Red Wall

DC: 196 BLUE

Who knows how these things work. I painted a blue female figure reclining against a red wall backdrop with the idea of entitling the piece, 'blue lady' but when it was finished it demanded to be called 'red wall.' In any event, this is my contribution to the art/drawing challenge for this week.

And what I thought was going to be a boob turns out more of a shoulder but hey, Picasso did transpositions of body parts so who am I to judge. HA! Anyway, this is my first acrylic painting. I pretended that the medium was oil (and I have never even opened a tube of oil never mind try it out) and just pushed the wet acrylic around on the ground while wet because I dislike how acrylic meets its neighbouring colours in a dried piece. The edges are way too edgy for my liking. I mean for loose compositions. Actually I haven't tried any kind of acrylic painting, so I'll be quiet about my opinion. I don't know what I'm talking about here. I loved trying this out and hope to do more.

The creative process is endlessly interesting. I started out painting with graphite watercolour, a crow perched atop a blue faced (coloured pencil with graphite watercolour) Krishna; went to a completely different piece [an angel in the clouds with stars, and things 'universe',] done with the graphite watercolour as I'm now getting the hang of it (learning curve) and like it a lot, combined with watery blue pencil, but then gold started wanting in, and pumpkin oranges, so it was growing way beyond a few hours' work; so I then moved over to this acrylic blue reclining figure. All in the space of an afternoon, evening, and next morning. Now it is the afternoon and I'm finished. Whew.

I am sending a very heart felt thank you to Patrice who is the host for this challenge. You really got me going my friend! All of the players who have joined in for this challenge can be seen here, which is Patrice's blog. There are links to all who contributed and you'll see a really interesting mix of expression.

Thanks for popping in today. Norma, x

p.s. here's my rejected Krishna (line drawing transfer to paper):

here's my rejected (for this challenge) angel with cloud hair, star and things universe done in graphite watercolour and coloured pencil:

Owl painting completed and ready to mail

Now I just need to pop this fella into an envelope and it is off to New York City!

I like how the crocheted 'soft' frame looks in the final piece. Thanks for dropping by and we'll see you soon I hope! *smiles* Norma

LOVE YOUR SELF

This is the title of my newest painting in acrylic and mixed media. It is my 5" X 5" art piece in response to Seth's call for art.

As you can see I've started to crochet a border around the outside edge which will be the 'soft' frame. I've combined art with craft and view it as a sort of art/craft matrix in that within the art there is craft and within the craft there is art. I cut a chunk of painted canvas from one found in the dumpster and so I'm using the exact original painting for the background. I'm painting right over top of it for the owl which is my own contribution to the canvas. In this way I see it as a recycled piece, as well as a 'crafty' piece. I designed a chest piece which is meant to be literally untied by the viewer. In order to see what lies hidden within the chest of the bird you have to actually work at it to get there. When you do you will see the words LOVE YOUR SELF.

The words will be hidden behind the chest piece once it is in place.

The chest piece in position. This is an earlier shot. I've sinced done more painting on the piece.

Here is the art in its planning and very beginning stages. I've chosen the image I want to paint, and have installed the grommets so they align.

So what is this message LOVE YOUR SELF? It came as a sort of unravelling of my own self in my experience of viewing art for 31 days straight which Seth thoughtfully provided for us all. Every day my heart strings were being tugged at and I felt love for what I saw on screen. I felt love for all of the pieces that I saw and all of the artists that I met and I became in love with my own art as I was inspired to do it, and love for all of my own art that I have struggled to make in the past and then that love grew into a love of me and so the words came to me one night...make art, love art, love your self, love the universe. Simple. So I began to think of a chest with the words inside of what is felt (the heart area) and of an unravelling of that message and the heart strings being pulled and so that others would pull the strings to untie them to see what is there. The string theme grew as I worked on the piece so that in the end I decided to do a soft frame of thread (crocheted). So that is my response to the call for art and I hope I get it done before the deadline! I have some crocheting to do!! Glad you popped in and we'll see you soon, I hope, *smiles* Norma

Making an ornament from a coaster.

Here is the coaster complete but it will need a hanging cord added later. This is one of two ornaments that will be sent to my swap partner in the Ornament Swap hosted by Harmony Road Studio!


