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New Downloadable PDF Art Lesson: Creating Texture

I’m excited to announce that my downloadable PDF Art Lesson 9: Creating Texture Plates Inspired by Nature is now available in the NorthLightShop! For $3.99 it’s a great deal – you get a full step out AND a 10min video :)

As you know, I love playing with texture in my artwork, especially the textures that can be found in nature. In this Art Lesson, you will learn a way to create some super gorgeous textures with a few new materials and techniques, and I will share with you how I use inspiration from nature to guide me. I begin with an inspiration photo of geysers I took at Yosemite National Park, and by using a variety of mediums and mixed media techniques, I create a deeply textured plate that begs to be touched.

You can check out on ClothPaperScissors how this lesson and tips from my book Artful Adventures in Mixed Media inspired Jeannine Stein to create some beautiful nature inspired tags.

The Lesson is available here.

Nat

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Darling, Shine! That’s All!

Loved playing with my new Midtown ArtFoamies Set. Using both sides – the solid and the pattern side – and different acrylic paint colors I layered up a city scape.

I painted the lady first with acrylic paint and then went over with oil pastels- I just love the look of those two paint mediums together.

I love this set so much – I cannot stop using it  -LOL- someone stop me ;)

Here are the supplies I used for this spread:


Nat

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Photos of my Workshops in Florida

Last weekend I taught two Art Journaling Classes at Everything Scrapbook & Stamps and it was fun to be back there. We had such a good time.

The Saturday class was “What’s cooking?” and we explored all the things that make artwork work and discussed how to solve art problems in your art journal.

I loved the progress and results of the pages -it was such a feast for the eyes

Beautiful patterns

And look at these finished pages- oh yummie

You gotta love the elephant with the tutu – it’s adorable!

And seeing my new Art Foamies used in such a clever way- oh yum!

I want to live in this RubberMoon city!

And this is the coolest- a combination of both – so cool!

I am always giddy when I see a display with my stamps and stencils and Michelle brought all those yummy things into the store for the workshops!

And seeing all the students that had gotten my book made my day …actually this makes several days- soooo love this pic :) Thank you girls!!!

Sunday I taught my Art Rules Art Journaling Class

Mono Printing

playing with pattern

stencils and stamps

fun techniques

inspired by Master- Artists

they all had a great time !

It was so good to be back to be back at Everything Scrapbook & Stamps– thank you to all the students who came and to Michelle for having me yet again and taking good care of me. After the hurricane it was especially delightful to see all of you being well and able to spend some creative time and this wonderful store. Hope to see you soon again.

Hope to see you in one of my classes in the future. Check out my in-person-class schedule. I will be in the U.K. to teach at a retreat with my friend Birgit Koopsen in Coventry in two weeks and then teach at the end of October at The Queen’s Ink in Maryland to teach an Art Journaling and a Mono Print Painting Class – there are still a couple seats left, so come and join us!

Nat

Comments (2)

  • Sue Clarke

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    Rubbermoon city and that teal face are incredible!
    Looks like a wonderful class and I love all the creations that you inspired with your teaching Nat.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      I loved the RubberMoon City so much as well. it was a fun class and they were fab students. Have a gorgeous day Sue!

      Reply

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Broken – Painting

This painting named Broken, which is part of my book Artful Adventures in Mixed Media was inspired by one of my favorite books called “A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara . The book is about friendship and trauma and at parts are really hard read to go through as it is emotionally very upsetting, but at the same time it is beautiful. It is one of the books that grabbed me so much that I had to go and paint after reading it.

Broken is 9×12 on Canvas using acrylic paint, media and charcoal.

I am looking forward to be inspired like this again by another book. Have you read something lately that really really made you think about the story more than usual?

Have a wonderful day

Nat

Comments (4)

  • Sue Clarke

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    Yes, Someone Knows My Name was incredible.

    Reply

  • stephanie

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    Beautiful painting

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Meet the NEW Creative Squad!

I am thrilled today to introduce you to the latest Creative Squad! After receiving a huge response to my call for members back in the summer, we were able to put together a Squad that I am proud to reveal today. Welcome to Jennifer Gallagher, Josefine Fouarge, Shilpa Nagaonkar, and welcome back to Marsha Valk!  We cannot wait to see the projects that you will bring to us and we are super happy to have assembled a Squad from all over the US and the world.  Please stop back every Tuesday for posts from the Creative Squad, sharing with us a diverse global perspective on Mixed Media, Paper Crafting, Art Journaling, Card Making, and more.  To learn more about each of these artists, check out our Creative Squad page for bios and links :)

And of course we are very sad to say goodbye to our Squad members Cheiron Brandon, Michelle Rydell, and Tina Walker.  Here is a big THANK YOU to all your hard work and to your dedication. It was always amazing to see your creative responses to our monthly themes.  We have been very lucky to have found such inventive and inspiring artists :)

Nat

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Best Adventure EVER – Art Journal

“Maybe it won’t work out. But maybe seeing if it does will be the best adventure ever.”

