Magical MousePainting™

2007-09-26T15:09:00.003-04:00

This site is an extension of Magical MousePainting™ book and workshops.

From time to time, my new MousePaintings™ are added here as well as those of my workshop participants and readers. News, new challenges and discussions are also posted.

Enjoy visiting: explore, participate - and comment.

To share your own Paint application creations online, contact me . Please include your full name and email address so I can reach you.

Click on any of the titles below:

Challenges beyond the book are offered on the following postings:

Create a series

Limit your options

Black and white only, please

For more challenges, left-click on any of the following titles and numbers:
*Create an abstract #1, #2; *Draw a still life; *Develop a book cover; *Fracture the subject #1, #2; *Sketch a comical character; *Sign Your Work; *Illustrate perspective; Create virtual frames, such as: *Life Series #2, *Three Vases with Flowers, *A Whopper and a Half, *Wild Woman, *Woman's Work is Never Done

Artwork by readers & workshop participants:
"Celeste Loves David"; "Wildflower" by Hainny; Selena #1, #2; "Gravenhurst Abstract" by Sondra; Sandy Tobias Offenheim: "Another Fish", "Words", "Primary Colours", "Untitled"

Creative Activity

2007-09-25T20:42:00.001-04:00

Book a Magical MousePainting™ webinar or workshop for your group (Click here for more information)

Magical MousePainting™ Books and Workshops/Webinars are perfect for:

Art, creativity and computer courses
Students of all ages
Public and private schools: junior to high school, colleges and universities
Programs for seniors and shut-ins

For more information about these and other possibilities, please click here to contact me.

- Nellie

Vote for Your Favourite Cover

2007-08-20T12:43:00.000-04:00

Thank you, thank you for helping choose a cover for Magical MousePainting™ - A Tool for Creativity!!! There are 6 designs posted below. I'm too close to this project and like them all for one reason or another: I'm confused and can't decide.

I'm looking for something that is striking, clean, gives a hint as to what's between the book covers. It should inspire someone to pick it up and flip through the pages.

What do you think about these? (Double-click on any one to see it close up, or increase the size by clicking on the "plus" icon at the bottom right on your screen.)
......................................

I really liked these first three draft covers (all below were created by graphic artist Cindy Cake of Heidy Lawrance Associates):

This is #1.

This is #2.

This is #3.

........................................
Some people, however, suggested these first three covers don't really represent my artwork and what's inside the book. So, I gave Cindy a DVD with dozens of my mousepaintings.

She chose to incorporate two paintings into three new designs. Here they are....

This is #4.

This is #5.

This is #6.

What do you think? Which is/are your favourite(s)? What are your suggestions for ways to improve or change any of them?

Leave a comment on this site. Please use the cover number(s) you are referring to ...

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Results...

Within a minute of sending my email plea to you, a friend phoned in her vote; all she said was, "Number 1, hands down." If only it was so easy to choose....Read on....

Your votes and suggestions are continuing to come in by email. You definitely have your opinions - which are amazing - and sometimes confusing.

For example, some people voted for more than one design as first choice!! Also, at one point, while responding to someone who'd urged me not to choose # 6, I received another email from another respondant who was absolutely adament that #6 is the very best choice.

Unless you indicate otherwise or send a comment via this site, I'm anonymously posting your comments and decisions below as they arrive. To find out what other people think, read the comments below. They're a fascinating study, don't you think?

I may be ever so slowly creeping towards a decision ....maybe...perhaps... I'm not sure...I think so...

So far, out of replies posted below, the score is...

Design .................# Points
#1............18 (1-2nd choice, 1-4th choice)
#2.............0 (1-5th choice)
#3.............3 (1-6th choice)
#4............18 (3-2nd choice)
#5............13 (1-2nd choice)
#6.............7 (1-2nd choice, 1-3rd choice)

Abstract

2007-08-20T11:36:00.000-04:00

Challenge: Experiment with colour.

I love the colour in this painting I created. It's all about having fun. You can do it, too...

Jug

2007-07-27T10:00:00.000-04:00

Challenge: Choose an interesting object to draw as a still life.

simple shape can be so intriguing.

Here's another example and further challenges.

Wild Flower by Hainny

2007-05-06T00:12:00.000-04:00

I showed his wife how to 'paint'. She showed him. Here's what he says ...

