My USK workshop is open for early registration on Feb 29

On location sketch 2 years ago. See what’s new this year. Come sketch with me on Saturday, May 23, 2020

Urban Sketchers Seattle is excited to announce the 2020 USk 10x10 Workshop Program!

The USk 10x10 program is a worldwide initiative to offer educational workshops wherever sketchers live. Launched in celebration of Urban Sketchers’ 10th anniversary in 2017, the program brings a variety of courses on urban sketching techniques, approaches and media. This is the fourth consecutive year that USk Seattle is participating. With 15 workshops scheduled, it’s our biggest program yet!

Warm up exercises and getting to know our materials

Come sketch with me on Saturday, May 23, 2020. My workshop is #7, entitled “First Steps into Urban Sketching” and is designed for those who are new to urban sketching. Here’s a link to a review by Jane Dillon Wingfield.

Registration begins Saturday, Feb. 29, 9 a.m.The cost for each 3½-hour workshop is $60 through our “early bird” date, March 27, 2020. After that date, the price is $70 per workshop. Registration will be processed by the event management website, Brown Paper Tickets. Please see the program schedule and workshop details and read the FAQ for registration information (link below).

http://seattle.urbansketchers.org/p/seattle-usk.html

Handmade "Specimen Slides" for Junk Journals

Screen shot from my new video on making specimen slide embellishments ala ArtyMaze

I just announced on my IG account that I have a new video uploaded on my YouTube craft channel.

Here's one of the freebie frames with my own butterfly insert and a napkin collaged pocket.

I made this napkin collaged pocket with lace, button, paper quote, sewn muslin and my own original specimen slide.

I think my handmade bead (made from rolled magazine paper and glass beads) looks a bit like a chrysalis, don't you?

See my Instagram feed @michelecooperart
Watch the video on how I make these at MicheleCooperCraft on YouTube.

Something to do before January Watercolor classes begin

Now that the holiday season is winding down, you may be looking for a project or two to refresh your watercolor skills before our usual class schedule resumes.

As always, daily sketching and painting will keep you busy and be an enjoyable way to get your art skills going again. Charlie O’Shields has his January prompts ready at doodlewash.com. Here’s what he says about next month:

“January is the start of winter and the days can be a bit dark and gray. Thankfully, with the help of a sketchbook, a bit of creativity, and lots of lovely color any day can be made bright and beautiful. So, this month is a celebration of colorful things from flamingos to macarons. And a wonderful chance to practice with color, try new mixes and have a totally delightful time in the process!”

Another option is to join a Facebook group that inspires your watercolor creativity.

      Two Facebook groups that I enjoy are Watercolor Enthusiasts

      And 30x30 Direct Watercolor 

Each of the other two above mentioned FB groups have challenges of their own.       

1. The challenge at 30x30 Watercolor is to paint directly without any preliminary drawing.  This group is the home base for a participatory art project started in 2019 and hosted by Marc Taro Holmes and Uma Kelkar.

2. Here’s what Watercolor Enthusiasts did for their December Challenge:

    “Here comes our DECEMBER CHALLENGE! Let's get creative, take out your brushes and paint "Magical Forest". The winning entry will be published as the group's banner. This time it is also a Member's Choice: a winner will be chosen by the number of "likes" given by members.”

Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/136128046842511/?ref=share to see the winning artwork.

Watercolor Class Winter 2020

Painting Watercolor with Michele Cooper, Wednesday 6-9pm
Skagit Valley College, Mt Vernon
Winter Registration: 360.416.7638
January 22-March 11, 2020

• Spring Quarter 
• April 8-May 27, 2020

Watercolor with Michele Cooper at A Guilded Gallery, Thursday 10am-1pm
Stanwood, Camano Island 
Winter Registration: (360) 629-2787
Series 1: January 23, 30, Feb 6, 13, 20

Series 2: March 5, 22, 19, 26, April 2

Intermediate Watercolor, Friday 10am-1:00pm
Kirkland Arts Center
Winter Registration: (425) 822-7161;108
January 24-March 13, 2020

