Our current Creative Squad is in search of NEW members. Read on and let us know if we should be looking at you!
PLEASE NOTE: Due to COVID restrictions, at this time we are only accepting applications from US residents
Do YOU fit the bill???
+ Are you a Mixed Media Artist, Art Journaler, or Card Maker with a unique style and a passion for creativity? + Do you love to use stamps and stencils in your work and love to try new techniques and media? + Do you love to share your projects on social media and engage with other artists?
If the answer is yes, yes, yes, we are looking to fill some spots on our n*Studio Creative Squad and would love to hear from you!
How to Apply*:
Email nat(at)nathaliesstudio.com with “Creative Squad Call” as the subject. Please include:
1. Full name, email address, links to social media sites/blog/website where we can see your work 2. A couple sentence bio or description of your work 3. 4-5 low res images of your work that best represent your style
*Enter by August 25, 2020, US Applicants only at this time :)
What exactly does a Creative Squad member do?
As a Creative Squad member for Nathalie’s Studio you will serve a 6-month term beginning 10/1/2020. As part of the Creative Squad, you will receive a variety of Nathalie’s Studio products. You will create one project per month, using specified products or groups of products and inspired by a monthly theme. You will be featured once a month on the nStudio blog, Facebook page, and Nat’s Creative Squad Instagram page, and you will be part of an amazing team of artists with a legacy of awesomeness!
Don’t be shy, apply today – we would love to see how you are rocking your creativity!
Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we are going a bit wild with Nicole Watson and her reductive style painting using my Batik and Beacon stencils. Check out her video below, inspired by this month’s theme: WildandFree – After so many months of careful living, it’s time to go WildandFree… In our Art! Go a little crazy in there and live it up with bright colors, exuberant mark making, bold colors – however you want to go a bit bananas. It’s time to let loose!
Warning! Before you begin this project, know that it might get a little ugly, and you might want to give up and gesso over the entire canvas.
I thought I had the perfect idea for this month’s challenge of wild and crazy using only two of Nathalie’s products. So, confidently, I prepped a canvas, added some ephemera, and well… it got a little messy and the ephemera bubbled, so I threw it down to grab another canvas. The next canvas started a little better, but after all my crazy layers of ephemera, stencils, stickers, drips and scribbles, I went to bed extremely worried that I would not be able to recover. My canvas was looking like bad ‘80s fabric.
Spoiler: I recovered, barely! My project began by picking up a 9×12 canvas and gessoing it. This is total personal preference here. Even though the canvas is pre-gessoed, I still like to add a layer or two to prep it. Then, I stuck a ledger page and a couple handwritten note pages on with matte medium. Bravely, I broke the white blank canvas with color.
My next steps were to create layer upon layer upon layer. First with some number stickers and more paint.
Then, I used Nathalie’s Batik stencil as it was perfect for this task. I was able to isolate parts to use each design separately with different colors and techniques from a sponge applicator, palette knife, tracing, spray, and even my fingers! All these layers created chaos in the background.
Besides the stencil, I also made some circles that I doodled around, splatters, ink drops, and scribbled some words.
This is where the canvas started looking a bit concerning. I left it to dry hoping to rescue it the next day with fresh eyes.
After my morning walk and coffee, I returned to my studio. I picked up Nat’s Beacon stencil as my second item. The piece needed some more delicate shapes between the larger ones. Using a foam applicator, I randomly placed blues and reds in the stencil around the canvas. This stencil helped to unite the other shapes. Finally, I grabbed a fineline bottle that had yellow inside from another project and outlined the X shapes for added dimension.
With the crazy canvas ready, I began my last step. I wanted to draw the leaf shapes I use a lot in my artwork and isolate them with some gesso. Usually I am able to do this with charcoal pencil. I like to use charcoal because it wipes off so easily. I tried with black and white charcoal, but it just wasn’t working enough to tame the chaos. So, I cut out leaf shapes form paper and used those as a mask to begin the gesso.
