alisapSTUDIOS: art, illustration, murals

Cookie Dough - Color A Day #36

2012-02-10T22:28:00.000-08:00

Yep, you saw that right: Cookie Dough. Chocolate Chip cookie dough, specifically. I love the stuff. I eat it uncooked, raw egg and all. I know, I know…e-coli be damned. It’s worth the evil bacterial risk. Sometimes I actually bake the stuff. Like tonight: after making the dough and eating a few healthy spoonfuls, I dropped the batter onto my Sur la Table “Silpat” baking sheet and baked a few slightly soft-in-the-center cookies. They MUST be eaten while still warm so that the chocolate chips are still all drippy and melty. (Is melty a word? No matter, you know what I mean.) Perfect. Now I need a glass of cold milk.

Color A Day #36 – Cookie Dough

Cookie Dough, baked.

Uncooked Cookie Dough … (parentingintheloop.wordpress.com)
Cookie bowls are fun and delicious (examiner.com)
Brownie filled Chocolate Chip Cookies (bakerunlive.com)

Limon - Color A Day #35

2012-02-09T21:30:00.000-08:00

Sisters (Double Vision) by Alisa Proctor

As I was looking for color inspiration today, I stumbled across a little painting that I did a year or so ago. It was just a small 5×7 in. piece, and it sold quickly. I had sort of forgotten about it; out of sight, out of mind. So amid my hard-drive wanderings, searching for color inspiration I caught a thumbnail glimpse of this little painting…and it made me smile. Because, I really like this little mixed media piece. I am enamored with the colors I managed to put together. Honestly, it was unplanned, happy-accident color mixing that went into this creation. That yellow-green mixture is so cheerful. And I think it’s made all the better with the darker teal in the lower right. That teal is probably my favorite color of them all. But, I’ll highlight the teal another day. Today I’m especially loving that tart and perky lime/lemon mix….Limon. Pucker up, sister.
There it is then: Color A Day #35 – Limon

lemon and lime, my african lovebirds (starlight427.wordpress.com)
Traditional Indian remedies using lime as a hair and teeth cleanser (prophet666.com)
Happy Hour! Key Lime Coconut Martini (drinkingdisney.wordpress.com)

Mission Red - Color A Day #34

2012-02-08T22:55:00.000-08:00

Today I’m making good on my promise to further explore the colors of Mission La Purisima Concepcion. Yesterday’s color was inspired by the old plaster covering the adobe walls of this lovely Mission. (By the way, the Mission site is a California State Park, and has been threatened with closure due to budget cuts. Thankfully, this historic gem was spared, and remains open.)
Anyway, I’m drawn to the earthy red color found on the trim around the base of the walls of the Mission. It’s possible that this color was originally created with pigment from the clay dug out from the hills behind the mission. This same clay was used to create all the floor and roof tiles at the mission, and baked in the kiln on site. I love the counterpoint of red against the soft white of the plaster.

Color A Day #34 – Mission Red

Mission La Purisima Concepcion

Group makes plea to save state parks from closures (mercurynews.com)
Old Mission Plaster – Color A Day #33 (colornerd.wordpress.com)
The Missions of San Antonio (paintyourlandscape.wordpress.com)
Why Is California Closing That State Park ? (naturalhistorywanderings.com)

Old Mission Plaster - Color A Day #33

2012-02-07T17:50:00.000-08:00

Window, Mission La Purisima Concepcion

My son attends a Public School in California. He is in 4th Grade, which of course means one thing for certain: a Mission Project. It is a 4th grade rite-of-passage. So in order to facilitate this project-making extravaganza we piled in the car (road trip!) and drove off to see Mission La Purisima Concepcion, near Lompoc, CA. It was pure luck-of-the-draw that my kid was assigned this mission. Good luck, actually. This particular mission is a State Historic Park, with it’s buildings fully restored by the CCC in the 1930′s in what was apparently one of the largest historical restoration and reconstruction projects in the US, complete with authentic furnishings, helpful docents, and assorted livestock. We took the docent tour (along with about a dozen other 4th grade families), and each of the 4th graders got to pose with a mission soldier’s spear and sword, and they each got to ring the mission bell at the top of the bell tower. There are miles of hiking trails on the expansive property as well. We spent the entire day wandering around taking photos of the lovely grounds.
The colors of this place were muted, aged. Lovely. Over the course of the next few days I’ll focus on some of the colors. But for today, I’m looking at the plaster. There’s just such beauty in real, old, aging plaster. Soft white, tinged with yellow, maybe a hint of brown or grey added for depth. Loved the mission trip, and the colors it revealed.
Color A Day #33 – Old Mission Plaster

Do ceiling plaster artists still exist? (theglobeandmail.com)
Ace of Cakes Goes to School (GeekDad Wayback Machine) (wired.com)
California: The Mission Inn (holayessica.wordpress.com)
The Santa Barbara Scene (skedazzles.com)
The Illumination at Mission San Juan Bautista (framework.latimes.com)
Spanish coins from 1800s found in dig near San Gabriel Mission (latimesblogs.latimes.com)

Nyquil Green and Sickly Yellow - Color A Day #31, #32

2012-02-04T17:54:00.000-08:00

I’ve been sick for the last couple of days. Color inspiration, as a result, is leaning toward illness related colors.

