Watercolor Tutorial

Posted on March 30, 2020November 5, 2021 by Alexandra Schaefers

I’ve been meaning to try my hand at making a tutorial video for some time and since everyone is stuck at home during the COVID-19 outbreak it seemed like if there was a time someone might want to watch a video about how to play with watercolor paints this would be it. Let me know what you think!

Newport

Posted on December 1, 2019August 25, 2020 by Alexandra Schaefers

I had a great time at the coast a couple weekends ago, taking my books to the Newport Autumn Fest and Lincoln City’s Artisan Market. I really appreciate all the support from people who purchased my books or just spent time reading them in my booth.

One woman purchased a copy of “Patefacia and the Crickets.” for a teen she knows who is struggling with depression. It was very touching to me that one of my art pieces might provide solace and understanding for someone who’s having trouble stepping fully into life. It’s not as easy as it should be.

I got some beach time in as well as a hike after the shows were over. It was a great weekend.

Since I’ve been back I’ve started work on some final draft pages for my next book, it’s slow going right now but I’m really excited about it!

Remakes

Posted on October 21, 2019October 21, 2019 by Alexandra Schaefers

I remade a couple of my books from 2013, The Wind Returns with Autumn. and Patefacia and the Crickets. I didn’t have good photo editing skills back then so the books always printed dark. Also I made a new cover for The Wind Returns. and shortened the title. The old cover was smaller than the print size and I never really like how that turns out. The new cover does not exactly flow with the illustrations but I still like it better.

I was tempted to redo the whole thing since I’ve gained a lot of skills since 2013 but I want to move forward with my new book. Maybe in the future I will get to that. The poem is one of my favorites and one of my more relatable ones so I think it deserves the attention. It’s always challenging as an artist to know when promoting old work detracts from what you are doing now and when it adds to your history and depth.

Both books are in my shop on the front page!

Belmont Street Fair

Posted on September 13, 2019September 13, 2019 by Alexandra Schaefers

I’m going to have all my books at the Belmont Street Fair this Saturday September 14th from 10 am to 6 pm. I’m in booth #144 between 33rd and 34th street.

I’ve been very busy getting my Landscape Diaries chapbook ready! I’m really happy with how it turned out! The hardest part was choosing which pieces to include. I asked a couple friends to tell me their faves. One of whom is a very gifted printmaker whose work you should check out, Patricia Giraud. I’m not great at analyzing art but it seems to me that Patricia and I both work closely with the moody, dark and intricate beauty of the human connection to the natural world but that we do it it very opposite ways. Patricia renders exquisitely detailed drawings and prints and I make more gestural paintings and whimsical illustrations.

If you can’t make it to the fair Landscape Diaries is available on MagCloud.

In the Dry Grass

Posted on August 13, 2019August 25, 2020 by Alexandra Schaefers

I finished a new Greeting card book! I will get it printed next week and let you know after I have it in the shop.

Cover of “In the Dry Grass” by Alexandra Schaefers. Watercolor illustrations of meadow grasses and blue hills.

Title page of “In the Dry Grass” written and illustrated by Alexandra Schaefers. Watercolor illustrations of meadow grasses on a green background.

Watercolor illustration of meadow grasses and yellow leaves, one red oak leaf embraces a long green stalk of meadow grass. Handwritten text reads: “It’s my favorite time of year when Summer promises herself to Autumn in the dry grass.”

Watercolor illustration of meadow and wetland grasses with crickets on them and sun rays in the background. Handwritten text reads: “Each ray of warmth feels like the etymology of goodness and the crickets sing in rounds from their stalks.”

Watercolor illustration of a trail to a meadow through a tunnel of trees with brilliant yellow leaves changing to orange and then red, meadow grasses in the foreground. Handwritten text reads, “I walk to the meadow under a golden canopy. The scent of drying sap making new words for light.”

pages bordered with yellow leaves and meadow grasses on a green background.

back cover of "In the Dry Grass" meadow grasses and blue hills

The Gift of Birds in Print

Posted on July 2, 2019August 25, 2020 by Alexandra Schaefers

top on top of original illustrations used in the book

The Gift of Birds is now available in my shop!

