Living Color Continued a.k.a. There Are NO MISTAKES!

*Sigh*
That photo says it all. I've been out of the loop long enough that when I went to grab a crackle medium, I got the one I really DISLIKE as opposed to the one I *LOVE*.
And I smeared a lot on, with delight, until the brain slowly creaked into gear and this thought wandered through...."Anne, this is way too thin....it doesn't feel right...."
omg...I then read the label closely.
I began swiping as much as possible off the BG color and had to let it sit and dry. Next day it looked workable and I put on the RIGHT ONE:

....Along with some microglitter blown into the damp surface of the crackle medium. (uncap the bottle, hold close to mouth and gently blow across top--you'll get a very fine distribution of glitter) You can see the light pink in the top layer.
It was hard to choose what color I wanted:

Yes, you can have a few too many choices.....
I hit the wet surface with a hairdryer to help get the crackling going as my patience was running thin and I kept thinking about the MISTAKE stuff that was underneath.
But sometimes, THERE ARE NO MISTAKES.

I really couldn't see the results that well until I put a wash of dark over the crackle~~that *mistake* medium had made the other one work perfectly! I would have never considered using them together, and since I have several bottles of the one I don't like so much, this was GREAT!
As I said, NO MISTAKES!
LEARNING EXPERIENCES!!!

I applied some lettering (another adventure because the surface was very slick, but pattern tissue and medium weight matte gel did the trick) then finished off the bottom with decorative upholstery tacks, copper wire and beads.
And the finished piece:

I was happy with how everything came together after adding the spoons. Had to make a frantic call to my dear friend Jan at Laughing Dog Arts to figure out how to attach said spoons as the insulated staples I was using were loath to go into the wood panel nicely. Jan is much calmer than I am...she said, "A small nail for a pilot hole?"
Thank you....perfect. *whew*
So, happy art finished and mailed out, recipient happy, I *can* still make art so I'm happy, and there are no mistakes really.
Although the amount I had working on this piece sort of pushed that envelope as far as possible, I think.  ;-)


Pax....

Art.....Life.....Intermittent Internet

I have been in one of those typical artist slumps. It is a normal thing and the odd things it takes to get OUT of one, well, are unique to each artist.
Too much stress, feeling like my creativity was being pulled in too many directions without any particular benefit to me, the artist.....time for change. Had to make more than one hard decision just for me. And after the first, things started to flow.
Something absolutely silly to get the  art-cells awake.....

Yup.....an ATC that is half Sweet Pea and half, well....YOU KNOW. It just came out of the clumps and crevices of grey matter. And that's okay too. I like it!
Then I moved on to a 6"x6" canvas which gave me FITS. I had the central element in it but it was fighting me tooth and nail so I left it in the dark cellar and stewed.
Finally, it all sort of blew through the brain at once and I worked quickly.

 

Lolo, those eyes were inspired by your photo on your blog.......and I am hoping you take this as a compliment! LOL! Of course if you hate it, don't tell me...haha!
I used mica gels and iridescent paint on this and little shows unless you have the piece in your hand and gently move it back and forth in the light. Things appear, glitter, and disappear again. Yes, those are tiny watch parts punched through the canvas. I also used a crackle medium, which turned out so-so. I am perpetually in search of a really GOOD one. You can see bits of it, but not what is visible on the actual piece. None the less, the whole makes me happy and I think the meaning is pretty clear~~my heart, my key.

While in search of the elusive mojo, there were a few moments of utter lunacy and hilarity.....I have no qualms with making an ass of myself for the sake of a good laugh. (had a heck of a time finding that knife of DH's that is firmly gripped between the teeth)
And then there are my friends that *know* me and send things totally appropriate for my studio work.....

At my age, I need BOTH types! LOL!!!!
As I ramble through this post, I might also mention the internet has been down, up, half up and in other stages of non-use. I have been indulging in a book from Silke when I am off-line, and I think I could spend MORE time off-line~~it is a good thing.
And now to finish this off, back to my sewing. What I have been cutting.....

I generally am a pretty hardy soul about fabrics, but the one in the background? It had me terrified. Yesterday I put the scissors to it and feel 1000% better. Two stole pieces cut and ready for the sewing when the hand work is completed. Bead decisions....visualizing....letting myself soak into this one as it requires a different approach and must be PERFECT, and I want it to tell a story.
I also have on the sideline, brewing, a commission for three altar cloths and matching pulpit hangings, so there is work-work-work through the winter. Feast or famine. It's all good.
I will be in and out of here sporadically.....I think it is pretty obvious *where* I'll be and what I'll be doing.
When I'm not out Swashbuckling.
You have to have a little fun!  ;-)




Pax....

At Last......Art.......

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, art does NOT happen.
I had started this piece quite by accident when I was finishing up my Michael DeMeng Colorwash Class. See, that tin *was* a saddle soap can with openers on the side. I think I was trying to soften up my Doc Marten boots when I discovered the soap had totally gone kaput.
The tin was rusted exceptionally well, and after my initial fit that I didn't have saddle soap, I looked again at the beauty in the rust; something normally to discard, but all I could see was a shrine shape.

