C Knotes

testing remotes post

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:34:17 -0500

Testing to see where of if this post shows up. Sending it to two addresses.

How to Paint Migratory Birds - Watercolor Workshop Series

Fri, 29 May 2009 22:05:55 -0500

"Birds & Brushes" Watercolor Workshop Series

Press Release

Rockland - Catinka Knoth will lead a "Birds & Brushes" watercolor workshop on painting spring migratory birds, starting Saturday June 6, 10-Noon, and continuing Tuesdays 10-Noon, June 9, 16, & 23, in her studio, #2 Lincoln Street Center, 24 Lincoln St. The series of four workshops is $100, or $30 per class. Materials are available if needed. Contact the artist for more information 207-596-0069 or visit www.catinkacards.com.

Students will work in the studio creating from either their own or provided reference photos. Each week will focus on a different bird, such as cardinals, finches, warblers, hummingbirds, herons & egrets. Knoth will demonstrate exercises and painting techniques such as sumie style calligraphy, working with washes, creating textures with wet-in-wet and drybrush, direct painting, and using negative spaces to create white shapes. Students will learn skills of observation and expression that will enhance their future study and enjoyment of birds.

Story of a Cat at Sea - A Story in Progress, Thumbnails, Storyboard

Sun, 10 May 2009 16:29:37 -0500

From a recent letter to old friends:

..Perhaps you remember the little cat in the sea storyboard of thumbnail sketches I showed you so long ago. It has been languishing hidden away in my storage boxes for years and years. Occasionally I pull it out and look longingly at it. ( I always associate you two with this set of sketches for some reason.) Initially after doing that first plan, I had drawn up a few images and turned them into cards which have been favorites with people all these years. But, I had learned back then, that children's stories were just not supposed to end with "and then he woke up." No 'it was all a dream' stories. I never could figure out what to do with the ending of the story, and so the project remained unfulfilled. It was stuck for years, though two of the images have gotten plenty of mileage. People always ask if they are part of a children's story and I must confess how I just got stuck with it.
The other day, perhaps even prompted by your initial contact, I came across the sheets of thumbnails again. (I was actually in search of something else.) This time it hit me - I could just scan those thumbnails, rough as they are, and make them into a very loose type of book. And, in such a rough form, this ending can stand as it is - or - alternate endings could be created by readers/viewers. (And, after opening my mind to this solution, I did get a slew of other ideas for stories with this cat character as well as endings for this story.)
I've now scanned all the thumbnails as enlargements. I'll either put it together as a little booklet myself or use one of those POD printers as a simple production. I want to have this as an object in my hand which can be passed on/shared if desired. Even more basic and elemental though, which also just came to me, is that stories used to be only oral. I would love to use my story in that way as a companion to my kids drawing classes. It is good to realize, once again, that prescribed ways, are not the only ways that things have to be!

I'm attaching the sheets as they've been all these years. They're reduced in size but I think they're big enough to look at. Boy are the thumbnails rough. I think I was experimenting with some 'brush' marker. I hate the squared off edges those strokes make. A real brush would have been so much better in being able to form less fractured backgrounds. But I want to put it together anyway, just to bring the germ out to the light of day in a whole form. The prospect of this is gives me such ideas...
In Catinka's Animal Notecards for Cat & Dog Lovers you can see the two images that became cards.

Mother's Day Coloring Page - Make a Card

Sat, 9 May 2009 14:57:32 -0500

Make a Mother's Day card from my Mother's Day coloring page.

"Let's Draw Marvelous May!" - Children's Drawing Workshops

Sat, 2 May 2009 15:02:32 -0500

Mother's Day cards and May baskets, migratory birds, marsh life, and Memorial Day are some of the themes for this month's children's drawing classes led by Catinka Knoth at Rockland Public Library. Children ages 6 and up
follow along with Knoth in drawing a variety of motifs. Children age 10 and under should be accompanied by an adult.

May is also American Wetlands Month. Children will explore marsh and wetland habitats by drawing such animals as egrets, frogs, and beavers. International Migratory Birds Day is another May celebration and a chance to draw Spring warblers and other migratory birds. Knoth leads participants in step-by-step drawing instruction for the day's theme. She encourages adults to take part in the classes with their children and discover that drawing is
for everyone.

...from recent press release.

Step-by-step demonstration drawing of egrets and ducks. You should be able to see it develop, if your browser lets you.

Demonstration drawings prepped for you to color or draw from:

Beavers building a dam coloring page

Herons & ducks in a marsh coloring page

Furling Flags to draw for Memorial Day

How to Make a Paper Easter Peephole Egg

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 18:21:43 -0500

Print, color (or not), cut out, and tape together to make my paper peephole Easter egg. You can have the bunnies on the inside, or have them on the outside and make your own scene inside. Or, as this was first meant to be just a template for cutting the paper, just trace the egg and make all your own art!

Download peephole egg template pdf (c. 160kb) with bunnies.

We just did this project in drawing class yesterday. The kids had to make up their own for it of course. It was such fun. I wanted to get this template digitized so that people could make their own. i hadn't had any copies for the students to take home with them. Now, as I finished scanning and converting the template, it occurred to me I could shrink some of my Easter coloring pages and add them to the template. They started out as little models on the side area. Then I realized I could also put them inside the egg. Hope I'm not cutting down on anyone's creativity, but it was just too fun to make.