The above photo shows one copy on a pile of the original illustrations. I took this to get some Instagram glam in my on-line presence. Probably not most people’s idea of glamorous but I really enjoy turning my writings into illustrated books!

I took a copy to the nearest Little Free Library at 35th and Spring Garden as has become my tradition when I finish a new book. I’ll keep that up until I no longer live in walking distance of a Little Free Library.

Artist’s Book Illuminated

Posted on June 27, 2019August 25, 2020 by Alexandra Schaefers

Here’s photos from my book arts workshop at Sitka. I had a small studious group but we had a lot of fun! Thanks to everyone for making it an inspiring experience!

The Gift of Birds

Posted on June 20, 2019July 3, 2019 by Alexandra Schaefers

Book title pages with illustration of a creek, European starling and Wilson's warbler. Handwritten text reads, "The Gift of Birds. Written and illustrated by Alexandra Schaefers"

watercolor illustration of a creek in a wooded area with stellar jays, grosbeak, varied thrush. Handwritten text reads, The creek burrows in the green light of the grass filling the woods with softness."

book pages, illustration of a creek in a wooded area with an American crow and scrub jay in the trees, cedar waxwings in a bush, American robin on the ground, song sparrow on a rock and a red-winged blackbird on a cattail. Handwritten text reads, "I walk along the bank, birds weaving each though into the leafy shelter."

book pages with illustration of a creeek in a wooded area with an American Dipper by the bank, a dark-eyed junco in a tree and a crow sailing past. Handwritten text reads, "keeping me from sinking into a stone or drifting into a star."

I have a new Greeting Card Book almost finished! I’ll let you know when I have printed copies available. UPDATE: The Gift of Birds is now available in print!

Book Making!

Posted on May 7, 2019August 25, 2020 by Alexandra Schaefers

Here’s a video of me illustrating a book 5 years ago. I use the same illustration technique I’m going to teach in my upcoming artist book class at Sitka Center for Art and Ecology. Illustrating a book is surprisingly easy if you start all the pages at once on a large sheet of paper.

When I make books for print I illustrate the pages individually but I love this technique because it teaches one how to make creative compositions, have a consistent aesthetic throughout the pages and quickly cuts through the intimidation factor.

My illustration style has developed tremendously since I started making books and I believe that this technique was critical in my development. Also, it’s really fun! I love art techniques that have an unpredictable element in them!

My next greeting card book is actually going to be a revised edition of The Gift of Birds, you’ll get to see that soon.

There’s still some spots in Artist’s Book Illuminated. Hope to see you there!

Little Books Explained

Posted on May 2, 2019August 25, 2020 by Alexandra Schaefers

In The Slough, Greeting Card Book by Alexandra Schaefers

I picked up In the Slough from PaperJam Press yesterday, it is now available in my new WooCommerce shop under the “Books” tab. I’m really excited about making more Little Books. It seemed like a good way for me to be able to do what I love most—illustrate my own nature poems into short books—while also providing something useful to others by making them card size and providing a place to write a note to a loved one in it.

These days we are rightfully tired of clutter, wary of collecting and gifting unnecessary junk and we want to reduce our negative impact on the environment. Since Little Books house heartfelt, intimate poems they can be seen and felt as a special gift while using very little extra resources than a traditional greeting card. They are presents for people we love who really don’t want more stuff. They are for people who love to give gifts but want responsible options.

These are printed on 100% recycled paper. I rode my bike to the shop to look over the proof and took the bus to pick up the finished copies. I even rode my bike to the post-office this morning to send out my first orders. I am going to try my best to keep up the alternative transportation theme so these books can have a hint of environmental stewardship added to their value.

I have a 50% off sale to celebrate the opening of my shop and the completion of my second Little Book, it runs through May 14th. I’d love to know what you think of this idea!