"Big Splash In A Small Pond!"

"Big Splash In A Small Pond"

Strawberry

Some New Colored Pencil ACEO's...

I am learning some new colored pencil techniques from a book I recently purchased titled "Colored Pencil Painting Bible" by Alyona Nickelsen.   Ms. Nickelsen brings the dynamics of colored pencils to a wonderful new level.  I know I will never be able to accomplish work like hers ... but I am certainly learning to improve!

"Cherries"

"Indian Corn"

Monarch Butterfly

"My Girl" Day Twenty Ink Sketch

Years ago two very special dogs came into our lifes, Suzie aka Yellow Fawn and Dexter aka Moose.  They were anonymously given to my parents who eventually gave them to us and they became dear and precious members of our little family.  As far as we could discern they were in the Rhodesian Ridgeback family.

Thumbing through my albums today, I came across a photo of Suzie and it just called out to me as the subject of my Day Twenty Sketch.  Now, mind you, drawing animals is not something that comes easily to me.  I finally decided to challenge myself further in Brenda Swenson's 75 Day Sketch Challenge and at least attempt this drawing.  So here is

"My Girl"

 

Happy New Year!

Karen Anne

The bond between brother and sister.....

Recently I decided to take on "Brenda Swenson's 75 Day Sketch Challenge" in which a participant draws one sketch per day for 75 days using only ink ... NO pencils or erasers allowed! Today was my eighteenth day and I chose a photo of two of my grandchildren (when they were much younger). I have never sketched two figures together on one page without first making pre-drawings in pencils with lots of erasures to be sure that proportions are close to what they should be. Never the less, I decided I would try ... the result is this sketch that I really like! The lesson I learned? You never truly know what you are capable of doing until you really try.....

I have this print available as an Open Edition ACEO in my Etsy Shop.

My Third and Final Entry to the December ACEO Challenge ...

Outside of our kitchen garden window we have an arborvitae that stands at the east end of the window.  We also have a family of squirrels that nest in the tall blue spruce in our front yard.  The squirrels gather and bury nuts all over our yard, later they will dig up their little treasures and many a time I have been working in the kitchen and a motion will capture my attention outside of the window, I look up and I'll see a little squirrel happily munching on a tender nut morsel. 

This happened again today and inspired my third and final entry in The ACEO Challenge which I have titled "Garden Window Visitor"....

 Happy day all!

Karen Anne

Two New ACEO Challenge ACEO's....

Have you visited The ACEO Challenge Blog lately?  This month's challenge is ".....Out Your Window" ....  here are two views from two of my windows!

Merry Christmas ... and if you have a chance ... enter your view in this month's ACEO Challenge!

Karen Anne

Great times camping result in latest drawing!

This latest drawing is titled "Rosa's Flounder". We were down at the Pacific Coast in a campsite on Whalen Island the past few days and had great weather and a wonderful time. On Monday morning the camp host, Rosa, came by and showed me her catch of the day, a beautiful flounder, which inspired this drawing. The best part, however, was when she offered to filet the fish and give it to us for dinner! Cooked up in butter with pepper, season salt and garlic powder it proved to be the best tasting fish I have ever eaten! I remarked that it tasted a bit like delicate shrimp and Rosa said it was probably because flounder feed on sand shrimp. Guess I'll have to get a fishing license for my next trip to Whalen Island!

"Rosa's Flounder"

Happy day all!
Karen Anne aka IrelandBrady aka HummingBelles

Some new One Dollar ACEO's.....

"Kickin' Back At White River"

 

"Zentangle On Blue" 

 

"Undersea Panel Number Three" 

Some more Danny Boy ACEO's ...

This past week I have been going through my art work in preparation for a local show we will be participating in on August 6th (will let you know more about it a bit later) and I found two drawings of Danny Boy that I had not listed in My IrelandBrady Etsy Shop.   So I decided now was as good a time as any to list them and share them with you in this blog.

The first is "Danny Boy With His Chew"

 

the second is "Danny Boy Under Cover" 

Happy Day All!

New Undersea ACEO's!

These are two new illustrations I created for my new "Humming Belles" Etsy Shop, which features paper dolls that transform into fairies, mermaids, and mermairies!  You can learn more about them by visiting their Etsy Shop or by visiting and following their "Humming Belles" Blog.

The "Humming Belles" wanted an undersea scene added to their portfolio and requested I create a two part set to give them more space to play in.  In the first scene, a sunken fairy castle, a clown fish and a sea horse are featured; in the second scene we find an octopus, an angel fish, star fish, mussels and much more!  These illustrations are listed in the "Humming Belles" Etsy Shop in full color, as pages to be colored by you, and finally as full color ACEO/Trading cards.

"Undersea Scene Number One" ACEO 

"Undersea Scene Number Two" ACEO

May you always have

Love to share,

Health to spare,

 And friends who care!

The Times Of Danny Boy

Good Day!  I have four new ACEO's to share with you.  These little drawings are all based around the character and antics of our little min pin, Danny Boy.  Danny Boy loves to be outside when it is warm and the sun is shinning.  But occasionally he does get

"Caught By April Showers"

At other times he will be outside, enjoying a warm breeze and soaking up the sun when out of no where he will be surprised by

"Danny Boy's Nemesis"

Most of all Danny Boy loves going on long walks in the early evening hours with his "Dad".  Danny Boy especially enjoys the springtime and is constantly stopping along the way and 

"Taking Time To Smell The Flowers"

Once he and "Dad" get home from their evening walk, Danny Boy proudly bounds into the house to let "Mom" know he has done his job and exercised "Dad"!  For this outstanding job he earns a reward of some kind, in this case it was one of his favorite treats - A Chew!  Unfortunately, this presents the poor little fellow with 

"A Dog Gone Dilemna"

And he is confronted with the challenge of finding the ultimate safe hiding place for his treasured treat!

