Tag : paint

50 posts

Ever heard of acrylic pours? I hadn’t until a couple months ago. I watched endless streams of YouTube videos on the process. It looked like something I could totally get into given time, space and willingness to get messy. Two out of three aren’t bad.

I did manage to eek out some space to at the very least make due so I could try this out.

My very first attempt I used red, orange, yellow and white with Golden polymer gloss medium. Some videos use silcone or WD-40 in the mix as well but I am not a fan of using any sort of aerosol in the house especially in my minimally ventilated basement. acrylic pour

I’m pouring onto a previously used canvas board that I coated with gesso. I put a bit of white paint around the edges to hopefully assist with the paint moving all the way out to the edges.

acrylic pour

I did what is called a dirty pour. You dump each of the premixed paints into the pour cup in alternating fashion. I really had no idea what I was doing so I just poured them as I felt like at the moment. I then turned the canvas board upside down over the cup and flipped the whole works over. Flip cup technique OR dirty flip cup technique as some have coined.

acrylic pour

I was amazed at what happened. The colors mixed and migrated. Color bubbled up from underneath.

acrylic pour

It was mesmerizing. Even the paint that flowed off the edge was beautiful.

acrylic pour

These colors made me think of agates…especially Lake Superior agates.

acrylic pour

When I moved the canvas to allow it to dry I ended up losing some of the magic. I fear the secondary location wasn’t completely level so more paint rolled over the edge than I had wanted.

acrylic pour

Here is the end result. A little more pink than I’d hoped but interesting none the less.

I’ve created several more and even took a video of part of the process on one attempt. I’m pretty sure its my favorite end result. It’s so darn fun. I’m experimenting with cheaper pouring medium. I’ve only had one big failure and guess what!?  I just did another pour straight over the top of it.

More to come…I promise.

So far this month I wasn’t feeling the love for the color red. Maybe because from Thanksgiving to Valentine’s day we are swimming in it. Finally, yesterday after doing some cleaning and organizing in my art space, I was inspired to create with a whole bunch red.

This is yet another loose leaf page that will go in my scrapbook journal.  I created on the back side of an ugly piece of scrapbook paper using two shades of red and a credit card to scrape it around.  Next I layered some German text from a Brothers Grimm fairy tale book. I find this ironic now as I’m totally obsessed with the TV show Grimm.

I also used a new art supply…it’s plaster casting cloth. I sprayed it with color mists before lightly distressing the edges. I like the texture it adds although it is messy. The plaster likes to flake off if you manhandle it a little too much.

I tried something new with rub-ons as well. I have a couple sheets of quotes that really don’t speak to me so I decided that using them as part of the background in a wildly random pattern would work quite nicely. I do love the effect and I’m not just throwing them out.

The photograph is mine…taken at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum several years ago. They have a beautiful rose garden…it looks and smells heavenly.

Linking up with Art Journal Journey for the tongue in cheek theme of Fifty Shades of Red.

Art Journal Journey

Some quiet reflection brought me to this page.

new happy ending

I used light cardboard for my substrate adding layers of paper and paint.

glass-look mason jar using punched plastic

Gelatos were used on this paper pieced mason jar. I punched a jar from a plastic sleeve and adhered over the butterfly giving the illusion of glass.

charcoal doodles with white pen journaling

Before punching holes in the page for my polka dot journal I did a bit of paint scrapping, doodling with charcoal pencil and personal thoughts in white pen.

nearly full polka dot journal

My polka dot journal is basically full. I may do two more pages that I can adhere to each of the inside covers before called this one complete. I originally thought I’d do something on the front cover as well but unless it’s non-dimensional…which has not been my MO lately….it’s likely better that I leave it just plain.

I hope you forgave me for being so insensitive…so long old friend.

This tale is about the “right way” and the “wrong way” to be creative…at least this is how it went for me this weekend.

