... exploring in my creativity further in 2022



20 May 2011

Paint Party Friday - Finishing something finally!

Do you ever start things and not finish them? It seems like I have a lot of unfinished projects in the works at the moment! I have made progress with my "dots" but it is not finished. Nor are my other painting WIPs but I did finally finish painting my Mexican Sketchbook. Yay!!

I took a Strathmore Windpower drawing sketchbook (with 80lb paper) to Mexico with me on vacation and tried to capture all the highlights of what I saw in this book. Some pages I painted there while others have been sitting since March with unfinished pencil sketches. This week I finally decided I was going to finish it,  and I did.

Here they are for Paint Party Friday. (Warning (and apologies) - there are a lot of pages so I will show most recently finished (and previously unshown) pages first.)

Sea Fan found beachcombimg

Statue of Balam

Beach Map

Sand Writing

Sergeant Majors and Brain Coral

Angelfish?

Variegated Foliage

Painted Cover

View from Balcony

Beach in late afternoon

Champion Fisher-Bird

Start of the Day

Sea Tang or Doctorfish?

Friendly Iguana

Mexican Flowers 1

Mexican Flowers - Hibiscus

Mexican Flower 2

Mexican Flowers - Bougainvillea

Mexican Flowers 3

Mexican Foliage - Banana Palm

Mexican Foliage - Purples

Mexican Foliage - Sun Palm?

Mexican Foliage - Elephant Ears

Pina Colada (help your self to one at the party!)

Eagle Ray

Sea Turtle

Sting Ray

Sketchbook pre-vacation

Travelling Paint Set

Travelling Pen Set

Do you ever paint on vacation? I found it to be very relaxing and a nice little break from reading, plus now I have a fabulous and unique souvenir of the trip. (And I fell in love with those waterbrushes!) I keep looking at the pages, trying to decide if I have a favourite painting or not but am so far undecided. When you finish a journal, do you usually have a favourite page? 

(Update - LOL!! My PPF partner and friend Kristin and I must be on the same wavelength today as she has tropical sketchbooks on her post as well! And she has just reminder me of Illustration Avenue's theme this week of "Tropical" and this sketchbook definitely suits that theme! P.S. Kristin, I LOVE the Thank You painting!! Thank you!)

Have a great time at PPF!

48 comments:

  1. Oh wow Eva!! These are really great pages. How fun it must be to go on vacation and do journal pages on all your activities. Wowsy!! Really great pages. Happy PPF. Glad you had a good time.

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  2. Ha! I guess it's true what they say about great minds! hee hee!!!

    Your sketchbook is fabulous! It is such a wonderful keepsake from your trip! They are all so great... I absolutely adore the sand writing page!

    Wheee!!! Hooray for PPF!

    xo
    Kristin

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  3. Visiting from Paint Party Friday. These are really great. I especially love the little yellow and black fish. They seem to almost swim off the page. :)

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  4. how wonderful, so many memories in your absolutely charming art. I love that you showed us your tools as well. Thank you.

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  5. Finishing something!!!!!!! wow wow and wow Eva!!!! This is fantastic!!! and what a wonderful keepsake!!!!

    Have a wonderful PPF!!!!

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  6. WOW - now THAT is the way to remember a holiday. Love the fan sponge and the sun palm best

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  7. What a wonderful sketch to make a record of your holiday! Great Work! ;)

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  8. wow! congrats on finishing your sketchbook and i think it is brilliant that you sketch and paint on holiday. i take my art with me if we are going in our touring caravan but never on a foreign holiday although i do take photos to paint when i get home! this is great though-mucho admiration!

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  9. Wow, what an accomplishment and yes, what a great souvenir! Major props to you!

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  10. Brilliant that you finished it what a great thing for you to look back on.

    I never usually take my sketchbooks on holiday but I am this year :)

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  11. I love your work! And what an amazing idea to remember your holiday through art :)

    Kat @ SassmowthDesigns (a fellow creative sistah!!)

    ps - Just wondering if you recieved my sketchbook? I sent it last week express post...

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  12. Nice travel-sketchbook, is a great idea.
    I do something similar but only use pencil.
    Your drawings are fantastic.
    Saludos

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  13. I now feel so ashamed of myself as have many pieces of unfinished work........
    These are such great pages and can see you had a wonderful time.
    Have never taken a sketchbook on holiday before and I wish I had, will definitely take it next time. Annette x

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  14. Hi
    What a wonderful travel sketch-book and it is the memories that are encapsulated in the book.
    I have kept a little sketchbook from travels but on both occasions they were city breaks and so very hectic.
    This is my first time at PPF and enjoying visiting blogs that are new to me.
    Wishes
    Lynne

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  15. What a wonderful travelogue! I feel as if I have gone there as well. As for finishing, well I usually finish everything I start...except for one thing. The dollhouse that sits unfinished in my basement. I started it when my daughter was little and she saved her money to buy the kit. I started and I the floor done (it was real wooden planks) but that is as far as I could get...I mean all those tiles for the roof. It was like building a real house! My daughter is in her 20's now and everytime I look at the unfinished piece I feel guilt. Maybe one day it will be done. :-)

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  16. Love the sketchbook but I do admit I never paint while on holiday. :) Too much other stuff to do. :)

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  17. What an amazing sketchbook- I am finding myself so inspired by this! and my favorite drawing (if I had to choose one) is the sea fan- I love the detail and the yellow background you gave it. Wonderful!
    PPF Hugs,
    Stephanie

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  18. Isn't Mexico great? All of your drawings capture it so well. Like Stephanie, I love the sea fan. As I scrolled down, I was thinking, these would be perfect for the Tropical theme at Inspiration Avenue this week. So glad you have included them.

