Cinnamon Pink

Let's Face it 2019 Course

I'm excited to share the news that I won a place in the year-long course Let's Face It - 2019. Each of the 24 artists/instructors offered a complimentary membership in the class and I was lucky to win a spot from artist, Lucy Cooke.

The academic course, hosted by Kara Bullock, will be devoted to studying portraits and figures and will focus on the use of different mediums.

Right now, early bird registration is $99. compared to the regular price of $129. The course begins in January. Here are just some of the highlights of the course:

• 50 weeks of amazing lessons.
• 24 PDF eBooks to go along with the main lessons.
• A complimentary copyright-free library.
• Artist giveaways.
• Suggested supply list when registration opens.
• Downloadable videos.
• A Facebook group dedicated to students and teachers.

For more course details, check out the course site.

Painting by Lucy Cooke

You may also want to check out Lucy Cooke's site since she will be one of the instructors in Let's Face It. I love this beautiful painting that Lucy entitled: The Emerging Artist.

Black & White Abstract

Recently, I've been working in black & white a lot. For this piece, I used different shades of gray markers, black markers, black ink and a script stamp on bristol board.

Somerset Home: Top Ten Favorite Projects of the Past Ten Years

I'm honored and thrilled to report that one of my projects is featured in Stampington's (Spring 2018) issue of Somerset Home: specifically the Top Ten Favorite Projects of the Past Ten Years. I am grateful for the recognition. My painted muslin coffee bags appear below:

In this issue, Managing Editor, Kelly Kirchner, has gathered together a variety of elegant and unique projects to take your mind off the gray skies outdoors.

Instead, you'll be embellishing your own your little nest with the pretty ideas found within the pages of Somerset Home.

Enjoy your artful journey!

Working with Hot Cakes Wax Medium

Here's a 6" x 6" mixed media art piece that I just finished using a vintage sketch, coloring accents and other enhancements.

 

To protect the art work, I covered it with a layer of Enkaustikos Hot Cakes Wax Medium which I purchased from Dick Blick.

This is the first time that I worked with this wax medium and I really like how it performed. I don't have an encaustics set-up so I rigged up a double-boiler which worked out nicely.

I definitely will be purchasing more of this product. I find it easier to work with - and hardier - than beeswax.

 

Aging Paper

Here is some card stock that I aged today using inexpensive, instant coffee crystals. Sometimes, I add cocoa powder and vanilla extract to impart a yummy scent to the paper.

I sprayed a portion of the paper with DecoArt Media Mister in turquoise. The color result was a lovely blue that doesn't show up in this photograph. The card stock is a 110# weight which makes for a more sturdy substrate.

I let the paper soak for a couple of hours and then I usually let it completely dry overnight. 

Eventually, I use the aged paper for collage and mixed media art projects.

Creating Fashion Sketches with Nail Polish: from My Modern Met

Image from  My Modern Met - Artist Chan Clayrene 

Recently I was looking for tutorials on sketching fashion designs when I came across the work of artist Chan Clayrene (of Artclaytion) on My Modern Met. I was mesmerized by her beautiful illustrations. Surprisingly, she "uses nail polishes, both matte and sparkly, as the ink for her glamorous illustrations of haute couture gowns." One of her illustrations is shown above.

You can see more of her lovely work by visiting this post, Artist Creates Dazzling High Fashion Sketches with Carefully Coated Nail Polish. Although, Clayrene doesn't provide the details of her process, she does encourage artists to experiment.

Check out the complete article then pull out your favorite bottles of nail polish and get to work. I know that I'm going to try this idea.

Jane Davenport-Style Mixed Media Art

I just completed this Jane Davenport-style female in my small Moleskine art journal.

First, I applied a variety of decorative papers to the background page. The dress is covered in pieces of decorative flower napkins. It's important to remove the double layers of backing on the napkins before you glue them down. You can easily do this by applying tape to the back of the napkin pieces and gently pulling off the two layers.

Stamping & Stenciling with Watercolor Ink

Via Artists Network, I came upon this video on Creating Watercolor Ink for Stenciling and Stamping demonstrated by Gina Lee Kim.

