Shield

This week I am sharing a painting and a couple of journal pages based on lessons from TAOS (The Art of Sisterhood - an online class from Kara Bullock Art.)

This painting is large for me - 18 x 22 with an "icon" type look/folk art feel.  As usual, I went my own way rather than trying to copy what the teacher did in the lesson. But it was a great lesson by Lauren Rudolph.

Next up is a journal page.  This was based on a lesson from Tiare Smith.  Lots of writing in the layers - a great art journaling technique.

And last but not least is a journal page from a lesson by the lovely Jackie Barragan. About love and forgiveness.  Lots of fun layers of collage and paint and writing in this one.

Sometimes art journaling is about making a pretty piece. Sometimes it's more about the process and thoughts behind it.

Well that pretty much covers my art week. I'd love to see what you have been working on!

-Laney

Linking up with Paint Party Friday.

More from Let's Face It.

I am still loving the LFI 2017 class with Kara Bullock (and a bunch of other instructors), but I decided to sign up for another class with just Kara in order to get more lessons from her. This painting above is my version of one of the lessons in her Nesties Class. I did this painting on canvas which was a nice change from working on paper and wood cradle board.

This painting is from Let's Face It 2017 - a lesson with Kara. It was lots of fun to bring so much color into the background.  This is on wood cradle board and I have to say I love working on these boards. There is something I love about the hard, smooth surface.  It just feels good to work on. But hen again canvas is fun, too. I guess I don't have to pick a favorite.  ;)

I can highly recommend Let's Face It or any class with Kara - she's a fantastic teacher!

Hope you are having a creative week!

-Laney

Linking up with PPF.

Finding and Going Your Own Way

Finding and Going My Own Way

In Let's Face It 2017 we had a lesson from Effy Wild - which I did not follow!  Effy taught us a complex layering process - which was beautiful - but I wanted to use different media (her layers included spray inks and I just don't like them) and I did not make nearly as many layers as Effy did. In the end she "hid" the background in places and had it show through in others. I liked it showing through all over.

  

I really went my own way with this - it doesn't  resemble Effy's piece, I didn't really follow her instructions but I very much enjoyed her lesson and welcomed the inspiration.

Finding and Going My Own Way- detail

And isn't that what art is all about anyway? Finding and going your own way? 

Teachers and classes provide a wealth of information, techniques, and inspiration. These are very valuable things. Copying teachers and other artists is an incredible way to learn. But we must move from copying to finding our own voice and making the techniques and materials our own as we give expression to our own creative ideas - finding and going our own way.

Hope you are all finding and going your own way to having a great and creative weekend. As always, I'd love to see what you're working on.   :)

-Laney

Mixed Media Art Journaling Playtime

Sometimes there is nothing more fun (and therapeutic) than some mixed media art journaling playtime in the studio! So when I got the chance earlier this week I took advantage of a day for free play.

I started by pulling out my Gelli Arts printing plate and loaded it up with  pastel pink acrylic. Then I layed some yarn down on top of the paint and pulled the first print. In this pic above you can see the print at the top and the gelli plate with the yarn and residual paint in the bottom half of the pic.

Following a few more prints to cover the paper and create some layers, I added some stenciling with more acrylic paint.

After adding some watercolor, colored pencils, stabilo pencil and paint pens I ended up with this.

I made another page in the same manner with a different color scheme but I have had a thing for pink and red lately so this is my favorite.  This is a larger piece of watercolor paper so I'm not sure what this will end up as. Maybe a journal cover, or background, or maybe for cards.

Oh - And it passed inspection as you can see below . . .

Cats can be pretty particular, you know  ;)

I hope you got a chance for some fun and messy art play this week.

-Laney

Linking up with Paint Party Friday.

Art Journal Page

I got a chance to play in my art journal the other day. This is a mixed media journal so the paper takes a variety of media pretty well.  I started with a page where I had cleaned off my paint brushes from another session. I added some collage - magazine cut outs, packaging paper, masking tape - one of my favorites!  Then I "saw" two funky eyes  so started to paint and this little dog-like creature was born. The lion image is from a magazine and seems to represent inner strength for this "dog-girl."

I love how your journal pages will speak to you when you just let it happen.  :)

Hope you're having a creative week!

-Laney

Linking up with Paint Party Friday

Paint Party Friday And More Faces

This face was inspired in part by Mystele and her free lesson with Festive Soul Food, as well as her recent lesson for The Documented Life Project.  This is a page in my art journal which started with a background, and then I saw this face there.  This was tons of fun to do!

I had paint left over so I created another one.   :)

Have a great and creative weekend!

Linking up with Paint Party Friday, Art Journal Everyday and Show Your Face.

Mixed Media Art Journal Page with Oil Pastel

This week I have another page in my larger size art journal. Lots of layers of mixed media on this one. The face is a quick sketch on book paper which I collaged onto the journal page. I had created that face several weeks ago and it was just laying on the table. It seemed to want to go here.
Lately I have been loving my oil pastels again. There is something so wonderfully satisfying about coloring with them and then rubbing with my fingers to smudge and work them into the page.

Most of the pink above is oil pastel over top of paint, gesso, and whatever else found it's way there!

What's your favorite thing to do in your journal these days?

Linking up with Paint Party Friday, Art Journal Every Day, Show Your Face.

Have a creative weekend!

-Laney

Workdesk Wednesday

So this week I decided it would be fun to join in with What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday. It's definitely fascinating to see other artists work spaces. Here is how my table looks this morning.

sugarplum patchwork - my workdesk this wednesday

On my table is an art journal page I was working on and some paints and colored pencils.

