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Pencil Drawing, Uncategorized, Vintage photo

A Vintage Drawing

jillrholland
my grandma drawing
11×14 pencil and colored powder.

I did this drawing from a photo that I love and it happens to be my grandma. Since I do not have the original photo, I thought I would re-create it for myself. My grandma was born in 1906 and we are guessing this was taken around 1010. She probably had to sit still for awhile for a photo to be taken but one of my favorite thing about vintage photos is the way the hand painting applied on them.

When I first started this drawing, I intended to leave it just black and white but no, I wanted a subtle color added. The pipping on her dress looked like a hot pink watercolor paint and a little was added on the locket. I used a dark pink colored pencil. The cheeks I used actual blush from my makeup. I used a paint brush and not one that I use on myself. The blue eyes and on the bow are blue so I used blue eye shadow. I used bronzing foundation powder on the dress but it didn’t show up as well but I highlighted some areas with a tan eye shadow and it seemed to work.

Colorizing a drawing was a fun experience and I found I love to do vintage photos. I just wished my grandmas was here to see it.

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Pantry Sign, Uncategorized

Pantry Sign

jillrholland

14×46 inch stain and acrylic on wood.

I was honored when I was asked to make this custom sign for a brand new home. The request was a simple non serif font to reflect an older grocery store sign. She also requested 3-4 boards and I used four.

I use layers to treat the wood. I start by a dark stain. After drying over night, I apply a white wash acrylic white paint. As it dries it will lighten so I may need to add more white until I have the way I want it. I also grab a little bit of color paint and mixed in there randomly. It appears to be gray when I don’t add any gray paint. Her walls were painted gray so it worked well.

I do not use a stencil for the letters. I use a ruler to make it straight and draw in the letters to make sure I have the spacing correct, then paint over the marks with black acrylic paint.

Acrylic painting, horse Painting, Uncategorized

Horse Jumping

jillrholland
horse jumping painting
20×26 acrylic painting

I have painted a few horses now but I decided to tackle the front view of a horse jumping. Back in my showing days, I did not do jumping but in the last few years I have been around because my two nieces love it.

Horses are great athletes. Capturing, even the front view, has shown part of that. I did do some sketches prior of painting this. I needed to develop the technique of the horse. I have “clipped up” many horses legs, faces, ears and cleaned out hooves. I use this memory while painting or drawing.  I tell people to paint what you know and what you enjoy. Yes, this is mine.

Acrylic painting, horse Painting, Uncategorized

Palomino Painting

jillrholland

palomino-painting

20×20 Acrylic on Canvas

I picked a dark background to contrast the light colored horse. It has black, brown, white and blue, that looks like a periwinkle to me.

If you look at my previous posts, you will notice that I like horses. Like most people, I paint what I know and like. Of all of the horses that I have had, my family and I had one palomino. She didn’t look just like this one mainly because she had a longer head. She was a registered quarter horse and maybe her larger head came from her thoroughbred background.

Painted Barnwood, Uncategorized

Painted Barnwood

jillrholland

image1

One advantage of living on an acreage is having an old barn. My barn has siding over siding.

This board was on the ground, because the barn shows signs of age. I was about to add the board to a burn pile but decided to resurrect it. It has holes where nails once gave it a purpose.

I decided to paint flowers in bright colors on it. I used acrylic paint but it is hard to paint on this rough surface. The wood grain has deep grooves in it that you wouldn’t see in a new board you would buy. Barn wood is a popular way to decorate you home and adding a rustic charm.

Reclaimed bifold door, Uncategorized

Reclaimed Bi-fold Door

jillrholland

image

This is a trash to treasure project. Something that most would have thrown away, I found a new life for this bi-fold door.

This door was a salvage from a home that was going to be torn down. The house was built in the 1910’s but this would have been added much later. There was only one door and that makes me think that it may have came from a small closet, such as a linen closet. It would have had to been a remodeled room because a craftsman home wouldn’t have a bi-fold door.

I did have a vision for this and since it is close to July, I went with a patriotic theme. I chose the inside of the door. The inside didn’t have as much paint but it was the way it was folded that I chose the back.

