My first painting video!

Whahhhhhhhh, I just uploaded my first painting video! It is a little funny because it ends abruptly. My video camera died. There are also parts skipped because, guess what, my camera died. It must have 99 lives. ha! Go easy on me gang. I think it is pretty slick for a first crack if I say so myself.

Oh, I also got some really crazy videos of a severe thunder storm we drove home in tonight. Will post that later.

xo!

Sharing my pallet with you...

I always love to see how other artists use their tools. The pallet is one that seems to have a really wide range of styles that people use. I have some expensive professional pallets that I just don't use.

I actually use a Tupperware container, for shame, for my acrylics. I like to be able to just pop the lid on when I am done and they are sealed up tight. I keep a bit of water in there to keep them moist and I have a spray bottle with me at all times so I can occasionally mist the paint to prevent it from skinning. I also use it to spray my canvas if I need more time to blend the paint.

Here are some pictures of my pallet that I use.

 

I have little disposable cups in there so that I can keep the paints separate and I even create some custom colors for say skin tones and what not and mix them in the cup so I have enough for the entire painting and I don't have to worry that I didn't mix the color right the second time.

 

These are porcelain dishes that are meant for crackers and cheese that I use to mix my paints on. What I love is they are white so the color is true and if the paint dries on there I just add some water and it peels off. Sometimes I use these "skins" to add to canvases. No wasted paint no pollution. Recycle all you can. These things are really important to me, the impact my creativity has on the earth.

 

When I am all done, I stack the porcelain dishes on top of the paint cups and close the lid till I can squeeze another 20 mins in between dishes and laundry. HE HE!

XO!

Driving home from the city...

I have been carrying my camera around lately, in case inspiration shows up, and have started taking the strangest pictures. Kinda funny really but, as I drove home the other evening I started snapping off pictures and everything going by (while I watched the road mind you) so some of them were quite laughable. One came up all blurry but the comp was really nice. So I threw it in photoshop and added my own quote, at least I am sure it is my own and if it resembles another quote it was purely unintended.

I truly believe this. In fact the majority of the time I don't really know where I am going, I just have some sort of an idea. I really prefer it that way. My life for the last few years has had to be flexible and I have gotten used to it. I have come to the realization that it is good to have a direction but if you leave room for deviations you discover the best things you may not have otherwise found and you are far less likely to pine for things, which you totally expected, that never came to be.

Have a plan, but please do DEVIATE if and when you can. It can be so much fun.

xo

Cool Codes

I am going to be adding all kinds of cool information here that I have gathered through my years of blogging and teaching myself a bit of html coding etc. I will actually be adding code and instructions on how to PIMP your own blog up! Stay tuned for some really awesome info and fun stuff!

First on the list will be how to add your own custom made background. You will need a photobucket or flicker account (it's free) so if you don't have one get ready and go get one!

xo

UPDATE: I just added instructions on how to create your own custom animated email button. It is in the PiMP ur BLOG section.

Some homework...

I am currently taking WYANNE'S Paint Free ecourse and I had some homework to do. I won't expose the details as I don't want to infringe on the copyright of her course but what I had to do was write a letter and then paint over it. This was my resulting painting. 

If you look really closely you can still see some of the words. I had originally wanted to leave some showing but it just didn't work for me. The balance of lights to darks and the background was pulling too much attention. This is kind of inspiring me to do some illustrative artwork, oh maybe I will write a children's book in my 5 spare minutes. OY!

The weekend is here and looks like sunshine! Not so good for our fire situation. Drought is scary.

xo

the fairy!

A Heartfilled Home...

I found some scrap lumber outside and decided I wanted to make a little painting on it. I have two actually but the other is not done yet. With my collage class on my mind, and wanting something simple, not too much thought into it, just let it go. I decided to roughly sketch a house on it, hence the crooked door... hahahha!

 

I actually collaged some papers on it first, then sketched it out with a charcoal pencil which needs to be a really soft one by the way (learned that the hard way). I then painted over it with acrylic paints. I painted the edges too but I think they are a little too bright but all in good time, I will get to it. he he. There was a blank space above the window on the right that just needed something there and shazam, out pops the cheesy heart. Sometimes I am really cheesy.

xo

the fairy

Oh La La...

Popping in to post a sample painting that I did for my mixed media collage workshop that I am doing here in our community this fall. We have an absolutely gorgeous new library which has a separate conference/multi-purpose room that is to die for and they host a multitude of workshops there. 

If you are local and would like to attend one of my workshops visit my workshop tab (still ironing out dates for the workshops as I am hosting 2 two day workshops.) at the top of the blog or contact the Library Allard in St. Georges MB.

I was totally inspired by this book I saw at Chapters which is completely based on these chic ladies with collaged dresses. This is my take on it. It was really fun. I actually used some rubber and acrylic stamps on here too. I even pulled out my Sharpie paint pens to add the detailing on the fence. 

And now, I think I better sit down and pour over some new images for my digital stamp shop. I have been sorely neglecting that lately. I see that some of the stores and the magazines are releasing Halloween and Christmas images. Do you ever feel like we look so far ahead sometimes that we forget to live in the present? I mean snowsuits and winter gloves at Costco when it is 40 degrees out right now and we are in the middle of a drought! Seems crazy to me.

xo
the fairy