My Little Piece of Spring

 

I love being crafty, in case you haven't noticed.  Since my last post was about an art project, I decided to make it a little series.  Our walls were fairly bare when we first moved to Illinois, and there were some paintings at Bed Bath and Beyond, Hobby Lobby and Target that I was really coveting.  Being poor newlyweds, however, limited our budget to necessities, and even with my beloved coupons, I couldn't bring myself to spend that much on a mass-produced print.  So what did I do?  I did it myself, of course!

I love sectional art as well as anything ombre, so I combined them to make a one-of-a-kind artwork for our home!  Here is the step-by-step of my creative process.

Choose a color you would like for your ombre background.  Green is a dominant color theme throughout our apartment, so it was my natural choice.  I started with the darkest working down to the lightest.  Green paint mixed with just a touch of black provided the darkest shade.  As I worked down, I blended it with green, adding more and more white as I got to the bottom. 

The toughest part was trying to make the ombre shading even on both canvases.  Just take your time, and don't be afraid to really slather on the paint.  I found that the more paint I had on the canvas, the easier it was to blend the shades smoothly.

I then had to decide what to paint on it.  I had seen a couple of paintings with trees or branches with blossoms that I thought were lovely, so that's what I went for!  I simply painted the shape of the tree, making it up as I went.

Next, I shaded and highlighted the tree.  It's fairly simple, but somewhat tedious and time consuming.  I know I'm no artist, but I wanted to give it a little dimension.  I found that having experience with stage make up was beneficial here.

Then, I added the small white flowers.  I varied them in size and placement so they would have a sort of whimsical look.

It's hard to see in the picture, but there is a very light, peachy color I added inside the white blossoms for a little dimension and a touch of color.

Last, a few dark dots in the center of the flower finish off the look.  

Here is the finished product!  Like I said, I'm not an artist, but I find painting relaxing and I love having my own art hang in my home.  So, if I can do it, so can you.  Seriously.

Here is how it ended up looking on the wall. Not only am I pleased with how it turned out, but I have a piece of art that means something to me.  It's spring, a rebirth, a new life.  That's what Robert and I have in our marriage and in our adventure in Illinois.  It's the spring of our lives, and now, I'll have a reminder of that beautiful, warm spring to get me through the cold Midwestern winter months.

Now create something that has meaning to you.  Look to nature for inspiration.  Try a different type of flower or grass, maybe something with a particular meaning.  I even thought about having a different representation of each season in the four different canvases.  Just don't be afraid to start painting; you'll come up with something you like!  Then display it proudly for guests to see!