    I always mean to say, when I visit: I love your robin in rain boots :) Robins are my favorite, and they always seem to love being out in the rain.

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  19. I had to laugh out loud when you asked if we ever start things and don't finish them. Oh YES! Isn't it a great feeling when you DO finish something, though?

    What an awesome sketchbook! And a wonderful memento of your trip! I especially love the drawing you have labelled Eagle Ray. So intricate! Everything in the book is beautifully done! :)

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  20. WOW! That's a lot of art. I like the fish and turtle images best. HAPPY PPF!

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  21. Oh Eva, I was right there with you! I love to sketch on vacation, even though I haven't been on one on forever. Live peeking at artist's sketchbooks! Yours is yummy. Happy PPF! :-)

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  22. Eva, you've left me (almost) speechless! What a great souvenir of your vacation, and so unique, truly yours. This summer will be the first time that I'll take a small sketchbook with me, and your paintings are a further encouragement to do so.

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  23. Although I've had a random sketchbook, I haven't used it regularly. Then I found some blogs with art journal pages and realized I wanted to be more directed in my sketchbook. We have a vacation planned and I'm so inspired to take my sketchbook/journal with me for the first time. I'm usually a photographer but I think I'll try sketching too. Love your memories of your trip and you've convinced me to do the same!

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  24. Its great you have th e talent to remember your trip in such a beautiful way,, thanks for visiting me today,,

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  25. Wow!! What a fabulous post! And how special it must have been to be creating while on an adventure traveling..how cool! Beautiful work..i am spellbound..so many beauties to look at..all fantastic..i love everything! TRuly inspiring..thanks for sharing such a magical post!
    Victoria

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  26. You have turned your sketchbook into a treasury of memories, love it! Hugs, Valerie

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  27. How fun! Where did you find the traveling paint set? I'd like to have something compact to take to Italy with me this year!

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  28. Wow! You have so many great images here to see...I love the tropical theme that is running through PPF today...I feel totally relaxed now. :)

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  29. Wow, you did a lot of work! Such wonderful colors. I really like the fan palm and the sea fan. Hmmm, is there a trend? Happy PPF!!

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  30. wow...what a fantastic way to honour your trip and those lovely memories. Sooo many pages of goodness! Thankyou so much for taking me on a little trip :) x

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  31. These are all so charming, soothing and peaceful. I feel like I was just on a mini vacation. Thanks Eva!

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  32. I don't know if my comment got through already i hope I'm not repeating myself.
    I tried to say WOW! Great job! I love Balam and the turtle and the rays the most.
    You really are an overachiever! ;D

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  33. what an inspiring trip you had. I like the idea of doing a sea fan.

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  34. First of all Eva you did a great job in getting the blog post up and running last week! Yeahhh for EVA!!!! And this sketchbook is awesome!!! I don't think I could pick a favorite one either. You must have had a wonderful vacation. And yes I do sketch when I am on vacation. It relaxes me.

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  35. This will be a wonderful reminder of your trip. Much better than photos! I like the sea turtle best.

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  36. What a beautiful journal. Love the sea fan.I have never kept one!Thanks for yr sweet comments on my peony painting today.

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  37. DANG! You are a creating fiend! AND THAT IS A GREAT THING! I really loved the one you did with the statue of Balam...and those Angelfish. Too awesome. I never really thought about capturing my vacationing experience through a sketchbook...seems a lot more memorable that way. Keep it up Eva!

    XOXO,

    Shayla

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  38. I have so many unfinished sketchbooks, I actually didn't know it was possible to fill one up completely..hehehe. So many wonderful pages.

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  39. Wow! What an impressive amount of work!
    Yes, I have a "simmering" section for things that need some extra something. And about the materials on holidays. I always take them and never use them. Photography is my first love and I take a gazillion pics. :D

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  40. Ooooh, what a wonderful sketchbook. You did such a great job capturing your vacation! How exciting to have something finished that is so meaningful and memorable!

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  41. Wow, how much beauty there is in this book, full of tenderness and sensitivity, I love it.

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  42. wow, so much to show, My favorite is the black and white angelfish! and to answer your question... I don't ever have a favorite when I finish a sketchbook because I have never in my life actually finished one, I move on to a new one half way through... it's a terrible habit!

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  43. great artwork and a great way to remember your trip!
    happy PPF!

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  44. Hi Eva☺
    An excellent idea and I love the fact that you finished it! How rewarding!!! My favorite (after much deliberation) is the sea turtle followed by the Start of the Day (mmmm Mimosas)
    I also love that you left the wind towers shine through on the cover...brilliant!!!
    ♥♥♥♥♥

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  45. I think I hear the Beach calling me!
    I love all your pages, makes me want to start my beach journal that I have been putting off.
    Thanks for the wonderful inspiration here!

    XO

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  46. doesn't it feel great to finish something? I love that feeling. I love all your pages, but I think my favorites are the tropical foliage plants with the sun palm being my top fav :) Fantastic work! oh and I was wondering about those paint brushes, how clever!

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Looking forward to hearing from you!