Thus, I present…Color A Day #30 – Nyquil Green and #31: Sickly Yellow.

Hope I feel better soon….

Thinking About Death by Frida Kahlo

Give Me an IV of NyQuil Stat!!! (collectionsofthoughts.wordpress.com)
New Year’s NyQuil (kingdaughter.wordpress.com)
The long and winding road to fitness, day 172 (run4joy59.wordpress.com)
I’m not very good at being sick (michaeledwardkelly.com)
A Strange Tale of Rodents, NyQuil, and Random Christmas Lessons (staciechadwick.wordpress.com)
Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Frida Kahlo (coffeeandfingernails.com)
Inspiration. (whuffling.wordpress.com)
You: Art review: ‘In Wonderland: Surrealist Adventures of Women Artists’ at LACMA (latimesblogs.latimes.com)

Frida’s Diary: Her Tortured Art Journal (sketchesandjottings.wordpress.com)
Frida Kahlo, one of the most important painters from Mexico. (evangelina86.wordpress.com)
Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Frida Kahlo (coffeeandfingernails.com)
Inspiration. (whuffling.wordpress.com)
You: Art review: ‘In Wonderland: Surrealist Adventures of Women Artists’ at LACMA (latimesblogs.latimes.com)

Eye-Candy Pink – Color A Day #29

2012-02-02T17:56:00.000-08:00

Sometimes a color is just simply eye candy. Example: this vibrant magenta, a purple-tinged pink. It’s a confection; sweet and yummy.

Eye-Candy Pink – Color A Day #29

via toocutethings.blogspot.com

via thecoloursofthesea.tumblr.com

Are You Into The New Hot Pink Nail Polish Trend? (bellasugar.com)
Pink, a color or not a color? That is the question… (outsidethebox2011.wordpress.com)
The Bag To Have: Mulberry Magenta Bayswater (fabsugar.com)

Color A Day - January Compilation

2012-02-01T20:51:00.000-08:00

When I started my little Color A Day project, I planned to churn out one color every day for 365 days. It was, I thought, a good plan. How difficult could it be to keep up with one little color posting each day? Right?

Well, it’s been one month so far. A month with 31 days in it, and I’ve completed only 28 Color A Day posts. (The Horror! The Guilt!) OK, so I’ve missed a few days. Frankly, it’s been more of a challenge than I thought it would be to manage a color post every single day. And I feel badly (GUILTY!), about not keeping up my promise to create a color every day. However, I’m going to pull up my big-girl panties….I’m not going to beat myself up about it, in spite of my neurotic impulses to feel guilty about it. I mean, are the “post-every-day” police going to come after me? Not likely.

So, I’m refining my personal blogging directive as I head into month number two of Color A Day. Although every attempt will be made to create a daily post, if I don’t hit the mark…I’m going to say that’s OK. Screw the Guilt. And at the end I might not have 365 popsicle sticks…maybe I’ll only have 300. That’s still a stinkin’ big pile of sticks. Right?
Furthermore, since today is the first of the month, coupled with the fact that I am exhausted, and plumb out of inspiration…(hey, Plum! maybe tomorrow’s color…), I’m instituting a new element to my project: on the first of each month I’ll post a photo of the pile of sticks from the previous month. Color post complete. Guilt assuaged!

Here it is: Color A Day – January Compilation

Day 3 – Guilting Your Guilt (lifeofimpact.wordpress.com)
Steal a Little Time for Yourself (psychologytoday.com)
When Pop-Psych Advice Goes Amuck . . . (theplacesthatscareyou.wordpress.com)
Saying Goodbye to Guilt (erinalexandersays.wordpress.com)
‘One Tree Hill’ Recap: Guilt Sucks (buddytv.com)
Recycled Notes = No More Guilt! (thgsheadsup.wordpress.com)
CNN: Should you feel guilty for buying your iPhone? (mixingplatforms.wordpress.com)
The Heavy Burden of a Mother’s Guilt (maidentomotherhood.wordpress.com)
Do You Live With Guilt? (theenlightenedmale.wordpress.com)

Fashionabl Orange - Color A Day #28

2012-01-31T08:45:00.000-08:00

Jonathan Saunders - Pre-Fall 2012

Inspiration for today’s color comes from the world of fashion. This is not likely to happen very often, as I am NOT in any way a particularly fashionable person. Indeed, I would not be the least surprised if I were ambushed at some point by the crew of “What Not To Wear“. Quite honestly, I dress like a slob 99% of the time. Mom jeans? Check. Faded, stained, stretched-out t-shirt? Check. Hoodie from the previous decade? Check. Comfy TOMS shoes? Check. Yes, I regularly sacrifice being stylish for comfort. (At least my TOMS are trendy.)
But I’m an artist, so I do appreciate the creativity that goes into designing clothes. And I do notice interesting fashion, styles, and colors. And this orange dress by Jonathan Saunders caught my eye. I love the color. I really like the design, too. But you won’t likely see me wearing anything like this dress anytime soon…unless that reality-TV intervention happens.

