The Block is GONE!

Hello You :)

Have you been wondering where the heck I have been? Why no art posted and why no blog?? Or maybe no one noticed..lol..that is OK too. Well..I have discovered a big thing about my muse's personality. We don't like ART when it is WORK... In fact it gives us a creative block! I had a piece I needed to finish for a customer...a paper painting in the shape of a cougar. I fussed and stewed and procrastinated..and fussed some more. I am not sure if I resist art on demand...or maybe I don't like being told what to create? I am not sure..I just know I am soooo far behind now due to that piece needing to GET DONE! It did..get done. And now the block is gone..whew... Of course I have a nasty crud bug now..but I can fight through that!

So first BIG NEWS... The Kraaft Shaak's NEW feature 'Spark Some Kreativity Saturday' has begun! Our design team leader, Sandra, has written a blog post about her gorgeous positivity bank made from the Kraaft Shaak mixed media kit. If you missed it..check it out here Artfully Made 4 U. This upcoming Saturday will be Sylvia's turn. Then it is me on April 18th, followed by Dana...so keep your eyes peeled for our projects!

With the  creative block gone...today I decided I better get some of the swap items I have for April done :) I made my tag for the tag swap in the Creating and Sharing Mixed Media group on G+ (but I will share that later after my partner gets it :) And then I worked on my spread for the round robin journal swap I am in as well. I tell you what..I LOVE this spread and I don't want to send the journal on (sorry Claudia, your journal got lost in the mail?) LOL


So here is my process for this two page art journal spread. To start off I did some intuitive painting. I gessoed the page and taped the center using masking tape. Next I picked all my favorite colors of acrylic paints. Then with a one inch flat brush I just started to paint the page. I did the cool colors first and then let that dry and did the warm colors..so they didn't blend and make yucky brown.


Next I got out a few stencils. Two from Mr Huey and one from Crafter's workshop. I used the same colors of paint, only lightened with a bit of white. I randomly applied marks using a stiff stencil brush.


Then I made some more marks using my finger around the page. I like the feel of paint on my fingers! I also made some yellow drips with acrylic ink.


After this background had dried, I started to sketch my scene. I made a face on the right side and then painted the skin areas with white gesso. Then I sketched in some mountains and a sun. Then to make the background recede a bit I started glazing and blotting. The same blue for the sky mixed with a bit of white and lots of water. Orange for the sun. Still staying with the same colors of paint.


Next I I drew heavy black lines with a Sharpie poster pen. Then, shaded and colored the face. I used water soluble crayons and water pens... mixed with white acrylic paint for this. For a simple step out of this process see my inner and outer world post here 


Once the face was done to my satisfaction I did some more glazing around the girl and sketched in some flowers on the lower left side.


Then, I wrote my words on a piece of deli paper using a black Posca pen. I prefer to do writing this way so that I can just toss it and start over if I mess up. Also, I can position the words better on the page. I attached this piece using liquid matte medium by Liquitex.


My final step was to add some 'bling' using Stickles glitter glue. I applied it on the sun, the flowers, the hair, and on her cheek. I smeared it in with my finger instead of leaving it dimensional.


I hope you have enjoyed my step out for today :)
Here is the cougar that caused the trouble..lol


<3 Shel


Comments

  1. Wonderful spread - no wonder you want to steal it! :D

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  2. love all the bright colors! visiting from CED!

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    1. Welcome to my blogQ Thanks for visiting from Creative Everyday :) I do love those bright colors myself :)

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  3. LOVE this, its gorgeous. Not surprised you want to keep it and I love the quote too. Love how you started off with all the different colours, I'm going to try that too!

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    1. Thank you Susan :) Give it a try..it is a fun technique :)

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  4. Oh my..... I ❤ this one took. Thanks for the awesome step out- I am off to try one. PS. I missed you 😞and your posts and will try to be s better blog friend by commenting more!!!

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  5. LOVE it...the intro story, the colors, the awesome image, the saying and the step out of the process! I wonder if folks realize your cougar picture is 'painted' with tiny, torn pieces of paper that you have painted on packing paper with an old credit card? Amazing!

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    1. Thanks :) I think I have explained the painted paper paintings before...but it is an interesting process I should maybe explain again one day :)

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