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11/25/2024

In the Studio: Stamping/Oil Pastel with Art Journal Spread

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Art Journal Fun with 
Stamping and pastel

Hello and Welcome Back to Going Gentle where we share a slower pace and get creative at the same time. 
For this post, I will be sharing about an Art Journal Spread that I've been working on since late 2023 (now that's going gentle!) 
I've been slowly making progress with lots of layers, fabric cutting and using stamps and making marks with oil pastel. 
My goal is to complete this spread before 2024 has concluded. 
Right now I'm in the midst of adhering the layer of fabric that I cut many months ago as part of the design element. 

The video above shows my process of adding a watch/clock stamp in varying places with pattern and overlapping, showing the passage of time I am expressing through the deeper meaning of this spread. 

I also use black and vibrant green oil pastel, by Faber Castell, making marks in various places. 

I do not include any narration in the video. I recorded it on the weekend while I was home with hubby. I do add a few notes to the screen clarifying what I am doing. So if you want a peek behind the scenes of playing in  my art journal, this is for you! 

My delight is for you to be inspired with your own creative pursuits! You are welcome to engage in whatever inspires you creatively while you watch. It's an 8 minute video, so just enough time to do something fun and inspiring! 

If you haven't already, and if you enjoy the video, please give it a like, leave a comment (either below or on my YouTube, and subscribe. I truly appreciate your support. 

I had fun filming this for you and I trust that fun with translate to you as you watch! 

​Remember that Gentle is Magic! 
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Dawn in her favorite space: her Art Studio!

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10/28/2024

In the Studio with Dawn: My Favorite Art Supplies

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Favorite Art Supply Celebration! 

Hello and Welcome Back to Going Gentle, where we pace ourselves and do what we love to keep balance in our lived full of responsibilities! 
For this post, I will be sharing about 2 of my favorite art supplies as a response to the Question from Karen Abend who is the host of Sketchbook Revival! I had so much fun watching some of the art sessions from varying artists that Karen interviewed, and I decided to share my favorite art supplies, both below and in a video where I actually demonstrate why I love them so much. 
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My Pentel Hybrid Technica 03 sketching and illustrating pen!
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My favorite NeoColor IIs, water soluable pastel crayons.
I had so much fun demonstrating the different things I love to do with these two supplies that I use daily. From lettering and illustrating to coloring and choosing how to highlight the bits I draw.

The Pentel pen is EXCELLENT for fine detail in my lettering and illustrating, and the Neocolor IIs are great for vibrant color and texture! 

Come join me for some fun art inspiration as we celebrate our favorite art supplies together! 

What is your favorite art supply and why do you love it so much? You're welcome to share below in the comments! I'd love to hear from you. 

I so appreciate your view on my YouTube Channel videos and your subscribing; it means a lot to me. 
Enjoy and remember that Gentle is Magic! 
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Dawn in her studio, her art supply haven!

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10/15/2024

In the Studio with Dawn: Inktober Day 9 Sun

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Fashion Inspired by the Sun!

Hello and Welcome Back to Going Gentle! I love sharing the easy approach I'm taking to the Inktober 2024 event where we draw with ink from a prompt list provided; and I am getting inspired!

For Day 9, Sun was the prompt and I decided to put my own artistic twist on it and drew a fashion ensemble inspired by the Sun! How fun is that? 

I love the spiral as a design element and used it to create a sun motif for fashion I created from my imagination! And how fun is that? 

Sunshine on my shoulders! Yes, the top features a sun-patterned motif with sun-patterned scarf with a sunny pleated skirt, also with sandals and jewelry to match! I really enjoyed bringing this "vision" to life on the page! 
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I initially used fine pen to draw the basic structure, which includes some highlights to create more depth and dimension, plus oil pastel in yellow and gold to liven it up with some color, since fashion just inspires me to get creative with color. I would so wear this if it existed in form! (hey, you never know...maybe some day!) 

I really enjoy drawing my own wardrobe choice each evening in my sketchbook journal so I thought I would take a similar approach with this Inktober prompt of sun for Day 9. 

The video shows my process from start to finish. There is a bit of light wash-out toward the end since I had a light in the background as well as on the desktop, just so you know. But you can still see the design being created.  

