Ski Girl - Mixed Media

Ski Girl  …she was painted with everything I could find!  - Mixed Media
  

First, I sketched out the ski girl.  I wanted her to be flying and wanted her to be warm.  She is both…the bright white sun snowflake keeps her joyful.
I used acrylic paints, inks, markers, scrap paper, stencils, paper punches, mod podge,  my brayer and just kept adding layers to create the background.  When I was happy with the background, I painted my girl, then collaged her onto the background.   I want to still work a bit on her eyes so they pop!
What do you think?
Leave your comments below.
She is my January Girl…now on to February!

Stop Back Later for "Live with a Thankful Heart" Repainted and the newest version

I say that but I never know what I will create from 'my happy place' and that's what I love so much about painting…it's the surprise!
Thanks for stopping by…Christine Quimby@blogspot.com

painting a message that "kindness matters"

Katniss! The Brilliant and Beautiful

Who doesn't LOVE Katniss!?  Now you can create your pages to show the brilliant personality of Katniss Everdeen.  Read the book …see the movie!  then make some art

You can find a bunch of great stamping supplies for Katniss and other super stamps HERE!

Crescendoh Creative Lab posts some interesting art courses…take a look.

Oh, and you won't believe what my little 'summer village scene' turned into…wait and see.  I promise a surprise about that soon.  I need another moment or two.

The Next Step in A New Mixed Media Piece

 I played around with cutting out some shapes to make my village scene and somehow a couple of sunflowers and a barn appeared… so I went with it and moved to the country.  Here are a few of the shapes I cut out…the sunflowers were cut from an old greeting card that I made…not sure if I will use them as they are a bit big…maybe in the foreground.

I plan on making a background with scraps, watercolors, soluble crayons and whatever else I find.  The best part about this process is that I can do whatever I want…the worst part is that I find out that I don't know what I am doing.

So let's see what happens.

I decided I needed 2 pieces of paper …maybe do one of those panel art pieces where you can frame each one ; yet put them side by side.  Still, thinking those sunflowers are too big.

Now I am ready to start making the background.  I put all my little cut outs in a tray and start with the mod podge.  I want to layer the background and experiment with stamping and blending.

Started to work with water-soluble crayons to damp out the white.  Working with blending and using baby wipes to do so…read that somewhere on line.  Still needs quite a bit of color and blending.

So I am going to let this be for today…which is very difficult for me.  I placed my cut outs on the background but nothing is glued on yet as I need to mull this over a bit.  I also changed a few of the shapes as I thought there was too much pattern going on. There's still so much to do, but I am not sure what.  Check tomorrow or soon after to see what happens. 

 Being new at making art, I have to learn to let it evolve.  The colors in the above photo are not the best (need to take photos in better lighting) we are having a blizzard today and snow is covering my skylight; therefore not the best lighting for my photos.

 check back to see the changes in this piece   

I am not in a hurry; and I will work on this some more tomorrow.  ... what I love about making art the most is the surprises.  One thing I know for certain,  this piece is not close to being finished … and I took a big step by posting it, well, not that big, as who out there is really looking?  Let me know if you are!

Please leave suggestions and/or comments if you are so inspired.  I would love to hear what other artists have to say.  

Making Collage Villages- Step One - The Planning

This is the beginning of my little village I am going to create.  I am starting two villages actually….a 'Christmas village in the snow' and a 'summer village in the sunshine'.  At first, I thought I might build them around the world. I know you have seen them.  I did a sketch of one but tomorrow will be the real surprise.  I am thinking the size will be about 16" x 20" …paint and definitely collage.  All the details will bring in all the fun.

A snowy day tomorrow, so I will probably start with the Christmas village first…build it around a tree… maybe this one…it is part of a greeting card…yet now that I think of it…I made some collage houses for a bulletin board at school that I can use for this…and no school again tomorrow.  So, on second thought I am going to start with the summer village in the sunshine.  The collage houses above are sold so I am going to recreate the many houses I will need.  Well, this is my 'idea' and now I can start imagining it as I get closer to my art table.  That's the fun of creating art and also writing…ideas and plans begin to pop up in your head.  Some ideas work and others don't.  I have had the notion to make some little village paintings for some time now and this seems like a perfect time to start.  

I can envision this in a series….where will this take us…you are invited…check back and I will post the progress.

Materials needed:

water soluble crayons

acrylic paints

mixed media paper

scrapbooking paper

color scheme

mod podge

Happy New Year 2014

 When you think of it...time is all we really have; make each year, month, week, day and minute count.  Do the things you love to do.  Share kindness and pay others with your time.  Do something for nothing.  Some think of it as karma.  and it circles back to you.

Singing Songs of What's Ahead!

Move over art world...okay just a bit...as I am joining the circle.  I signed up for LifeBook 2014 with Tamara LaPorte.  She has a joyous way about teaching.  I've been interested in making art for some time now and plan on giving more time to my passion.  

I am also new at blogging.  Do all of you really read all this stuff?  I am hopeful to include pages on art, reading, teaching and cooking.  Hope you check back and leave a comment to let me know what you like or dislike?  I am going to have lots of links, pictures, videos ....wonder where it all might lead.  Thanks for reading and don't be shy...check back as it will be a colorful, mindful and nutritious journey.

Happy New Year!  2014

Happy New Year!  2014!

Start your year singing!  and dancing!  This video can be your beginning.
So let's get this blog rocking!

See you in a day or 2....Chris Q.