Color A Day #28 – Fashionable Orange

Miley Cyrus in Mom Jeans – Hot or Not? (celebs.gather.com)
Stylish Inspiration: TOMS, ‘One for One’ Philosophy (fillthepot.wordpress.com)
Give A Little (frillyfabulous.com)
Star Wars Custom TOMS Shoes (swagsofresh.com)

That Green! - Color A Day #27

2012-01-30T20:47:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Today I was blowing time on the eye-candy addictive-ness that is Pinterest....(stop by and say Hi! and, see related links below)....when I saw a painting (by Chinese Artist Xiao Jin 肖進) that stopped me dead in my tracks.

I mean, that face! That Green! So bold, bright. Great work. Great color.
There it is: Color A Day #27...That Green!

Face No. 2 by Xiao Jin 肖進

Self-portrait...at age 6.

Arctic Blue - Color A Day #26

2012-01-29T22:47:00.000-08:00

from Vintage Printable

Color A Day #26 is Arctic Blue - a light Blue-Green.

It's a cool color.
As in cold. Like Icebergs. Or, Glaciers.

As much as I like this cool color….Arctic Blue…. I have very little interest in visiting the actual arctic. I prefer warm.


by Marc Cappelletti of ISpyNYC on Etsy

Sarah Anne Johnson's Arctic Wonderland (lynnwright01.wordpress.com)
What do killer whales eat in the Arctic? (eurekalert.org)
Explorer Camille Seaman visits the Arctic and Antarctica to photograph The Last Iceberg (telegraph.co.uk)

Color A Day #25 - Sepia Seashell

2012-01-27T22:19:00.000-08:00

An evening trek to the beach resulted in a treasure found...and deposited into my hand by my young son. "It looks like a butterfly, Mom.", says he. Yes. Or perhaps a little brown moth. Either way, it has wings. Such simple, soft-hued beauty. The color a faded, gentle grey-brown. The color of a mushroom. Or an antique photo. Sepia. So lovely. Thanks for the color inspiration tonight, my son.

Color A Day #25 - Sepia Seashell

My fresh treasure from the beach.

Wings...from Vintage Printable

Color A Day #23 - Apricot

2012-01-26T22:02:00.000-08:00

Image by camknows via Flickr

Apricots are my favorite fruit. But it's hard to come by a really good, perfectly tree-ripened apricot. The little hard rocks often passed off as apricots in the grocery store are, well...awful. When I see these in the market I sigh with disappointment...because I know how amazing a really good apricot CAN be. I once bought a crate of perfectly ripened, apricots from a roadside stand near Winters, CA. They were nearly the size of tennis balls, and plucked right from the tree earlier in the day. Heaven. Luscious and juicy. Perfectly sweet, and slightly tangy. Put eating a perfectly ripe Apricot on your bucket list, people.

Truly, I love apricots of any type. I buy, and eat those tiny little never-gonna-ripen-properly-cause-they-were-picked-too-soon apricots in the supermarket. And, I love them dried. I use apricot preserves on my pancakes instead of maple syrup. Trader Joe's used to carry a product called Apricot Sauce (made in France). I bought these jars full of yummy in bulk. For some inexplicable reason, they stopped carrying it a few years back. I cried. Really.

But, it's mid-winter and apricots of ANY variety are a rare sight. So, I'll just have to resort to memory - and visuals. Here it is: Color A Day #24 - Apricot.

from Vintage Printable

Color A Day #23 - Necessary Yellow

2012-01-25T12:48:00.000-08:00

Yellow. It's one of the most basic of colors - a PRIMARY color, after all. Remember the Sesame Street song back in the day? It was my first color mixing lesson. Big Bird (yellow!) sang, "....just three colors; red and yellow and blue. Enough to make a rainbow, for me and for you!" Great song. Excellent point. Yellow is a vital element in the color world.

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

But.

I'm not drawn to it. Doesn't excite me much. I know it's supposed to be all sunny, and cheerful. Warm. Happy. It is, I guess...but still...yellow just doesn't do it for me. At least not all by itself. Flat out, plain old true yellow - to me - is mostly an enhancer. An additive element. As in, I use it to warm up other colors that I like more. Example: primary green is wonderfully enhanced with a little yellow added. And blue becomes much more interesting with a touch of yellow. And even primary yellow itself becomes so much more appealing (to me, at least), if it has a touch of some other color added to it. A little dollop of orange or green mixed in with yellow makes it yummier. OK. I will admit that even if it's not my favorite color, yellow IS necessary. So, I'll honor this one today by making it Color A Day #23 - Necessary Yellow.

And, tomorrow I'll use a little dab of yellow to make some color that much better.


Yellow Florida Keys fishing paraphenalia.

Color A Day #22 - Cad Coral

2012-01-24T22:09:00.000-08:00

I've mixed up a color for today. Good start. But, I'm feeling bereft of writing inspiration tonight. I'm tired. So this color will just have to speak for itself. And I believe it does so nicely.

How do I describe this color? Not red, not orange, not pink. But a little of each of these. This hue definitely has a big hit of Cadmium Red to it...but softer, lighter than Cad Red straight out of the paint tube. Watermelon? Maybe. My son, trying to helpful suggested I call today's color Cranberry Orange. Not bad, actually. I suppose Coral might come closest to describing color #22. So I'm calling Color A Day #22 Cad Coral.