Check out the video. There are also written instructions on the site too. This technique sounds like a great idea to try when you want to work with watercolor paints.

Vision Boards & Dyed Papers

Image from Artists Network site

Today I came across a recent post on the Artists Network site on How to Create a Mixed-Media Vision Board written by Jeannine Stein. Jeannine's vision board was inspired by artist Rae Missigman.

My interest was immediately taken by the beautiful images of dyed papers (which you can see above) that Jeannine created using Rae's tips. The papers were made with spray inks and watercolor paper. For more details on dying the papers, check out the complete post.

You can use the colorful papers for art journaling, sketching, book covers, wrapping paper and more. I see a dyed papers project in my future.

 

Young Girl Portrait on Vintage Book Paper

I just finished this vintage book page portrait, of a young girl, using oil pastels and acrylic paint.

The Caran d'ache oil pastels are wonderful to work with due to their creamy texture.

Leave Room for Magic: Mixed Media Art Painting

I just finished this mixed media art painting. The landscape consists of acrylic paints and hand-stamped tissue paper. 

I created this quote and had it made into a rubber stamp.

Paper Doll Stickers: Kawaii

I couldn't resist these Kawaii Paper Doll Stickers. They are perfect for planners as well as great sketching inspiration.

Faux Encaustic Technique: Home

On this painting I used a faux encaustic technique to achieve a wax appearance. The formula (from the Acrylic Revolution book) consists of gel matte medium and the following Golden Fluid acrylics: Interference Blue, Quinacridone/Nickel Azo Yellow and Iridescent Gold.

I applied three layers of the formula, allowing the painting to dry between coats. I used both brushes and a key card to spread the mixture.

I came upon this old house in a rural area of North Carolina. I do enjoy photographing old, abandoned homes. I believe they have many stories to tell us.

Oil Pastels & Acrylic Paints Portrait on Vintage Book Page

I hadn't planned on doing a series. But here I am painting portraits on vintage book pages again.

For this portrait, I used oil pastels and acrylic paint. I took my inspiration from one of Jane Davenport's girls.

Oil Pastel Portraits Continue

For this art piece, I used more oil pastels compared to my other portraits. I do like how the pastels blend so well just by rubbing them with one's finger.

The hair was done with a watercolor crayon.

Mixed Media Art Portrait Experimentation Continues

Here's another mixed media art portrait that I completed today on a page of the vintage Edgar Allan Poe book.

Although I started out using oil pastels, I finished the piece with Caran d'Ache Neocolor II Artists' Crayons and Golden Titanium White Fluid Acrylic Paint. I do enjoy working with the Caran d-Ache crayons especially when I'm adding depth (shading) to a portrait. Although it may not be evident, I added many layers of a variety of mediums to the face.

Experimenting with Lynne Hoppe's Face Tutorial

A few years ago, Lynne Hoppe generously offered a tutorial, on her blog, on how she paints faces. She really has a unique talent that I admire. I had always meant to try the tutorial. Well today I finally gave it a go.

Lynne paints her faces on old book pages. My husband was about to discard a very old book entitled, Tales of Mystery & Imagination written by Edgar Allan Poe. The book had belonged to his Father and was falling apart. I couldn't even find a copyright date on the book.

I decided to give one of the pages new life by painting the face on it. Make sure you protect old book pages by brushing matte medium (on both sides of the page) before you begin painting.

I enjoyed creating with Lynne's suggested art supplies: watercolors, white gouache and oil pastels. Caran d'Ache neopastels were new to me. I had only worked with water-soluble oil pastels before this tutorial. I plan to create a few more faces in the future.

Lynne's tutorial is still on her blog. Why not try it for yourself?

Image Transfer Experiment

Here's an image transfer that I did using my Epson inkjet printer. The process was a little tricky because I could have easily wiped away the image. Technically, transfers work best when the image is printed on a laser printer. I used Americana Decor Image Transfer Medium which is a great product.

I'm going to do the transfer again but instead use laser print copies from the office supply store which I'll make when I'm in town tomorrow. I'm sure the transfer will look much better the second time around. But it's always good to experiment.

