Worship Wednesday - Isaiah 9:6 and Matthew 1:21

When I was little I had a book by Ed Emberly on how to draw using shapes. He made it easy to draw because most people can do basic shapes. I am going to attempt to show you today how I painted in my bible step by step showing you the shapes. 

I started by watercoloring with gray on my page. It doesn't have to be perfect. In fact I think it looks better if it is just thrown on and not a solid color. There were splotches of white. Hardest part is you have to wait for this to dry before you go on.

For the next step I watercolored with brown. I made 6 lines. I started with and upside down "v". I then did two lines down to make the "legs" then I made an "x".  Again it didn't have to be perfect. In fact I think the imperfections give it an artistic organic quality. 

The next step I took yellow and made straight lines for the hay. I then went over the hay with a couple of brown lines. I think it kinda looked like a fuzzy caterpillar. 

The next step was to make a half circle with blue. I panted a sideways "c" with blue watercolors and I filled it in. 

I then made a smaller half circle with peach colored watercoloring. 

I then used yellow watercolor to make a "glowing" area.  I didn't have any specific shape. I just painted. 

I then panted a star at the top. I started by making a "t" and then and "x". 

 I saw this acrostic on facebook and knew I wanted to put it in my bible. I used pencil to sketch in the lettering. I started by writing "CHRISTMAS"  vertically. Then I wrote the rest. 

I went over the pencil marks with a black pen then I erased the pencil marks. 

I added some details with colored pencils and I added some Nuvo Aqua shimmer on the star and the halo and randomly in the yellow glowing area.  I wrote the scripture "addresses" at the top.  I then highlighted the scripture with blue watercoloring. 

I had the different Font for "CHRISTMAS" but I really wanted to emphasize it so I watercolored it with blue. I also added some squiggles with the black pen to the manger. 

I would like to say I was brave enough to just paint this in my bible right away, but I can't. I needed a practice page. I turned the practice page into a Christmas card.  Maybe someday I will be confident enough to not need the practice but for now I will do what I need to do. 

I hope this gives you confidence to maybe try this yourself. If you do I would love for you to comment and let me know.  Blessings as we celebrate the advent in preparation for Christmas.