A positively peculiar photographic production!

It is the final letter in the Craft Barn Alpha Dictionary challenge - P.

I realised as I looked around me when working on my latest art project that so many things I use start with P. Then - light bulb moment - it is my paraphernalia!

For this last letter I decided to do something completely different. This entry is done entirely on my computer. I took a photograph of all my stuff - paint, pastel, pencil, paintbrush, palette, paper, pipette - and created this ...

So, I've survived the year, and managed to keep up, here is a montage of the complete alphabet. If you wish to revisit any, just pick Craft Barn 2016 challenge in the label list.

Thank you for all your comments, I've really enjoyed reading them and they are very much appreciated. I've also enjoyed visiting other participants in the challenge - such an inspiration.

Wishing everyone a happy and peaceful 2017.

Green Christmas!

Recently completed my latest art class exercise, all about mixing greens. Now I understand a little about the science of mixing colours, I have no fear of mixing green, and the infinite number of tones and shades that can be achieved.

We used a very stylised picture as a reference, and we were also introduced to gouache. We only used the white goache and mixed it with the watercolour, but a very useful tool to have, as it creates an opaque colour, so you can paint over watercolour. The gouache mixes are the cornfields and also the far right field, plus a little on the near trees.

A three week break from my classes now, and I'm hoping to do some of my own "thing" in watercolour over the holidays.

Here is a photo of my bay tree suitably festive!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas,

and a peaceful 2017.

Mistletoe time!

The penultimate Craft Barn dictionary challenge letter is M.  So I must have missed one along the way, as I still have P and T to do. Perhaps someone can tell me which one passed me by, and I'll try and catch up!

M - had to be mistletoe! My latest art class exercise is mixing greens, so good opportunity to have a practice!

I drew the mistletoe, then used masking fluid over the berries. A light background wash with a couple of different greens, and then on the mistletoe itself I've used watercolour, Neocolor II crayons and coloured pencils.

Christmas is looming and I need to get organised - really? Why should this year be any different!!!

Update - silly me, I've found T, so I haven't missed any. Just shows you what a bit of a pickle I'm in at the moment, trying to catch up with stuff!

Driving me to abstraction ...

My art course continues to challenge me! The next exercise continued with primary colour layering (see previous posts with primary layering tag), and also included hard and soft edges, and distance.

We were given a reference photo to work with, of tulips, and this is my result - not my best work, but it is a continuous (sometimes steep) learning curve for me! My hand doesn't do what my brain tells it to, so a bit frustrating!

Probably still haven't found my style yet - unlike the works in the latest exhibition I visited at the Royal Academy about Abstract Expressionism.

I've always loved Jackson Pollock's work, and I know a little about De Kooning and Rothko, but I also discovered Arshile Gorky.

Here are a couple of my favourites -

Blue Poles (1952) by Jackson Pollock
Probably one of his more famous works. It is huge and quite stunning, measuring 2.1m x 4.86m.

Arshile Gorky
Diary of a Seducer (1945)

















I've also recently joined the Epsom Decorative and Fine Arts Society, which is affiliated to the national body.  Amongst other activities are the monthly lectures and the January and February ones are about 'New York - The Crucible of Modern Art (1940-1970)', so my visit to the exhibition is quite timely!

Art is not about what you see

But what you make others see

Edgar Degas

Its all about the balance ...

The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary challenge next letter is Y. I have chosen Yin and Yang. I've copied this fuller definition for those who are interested!

Yin Yang is perhaps the most known and documented concept used within Taoism.

A starting definition: Yin / Yang : Two halves that together complete wholeness. Yin and yang are also the starting point for change. When something is whole, by definition it is unchanging and complete. So when you split something into two halves – yin / yang, it upsets the equilibrium of wholeness. This starts both halves chasing after each other as they seek a new balance with each other.

The word Yin comes out to mean “shady side” and Yang “sunny side”.

Yin Yang is the concept of duality forming a whole. We encounter examples of Yin and Yang every day. As examples: night (Yin) and day (Yang), female (Yin) and male (Yang). Over thousands of years quite a bit has been sorted and grouped under various Yin Yang classification systems.

The symbol for Yin Yang is called the Taijitu. Most people just call it the yin yang symbol in the west. The taijitu symbol has been found in more than one culture and over the years has come to represent Taoism.