So the round part was done. And then it sat......and sat.......and......SAT. I knew I wanted something on top and I knew eventually it would be free-standing on a slim metal pole attached to a fancier base.
Fast forward to, well, TODAY. It was too hot to sew, too miserable to do much needed work in the yard and I see this piece, begging for attention.
Guilt, my dear readers, GUILT propelled me to go to the cellar and dig through boxes of *stuff* (M.A. part of that digging was through the box of metal bit you sent!!!) and finally found a fancy metal piece that could be altered for  a finial.

It was originally gold and shiny like the piece on the left (which I am sure will work itself into the base somehow) but with some folding and nipping and paint washes and the heat gun, I had the aged and lovely crown.
Ah yes, that was what I was looking for!
And close ups~~the interior with a paperclay stamped piece, with tons of mediums and paints.....please don't make me try and think what I used...

I did use Kroma Crackle on this; there is a learning curve to the medium and I am still curving and learning.

But this, the face on the front.....this is what I wanted, exactly. The soft glowing kindness, the gentle color, the crackle of age.
For whatever reason, I was reminded of Orthodox Icons and then I thought about the Hagia Sophia's beautiful round domes...my mind was pulling together all the wonderful remnants I have seen from archeological digs, and thus, this piece in process.
I now have to find both *stem* and *base* but this has motivated me to look, and to finish.
And by the way, this Sunday, please stop by Seth Apter's incredible, great art blog, "The Altered Page"....

....because I will be part of The Pulse, in Style File! 
If you love mixed media, Seth's blog is a MUST to follow. He does amazing work and is constantly introducing new artists there.
Anyway, I've rambled enough.
I just want to say.....art felt really GREAT today!
Wishing you beautiful visions, inspiration, and all the style you could ask for! And of course....


Pax....

Old Paper Rejuvenated

Learning from mistakes....that is how this part came to be. I kept thinking of the skulls in yesterday's post and how they had gotten all sloppy from the wash seeping into the back of the paper, and knew that OLD book paper would be much more porous.....so out came the clear gesso.

 

I completely covered the backs of the book pages with the clear gesso and let them dry. The paper does curl, so once completely dried, they got a quick ironing to flatten and then were ready for stamping on the front.
Due to the text, I chose one of my larger stamps....

Same gesso routine....spread it out even....

Stamp firmly....

PRESS....REPEAT TO COVER....

 

And your finished, stamped page should look something like this. I recommend using a dryer on this, as the foam stamps pick up more gesso and those little thick places will take quiet a while to dry on their own.
No photos of watching gesso dry...I mean, I'm sure that would provide too much excitement....LOL!

When starting to paint these, you will find that the paper absorbs the wash at a very fast rate, BUT, that gesso on the back keeps it from seeping through. So paint a section at a time and blot off as before....

....And you will end up with a very definite pattern showing and all the text and also *texture* of the original paper coming through too. And yes, the back side of the paper will be pretty clear; mine just picked up some splatters from my over aggressive paint slopping....

And this is what the paper will look like when finished.
Finished???
It was, until about 5 minutes ago I had one of those *What if....* thoughts and ran to the table.
Due to the support of the clear gesso on the back, you can add a second wash of color on this, letting it feather out with the addition of water, and blotting as usual. No, no photo....I'm fresh from my little experiment.
So, lesson learned. Preparing the BACK of the paper can be as importan as the stamping on the front.

A thought: I am not sure how well this would work on older, thin paper. Due to the nature of a thinner substrate, there would be natural show through, but I encourage experimentation, because the BACK might be more interesting in that case!

And now, for the last part:

The printed tissues.
I do not have the photos done for this section yet, and I have a full day of running today.....so what I am saying is look for this Friday or Saturday, unless some miracle happens here, and don't hold your collective breath for that one!
I am not responsible for anyone turning blue and passing out. ;-D
Go make art~~have fun!!!


Pax.... 

Altering Preprinted Papers

The goodies.....!!!

And we're OFF! (well, *I* am, at any rate....) This is a fairly simple technique for changing the appearance of any printed paper that has a matte finish. It's a great way to use up pieces of scrapbook paper that just don't appeal to you, but were in a pack.
Yes, I am a tightwad. What can I say.
I love flowers but knew I would NEVER be doing the daisies in the photo-pack I bought, so they seemed good for the demo. Remember, I'm using the less expensive, thin paper, which will have certain effects that thick, good quality paper will not. Think, ABSORBENCY.
Also, I always have my work area covered with waxed paper. When one side gets nasty, flip it over and use it again.

Stamp selections; yes-there-is-a-skull-in-there.....

