Implied Texture Painting

I'm loving this painting!  This was painted using techniques that I learned in the online Texture Town class that I'm taking.  I love this class and am learning so much already, and it's just starting!  This was for an assignment about implied texture.  Do you see how much depth this painting has?  But to the touch it is completely flat!  All the depth and texture is done with paints and glaze.  And the best thing is that it didn't even take that long!

This photo below shows the initial glazing...

Next, it was stamped and stenciled...

Then it was stenciled more and shaded.  At first glance these two appear similar, but look closely.  See how much more depth there is around the scroll stamps in the bottom photo?  I love it!  And I added a polka dot pattern here and there.

At this point I wanted to call the painting done, I loved it like this, but I also wanted to do the full lesson, so I added my the details.  I'm really glad I did because I LOVE the finished painting.  I want to do many more like this, it was so much fun!  And I can't wait to get into the actual applied texture lessons, with the touchable, raised textures....oh yeah!

If anyone's still thinking about this class I highly recommend it, it's wonderful.  And you should see some of the other students samples, wow!  I love seeing how even with the same techniques, everyone's paintings look so different with their different styles and designs, etc...so cool.  Once again, I'm not getting anything for going on and on about the class...I'm just excited about it and want to share it with you!  I'm off to paint more...

Work in Progress and SSS : Pasadena Palm

This painting was started a few months back, but I've been stuck on it, and can't figure out how to finish it.  I loved the colors before, but worked on it last week and thought I really screwed it up.  After walking away for a bit, I see that it's not bad, and I really like how the colors look in the cheesecloth.  I also remembered that sometimes art has to go through an ugly period before it all comes together. 

 I know that I need to work on the colors a bit, especially blending in around the branch and make it pop out more, and do a bit more glazing, but then what?   I think there's too much going on with the textures, leaves, and cheesecloth.  I do like where it's headed, but can't figure out what would pull it all together, and what to do on the left side...how to balance it all. 

Do I need a main focal point, and what/where should it be?   The branch?  In the beginning of this piece I was so excited because it seemed to be coming together quickly and easily.  I even had a great AHA moment with it involving cool embellishments to use...but...well... I'm stuck.

I know I'm almost there..the answer is just right there...and that's what's making it so frustrating.  I want to finish it, but I'm afraid I'll just mess it up more...but maybe that's part of my solution...I don't like it as much anymore, so how could I mess it up?  I guess I just need to go for it and not be afraid to just cover it all up if I need to...or not.  I have a few ideas, but the left side is just bugging me.  I'm taking this amazing online art class I told you about earlier..."Texture Town",  so I'm hoping I'll find my solution during one of the lessons.  I'll let you know what happens....

Anyway, moving on...

I love noticing and taking photos of shadows, it really is fun for me.  These were taken in Pasadena a few weeks back.  I took tons of photos that day, so you'll be seeing more of these over the next several weeks!

 I really loved the perfect shadow of this palm tree against this building. 

To join in with Shadow Shot Sunday, or to see more click here.

Serene Wishes Painting

I hope you guys don't mind me sharing some older work, but I just rediscovered this piece, and I wanted to share it with you.  I want to do a bigger version of this one day (this is only 5x5), not exactly the same, but using similar techniques and colors. This one was an experiment from a few years back, and I love how it turned out.  The colors seem to give it a nice serene feel.  

I used a great flower stamp by Stampendous that reminds me of dandelions, and used copper embossing powder to give the stamped image a bit of a raised texture. I added a piece of soft aqua paper-tape that has holes in it , cheesecloth, twine, and a bit of copper wire (see above). 

Then I added white paint here and there and used a jar lid to stamp circles to draw more focus to the flower image.  To finish it, I painted a coat of beeswax over all of it to give it a nice soft glow.

Organizing My Studio

I was getting a bit bummed out lately, because I was trying to figure out what was getting done in my "free time".  I didn't seem to be producing much art.  I'm in this Artistic Mothers group to help me concentrate on doing something creative everyday, but I was doing less...or so I thought....

What have I been up to lately, besides chasing a toddler around?  

I've been organizing my studio.  I realized this is part of my creative process.  I need to get organized, so when I do work on my art, I can find things more easily, and not get so frustrated.  It's taking me forever because...well... I have tons of stuff!!  I have paints, papers, stamps, found objects, jewelry making supplies and tools, etc... Lately I've been concentrating on organizing the collage and mixed-media supplies and I think I figured out what mixed-media really means...lots of stuff! 

 So I bought these cool boxes from Ikea, but I didn't like that I can't see through them, even though they have labels.  I'm a very visual person, so I want to see the contents, not just a word label.  I came up with a solution that I love.  Actually I think it's inspired by something I saw a while back, but I'm not sure where.

                                                                    

I'm making little mini collages on tags with samples of the contents inside, so I can just glance over and know exactly what's in there.

And who says I haven't been making art?  Oh yeah, it was me...oops.  But look how fun the tags are!
 I still have a long way to go as far as organizing, but at least I get to make some more art tags in the process!