I've tried to create a balanced page! The background pieces (which I found in my off-cuts box) consist of brayered acrylic paint and some stamping.

I then cut the symbol from black and white card.

Happy December!

My sister and me ...

My sister, Laura, is a wood turner, making all sorts of (mainly small) delicious things. Her lathe is in a 6 x 4 unheated shed, which can prove problematic in the winter months! She has recently set up an Etsy shop, so you can see her creations here.

Anyway, at the end of each session on her trusty lathe, there is this small disc of wood, which she polishes and puts into a little box.

Well - I couldn't pass up the challenge of doing something with them!

I've used a wooden box frame, with acrylic paint for the background, a bit of texture created with the gesso layer, and copper gilding wax. The tree truck is made from fabric dunked in fabric hardener (Powertex). I've also added a little airdry clay owl. We called this creation Watcher in the Wood ...

Since Laura has been wood turning, I've learned so much about wood, and the amazing array of colours you find beneath the bark.

Sticking with a tree theme, this from Emily Dickinson makes me smile -

Not at Home to Callers

Says the Naked Tree -

Bonnet due in April -

Wishing you Good Day -

I'm out to impress you!

There are only a few letters to go in this year's Craft Barn Alpha Dictionary challenge, and I've managed to stick with it!  This time the letter is I.

I wanted to impress you with an alternative definition of that word!

The background is some spray inks with cling film scrunched on top to create a random pattern. I then found some metallic effect sticky backed stuff and die cut and embossed (or impressed) the butterfly.

I've also got a set of metal sticks with the alphabet letters on the end which you hammer into a surface to impress the letter. You can just about see the letters.

I think there are 4 letters to go - just hope I don't get brain freeze as the weather seems to be turning colder now!

Loving all the autumn colours against blue skies, just a perfect combination.

Prime time!

I've finally finished the second primary layering exercise that I started a couple of weeks ago in my art class.

Primary layering is mixing primary colours on the paper - each layer must be dry before doing the next layer.

All the layers (I did about 20), were done wet into wet.

First, yellow - there is about 3 layers here ...

Then red - probably 5 layers ...
















Before I started on the blue, I did some adjustments with more yellow and red layers. There is an impression of a roof, and I had to remember to lift out the paint after each layer! I didn't use masking fluid as it had to remain quite soft.

I then added blue layers, before painting in some trees.

I made final adjustments with some more red and blue layers.

This looks quite Turner-esque to me!

I love the softness of wet in wet multiple washes, and primary layering is a fantastic technique to do, all you need is a little patience - so have a go!

It is only when we are no longer fearful
that we begin to create.
JMW Turner

An ultra celebration ...

The Craft Barn's next dictionary challenge letter is U.

As I'm currently learning about primary layering in my art class, and as it is my all time favourite colour - I've chosen Ultramarine.

So this is a bit of an abstract celebration of ultramarine, on watercolour paper, with ink and ultramarine paint (in graduated steps) with a bit of coloured pencil too. I've also added some sparkle with glitter glue.

It is the most used colour in my six colour palette, and I'm already on my 3rd tube of the stuff!

Its history ...

Ultramarine is a deep blue colour and a pigment which was originally made by grinding lapis lazuli into a powder. The name comes from the Latin ultramarinus, literally "beyond the sea", because the pigment was imported into Europe from mines in Afghanistan by Italian traders during the 14th and 15th centuries.

Ultramarine was the finest and most expensive blue used by Renaissance painters. It was often used for the robes of the Virgin Mary, and symbolized holiness and humility. It remained an extremely expensive pigment until a synthetic ultramarine was invented in 1826.

Looking after the pennies ...

I seem to be in the middle of a few lengthy projects, but nothing is yet finished! So, as a break from painting I decided to decorate a moneybox blank, perhaps in the hope I may save a few pennies!

I was taken with my butterfly of butterflies wall plaque (see here), and I had some leftover die-cut butterflies, so went with the same theme.

Stuck all the butterflies on first, then covered in black gesso.  When dry I used a dry sponge (as opposed to dry brush!) to apply irridescent paints, and finished off with some gilding wax.

I protected it with a coat of varnish.

I thought I had used different colours to the plaque, but when I put them side by side ... virtually the same colour palette. Well, at least I'm consistent!

Detail close-up






















Now - where are those pennies!