Shaving Cream Marbling Technique

For some reason this is where the typing wants to start. These are samples from one tray of shaving cream and dye re-inkers. I used Nick Bantock colors. I was able to get 12 sheets done with one application of shaving cream. I just re-swirled the colors each time. I used Bristol Board paper. My hubby printed a sheet, and my son helped put in the color. I guess it was a macho enough project for them since it used shaving cream. These papers will be used to make ATCs for the Arttechniquatcs group.

Free to Fly

"Free to Fly" is my second piece for the ZNE Design Team July Challenge. For this piece I used a 5 x 7 canvas board. I began painting sky-like colors in acrylic paint. I then adhered a piece of vintage sewing pattern tissue. I sprayed some Color Mists and Moon Shadow Mists on top of that. I attached the woman and window images from the ZNE Collage sheet and coated the whole thing with Golden's Regular Gloss Medium. I added a brass butterfly for contrast between the woman behind the window and the freedom outside. This can be interpreted in different ways. I will let you interpret it as you will!

"Fair as a Star" ATC for ZNE Design Team July Challenge

This ATC was made for the ZNE Design Team July Challenge. I already had the background; a mix of Color Mist Sprays and some Glue with sparkly starsand moons in it. The images are from a ZNE collage sheet. The phrase is from a Wordsworth poem.

Last of Metal Tape Series

I did this one with an "echo" effect, thus calling it "Echoes of Time." This Twisted Papers collage sheet has great images!

Technique: put Metal tape onto a cardstock foundation. Lay image on card. Trace outline with a stylus. Remove image, and "echo" the traced line to the edges of the card. Apply liquid acrylic paint and rub off; apply and rub again until al the creases are filled with paint. Attach image to card.

Another Metal Tape ATC

Number 4 in the Metal Tape series. I am using images from Twisted Papers. The woman is from one of their downloadable collage sheets, the corners are from one of their CDs.

It Must Be Summer!

I haven't been posting too frequently. I am finding that going to the gym in the mornings cuts into my art time a bit. I am seeing some results, so plan on keeping it up. We had a HOT week weather-wise, but the lovely fog came in last night. Our natural air conditioning!
I am working on ATCs for the arttechniquesatc group, and finished my monoprints for the arttechniques main group. I am looking forward to seeing what the others have done!
Continuing working on projects for The Artists Circle; can't wait until I can tell you all about this group and project!
The July Challenge for the ZNE Design Team will also need to be done in the next week or so. Off to play!

Metal Tape Technique

Here are my first three Metal Tape Technique ATCs. These are for the arttechniquesatc group. This technique uses hardware store metal tape that you can emboss and then highlight with black acrylic paint, or you can color it with alcohol inks (landscape ATC in center). I used some Twisted paper images from a downloadable collage sheet. The tape is fun to play around with!

Tulip 3 Collaged

Since these will be swapped, I felt I need to collage one in more earthy tones since lots of people prefer those colors to brights or pastels. I used some of the "holey" paper from Phoenix Arts, and some antique dictionary text. The flower is a Basic Grey paper.

Tulip 2 Collaged (Step 2)

This is the second monoprint with collage papers added. I am not sure if I like the paper on the top left. A bit too busy, I am thinking. I may change it.

Monoprint Collages Step 2

I added papers to the first tulip monoprint. When I looked closer at the magazine samples, I noticed cut edges on the attached papers. This made it easier to fit the pieces in the curved areas. I held the monoprint up to a window (a lightbox would also work; too lazy to take mine out). I drew the shape I wanted to cover with a pencil onto my chosen collage paper. Cut out, and attached all pieces with regular matte gel medium (Golden).

More Experiments with Monoprinting

You can see how much darker the tulips are compared to the daisy and the pears below. This was a fun process, and I think I will try more intricate designs at another time. I used a Speedball Printer's Block and a small Speedball brayer. I also used Speedball Block Printing Ink in Black.I probably used too much ink, because my very first print was all black, but you could see the design through it. I just drew with a pencil very quickly without stressing over perfection. The next steps to these monoprints will be adding torn papers to the images. I will post the collaged prints when I have done that step. The Arttechniques group is doing a swap based on an article in the recent Cloth Paper Scissors on pages 38-39. Check it out and give it a try!

Experiments with Monoprinting

Here are some very quickly drawn pears that I practiced doing monoprints with. I found that the later images printed more clearly, and that the first printings are much darker. You will notice the difference between these and the floral prints.