From Vintage Printable

Color A Day #21 - Organic Green

2012-01-23T10:29:00.000-08:00

Today's color is inspired by The Seed, a beautiful painting by Polish Artist Pawel Jonca.

The Seed by Polish artist Pawel Jonca

That earthy, mossy, Organic Green featured in this amazing painting is the color today. This green feels natural, homey and comforting to me. It's a connected feeling, a connected color; connected to the earth, to growth and renewal.

Image via Wikipedia

I don't see much of this mossy green here in dry Southern California. It's a color more often seen in places where it rains regularly. Places like the Redwood Forest, and the northwestern part of the United States. I remember taking a hike as a child at Silver Falls State Park near Corvallis, OR. It was damp, misty, and so very green. It stayed in my memory; it was unlike any place I had seen as a young child, with waterfalls and drippy moss around every turn.

My Favorite Mexican pottery mug...found in a pottery shop in Tubac, AZ

It's raining today in dry SoCal. So I'm remembering that wet hike, and thinking about Organic Green as I sip Chai Tea in my favorite Mexican pottery mug from Tubac, AZ...a mug that just so happens to match today's color perfectly.

Color A Day #20 - That Perfect Turquoise

2012-01-22T20:14:00.001-08:00

There’s a particular shade of turquoise that I just love.
It makes me smile inside when I spot it.

Sometimes it shows up in water – like in a vase, or shimmering over sand in the Florida Keys. I’ve seen it in a swimming pool when the sun is shining just right. And of course in the semi-precious stone of the same name. I think it’s the perfect mix of light blue with a bit of green.

I find myself using this color often in my own paintings. And, I’m not alone. On a recent visit to the Norton Simon Museum I spotted this same color in Gauguin‘s painting Tahitian Woman and Boy. “Ah!”, I thought to myself as I admired Gauguin’s amazing color choices…”it’s that perfect turquoise!”

Detail of Gauguin's use of That Perfect Turquoise.

The Three Handed Virgin by Alisa Proctor...with that Perfect Turquoise in the background.

Trend Alert: Visions in Turquoise (fabsugar.com)
House of Turquoise (styletheories.com)
Ink Drop Soup – Turquoise Makes Everything Better (nopenintended.wordpress.com)

Color A Day #19 - Smog

2012-01-20T22:54:00.000-08:00

Today's color is....Smog.

Image via Wikipedia

Yes, Smog. That icky, thick layer of air that hangs over large metropolitan areas around the globe. Nobody likes smog. It's bad for our lungs, after all. I live near LA. I see the stuff on a regular basis. I' see it anytime I fly into LAX. Or, when heading down to the city floor after a trip to the mountains. There the layer of sludge sits. Smog is not a sight anyone particularly appreciates.

Image by Metro Transportation Library and Archive via Flick

But, have you ever considered the COLOR of Smog? Forget the negative elements for a moment, and look only at the color itself. It's really an interesting, subtle color. A variety of taupe. Not pink, or purple. Not brown or tan, not altogether gray...but a combination of all those elements. And I'm here to suggest that smog (the color, at least) is actually kind of pretty.

by Inky Compost on Etsy

Color A Day #18 - Bunny Eyes

2012-01-19T15:30:00.000-08:00

Ice Blue might be a more accurate and appropriate color for today's color. However, at some point in years ago my husband coined the term "bunny eyes" for this hue. It's a striking pale blue...sometimes seen in dogs, and indeed, bunnies. And eyes like this in humans are remarkable. (Picture Rutger Hauer or Daniel Craig....I certainly like to!)

from Berry Island on Etsy

Color A Day #17 - Raspberry Jam

2012-01-18T22:31:00.000-08:00

The other day I watched a friend eat a very yummy looking Raspberry Croissant. As she tore into it, the lush purple-red contents dribbled out. The color of that raspberry filling has stuck with me…nagging me….as if to say, “Make me your color today!”. But, other color inspiration intruded over the ensuing days, and I put off picking that luscious color as the color of the day. Until now. So, here today is that insistent Raspberry Jam.

Color A Day #16 - Spectacular Sky

2012-01-17T22:25:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we forget about the sky. We forget how astonishingly blue it can be. And then, when you catch sight of it, and it takes your breath away with it's brilliance. And if there are clouds, that blue can look even more intense as your eye compares it to the puffy white. And, if one is off in the wide open wilderness, or on the open ocean, it hits you how BIG the sky is. And how beautiful. My recent trip to Joshua Tree reminded me of this; the sky was spectacular. These photos are an example...this is un-retouched - no photoshop here. Just straight-up Spectacular Sky.

Color A Day #15 - Mojave Gray

2012-01-16T19:58:00.000-08:00

The Mojave Desert. It's the driest place in North America, and is the site of the highest recorded temperature as well. Conditions are harsh, with huge extremes in temperature and blustery winds. This place is brutal. So, it makes sense that the colors of the place are bleached and muted. Vivid colors don't stand a chance in this environment. But, there is a great beauty and nuance in these soft hues, as these photos taken at Joshua Tree prove.

