JFlah's Blunders

This week I took a couple days to work on the VBS backdrops for this year. We're doing Submerged by Lifeway. Typically, they do a good job of providing ideas and resources for the set design for worship rally and the classrooms. I wish the pictures were bigger - it's hard to see many details in the tiny pictures they provide, but it's certainly better than having to start from scratch each time. Anyhow, the VBS director primed the foam board and used the hot knife to cut them out before I got to work. I think they turned out great. We're not quite done. I will try to remember to take a picture of it all installed so you can see all of the finishing touches and such.

Last year I did a Christmas wreath at a painting party and gave it to a friend. This year, her mother said she wanted one. Here is the finished product with an "H" in the middle to indicate their last name. Nearly ran out of red paint when I was doing this...

Shortly before Christmas there was lots of painting happening. Here's another project that I did early December 2015.

Finished late last night. My sister came to help some. Were it not for that, I'd not have completed it. I got in there to start around 2pm and painted till about 8:30pm. I'm thinking it was worth the effort. Turned out cute.

I'm about to paint a set piece for the upcoming children's choir musical (A Tree Lot Christmas) and have done lots of sketches. Plan to put some paint to the piece within the next few days - probably Saturday since I can't seem to get out of the office during the week to work on it and figure it will take 8-10 hours. Keep an eye out for pictures of the process if you're interested. Here are the preliminary idea sketches with the one I'm probably going to follow first. Can't put a Christmas tree in the design because that's a part of the story - Carmichael doesn't have a tree and doesn't particularly want one but has allowed the kids to set up their tree lot beside his store with hopes that it will attract more business. Simplified everything as much as I thought I could. When I get to painting, I may remove the top window in favor of brick since a lot of that section will be covered by the striped canopy and the decorations they plan to string ...

Paint and Pj's painting for this year. Haven't decided if I'm going to add text or not. Here's a close up of the cutie snowman. Saw this great article on Muddy Colors . I've come across this trouble so often that I wonder why even I have started to devalue my own work. Now I know that part of the reason that it happens to me with the regularity that it does is because I'm in a "cul-de-sac" design career - and to exasperate the problem, I work full time at a non-profit where the norm is that people volunteer their time/talents. "Photo by JS Choi of he-who-will-not-be-named doing his brilliant thing at Illuxcon. So perfect and hilarious." Picture and quote from Muddy Colors Blog This video perfectly illustrates what it would be like for someone to try to treat other businesses and professionals like many clients try to treat artists and designers. And I highly recommend that you read the whole article at Muddy Co...

Stayed late at work this evening to finally paint the alligator part of that Preschool logo. All credit goes to God, who somehow made each brush stroke work. There were a few moments... ok, lots of moments when I wasn't sure this was going to turn out. Could've probably added more shadow to the left side of the face, but in general, I think it turned out ok and I'm looking forward to seeing it installed. Here is the final and a few progress pictures.

Went to one of those great paint and pour parties at church. This is my version of what we did. I loved the short cuts I learned. We used a foam cup to make a guide for the circles. It really helped make this painting work. The party was a huge one! Just over 80 ladies showed up. It was a challenge not to get any paint on my neighbor. I was holding my elbows in so I wouldn't bump into anyone, but I'm telling you I laughed and really enjoyed myself that night. Joy Petty of Joie Petite Designs led the party - this is the second painting I've done under her direction and I've enjoyed both.

Dad brought me a cypress knee to paint. He carved it and told me to go to town. Was a challenge to decide what to do with it since all that was carved was the head and the gifts/teddy bear. I think it turned out ok for my first one.

Sure would love to devote some time to taking a few of these SVS Learn classes. I'd definitely start with this one by Therese Larsson - Painting Fur and Hair. Found SVS Learn one day while doing the customary searches for resources and tutorials. Would love to take one of the classes in real time but the times they offer the classes aren't good for me. Regardless, sometime next year I'm going to do some of these if for no other reason than that I know I'd enjoy doing them.

This is the logo I put together for them - sketches are HERE .   Lots on my creative plate right now - just got done face painting at the fall festival (that was a joy) and now one of the next things I'm working on is something for our preschool ministry. I designed a logo a while back (see above or go here ) and now they're putting the characters that are in the logo onto the fence they have in the preschool worship area. I don't know how long it will take for everything to be completed, but I can't wait to see it done. The preschool coordinator dropped off some primed wooden pieces and some paint, so I'll be working on that off and on for a little while. It will be a challenge to adapt the logo to the wooden pieces because the outline shape isn't quite the same - but that won't matter when they're done - they'll still be super cute. Gettin' started...

    Worked with Dad last week to help him get some totem poles painted. It took a very long three days of working from sun up to sun down to complete them, but it was fun. I enjoyed having a brush in my hand once more, even if I was painting ugly totem pole figures for some movie I'll likely never see. They'll be filming at Camp Merrydale in St. Francisville for the next few months. It's a horror/comedy thing tentatively called "The Final Girls." Didn't see it on IMDb yet - it's a "low" budget film (do those even exist?).