Saturday in an attempt to kill some time while waiting for some laundry to finish, I decided to challenge myself again to create for the Art Journal Journey theme of Collage~no wings, no leaves, no faces. To begin, I tore a page from a vintage basic electric manual figuring it had some good background to it already. In addition I snagged a couple of random scraps from my worktable and took the works to the sewing machine.

a tale of two pages

I then did a bit of journalling along the edge of one of the scraps. Ok…still feeling it…the creative spark was there but dim.

a tale of two pages

I added some color…still good. Then I sprayed some black mist through my circle stencil. It was as if the mist put out the spark. Instead doing the smart thing and walking away at that point to regroup…I was still waiting for the stupid laundry cycle to complete so I just kept throwing more crap at the page.

a tale of two pagesI’m still not excited about this one but that’s ok. Challenges are just that…a challenge. Otherwise it would be called super happy fun time.

Art Journal Journey

On Sunday while cleaning up my workspace I felt that creative spark again. This time I made a deal with myself not to push through if I wasn’t feeling it. I noticed a freebie art paper I had pulled from an old issue of Somerset Studio. So I had a great starting point…maybe an easy way to redeem myself.

a tale of two pages

Given the fact that this page has an eye on it it wouldn’t count for the challenge away.

a tale of two pages

I didn’t do a tom to the background…I used gelatos to intensify the colors in certain places, some outlining in white gel pen, lots of stamping, gesso through a stencil and heat embossing…but all in a very subtle way. After deciding on some layers of goodies including ink stained babywipes I adding stitching over my layers and around the page in a random fashion.

a tale of two pages

Some black paint splatters and added “eyeliner” were my final touch before looking for words. see possibility everywhere was just perfect.

So my lesson to myself was to know enough when to walk away. You can’t force it. I suppose it’s something like writers block…you can stare at a page but you can’t will the words or art to flow.

This art journal page truly was a journal page…although after I spilled words all over the page in random thoughts I covered it up or at least obscured the writing enough as not to be read.  The words were just for me and once written they could be forgotten. A mind dump, if you will.

escape from memory art journal page

The page has so many layers…I went in with a thought and then took it too far…way to busy of background. I just kept at it until it felt right. I used a Pitt pen and white gesso to create the striped lines.

Washi tape has been a go-to supply lately. I like to tear it before applying to the page so it appears more random…spreading a bit of paint over the washi helps to push it into the background and make a more cohesive look.

escape from memory art journal page

My love affair with circles shines through on this page. I have saved caps from bottles and jars in a variety of sizes that I dip into paint for mark making. The imperfection of these marks is the beauty to me.

Linking up with Art Journal Journey.

Art Journal Journey

While sorting through photographs I came across one of a Hen-n-Chick succulent that I snapped a couple of years ago. Actually, right about this same time of year. The colors were reflecting those of the great outdoors even though they were that color all year long.

everything has beauty art journal page

Now these succulents aren’t necessarily what one would consider “beautiful” in the classic sense. I do feel that they have a certain beauty especially in the mathematical sense. Or perhaps that would be more of a fractal. I’m not sure anymore other than I know that the pattern is pleasing to the eye.

Once again I have layers upon layers. I started with a piece of scrapbook paper this time. I kind of threw the proverbial “kitchen sink” at this one. I have book page, washi tape, salvaged cardboard that was run through my Cuttlebug, glimmer mists, leather, printed tag, paints, phrase sticker, staples and white pen…oh an let’s not forget the photograph.

My colors fit into the Autumn theme over at Art Journal Journey again. Did I mention I love Fall?!?

Art Journal Journey

Today I’d like to give a second look to the art piece that I eventually edited to become my blog banner.

I know I’ve said it before about some of my other artwork but this is one of my favorites. I guess I should say that I have lots of favorites. Different mediums, styles, challenges, etc…they all seem to have a stand out for me. A piece that I’m happy to share over and over. Obviously, I’m happy with this one otherwise it wouldn’t have become my banner.

Take a look….eyes

11/9/2009

I love playing in this board book. I’ve been using a Kelly Rae inspired background technique on all the pages. The book has no other theme or direction. Maybe I should call it Random Inspiration. Hey, I like that!

The little girls came from a sewing book. The watering can girl reminded me a Alice in Wonderland. It all came together in my mind after that.

It feels a little trippy to me. All it needs is the caterpillar with his hookah.

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And that boys and girls is how my blog banner came to be. :)

Thanks for taking time out for Second on the 2nd this month hosted by Elizabeth.

Secondlook

I know I’ll be checking out the posts that others have dug up from their archives as well.

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