heart and DO IT! But be ready to fully commit because it takes all the love, nurturing and hard work of raising a child. ( I know because I have one :0) Please feel free to comment or ask questions.....God Bless.. see you next post :0)

Millicent and the Faraway Moon available at:
(signed copies) millicentthebluecow.com
Barnes and Noble.com
Chester County Books and Music 
Kathy's Corner Shop
Newark Arts Alliance
Bedbugzz

Angel Cows

Angel Cows- First installment of why I paint those cows..enjoy:0)

Projects on the Shelf- My Coloring Book

Seems there just aren't ever enough hours in the day. I spend most days now at the pottery studio since I have gotten totally hooked. The good news is that I have been selling so many paintings lately, that its time for me to refresh my inventory. don't know if more cow paintings will be in the offing, I have painted more than 100 and I think I may need a new muse. I would like to get back to painting more personal images and maybe some more serious subject matter. In the meantime, I have left another project on the back burner for more than a year. That is a coloring book that I started featuring several of my existing paintings which I turned into black and white line drawings with the aide of photoshop. For all intents and purposes it may be finished. I have about 10 images done which is plenty for a coloring book but I have as yet to determine a printing method to keep the cost low. Any suggestions are always welcome as well as an motivational thoughts to help me get this one done....:0)

Launching My New Website Today!

I am so proud of myself. It took me weeks to complete, but my new, completely overhauled website karenolonehahn.com is now up and running in fact -you are already on it! I felt after 6 years, that it was time for a fresh look and I wanted to create a seamless experience for people visiting my website to also visit my blog and my new website- millicentthebluecow.com, a site created just for "Millicent and the Faraway Moon" under the moniker of House of the Rising Star Publishing. I hope you will take some time to look around. I have created not just a site, but a whole gallery catalog of my work created from around 1985 and onward. Many people only know me through my cow paintings, but now folks can get to know all facets of my artistic persona. In the galleries, prints are instantly available for purchase and originals are offered, just inquire for pricing. There is also a link to Cafe press where notecards, mouse pads and even Christmas ornaments with my work on them is available. I will really appreciate if you would comment here with thoughts about the new look and feel of my site, especially if there is something I might have overlooked.

Thanks for reading, for looking around my site and for supporting me as an artist!

Millicent Spreading Her Wings

Signed copies of my children's book "Millicent and the Faraway Moon" are now available at several retail outlets:

Chester County Books and Music

Bedbugzz Children's Boutique

Baz Resale Shop

Wackadoodles Toy Shop

Petey Possums Hangout

Kathys Corner Shop

Newark Arts Alliance

Inspiration Avenue Theme- Tropics

How I wish I was there right now, laying on the beach, smelling suntan lotion, relaxing with a cool frozen drink... haaaaa. Oh, wait I am in the dismal northeast where its been rainy and gray all week.. . grrr..a girl can dream..

Moving Right Along

Don't worry, I trimmed these lids to make them pretty :0)

So I have become totally obsessed with making clay pots. I go to the clay studio 2 or 3 times a week. They are closed on Friday so it seems like a long time between Thurs. and Mon. when I can go back again. My pots are getting larger, and more even. You will notice that one has a cow lid. It was only a matter of time. I am in the process of making several jars and pots with lids, which is really fun and has become quite an accomplishment for a newbie like me. I just hope I don't mess them up with the glazes. I also made a gift for my daughter which I can't reveal until after Monday (her birthday). I am also working on a new couch picture which I also can't show because it is a commission and a surprise for someone who follows my work. So stay tuned for two new reveals coming up next. :0)

Wow! Treasury Mania!

I guess I should go away more often. We went to Baltimore and DC for a little Birthday getaway and when I came home, I found I had been included in 3 treasuries! Thanks to you folks for including me in your awesome finds! Jesse at Frolicking Fiber, Dani Gates, and Carol M Pendergast Kimball.

Be Bleau

Moments in time with Mother and Child

Woof

Fuzzy Wuzzy Wuz A Bunny

This one is my entry for Inspiration Avenues weekly challenge-furry . The question was posed - how to paint fur or fuzz. Here's my answer- use a very small brush and have a lot of patience :0)