Hi Nellie:
Now you have me doing it.
-Hainny

Celeste Loves David

2007-02-21T20:13:00.000-05:00

I'm fascinated at how each person's results are unique and beautiful.

For example, Celeste -recently retired, by the way - created her first piece "Celeste Loves David" within the first 30 minutes of instruction.

Star Series #1 *

2007-02-17T15:16:00.000-05:00

Challenge: Create a series that focuses on a specific:

1. Topic
2. Style
3. Tool
4. Color combination or
5. Design element

Many artists stretch how far they can go in one direction with their art. To achieve this goal, they often develop a series with a common element.

* The above illustration is one in a group of 'Star' paintings I created with the Paint application.

Star Series #2 *

2007-02-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Challenge: Put a limitation on your next illustration. For example, limit the colors or tools you use. Or change the size of your canvas (long, thin, wide, short).

* This is another in my 'Star' series.

Stars Series #3

2007-02-16T15:24:00.000-05:00

Challenges:
1. Use the Freeform Select tool to create shapes; move them around.
3. Draw outlines around some of your shapes.
4. Insert your signature sideways.

Star Series #4

2007-02-16T15:20:00.000-05:00

Challenge: Go wild with color.

Black and White

2007-02-10T22:36:00.000-05:00

Using just black and white can be really effective.*

Challenges:
1.Create a black and white drawing.

2. For fun, insert one other color.

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* To see these as the original drawings, place the cursor on the painting and then left-click your mouse .

Buoyant on a Sea of Rejections

2007-02-05T10:03:00.000-05:00

Challenges:
1. Using your own life and work experiences, think of 5 great titles for possible books you might want to write. Brainstorm with friends or family. Choose one title. Create a front cover illustration for it.

2. Cut and paste the cover drawing into a Word or PowerPoint document and develop a story related to it. Create more illustrations to insert into the story.

The above illustration is the cover I designed for one of my books-in-progress. Click here to read my article about this topic posted on my 'Igniting Imagination' blog.

More book covers I designed for my books-in-progress:

Black, Green, Blue & Pink

2007-01-31T20:12:00.000-05:00

Challenge: Incorporate letters or words into your illustration. Experiment with fonts and size.

While learning Magical MousePainting TM skills , creating can become an obsession. What's interesting is that as you develop your creativity, it begins transferring to other aspects of your life.

Flower

2007-01-15T20:23:00.000-05:00

Challenge: Draw a familiar object. Make it into an abstract by ...

1. Extending lines
2. Fracturing the background, and/or
3. Dropping color into sections

I love to play with color, shape and form.

Huh?

2007-01-08T13:59:00.000-05:00

Challenge: Draw what you are feeling.

Huh? There are days when I feel exactly like this.

Modern Times

2006-11-16T09:46:00.000-05:00

Challenge: Using the Freeform Select, draw lines on the painting and then move the strips.

SHE

2006-11-04T08:20:00.000-05:00

Challenge: Create a comical character.

Isn't She something? Such attitude!* My husband swears she looks like the late comedienne Imogene Coco - and one of his clients.

It's so much fun to experiment with the Paint application.

Creating art is like brainstorming: Playing with absurd ideas can lead to all kinds of possibilities. One line, step or thought explored may result literally in a myriad projects.
____________________
*To see a larger, true version of this painting, left-click on it.

Circle Series #1

2006-10-24T08:12:00.000-04:00

Challenge: Sign your work.

Where and how you place your signature may be another element of the overall design of the painting.

Click here to see more in the 'Circle' series.

____________
To see a truer version of this painting, place your cursor over it and left click.

Circle Series #2 -"Let's Get Going!"

2006-10-22T18:16:00.000-04:00

Challenge: Focus on shape, using black, white and one colour.

Color and shape can be very powerful elements of design in a painting.

Blue Study #1

2006-10-19T20:11:00.000-04:00

Challenge: Focus on using only one shape in a variety of ways. This is the first in a new series. Palette colors are restricted to black, blue, red and white. Circles are dominant.

For an explanation of series of paintings and for possible challenges, see http://magicalmousepainting.blogspot.com/2006/08/star-series-1.html

Blue Study #2

2006-10-17T08:21:00.000-04:00

Challenge: Create a border and have parts of the illustration come out of it.