I started off with sanding the entire door to get any loose paint or wood off. I then painted the outer edge with a linen chalk paint. I had it on hand from previous projects. It wouldn’t have to be chalk paint. Then I painted the stripes, blue top and then the star. I waited 24 hours, then went over the entire door with stain by rubbing it on with a soft cloth. When I came to the white stripes, I wiped more of the stain away so it would be a “old white” but not to dark.

I haven’t painted the back yet but I could do something to that too and this will become reversible. Maybe an opposite season… a snowman.

Beveled Glass, Uncategorized

Beveled Glass Window

jillrholland

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34×16 Bevels and frosted glass.

I purchased the middle beveled glass clusters and laid them on a large sheet of paper. I then drew around the bevels and made a pattern before going to a stained glass retail store. I picked a textured glass for another visual element. I could have gone with a colored glass but my vision for this was all clear.

I ordered the wooden frame online. It came in long pieces. I just had to cut the wood by using a miter saw.

I had to ask the current owner of this to take a photo for me. I agree with her, it can be challenging. It fits nicely in their bay window.

colander planter, repurposed colander, Uncategorized

REPURPOSED COLANDER

jillrholland

There are a few ways to repurpose a colander and I did mine as a hanging flower “basket”.

I liked this one because of the star pattern it has. Because colanders have holes they are able to drain very well. Just keep that in mind with what you have below it.

This was spray painted in a flat yellow painted. You can use a chain and hooks that can be purchased at your hardware store. In this one, it was twine. The twine gives it a more “country” then a chain and I do live in the country so this is fitting for me. Just keep in mine that twine will wear out faster then a chain. I will definitely have to keep this out of winter elements.

Something that can be done is line the bottom with a moss. I used straight potting soil and will find out if that was a good way to go or not.

Colanders can also be used as centerpieces.  The possibilities are endless and can be very fun and a conversation piece.

Graphic Design, High school team posters, Uncategorized

High School Sports

jillrholland

image4

I have a Creative Mix because I don’t only paint, draw, stained glass, home improvements or flea market flips, I am a graphic designer. I have been in printing for many years but my full time job now is designing on a much larger canvas, a motorhome. Yes, all those fancy paint jobs you see going down the road or parked in the campgrounds. That is what I do.

The prepress printing days still come to me and I do a little freelance. My latest job has been working with the high school that I attended (not that many years ago). There is an organization called the sports boosters. I made several sports posters and programs. For the kids, this is a keep sake and is exciting to see them on paper. It is also a reminder of team work – No “I” in team!! I did donate several hours in the work I did for them because I was on a team in this school too.

Designed ads and all content
sports boosters program

The posters didn’t take that much time but the programs did. The Fall program was 8 pages and the Winter program was sixteen pages. I had to create ads for each sponsor to the size of ad that was purchased. I had submitted photos of the teams, roster and schedules of each team. There was a page for those who donated and a letter for those who wanted to donate to the sports boosters. They originally wanted to have this printed in all color but the printing cost was higher then they expected.

My work for them is not over. I will continue to finish this school year with Spring and Summer sports and activities.

RV Full body paint, Uncategorized

Designing for the RV Businesses

jillrholland
Custom Design -repaint
Fleetwood RV
Custom New Horizons RV
New Horizons Summit
Winnebago
Newmar
Winnebago
Winnebago RV
Winnebago RV

I have had many people wonder what I do in my day job. The people that know me are aware of my creativity but don’t know what I do during the work day. I design the exterior paint schemes for the RV businesses. I found some samples on-line of the ones I designed. RV dealers posts photos so that is how I am able to get them.

It is exciting to hear when a customer picks my design to be used for their production for at least one year and sometimes more. I have done more then just the samples that I have shown but I found a variety of large and small motorhomes and 5th wheel trailers as well.

I also work with customers who have an older motorhome, or 5th wheel, and don’t want  to purchase a brand new one. I create their one of a kind design and help them  pick colors. I don’t paint these but for some of my designs, I do have to create files for a spray mask. A vinyl spray mask is put together like a puzzle and is a stencil for the painters to go by.

My favorite part of doing these designs is to be able to see them in person. Even though I work on a computer and see them from my monitor, it has a much different appearance to see the large “canvas”. Seeing them driving down the road is even a larger reward. I say, “I did that”.

Again, creativity comes in all shapes and sizes. In this case, it is very large.