Thanks so much for reading/watching as I share my Inktober journey with you! I am having so much fun and thought you would appreciate the fun vibe too! 

Are you doing Inktober? Let me know in the comments! 
And remember that Gentle is Magic! 
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I am having So Much Fun with Inktober!

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10/6/2024

In the Studio with Dawn: Inktober 2024 Day 4 Exotic

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Inktober Continues: Day 4

Hello and Welcome back to Going Gentle! I happen to be involved in drawing the prompts for Inktober 2024 this year, but I'm taking it as I have time, being gentle with myself with not doing too much, in addition to my other art practices.  

(If you would like to see the first post featuring Day 1 & 3, click here.)

So Day 4 prompt was EXOTIC. I had no clue what I wanted to do for that. So I asked hubby, Bill, what was the first thing that came to mind with the word Exotic. He said, A Flamingo! We both love birds so I wasn't surprised he chose wildlife with birds in particular as his reply. 

So I decided to run with that. Flamingos are gorgeous birds! And I had fun with this one, with the feathery detail and the distinct characteristics, which I've never drawn before. 

Wildlife or animals in general on not my usual fare for the most part as far as subject matter goes. I'm often doing faces or fashion, or little illustrations of my activity from my day. So I'm broadening my horizons and hopping onto those observation skills to get my Inktober on! 

I've included an image of the final drawing, but I've also provided a video above of the process, 7 minutes on higher speed. My delight is for you to be inspired to get your creative on too! I'm having fun, so I thought I'd invite you along for the action! 

​Enjoy and remember that Gentle is Magic! 
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Here is my sketch of the Flamingo for the prompt, EXOTIC, for Day 4 of Inktober 2024!
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Sketchbooks are my go-to for Inktober!

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10/3/2024

In The Studio with Dawn: Inktober 2024 Day 1 & 3 Backpack & Boots

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Sketching Backpack & Boots for Inktober 2024

Hello and Welcome back to Going Gentle! Today I am excited to share some sketches I've done as I decided to take part in Inktober 2024, where you sketch (daily if possible) from a list of subject matter. 

I managed to get a day one sketch of my backpack which you can see below. I worked on this one last evening (10/2/24) after I did my usual journaling practice of narrative and illustration. 

Today I decided to run with the boots subject. I was closer to the boots so they are larger and didn't fit into the page fully. I also determined to record my session on video so you can watch my process. At first I come from the right side, and then I change to the left so you can see better my process as I'm sketching. 

I really enjoyed the process and my delight is for you to be inspired with your own creative projects whatever they may be. 

Enjoy the video and leave a comment about what you're working on right now, whether it's drawing or something else entirely! Let's support each other in community, shall we?

And remember that Gentle is Magic! 
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Dawn in her studio with a completed sketchbook!
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9/30/2024

In the Studio with Dawn: When Inspiration Strikes!

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When Inspiration Strikes, Seize the Moment!

Hello and Welcome Back to Going Gentle, where we talk about being in the moment, taking it slow and paying attention to detail, all with a gentle approach! 

I'm excited to share with you an In the Studio "moment" When Inspiration Struck Me and I ended up doing something fun and spontaneous just to see "what would happen." In other words, EXPERIMENT! 

I absolutely love it when inspiration strikes, especially when it's spontaneous, in the moment, not over thinking, but just PLAYING, really...do you ever have moments like that? When you least expect it? 

Well, I did have something that got the whole thing started. I was watching Day 1, Session 2 of Sketchbook Revival with Janine Vangool sharing an inventory of art supplies. After a watching for a bit, I decided to bring the recording in to my studio space and use that active inspiration to do something with my current art journal spread...

So I did! And I show you clearly in the video what I experimented with! 
I used several items: 
Packing paper with cutouts
Roller
Black Gouache paint
Scissors
Matte medium for gluing

I show you what I was attempting to do and when I ended up doing instead. And you know what? I took a very gentle approach with the whole process. No expectation, just experimentation and the joy that comes from trying things! Yes!
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And then I decided to record it in the moment (with messy hair and all!) and share it with you! 

I trust you will be inspired to get going on something that has been waiting in the wings or starting something altogether knew that you've been thinking about...