Color A Day #14 - Golden Monzogranite

2012-01-15T16:08:00.000-08:00

Joshua Tree National Park is an inspiring spot. It's a place full of a great variety of textures; prickly cactus, rough stone, sandy foot-paths, spiked succulents, and weathered wood. The monzogranite rock formations of this place are simply stunning. But the colors of the place are strikingly muted: greys, browns, tans, taupes, silvers, and golds. These neutrals combine together to form a warm golden tan, strikingly juxtaposed by a brilliant blue sky.

Color A Day #13 - Joshua Tree Green

2012-01-14T16:33:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to make a brief visit to Joshua Tree National Park this weekend. It's hard not to be inspired by this place...so full of stark beauty. Great, old Joshua Trees dot the landscape adding touches of soft green to an otherwise muted palette of neutral tans and browns. I'm inspired today by this silvery, yellow-tinged green. Joshua Trees makes such a living statement against the desert tan-scape as they reach their green spiked arms up into to cobalt sky.

Color A Day # 12 - Bird of Paradise

2012-01-13T21:02:00.000-08:00

A friend and I were chatting today, and as we passed by a Bird of Paradise bush she remarked, "Oh, there's my favorite flower!". I can see why it's her favorite. It's such a showy looking blossom - with a shock of fiery, in-your-face orange plumage on it's crown. I admire these flowers - with all their vibrant, pointed color - and featured a BOP prominently in one of my Frida Icon paintings.

BOP, the bird.

BOP, The flower.

The Virgin Enthroned by Alisa Proctor

Color A Day #11 - Old Map Blue

2012-01-12T22:34:00.000-08:00

Maps have always been a delight to me. As a kid I remember laying on the floor for hours just looking at page after page of the World Atlas. There's a specific color found on maps, especially older maps, to designate water. It's a pale blue with a hint of green. A lovely color, really.

via roddy&ginger.blogspot.com

(All map images from vintageprintable.com/wordpress/)

Color A Day #10 - Vintage Pink

2012-01-11T16:30:00.000-08:00

Oh, how I love vintage....antiques, old photos, aged ephemera. There's a pink that pops up often in these old treasures. It's a dusty, mellow, muted color. It's homey, and I can almost smell my great-grandmother's floral perfume when I see it. The color today is...Vintage Pink.

Berdena and Henry, 1940

Color A Day #9 - A Warm Brown

2012-01-10T21:50:00.000-08:00

It's the end of the day. I'm short on inspiration this evening. I just want to snuggle down into my comfy couch and veg in front of the TV.

My couch is brown. A warm brown.
That's it then: Color A Day #9 is A Warm Brown.


In My Garden by alisapSTUDIOS on Etsy

from Vintage Printable

Color A Day #8 - Solid Gold

2012-01-09T22:45:00.000-08:00

Color #8 - Solid Gold. Rich, and shimmery. Gold makes everything it touches look more opulent. There is a great history of using gold-leaf in paintings and on precious objects. And, although I enjoy working with gold leaf...those delicate fluttery sheets of pounded metal....today's color is the modern-day, easy to use version: metallic paint.

Painted Book by Parrish on Etsy

by Imagine Studio on Etsy

Diego Icon by alisapSTUDIOS on Etsy

Color A Day #7 - Happy Green

2012-01-08T14:01:00.000-08:00

Green is my favorite color. I like all shapes and sizes of green, all shades, hues, variations. I'm open to all things green. I've been thinking about this particular green for a few days now. It just keeps popping up here and there, catching my eye. I've got a little knitted finger-puppet, and a felted wool hummingbird ornament displayed on my computer stand...just because the color green in these two pieces makes me happy.
So, happily, Color A Day #7 is Happy Green.

Knitted finger-puppet in Happy Green

Oil painting by RozArt on Etsy

My beloved felted wool hummingbird.

Happy Green wedding decor.

Color A Day #6 - Seed Pod Red

2012-01-07T16:14:00.000-08:00

Color inspiration today comes from a photo I took of my son holding three small reddish seed pods. The color could also be described as brick red or terra cotta, I suppose. Or even rust.

But for today I'm calling it Seed Pod Red.

from Vintage Printable

from Carl Christensen on Etsy

The rusty truck photo comes from one of my favorite Etsians: Carl Christensen. Be sure to visit his Etsy shop. It's full of some of the most gorgeous images I've seen.

Color A Day #5 - Newport El Blue

2012-01-06T18:49:00.000-08:00

Today's color is
Newport El Blue.
inspired by
Newport Elementary School's exterior paint color scheme.

Newport Elementary School (affectionately called Newport El)
is my kids' school, and has the unique quality of being located on the beach. Literally. The kids have recess on the sand, and periodically lose an errant ball to the surf. Rough, eh? The only downside to a beach-side school occurred last year when the school was closed for a day as the result of a tsunami warning!

It's a gem of a place: great old architecture, unrivaled location, and fantastic staff.
I know. My kids are lucky.

Newport El: school on the sand.

Newport El's shutter detail.


Newport Elementary School's cupola.

from Vintage Printable


This baby's eyes are Newport El Blue. Apropos, since he now attends school there.