New Mixed Media Art Painting: Girl with Roses

This is a new version of a painting that I did back in October. See below.

I wanted to see how the painting would look if I gave the girl pink hair and created a lighter background.

Preparing for Art & Craft Show

Happy December 2016! Where did the year go?

For the past week I've been preparing for a local Last Minute Santa Art & Craft Show that I'm participating in this Saturday. I created some additional ornaments for the event like the Angel block above.

Although the preparation takes a lot of time, it should be fun to sell face-to-face to customers.

 

Ten Mixed Media Textile Artists: from Textile Artist

Displace - Sumi Perera , Collage, Size: 27.6 H x 19.7 W x 2 in

Here's a good read from Textile Artist, about Ten Mixed Media Textile Artists. I love the above art piece by Sumi Perera. She combines stitch, hand and laser cut techniques with materials such as paper, fabric, leather, glass, ceramic, metal and wood.

Check out the complete article for more inspiration from these artists.

Mixed Media Art Painting: Covered Over & Reworked

A few years ago, I began this mixed media art painting. I didn't like the look of the girl's face and hair so I put the canvas aside. I almost threw it out. (You can see the Before picture below).

Yesterday, I papered over the face and then added butterfly images. I redrew her face and hair. I plan to add more details to the latter. And also tone down the background.

This exercise showed me that you can always rescue a failed painting. I can't believe that I'm showing you the Before painting. I really don't care for  it.

Tips to Enhance Your Mixed Media Painting from Empty Easel

Via the Empty Easel, I discovered this post on Five Tips to Take Your Mixed Media Painting from Good to Great written by Kellie Day. Here are two of the tips that I will try soon:

• "Make Your Painting POP with Pastels. Take a look at your painting and notice if there are any areas of color you’d like to emphasize. You can quickly add color to those spots with an extra touch of pastel and liven up your whole painting!" I like her tip of fixing the pastels with gentle brush strokes of gel gloss rather than using a fixative that can dull the colors.

• "Add Some Shine with Metallic Markers. She suggests: tracing a few key lines in your painting, incorporating small dots or adding text to finished art work."

Some additions that I like to include in my nearly finished, mixed media paintings are: graphite accents, inked lines using a dip pen and highlights made with a white gel pen. Check out the complete post, on Empty Easel, for more ideas.

 

 

Abstract Female Painting

I completed this mixed media painting, entitled Abstract Female, in my art journal today.

Originally, her face was too wide and her chin was too long. A few years ago, I would not have gone in and changed the structure of her face thinking that I'd mess things up. Now I'm confident enough to paint over a portion of a painting that is not working and begin anew.

I created her abstract hair with toothpicks and acrylic paint.

How to Follow Trends from Pattern Observer

In my previous posts, I spoke about following fashion, home decor and color trends in relation to creating new mixed media art. Serendipitously, I received an e-mail newsletter from Pattern Observer re: Following Trends the Right Way.

I especially like the tips that Michelle Fifis offers readers to become a trend watcher. 

• "Make Trend Research a Daily Activity.....When you are just starting to monitor trends, spend 30 minutes a day researching your market."

• "Use Your Customer or Market as a Filter. As you are reviewing trends, change your filter from, do I like this trend? to would my customer like/wear/buy this trend?"

• "Use Your Own Artistic Style as a Filter. If you see a trend that doesn’t fit with your style or resonate with you—skip it! There is never a need to force yourself into researching a trend that doesn’t feel right."

Be sure to read the complete post for more great ideas.

 

Catalogs & Mixed Media Art

I just received two new catalogs from Restoration Hardware. I enjoy looking at catalogs for many reasons. First, I'm interested in new product offerings. But the biggest benefits of receiving catalogs relates to my practice of mixed media art.

Here's how I use catalogs in my art:

• New trends in fashion and home decor provide me with fresh ideas for future mixed media art projects.
• Portions of catalog pages can be incorporated into my art journal pages.
• I like to use the beautiful typography in my collage pieces.
• Catchy phrases, on the pages, can enhance and define a mixed media art work. Use the actual phrases or rewrite them with unique hand lettering techniques.
• Don't toss your old catalogs. When you do collage work, lay whatever you are gluing facedown on a clean catalog page and apply the glue. When you're ready to glue another piece, tear off the sticky page and use the next clean sheet. You'll keep your work surface clean. 

