Here is my second flower journal page using Christy Tomlinson's techniques for forming the flowers using painted coffee filters decoupaged to aluminum foil.  Very fun, I ended up using the paper towels that were inadvertantly painted with I sprayed the coffee filters and I liked them as well as I liked the coffee filters.  Consequently I used them in the flowers.  I used Dylusion Inks to spray the coffee filters after I had stenciled the black onto the filters.  Fun stuff.

Mixed Media Journal Page

This is another of the projects that I just completed for my Lifebook Journey that I blogged about in an earlier blog post.  This was completed using a lesson that Christy Tomlinson taught us forming the flowers using coffee filters decoupaged onto tin foil and sculpted into flowers.  I added scrapbooking papers and some rubons to help with the design.  The background was completed with a combination of Dr. Marten's Watercolors and Tim Holtz Distress Inks.  The foreground is done using acrylic paint and scrapbooking papers.  I'm enjoying the class and would reccomnend it highly to any of you who are interested.

Lumiere and Neopaque Mixed Media Canvas Part 2

I am here to report on my progress on my most recent mixed media canvas.  I used a variety of scrapbooking papers, paint, and Faber Castel markers on it.  I still need to finish the other two girls and am thinking of a blond and a brunette or maybe two blonds. LOL.  Not sure what they are wanting to become as of yet.  They seem to have acquired their own personalities.

I've enjoyed this project and the word spontaneity comes to mind when I am working in mixed media.  I have never really considered myself  a spontaneous artist and have always enjoyed detail and a plan but am finding that I really am enjoying the process and the freedom that mixed media allows. Anytime that we as artists can move outside of our comfort zone and try something new will certainly help invigorate our art and inspire us to reach for that creative star.  I'm looking forward to finishing this canvas and seeing it develop the personalities of the three girls.

I'm curious about your thoughts.

Jacquard Paints Lumiere and Neopaque

I just started another mixed media canvas this afternoon and every time I work on one of these it just makes me happy.  The freedom that I feel when working on a canvas gives me great joy.  I've incorporated my Washi Tape made using my Gelli Arts Printing Plate that I blogged about earlier, Prima Marketing Washi Tape, cardstock, scrapbooking paper, Stamp Washi Tape from 7 Gypsies Journey, a variety of Crafter's Workshop stencils,  and used Jacquard Lumiere and Neopaque paints.  I used Pearl Turquoise #571, Halo Blue Gold #556, Pearl Blue #570, and Halo Pink Gold #555 in the Lumiere line.  I also used Neopaque White, Blue and Turquoise.  I used a 3/4" brush to slip slap the paint onto the canvas in a random manner and using my finger randomly blended the Lumiere Metallics onto the canvas.  Used Americana DecouPage to attach all of the pieces to the canvas.  

I am very fond of these paints, they are absolutely luminous and the metallic paints are some of the best that I have ever used.  You could easily substitute different paint brands and paint colors, in fact I'm sure that Deco Art Americana has paint colors that would work beautifully.  Once I have started working on the foreground of this canvas I will post my progress as I go.  

I'd love to hear what you think of these mixed media canvases.  

Life Book 2013

I've mentioned in previous posts that I have began taking online Art Classes this past year and LOVED them.  I loved the convenience of being able to watch the classes whenever I have time and can rewatch as I need to revisit techniques.  What a marvelous invention that has allowed so many of us that live in rural areas access to amazing teachers and classes that I might never have had the chance to attend.  I'm still in process of watching my classes from Christy Tomlinson but the beauty of them is that I have access to them for a year so I have plenty of time.  Now just to make sure that I can watch each class before I am cramming them in at the end of my year time frame.  LOL. 

Because I am so enamoured of these online classes I decided to take the plunge and do a year long art/creativity class from Tamara Laporte called Life Book.  http://www.willowing.org/life-book-2013/   It is a year long mixed media class where we will learn new techniques and reflect on our art journey.  I was torn because I still had not finished or even started a few of the classes that I had already signed up for but decided to take the plunge and go for it anyway. 

We began our journey this week and so far it has been fantastic.  I've only completed one of the projects for this week but have loved the process so far.  I think that the best thing about the class for me has been connecting with artists around the globe who have similiar interests and sharing our projects.  What a great opportunity to be able to see how other artists have interpreted the same set of instructions.  I'm sharing my first project which was completed using 140lb cold pressed watercolor paper and using Tim Holtz distress inks for the background, Faber Castell WC Pencils for the angel, Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pens, and a variety of rubons for the background.  What fun it has been. 

If you are interested take a look at the class, there is still time to join and I assure you that you will love the process as well. 

