Nat
Artist Quote of the Week – Arshile Gorky
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Endless Summer – Maura Hibbitts
Hello from my Creative Squad this fine Tuesday! Today we have an art journal spread from Maura Hibbits who has expertly layered up a ton of pattern and visual texture to create a spread that is so fun to look at! There is so much to the layers, including my Crackle and Toledo 4×4 stencils, my Maze Hex foam stamp, and my Tread rubber stamp from the Cardboard stamp set. I love her take on this month’s theme: Endless Summer – The days are long, the sun is shining, the air is soft… it must be summer! Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and save a summertime memory forever.
When I was teaching, summer was the magic time to look forward to when I got to play and travel, and finally relax and rejuvenate for my next year. Now that I am retired, all the seasons are mine, so to speak, but summer still is very special. There are so many festivals, free music, barbecues, gardening and more to look forward to, but one of my favorite summer things is to do some traveling off the highways. I like to find the little roads that go through the towns and villages, even if it is just a crossroads with one building, there is so much more to see! Do I ever get lost? Of course! But then I find my way again. Happy travels to you this summer!
I started by applying a thin layer of Diarylide Yellow with a key card onto my large Dylusions part journal. I swiped up and down in a random fashion.
Next, I sponged on Pyrrole Red and Cadmium Orange hue with the Crackle stencil. I moved the stencil around, and varied where I added the colors.
Ok, with my background started, now comes the fun! I squirted the Neon Torrid Orange and Sizzling Pink (hot summer colors, right?) onto a small gel plate, and spread it with the brayer. I stamped into the paint with the new ArtFoamie Maze Hex, and transferred this to my page. I repeated this step a number of times.
I wanted more of a contrast between my background and the neon stamped images, so added a bit of translucent color with the Green Gold and Cobalt Teal Hue. I wiped it back a bit with a baby wipe and blended it in.
Time for another stencil. This time it is the small Toledo stencil, and I sponged the heavy body Cobalt Teal hue on, focusing on the center of the stencil.
I stamped the Tread design around the edges with Quinacridone Gold, so it would be visible, but not overpowering.
Now that my pages are almost done, it’s time to add some detail. I went around each hexagon shape with a white Posca paint pen, and toned down the outer section with a layer of Translucent White.
Then I went around my neon hexagons with a graphite pencil and water brush, added my words, “Take the Road less traveled” with a black Pitt pen and Gold Sharpie. I decided to go around the outer section and add gold dots too.
You can see some of the details of the layers here.
Time to head out on the road and take the road less traveled. Happy Summer!
Thank you Maura – we love exploring all those little back streets too because it’s a great place to get all sorts of inspiration :) Here are some of the supplies that Maura used:
Do you feel inspired? I’d love to see what you’re working on with my stamps and stencils. I post projects almost every month in my Inspiration From Around the Globe posts!
Nat
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Sue Clarke
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Thinking too much – Artjournal
“I think …I think too much….” – No seriously- LOL.
Played with my new Diamond Hex Foam Stamp –
love how this turned out with the light color on the dark background.
actually I am pleased with the hole color combo – it just kind of came together and I played with different green tones as well when I painted the lady and the table – and then I loved how it popped off the page :)
Here are some of the supplies other than acrylic paint that I used:
Nat
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Stroll Through The Hood – July 2018
Time for a Stroll Through the Hood . Strolls through my hood get me out of my studio, they help me unstuck and often I get inspired by what I see and to get new ideas to create something. It is part of my philosophy about Artful Adventures in Mixed Media – which is the subject of my book. Here are some photos that I gathered in the last couple weeks.
This above actually taken in NYC – love it! Love how the heart is part of the figure.
YESSS – thats what I say- LOL: Love the lettering and the colors inside the individual letters.
