Category Archives: mixed media

Decisions, decisions

Posted on by under mixed media

I have had this piece floating around the studio for a while. I need to get the studio cleaned out so I need to do something with this piece.

It is a piece of silk screened felt which I added some stitching around the circles. It didn’t feel finished and it’s just been languishing.

My first thought was to add some stitched spirals to the background. I used a drawing tool in Photoshop to give the basic idea of the spirals. The threads would be similar colors to the ones I have already used. I even started this but I didn’t have a good way to transfer the spiral design on to the felt. So I stopped on this idea.

Then I saw something on Facebook that made me think I should try adding more felt circles and leaves and applique these pieces down. So I tried this layout. It certainly is more lively and does feel more finished with this design. I would use fairly large thread to match the thread I have already used to applique the pieces down. What do you think? Too much?

 

This and That

Posted on by under hand stitching, mixed media, painting

Today we went to Deb’s house to add more layers to our experimental watercolors we made at my house about a month ago. I didn’t get any photos of the artwork but take a look at Deb’s pens.

You can’t even see all the colors here. Serious pen envy.

I have a new addition to the studio. I bought a used easel from one of my friends. It takes up way too much space but I want to continue on this painting journey I have been on so I thought it was a good time to get an easel.

I finally finished stitching my cedar trees. They will have a matt so I’ve photographed them with croppers. Now I need to find a new hand stitching project to work on.

 

Revamped Cards

Posted on by under collage, mixed media

I made these cards quite a while ago with scrap paper and poured acrylic skins. I put them in the store for sale and they haven’t sold. There has been minimal interest in them. So it was time to revamp and see if I could improve them.

So I looked in my notebooks where I put quotes that I like. I found enough quotes and then printed them out.

I then cut them out and pasted them to the already made card.

This one I had to redo because I misspelled happiness.

I hope that with these quotes, people will like the cards better.

People seem to like items/cards with words on them.

At least they have a “focal point” now.

Of course it would help if I could spell. Picasso on the card is wrong. Sigh. I have printed out another piece of paper with the correct spelling and will paste it over the first one. Now I’ll take these back to the store and see what happens.

Watercolor Experiments Continue

Posted on by under mixed media, painting

I am still experimenting with watercolors and seeing if I can create more abstract landscapes. I am still working small and about half of the experiments end up being acceptable. Some are still pretty ugly but I am learning. Definitely, less is more. And I have to learn when to stop. Less is more.

Here are three that were not as I had envisioned. But they’re OK.

These three are better. The one in the middle is an eco print that has been enhanced with watercolor and acrylics.

These two are my favorite ones from today. These are more abstract and not as overworked. I will be turning most of these into greeting cards as they are all small (5″ x 7″ range). Thanks for stopping by and have a good weekend.

Paint Party

Posted on by under mixed media, painting

Our group got together last week and did some of the experimental painting techniques that I have been trying out.

Everybody got right to work and created some “master pieces”.

These are the pieces as they are drying. Everybody, even with experimental kind of methods, has a different look to their work. Next time we meet, we are going to work further into some of these pieces to finish them. It will be interesting to see how they turn out.

Here is one of mine after I worked into it. The piece on the left is what I started with after letting the watercolors dry. The piece on the left is after working into the painting to give it a bit more definition in places. It’s fun to figure out what needs to be added and when to stop. That’s probably the hardest part for me 🙂