Angel Girl Painting: Mixed Media Art

Here's a mixed media painting of an Angel Girl that I just finished in my new art journal. I may add some more details later on.

I usually never paint on the first page of an art journal. This painting was done on the second page.

Re-Discover Your Stash

I was sorting through my decorative and scrapbook papers because I needed black & white paper for a collage. I was surprised to find such a large amount and wide variety of paper designs. The photo above only shows a portion of my stash.

The discovery made me realize that I should check my stash more often. I could be missing out on opportunities to further enhance my art projects because I didn't realize what I had in stock.

The next time you need inspiration or are tempted to purchase new art supplies, start checking out the shelves, drawers and bins in your studio. You probably will re-discover supplies that you had forgotten about. I plan to sort through the drawers in my studio next.

Antique Papers this Weekend: from the Weigh Anchor blog

Image from the Weigh Anchor blog

Recently, I created some faux-vintage papers using instant coffee grounds and the results were good. So I was interested in this post I found on how to antique paper on the Weigh Anchor blog.

Kat uses watercolor paints, Dr PH Martin Concentrated Watercolors and Walnut Ink. She tapes the edges of her paper down before she begins painting.

For the details, check out her blog post. Then why not antique some paper this weekend.

 

Hooked Rug Completed

Finally! I have completed my traditional hooked rug. The latter measures 49" x 30 1/2."

The project was indeed a huge undertaking. What kept me going were weekly meetings with my rug hooking group. Hooking the sheep design in circles took longer than working in straight stitches. The important thing to me was creating a checkerboard border. With a little calculation, the checkerboard worked out.

I must admit that I used an iron-on binding for the back of the rug. Traditionally, the binding should be hand-sewn onto the rug back. The only type of sewing that I enjoy is bead embroidery. I knew that I would keep putting off sewing the binding. So iron-on binding came to the rescue.

Using Gesso in Acrylic Paintings: Tips from Jo Toye

Via Artists Network, I came across an informative post written by artist Jo Toye on Why Use Gesso? She advocates the use of gesso in acrylic paintings for two reasons:

• Appearance. When Toye wants to make a tint (white added to a color), she adds white gesso to it rather than adding white acrylic paint. While most acrylic paint dries to a glossy finish, gesso dries to a matte finish.

• Absorbency. Gesso gives tooth and a certain level of absorbency to a painting surface. For example, Toye uses gesso on Yupo paper. Since the latter has a slick surface, gesso comes to the rescue with its ability to add both absorbency and tooth (surface texture) to the Yupo.

Check out the complete article for more interesting details.

 

 

Cyanotype Printing Experiments

Today I worked with Cyanotype Printing using the Jacquard Sensitizer Set. You definitely have to experiment with this art form since the results seem to vary with each print.

Here are a few lessons that I learned that hopefully will save you some missteps:

• A lighter application of the solution on the paper works better than a heavy coating.
• The papers that worked best for me were Watercolor and Bristol (vellum surface). Cardstock paper did not work out for me.
• The exposure time that I used for the prints was six minutes in direct sun (North Carolina Summer Sun). The kit instructions indicated that over-exposure was better than under-exposure. When I went with over-exposure, the paper remained dark blue without any image appearing.
• To achieve a strong image, lay the prepared paper on a board, then the image and finally a glass sheet. Clamp these layers together to ensure that the image is in close contact with the paper. I used glass from an inexpensive photo frame.
• I chose quality transparency film to create the negatives. In my online research, Pictorico Premium Overhead Transparency Film (OHP) was suggested for negatives. However, my transparency film worked out fine.
• In addition to reading kit instructions, watch a YouTube Video of how the process is done. It will save you time and trouble.
• Experiment, experiment, experiment!

I definitely will be making more Cyanotype prints.