Van Hook Cheese – is one of my favorite stores in the hood …not only do they have delicious cheese – they also have always the best window display. Look at those painted houses made from cardboard – LOOOOOVEEEE
4th July Jersey City firework over the Hudson – pretty :)
Near the Holland Tunnel there are tons of murals -I don’t go there often with my bike but I had to run some errands at Home Depot and I took the time to check those out. I like the perspective here.
Dramatic. Still thinking what the reference might be. Any ideas?
Looking at Open Houses is interesting. This bathroom wallpaper was in a beautiful Brownstone which had a lot of time capsule features. I love the bright paisley (well…I wouldn’t in my bathroom hahahah) and the lamp is so cool- look at the pattern in it)
In my newly embroidered dress -in front of the pencil factory where I live. I love this little street, every time I go out of our building or come back I think about how cool it is that this is preserved.
This mural shows all kinds of known landmarks for Jersey City, the Colgate Clock, the Liberty State train station, the Mana Watertower, the Loew Theatre and more. Fun! Makes me want to grab my Stroll stamps.
And …I showed this before on my Instagram and FB – OMG – this painted wooden floor …my heart was going like a million beats a second LOOOOVEEE. Unfortunately the flooring didn’t justify the rest of the house…but hahahahaha almost ;)
Hope you enjoyed the Stroll Through the Hood- join me next month again!
Nat
Comments (2)
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Sue Clarke
Sounds like you’re house hunting Nat…have fun and don’t rush (find the most perfect place for you).
Love the strolls photos as always. Not sure about that one with the two women, but my first impression was how the establishment has been holding Latinas down (not as many opportunities in employment and maybe even the immigration issues that are in the forefront these days)???-
nathalie-kalbach
No rush at all Sue- I agree about the most perfect place :) But it is fun nonetheless to see all the different options.
Interesting thought about the graffiti ! I should find out who made it and see if there is a connection.
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NEW Rubber Stamps and Mini Foam Stamps!!!
Are you ready for some new releases and samples? – There is a lot fun stuff in this post -but first- the designs :)
This new RubberMoon cling rubber stamp set includes 6 large circular stamps along with one ornament topper stamp. Circle stamps measure approx. 3″x3″.
AND …we have those in a smaller size as well with the circle stamps measuring approx.1″x1″ :)
But wait there is more …we also have some new Mini ArtFoamies Sets in the house. A Mini Hex Set with all of my four hexagon stamps in sizes which are between 2.125″x2.5″ and 2.5″x2.75″.
And a Mini Tile Set– with sizes between 2.25″x2.25″ and 2.875″x2.875″.
Let me show you some samples our Creative Squad and I made with the new RubberMoon Stamps :)
So the fun thing I added to the Circle Jumble Sets is a little topper which gives you the possibility to turn the circles into ornaments or use the topper as a fun little stamp for borders and patterns.
Here I created some super simple Holiday Cards with the Large Circle Jumble Set.
Jennifer created this super cute stained glass ornament using the Broadway Circle and the Topper from the Large Circle Jumble Set as well.
In this art journal spread I am using the Large Circle Jumble Set set as well as the Small Circle Jumble Set with embossing powders.
Maura used the Small Circle Jumble Set for this pretty holiday card and added some pretty writing with a gold pen to “hang them” .
For this mix of cards I used both sets- for the left and middle one creating borders with the topper but also mixing up both sets once again.
For the cards above I played around with both sets and created a cohesive note card sets, which I can use for various occasions.
Tania created this gorgeous Small Circle Jumble card overlaying the circles in different colors.
Josefine made a bunch of cards mixing up both the Large and Small Circle Jumble sets for some added dimension.
For the art journal spread above i played with both sets and made some Mandalas. I could have colored them in as well -but I loved the black and white look at the moment more :)
And Kae Pea the owner of RubberMoon made this gorgeous Bohemian Star on a canvas!
Let’s show some samples with the new ArtFoamies Mini Sets
The Mini Hex Set is just super adorable!!! You can mix it with the regular sized Hexes as well.
Here is an art journal page where I just used all of them- but of course you can use them individually to create patterns- just like their big sisters :)
And some cards with the new Mini Tile Set.