Using a paintbrush and my fingers, I spread gesso around my leaves and stems to isolate them from the crazy background. The process of watching the leaves pop and come to life was so enjoyable!
When they were finished, I spattered some paint on the white and outlined the leaves with my stabilo pencils.
This was such a fun canvas to make….even if it was a little stressful! Beginning with the ephemera layer and ending with adding the leaf, there were over 25 different layers to bring my leaf shapes to life.
Thank you Nicole for sharing your process! It can sometimes be hard to know what to do when a piece gets a bit out of control and you have given us some great ideas on how to resolve that.
Give it a try: you can find all my Stencils in my Online Shop and in addition to some ephemera and printer paper, here are some of the other supplies Nicole used:
Play along with our monthly themes and weekly projects! Working on something yourself that you’d like to share? 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“.
Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we have some super colorful and happy cards from Maura Hibbitts that are sure to lift anyone’s mood. She is using my Art Deco Empire stencil and my Fan-tastic Small rubber stamps for this project and our theme: WildandFree – After so many months of careful living, it’s time to go WildandFree… In our Art Journals! Go a little crazy in there and live it up with bright colors, exuberant mark making, bold colors – however you want to go a bit bananas. It’s time to let loose!
There is something liberating in keeping your choices simple, and just letting your creative muse go wild and free. I was drawn to the colors of the rainbow, a symbol of hope for many of us, and decided to make a set of cards that I can mail out.
I’ve definitely had my wild and free moments in the wilderness, and some youthful follies. I can remember a rafting adventure on the Salmon River in New York in February, and no, I was not wearing a wetsuit. Crazy right, when I think about how cold that water was, and the thick ice lining the shoreline. Oh, I could share a lot more! Heck, I still have a few of those moments even now that I am much older, and apparently not much wiser.
So, back to the project…I started by taping the Art Deco Empire stencil down over my watercolor paper. I don’t usually do this, but because I was adding multiple colors, I didn’t want it to move.
To create a rainbow effect with the stencil, I used a cosmetic sponge with a light amount of paint. I started with the red, and dabbed two columns down the paper leaving space in-between for all the other colors. Repeat this with orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. Here’s a thrifty tip for you: when changing colors, don’t use a new sponge, instead just cut off the top layer. I managed to use one sponge for all six colors this way.
Next, stamp diagonal rows into the stenciled design using Nat’s small Broadway Fan stamp and black ink. Along the edges, place a piece of paper as a mask for the partial images before you stamp.
Add some detail to the stamped images with white and gold pens. I love adding a bit of gold in to colorful projects. Cut the large stenciled sheet into four smaller pieces (4.25×5.5”) and cut the white card stock for the card base.
Add more detail with gold relief paste and some sparkle with Wink of Stella. Cut out a few fans and pop them up on some of the bases.
Finally, using black paint and a cosmetic sponge, edge the stenciled card bases. Let dry, then adhere these to the card front. Hand letter greetings like Hugs, Hello, and some doodling with a black pen. I wanted to make each card unique for some variety, so you may notice some have the designs going up and others going down. I’ve also left some without words so I can add them in as needed. You could also stamp a greeting.
Four bright and colorful cards are ready to mail out and bring cheer to someone who needs it. I am definitely a fan of bright colors, so it was fun pulling in all the colors of the rainbow into my project. You could use any palette for your own cards…I think an ombre effect would look awesome too! Have a creative August, Maura
Thank you Maura! Wow that Art Deco Empire stencil in rainbow looks just amazing! Some lucky people are going to be so happy when they open their mailboxes :)
Give it a try: you can find all my Stencils and Rubber Stamps in my Online Shop and 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“.
Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we are starting a new theme for the Squad for August and we have Jennifer Gallagher kicking it off in her art journal with my Hamilton Stencil and my Art Deco stamp. This month’s theme is: WildandFree – After so many months of careful living, it’s time to go WildandFree… In our Art Journals! Go a little crazy in there and live it up with bright colors, exuberant mark making, bold colors – however you want to go a bit bananas. It’s time to let loose!