Love this – I think that sums up a lot of things that I have done in my life so far …love my artful adventures and believe me…many didn’t quite work out- LOL

I am totally in pattern heaven using my brand new Downtown Positive and Negative Foam Stamp Set. I love how the two stamps stamped on top of each other in copper and teal make up for such a beautiful intricate pattern.

I added some yellow ink here and there after the stamped areas dired and I love how it added another color and interest.

Stamping it a bit offset and given the fact that a foam stamp reveals texture I love how the effect is so dimensional and looks almost as if the image is raised and jumps off the page. One happy Nat on this one.

Here are some of the supplies I used for this spread:


Have an adventurous day!

Nat

Comments (6)

  • stephanie

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    LOVE the hand written words.

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Love the words and the color mix!!!

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    • nathalie-kalbach

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      That color mix totally got me- LOL- cannot stop using it :) Thanks Sue!

      Reply

  • Nancy G.

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    Great page for the sentiment, colors and patterns!

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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle with Michelle Rydell

  

Happy Tuesday everyone and welcome to a project from Creative Squad member Michelle Rydell! Michelle brought together a bunch of different items from her stash to create a beautiful little book with a message that is just perfect. She used my Mini Batik Pattern 2 stamp and my Batik, Lily Wallpaper, and What’s the Point stencils to help her with this month’s theme: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Let’s do Mother Earth a favor this month and use what we already have.  Maybe we’ll dip into our stash of leftovers from other creative projects or maybe we’ll repurpose something unexpected.  This month we’re thinking about how artmaking can impact the environment and we’re trying to make our footprint just a little bit smaller.

About five years ago, I found a bunch of old S&H Green Stamp books at an antique store, and I thought they were so cute I just had to buy them.  Remember green stamps?  Well, they have been just waiting for the right project, and this month’s Reduce, Reuse, Recycle fit the bill perfectly!

I decided to make one into a mini-journal.  Here’s how I did it…

I combed thru my stash of vintage ephemera and picked out a pile of things that I thought had possibilities – mostly because they matched the color scheme of the green stamps…

I decided on a theme for the book, and then combed thru my stamps and stencils designed by Nat, and picked out some that I thought would work great for the project.  The ones I ended up using were: Mini Batik Pattern 2 Foam Stamp, and three stencils: Batik, Lily Wallpaper and What’s the Point?

The toad I wanted to put on the first page needed a background to rest on, so I pulled out the foam stamp and added a couple of swirls to start things off.

Then a little paint and a bit of patterned paper…

To create some consistency, I flipped to the back page and did something similar with the background.

From there I was off and running, adding stamps and stencils, paint and bits of paper to each page.  I also took out the rusty old staples and changed the binding to bakers twine. The dots here are made with the What’s The Point stencil. At the end I added a favorite quote to pull it all together.  Here’s how it turned out…

Thank you Michelle for this inspiring little book! In addition to various vintage papers, Michelle used the following:



Play along with us too: 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“.

Nat

Comments (6)

  • datatar

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    Amazing album! I just love everything about it. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply

  • Deb

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    What a FUN idea!!!
    I too remember the green stamps and going with my Mom to the redemption store!

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    • Michelle Rydell

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      Thanks so much Deb! I’m glad it brought back memories for you!

      Reply

  • Julie Tucker

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    I do remember those green stamp books!!! I loveeeeeeeeeeeee this!! FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!

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    • Michelle Rydell

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      Thank you so much Julie! I appreciate your kind words!!!

      Reply

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Workshops in Kentucky in May 2018

I will be teaching 2 workshops at Ephemera Paducah in Kentucky May 18-20, 2018 so mark your calendars. One will be my very popular Mono Print Painting all day class where you can learn a really cool way to make mono prints. The other is my 2 day Artful Adventures in Art Journaling class which will cover all kinds of techniques to help you find inspiration in your art journaling. And if you sign up for both classes, you will save a bit, so I hope you will join me!

Mono Print Painting

Friday May 18th: 9am – 5pm

Join me for a day long class in Mono Print Painting. We will dive into the basics of mixed media mono printing first and I will introduce you to the Mono Print Painting technique inspired by H.N. Werkman. I will show you different ways on how to create elaborate and layered mono printed paintings using self made tools as well as stamps and stencils. I will share with you my thinking process on developing the technique and how we you can put your own personal spin on it, so that you can take your art to a whole different level.

Register here!

Artful Adventures in Art Journaling

Saturday & Sunday, May 19th & 20th: 9am – 4:30pm

Let’s go on an Artful Adventure together and explore all the different ways to find inspiration for our Art Journaling! Pack your bags with the basics for this 2-day adventure. We’ll explore color theory and ways to master composition with the Principles of Art. As our journey begins we’ll meet some of the great artists of the world and see how their style and methods can inspire our own creations. Then as we travel together we’ll spend some time exploring transfer techniques, collage and layering processes, and ways to create both visual and actual texture. All along the way, we’ll be gathering inspiration from the sights we see and the people we meet. We’ll pull everything together when we reach our destination – the pages of our Art Journal!

Register here!

Nat

Comments (2)

  • stephanie

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    woot! Checking my calendar, hope to make it

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