Portrait Challenge Friday Face Off

Happy Friday my wonderful friends! I hope you are all well. I am doing good and staying warm as it is -31 outside. I am linking up to FFO Face Off Friday Challenge hosted by the wonderful and talented Nicole. Thank you so much Nicole!

I watched "The Seven Dials" Mystery on Netflix and loved it. I decided to draw Mia McKenna-Bruce, the leading actress which I think is very talented actress and very beautiful. I started with a trace drawing. I am not sure if it helped me in any way this time but I went along with it. 

Trace drawing

The bottom right drawing is the trace drawing and the upper one is my second sketch.

This is the final piece.

On the right page, top left I did a quick sketch. 

On the right page top right I took my time and I like that portrait the best. 

This is the final one and I worked on shading a lot on this piece. 

I had a hard time getting the body tilting and proportions of the body for this one but we learn from our mistakes. Mistakes are not a bad thing in art.

This is my final drawing.

 I learn so much every time I participate in a challenge. I practice line work, proportions, shading and enjoy the process and I love learning. I look forward to making more portraits. It's so challenging and I like seeing the progress. Thank you Nicole for all that you do. I learn so much from your artwork and your posts. It's been a wonderful experience. Thank you from my heart!

If you like check out my new vlog for 2026.

Hello from my cat Ziggy. :)

Have a wonderful weekend! Thank you for all your wonderful comments and feedback. 

Stay warm and thank you,

Maria 

T Stands for Quietly Entering A New Year

 

Happy Tuesday wonderful friends! I had my mammogram yesterday and my scans are CLEAR! 

Thank you Lord!

On the weekend I was anxious because of yesterday.

I did manage to fill my journals with the month of February tabs and stickers. 

It was a lot of fun. I did all this at the couch area instead of the art room.

Also I got to spend time with my hubby which was really wonderful. 

 Linking up with Elizabeth's Blog Party T Stands for Tuesday

Recently I've been loving drinking smoothies!

Blueberry banana with milk and maple syrup and strawberry too. 

So good and refreshing!

I managed to put together my January vlog! 

This was a challenge but I did it. 

If you like have a look at the video. 

As for artwork the last pieces I worked on are the pastels. 

In progress I am working on Nicole's FFO portraits for Friday.

Today and tomorrow I will be continuing the FFO Portraits and I look forward to sharing them on my blog. 

Thank you all for all your wonderful comments.

Have a lovely rest of the week!

Maria 

Art For Fun Friday and Friday Face Off

Hello Friday and hello wonderful friends. This past week I've had a bit of a scratchy throat and hot flashes are a nightmare. My head feels a bit heavy. Might be the weather. It's been grey skies for a long time. Well yesterday there was a bit of sun and I loved it. Today is very cold here and it is -14 but feels like -21.

We are supposed to have a weekend storm. I am doing my groceries Saturday morning so I can avoid the storm. I feel I need to get out and walk a bit because being stuck indoors is not my thing. Especially with hot flashes. lol Cold weather is lovely. 

This past week I worked with pastels. It was amazing and very fun. I love how the pastels glide and are creamy and smooth. I want to make some animals but I am not sure what. Any ideas?

 Linking to Nicole's lovely blog for FFO and Gillena's Blog for Art for Fun Friday.

Thank you Nicole and Gillena for hosting lovely blogger parties. 

I made up this character. I realize she has different shape glasses. 

The view from my window. I always make one of these every season. I love rooftops and nature and houses. So much fun to draw. I hope one day we can own our own home. 

I didn't manage to get a vlog together. I will try my best to do so. I've been filming little bits here and there but didn't manage to put it together. I hope you have a wonderful Friday and a lovely weekend my friends.I look forward to visiting your blog and thank you for your kind comments. It means so much to me. Thank you kindly and have a wonderful and creative day. 

Maria

London Fog Tea & Art

 Good Morning! It's a cold one here in Ontario. Like super cold I hate it. -14 but feels like -23! what? Noooooo I don't like it. I stay cozy and warm with my favourite tea at the moment and it is London Fog Tea. I am linking up with T Stands for Tuesday hosted by the lovely Elizabeth. 

Yesterday I took out my pastels and oh what fun I had! 

Lately I'm having a challenging time figuring it out what to draw and paint

I need more prompts,

Where do you go for finding prompts? 

using pastels is fun!

oil pastels on Canson Pastel Paper

 

Chalk Pastels on Canson Pastel Paper 

Both chalk pastels and oil pastels are messy to play with but so much fun. I will be playing with these today as well.  I hope you all have a lovely Tuesday and enjoy the rest of the week. I appreciate you all for your visit and thank you for your comments. It means a lot to me. 

Thank you! 

Maria

In The Art Room

 Happy Sunday! 

Linking Up to Sunday in the Art Room  Hosted by the lovely and talented Nicole.

This is my art space. I am grateful for this space even if it is small. I don't mind at all. I just always need to have a window to look outside. I need to feel close to nature. 

Recently working with watercolours.

I love working with watercolours so much. 

Acrylic Markers

Fun to work with makers and doodle. 

Mixed Media

Sketching faces

watercolours

markers

Journaling

small sketches

watercolours

coloured pencils

Finished my little clay plate to hold my washi tape

I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday my friends.

It is very cold here in Ontario

we have -18 and it is super cold.

Have a wonderful day and thank you if you stopped by to read my post. 

I am truly grateful!

Have a creative and beautiful day!

Thank you from my heart.

Maria 

Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'

Happy Friday!

Linking up today with the wonderful and talented Nicole for Friday Face Off  

Thank you Nicole for the Feature! You are inspirational and a wonderful artist that inspires me. I appreciate you so much.

& 

The lovely and wonderful Gillena for Art For Fun Friday 

I can't get this song out of my head...

'Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’, Gordon MacRae,Rodgers & Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA 1955

I have started this Leuchtturm1917 Journal in 2022 and I am almost finished it but am I? 

The left side of the pages are not all full. Do you fill up both sides of your Art pages? 

I feel like I am wasting a page so I am going to fill both sides up. 

I guess we make up our own rules right? Our sketchbook our rules. ;)

Also today is 99 days until I turn 50.

I am grateful for each moment on this earth. 

The good, the bad and the ugly. lol 

A true blessing.

Made this little spread in my journal.

this week in the ART Space

Background acrylic paint and the strawberry in pencil crayons. 

A quick little sketch

always thinking about the ocean

This is a reflection on my thoughts and feelings at the moment.

Would love to know your thoughts about this piece. 

Portrait with no reference

New Watercolours! They are bold and bright! Really like these. 

Landscape with the watercolours

A doodle with Sharpie acrylic parker pens

I miss doing junk journaling this week but will continue on the weekend. 

Also I've been working on air dry clay and I am making a little dish for my desk to put some washi tape on and a brush rest for when I am painting. I will show you the results next week. 

I enjoy clay and making little dishes. I think I would like to make some fruit shaped ones! :) FUN!

Thank you for being here and thank you for your time and comments. It means so much to me. I truly hope you are all well my friends and I can't wait to visit your blogs too. 

Stay creative and have a beautiful weekend! 

Maria 

*feel free to use my code: MARIA for 20% off your purchase with Leuchtturm1917. 

Also this month is my mammogram scan. Please pray for me. 🙏

Thank you again! Much love and good health.