I am looking forward to visiting the other workdesks today!
Thanks for stopping by to see mine.

-Laney

Busy Time!

Wow! it's been a busy few weeks.  I have been enjoying DLP and continuing to take some classes with Roben-Marie Smith, as well as participating in Jennibellie's Art Swap. Below is my journal page for DLP Ink/Before the ink is dry.

And over at Jennibellie's  we were swapping postcards with positive affirmations.
Here is the one I made for my partner.

And this is what I received from my partner Kristen.

I can definitely recommend participating in DLP, and Jennibellie's Journal Workshops site is loaded with fun, so check them out.

What have you been up to?

More Documented Life Project and Roben-Marie Smith classes!

The last few weeks have been a lot of fun! I am still loving the Documented Life Project and in addition to the challenges there I have also been taking some online classes from DLP and a couple from Roben-Marie Smith. So much amazing inspiration!

The most recent challenge from DLP - Watercolor/Water Under the Bridge:

The flowers are book paper painted with watercolor.  The other paint is acrylic. I enjoyed painting the book paper with the watercolors, but still think I prefer acrylics except when I just want to paint small amounts of color.

I'm still catching up some other DLP challenges and here is the page for Repeating Elements:

This was a lot of fun, too. This is based on the Journal Bound class from Roben-Marie. And speaking of Journal Bound - here is my version of book one from that class:

I absolutely love this class and this way of binding loose pages. If you have not taken this class I highly recommend it! I love working on loose pages and really needed to learn some binding methods. Roben-Marie teaches how to make two different books in this class. I still need to make the second one.

I am also taking Roben-Marie's new class Printmaker Pro as well as Cardboard Crush and Create It, Mail It, Alter It from the DLP ladies. The DLP classes are fantastic because you get four perspectives on the projects!  All of these artists are talented, and so friendly and professional in the videos. If you are interested in taking any of these classes - don't hesitate. Definitely worth the money!

Are you participating in the Documented Life Project? Have you been taking any classes? Let me know which classes you love!

Linking up to Paint Party Friday

Another Altered File Folder

This week the Documented Life Project challenge is to Making your Mark (Doodles and Mark Making) - As a Layer Element.

Since I am still in love with altering file folders I have used that as my substrate for this weeks challenge.

After gluing down book paper and old envelopes, applying gesso and scrapng on paint for a background, I began mark making!

To make marks I used:
paint brush
watercolor pencil
colored pencils
my fingers
pens
regular pencil
and my sewing machine.

This was a fun challenge!

Did you create anything this week?

Linking up to Paint Party Friday

Art Journal File Folder Tutorial

I've been so inspired by the girls over at The Documented Life Project and so I am playing along - even though I'm getting a late start. It doesn't bother me that I'm behind with the art journal projects - rather it makes me excited that there are all these challenges waiting on me!

I have been a fan of Roben-Marie for a long time so I decided to combine one of her mail art tutorials with the first lesson in DLP. This video of turning a regular file folder into a work of mail art was so inspiring I just had to get my paint covered hands on one. I put together this little step by step tutorial to share what I did. Enjoy!

The challenge for week one is -  book paper 
and the prompt is -  be your own goal keeper.

I started with a regular old file folder. I collaged book paper to it; trimmed it off even with the folder and painted over the book paper with white acrylic paint
.

Then it was time to add color. I combined blue and lime green acrylic paint
.

Then added some pink circles and scribbled with a black Inktense pencil which I wet with a brush.
I followed that up with some doodles using a white paint pen and a black colored pencil. I stamped "be your own goal keeper" with black ink.

Stitching around the sides and bottom finished it off. I left the top open.

I like making my journal pages loose as opposed to working in a journal sometimes, so I will use this folder to safeguard my goals, any inspirational quotes or images that tie into my goals as well as notes about any plans for accomplishing the goals.

 And I like that they are contained and not just out there for all eyes to see. I can pull this folder out anytime I need a reminder of what I want to achieve.

Thanks to Roben-Marie and all the DLP girls for a fun project!

Linking up with:
Art Journal Everyday
Paint Party Friday

Of Words and Art

Hope everyone had a Happy New Year celebration and that your 2015 is off to a good start.

Many artsy people in blogland choose a word to act as a guide for the coming year. My friend Michelle at Shells in the Bush is hosting a blog hop for One Little Word. She is leading us through several steps related to choosing your word and being inspired and motivated by it. So I am joining in the fun.

Or at least I thought I was.

I can't seem to find my word. Nothing is jumping out at me or grabbing me.  I didn't choose a word last year, but did in 2013. (My word in 2013 was "true.")  I made some good decisions last year - and made some good art - all without the guidance of a word.  ;)

So, for now at least, I don't have a word for 2015.  But I can be inspired by those of you that do.

Now, on to some art!

Based on this painting I did a year or two ago . . .

 I have this fiber art/art quilt in process:

This piece has been hanging out for awhile and I really need to get back to it. The flower petals have been sewn down, but nothing else. You can see the pins all over the place!  Still quite a lot of work to be done.

I do a raw edge fabric collage/applique technique - some fused, some not, then stitch by machine. Really love working this way - which is a good thing since there is so much left to do!

We de-decorated the tree today, packed up the Christmas stuff, and vacuumed all the pine needles off the rug. That took all morning! But it feels good to have things back in order. I got in some exercise. 

And this afternoon the mailman brought me this:

A fat quarter bundle of bright solids from Connecting Threads! Look at all that gorgeous color!  This is my first order from CT and so far I am pleased. 

So what have you been working on? Do you choose a word for the year?

Linking up to Paint Party Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Linky Tuesday, Creative Everyday, WIP Wednesday