Canvases for two young girls

I recently had the pleasure of meeting 2 young girls (ages 8 and 10 I think) at a work-related event.  They were so well-behaved and cute and I really enjoyed chatting with them throughout the night.  I often see or think of projects to do that would be really cute for young girls, but not having any in my life at the moment I usually put off doing them.  I decided that this would be a great opportunity to try out an idea that I'd had a while ago and thought they might enjoy this little gift.

I started out with a canvas board and collaged a variety of brightly coloured papers onto it (lots of pinks, purples and oranges!).  I then added a layer of scrunched tissue paper for texture.

 

I toned down the bright colours with a coat of gesso...then wiped some of it off as it was too toned down.

   

 

 

I then added more texture with stencils and modeling paste and some drywall tape.

      

Then out came the sprays.  I sprayed a variety of mists, wiped and sprayed some more.

Next...stamping in black ink...then some white acrylic paint and bubble wrap.

I adhered a bling clothespin to the top of the canvas to hold notes or photos.  I glued chipboard letters to a piece of cardboard and sprayed and inked it, then trimmed it down before adhering it to the canvas.  Then I used one of Prima's Julie Nutting doll stamps to create my girl for the canvas.  Added some Stickles to the dress, headband and shoes for some more girlie bling and some Liquid Pearls to the flowers and it was done!  I hope they like it!

    

29 Faces - #9-14

Well...not the most successful attempt at completing the 29 Faces challenge, but not quite in the category of an epic fail either.  I may continue to do a few more over the next week or so.

I did a few pencil sketches this past week on kraft paper...and then I decided to do some finger-painting on two of them. 

I'll start with the painted ones first...very primitive...but I like the way the first one turned out.

 

and these are the sketches...

 

 

 This one was actually done using just shading and very little outlining

 



 



29 Faces - Face #8

Saturday night was spent at The Art House Studio taking a Watercolor Whimsy class with Donna Downey!  I really wanted to take all of her classes...but decided on this one because she was showing us how to do a gel medium transfer as well as using Gelatos...two things I really wanted to try.

I chose to use the copy of one of Donna's stamps.  After spreading a thin layer of gel medium (Golden Gel Matte) onto the canvas, I laid the ink jet printed copy face down onto the gel medium and burnished it for a few minutes.  Carefully lifted the paper to reveal the print...easy peasy!  If I'd known it was that easy I would have tried it ages ago!

We then added gelatos to the face...then the hair.  Donna used my canvas to demonstrate the hair and the drippage...love drippage!  We then did the background, finished the face, added texture to the hair, and added stamps to the background.  I love it!  Will definitely try more with both techniques. 

Thanks Donna! Great class!!!

29 Faces - Face #7

I could watch Vivian Keh (Contandina K) http://contadinak.wordpress.com/ create all day long.  Her work is so inspiring.  I decided to try my hand at some of her techniques.  While not nearly close to Vivian's level I am pretty pleased with the result. I gessoed a sheet of watercolour paper, then used a feather stencil and modeling paste to add texture to the page. I then sketched in the face. I also used a small circle stencil to add additional texture.  I then used a variety of spray inks to add colour, allowing it to drip over the page and modeling paste.  I added some details to the face with a paintbrush dipped in spray inks.

29 Faces - Face #6

This face came out of nowhere!  I was prepping another page to do something I had planned out in my head and found I had a bit of extra gesso on the card I was using to spread it with.  I flipped open my journal and it landed on a page...a really ugly page covered in streaky Payne's grey.  I set it aside to dry as I worked on my "planned" page.  While the planned page was drying I returned to the ugly page...and was totally amazed to see parts of a face...an eye...jawline...shape of a head.  I quickly sketched out what I saw, filling in the details.  Then I grabbed my long neglected Pan Pastels to add some shading. 

I love that some of the streakiness of the original ugly page is still visible through the gesso and Pan Pastels.  For some reason, this is one of my favourite faces I've ever done.

Now I guess I'd better get to work on the "planned" page!

Sept 2013 29 Faces Challenge - Faces 1-5

A bit slow out of the starting block for the September 2013 29 Faces Challenge, but at least I have started.  First I did a few pencil sketches...practicing different views. 

 

 

Then I took one of these and copied it over onto a journal page that had some "mop up" paint on.  I wanted it to be 'rough', done quickly with minimum paint strokes and colours.  I actually quite like how it turned out. 

 

 



Gelliaxing - Relaxing with My Gelli Plate!

I felt the need to get the creative juices flowing this weekend and what better way than to get out my Gelli Plate.  I had a piece of cardboard that was already folded and perfect for a journal or mini-book cover.  I still have to punch the holes, add the inner pages and decorate the rings, but this is what it looks like so far.  I'm leaning towards filling the book with watercolour paper and using it with watercolours, Twinkling H2Os and Gelatos.