Yes, I Can or…Yes, I can

April 5, 2013 By 9 Comments

Sometimes it is good to affirm yourself with a little tongue in cheek approach ;) ..besides the title is meant to be true ;)

YesICan01

Pretty big canvas I worked on – at least for me and it was a bit hard to adjust…I think a bigger me would have been better design wise – but for my first time working on such a scale I am ok with it ;) …because yes I can…hehehe.

YesICan02

So many things are on my plate right now- in my professional life and my private life…it is good to do something for fun and tell myself that I can do it.

YesICan03

And now it is dooming off my studio wall as a constant reminder…hope it doesn’t fall of the wall- LOL ;)

YesICan04

Have a gorgeous day and don’t forget …YES, YOU CAN!

Nat


uberMedia		 Über*Media is my series of online workshops that is dedicated to different kinds of media that cross a variety of materials. I also teach project based online workshops which you can find here.
Filed Under: Acrylicpaints, Backgrounds, Liquitex Professional Paint Markers, Mixed Media, Neocolor II/Derwent Artbar, Spraypaint, Stencils and Masks Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Back in the Cove – Photos from Workshops in NJ

November 26, 2012 By

Last weekend I taught at Scrappers Cove in New Jersey, which was a lot of fun. I love this little store with lot’s of yummie products not too far away from my in-laws and it is always fun to come back to these awesome ladies

The classroom was sold out with 12 students in each class and we had a blast. It is always amazing to see students again – I just love it or finally being able to put a face to someone I have before only “met” online :)

First up was the YAWP PanPastel Artjournal class and they had lot’s of fun playing with PanPastels

 

The next class was the Portrait of a Lady class playing with Derwent Artbars and as always I loved seeing the different results, some are sticking to reality and some are going abstract .

Here is a portrait that a young über*talented lady in my class did of her grandma – Love it!

And here is a Portrait of two Superheroes :)

Thank you to all my students and Scrappers Cove for a wonderful inspirational and fun day! Hope I will see you soon again ;)

 

Huge hugs

Nat

Filed Under: Mixed Media Workshop, Neocolor II/Derwent Artbar, PanPastel

Second Floor Challenge #11: Six Colors

October 30, 2012 By

Are you ready to take the second floor this time? If you have no clue what I am talking about- read all about it here :) The Second Floor Challenge

So today is our 11th Second Floor Challenge and last Second Floor Challenge: Six Colors : Primar and Secondary- Yellow, Blue, Red, Green, Orange and Violet

Click here to see what Julie did

Whatever that means to you or however it inspires you.  The prompt is simply meant to get you started.  The level of challenge you aim for is entirely internal and up to you

I had to laugh a bit about this challenge- if you visited one of my workshops you might have heard me saying, that for the beginning you should try not to use more than 3-4 colors when working with a paint medium because it get’s muddy and brown. And now here I am challenged to use six colors.

So first I decided to use only one paint medium- Derwent Artbars and then I struggled a bit if I should just do something like color blocking, or circles (again?) …and somehow it felt all too easy.

And so I decided to kind of draw a background…something that is not really my strength – but hey…it’s taking it the second floor, right?

I used all the colors in the leaves and background and as it looked really flat I started using the Sgraffito technique to get some texture and dimension revealed.

It turned out ok…I am not overly happy with it, but the main thing is, I had fun and I tried something new. I actually like all the colors together – the leaves…not so much- LOL.

What I learned from this challenge:

  1. I loved the challenge to use colors together that I would usually not use together
  2. I also learned once more that I really don’t like anything that looks too flat and has no texture- either visual or tactile texture – at all.
  3. I loved concentrating on just one paint medium…it made me think a lot on how to get the most out of it- although I guess it would have been a bit more challenging using an art medium I didn’t use that much before.
  4. In the feature I might stick rather to circles again- LOL

As mentioned before this is Julie’s and my last Second Floor Challenge. Only once we both decided to skip a challenge totally out of time problems and so it is 11 challenges we did. So let me put together

What I learned in total from the 2nd Floor Challenge

  • If something looks as if it turns out to be a disaster, keep going- it usually ends up to be one of your favorite pieces.
  •  I learned that it is really good to limit yourself to only a few supplies -it frees your mind.
  • I learned a lot about supplies etc. because I was constantly forced to think in a different way when usual out of the box.
  • Doing something together with my friend Julie who lives too far away has been just fun – the challenge at least made me feel as if we are doing something together which we usually cannot do because of the distance.
  • I love getting the most out of one supply – I don’t like to use supplies in the only way it is determined to be used
  • Paint Media and Texture are essential for me- they are a big part of my style- no need to fight against that ;)
  • I developed a deep love for watercolor paper throughout all the challenges
  • It doesn’t hurt to show stuff you don’t like that much and admit that things didn’t work THAT well, nobody is perfect and I don’t strive to be perfect.
  • I loved to see that a lot of our readers took the second floor too – I learned as much from your experiences as from my own. Thank YOU!

