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​Celtic Collective



​Members-Only Blog

Celebrate Imbolc with FOUR Fantasy Art Lessons in Fountain Pen Ink, Watercolor, Gouache, Alcohol Markers & Colored Pencil!

2/2/2024

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Hey Celtic Collective Member!!

As the Celtic Wheel of the Year continues to turn, it's time to welcome the season of IMBOLC - the midpoint between Winter Solstice (Yule) and Spring Equinox (Ostara). I've left a little PDF for you in the Imbolc Classroom over at Awesome Art School so you can learn about the various animals, crystals, colors, flowers and more that symbolize this marking of time for the Celts.

Lucy and I have prepared FOUR new fantasy art lessons for you to enjoy this month to go with our Imbolc theme.
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Let's get started with these lovely lessons, shall we?

Imbolc Circle Canvas in Gouache or Acrylics with Karen

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*All product links for Karen's lessons are affiliate & for U.S. residents only.*
In case you're new to the Celtic Collective, I've been making a 10" circle canvas to celebrate each season from the Celtic Wheel of the Year. We've only got TWO left after Imbolc until the collection is complete!

I did my Imbolc canvas in gouache, but it's more expensive to work with than regular acrylics, so please feel free to substitute, or use whatever you have on hand.

I LOVE working on circle canvases. If you don't - feel free to work on whatever surface you like. An art journal would be fun too! Just make sure those pages are nice and sturdy (when in doubt, use watercolor paper because it can take on just about any art supplies you throw at it!!). 

Circle canvases are pretty easy to find at local craft stores, but I get mine in bulk (5-pack for $20) on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MMXWb2

Here's what else I used...

Supplies

I've settled on these angled brushes as my favorite for gouache. Here is a GREAT deal (12 set for $9!): https://amzn.to/3wE77ow

Plus my trusty sponges:
Sea sponges https://amzn.to/3AumYGp
Circle sponges https://amzn.to/46ISEYt

For the grass you'll want to use a Rigger https://amzn.to/3HvlfVz

White transfer paper (the good stuff!!): https://amzn.to/42cBS1V

Here are the exact colors of gouache I used:​
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Golden So Flat Bismouth Yellow

Liquitex acrylic gouache in the following colors:

Scarlet https://amzn.to/3U7AZFT

White https://amzn.to/42f9sEC

Black https://amzn.to/42f9sEC

Hooker's Green https://amzn.to/3UiA6KR

Vivid Lime Green https://amzn.to/3Sw45MT

Brilliant Purple https://amzn.to/47QjXzf

Light Blue https://amzn.to/497imWC

Pentel Pocket Brush Pen https://amzn.to/3SeV62n

✨Ready to start this 1-Hour Lesson? Me tooooooo!!
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Goddess Brigid in Inks with Karen

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Imbolc (Feb. 1st), is ALSO known as Saint Brigid's Day in Ireland and Scotland, although it was originally a pagan festival... according to Wikipedia (where else would we get some quick backgroud to share?! lol!). Pagan Goddess Brigid was revered by poets and also associated with "healing, protection, domesticated animals, smithing and wisdom."

Some believe Saint Brigid is the "Christianization of the goddess, or that the lore was transferred to her," (
read more here from the article I found if you're interested!). 

Artistically speaking, I tried an experiment in this lesson to see if masking fluid worked with fountain pen ink painting like it does with watercolor, and it DOES NOT.

Consider yourself warned here - when you see me playing with masking fluid in the video - simply ignore those parts and leave the leaves (LOL) until the end. You can totally do those in gouache or acrylics then. 

And as always, if you don't have inks or don't prefer to work with them today, feel free to do this entire project in watercolor, acrylic inks, or whatever you enjoy most and have on hand!

I'm more than a little ink obsessed and love my sweet stash stored in these vintage crystal bottles that I find at thrift shops everywhere at home and when I travel! And yes, some are totally from Scotland!​
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Supplies

Stonehedge Cold Press Watercolor Paper: https://amzn.to/3U86qjn

Ellipse Template https://amzn.to/3ZegSFV
and Circle Template https://amzn.to/3QwtxAt

Polina Bright Watercolor Brushes Round, Rigger and Mops https://www.polinabright.com/karencampbell and use coupon code KARENCAMPBELL to save 10% off your order

0.4 from Pentel GraphGear Mechanical Pencil Set
https://amzn.to/2GFzZlf

Can't afford that one? Here is a link to a super and VERY affordable (and cute!) set I just picked up that has all the same pencil leads in it!!
 https://amzn.to/3OW5YBL

Noodler's Ink Pecan https://amzn.to/2Y1jhpZ

Noodler's Ink Walnut https://amzn.to/3v3FAKy

Noodler's Ink Turquoise https://amzn.to/3uIyiv0

Noodler's Ink Habanero https://amzn.to/2R9bKEU

Noodler's Ink Apache Sunset https://amzn.to/42dGJjx

Diamine Ink Meadow https://amzn.to/3vYzo5X

J. Herbin Fountain Pen Nude Ink https://amzn.to/3a0xfuV

Diamine Ink in Sepia https://amzn.to/3Ow9dMS (USE THIS NOT PECAN ABOVE)

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You'll also need some transfer paper for the Celtic symbol!