Introduction to Watercolor Workshop
Kirkland Arts Center
Registration: (425) 822-7161;108
March 14 & 15, 2020
Saturday and Sunday (10am-4pm)

Intermediate Watercolor Friday 10am-1:00pm
Kirkland Arts Center
Spring Registration: (425) 822-7161;108
April 10-May 29, 2020

Find me on Instagram @michelecooperart
linktr.ee/michelecooperart

Pen Envelope and lunch with a Friend

A friend from urban sketchers wanted some pens like the ones I use in my sketchbooks. So we arranged to meet for lunch, sketch, chat and then I could hand off the pens to her.
Here’s the sketch I did during lunch.

And here’s the little surprise I made for her to keep the pens. She liked it so much that she said she’s using it on her next trip to India.

The envelope was made of heavy decorative card stock. I sewed all around the liner with my sewing machine.
 I attached a sari silk ruffle and button closure with elastic wrap.
The button was attached with two decorative brads. 

 I included a postcard and notepad inside the envelope

I made a curly paper clip dangle with an elephant and three silver bells. 

inktober 2019, Day 22-31

Dark, coat, ride

I wanted to play with three values: dark, medium and light. For dark, I have Noodlers ink “Dark Matter”. The eggplant is often darkest in a still life, but this time it’s the middle value with the lemon being lighter.

Rolling on a second coat of paint.

Toys R Us used to carry this vintage wooden Radio Flyer Scooter but the lettering was more like children’s printing.

Injured, Catch, Ripe

I just had to draw one of the fishmongers at Pike Place Market catching a “flying” fish.

I don’t know about you but I have the hardest time judging the right time to open an avocado.

Yay! Finished!

My personal time has been very limited this month. Although I knew that I would probably have to play a game of catch up this time and post late for much of this year’s Inktober, I love the challenge of daily sketching and the way Inktober generates involvement around the world. How could I resist? So here I am posting my last six drawings with one page left at the back of my sketchbook.

Thanks again, Jake, for another set of inspirational prompts.

Inktober 2019, Day 21-25

Day 21-25
Treasure. Ghost, Ancient, Dizzy, Tasty

treasure, ancient, dizzy, tasty

Ancient Greek columns were made to flare out slightly at the top so that at human eye level they would appear straight as the receded upwards.

I love fresh strawberries. 🍓🍓🍓


So where’s the ghost, you may ask? I have something in mind but I’m waiting for delivery of some white ink that I ordered. 😁

Inktober 2019, Day 18-20

Day 18, 19, 20
Misfit, Sling, Tread

 Misfit, Sling, Tread

 When my father wanted to express the idea of someone being a misfit he would say “It’s like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.“

My Sling style backpack holds a lot of my favorite sketching materials.

 This time of year proves to be an irresistible opportunity for children to stomp around in muddy puddles and then leave their boot treads and muddy footprints all over the floor when they come indoors!

Inktober 2019, Day 14-17

When I read the prompt for Day

Grandfather Cuts Loose the Ponies photographed in 2012

Grandfather Cuts Loose the Ponies (also known as the Wild Horse Monument) is a public artsculpture created by David Govedare in 1989–1990 and situated near Vantage, Washington. It consists of 15 life-size steel horses which appear to be galloping across a ridge above the Columbia River. Presented as a gift for the centenary of Washington's statehood, the sculpture was conceived as a memorial to the wild horses which once roamed the region. According to the Seattle Times, it is one of the most-seen public artworks in Washington state.

Overgrown  legend, wild, ornament 

John Singer Sargent is the legendary painter who is my art hero. As I looked over my ink wash portrait of him, I couldn’t resist tweaking it a bit. Here’s the result.

Inktober 2019 - Day 8 - 13

Day 8, 9, 10
 Frail, swing, pattern

A frail broken butterfly wing, a golf swing and a sewing pattern

The air is like a butterfly
With frail blue wings.
The happy earth looks at the sky
And sings. - Author: Joyce Kilmer

Day 11, 12, 13

Snow, Dragon, Ash

A snowy mountain, Seattle International District dragon, cigarette ash