Let's Face It 2016

Just thought I would share some portrait work I've been doing with an online class called

"Let's Face It 2016" it's run by Kara Bullock you can find it here

There is a new lesson every week by a different instructor and the class is suitable for you no matter where you are at in your journey. 

I've done some portrait work in graphite with 3 views - front facing, 3/4 and profile. It is really amazing to see my growth. I do not draw and paint as much as I would and you really need to be doing all the time to practice. Practice makes all the difference. :)

Week 3

Week 11

Week 19

I have also done two painting lessons:

Week 4 - lesson with Petra Stein

(LOVED this lesson)

Week 6- lesson with Karine Bosse

(This lesson was a huge challenge and I need to do it again. It is on wood - I've never painted a portrait on wood before and also used watercolors, absorbant ground and oil pastels. The lesson called for a mixed media background but I did not like mine at all. I tend not to line this type of background on my portrait work. I ended up covering it up and using acrylics) I really dislike this painting but we learn from every piece we work on. 

Art Journal Page Using Scraps of Darkness "Danse Macabre" Kit

Hello Friends-

I've found myself in a bit of a "scrapbooking" funk. That place when you design and say hmmmm...another scrapbook page...card... tag....mini album... nope not doing it for me.  I LOVE designing for Scraps of Darkness and Scraps of Elegance. I LOVE the kits and the versatility of the products. Can't imagine ever living without them. BUT I will say out loud what other designers probably do not... designing for years on end without time off can take it's toll on your creativity, desire to create and love of what we do. There has to be balance. Time to play for yourself and not just create as design work because no matter how much creative freedom you are allowed it is just not the same.

So what does one do when she has design work to do but no desire to use the kit in a traditional way?

She does what she LOVES to do... she draws and paints portraits in her art journal using the wonderful mixed media products in the October Scraps of Darkness Kit "Danse Macabre"

I'm calling this one "Bats in the Belfry" :)

I'm taking a new portrait class so this is a new style of drawing and painting for me. The background is mixed media with the portrait drawn over it. In our kits we received Lindys Mists in  "Go Greased Lightnin, Sidewalk Chalk and Jazzy Jivin Purple" I used Dina Wakley stencils in the background from past Scraps of Darkness Kits as well as some of her acrylic paints. 

You can find our mixed media products in the shop --- HERE

 I used charcoal and Pitt Pens with a "scribble" drawing technique.

You can find the color add on --- HERE

You can find our kits ---- HERE

We received these fun stamps perfect for Halloween in the Creativity Add On ---- HERE

The stamps are from Paper Parachute - Art Tartz Bat Wings and Bat Woman. 

I used them in the background. Hard to see in the large view of the portrait but you can see them here in the close ups.

This one is the bat wings...

... And here is the bat woman blending into the background...

Thanks a bunch for stopping by. Hope you are inspired to try to use your kit products in a new fun way!

Mixed Media Canvas using Scraps of Darkness September Kit Tanyas Industrial Odyssey

Hello and Welcome to my Blog!

I'm sharing my first project created with the September Scraps of Darkness Kit

"Tanyas Industrial Odyssey" 

What a spectacular kit! I just love the teal green tones in this kit. A gorgeous mix of Kaisercraft Time Machine and Marion Smith Time Keeper! You can find this kit and tons more supplies right at our store ----- HERE

Our Creativity Add On this month contained a 4 x 6 canvas board. I coated the background in gesso first then added Lindys Stamp Gang "Shabby Turbine Teal" found in our Color Add On to my background edges. 

I drew the face and painted it with water soluble crayons. I added some splashes of Lindys "Chesire Cat Cherry" to the background also. This is my favorite "pink/red" toned mist!

I used a lot of Lindys Stamp Gang embossing powders. I random stamped in the background with two different style stamps and then embossed with "Midnight Bronze" and "Cleopatra Copper".

The Midnight Bronze was found in the Color Add On and the Copper was from a past kit!