Anne Bagby Style #4

Another of the Anne Bagby ATCs for the arttechniquesatcs group. The group has enjoyed trying their hand at this style. I chose to use the same image that had been tweaked in different ways using Adobe Photoshop Elements software. I used some hand-carbed stamps on this ATC also.

Anne Bagby Style ATC #5

Here is my last in the Anne Bagby series. I really enjoyed working with this DaVinci image. I incorporated some serendipity squares into the background of this ATC, and some inchies.

AOM Bagby #3

This is #3 in the AOM Anne Bagby series. I began with a "poured ink" watercolor paper background. I added a couple of pieces of handpainted paper; one done with oil pastels and webbing spray; the other with Lyra Watercolor crayons and texture templates (Outside the Margins). I used the same DaVinci image which had been tweaked a bit differently than the other two ATCs done previously. I added a handpainted paper halo, and a handpainted paper bottom border. I also used my own handcarved heart stamp on the background and on the bottom of the card. I added some Inktense watercolor pencils to the image and some white paint pen and gold pen dots to the halo. Black Sharpie pen was used for the lines on the halo.

Anne Bagby Style ATC #2

I am much happier with this attempt at Anne's style. The first ATC's head got a bit out of shape when it was glued. This one shows the "white face" look that Anne utilizes a lot. Not my original drawing though, the same DaVinci image. For this card I used 3 different handpainted papers for the background. I then used a handcarved stamp (heart design) on the background. I used Nick Bantock dye ink in Damson Plum.I attached the image on top of a circle cut from painted paper towel. I then added dots in gold leaf and white paint pen. The image had been tweaked in Adobe Photoshop Elements 4; I used Inktense Watercolor pencils to color in her body, dress and hair, leaving her face alone. I did add cheek, lip, and eye color. I wet a small brush and lightly went over the colors. Lastly, I added some designs to her dress using these old plastic styluses I have had for years and years. It finally dawned on me I could use them with ink pads. Although she is kind of odd-looking, I feel she better represents Anne's style.

Anne Bagby Style Swap

Here is the first ATC I have made with a loose interpretation of Anne's style. I was inspired by a piece in The Artist's Magazine. I began with a brightly colored ATC background (a reject of another technique). I then took a piece of metal in a grille design and stippled Golden's Interference Oxide Green (YS) onto the background. I tore a piece of handpainted paper and adhered it to the left edge (hidden now). I also added a torn piece of a painted paper towel, and then used a curlique stamp to randomly stamp onto the background using Memories Black dye ink. Using a gold leafing pen, I drew wavy lines in a diagonal pattern onto the card. I did an inkjet transfer using Omni-Gel with a DaVinci image gotten from an old Art History book. I cut a handpainted paper circle for a halo effect and stamped it using an architectural stamp from Stamper's Anonymous. I adhered the halo, and the transfer and another scrap of painted paper towel. I drew a gold outline around the halo with a gold Krylon leafing pen. I then took a handcarved stamp and stamped with Brilliance ink in Moonlight White on two edges. That finished this card off.

Busy, Busy

Getting into gear for summer! We had our last ladies' Bible study today. We had such a good group of women and good fellowship.
Dan and I decided to join 24 Hour Fitness as our anniversary gift to each other so as to get into shape. We are both hoping to lose weight. We will meet with a personal trainer and try to get into a routine. Just going for walks isn't cutting it, and I don't want to end up on blood pressure meds, so we took the plunge! Although I was athletic (to a degree) in Jr High and High School ,
along with many years of ballet, the whole gym experience has always freaked me out a bit. But when we saw a lot of people who were much older than us, and a lot of out of shape people working on their fitness, we decided it was time.
I am working on some projects that I am keeping under wraps for a bit, but will post any ATCs I make for arttechniquesatcs. I will also post my ZNE Design Team pieces. I am currently working on the Anne Bagby style ATCs. Fun, but challenging! I also hope to do more of the Faux Dichroic glass.

Wrapped in Wire

I wrapped this piece of Faux Dichroic glass in wire, and added a small bead to dangle. I will be experimenting with a thicker wire and flattening it for some of the larger pieces. Next week hopefully! This piece is small enough it could be used as a charm or a pendant.

Faux Dichroic Glass Stamped

I stamped these three pieces. I re-heated each piece then put a rubber stamp onto them after first coating the stamp with an embossing ink pad (no color). They needed a gloss varnish spray because the stamping kind of interferes witht the shine. The far laft image also has a couple of little pieces of cellophane and some micro beads in it.