Husky Dogs and Dog Sled Papercuts

Sun, 8 Mar 2009 14:43:29 -0500

The 2009 Iditarod sled dog races started March 7. We drew Alaskan huskies and attempted tried to do papercuts of a dog sled team. My demonstration drawings are very rough. Huskies are a good subject to draw in 'stencil' style. The object is to color in without using outlines. The outline or edge is to be formed once one has colored in the shape. We started with the nose, next the eyes, then ears. Once the eyes are in, I ask the kids if they can see the dog. Afterall, if they can see it from just a nose and a pair of eyes, they are well on their way to following what they see in their mind's eye.

Instructions for papercut dog team:
Fold the end of 8.5" x 11" paper down c. 3". Cut along the loose edge so that you now have a folded over strip measuring 3" x 8.5" (unfolded it would be 6"x 8.5"). Fold over 1" from the folded edge and unfold. Fold over .5" from the folded edge and unfold. The top fold line is the ground line. Draw a row of 2-3 dogs along this ground line. You can see my dogs did not make it on the ground and got very oddly proportioned. Just draw smoothly any kind of creature with 2-4 legs, a bit like a cookie cutter. Cut out around the dogs but only to the ground line. The dogs need to stay connected to the ground. Then reverse the folds pushing them up inbetween the two rows of dogs. A cross section view of the paper should form a 'w'. This will allow the team to stand up.

My demonstration drawings:

Kids' Husky drawings and papercut dog sled teams:

Art of February Celebrations Children's Drawing Class

Mon, 2 Mar 2009 21:59:59 -0500

My demonstration drawings and the kids art from February classes

Coloring pages of the President's Day and Valentine demonstration drawings too. Click the links below. You may have to set your printer to 'fit to page'.

Mardi Gras Masks - demonstration drawing:

Kids' Mardi Gras drawings and masks:

Presidents' Day demonstration drawing:

Presidents's Day coloring page - George Washington and Abraham Lincoln

Presidents' Day kids' drawings:
This was hard. The kids were frustrated. Once they saw their work up with all the others for the picture taking, they seemed to feel better and more triumphant. I think they are wonderful. (Though nothing photographs well in that lighting. Sorry.)

Valentine's Day demonstration drawing:

Valentine's Day coloring page

March Program of Childrens' Drawing Workshops

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:35:16 -0500

Press Release:

"Let's Draw A March Medley!" - Children's Drawing Workshops at Rockland Public Library

Rockland - Iditarod Dog Sled Races, the circus, St. Patrick's Day, and Spring, are the subjects children will draw this March at Rockland Public Library's ongoing drawing workshops led by Catinka Knoth. Participants follow along with Knoth as she demonstrates how to draw a variety of subjects for March. Husky dogs, mushers and dog sled teams, are motifs from the Iditarod Race in Alaska, which start March 7th this year. Papercuts of dog teams may be explored. March is also known as when 'the circus comes to town', bringing acrobats, animals, clowns, and tents to draw. St. Patrick's Day has shamrocks, St. Patrick, leprechauns, pots of gold, rainbows, and Celtic designs. The arrival of Spring gives inspiration to draw daffodils, crocuses tulips, birds, and kites.

Sponsored by the generosity of local patrons, Wendy and Keith Wellin, the workshops, for age 6 and up, are free and open to the public. Children age 10 and under should be accompanied by an adult. All materials are provided. Ongoing workshops meet every Tuesday, 4-5 pm., Community Room, Rockland Public Library, 80 Union St., hosted by Friends of Rockland Library. FMI - Jean Young, children's librarian, 594-0310.

Dog team papercuts

Lion papercuts

Official Site of the Idtarod Race
Catinka's Dog Sled Race Art Lesson
Dog Sled Race Team Coloring Page

Here are some of my Spring coloring pages for you to enjoy:
Circus coloring page
Tulips coloring page
Spring Daffodils and Finches coloring page
Catinka's Spring Coloring Booklet to download, 1MB pdf It's been a while since I looked at this. It needs to be folded I think. Have fun!

"Let's Draw February's Celebrations!" - Children's Drawing Workshops at Rockland Library

Sun, 1 Feb 2009 23:44:06 -0500

Press Release:

"Let's Draw February's Celebrations!" - Children's Drawing Workshops at Rockland Public Library

Rockland, Maine - Children will draw images from February's celebrations and traditions at Rockland Public Library's ongoing drawing workshops led by artist Catinka Knoth. Participants draw along with Knoth as she demonstrates how to draw subjects from Chinese New Year, Valentine's Day, and Mardi Gras. 2009 Chinese New Year, celebrated for 15 days, is the Year of the Ox. Subjects may include papercut ox designs, Chinese dragon, and Lion Dancers. Valentine's Day cards often have hearts, birds, cupids, lace, ribbons, and roses. Mardi Gras motifs include masks, King cakes, doubloons, jazz instruments, jester, tricorn hat, and beads. Knoth suggests that participants may bring in related books and pictures as a possible inclusion for the demonstrations..

Sponsored by the Wellin Family Foundation, the workshops, for age 6 and up, are free and open to the public, with all materials provided. Ongoing workshops meet every Tuesday, 4-5 pm, Community Room, Rockland Public Library, 80 Union St., and are hosted by Friends of Rockland Library. FMI - Jean Young, children's librarian, 594-0310.

Tuesdays; 4-5 pm; 2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 2/24; "Let's Draw February's Celebrations!"

Download free Chinese New Year 2009 - Year of the Ox, card by Catinka Knoth, 53 kb pdf file. Print out and fold in quarters to make a frenchfold card.