To start, add layers of text from any source you like, using Mod Podge or whatever glue you like to use. To the left you can see the coaster advertisement I received in the mail recently. To the right you can see layers of paper. I let the paper overlap at the edges. When the glue dries I just cut the overlaps flush with the edge of the coaster. Later everything will be covered along the edges with glue and glitter. That will seal everything around the edge areas.


Here's some sources of images that I liked: a page from a children's book, and an old Christmas card filled with lovely animals celebrating. I'll use some of these images to guide me.


Here you can see that I've begun painting in the image with acrylic and pencil crayons, and have started thinking about how I want to embellish. In this case, a sparkly branch hanging down from the top of the decoration. I painted in a blue sky background but left areas blank so I could see a bit of the original illustration as I was working. I use used tea bag paper and place it directly on top of the original illustration. In between I place a chunk of plastic from packaging so that I can paint with acrylics right over top of the plastic so I don't ruin the original illustration in the book! What I aim for are two things and two things ONLY. Line and brush strokes. I try not to copy per se. Your painting is not going to be 'like' the original but will have strong lines and interesting brush strokes so will have some semblance of being 'arty.'


Keep your pencils sharp but press very lightly if you are using used tea bag paper!


Now I can really see what the ornament might look like, and I'm starting to get excited. The painting part is finished and I've placed a twig to see what that will look like; and dug out distressing pads and glitter.


Now that the painting part is complete, I'm gluing the image which is painted onto used tea bag paper right on to the coaster which had been covered with text. Again, let the edges overlap the coaster. I use a brayer to get rid of air bubbles.


The decoration is almost finished but I noticed that the sky area up top will be a bit boring so I decide to add some words for interest. Place a whole torn out page from an old book [old books that are yellowed with age are the best] and just type in the margin areas, the words you want. In this case I typed: Yes, we're going to a party-party!


Listening to seasonal movies playing in the background and having a sip of something delicious nearby while you are working is entirely optional!

Thanks for dropping by! *smiles* Norma

If you want to see more art from great creative folk go here! Every Wednesday you can see what people are doing!

Week Eight: Summer of Color (Orange)

Here is a close up of this weeks' color offering of orange. Really, the only three things that are actually orange are the eye, beak and legs (oh yes, the toes too!) ~ but there is a reflection of golden pale orange from the hot hot sun that the crane is flying in view of, on the body and upper wing. This guy was painted onto used tea bag paper with sumi-e ink, india ink, acrylic paint and watercolor paint.


Here you can see the grouping of eight tea bag paper sketches which will compose the greater part of a little journal.

Pop over to the Summer of Color event hosted by Kristin, and see what other artists are up to! This has been a very fun event for all. I want to thank Kristin from the bottom of my heart. Due to having to come up with something every week for eight weeks running now, I for the first time really have some sort of grasp on using paint brushes and india ink and acrylic and just generally more able to let go of the fear of failure in an attempt to make art. If I fail the sky does not fall in. I just throw the paper out and start again. Every attempt teaches me something. Every attempt is a building block to where I want to go.

Thanks for dropping in! *smiles* Norma

Look for the Silver Lining

It is said that every dark cloud has a silver lining. I say that if you can't see the silver lining in the cloud, look in the shadows of the cloud. That is where I mine most of my silver.
Week seven in the Summer of Color gave us the color purple to work with, with an addition of glitter if we chose. I chose silver glitter where the lightning strikes clouds and where the shadows of the clouds can therefore be seen and therefore where the silver linings shine brilliantly. Painted on used tea bag paper with acrylics. Sparkle added as well.
I am house sitting (cat minding) for my daughter so don't have my pants hanger display here.

Thanks for dropping in! *smiles* Norma

Week Six: Red (Summer of Color)

A fire bird takes flight. He has these gold globe shape things on his head and when he gives his head a 'flip' they scatter to the wind. More continually grow back. We don't know exactly what this means. Look for gold in any event. It may lay where you least expect it!
Week six of the Summer of Color gave us the color red to work with. Thank you to Kristin for hosting this fabby and fun and 'teaching me how to work with acrylics because I actually have to produce something' event! *smiles* Norma

Week Five: Brown (Summer of Color)

Donkey (well yes he is a rabbit but his nickname is Donkey) keeps watch. He keeps finding golden round things and has started to collect them. He has two sections of his warren set aside to house them (he is thinking BIG and he is one of my favorite friends because of this trait of his) and so far he has about eleven golden round things. Where do they come from? It is a puzzle.
Week five of the Summer of Color asked us to use brown. I immediately thought of earth. So an underground habitat came to mind for me.