May you always have

Love to Share,

Health to Spare,

And Friends who Care!

Karen Anne aka IrelandBrady

"A New ACEO for The ACEO Challenge"

Hi all!  It's been a bit since I have made an original ACEO so I decided to take on this month's ACEO Challenge with its theme of "April Showers".  I have additionally taken on a challenge from my hubby to draw a picture of our little miniature pinscher, "Danny Boy".  Drawing animals is, in itself, a very big challenge to me so I have really made a concerted effort to study Danny Boy and finally came up a small illustration that I will actually share.  Bear in mind that Danny Boy loves flowers (he is always burying his little nose into any flowers he finds on his travels) but its "I'm out of here" when it comes to showers!  That said, it took a real act of courage by him to pose for this illustration, he hopes you appreciate his efforts.

This little ACEO is titled "April Showers Bring Sweet Flowers"

May you always have

Love to Share,

Health to Spare,

And Friends who Care!

Karen Anne aka IrelandBrady

"Two New ACEO's"

I have been busy working on celtic knotwork design exercises and finally decided it was time to do some ACEO's.  This first one is a variation on a design I learned through exercises in Sheila Sturrock's book, "Celtic Knotwork Designs" ......

"Celtic Knot in Purples and Blues"

In this next ACEO I have combined my love of drawing people with my love for celtic designs and come up with my version of "Irish Eyes Are Smiling". The inspiration for this came from a picture of a mountain man my husband was using for one of his projects. When I saw the picture I saw an Irishman in his kilt and holding his shillelagh (prounounced shih-LAY-lee), a far cry from a gruffy looking mountain man wouldn't you say! Anyway, that is the image I saw in my mind and drew.

"Irish Eyes Are Smiling"

I have listed both ACEO's in My Etsy Shop today.  If you get a chance, stop by and visit!

Happy Day!

Karen Anne aka IrelandBrady

"A Wee Bit O' Irish Cheer!"

St. Paddy's Day is just around the corner, may you be starting off right with a wee bit o' "Irish Cheer" in the charming company o' this spirited little leprechaun! 

"Irish Cheer"

Mounted on Celtic Knot Design Mount Mat

May the luck of the Irish be with you!

Karen Anne aka Ireland Brady

"Celtic Knot Shamrock"

St. Patrick's Day is on its way and I thought now would be a good time to try my hand at some Celtic Knot designs. My first attempt at this beautiful style of art is a piece I have titled "Celtic Knot Shamrock".   I have the original ACEO as well as Open Edition ACEO art prints now available in My Etsy Shop.

"Celtic Knot Shamrock"

I am going to try my hand at some more celtic knot designs and hope to be sharing them with you in the near future.  Wish me luck (of the Irish?) in my latest endeavors!

Your friend,

Karen Anne aka Ireland Brady

I'd like you to meet "My Chinese Mudmen"!  I have spent the past five days with them and incorporated many of the zentangle design techniques, I have learned over the past several months, in this latest illustration.  I am very pleased with the finished piece and proud to share it with you at this time.

If you'd like to see the 5 day progress of this illustration, check out my blog "IrelandBrady - Musings To Ponder".

Take care and God bless,

Karen Anne

"Zentangle Design for mounting a favorite ACEO"

I am always trying to find a unique and unusual way to showcase an ACEO.  When I began this latest design I thought it would be interesting to try my hand at a border and see where that would take me.  Over the days that I worked on this piece I became intrigued with the idea that it might serve to make a nice background on which to mount a favorite ACEO.  So, as the work progressed, that overall idea became my theme.

Once I had completed my objective, I scanned the art piece to my computer and printed out a copy to see how it would work.  It was printed on an 8.5"x11" sheet of acid free paper and the printed area measures 8"x10.25".  I took one of my "The Letter B" ACEO's (with white background), placed a piece of double-sided tape on the back of the ACEO centered it on the blank center of the print and affixed it to the top of the print.  I then trimmed off the edges of the print to fit an 8"x10" frame and the result is what you see in the example I photographed and included here as a sample.

I think it turned out rather well and plan to list it in My Etsy Shop.  I would really like to hear what you think about this idea.

"Zentangle Design for mounting a favorite ACEO"

"Framed example with ACEO affixed to the center"

"Another example with Basket Full Of Posies"

I am not sure what I should call this, do you have an idea or thought?  A mounting design for an ACEO?

Thanks!

Karen Anne

"A Zentangle Sunrise"

Happy New Year!

I have been so busy during the holidays that I had very little time for art work or even getting on the internet to see what is happening in the lives of family and friends.   After the hustle and bustle of Christmas activities I finally made time to pick up my pen and see where it would take me.

In this illustration I had nothing in particular in mind and just began putting pen to paper, the finished result is an amusing little piece I call "A Zentangle Sunrise".  I will be posting it later in My Etsy Shop as an authorized art print (8"x10") and reduced ACEO format size of 2.5"x3.5".

Happy 2011 to all!

Karen Anne Brady aka Ireland Brady