If you’d like to leave a link showing off what you did in response to this challenge, here’s the linky list:

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hugs
Nat

Filed Under: 2nd Floor, Altered Art, Neocolor II/Derwent Artbar

Second Floor Challenge #6: Pencil

June 26, 2012 By

Are you ready to take the second floor this time? If you have no clue what I am talking about- read all about it here :) The Second Floor Challenge

So today is our 6th Second Floor Challenge: Pencil

Click here to see what Julie did

Whatever that means to you or however it inspires you.  The prompt is simply meant to get you started.  The level of challenge you aim for is entirely internal and up to you.

So we decided this challenge should be to use a pencil. And I have to say I was really looking forward to this. I just recently purchased a Sketching set of pencils by Derwent because….I remembered how much I love pencils – although I can’t sketch at all ;)

 I picked an image of a frame that I still had of some amazing Danyeela Paper and traced it with the Saral Transfer Paper on a piece of cardstock with a pencil.
then I started playing with the different pencils HB, 2B and 4B
I liked realizing again the different possibilities of the pencils and then I took some Derwent Artbars and started painting the background
I took it to the second floor by adding the journaling also with the pencil – so in total I only used pencils, Artbars, Adhesive and a Photo for this layout
hehehe- this photo of Julie had to be used some day…don’t you think ;)
 I am not super happy with the outcome. The frame looks ok- and I like the pencil painting- but actually I don’t like the rest…It didn’t look good without any paint surrounding it but I wonder if a softer looking medium like PanPastels would look better around it.
What I learned from this challenge:
  1. I was reminded that it is fun to play with different pencils – something about their smoothness makes me happy.
  2. I liked playing with the tracing paper – I hadn’t used it before and I can see some fun possibilities using it
  3. I would rather have used Panpastels that would have left a softer background here to have the pencil frame more set off
  4. It was fun using some of the Artbars on the pencil frame- the way how the waxy Artbars react with the pencils is fun
  5. I like using a pencil for journaling
  6. It was calming to work so long with just a few supplies – instead of feeling limited I felt actually kind o relieved and I had more ideas just focusing on them
  7. I still can’t draw….a 2 year old draws nicer pencil pictures then me- there will be only ever be tracing for me ;)

If you’d like to leave a link showing off what you did in response to this challenge, here’s the linky list:

add your own creations inspired by our 2nd Floor Challenge: Pencil

have a wonderful day

hugs

Nat

Related articles
Filed Under: 2nd Floor, Neocolor II/Derwent Artbar

Lullaby Canvas or I better post this later in the day ;)

May 20, 2012 By

Some very good friends of mine have a new addition to their family  - I am sooo excited for and with them :)

For the little one I made this Lullaby Canvas – truly hoping they will like it…cause …I am sure the little one will not start throwing its rattle against it…or maybe it will? LOL

The canvas was inspired by the amazing Sue Pelletier and an old German Lullaby song “Weißt Du wieviel Sternlein stehen?” which means translated “Do You Know How Many Stars There Are?”

Here is the song for you…please do not listen to it before you finished your day tasks- LOL- remember it is a Lullaby song and I don’t wanna be responsible for your head falling down onto the keyboard…;)

weisst_du_wie_viel_sternlein_stehen

ah …you know…I better make this post an evening post ;) …oh wait…evening in which part of the world? ….LOL

I used heaps of paint media – eager as always seeing how they work together ;)

PaintMedia: Liquitex Gesso, Derwent Inktense Blocks and Derwent ArtBars, Liquitex Acrylic Inks, Liquitex Heavy Gel Medium, Liquitex Super Heavy Body Paint  - FUN!

It was fun to work a bit more with burlap – I love that material and a new material for me: paper clay- which is what Sue Pelletier is very well-known for. Love the possibilities of this. The rest is old news…some tissue paper, metal pieces, wire, ephemera, fabric, canvas fabric and yet putting it all together and getting excited each day as a project evolves is fun. And my fave is thinking I make this for friends I love during the process. This canvas is full of fun memories of times I spent with the amazing parents of the little one. I so miss them here! Now hope they don’t read my blog- LOL- because the package is still traveling overseas.

Speaking of Lullabies…which comes to your mind?

Wishing you sweet dreams tonight :)

Nat

 

 

Filed Under: Acrylicpaints, Handmade Embellishments, Liquitex Ink, Mixed Media, Neocolor II/Derwent Artbar

Make Your Colors Sing – Dylusions & Derwent ArtBars Tutorial

May 1, 2012 By

Give me new paint media and I vanish into my studio going crazy – I just can’t help it!