The Prima Mechanicals used on this canvas were in the Main Kit and Elements Add On. 

I used these embossing powders on the metals also but added another color- Desert Moon Turqoise.

Under the propeller piece is a gorgeous mosaic tile found in the Main Kit.

Melinda always includes the most gorgeous and unusual finds in our kits! I just love those tiles and the added interest it lends my project.

The chipboard piece adorning the eye is from Prima Timeless Memories Chipboard. Also found in the Elements Add On. Along with metal pieces I collaged cut outs of clocks found on the Kaisercraft Time Machine papers.

I'm also playing along with Lindys Stamp Gang Color Challenge for September!

I hope you enjoyed my project! Please stop by our store and take a peek at our kits! Hurry and grab one they sell out fast! You can also find us on Facebook! Join our community where we have great swaps, fun challenges and tutorials and lots of inspiration!

Mixed Media Portrait Painting Canvas Video Tutorial

Hi Everyone! 

This week I'm sharing a project I created with the Scraps of Elegance February Kit "Lisas Love Letters" creativity and color add ons.

In case you missed them this is what they look like. You can also find it here.

I used the canvas along with the mists, stencil and silks. I created a mixed media portrait painting. The face was started with one of Jamie Dougherty's Bloom Girl stencils. This one is "Sharon." I just used the outline of her face and some of her features then made it my own.

At the moment I'm not into drawing hair. I think we all question our journey and style when we are taking drawing classes as you tend to pick up the instructors style and think you don't have one of your own. As I am developing my own- no hair seems to be the common theme for me. I enjoy using other elements for hair rather than the traditional flowing locks. LOL

A few close ups of her and you can see the video below!

Take of tour of my process video right here!

I hope you enjoy!

          

Bloom Girl and Prima PPP

Hello Friends! 

Today I'm up again on the Bloom Girls Blog sharing my final projects as a guest designer for the month with you. I'm so honored to have had the chance to design for Jamie with her amazing products! My head has been spinning with ideas and I've loved every moment of my time here. Many thanks to Jamie for having me as her November guest designer!

This time around I created two mixed media portrait paintings. I did them both on watercolor paper. At this time watercolor paper and Caran D'ache water soluble crayons are my favorite mediums!  I like to mix in some acrylics. I've been starting my first layer on the facial coloring with acrylics. I also do my white highlights in acrylics or gesso. 

I used the "Sharon" stencil for this one. I thought I would use the colors of the Prima PPP this month and play along with that as well. I used several mists and Bloom Sprays in the background. I also used some stamps, masks with ink and stencil paste to add further interest. 

I used the Sharon stencil a lot doing different sketches with her before I finally decided on the face and background. I love how every time I drew her she came out with a completely different face! This is what I love about these stencils. You get your basic lines but can totally make them your own just by incorporating your own style, whimsy and shading.

My second painting is a combo of the "Sharon" stencil and "Free Spirit."  I used the face of Sharon although I tilted her head. Then I used the feathers from "Free Spirit." I enjoy mixing my paints with graphite and like keeping the graphite in my work. The feathers are all done in graphite and just blended. I added some of the butterflies from Sharon to her shoulders for wings.

The background was done with some torn up book pages. I used gel medium to adhere them then painted over it with lots of Caran d'ache crayons. I used a few different stencils, stamps and modeling paste as well for more interest.

Here are a couple of close ups of the faces.

Oh how I love to draw! Love these stencils! LOVE! You should give it a go. There are so many possibilities! Don't be tied down to just the stencil. Play! Mix them up! It is a TON of fun!

Thank you for stopping in today! Don't forget to pay a visit to the Bloom Girls Blog to catch your daily inspiration from the team!

Portrait drawing and Lindys Mists

Lindys June Color Challenge

Today I am sharing a portrait drawing on watercolor paper with graphite, acrylics and Lindys Stamp Gang mists!