This month we are going wild in our art journals using some of our favorite n*Studio products. I threw caution to the wind and layered lots of bold color and pattern along with mark making and a fun stamped focal image. It’s super easy so let’s get started.
I started by applying a layer of clear gesso onto a page in my square Dina Wakley Media journal. I applied a little Distress Stain in Mustard Seed on the left hand side of the page and then spritzed some water over it. I held the journal up so the color would run down the page.
After that dried,I applied some olive green acrylic paint in some of the open spaces with a cosmetic sponge.
Next, I spritzed on some Aquamarine Marabu Art Spray and added a small spritz of water. I blew the color around with an air puffer.
I chose Nat’s Hamilton Stencil and placed it down on the page, working to center the design from the inside of the page. Then I applied Blackberry, Cobalt Teal Hue, and Emerald Green acrylic paint with cosmetic sponges.
Using an old gift card and some white acrylic paint, I scraped white in various areas of the page.
I repeated the process with fluorescent pink and black.
To bring back some of the design, I laid the stencil back over the page, exactly where it was before. Any place that had black paint was painted white through the stencil.
Using a black posca pen, I added some dots in a few of the white areas.
Using the Art Deco stamp from Nat’s Stroll Around the Block Set, I stamped a focal image onto multifarious card with Versafine Clair ink ink Nocturne. Before applying the image, I splattered some Distress Spray in Picket Fence around the page. Once dry, I fussy cut the image out and applied it to my page with 1/8 inch scor-tape.
The final touch was to add a few stickers from Tim Holtz idea-ology Big Chat and Small Talk sticker sets. I hope you have enjoyed this art journal page. I really went wild with the layers, colors, and pattern. Be sure to play along with us this month and create something bold in your art journal.
Thank you Jennifer! Loved watching this wild background come together with all those yummy layers :)
Give it a try: you can find all my Stencils and Rubber Stamps in my Online Shop and here are some of the other supplies Jennifer 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“.
Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we have a wonderful wood panel piece by Emilie Murphy demonstrating some cool techniques and using my Fairview Fan, Mini Batik 1 and Mini Batik 2 foam stamps. The theme this month is: Under the Sea – There is something so fascinating about water. We love being in it, floating on it, relaxing next to it, and it remains one of the last frontiers here on the planet. Create something that is an ode to the sea.
Hi there! Hope you are doing well.
The Sea theme always inspires me. The first thing that came to my mind was “fish”, of course! Meanwhile I was thinking of what project to make, I went to visit my in-laws and saw this pillow with a beautiful sea turtle on it that my mother-in-law had just got. So that’s how I got the idea to make a sea turtle on a cradled wood panel.
Let me guide you how I made it.
I started to apply some crackle paste on a 10×10 wood panel coated with white gesso. I let it dry overnight.
Tip: The coat of crackle paste has to be thick enough to be able to get some significant crackles.
Then I glued down with matte medium some circles cut from old book paper to bring some interest to the background.
As I didn’t have any “sand” color acrylic paint ready to use, I mixed some “Burnt Umber” acrylic paint with some white that I applied on my panel with a brush and plastic card.
I toned down the color I mixed with some white acrylic paint because it was a little too dark than expected. I applied it with a brayer. The purpose of the brayer is just a preference to add texture.
Then I stamped the circular part of “Mini Batik Pattern 2” foam stamp with “coffee” archival ink to evoke shells. I wanted here a tone-on-tone effect.
To add some brightness and not have something too uniform, I applied some iridescent blue acrylic paint again with my brayer.
In order to build layers, I darkened the edges of my circles with a Neocolor II crayon “Blue Cobalt”. I think it gives the illusion of bubbles.
