My First Mixed Media Video!

Well, I finally took the plunge into video!  Obviously videography is not my strong suit so this will be a work in progress but I am excited to finally share the process of creating one of my mixed media pieces!

I used a small piece of cardboard that I had prepped with a layer of gesso.  I didn't really have a plan for this piece so I created on the fly which is typically how I work.  

Hope you enjoy this peek into my process!  I hope to be sharing more of these eventually with instruction!

xo

Turning a WIP Collage Into Cool Photo Art

I started collaging an old canvas board with torn up pieces of my NYC photography.  Typically I do not enjoy collage.  It frustrates me.  But for some reason I really got lost in ripping and gluing these pieces down with no thought to placement at all.  I try to remember to take photos during the progress of my pieces and did so with this.  What I did not expect however was to find a really cool image.  I shot this at an angle just playing around with my iPhone and loved what I saw!

I then took it a step further and put the image in the 'be funky' app which has some cool borders.  I also grunted it up a bit so it would have a more distressed antique look.  

Yesterday I printed it out and think I will hang it up!  You never know where an image can take you.  Even something as simple as a photo of your WIP.  Try it sometime!!  I would love to see what you create!!

Collage, Mark Making And Where I've Been . . .

"scattered"

5x7 journal page

I just realized that I hadn't posted anything since last weekend. Well, let me tell you why. I have been pretty sick this week. Some of you may know about my angry arm cyst from a previous post. I was on antibiotics for a week which ended Monday. Then Tuesday evening I started not feeling quite right and woke up Wednesday morning with what I thought was just a bad headache. It turned out to be a really bad stomach bug. So I was pretty much down for the count all day Wednesday and finally yesterday made it up off the couch in an attempt to celebrate my husband's birthday. So not how I planned it!

Anyway, I am happy to be posting today and sharing some new art! The above journal page was done with collage, a wash of raw umber, and lots of mark making with my sharpie fine point marker. That was the best part to me. I love scratching and scribbling. Helps to get out the angst! Despite the fact that this piece looks as if a crazy person created it I do like it.

This piece was inspired by techniques I am learning from Julie Prichard in her new solo class "Act Natural". I am really enjoying learning from Julie about all things grunge! If you like grunge, a neutral color palette, and the look of worn papers than do check out this class!

I am sharing this piece over at Paint Party Friday. So glad I made it this week!

xo

Beyond The Trees - New Photo Collage Finished!

For those of you who missed yesterday's post I shared the beginnings to this piece. I decided to go with the blue and raw umber color palette and I am very happy I did! I love how this piece turned out. It looks better in person as I still don't take good photos of my work and this 11x14 was too big to scan. lol

Here is the photo of how it began that I shared yesterday. And I did love what the black background did for my painting process.

I really was able to get in a zone for a bit and smear some paint around trying not to worry about what was happening. Here is part of the process below. I liked it at this point and debated going any farther. This is always the point where I fear ruining it! This canvas had 2 other 'paintings gone bad' on it but that gave great texture to the new painting!

That payne's gray is my fav. I love the shade of blue it becomes when mixed with titanium white! And the raw umber goes so nicely with it. And then there is stamping . . . my dogwood once again (love) and butterflies!

Beyond The Trees

mixed media on 11x14 wrapped canvas

available on etsy

Thanks to those who left a comment on yesterday's PPF post!! I so appreciated all the encouragement at the beginning stage of this piece!

Wishing you all a great day!!

xo

Angel Ballerina Is Painted And She Sold!!

"angel ballerina"

mixed media on 8x10 canvas board

sold

Good morning my dear friends! I completed this piece over the weekend. I went with a similar color palette as the angel bride. Its funny how I get stuck in a color that I really like. I have another angel to put on canvas and I hope I can break away from the pink!

I have to admit I did obsess over her a bit especially on the top layer details. At one point I had to ask my hubby to take it away from me before I ruined it! lol Then I posted her on facebook as I do with most of my art to share her with friends and I sold her before I even got a chance to list her on etsy! She is on her way south to a little girls room. It really makes my heart happy to think that my art will be in a new home and hopefully inspire its new owner. She will be added as a print to my etsy shop later today!

I have a couple of works in progress one of which is an altered photo piece. This time I am being daring and using a 11x14 wrapped canvas covered in black gesso waiting for one of my altered photos. The photo is all scratched up, inked and ready. We will see how it goes! The other is a background for my third angel although I still need to figure out what color the background will be.

Dare I go with pink again??

Angel Ballerina

In staying with the theme of my angel bride I sketched out this angel ballerina! I wasn't sure how I would do drawing a ballerina but I do love her. She looks so happy and peaceful! Today I worked on a layered background. I stalled out though in the placement of some collage. But the good thing is what I don't like I can always cover up!