What did I learn? When Inspiration Strikes, Seize the Moment! Yes! And enjoy the process to the full. 
You deserve to take the time to get creative. You just never know what you'll discover! 

Journaling Prompt: 

Describe in detail the last time you felt Inspiration in the moment and what you did about it. How did the process impact you? Were you encouraged? Happy? Energized? 

I have also included videos from previous segments of this art journal spread I've been working on in case you want to review up until this new one I'm sharing. 

I hope you get seriously inspired and seize the moment...today! 
Remember that Gentle is Magic! 
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Dawn in her Happy Place!

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9/23/2024

In the Studio with Dawn: One Big Experiment (sketchbook flip through)

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When It's All One Big Experiment!

Welcome Back to Going Gentle, where we focus on what really matters to our heart of hearts! In this post, I am sharing an unconventional sketchbook flip through starting back about 6 years ago (2018?) This sketchbook covers a LOT of ground and with changes in media over time. 

In the video, I share a non linear approach since it involved many projects, from pen and marker illustration to making colored pencil and pastel art for my Podcast, The Way I See It, to doing pen illustration combining cartooning and fashion. It's all in there and I share the visual and talk about each project in depth. 

Some are super special, like family member pencil or marker and pen sketches; others are more for visuals that I used on my website. 

Coming up with visual art for content I was creating was deeply satisfying and fun. 

Some use sketchbooks for urban sketching with buildings and people out in public spaces. Some use it for sketching wildlife and nature. 

In this sketchbook, it was more about illustrating (whether faces or fashion) and some cartooning since those subjects have always been of interest to me. 

I love being able to change up my media to keep things fresh so I don't fall into an artistic rut which can lead to boredom. I am blessed to have various tools of the trade in my studio practice, which, of course, has taken years to acquire and use with skill. 

I dove into drawing with pencil as a child and dabbled with pen and ink later in my youth, so there's that history I have experienced over time. 

I still love trying out new tools and learning how they work best for the effects I am looking to create, that are the most visually appealing and satisfying to my eye. To me, that's all that matters. If I'm happy, then I know I'm on the right track. 

Oh, and FUN. I say that word frequently as I share different projects from my sketchbook in the video. 
I'm always looking and enquiring about how I can inject fun in to my sketchbook, whether this one where I'm showing drawings and illustrations or the sketchbook I use for my daily journaling, where I use hand lettering to illustrate what I did in my day as well as my wardrobe pieces, which you can see on my fashion page here. 

If you desire to start a sketchbook, don't worry about what others are doing and compare what you're doing. Of course there is a place to be Inspired by other artists (I follow many!) but I always come back to what makes me happy. Faces, fashion, and hand lettering. Always go with subject matter that you are drawn to, no matter what it is. And look for inspiration in varying places. Not just online. But what's right in front of you. 

Follow your curiosity and see where it leads. Follow your artistic heart! 
And let me know if you keep a sketchbook practice for any reason; I'd love to hear about it in the comments! 
​Do enjoy the video of my sketchbook flip through and remember that Gentle is Magic! 
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Dawn with her sketchbook where FUN is Primary!

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9/2/2024

In The Studio with Dawn: Mark Making with Layers

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Making Impactful Marks

Welcome back to Going Gentle! In today's post, I'm sharing an In The Studio video where I feature the many tools of my art trade as I work through subsequent layers of the making of an art journal spread with collage, gesso, and mark making. 

I love the whole intuitive process of creating an art journal spread, and this particular spread has been many months in the making. With a combination of collage elements (paper and fabric), plus stamping, and mark making with various tools, it continues to give me a satisfying place to express my emotions and build a history of how I'm feeling each time I come to it. 

I'm never in a hurry or wonder why it's taking me so long to complete. It's not about the final "product", so to speak; it's all about listening. To my heart, to my soul, to those intuitive nudges, to the colors and textures I'm drawn to use and make. 

In the video, I share specific tools from my art studio stash that come in handy with the visual interest I am building with my current spread. As you watch, it is my delight for you to be inspired to follow your own heart with your creative expression no matter what media you choose! Enjoy and you're welcome to share below in the comments about what tool you liked the most and how I used it in my art journal spread. 

My goal and aim with art journaling is not to be rushed but to Go Gently and intuitively, honoring my heart's message and what it has to say. I want to be always listening. 