For the next layer, my intention was to add some dimension. Therefore I applied with my finger some pretty thick “puddles” of heavy gesso and stamped on it using again the “Mini Batik Pattern 2” foam stamp. Isn’t it cool! This is such an easy way to add dimension. I kept stamping around here and there to clean up the gesso left on my stamp.
Next, I played with some alcohol inks on yupo paper to use for the turtle shell. I wanted something bright and vivid.
Using the “Fairview Fan” (positive) foam stamp, I lifted off some alcohol inks and got this beautiful pattern.
Then I drew a turtle on printer paper to use as template. I made two copies; one copy for making the turtle body and the second one for the turtle shell. I used the Yupo paper, previously made, for cutting out the turtle shell and I choose a scrapbook paper for the turtle body.
Let me tell you why I choose this particular scrapbook paper.
Few weeks ago, I received my stencils order from Nathalie. She had wrapped the stencils with this scrapbook paper sheet. When I look at it, I saw that she designed this paper few years ago. Yes!!! Isn’t it awesome! So it was a perfect opportunity to use it for my turtle body.
Then, to embellish my turtle, I used the “Mini Batik Pattern 1” foam stamp for the head and legs and covered the stamped pattern with enamel accents to create the skin.
With the same foam stamp, I stamped the edges of my cradled wood panel.
Before gluing down my turtle, I used again the “Batik Pattern 2” foam stamp to stamp only the “strips” part of the stamp, just to add more interest and introduce a different pattern than having just circles on my background.
I finally glued down my sea turtle with tacky glue and traced the pattern of the turtle shell. At that point, something was missing and I was not satisfied with my turtle shell like it was.
After reflection, I had the idea to glue some jute twine on the turtle shell and all around the turtle. I used some Glossy Accent as preference because it dries clear and shiny. I really love the look of it and think it was the perfect thing to do to make my turtle as the centered piece.
At last, I used some blue and brown Stabilo pencils to darken the edges of my turtle. And I finished off the edges of my cradled wood panel rubbing my “cobalt” archival ink pad all around.
Hope I got you inspired. Personally, I have so much fun doing this project that I’m thinking of making a series of smaller panels with other shapes like fishes and shells. This project can easily be made also on canvas or even in your art journal…
Have a good rest of the week and see you next month!
Thank you Emilie! I love how this turned out and that yummy texture is great!
Give it a try: you can find all my Foam Stamps in my Online Shop and in addition to some yupo and old book paper, here are some of the other supplies Emilie 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“.
Hello from my Creative Squad! Today Nicole Watson is sharing her longing for the sea with us, with a beautiful art journal spread using a bunch of my foam stamps and this month’s theme: Under the Sea – There is something so fascinating about water. We love being in it, floating on it, relaxing next to it, and it remains one of the last frontiers here on the planet. Create something that is an ode to the sea.
Traditionally, my husband and I have taken a fall vacation to the beach in Florida. It’s one of our favorite vacation spots, right on the panhandle with white sands and emerald green water. I love to spend hours watching the ocean and its waves, walking the shore, hunting for shells while spotting a dolphin or two. I spend afternoons water coloring in my beach chair and exploring all the neat shops full of beach art. Unless something changes, this will be the third year in a row that we are not going to make it to Florida. A hurricane, moving, and now the pandemic.
I am so longing for our beach vacation, and these journal pages play homage to my love for the sea.
First, I spent an hour gel printing papers using Nat’s ArtFoamies. I layered ocean colored paint on my plate, stamped the foamies, and pulled prints. The magic happened when I added layers to each pull creating depth in the prints.
One simple recipe I used a lot: Layer paint on the gel plate, stamp with art foamies, pull a print and a ghost print or two.
Then, once dry, create a small puddle of contrasting paint in the corner of the gel plate as a palette and stamp another foamie all over. Use the original prints to add this second layer of interest. You can see in the video how I layered the texture of different ArtFoamies with contrasting paint to create beautiful, gel printed pages.
