Getting Back To The Little Things

Hello All,

Sometimes it's the small scale projects which have the biggest impact. I love working on either index or post cards. They are a small piece of creativity that can be done when you don't have a lot of time for anything else and the results can be really exciting. By restricting yourself to a small area you can really focus on a particular medium or technique and I love seeing where they take me. Here are a few recent cards

In this one I added modelling paste through a stencil then used inks and metallic paint to add colour and gel pens to bring out some of the pattern. I found the text in a magazine which suited it perfectly.

This one is an experiment of adding layers of circles using different mediums and techniques. I finished it with some bottle top art (an even smaller canvas to work on!) and again some text from a magazine.

I hope you like them and hope they inspire you to go out and buy a pack of index cards to have a go!

Bye for now xxx

The Start of A New Commision

Hello All,

I am back to canvas this week and thoroughly enjoying myself. I am feeling really inspired with this latest piece which is a commission for a friend of mine. Here it is so far:

And a few details too:

I have been working with inks, acrylic and pigment powders mainly, with some mica powder and gelatos thrown in for good measure. The texture is built up using tissue paper, modelling paste and glass bead texture gel. I am really enjoying the contrast between the texture and the smooth. I already have in mind two or three other canvases combining the two again.

I have progressed really quickly with it cause I can't leave it alone and I am nearly finished, but like a good book I will be almost sorry when I do. I may have to dive straight into another!

Bye for now!

xxx

Change

Hello All,

Today I thought I would share an art journaling page I finished at the weekend. I was playing around with layers. This is in my altered book so there is already text on the page to start with. To this I added gesso then modeling paste through a stencil from stencilgirl products designed by Carolyn Dube  Once this had dried I added layer after layer of ink and paint keeping it quite wet and allowing it to drip through the modelling paste. I then drew some circles and added a layer of gesso to everything but these so that the circles really stand out.

I decided to add the butterflies and the word 'change' to reflect the changes in my life recently with my youngest finishing nursery and my eldest finishing infant school. I used stamps on tissue paper to create these and adhered them to the circles using matte medium. Lastly I brightened some areas of the background with ecoline watercolour inks.

I hope you like it! let me know what you think.

Bye for now xxx

Sunshine is bliss

Hello All,

Well the sun came out this last weekend and it was glorious. I spent most of the time sitting in my garden, my kids playing around me, while I read my book or created. Absolutely bliss! I think the only time I left that spot was when we walked into the woods to look at the bluebells that have suddenly bloomed. Everything seems that much better with a bit of sunshine. The trees that had been sat in bud for weeks felt the sun and burst into glorious green. It got me thinking how much everyone loves the spring but only due the lack of it, only because of winter. The return of spring makes everyone breath a sigh of relief and everyone is suddenly all the more open and friendly because of it.

It prompted me to make these pieces. The first is a mixed media index card and as I sketched the bush in my garden all set to burst into colour I thought of the text. It is the idea that at this time of year everything is holding its breath before bursting with colour and new life. The second piece is in my art journal and it is done completely in inks. I was experimenting with the new ecoline inks and wanted to see what they would be like for drawing with. The text says "We have to experience the coldness of the winter to truly appreciate the return of the sun"

It was a fab weekend, really peaceful! That said as I write this it is raining cats and dogs.... hey ho that is the way it goes when you live in England!

Bye for now! xxx

Experiments

Hello all,

A weekend full of eating and dancing.... fab! I had a lovely birthday with friends and family and some lovely presents including several arty ones (which I always look forward to!) Plus a yummy raspberry cake from my lovely sister.

Nick got my a new round gelli plate which I can't wait to get my hands on but haven't yet had the time. My mate got me some ecoline inks which I have wanted for a while. I briefly got them out the other day to have a play:

I haven't had much of a go but so far I love that they are so vivid. Looking forward to experimenting more!

I also, since I had very little time for anything else, decided to experiment with some metallic paint and glass bead texture gel on an index card. I was curious if the glass would catch the shine of the metallic.

