Weekend Floral Illustrations: Here Comes Spring!

Hi friends! Wow, what a busy week we had here last week! It seemed like we had important events and things to do every day and evening, and I was so glad when the weekend finally rolled around!  I was so looking forward to doing something to help me unwind...something artsy of course! 

I had a lot of fun doodling around with some watercolor flower illustrations. I painted them up with my watercolors and then inked them with some pigment ink pens. These were nothing stiff and formal, just loose and fun— and they were so relaxing to do!

I love how they turned out so I scanned a few of them into my computer and turned them into transparencies, cleaned them up, and then created some cool products with them in my POD (print on demand) shops on Society6, Redbubble, and DBH (DesignbyHumans.)

These really got me in the mood for spring! I love how the products turned out - especially the bedding and pillows. I think I will be turning these into cards that will be available in my Zazzle shop. I think they'd make great Thank You note cards and Wedding Invitations! 

 Peachy watercolor bouquet

Peachy watercolor bouquet pillow at Society6

Watercolor pink roses

Watercolor pink roses comforter from Society6 




Bridesmaid and wedding party tops in my Zazzle shop

Yellow and blue spring floral


Yellow and blue spring floral relaxed fit t-shirt on Redbubble

 I finished up these two last night

Which do you like the best?

Have a great week!

 Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Article, images, and designs copyright ©Laura Beth Love for Dishfunctional Designs™ 2018

all rights reserved

Those Sunday Mornings

I don't know if it's because of the changing light of autumn or just because I got a full 8+ hours of sleep, but there's something magical in waking on a Sunday morning — coffee cup in hand — and being completely inspired to make art. 

Do I paint with watercolors, or maybe acrylics, or do I create some ink drawings? I go back and forth, deciding on my tools and my medium — my mode of transport to get whatever creative magic from inside my being, out — and into the world. 

It's my raw drive, my spiritual push into the universe. At least, that's what it feels like. 

Nothing else will do. I can go downtown on Sunday morning and walk around our charming little farmer's market and pick up an amazing pastry or maybe some apples or locally harvested honey—but my mind is like the transcendental silver string that connects me to—and never leaves—my place where I create art. 

I want to choose the brushes, the colors, I think about watercolor painting and I imagine the movement, the flow and spread of color in the water, the bloom, the transparency, the drying, the contemplation of the next layer.

Without any formal training, thoughts of rules—and fear of not following them—try to push into my mind. I push them away.

I want to create something new, to pull it out from inside myself - I know that it's there, I can feel it all the time. I think about how I can get it out of me and into the world. But even that's not really enough for me. I want to make something beautiful. I try. 

It doesn't have to be fantastic or amazing — it only has to be.

Have a great Sunday!
love,

 Laura

article, images, and designs copyright ©Laura Beth Love 2017 all rights reserved

A Peek At Some Of My Latest Designs

Here's a peek at what I've been working on in the world of design. I love making these feather illustrations. I colorized this ink drawing with watercolor paint.

Bohemian Spirit Feathers in Blue & Green

As you probably could guess, I've really been in the mood for watercolor painting. I created my own take on the talisman for evil eye protection with the painting below, and then turned it into a pattern. It's now featured on Society6! 

Once I finished the design I created it on three different backgrounds: white, light blue, and black. I can't decide which I like the most!

Beach towel, blue background

Throw pillow, white background

Biker tank, black background

I love this next design. It's a paisley that I painted in watercolor, reduced in size, and turned into a repeat pattern. I have it available in blue, rose pink, tea (shown below), green with pink, aqua, and blue with pink. 

Throw pillow in Paisley Tea 

Comforter in Paisley Tea

Check out the other colors:

This Monstera Leaf design is another one that I had a lot of fun with. Tropical leaf patterns are very popular right now. I did the original painting in green but then digitally changed the colors to suit my mood. I thought they looked very exotic in indigo, and I love them on both the blush and black backgrounds. Which do you prefer?

Clear cell phone case

Throw pillow

Floor pillow

All items shown above are available for purchase at https://society6.com/laurabethlove

I hope you like them! Let me know what you think by leaving me a comment below.
 Which design is your favorite?

What should I paint next?

Have a great week!
love,

 Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!

article, images, and designs copyright ©Laura Beth Love 2017 all rights reserved

Painting Doughnuts. Or is it Donuts?

I've been having a lot of fun painting doughnuts. Or is it donuts? I'm not sure which spelling is correct, but it seems that donuts are suddenly all around me. There's a TV show about doughnuts, and in my local newspaper yesterday there was an article about a new "design your own doughnut" shop opening in my town. Phish is doing a 13-day concert run at Madison Square Garden in NYC this summer, calling it "Baker's Dozen" - yet another doughnut reference. Coincidence? Conspiracy? Hmmm. 

Tote bag

T-shirts

Phone case

Floor pillow

What's your favorite kind?

I hope you have a great week! 

Love, Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!

article and images ©Laura Beth Love 2017 all rights reserved

Painting Through A Blizzard And Learning As I Go

Thank goodness we didn't get the 26 or 27 inches of snow they were calling for Monday night into Tuesday (we got a managable 12 to 13 inches instead) but we still settled in to wait out the storm. I filled the birdfeeder and hung the suet and then made a big pot of white chicken chili (I used this recipe and it's now a family favorite) along with some honey cornbread.  The birdfeeders and suet brought out every bird in the neighborhood and it was neat to see a few woodpeckers (check out this video on my Instagram that I took of a Downy Woodpecker) and all sorts of other birds. 

Sam keeping me company as I do a sketch for another watercolor painting. 

I drew out a rough sketch to use as a guide.

I kept it pretty simple and only used three colors, this was the first layer.

The next day I added some details and her hair.

Drying.

I probably could have added more paint or more details but I'm trying to avoid over-painting.

I'm pretty happy with the results. I've never had any kind of formal art training so I am just kind of teaching myself and am learning as I go. 

At this point I would rather just observe and figure it out myself instead of being told I am doing something wrong or right, or be shown the way someone else says I should do something. I think it allows my art to be free and without limits or rules because I don't have to worry about any of those things I can just purely express. :)

I hope you have a great week! 

Love, Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!

article and images copyright ©LauraBethLove2017