Next, I needed to decide what I was going to do with these prints! I had in mind that I wanted to create an ocean, so I just went with it. I cut strips of paper in wavy lines from the gel prints, then I layered them on my journal pages with matte medium.
I picked a specific page that looked more like the ocean floor or beach shore for the bottom layer and kept in mind to vary the colors as I layered the papers. I let my ocean dry overnight, which was also my excuse to think about what to do next.
I honestly had no idea on what the next layer should be. I wanted to keep the pages simple and just add a quote or poem until my husband inspired me. The screen saver was playing on the TV and he suggested I look at it to get an idea for my journal pages. On the screen were layers of seaweed in the ocean.
The next day I trimmed the edges of my pages and then sketched some seaweed (I looked online for some seaweed pictures as inspiration.) with a charcoal pencil and then with a stabilo-all pencil. I wanted it to not stand out too much and have a watercolor feel, so I activated the stabilo with water. Then, I flicked some of the stabilo to look like water bubbles.
I topped my pages off with the perfect quote that touches on my love for the sea. I typed it out on some aged paper, cut it apart, and adhered it with matte medium.
I love how my faux ocean turned out with the ArtFoamie prints, and now I have several beautiful pages of prints to use in other projects as well. In fact, I already have one in mind. You’ll have to watch my Instagram to see what I create next.
Thank you Nicole! Love hearing how this project came together even though you didn’t necessarily have a clear plan at first… What beautiful results in the end!
Give it a try: you can find all my Foam Stamps in my Online Shop and in addition to her typewriter and a selection of printer, book, and scrap paper, here are some of the other supplies Nicole 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“.
Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we have Maura Hibbitts sharing with us an art journal spread that makes me want to go to the beach RIGHT NOW :) Maura is using my Far Out, Batik 1, Batik 2, and Fairview Fan foam stamps along with this month’s theme: Under the Sea – There is something so fascinating about water. We love being in it, floating on it, relaxing next to it, and it remains one of the last frontiers here on the planet. Create something that is an ode to the sea.
I love the sea! I look forward to journeys to the ocean, and the time to sit on the beach and just contemplate, listening to the sound of the waves ebb and flow. I am always curious about what life is like in the ocean for the amazing creatures who call it home. What is under the sea, in the deep depths? And yes, my imagination runs to the likes of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, the lost city of Atlantis, giant Kraken…to me the mysteries of the sea are definitely waiting.
I headed to my large Dylusions art journal, and swiped on paint across the pages, from purple to blues to green, working my way up from darker to lighter. I blended a bit between color layers, trying to recreate ocean layers from the depths to the surface.
I am using the Far Out stamp and black paint to add some texture to the deep waters. I like to use a gel plate to stamp off of when I am using paint. I can push the stamp onto the paint, or apply it directly with the brayer.
I decided to stamp a bit around the edges with the Batik 1 stamp and black ink.
Now it is time to create the waves in the upper waters. I started with the swirl on Batik 2, and using the Cobalt Teal, I made a series of swirls across the top of the pages. Then, I mixed some teal with the purple, and used the lower part of the stamp to add a bit of a wave pattern in the darker area. I feel like this gives the water a feel of flow.
I used the Fairview Fan stamp to continue with my wave theme. I mixed some white and purple to get this gorgeous lavender, and stamped this under the teal swirls. I stamped two rows horizontally, then did a row with the Cyan.
I mixed a bit of Cyan with water, and splattered some drops on the pages with a brush. Once that dried, I flicked a mix of Peacock Pearl (metallic paint) across the pages. I think they look like bubbles rising.
I edged the pages with washi tape to finish it off.
For the final step, I hand lettered a quote about the ocean with a paint pen.
When you are next at the ocean, will you just look out at the waves and the horizon, or will you stop and wonder at what is under the surface?