Pentel Pocket Brush Pen https://amzn.to/47qiAbk

​Copic white for highlights https://amzn.to/3DO2r23

✨Wanna start this 1.5-hour lesson? Let's do it!
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Imbolc Maiden in Colored Pencil & Watercolor with Lucy

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How gorgeous is this?! Lucy's work never ceases to amaze me :)

Lucy shared that common symbols during Imbolc are snowdrop flowers, lambs, and spring shades of blue and green - two of my favorite colors!!

If you look closely at the circle that surrounds Lucy's Imbolc Maiden, there is a Celtic knot. She said not to stress about this because she totally felt like hers was messy, but loved how it turned out in the end when she it with some watercolor.

Lucy also did this piece primarily in colored pencil FIRST, with a light watercolor wash on top. Interesting, right? Typically when I do that combo or art supplies, I reverse the order that I use them. I always think it's fascinating to hear how others work!! 

As always- use whatever you have on hand and love most!

​Here's what Lucy used...

Supplies

  • Watercolor paper 300 gsm (Lucy used cold pressed, but believes hot pressed would have been better here as it would make the colored pencil go on more smoothly)
  • Graphite pencil or colored pencils to sketch out your composition
  • Colored pencils (use whatever brand you have!!) in various blues and greens, with some pale skin tones for the woman too. Lucy didn't list the exact ones she used, but does mention them by name in the video if you want to know what they are. She says not to stress about having the EXACT same supplies as her :)
  • Watercolors - Prima set in "currents" , "terrains" & "woodlands "
  • Some white gouache (Lucy used Winsor & Newton) along with any gouache colors you want to use to enhance parts of the painting (Or you can mix your white gouache with watercolor to make pastel tones too!) She mixed small amounts of blues, greens and yellows to enhance the leaves and the candles)
  • Paintbrushes: Polina Bright watercolor brushes and KingArt Original Gold brushes for the gouache
  • White gel pen for the stars
  • You may want a blending stump for the colored pencil (Or you can also use a white to blend - Lucy used the Caran D'ache luminance white)
  • Something circular to draw around for the circle shape
✨Ready to start this 2.5-hour lesson? Let's go!!
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Imbolc Elements in Alcohol Markers with Lucy

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Lucy is LOVING her alcohol markers lately. I KNEW she would!! She's created some amazing alcohol marker drawing lessons for the Celtic Collective over the last few months. I hope you have SO much fun with this one! It's filled with more snowdrop florals, candles, and Saint Brigid's cross - which (according to Wikipedia again, if you wanna read more) were woven and "hung over doors and windows to protect against fire, illness, and evil spirits." Interesting, huh?

Ok! Enough history, let's get to the good stuff!!

​Use whatever art supplies you have and love, here's what Lucy used...

Supplies

  • Marker paper (Or Bristol paper)
  • A pencil and eraser
  • A black fineliner pen
  • Alcohol markers in the following colors (Lucy used Ohuhus with the brush nib):
    • YR3, Y030, BG8, G020, Y120, G120, BG3, B120, G360, BG4, BG7, B140, GY172, Y270, YR1, GY4, Y230, G170, E310, Y7, CG020
    • (please do not get hung up on having these exact colors!! you can easily substitute for what you already have. Lucy just noted them in case you want to know exactly what she used)
  • you may want a white highlighter like a paint pen or gel pen

​✨Ready to bang this lesson out in less than an hour?! I thought so!!
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Missed Our Last Members Only Podcast Art Along?

This is a party NOT to be missed!!

If you love a good laugh as much as we do, you've got to check out this replay!! It will totally crack you up, teach you about Robbie Burns Day (because who DOESN'T need to know about that?! Lol!), and MOST IMPORTANTLY, help you loosen up with a completely ridiculous project that is for nothing but sheer FUN!!

✨Catch the replay HERE & draw haggis with us!!
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​
😜YES, HAGGIS!!😜
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What Else is Comin' Up?

I'm outta the office on our typical LIVE day (the 21st), so we're sliding the next Members Only Podcast art along to the 27th!!

​ Be there, or be square, friend!! 
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    Author

    Karen Campbell, Mixed Media Artist, Author & Online Art Class Instructor

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