“Go where you feel most alive”
I created my background with water based spray paints, acrylic paint, and my Art Deco Summit stencil. I went back in with one of my Hex Small rubber stamps for the black lines, and used my pencil eraser for the dots.
This was a neighborhood scene study, and I sketched this block of row houses with acrylic markers.
Here are some of the supplies I used:
This year I really found my groove to make sure to paint every morning before I do anything else -and slowly I am getting around the hood as I am painting scenes from my strolls from the hood.
“Yas Queen Mini” is an original painting made with spray paint, acrylic paint, gouache, and markers on canvas board. I am usually starting out with a study of the scene in my art journal and then create one small painting on canvas board and a slightly bigger one on canvas and last but not least also add a version of the painting to a big old ledger (I will show you a glimpse of it once it filled up a bit more) .
As I said, I was inspired by my Strolls through the Hood in Jersey City for this little mixed media painting, and specifically a magnificent Queen Anne style mansion that I often stroll by. I am really fascinated by the over-the-top style of architecture and it is sad that the house is slowly dilapidating.
Yas Queen Mini is now available in the store and would love to find a new home!
“I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you, I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.” – Fred Rogers. We didn’t have this program in Germany when I was a kid but I’ve come to know of it now that I live here in the US. Definitely gives you warm fuzzy feelings :)
My background is Daniel Smith gold gesso – love this stuff. And then I stamped with Moonlight Duo inks and my Fan-tastic Small stamps and Fan-fare stamps.
The hood scene was sketched with acrylic markers and painted with gouache. I like the matte gouache contrasting with the high shine of the gold gesso.
Here are some of the supplies I used:
Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we have a post from Maura Hibbitts sharing with us a suite of cards inspired by St. Patrick’s Day and all those lovely shades of green. Maura is using my Fairview Fan and Clam Hex foam stamps and our theme: Motivated in March – What keeps you motivated to create? Is it a certain material? Your favorite colors that you can’t get enough of? Maybe you get motivated when you see artwork in a museum or out and about? Share with us your creative motivation and then create something inspired by it.
March is known for many things…the Ides of March, March Madness, St. Patrick’s Day, Spring Equinox, and so much more, that there is a lot to motivate us! I chose to use my favorite holiday, St. Patrick’s Day as my motivation, and to use those glorious greens that Ireland and this holiday are all about. When I was just a little girl, my mother and the lady next door always had a competition to see who would get their St. Patrick’s Day decorations up first and have the most. Then I learned that her husband was not Irish (he was German), so I told him he could be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. So, this month, I have filled my project with many shades of green, and a bit of pink like some of the shamrock plants. This month, it’s all about being motivated by color, inspired by a holiday!
I started by printing several sheets of card stock with a blend of greens. I mixed a bit of three greens on my gel plate and blended it with a brayer, then I pulled two prints to have some variety, and set these aside to dry.
I continued working with the green on my gel plate, adding in some more of the neon colors to get a very bright green. I stamped into this with the Clam Hex ArtFoamie and stamped off on watercolor paper several times.
More greens! This time, I used the blended greens on the gel plate with the Fairview Fan ArtFoamie, and stamped several images onto watercolor paper.
Now it’s time for a blend of pinks – once again, I squirted a small amount of each of three colors and lightly blended it on the plate with the brayer. I stamped into this with the Clam Hex and Fairview Fan stamps to pick up the paint, and stamped onto watercolor paper.
Meanwhile, now that the first set of papers is dry, I cut them into strips with a paper trimmer. I laid five strips down, and wove five strips into them. I pushed them close together, then turned it over and taped it in place with clear tape. Once that was done, I trimmed off the edges.
I cut out my stamped images and cut each in half, so that I could put a green and a pink image together.
Once I laid out each card with the woven layer and stamped images and adhered them in place with adhesive tape and pop dots, I doodled frames around them with my carbon ink pen.
I now have a set of five cards in very bright spring colors. Next, I need to get motivated to write a letter in them and mail them out! It was fun mixing in neon paint to get a very vibrant image. I also liked how I mirrored the images in both the pink and green, which got me to thinking about watermelon colors. Wouldn’t you know it, my husband just brought home a watermelon from the grocery store! LOL!
Motivated by bright and cheerful colors, my favorite holiday, and the plan to write some letters to friends, I’ve created my set of notecards. Happy March! – Maura
Thank you Maura – I love these happy spring colors this time of year :)
Want to give Maura’s project a try? You can find all my Foam Stamps in my Online Shop. Here are some of the other supplies Maura used:
Feel inspired? Working on something yourself that you’d like to share? I love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my next “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.
Block Party is a different take on a painting of this building and is inspired by my strolls through the hood. It is part also of my neighborhood series.
I created it with spray paint, markers, ink, and acrylic paint on canvas. You will often see the combination of classic row house architecture and a colorful contemporary mural in our city and I am big fan of that.
In this scene the mural depicts a festive block party, you can almost hear the old skool hip hop (maybe Sugarhill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight?) and get a feel for the vibe.
I carried this energy throughout the piece in the bright colors and rhythmic patterns in the background.
“Block Party” is an original painting on canvas and measures 10″x8″ -It is available in the store and would love to find a new home.
“Every time a woman looks in a mirror and criticizes her body, a girl is watching.” -Gloria Steinem
For the background I used my Space Age Modern stencil on both pages – with embossing powder and acrylic paint. I love all the texture and I think it’s a nice balance with the white showing through too.
I sketched the figure with ink and kept it very loose in style.
And here my quote with a bit of color too to tie everything together.
Here are some of the supplies I used:
Block Party Mini is another painting inspired by my strolls through the hood and is part of my neighborhood series. I am having so much fun with this series and also really enjoy making multiple versions on different substrates.
The combination of classic row house architecture and a colorful contemporary mural is something that is not uncommon in this city – and I am a fan of it. In this scene a wonderful mural by @zoonchez (on instagram) depicts a festive block party, you can almost hear the old skool hip hop (maybe Sugarhill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight?) and get a feel for the vibe.
There will be a dessert place coming soon in the storefront and boy I cannot wait :)
“Block Party Mini” is an original painting made with spray paint, markers, acrylic paint, gouache, and stencils on canvas board and measures 8″x8″ and available now in my store! EDITED: SOLD
Love it Nat and could you please stop selling out of your minis so quickly! ;-)
Thank you so much Sue- LOL- ok…I try ;)
I wanted to share a little Flip Through video of my newly finished art journal.
I keep about 4-5 journals at the same time so they are always filled with an eclectic mix. This one highlights some pages I made using my last batch of new stencil designs as well as some pages that you may recognize from some of my Online Workshops.
Do you keep several art journals at once or do you work through one at a time?
Loved the journal flip through. I like the style you mostly used with this one. I keep several journals at a time also. Not all of them are art based. I love to create with words mostly. Happy March! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Christine! So interesting to hear that you also have several journals! Happy March to you too!!!
Comments (2)
Petrin Diaz
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Dear Nat: I love the combination of colors, which remembers me of historical buildings here in San juan, P. R.
So long time i have not contacted you, because had a big problen with Internet after H. María. Now i cannot reach my classes! My identification with your company: elenajuga2015 – Grandscraperona. Can this be fixed? Hope the personnel in charge can do something about, because i need to revise those classes!… Thanks in advance, hoping everyone is healthy around!
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Sue Clarke
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I so love these colors Nat. The rich tones of the building and the pastels on the right hand side that scream beautiful spring day to me! Thanks for all your inspiration!
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