Feather Studies

I love to explore a wide variety of art media and processes. From altered arts to bookmaking, collage, encaustic art, embroidery, textile art, origami, mixed-media - you name it, I've probably given it a whirl! No matter where my artful adventures may lead me however, I've discovered that a few motifs nearly always make their appearance in my work. Feathers are definitely one of my favorite elements to include! Their delicate beauty, graceful lines, and colorful variety make them a favorite detail for collage or mixed-media art.

I created the handmade sketchbook shown here as a special place to gather my favorite feather images, so that I can practice drawing and painting them. The book includes a variety of pockets, papers, and tags, that allow to me experiment with sketching and painting while documenting the various pens, pencils, markers, or paints that I use. It's a fun reference tool that I can refer to again and again!

For my Feather Studies book, I printed out some beautiful images from The Graphics Fairy to serve as inspiration. Her website has 1,000s of images that are copyright free, and cover a huge variety of topics. Do you have a favorite motif that runs throughout your artwork? If so, I would love to hear about it! You  might find it useful to dedicate a sketchbook that you purchase, or one you make yourself to that favorite element and use it to document your artful adventures.
Until next time: Make art...be happy!
Kimberly