I wish you the same. 
​And remember that Gentle is Magic! 
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Dawn is always eager to get back to her art journal to see what her heart has to say. <3

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7/25/2024

Surprise Series: Give Me Some Sparkle!

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When a Little Sparkle Goes a Long Way! 

Hello friends and welcome back to my new Going Gentle Series, the Surprise Series! where I share something that comforts, inspires or makes me laugh, whether it's in my personal space or something I ran into that I just HAVE to share with you! 

So, this week's Surprise is all about Sparkle! And about purposefully enjoying something outside the original context it is specifically meant for. Why not, right? 

So, I love holiday decor; I don't have much of it in my house, but what I do have, I love to keep around for the long haul. 

When I came across this sparkly gold/silver star, I just had to have it for my Christmas decor! But guess where I put it? Not on a Christmas tree. Nope. Although it would look awfully perty there, wouldn't it? 

I decided to hang it in a space where I would see it all the time. It hangs on one of my vision boards above the illustration area in my art studio space! Yes! I wanted it to be front and center along with several other items of joy. 

This sparkly star just gives this space some holiday punch, so basically it's a visual holiday year 'round! Yay! 

So, do you have an ornament or some other item of decor variety that you have/keep in a special spot so you can see it all the time? One that you never put away? You're welcome to comment below and share! 

Remember that making a simple choice to make yourself happy is all about Going Gentle...because Gentle is Magic! 
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Ode to the Star: 
I love how you
sparkle
No matter
if someone is
looking
or not. 

You just hang in your
space happy to 
grace 
my visual desire
for joy. 

Happy star, silver 
and gold, 
a place to hold
that sparkle that
                                                                                                           never dies. 

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Dawn loves having fun decorating her space with sparkly things!

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7/18/2024

Surprise Series: Some Colorful Inspiration!

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Hello and Welcome Back to my new Surprise Series! Are you ready to be inspired? I'm excited to be sharing a moment of colorful appreciation with you for this second surprise! (You can check out the first one here!)

Everyone loves a fun surprise, and I wanted to share my color joy with you. 
Here's the back story: 
I love color in my spaces for sure. Years ago, I went to my local Target and found this set of office supplies in orange and yellows, those vibrant hues being at the top of my color list at the time. 
I've used them on repeat and still keep them in my art studio space because just having that vibrant visual makes my eyes happy! 

I recently added some olive green accessories from a recent estate sale find for 50 cents! 
There's nothing like color joy to liven things up; and when I feel that sensation of appreciation for those colors and when they can be put to practical use to hold my stacks of collage papers, mag clippings and photos together, that just spices up my space! 
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So, do you have a favorite color that you feature in your environment? Perhaps on a desk, in your kitchen or some other nook where you spend time? Why not include what makes your sense of sight light up! How fun is that? 

Why not make life a little more colorful? Let's celebrate color together! Leave a comment and share what your favorite color is and how you have incorporated it in your surroundings! I'd love to hear about it. 

Here's to more Sensational Surprises! 
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Dawn loves vibrant color to keep her eyes happy in her art studio!

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    Hi. I'm Dawn Herring, Artist, Creative, Journal Keeper and I'm here to share with you ways to Uplevel Your Creativity with a Gentle Vibe so you can experience and recognize your own aesthetic, like a breath of fresh air, walking in confidence in every area of life! So let's Go Gentle Together because Gentle is Magic! 

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  • A TIME TO PLAY!
  • About Me
  • ART
    • Dawn's Art Demo Videos
  • MUSIC
    • Dawn's Spiritual Music Videos
  • JOURNAL KEEPING
    • The Art of Journaling Videos
    • The Art of Journaling Toolbox
    • The Art of Journaling Prompt Play Book
  • FUN WITH FASHION
  • Blog Hub
    • A TIME TO PLAY
    • Going Gentle
    • Beginnings
    • THE WAY I SEE IT
    • The Sweet Spot
    • Refresh Daily Blog >
      • Your Authentic Refreshment Blog
  • The CAT's Meow!
  • Inspiring Resources
    • Walk & Chat with Dawn
    • The Way I See It Podcast
    • My Favorite Sweet Spots
    • Keepin' It Sweet Show