I chose three different styles of stamps for this so you can see what each will do. First, the skull is a pretty *solid* stamp~~the frilly lines on it will not show. Second, the damask pattern is fairly well defined but I know I will lose some of the detail and that is okay. (really...it is!) And third, on the upper right, the small swirly clear stamp~~I have used it before, and know what it does.
So we have three different depths of texture to work with.

Batter up! The damask is first in the drink, or gesso.....

Put some clear gesso onto a waterproof surface. My palette is an old microwave tray---glass; cleans perfectly, can take a lot of stress (unlike me) and allows plenty of room for things to run without dripping to the work table.
Get your first stamp ready and then you will smooth out the gesso with whatever your tool of choice should be--a palette knife, stray piece of foam, an old credit card.....you pick. You just need it somewhat evenly dispersed.
(I discourage using a good brayer because this stuff is really hard to clean off if it dries....)

It should look something like this.....

Then pounce your stamp in and it will look somewhat like the photo below if you don't have waaaaay tooooooo much clear gesso on it!

Hmmmm, gessoed myself too---clean extra off the stamp at this point.....

Then flip the stamp over and firmly press on the paper. You will be able to see where you have stamped, and there may be some higher edges from the gesso, which is alright too. Remember, do not use REGULAR gesso!!!!

Placing another of the stamps.....

That skull looks pretty happy, I think~~ :-)

After finishing the whole area of paper you want to print (stamping at very regular intervals, or randomly~~whichever YOU prefer), wash your stamp IMMEDIATELY! I use cold water and a soft paint brush, making sure all the gesso is out of the fine details. If you are working on a larger piece of paper, it might be a good idea to clean and dry the stamp at some point so that it does not have gesso dry in tiny edges and diminish the quality of the stamp.

A note on clear gesso: It gives a slight tactile surface to whatever it is put on, so when doing normal painting, the paint has something to grab to. I don't know if it is a very fine silica mixed in the polymer, but that is why I stress keeping your stamps cleaned.

Stamped completely and ready for.....

....high tech drying! (yes, it's my blow dryer...)

I always speed things along with a blow dryer because usually the table is so full I don't have room to let it dry by itself, so consider that. Everything I have done has been heat dried. It might work different if it air dried; I honestly don't know.
Also, I tend to forget that papers fly around when the drier is running full blast so grab a paint bottle, or anything heavy and secure at least one edge. You don't want these flapping in the breeze......or flopping up onto your clothing.
Don't ask.....
When the paper is all dry, you should have something that looks like the last photo:

This is the small clear swirly stamp. Hopefully the lines show well enough for you to see.

And that is where we are stopping for today. Blogger has been good and I really don't want to push the envelope.
Plus, if you are doing this, you need time for things to dry.
Should the paper have curled in the drying process, turn it right side down and lightly press with an old iron. I have a very useless, cheap studio iron. It gets used for ironing paper, melting wax and other things you should never do with a good iron. (I still starch and iron.....I am a remnant of another world....)
Next time, the magic of what the clear gesso does!
Tune in again; Same Bat-Time, Same Bat-Channel!!!

Or something like that.

Here.  LOL!!!


Pax....

Flying Along With One World One Heart!!!

A wonderful journey of bloggers.....click here for more

Welcome, welcome! I'm Anne M. Huskey-Lockard, and I am hopping on this delightful bird and taking wing to be part of One World One Heart, sponsored by the sweet Lisa at A Whimsical Bohemian. 
I have managed to miss every other year of this wonderful event and am slipping in on birdie tailfeathers this year! WHEW! So first, a little picture of the mixed media piece I will be giving away~~just leave a comment on this post and that means you're in the draw!(plus I can visit YOU TOO!)  Remember, should you win, I'll need a way to get in touch.....

This is a 4" x 8" mixed media panel "Love Flowers Abundantly" and it would like very much to find a good home with one of YOU!
Well, I have to talk about *me* and my blog. I'd like to say I'm like the photo below all the time:

But in reality, when I am busy with art and photography, I am much more like this pic of DH and I taken at Halloween......yes, you've guessed I have a quirky sense of humor. (it's okay, laugh! p.s.......I'm the one in red....)

I am a mixed media artist, love photography and occasionally fill the blog with photos.......

  
But in between, I get art made, and that is when I am happiest.......

I do occasionally have to COOK for DH too, and sometimes photos of the kitchen experiments show up here....

Basically I am just a country girl at heart, with a warped Southern sense of humor, stuck in the hinterlands of northern Indiana and find joy in life and my studio, all the while pretending I am visiting New Orleans....

Just remember, the good brushes are always in the BioHazard container.....LOL!
 

WAIT! How did this slip in???? Oh well, it's what women really want.......ya know!
So.....enough about El Milagro and it's crazy blog mistress. Visit again, comment, laugh; for the most part, I try and keep it pretty light, even when we're learning something. Yes, I do occasionally put up tutorials; working on one at the moment, and yes, I forget I have pages that need construction....*Sigh* ........so much for a girl to remember!
Looking forward to new blogs and faces to meet!


Pax....