Finding time...

OMG!!! 

Really struggling to grab my Arting time

lately, but I am fighting back!

Have signed up for my very first Life Book course

with Tamara Laporte next year (come on January!!)

Tam recently headed a short summit to introduce some of the 

teachers for 2019 and Pamela Vosseller has a collection

of free classes...this piece I created after watching her 

"Crave" video.

 Obviously I can't list all the techniques...

 as that would be impolite...

 even from a free class...

 but I loved every minute of the process.

 Doodling can be so restful :D

The word stamps are from 

Kelly Creates Quotes 1 traceable Stamps

(very cheap at the moment for a large text)

Enjoy XXX

Sharing n the following challenges ;

A Bit More Time To Craft #80 Anything Goes

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #406 Anything Goes

Through The Craft Room Door # wk 13th November, Anything Goes

The Three Muses Challenge# Splashes of Turquoise and Red

Creation Angel

Week 4 of  Willowing's free e-course

 "Art Heart and Healing" is about inviting

good things into your life, (my fav class so far) and

we are encouraged to create an Angel to invite a particular

"good thing" back into our lives..

this is what I created :D

" Create Happiness"

Way back in May I stared working on an old wooden shelf

building layers representing creation/evolution.

I'd gotten this fa and was stuck with where to go next.

 (stamped layers of atoms/molecules/DNA strands/insects

as well as lot's of splattered inks and paint. I'd then added 

silhouettes of children playing and bubbles) 

 Now I added my "Angel" or "Guardian/Guide"

 and started to add translucent layers of colour with

watersoluble pencils...

 using matte medium instead of water so that the 

colours wouldn't move once dried.

 I added gold metallic acrylic paint to the wings and "halo"

 *yummy shimmer*

You can still see the earlier layers.

 *trying to show how shimmery the metallic paint is*

 In his/her open hands, a shiny gold star and a bright

butterfly :D

 Simple statement for a positive title

"Create Happiness"

 Still able to see some of the earliest layers of 

"Creation"

I also love how the many layers combine to give the

impression of a "Universe"

 While I was printing the title I made myself a couple of

sheets of  words for future journalling :D

Enjoy :D XXX

I would like to share with the following challenges;

Addicted to Stamps and More # 302 Make your Mark

Crafty Creations # 371 Anything Goes

TTCRD # wk 24th July Anything Goes

Colour Crazy Craft Challenge # wk 30 Anything Goes

The Fairy and the Unicorn # July 

Happier Traveller...

After sharing the piece I had made from the "Happy Traveller" class by

Tam Laporte, I received a comment from a friend who asked

why these types of class are always pale skinned girls?

(not her exact words but you get the gist)

I said I had seen pages made with darker skinned girls, 

but to be honest there don't seem to be that many.

I thought I'd try painting my next girl with a darker complexion..

.but she still came out quite pale.

 *to be fair to myself I am extremely pale skinned

 so to me she seemed much duskier lol*

Not to be bested I have tried again...

 This time my girl has much deeper skin tones :D

 It was a much more difficult process.

 I knew just slapping down a layer of brown paint wasn't the right way to go...

instead I started with reds/blues/purples and oranges, with yellow for highlights.

You can't use white to blend like on the paler girls as it makes everything a dull grey.

Once the under-layers where in place I did use a light wash of raw umber*brown*

to tie the surface together, but it still made the skin look flat and dull....

 it turned out that the bog standard "flesh" coloured paint was the best to blend and highlight with...

who would have guessed lol

Still not sure if the darker skin tones are right...

*comments not only welcome but required*

Please let me know what you think, and give any tips you may have tried.

Enjoy :D XXX

Quick art share...

Lots of pics so I'll keep the words brief :D

Tamara Laporte  generously shared one of her classes for free 

last week, so I downloaded and gave it a try...

and Loved it!

"Happy Traveller" 

 she is on a journey...

 with her travelling companions..

 a very wise Hare and a chirpy little bird :D

 I enjoyed the class so much I decided to make another page.

 set on a darker night...

 I was trying for a darker skin tone...

but still ended up pretty pale. 

 Now I realised her face was rather wonky...

her mouth and nose looked very twisted.

 So I took a deep breathe and blocked them out with gesso...

 and re positioned them...

 which was really scary...

 but definitely worth it.

Much happier now :D

 The angle of her headband was also hopelessly wrong,

but I decided to keep it in and use to emphasise my journalling...

 "I wear my Halo at a jaunty angle..."

Not quite finished yet, but happy with how it's going.

Enjoy :D XXX

It's no good....

been soooooo long since I got messy, needed to work big...

 and my eldest had requested a new canvas...

 in black and white...

 with a hint of red...

 and 2 figures.

 I wanted them to look romantic rather than sexy...

 Still a few tweaks to the shading, but I love the way it feels right now.

Haven't decided on a title yet.

Hope they like it :D

Enjoy XXX

Comfort zone...what comfort zone?

So how many times have you stepped outside your comfort zone and tried something new?

A friend recently asked me if I had ever tried working in muted colours, or colours that I wouldn't normally use.....I have a deep dislike for the pasty pink/grey/ white combi of the mid 80's....

So with both wellies firmly on my feet I waded in!

I used a palette knife and a previously worked canvas, and just mashed the paint all over it...

then walked away(yuk)

Literally...I went for a walk, and saw these...

and when I looked at the grotty canvas again..I saw these :D

 I tried adding a foreground so they don't look like they are drifting in the sky...

 but I'm not sure if it is starting to look a bit "twee" ?

 A thin wash of viridian green to give it a bit of depth...

 then I thought...."stop trying so hard...loosen up" So I went back to the palette knife and thick paint.

and this is where I am right now.

Don't know where this is leading, but I can feel the adventure growing :D

Enjoy :D XXX