Art Journal Page: Not As Obvious As You’d Think [Pick-A-Stick Challenge]

Posted on 19th July 2016 by perfectly4med

I’m having a go at catching up with some of my art journal online challenges and classes I’ve been neglecting for a few weeks (actually probably months). I’ve caught up with the Wanderlust One Collage Challenge, but part of the deal with that is that I can’t show you it until the last stage at the end of the year. But I have been taking pictures of each stage, so it’ll be worth waiting for!

Then I moved onto May’s Pick A Stick Challenge – ten prompts drawn at random and completed in order. I pulled out the very first journal I started way back in 2011 and found a background to work on – oh how my art journaling has developed! Continue reading →

Art Journal Pages: Complementary Distress

Posted on 19th May 2016 by perfectly4med

These pages were an exercise in complementary colours. Using the Distress palette, I chose a colour and then the closest colour to its inverse – a different way to find a complementary colour than using a colour wheel. Above, Stormy Sky meets Gathered Twigs, whilst below, Crushed Olive zings against Shaded Lilac and Dusty Concord. Oh yes, one more thing – buckled pages do not make an easy surface to be stamping paint onto…

Continue reading →

Art Journal Page: Kindness is like snow

Posted on 4th December 2015 by perfectly4med

I’ve been forced by circumstances this week to not have a creative outlet, and I’ve come to realise that’s not a good idea! I’ve snatched time though, today, to practice the Gelli Plate technique I’ll be teaching in my Art Journaling Session on Monday evening. There will be spaces available – if you’d like to come, just get in touch.

[Monoprint panels using Chipped Sapphire/Stormy Sky Distress Paints and white acrylic paint; background from cleaning the brayer; text in Posca white acrylic marker.]

Continue reading →

As if that wasn’t enough… some typography & chalkboards

Posted on 26th November 2015 by perfectly4med

There’s just one day left before the Christmas Fayre (in case I hadn’t mentioned it recently). Though I have more items than I can fit on even a large table, the inspiration hasn’t stopped. I thought I would have a go at some mounted typography, so designed, cut out (ok, the Cameo did that bit), stuck together and mounted these two examples – which happened to be two verses from Sunday’s morning services (see the sermon sketchnote).

Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, I’m finishing off some MDF chalkboards – three down (one featured here), three almost done. The first is covered in old dictionary pages, and aged with a ‘dirty wash’ – a drop of DecoArt Media Raw Umber and a drop of Quinacridone Gold watered down, brushed over and splattered with water before drying and sealing with DecoArt Media Ultra Matte Varnish. The second started with squidged Distress Paints, sprayed with water, then dried and I used DecoArt Media Phthalo Blue as my dirty wash, before glazing with a watered down metallic blue acrylic paint. I then sealed with a gloss varnish with a bit of DecoArt Media Interference Blue mixed in. And the last – I’ve tangled it in Sakura Micron 08 black pigment ink over Dylusions Linen White paint (which when completely dry doesn’t clog the nib), sealed with DecoArt Media Ultra Matte Varnish.

[Disclaimer: as part of the DecoArts Helping Artists Program,
I have been provided with samples of their products to use for projects]

Continue reading →

Art Journaling – Inverse Silhouettes (2)

Posted on 3rd March 2015 by perfectly4med

We had fun last night with inverse silhouettes at my Art Journaling Session here at The Studio. There was a little bit of apprehension at painting over a perfectly good background, and then ooohs and ahhhs as the colours started to zing against the black. Here’s another of my examples from last night:

I think the background is Distress Paint using the spritz and splat method on a non-stick craft sheet. The white is brushed acrylic ink, with Signo broad white pigment pen over the top, and the yellow centres and daisy shadows are Sharpies. I’ve also added a bit of shading at the top of the circles to suggest a drop shadow under the black layer with a water-soluble black pencil smudged out with a water brush.

I was also reminded of several other pieces I did back in 2013 using a similar technique – the post is here.

Continue reading →

Crocus Planter (for Creative Expressions)

Posted on 27th November 2013 by perfectly4med

My final project with this month’s Creative Expressions’ Winter Flower stamp set is this cute little terracotta planter resplendent with colourful crocus. Except it’s not terracotta. And you won’t need to water the crocus either. May be just a dusting now and then 😉
For making information, read on.