Color A Day #4 - Alchemic Teal

2012-01-05T09:13:00.000-08:00

Today's color is mysterious, dark, alchemic.
Mix a little Blue with Green, stir in a little Black magic...and there it is: Alchemic Teal.

Medical Alchemy from Vintage Printable

from TheDeerCreekHouse on Etsy

Color A Day #3 - Blueberry Yogurt

2012-01-04T18:05:00.000-08:00

Today's color is inspired by my breakfast. And so, here is Blueberry Yogurt. Not actually blue though...more like a soft purple, with some vanilla added. Cultured. Mellow. Feminine. Regal.

Love the Dove by alisapstudios on Etsy

from Vintage Printable

Color A Day #2 - Morning Yoga Yellow

2012-01-03T09:57:00.000-08:00

Day 2 - The fog has lifted this morning (both inside, and out.) The sun is shining, and I'm looking forward to yoga this morning. All of which inspired today's color: Morning Yoga Yellow. A bit mustard-y, a touch or orange, but definitely yellow. Amber. Quite a contrast to yesterday's grey.

by BluMudd on Etsy

Feliz by alisapstudios on Etsy

Color A Day - 2012

2012-01-02T13:11:00.000-08:00

A new year, a new project. Here's my plan: each day this year I will mix up a color - based on whatever whim or mood strikes me. I'll paint a popsicle stick, and name the new hue... and post the color along with a photo, painting, or some-such illustration. At the end of 2012 I anticipate having 365 painted sticks that I'll use to create an art piece of some sort. Maybe arranged by color....maybe by date....or maybe....we'll see.

So today it begins. My mood is, well, grey. I feel mediocre. Blah. So "Mediocre Grey" is born.

Foggy Newport Beach morning.

La Purisima Mission

2011-12-30T23:20:00.000-08:00

Catalina Island Colors

2011-11-24T08:36:00.001-08:00

I recently visited Catalina Island. It was a beautiful day, and the views from the surrounding hills looking down on the town of Avalon were spectacular. With views like this, it's easy to see why artists have been so inspired when visiting this spot. The sights and colors of nature are clearly reflected in the famous Catalina tiles found all over the island. Here's a glimpse...

Love My Daguerreotype Boyfriend

2011-10-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

I love vintage photos, and have been obsessed with genealogy lately. In fact I've been so obsessed that I started a blog (Illustrating My Ancestors) to chronicle my exploration and related paintings/illustrations.

And since I dig old photos, naturally I love the website My Daguerreotype Boyfriend which posts old (daguerreotype, or tin-type era) photos of extremely hot dead guys. In fact, I submitted one from the family archives:

Ernest A. Calkins...family lore claims he was the wrestling champ in Southern Minnesota/Northern Iowa in the 1890's.

Love, Honor, Cherish

2011-10-11T14:07:00.000-07:00

"Love, Honor, Cherish" (12x12, Mixed Media)

A wedding gift for dear friends.

Congratulations, Danny and Alyssa!

Gulf - Jack Conte VideoSong

2011-09-30T13:47:00.000-07:00

Jack Conte, "Gulf". Lyrics: Stay still, soldier. Follow orders. Load up, lie low, and pray for water. I watch us come undone. I watch us come undone. Live for morning and dirty magazines. I took it all the way. I took it all the way.

Sister

2011-08-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

SISTER (LoveHateFrienemy), 12x12", Mixed Media.

Everyone always said Evelyn was the "pretty" one. So eventually Gertrude started to believe it too.

dream

2011-08-12T17:24:00.000-07:00

dream a little... 8x10, Mixed Media

Just finished!

2011-08-03T09:08:00.000-07:00

The Bow - 8x10, Mixed Media

2011-07-20T13:08:00.003-07:00

, a photo by alisapstudios on Flickr.

2011-07-20T13:08:00.001-07:00

, a photo by alisapstudios on Flickr.

2011-07-20T13:07:00.001-07:00

, a photo by alisapstudios on Flickr.

New Blog

2011-06-20T14:21:00.000-07:00

I have started a new blog - "Illustration My Ancestors". Here's a sample....go visit the blog and tell me what you think!
Illustrating My Ancestors

2011-06-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

Three Views - Laguna Beach

2011-06-11T22:17:00.000-07:00

When you come home

2011-06-03T14:32:00.000-07:00

New song from one of my favorite singer/songwriters...Christopher Cross - "When You Come Home".

Views from Mission San Juan Capistrano

2011-06-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

For My Canadian Friends

2011-05-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

From BadIdeaTshirts.com

MomBeard

2011-05-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

The latest drawing from my almost 6 year old. Please note the name on the flag reads "MOM BEARD". (I hope he's doing a take-off on Pirate Blackbeard, and not hinting that his mom might need to shave....)

Origami Mobile

2011-04-28T10:10:00.000-07:00

I just finished putting together this mobile for my kid's school fundraiser/silent auction. Each student made an origami crane using map paper, and then I strung them with abalone and white rock beads on driftwood. I'm happy with how it turned out. (Now, hopefully someone will bid high for it!)