The sentiments of the hearers were various.

Summer of Color: Week Four (Yellow)

In the yellow house lived a lady with yellow hair. She was a soothsayer whom it is said, had the "sight." In the corner of her parlour sat a golden samovar that never ran dry. It was here that she told fortunes by reading tea leaves. Some believed more than others.

Do you believe?

Have a look at what others are doing in the Summer of Color.

Flying Pink Horse

Week three of the Summer of Color gave us the color pink! My story unfolds as we see a flying pink horse with gold hoofs passing by a group of houses. One of the houses, the bright yellow one, has a golden door. I wonder who lives there?

More blue birds...

The second week of The Summer of Color hosted by Kristin featured the color green with a hint of citron.
I started with the color citron to make yellowish-greeny flowers and then went from there. A green tree and the birds just came on their own. They happened to be blue so maybe I am thinking they will be related to the first blue bird. We shall see. When I was coloring in the blue of the eggs I got carried away and forgot I was working on tea bag paper which is fragile and so when I pressed too hard the paper broke through and I am not kidding I felt like I had just broken a real birds egg. The feeling is awful. So in the nest are two eggs and a broken egg. Such is life.
All of the birds seem interested in one direction and what are they noticing? Do they hear something? Smell something? Imagine something? We shall see!
Of course you know I am leaving a part of each picture unfinished in case I want to tie in a theme as I go along, or at the completion of the ten pictures.
Hope you are all having fun with this event, *smiles* Norma
P.S. I wonder what those gold round things are coming from the tree? Or are they coming from the sky? It is a puzzle.

Thanks for dropping in!

Blue Bird

The first week of The Summer of Color event hosted by Kristen has begun with the first color assigned being BLUE. I am working on used tea bag paper and have left some wiggle room for additions to my drawing in the event a story unfolds (of course it will!!!) and I might want to add an element or two later.


She sits on a branch looking out...dreaming...


There will be ten drawings in all to fill a skirt hanger. The next color is GREEN! So let's see where that takes this bird.

Thanks for dropping by! *smiles* Norma

Idyllic Dreaming

Today I began working on the first composition for the ten week long "Summer of Color" challenge hosted by Kristin at Twinkle Twinkle Like a Star. Each week we will be given a color and this first week it is BLUE.
I'd been wanting to work on the size of my new MOLESKINE and when I started mixing up some blue gouache I spotted out of the corner of my eye, a stash of prepared (dried and ironed flat) used tea bag paper. So I'll be using that as a ground. My subject is a blue bird from my imagination, who is dreaming. So the picture is called 'Idyllic Dreamer.' I've used india ink, acrylic paint, gouache, pencil crayon and rubber stamped lettering thus far, for this mixed media piece. I'm thinking very much of the fragility of things (and of life) as I am working because the paper is gradually tearing as I handle it. Everything is temporary. I love the metaphor.
Well you can see that the tea bag picture is hung from a clothing hanger (skirt) and at the end of the ten weeks it will be full. I have an idea to make a book but the muse will tell me what to do as time goes on. The hanger may be an installation piece.
Well nice chatting, and hope to see you soon. *smiles* Norma

Thanks for dropping in!

MUDRAS

Yoga in your hands...
On my workdesk today is a small acrylic painting of the 'Ganesha Mudra.' The elephant Ganesha is the deity who overcomes all obstacles.
The painting shows the hand position for this mudra. While doing it, visualize the color red~perhaps a mosaic of all shades of red, or a persian carpet or a tulip petal. Focus on all of your senses while feeling the color strengthening and warming and widening your heart; giving you the courage to be open and confident.
The affirmation is: "I meet other people with courage, openness, and confidence."

I will be completing the painting of the hands proper, with shading and all, but wanted to get enough to show you what I am working on this week. The painting is small, 1" X 2" and is edged in very shiny over the top (gold) Indian trim.
This painting is meant to rest on a book shelf, or can be hung on the wall.

Thanks for stopping by! *smiles* Norma