Recently I purchased some awesome Dylusions Ink Sprays – and somehow some Dylusions Stencils and Stamps also fell into that basket…ooops ;) Love the products! As you know I have been playing with spray paints for many years ….and so getting some new spray paints makes me just giddy with excitement to try them with all kinds of other media and find fun new techniques. Well….so it was only a matter of time, that after I figured out the scoop about those spray inks and how they react, to try them with Derwent ArtBars (if you missed my post about them – here you go)…another awesome new paint media in my possession. OHHHH MMMMYYYY DEAR!!!!

Dylusions Ink Sprays and the Derwent ArtBars are amazing each by themselves but put together….they make the colors SING :) A complete Supply List of what I used can be found below

Here is the finished page

nSupplies

What have you played with (art product)  recently?

Have a gorgeous day!

Nat

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Filed Under: Art Journal, Dylusions, Neocolor II/Derwent Artbar, Spraypaint, Tutorial Video Tagged With: , ,

Let’s Sprout

April 15, 2012 By

well…at least with the Cocoa Daisy “Sprout” April Kit – because seriously- with that weather here right now…nothing sprouts….LOL.

Grocery Shopping

Maybe I am the only person that loves grocery shopping? LOL- sometimes when I talk to my friends they say how much they dread it- I so love grocery shopping. But maybe it is also a bit different when you live in a city and you can just walk and grab everyday a couple of things at stores and the market and cook it then for the dinner.

I added some faux stitching around the MME paper designed by Rhonna Farrer- so love this paper.

Memory Lane

This photo was taken in January on the Route 66 (no kidding huh…it is pretty clearly visible on the photo, Nat ;) ). This is an old motel with an old gas station and the owner bought it in 2000 and all of the interior and stuff was still original from the 50s- soooo cool! Roy’s Cafe- if you are ever close to Amboy- check it out.

I stamped with the Cocoa Daisy Tab Stap on paper and cut it out and then applied some brads and mounted it on 3D Foam Stamps. I also used some Denim Glimmer Mist and Gesso stamped with a paper role and added some colors here and there with the Derwent Artbars. Love how they apply to photos!

Follow Your Heart

It was so beautiful in Death Valley and what a view….especially the guy in the foreground ;)

I painted some of the honeycomb paper with Maya Mist and a brush – love the vibrancy of those colors.

Also sprayed the wooden Maya Road Bird with Maya Mist and then cut out the Manufacturer strip for the bird a I liked that banner so much. The Maya Road Bottle Cap was dunked into blue Utee and melted …yum yum yum – what an awesome texture and color…me thinks I need more of this colored Utee ;)

Have you planted anything yet? I might at least get some flowers hoping for planting and sprouting time :)

Have a gorgeous day

 

Nat

 

Related articles
Filed Under: Cocoa Daisy, Neocolor II/Derwent Artbar, Scrapbooking Layouts, Spraypaint, Utee

n*Lab Tales – Today featuring Derwent Artbars

April 5, 2012 By

I had another play date in the n*Lab, this time with Derwent products.

I am a huge fan of their products – be it the Inktense Blocks or their pencils or I just bought sketch pencils- all I can say is love love love. Derwent Artbars are triangular-shaped water-soluble wax bars. So when I heard of Derwent coming out with the Artbar – I was hooked to get them ….and so here they are -in my studio and they were the perfect candidates for some n*Lab Time.

Let me tell a bit about them in this Video – what you can do with them and what I actually did on the canvas (no tutorial just blah blah!):

here is the youtube video if you have problems watching it here on the blog:

I showed you the play sheet already in an earlier post:

Here is the progress of the Canvas – layering as I talked about in the video:

So my favorite features of the Derwent Artbars are:

  • Light and thick stripes possible with the bar
  • Wonderful mixability with a wet finger
  • Layering and covering other Artbar colors and then adding texture (squeeeeelllll!)
  • Printing with the Artbar – love the possibilities due to the shape
  • Awesome bright colors – highly pigmented
  • Love the possibility of making your own thick paint out of the ArtBar
  • There are so many other possibilities out there to use them on and with – makes my head spin :)

Here is the Canvas now finished:

supplies: Derwent: Artbars, Shave ‘n Save, Scraper, Waterbrush – 7Dots Dreamer Paper and Stickers, 7Gypsies Tissue Paper and Chipboard Letters, Crafter’s Workshop Template

I hope you had fun joining me in my n*Lab day….already thinking of what to do next and when :)

Have a gorgeous day

Nat

Filed Under: Mixed Media, n*Lab, Neocolor II/Derwent Artbar, Tutorial Video, Video
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