Some Reasons I Love Key West

2011-04-19T07:32:00.000-07:00

Red Berries in Snow

2011-03-15T17:03:00.000-07:00

Live

2011-03-12T16:49:00.000-08:00

Kinder Sailors

2011-03-08T21:59:00.000-08:00

I just finished putting together this set for my kids' upcoming school fundraiser and silent auction. 24 kinder kids created a sailboat out of construction paper, and I created a paint and collage ocean scene to float the boats in. Hope we can raise lots of money for the kiddos.

Beautiful song, Beautiful voice

2011-03-03T12:34:00.000-08:00

Lonestar

2011-02-26T10:49:00.000-08:00

YeeHaw!...Just finished:
"LoneStar" - 10x10, Mixed Media

Baby, it's cold (and rainy) outside

2011-02-25T17:31:00.000-08:00

image by blueskyclouds

It's cold and rainy here. Makes a person want for warm, lazy, poolside summer days.

Loved these photo images from BlueSkyClouds on Etsy.

Flower, Three Ways

2011-02-13T21:23:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day.

Hey, Sailor

2011-01-30T12:16:00.000-08:00

I do love a man in uniform.
"Little Sailor" - 8x10, Mixed Media

Hold On

2011-01-25T14:17:00.000-08:00

I have such a weakness for cute little boys and puppy dogs.

Little Pets

2011-01-08T17:14:00.000-08:00

"Little Pets" - 10x10, Mixed Media

Little Red

2011-01-02T00:14:00.000-08:00

"Little Red" - So, I just realized the 10x10 panel I painted this on won't fit into my 8x10 scanner bed without cropping out something. This one is 10x10 in real life. Just pretend there's more sky and foreground...

2010-12-31T20:50:00.000-08:00

It's Sunny!

2010-12-30T15:07:00.000-08:00

"Sunny Side Up" - 9x12, Mixed Media

New Dolly

2010-12-27T17:41:00.000-08:00

Just finished: "Dolly" - 8x10, Mixed Media

Bonne Annee!

2010-12-26T23:24:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

2010-12-15T12:16:00.000-08:00

It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on...

-Joni Mitchell

Flexible Flyer

2010-12-08T08:46:00.000-08:00

old neko and me

2010-12-03T08:29:00.000-08:00

I recently uncovered a stash of childhood mementos. From a stack of first grade schoolwork I found this drawing of a horse. (I even named him!) Maybe it's that I especially like children's drawings, but something about this 40-ish year old drawing tickles me.

And, here is my self portrait at age 6.
(Wish I was still this cute.)

sprechen sie deutsch?

2010-12-01T21:01:00.000-08:00

I just found these three really cool old

(German, I think?) prints. Now pondering how to use

them in some future art project....

Thankful

2010-11-22T21:05:00.000-08:00

This is what I'm most thankful for...

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Saturday, what a day

2010-11-20T21:38:00.000-08:00

I spent Saturday afternoon in a little workshop taught by artist Chris Cozen. I learned some new things that I'm planning to put to good use in the future. Mostly we messed around with a variety of different techniques/mediums, and each of the participants walked away having completed a couple of small pieces. Here are mine...

Sweet Green

2010-11-19T09:55:00.000-08:00

Here is my newest painting, "Sweet Green", (8.5x 10.5)...a companion to "Dearest Blue". Both are mixed media pieces featuring the same little girl from a vintage postcard. I have enjoyed experimenting with mixed media....so much so that I'm heading off tomorrow for a little afternoon workshop at Zinnia in Pasadena, taught by a mixed media artist Chris Cozen. Should be fun!

Wings

2010-11-15T15:43:00.000-08:00

I like things with wings. To me, there's something about the promise of flight that brings with it a sense of freedom. And some days, I'd just like to fly away.

Illustration Friday: BURNING

2010-11-14T16:15:00.000-08:00

IllustrationFriday's topic of the week is "burning":
Becky needs to check...she may be burning.

New piece

2010-11-08T17:09:00.000-08:00

I finished this yesterday...
"Dearest Blue" - 8.5 x10.5, Mixed Media

Mission San Xavier

2010-11-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year Fragment Gallery had a show that included two of my paintings. So I made a quick trip to Tucson, AZ for the show opening. While there I checked out the lovely San Xavier del Bac Mission. It blew me away with it's stark beauty. Here's a glimpse...

House of Dog?

2010-11-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

Within your heart, keep one still, secret spot where dreams may go...

-Louise Driscoll

Halloween Survival

2010-11-01T23:11:00.000-07:00

Despite serious threats, a few lucky pumpkins
managed to escape the Halloween knife.

But, Thanksgiving is coming and the fear of the oven still hangs over them.

Headlock - Imogen Heap

2010-10-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

I am completely taken with this song by Imogen Heap

from her 2005 album "Speak For Yourself".

And then, there is "Hide and Seek"....which she does a cappella...
Follow this link. It's a must hear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYIAfiVGluk

Illustration Friday: RACING

2010-10-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

Flying Stuff of the Future, by Brady M. Age, 9

OK, I know it may be a bit obnoxious to post one's children's drawings for Illustration Friday. But. I think these little doodles are so adorable, that I feel the need to share. So, here are my 9 year old son's illustrations of "Flying Stuff of the Future". And although he had no idea that Illustrations Friday's theme for the week is RACING, these illustrations fit so well....that I had to submit them. (And here's to future illustrators!)