I know I will continue to be amazed at the diversity and complexity of ocean life and the many moods of the seas. I have a feeling, there is still so much of the deep ocean we have yet to discover, and maybe, just maybe, the ocean should be allowed to hold on to some of that mystery. Let’s continue to protect our oceans and the wonderful life it holds. – Maura
Thank you Maura! I love how you used the different stamps to capture the motion and beauty of the sea :)
Give it a try: you can find all my Foam Stamps in my Online Shop and 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“.
Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we are kicking off a new theme with a geometric homage to the sea from Jennifer Gallagher. Jennifer is using my Hamburg stencil, one of my Hex foam stamps, and my Groovy foam stamp, along with our theme: Under the Sea – There is something so fascinating about water. We love being in it, floating on it, relaxing next to it, and it remains one of the last frontiers here on the planet. Create something that is an ode to the sea.
This month the creative squad is inspired by everything under the sea. The ocean is a beautiful and peaceful place. I love the heat of the sun, the cool breeze flowing off the water, and the serenity of the waves lapping against the shore. I was inspired to bring you the feel of the ocean in my favorite geometric style. I’ve created a really pretty art journal page for you so let’s get started.
First, I prepped a page in my Dylusions journal with a coat of clear gesso. Then, I started the page by laying down a background in a gradient using Nat’s Hamburg stencil to give the impression of geometric waves. I laid down dots of acrylic paint down the center of the page to create a gradient of color. I used titanium white, cobalt teal hue, and light blue violet. Using a large brush I swiped back and forth across the page starting with the white and working my way down.
Next, I laid down Nat’s Hamburg stencil over the paint. You want to move quickly with this process as acrylic paint can dry rather quickly. While the paint was wet I removed paint through the stencil with a baby wipe.
My focal image is a clam with a pearl inside. So, first I applied light blue violet paint to the back side of Nat’s Diamond Hex artfoamie. I then pressed it onto the page as the top piece of my open clam shell. I then repeated the process, connecting the bottom of the shell to the top.
After the shell pieces have thoroughly dried, I applied Portrait Pink acrylic paint for the right side of the artfoamie and pressed the design onto the top and bottom of my clam shell.
I added a spritz of Marabu Art Spray in gold for a little sparkle. I also used Nat’s Groovy artfoamie with cobalt teal hue acrylic paint for a little touch of seaweed.
Next, I added some simple touches to pump up the visual volume. I added a little Marabu Art Crayon in pomegranate with a wet brush so the pink wouldn’t look so flat. I also doodled around with a black and white gelly roll pen.
The final touches include a quote about the sea and a pretty pearl to sit inside our clam shell. Using a gelly roll pen, I wrote a nice sentiment in my own handwriting. Don’t be afraid to write in your own handwriting! Next, I applied some Champagne Mist Decofoil Metallix Gel in a circle inside the bottom shell.
I really love how you can use the backs of your artfoamies as a base for color to build your design off of. I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial. Be sure to play along with our theme each month.
Thank you Jennifer – love the idea of a geometric seascape – it’s so in keeping with your style!
Give it a try: you can find all my Stencils and Foam Stamps in my Online Shop and here are some of the other supplies Jennifer 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“.
Our friend and Creative Squad member Judi Kauffman surprised us with some envelopes and 4”x5.25” collages that she created with her newest Nathalie Kalbach 9”x12” stencil – Hamilton!
She dipped into her stash of vintage office supplies and covered three sheets of cardstock with randomly overlapped mailing labels.
She sponged them with dye inks before she stenciled the sheets using my Hamilton stencil with more ink and white acrylic paint.
She cut each sheet into four rectangles (sized for A2 card fronts or to put into her Traveler’s Notebook) and added more stenciled texture with torn newsprint scraps that were protecting her work table.
Her finishing touches: Canceled postage stamps and a few straight, thin strips from the cardstock sheets.
While she was at it, she stenciled a batch of envelopes with the Hamilton stencil too!
Emilie, delightful colors and TEXTURE!
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