Which of the new stamps makes you the most excited? Any favorites?
Pick up the new stamps here:
Nat
Comments (6)
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Maxi Moon
LOVE how your team used these! They are so versatile and creative!!
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nathalie-kalbach
Thank you Maxi- so stoked about them :)
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stephanie
ohhh the possibilities. Can’t wait to get these!
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nathalie-kalbach
Thank Stephanie , yeah they are really crazy versatile :)
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Sue Clarke
Love Maura’s card with the words as strings for the ornaments!
What versatile sets.-
nathalie-kalbach
I love Maura’s handwriting as a string for the ornaments too – so clever and beautiful :)
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I care – Do you? Art Journal
“Human morality is unthinkable without empathy” …
This spread is a couple weeks old – as my art journaling is part of my thoughts and emotions when I create the spreads everyday news get their way into it too. Sometimes hidden, sometimes as here pretty obvious.
It is a chaotic and kind of ugly page …just like the whole topic this is revolving around.
I thought a bit about posting this spread, but being quiet is not an option anymore…
Nat
Comments (2)
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Denise Spillane
Love this. Says it all. Beautiful work as always. My friend was just talking about how we cannot be quiet.
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Sue Clarke
Love love love the texture and the colors.
Not sure what was on your mind, but it fits with my current thoughts on the POTUS. (sadly)
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Artist Quote of the Week – Alfred Sisley
Nat
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Endless Summer – Jennifer Gallagher
Welcome to a post from the Creative Squad! Today we have Jennifer Gallagher sharing a really fun art journal page with her take on summer. I have been loving the projects this month because it has prompted the squad to share a little more about themselves and it is always fun to learn about the people behind the art :) This time Jennifer mixes it up by pairing my Window rubber stamp with my Santiago stencil for our theme: Endless Summer – The days are long, the sun is shining, the air is soft… it must be summer! Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and save a summertime memory forever.
Summer is my favorite time of year. While working on this month’s creative squad post we were experiencing a heat wave. I was sitting at my window watching the hummingbirds at my feeder outside when I was inspired to create this art journal page. I started by turning Nat’s Santiago stencil to create squares on the art journal page. Using a mini blending tool, I applied acrylic paint through the stencil.
Then following the lines of the stencil, I applied yellow acrylic paint to create an interesting line for your eye to follow.
I really wanted to play with my stencils and push what can be achieved by changing it up a bit. I used my white posca paint pens to add additional patterns and details to the stencil design.
Next, using archival black ink, I stamped the window stamp from Nat’s My Home is My Castle set into the squares on the journal page.
At this point I decided to add more additional pattern work with my black posca pen.
Lastly, I added a quote that felt appropriate for this particular day and this particular page.
Although I found the quote humorous, I would encourage you to get outside and enjoy the Summer. Inspiration is everywhere! Be sure to share your n*Studio projects with us.
We couldn’t agree more with Jennifer – get out and find inspiration for your artmaking! And of course when it’s a heatwave, enjoy the view from the window :) Here are some of the supplies that Jennifer used:
Be sure to check out all the Creative Squad projects on the Creative Squad webpage and if you feel inspired, share your projects with us! We love to see what you’re working on. I post projects almost every month in my Inspiration From Around the Globe posts!
Nat
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Space Oddity – Art Journal
Yes.. I did crank up Space Oddity by David Bowie while making this spread. Music – such an important part of my life – I love playing music while painting.
I used some off white Acrylic paint with the new ArtFoamies Space Oddity stamp – gosh I love it.
I painted over an magazine image which I do a lot as it is easy peasy and also helps practicing drawing faces and figures.
Do you listen to music when you do something creative or do you need a super quiet environment?
Here are some of the additional supplies I used besides acrylic paint for this spread
Nat
I am in love…with this page layout!
Thanks for the step by step details Maura.
I may have to “lift” some ideas from you.
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