Hubby and I are back from a lovely dinner at our favorite italian place. The gnocchi I had are sitting in my tummy like lead! But it was so worth it. And then there was tiramisu too! Next up, some Seinfeld reruns . . . love that show! It makes us laugh. . . alot!

Thanks for the photo suggestions for the art exhibit! I will keep you posted as it gets closer!

Hope you are all enjoying the weekend my dear friends!!

Make A Wish . . . New Collaged Piece

"Make A Wish"

mixed media on 8x8 wrapped canvas

Thanks for all the great comments on my pug photo in my last post! it is one of my favs! Who am I kidding? All of the photos I take of Bosco are my favorites! lol I thought it would make a cute card so I listed it today in my etsy shop!

Despite the fact that I woke up today with an ugly headache I tried not to let that stop me from finishing this piece I have been working on for quite a few days. This was inspired by techniques I am learning in Jodi Ohl's class "Fun With Faux Encaustics". I am veering off the traditional road with her class but am having fun learning alot of great collage layering techniques that I don't usually incorporate into my paintings. Of course I have absolutely no patience to let layers dry which can be a problem! lol

You may recognize this girl as it was a sketch I posted a few weeks ago. Well, I decided to print out my sketch on plain paper and collaged her onto the canvas. I just colored her in with some crayons and charcoal pencil. I have to say I had alot more fun coloring in a sketch than painting a face! This may be my new favorite way to get my sketches on canvas!

Emerge . . . My First Layered Collage Painting!

"Emerge"

mixed media on 8x10 canvas board

As I said in yesterday's post I did alot of painting this weekend. This piece is my first attempt at a layered collage. I typically don't have patience for layers and I certainly could have added many more but I will take this as a first step! I initially was going to use this as a background for one of my face sketches but when it was done I decided to fill the blank space in the center with the tree. I used a couple of my own photos for the collage that were printed on plain paper.

The colors I used are not colors I am comfortable with either. I used some hansa yellow, phalto blue (gs) and nickel azo gold. I did begin with a first layer of payne's gray glazed over some stamped tissue paper and of course that got lost when I added the other colors. I used staz on ink for the first time and I love it.

This picture doesn't do it justice. In person there is more depth and some texture from the tissue paper. Hope you like it!

Eyes Speak Truth . . . New Painting

"Eyes Speak Truth"

mixed media on 8x10 canvas board

I had some studio time this afternoon so I was able to get my eye on canvas! I added some paper collage this time which I typically shy away from but I like what it does for this piece. The words came to me as I was painting. Wish my handwriting was better though! The butterflies made another appearance. I just felt they completed the piece.

Thanks for the comments on the eye photo I posted yesterday! I hope you like it as much in this painting!

New Abstract Painting . . . Playing With Texture!

untitled

abstract mixed media on 9x12 canvas board

Here is a new abstract I couldn't wait to share! I really love how it came out! I pushed forward through the uglies and it payed off! It is so exciting to see what it becomes after that first layer is put down.

I used glazes of alizarin crimson and payne's gray. Light molding paste (love this stuff!) and tissue paper were used for texture. The paper collaged on is a piece of scrap paper with stamping on it. I hated the first layer of crimson glaze! But I tried to ignore it and push onward! I also added titanium and zinc white to lighten up the gray in some areas. I am learning how important glazing is to be able to allow your previous layers to come through.

And best of all . . . I didn't over analyze with this one! I tried to let go and have fun! I know it won't always be that way but it would be really nice if it did!

Can I tell you how much I love payne's gray?!

Having Fun Flying With Kelly Rae Roberts

This is a mixed media painting I just completed using techniques I learned from Kelly Rae Roberts' book Taking Flight. I am loving this book! It is a fun read, full of great mixed media techniques and also shares ways to feed your soul through the creative process. Even though I am just a beginner it was easy to understand. If you haven't read it already do pick up a copy!

This was my first time doing a collage background. And I also used distressed inks for the first time. Love the effect they give. I am pretty pleased at how she came out. I am looking forward to trying another one! So fun!

Free To Be . . . Mixed Media Painting

So here she is .... my second face painting! And I really like her! I like her more than the first one I posted the other day! I worked on it last nite. I am still not sure about collage elements because I overanalyze way too much but I like how the butterflies look. I used molding paste again on an 8x10 canvas board and 3 colors of paint for the background, 2 of them metallic. I also used colored pencils for some of the shading and details. I originally had her shirt yellow and then changed it as I thought it needed to pop more. As you can see I was going for some wavy hair and I hope I pulled it off!

Taking the photo was tricky because of the metallic background. I hope you can see the colors of the background. When you take photos of your art to share do you use a camera or scanner?

I notice that each time I finish a painting I fear that I won't be able to do another one as good. Is that silly or what?!