This is the second in the Blue Study series. To see other series illustrations, click on titles in the column to the right.

Gift Bouquet

2006-07-09T17:51:00.000-04:00

Challenge: Try drawing an object/still life in your home.

A bouquet of flowers arrived as a gift to our home. It was so vibrant and beautiful, I tried to capture its spirit.

Selena Priscilla James

2006-06-12T21:08:00.000-04:00

Six year old Selena and I collaborated on this painting while I was teaching her how to use some of the tools in the Paint application.

This skills learned and challenges offered in Magical MousePainting TM book and/or workshop provide a wonderful, fun way for generations to learn from each other, work and create together.

Sondra Ezrin

2006-06-12T21:06:00.000-04:00

In the summer of '05, while Creative Consultant Sondra Ezrin helped me develop my first Magical MousePainting TM workshop (entitled "How to Paint with a Mouse"), she had fun experimenting with the Paint application tools.

"Gravenhurst Abstract" is the result.

Sandy Tobias Offenheim-Words

2006-06-11T22:44:00.000-04:00

Words of wisdom created by Sandy is the result of another practice exercise following instructions in Magical MousePainting. For an enlarged view, click on any of these illustrations.

Sandy Tobias Offenheim - "Another Fish"

2006-06-11T22:43:00.000-04:00

"Another Fish," the result of a practice exercise by Sandy, bears an uncanny resemblance to work by renowned artist Calder.

Sandy doesn't consider herself an artist. Her creativity typically is demonstrated in other forms. She is known world-wide as a poet, children's songwriter and entertainer. Sandy also teaches English as another language to New Canadian adults and among her exciting, diverse projects, she is currently completing a unique book to help people learn English.

For more information, visit her website www.sandyoffenheim.com.

Sandy Tobias Offenheim - "Primary Colors"

2006-06-11T22:33:00.000-04:00

Until recently taking up the mouse, Sandy never thought of herself an artist, yet this experimental piece "Primary Colors" has so many elements of world-renown artist Joan Miro's work.

Sandy Tobias Offenheim - "Untitled"

2006-06-11T22:28:00.000-04:00

Following this simple MousePainting TM exercise in my book, Sandy created her wonderful painting "Untitled," which just happens to be in the style of the famous painter Alexander Calder.

DesertScape

2006-02-24T07:41:00.000-05:00

I love the serenity as well as the unusual color combinations of this painting.

Selena's Painting

2006-02-12T21:07:00.000-05:00

This is one of several illustrations created by 6 year old Selena by the end of just one hour of instruction.

Rave Testimonials for Magical MousePainting:

2006-02-12T09:18:00.000-05:00

Self-discovery:

"I have discovered through Paint, that I have a great sense of design and colour, which I didn't know."

"Funny. The drawings you chose for your blogspot are the ones that I thought were my worst and almost erased. "

"I have still been experimenting with Paint and have created so many different things just for fun."

Audience:

"This is an amazing tool for people in business to access and free up their own creativity."

"I would endorse and recommend it to anyone who is interested in beginning to computerize graphic design in many fields."

"It would be great for fashion and interior design, cartooning, scrap-booking and so much more."

"What a fantastic creative activity for shut-ins and people with disabilities!"

"I think it is something that my grandchildren will enjoy doing when they come over. I can just hear them saying , 'cool'."

"Suggest it for parents, grandparents, babysitters to use with children. Stop playing electronic games for a while and be creative together. "

"I even showed it to my parents' caregiver in hopes that he can get my mother involved using it in a simple way."

"My granddaughter even did a couple when she stayed here last weekend."

Process:
"I'm much happier using the already made shapes so that my lines are straight"

"I get a real kick out of filling in the spaces with paint."

"Find it very relaxing."

"I am not playing Solitaire any more as this is much more creative and takes only a few minutes."

"It really is a lot of fun to create and fill in the blanks."

"We have been playing with various patterns and colours."

Preview testimonials to Magical MousePainting book:

"As I was going through the different parts of the book, I could hardly wait to see what other possibilities would unfold."

"I think that it's a wonderful, fun book."

"I am astounded by the amount of work that this must have been for you to do."

"I loved the illustrations. "

"It is really an impressive work."

"It is an easy-to-follow guide to artistic use of the computer to further and enhance methods of expression through colour and design."