The colors I used for my background work are:

Jack In The Pulpit Teal

Marigold Yellow Orange

Chesire Cat Cherry

Hydrangea Blue

 This piece is part of a workshop I am taking with LifeBook. I can't take credit for the concept as it's the lesson but I LOVE it so much I am going to do more with my own spin now. 

I had an absolute blast playing with color, mists and stencils. The lesson had some of those lines drawn in the hair and I loved how it looked when the instructor did it- but not so much with mine. Next time I will do something different.

I am way behind on my Lifebook Lessons too. :( No time with kids!

I don't know how all these fabulous designers have time to create such A+ projects when they have kids. I need some tips. :)

The face was drawn and I used some acrylics for the skin tone. The highlighting was created with Lindys Mists and a touch Caran D'Ache watersoluble crayons for the lips.

Layering of mists and stencils here. A touch of graphic line drawings which I didn't like here. I smudged it a bit with water to blend as I just wasn't into the look!

Thanks a TON for stopping by! I always appreciate the looksee and your kind comments!

Scraps of Darkness Design Team Reveal

Hello Everyone!

 Today I am sharing a few more projects 

created with the 

January Kit 

"Style and Sophistication"

Oh how I have loved this kit! Every little bit from the beautiful rust tones to baby blues. Little wooden bottles, Vertigo sheet, black lace and gorgeous silks... An artists dream! 

So here we go.

First up are the two canvas projects I created from the Creativity Add On. You can find that here.

I created the background by layering acrylic paints and the Lumiere (included in the kit) and some stamping. I drew my face by hand with Prism color pencils and painted her with acrylics and the pencils.

I do believe I am gravitating towards collage style work but we'll see where this all goes as time marches on. :0 

The beautiful floral images were cut from the Graphic 45 papers included in our kit.

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My second canvas in another portrait drawing in Prism color pencils and acrylics. I used more of the Lumiere in the background with touches of Silks Acrylic Glaze and Lindys Mists (included in the color add on).  I achieved some interesting effects with chalk shavings and Gum Arabic.

You can see that a little better here.

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I've got a layout up next created with the beautiful Authentique papers included in the kit! 

This is a mixed media style layout with lots of background work. All achieved through the mists and silks included in the color and creativity add ons at Scraps of Darkness.

The chipboard pieces are Dusty Attic from my stash.

Another close up.

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In our creativity add on this month we received a sheet of "Vertigo" paper.

It's a really cool product with fun shimmery 3 dimensional aspect to it.

I cut the sheet in half and made two tags from it. I ran them both through the embosser with different folders.

I used Lindys mist on the back with some silks and then rubbed Inka Gold on the front!

That is it for today peeps! Thanks for stopping by!!!

Prima- January 2014 - BAP

I Am Unique

Here comes my artsy quirky side. Pushing the envelope a bit on this one. ;)

Based on the January sketch. .. Really it is... 

Who says scrapbooking supplies have to be used for... Scrapbooking?

While you CAN glue a photo to the page and document your memories you don't ALWAYS have to. Why not try something different?

Take out your crayons, colored pencils, graphite, paints and play with childlike abandon!

The title is "I am unique" and the "e" in unique is upside down on purpose.

A little artsy statement there. ;)

The face was drawn in graphite and then water soluble crayons, pencils and acrylics were used.

Mixed in with Prima papers and flowers are also some Prima stamps and a mask.

The background is layered with gesso, paints, mists, masking and stamps.

I had a vision when I started this and it's not exactly as I imagined because I have a limited supply of Prima products. I need to go shopping! LOL

Thanks for stopping in your guys! I appreciate your visit!

xo

Once Upon A Time

... I was a scrapbooker... now I draw and paint...

when the two meet each other here is what you get...

I have used the November Scraps of Darkness "Waterlilies" Kit on this one. I used one of the papers by Pink Paislee to paint her face. I used watercolor pencils, crayons and acrylic.

The background is layers of papers, mists and texture paste.

Can't forget the flowers...

Thanks so much for stopping in!