Variations on a Theme

2010-10-26T21:15:00.000-07:00

I'm so lucky to live where we get
one of these every evening...

New Look

2010-10-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

I've been playing with my blog's look and layout today...trying to be able to post larger sized pictures, which required that I change the artwork and setup a bit. So....here's the new look. I'm not sure about it all, but at least I'm able to post larger pics.

Say What You Need to Say

2010-10-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

Life (and Love) is Precious and Fleeting.

So don't wait another moment...

Say What You Need To Say

to those you care about.

2010-10-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

Don't grow up too quickly, 

lest you forget how much you love the  beach.   

                                              -Michelle Held

IF: Spooky

2010-10-15T21:00:00.000-07:00

The latest Illustration Friday topic: Spooky.

Wish You Were Here

2010-10-15T16:10:00.000-07:00

Fall in the OC.

The Greatest Thing

2010-10-12T14:26:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been listening to music by Pomplamoose (see last week's posting for more on them)...and I am enchanted by the song "Nature Boy". I've heard this sung before (it was done by Nat King Cole back in the day) but for some reason...maybe the beauty of the arrangement, or the singer Nataly Dawn's sweet voice...this version made me stop and really hear the lyrics. And the simple, astounding truth of the words is resonating with me right now.

Nature Boy -Words and Music by Eden Ahbez
There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far, very far
Over land and sea
A little shy
And sad of eye
But very wise
Was he...

And then one day
A magic day he passed my way
And while we spoke of many things, fools and kings
This he said to me...

"The greatest thing
You'll ever learn
Is just to love
And be loved
In return"

Transportation: Illustration Friday

2010-10-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

Transportation....

It may take awhile, but a big ol' tractor

will get you there in style.

When Gramma Got a Gun

2010-10-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

How much wood can a woodchuck chuck
if a woodchuck can't chuck wood?
(P.S. - Stay outta Gramma's garden.)

DeLovely Duo

2010-10-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

I may be late to the party....(highly likely, as I'm not usually on the cutting edge of anything)...but if you haven't yet stumbled onto the incredibly talented musical-duo-YouTube-sensation "Pomplamoose", well, you should. Here's one of their fun, quirky, inventive, visually appealing video-songs. Are these two not the most adorable young people you've ever seen? (Did I just say "young people"? Yikes. I'm old.)

Enjoy.

IF: Beneath

2010-10-01T13:50:00.000-07:00

Illustration Friday...
Topic for this week: Beneath.

Teachers

2010-09-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Taylor Mali - "What Teachers Make"

I like teachers.
Well, actually I like some much more than others.
But in general, I like 'em,
and think what they do is admirable.

Tiny Dancer

2010-09-26T15:31:00.000-07:00

Despite feeling sick this weekend (and not getting
out of the house at all. Ugh. ), I still had an artistically productive Sunday afternoon: just finished this little painting of a young Panamanian folk dancer. 8x12, acrylic on canvas paper.

Illustration Friday: old fashioned

2010-09-24T14:04:00.000-07:00

I promised myself that I would create an all new painting for this week's Illustration Friday topic. But, it turns out this week's Illustration Friday topic is "old fashioned".

Hmmm. Old Fashioned, eh? "Old Fashioned" describes a good share of everything I do. (Comments about my fashion sense can be kept to yourselves. I know.)

So anyway, I'm letting myself off the hook this week. (Again! Next week, I promise I'll do something new. Promise.) Meanwhile, "old fashioned" fits this painting so well....so here it is.

Sick Art

2010-09-23T09:48:00.000-07:00

My 5 year old has been home sick for the last two days...of course spreading the germ wealth so that I, too, have been infected. So meanwhile, to fill the days the young'un has been putting markers to paper. Although I am clearly biased, I have to say that I think he's already a remarkable artist. Here's a sampling of some of his recent work. You can judge for yourself.

"Penguin Pirate" - details include a treasure chest, eye patch, hat with skull and crossbones, compass rose, treasure map, sword, and he's standing behind the boat's steering wheel.

"Planets" - this drawing is of all the planets in our solar system. After it was done he asked me to do some special effects in Photoshop so that it looked like it was in space......

...which turned out to be a really cool idea!

alisapSTUDIOS: art, illustration, murals

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Love My Daguerreotype Boyfriend

Love, Honor, Cherish

Gulf - Jack Conte VideoSong

Jack Conte, "Gulf". Lyrics: Stay still, soldier. Follow orders. Load up, lie low, and pray for water. I watch us come undone. I watch us come undone. Live for morning and dirty magazines. I took it all the way. I took it all the way.

Sister

dream

Just finished!

New Blog

Three Views - Laguna Beach

When you come home

Views from Mission San Juan Capistrano

For My Canadian Friends

MomBeard

The latest drawing from my almost 6 year old. Please note the name on the flag reads "MOM BEARD". (I hope he's doing a take-off on Pirate Blackbeard, and not hinting that his mom might need to shave....)

Origami Mobile

Some Reasons I Love Key West

Red Berries in Snow

Live

Kinder Sailors

Beautiful song, Beautiful voice

Lonestar

Baby, it's cold (and rainy) outside

Flower, Three Ways