"It looks great."

"It worked easily for me. Your directions are clear....."

Forwarding 'experiments' for posting:

"If you like, I'll send all of mine to you. I have had fun with the titles, as well."

Red, Green, Black & White

2006-02-11T15:48:00.000-05:00

Bold colours: I believe the design does work. What do you think?

Lighting Your Creative Fire!

2006-02-11T15:37:00.000-05:00

Here's the cover I designed for Lighting Your Creative Fire! book in progress, one element of the 4-part "Lighting Your Fire!" program. How creative are you? Click here to read my 'Igniting Imagination' blog.

Mouse

2006-02-07T20:55:00.000-05:00

Challenge: Create your own challenge.

To keep my creative juices flowing, I try to set a challenge each day. This one was to simply illustrate distance perspective.

Conversation with Sondra

2006-02-05T12:10:00.000-05:00

This computer drawing developed out of a conversation about intuition I was having with my creative friend Sondra.

Talking with Barbara

2006-02-03T12:02:00.000-05:00

Challenge: Doodle an abstract.

I'm a compulsive multi-tasker who needs to be always creating something.

So, while speaking on the phone I usually doodle with a pen on paper or paint with a mouse. Here's an illustration created on the computer while talking with my friend Barbara.

Flower Pot

2006-02-02T21:10:00.000-05:00

Challenge: Create your first computer-generated drawing.

This is one of my earliest experiments with the Paint program. I was learning how to use each of the tools as well as incorporating elements of design.

Loads of information, techniques, tips and scores of challenges are offered in Magical MousePainting.

By learning how to paint with a mouse you'll ;
1) develop a practical skill: either basic or more complex computer use and applications;
2) explore your personal creativity
3) discover fundamental art principles, and
4)possibly unleash a different approach to life and problem solving.

One more step to creativity: Comment on, describe or write a short story about "Flower Pot."

Chatting with Mom

2006-02-02T14:24:00.000-05:00

Challenge: Draw a memory.

Talked with mom about my niece forgetting to take along a sweater for the cool air while visiting an ashram in the California mountains.

Talking with Tona

2006-02-02T10:19:00.000-05:00

Challenge: doodle.

Here's my 'doodle,' drawn with Paint while talking with Tona.

Lightness of Being

2006-02-01T23:00:00.000-05:00

This is painting is included in Magical MousePainting TM. While developing it, I fractured the parts, moved them around, dropped in color, cut and pasted parts and fractured again. Experiment with these steps.

Flag

2006-02-01T13:25:00.000-05:00

I love color. This painting was an excuse to use as many colors as I could.

Challenge: Create a painting using at least 4 colours.

Life Series #2

2006-01-08T17:52:00.000-05:00

I love painting rocks. These have imaginary flowers blooming in their midst. The frames on these watermedia pictures are created with the Paint program.

Three Vases with Flowers

2006-01-07T18:00:00.000-05:00

Artist Kathleen Gabriel bought the original of my watermedia painting as a wedding gift for herself and her husband. A copy of the painting is available as a greeting card.

A Whopper and a Half

2006-01-04T11:03:00.000-05:00

I love this guy, especially his red hat. He's one of a group of Francophones (and my husband) who flew 20 years ago to a fishing camp to spend a week in Northern Quebec.

The original painting and its greeting card are available for sale.

Be creative: comment on, describe or write a short story about the painting.

Wild Woman

2006-01-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

I painted this for my 'Line and Form' university course in mid-eighties. It was chosen for the end-of-year show at the university art gallery. Years later, with the title "Crazy Lady," it graced the front cover of a hand-out for a speaker's presentation to a mental health conference.

Woman's Work is Never Done

2006-01-02T23:39:00.000-05:00

This pencil drawing was created in the mid '80s while I was attending university at the same time as raising my 4 young kids.

Look closely: You'll see a female robot carrying a bag of tools and dragging behind her a vacuum cleaner; she is surrounded by chaos. I guess it's how I felt at the time.

Peter Kolisnyk's 'Line and Form' year-long course was by far the most demanding course of any I'd ever taken. We were expected to complete a portfolio each semester; my dining room table, transformed into an art studio, was inoperable for eating or guests the entire school year. I wish I could show you the "Lust/Love" ink and potato print that was the talk of the year-end show, but this is a family site.