Printing Using My Gelli Arts Printing Plate and Jacquard Paints Part Two

Hello Again!  I'm back sharing some of my prints using my Gelli Arts Printing Plate.  I'm still not 100% happy with these and am sure that as I use the plate more often I will become more comfortable with it, but then I am comparing my prints to Joan's prints who is the owner of the Gelli Arts Company.  That is a hard act to follow, she is amazing.  I've tried a variety of paints on the plate and like some better than others.  The Jacquard paints worked really well and especially well on the Washi Tape as it is a luminous flexible paint, my Deco Art Americana Paint worked well, I also tried my Traditions Paint on the plate and the prints turned out well but the paint stained my printing plate.  Be aware of that, it doesn't bother me that the plate is slightly stained but it might bother you.  Next I'm going to try using my JoSonja paints and see how they do. 

This is a print that I used my Traditions paints on with a number of different stencils to form the texture and then sprayed the background with my Dylusions Ink Sprays. 

This was printed using Deco Art Americana Paints and added a touch of Glitter Paint to the print, then wiped off using my Catalyst tools.  I like this one and think that this can be used somewhere as perhaps a background paper.  Not sure but will wait and see where it ends up. 

I'm curious as to your thoughts or what are you doing with your plate that is fun and exciting. 

 

Gelli Arts Prints with Ranger Dylusions Inks Part 3

I'm sharing a few more prints that I've completed using my Gelli Arts Printing Plate.  The first one was a happy surprise becasue as a print I wasn't very happy with it and actually printed onto the back of the paper and when I sprayed the back of the paper the color came through onto this print and then all of a sudden I really liked how it looked.  Made me laugh out loud because sometimes accidents happen and have great results.  Just goes to show how fickle the creative process can be. 

I used a variety of Deco Arts Americana paints and assorted stencils, then sprayed the back of this piece with my Dylusion Inks and love this one.  I am keeping this one.  LOL.  Happy Accident. 

This is the print that is actually on the back of the print show above.  LOL.  This was a ghost print that reminds me of footprints.  I sprayed greens and turquoise Dylusion Inks onto it and liked it but like the one on the back better.  What are your thoughts? 

Gelli Arts and Ranger Dylusion Spray Inks

I recently had the chance to spend some time playing with my Gelli Arts Printing Plate www.gelliarts.com and experimented with different paints, used my Catalyst Wedge Tools, and used my Catalyst handled tools.  Of course they all worked great although I still need to play more to really feel that I know what I am doing.  I am still such a novice at this.  The Wedge tools work wonderfully, I received some handled Catalyst tools for Christmas and really loved working with those as well and liked that I had the option of working in smaller areas.  Thanks kids for the Christmas gift.  I also received a set of Dylusion Spray Inks as a gift for Christmas and decided to try the sprays in conjunction with the prints that I had made.  How fun was that.  I'm sure that I can use some of these as background pieces for cards or in conjunction with mixed media canvases. 

This is one of my favorite pieces, I used my Jacquard Neopaque and Lumiere paints in the printing process and then sprayed the dry piece with the Dylusion Inks.  I used yellows and greens for the sprays. 

This print is similar to the one shown above, printed using the same Jacquard paint but sprayed with orange and yellow inks.  Love it!!!!

This is actually a ghost print printed while I was printing the Washi Tape from my last post but then sprayed it with Dylusion sprays.  I thought that it was boring as just a print but once I used the sprays with it I thought that it was stunning. 

Printing Washi Tape using Jacquard Neopaque and Lumiere Paints

Good Morning and Happy 2013!  I wish you a Happy and Productive New Year.  My new year is starting out well, I've signed up for a year long online class called Life Book and I watched my first video and have started my first class project.  I'm excited to be participating. 

I have to say that I recently watched a You Tube Video by the Journal Junkie http://feliciathejournaljunkie.blogspot.com/ printing "Washi Tape" with the Gelli Arts Gell Printing Plate and was inspired.  I decided to give it a try using my Jacquard Neopaque Paints and loved the result.  I printed these using similar techniques described in the video and there are a few things that I would do differently next time, I placed my masking tape on paper to print it and I would instead place it on a plastic sheet because by the time I took my tape off of the paper some of it had adhered to the paper.  I'm sure that I have enough to use for a while however.  LOL  Here is a photo of the tapes that I printed. 

 

I then decided that I wanted to use some of it on a canvas and chose to use the red tape. 

 

 

Love it!!!!  The tapes were easy to make and are gorgeous and what a great use of my Gelli Arts Printing Plate.  Once I use these up I will do this again and it was certainly more economical that using purchased Washi Tape.  I wonder do they make white masking tape?  White would make a really gorgeous tape as well.  Anyone know?