Enhance Your Mixed Media Paintings from Empty Easel

Via Empty Easel, I discovered this post on Five Creative Touches to Take Your Mixed-Media Painting from Good to Great written by Kellie Day. Here are a few of the points that caught my interest.

• Make Your Painting POP with Pastels. "Take a look at your painting and notice if there are any areas of color you’d like to emphasize. You can quickly add color to those spots with an extra touch of pastel and liven up your entire painting."

• Collage Your Art with Patterned Paper. "Sometimes a painting that needs a little something will come together perfectly with the addition of one beautiful piece of paper in just the right place."

• Add an Ultra Violet (UV) Finish – "When your painting is completely dry, add a smooth layer of Golden UV Polymer coating. This not only gives the painting a sheen that really enhances your colors, it also puts a protective UV coating on it."

Check out the complete post for more great ideas.

 

Artist Customized Coffee Cup

Happy July 4th! Enjoy the Day.

Vista Print recently had a great sale which often tempts me to order printed products. I decided to create a customized Artist Cup utilizing words that describe me as a mixed media artist.

I'm really pleased with how the cup turned out.

Menagerie Mail Art

I had fun with this art piece and created Menagerie Mail Art. I also included a couple of sub-humans.

To send it through the mail, I would protect it with a layer of matte medium.

Purple Sky II: Art Journal Page

Today, I did a second rendition of the painting that I completed yesterday for the  Cross-Country Clearprint Collaborative Art Project. The dimensions that I had to work with  yesterday were 8" x 6."

So today I decided to experiment with a bigger format: 12" x 12" in my art journal. This larger format gave me more room for the quote. My next experiment may be with different colors of acrylic paint.

Cross-Country Clearprint Collaborative Art Project

I'm participating in the Cross-Country Clearprint Collaborative Art Project. I submitted the above painting to the Project.

Participating artists receive two Clearprint Vellum Books. One book is used in the art exchange; the second book is for the artist to keep as a gift. 

Each artist uses one page in the vellum book (right hand side) to create art. The artist may choose to create a work on the front of their page or utilize the front and back to create a work that can be viewed from multiple sides. 

Artists are allowed one week to create their work once the book is received. The book is then sent back to Cross-Country. They will then scan the images and upload them to the Clearprint website gallery and social media platforms.

For more details on the project, visit the Cross-Country Web site. I really enjoyed creating the painting for this project. I plant to do more vellum paintings in the future.

 

Target Acrylic Paints

I was in Target the other day and I was surprised to find that they carry acrylic paints.

Now, I own many bottles and jars of acrylic paints in a variety of colors. But the soft shades of the Target paints just called to me. Starting from the left, the shades are: Lavender, Lilac and Aluminum - all satin based.

Do I need more? No. Will I purchase any more? A good possibility.

Heart Collage: Poster Size

A few weeks ago, Vista Print had a sale on posters. I ordered an 18" x 24" poster of one of my collages of hearts.

I'm really pleased with how well the poster came out. As you can see, I also use this collage for my blog banner. I have the poster hanging up in my study.

I tried every which way to take a photograph of the poster without any glare but the plexi glass wouldn't cooperate.

Letter Trays for Ephemera

Happy Memorial Day! 

On Facebook, I saw a fellow mixed media artist using these letter trays as holders for collage papers. I loved the concept so I picked up a couple at Target for $4.99 each.

I find it much easier to sort through, and find, ephemera than looking in paper folders or envelopes. Most of my ephemera is stored in folders. I may purchase a few more of these trays.

Since the trays are covered in paper, I protected them with an acrylic spray to make them more sturdy.

 

 

Glue Gun Stencils

Using a small glue gun that I had on hand, I created two abstract stencils to use in painting. When I make more of these stencils, I'll purchase a more heavy-duty glue gun. The latter will be easier to work with.

If you plan to make stencils, work on a heat-resistant pad or parchment paper. The stencil easily lifted from the parchment paper that I used. I let the stencil cool first.

I recently purchased silicone caulk. I'm going to experiment and make some stencils with the caulk too.

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Brownstone Houses: Mixed Media Art-in-Progress

I love the brownstone houses in New York City. I used an image of these houses as a background for this art piece.

