Watercolour Giraffe

I was going to teach this watercolour class but alas, the project will be too difficult for beginners. I found a pattern in a magazine, but didn't like the author's colour mixes nor her style, so I modified virtually the whole painting. I like how it turned out. After capturing it in the lens, I went back in and adjusted the glaze in the green area between his face and body.....I needed to bring the value up to match the green on the right. The camera really helps to identify correct values. I really liked the concept of the big guy's nose hanging over the mat. Simply cut around the giraffe using an exacto knife so that it lays properly on the mat.

Every once in a while I go on a watercolour exploration. I must have been in the zone this day to have created "Gerry the Giraffe".

Do you like him?

Faux Encaustic...

Encaustic art is all about adding molten wax to your art piece. It's an ancient technique dating back over 3000 years ago and was used by the Egyptians. Lately I've become fascinated with the technique so I decided to play around with it.

There are a few different ways to use the molten wax. Real beeswax can be used and a fluid acrylic can be added to the wax to create different colours of wax. One can drip, pour or even use an iron to apply the wax. I have a bag of the real beeswax which I'm going to play with but first I wanted to try faux encaustic. The look and feel of real encaustic can be achieved but with using a medium instead.

In this piece of artwork I used a matte medium which I poured and dripped onto the canvas. I added a light drop of Golden Titan Buff to change the colour of the already white cloudy medium. Natural beeswax produces a shiny and bright appearance but for this piece I wanted dull and no glare.

Once the piece was dry then I went back in and rubbed Raw Umber into the faux wax. I was experimenting with this technique and was quite pleased with the appearance of it....it seemed to create the missing element that I was looking for after I thought I was finished. I usually let an art piece sit for a while before I deem it completely finished. It was at this stage that I decided that faux encaustic might do the trick. It did!

Do you think you might like to try encaustics in your own paintings? Leave me a comment.....I'm interested in what you think of this technique.

Toilet Roll Art????

What can one create using the rolls of toilet paper???

Simply fold the roll in half lengthwise....

then simply create art on each roll....

I used butcher block papers,

Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Walnut Stains,

various rubber stamps....

fibres,

found objects and

ephemera.

oh.... and some bling.

The above piece includes a washer and a bottle cap.

DecoArt Texture Fierro was brushed on the above piece.

Each roll has a tag inserted into it....

which also has been painted, stamped and embellished.

Little works of art.

Different eh?

You can see more toilet roll art on YouTube

How does your creativity spring to life?

As you may know I love to journal everyday, whether it be simply a few entries of the written word or some creative art journaling where I combine art with my written dialogue. I find either brings me new inspiration, new subject matter to mind and a new perspective on my creativity.

It was time to gather some new supplies so I went on a scavenger hunt to various stores around town just to see how little money I could spend but still fulfill my need for "stuff" to use!

Needless to say, I'm fixed for some fun and creative days ahead.

Gee maybe I'm gathering to prepare for the winter days that are soon to be here!

What kinds of supplies do you gather to help your creativity spring to life?

Love & Joy....

How can I portray "love" through art?

I attempted to.

This piece combines stencils, tons of different mediums for texture, Golden Acrylics,

and a stamp of "Love is patient - 1 Corianthians 13:4" .

Oh yeah...and a thingie-ma-jig I bought in the clearance bin at Michael's,

for $2 bucks.

Next I wanted to portray Joy.

Music brings joy to my heart.

I used a gel transfer for the sheet music, some wooden notes,

of course lots more texture mediums and another

thingie-ma-jig, bought at a hardware store which I secured

with a brad and heavy gel medium as an adhesive.

Needless to say, by the time I was finished both

pieces I was dancing with joy filled with love for art.

Wakefield Bridge Art

Last year my Sis and BIL visited Wakefield Quebec

There we saw a supposedly old covered bridge.

It was reconstructed in 1997 but still maintained some of its old charm.

I couldn't resist, I had to paint it.

The funny part about this painting is that on the sign of the bridge I painted 1967....whoops!

This painting was created with Golden Open Acrylics....love working with these paints, since they stay open a long time so that they can be easily blended.

Too bad I don't like the painting though!!!