It did really well and so far I am loving it! The yellow and orangey colours are also ecoline inks which I added just to see if they were vivid enough to show up. The white is some metallic shimmer ink which I dripped on. I was expecting it to come out darker than it did but hey ho that it why experimenting is so fun, you never quite know how it will turn out.  Not sure what to do with it next though?!

While I was in a metallicly mood I worked a tiny bit on my commission, adding a touch of silver into it:

I really love the shine on it now and it goes really well with the pattern. The silver plays well with the pink especially but also brings out the hints of blue.

I will let you know how my experiments turn out next time!

Bye for now xxx

Self Esteem

Hello All,

Sometimes I go through periods of low self esteem as I am sure most people do. I have put on a little weight, not enough that would be noticeable to anyone but me but it knocks you a bit. I have to kick myself and be grateful for what I have. Everyone is a different shape and size. Wouldn't it be boring to all be the same! I am active and healthy and that is what should matter. I felt I had to do a art journal spread to give me that kick I needed to snap out of it:

This spread really has many many layers and I just kept adding to it. I started by sticking torn paper towels soaked in ink down then used a pallet knife and acrylic over that. then stencils, doodles, more paint, more stencils  more doodles etc. Finally decided I wanted to do a portrait to represent my self esteem and how I ought to feel about myself. She doesn't look like me she just expresses the confidence I need.

It did help and I do feel much better. That's the beauty of art journaling! 

Bye for now xxxx

New Canvas

Hello All!

This last week I started a new mixed media canvas. I have a pile of canvases in my cupboard that have been there ages, probably years and I thought it was about time I used them. 

I have used modelling paste, stencils, brusho pigment powders, acrylic, ink sprays, ink, gelatos and water colours ..... so far! Really enjoying the colours and textures in this one! The photos don't really show the shimmer that is in places.

I have reached a point now where I am unsure if I should add an image in or leave it abstract. At the moment I am leaning towards the latter as I love the colours and don't want to detract from that. I have it up in the kitchen, I look at it everytime I pass it, usually that helps me to decide. 

What is your vote, image or abstract?!?

Bye for now! xxx

Lovely Jubley Colour

Hello All,

Having a play with texture and colour this week. I do love colour :)

This is glass bead texture gel with acrylics, brushos and ink. I am enjoying playing which these three mediums at the moment. They create lovely vivid, touchy feeling backgrounds. For me they require very little else to finish them so I am trying to keep the pieces simple and not too busy.

I have also started to experiment in this way on a larger scale, creating an abstract canvas piece. I will post some pictures of my progress this week,

Bye for now! xx

First ICAD of the year

Hello All,

Last night I sat down with a cuppa and had a play with my new stencil which is a crafters workshop, Rebekah Meier design  I really like this series of stencils, they produce some lovely results. I decided to do a quick ICAD (index card) with it:

It has a cheery feel to it but with the image of a wasp (I hate wasps, having stood in a nest at the age of 8!) I decided on the text "There is no need to be afraid" and overall it feels like it's a card to remind me to look at the bright side of things and not to worry too much! As well as the stencil I used acrylic paint, silver texture paste, irredescent blue ink, washi tape, patterned tissue paper, collage and text stamps.

I am going to try and do lots of ICADs this year and bind them into little journals. They are a great little format to work on.

Bye for now! xxxx

Play

Hello All!

I just got some new Daler Rowney shimmering colour inks and pigment powders and so had a quick hour having a play on the back of and old cardboard box.

I really like the vivid colours and the shimmer in both the inks and powders is really nice. You have to give the inks a good stir each time because the pigment settles at the bottom but they are lovely colours. The pigment powders are really versatile as you can mix them into paints or mediums or add water to make shimmer sprays. Definitely a good buy!

I also managed to finally make a start on the background of one of my commissions, here is what I have done so far.

Detail

It will be a portrait of a guy who is a musician, hence the music and instruments. Adding loads of texture and lots of yummy colour, can't wait to get back to it now!

Bye for now, x