Next, I added scraps of Citra-Solv pages, text pages, decorative tissue papers and art stamps. This is still a work-in-progress. I plan to incorporate acrylic paint, more art stamps and maybe some ink.

Mixed Media Art Work: Blue & Brown in Progress

I began this mixed media art piece a couple of days ago.

Starting with a wood board, I glued down vintage ephemera, catalog and National Geographic magazine pages that had been treated with Citra Solv.

I applied acrylic paint and a mixture of acrylic paint and glaze to some of the papers I'm usually attracted to strong architectural images. I love the look of the column and stone walls on this collage piece.

I plan to add some more papers and paint to this art piece.

 

Artstronauts Club: Art Card Deck

I'm a member of Teesha & Tracy Moore's Artstronauts Club. Recently, member Susie LaFond suggested that our group participate in creating a mixed media Art Card Deck.

Each member contributed art for the front and back of a playing card. About fifty artists took part in the challenge. Susie curated the process which was a lot of work for her. Thank You Susie!

My card is the one with the orange and blue circles (near the front).

Clear Tar Gel

 

Image from Dick Blick site

I've been hearing more and more about artists using Clear Tar Gel in their paintings. So I was interested in the Artists Network post on Acrylic Painting Technique: Using Clear Tar Gel written by Tesia Blackburn.

Tesia says, "The gel is the perfect medium for creating long lines on a surface. It’s also an ideal medium to add to your paints for creating texture. Clear tar gel can also be painted in layers to create skins that you can then use as collage elements for your art....The gel dries to a high-gloss finish, making it an ideal medium to achieve a resin-like surface on your paintings."

Check out the complete post where Tesia offers tips on potential problems and solutions when working with this medium. I guess here is another product that I will have to put on my art supply purchase list.

 

 

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Acrylic Glazing Experiment

Yesterday, I was working on some abstract acrylic paintings. At the end of the session, I had a leftover mixture of Liquitex Glazing Medium and Golden Quinacridone/Nickel Azo Gold. I painted this glaze over a Hermitage Museum & Gardens postcard.

I really like the results which you can see in the top photo. I think I may try this paint mixture over found papers, collage ephemera and black & white images.

Experimenting with Matte Medium & Watercolor Paints

Originally, this was an Anthropologie catalog page of drab black & white flowers. 

I decided to experiment in my art journal. First, I covered the (glued down page) with matte medium. After it dried, I mixed watercolor paints with matte medium to colorize the image. For the best results, I painted on thin layers of the mixture. The latter tended to dry out very quickly.

Next, I plan to highlight the flowers with colored pencils. I like how the experiment turned out and plan to try working with other black & white images. I did notice that this technique works best with heavier paper, not bond-type paper.

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Abstract Mixed Media Art Painting Complete

Today I finished the abstract painting that I began a few weeks ago. Here's how the art piece looked at the collage stage.

I enhanced the collage with acrylic paints and art stamps. To finish it off, I'll first protect the painting with an acrylic spray. Then I'll coat it with varnish.

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Making Background Papers with Linseed Oil

I experimented and made some background papers by brushing Grumbacher Linseed Oil on vintage sheet music pages.

I put a heavy coating on the top two sheets. I prefer the darker color of these papers. However, the papers took about four days to dry. I brushed a lighter coating of oil on the bottom sheets and, of course, they dried much quicker. To prevent a mess, I put the wet  papers on wax paper.

The addition of the oil to the pages makes them much stronger - an advantage for fragile, thin papers. I think I may also try brushing oil on scrapbook paper to create a different look.

 

Geo Papers Tutorial from Jill Berry

Geo Paper Design by Jill Berry

Here's an interesting tutorial I came across on Pinterest on how to make Geo Papers (or papers that are painted to simulate geographical imagery). The project comes from artist, Jill Berry. I love the organic look of her art piece.

You probably have all the supplies that you need to make this project: printmaking paper, Sumi ink, Stablilo black pencil, watercolor paints, Kosher salt and watercolor brush.

Jill provides easy, step-by-step instructions. Check her post for the how-to details

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