Inspired by… a creative color challenge

Just a quick post to share my creative color challenge piece for this month. I am loving these challenges and only wish that this challenge was more often.

I love playing around with color~ more so when I am being told what colors to use.

Sometimes I find it easier to concentrate on design rather than fighting with all the possibility that color can offer. It is easy to lose your direction ..fast.

This months color ~ pretty in pink.

My lite version…

And only because I can so easily change this digitally…my dark version..

In the real world it is much more time consuming to pull off two pieces of art. Digitally…a whole lot easier. I could have played all day with this.

You knew it was coming…I did three! I just cant help myself these days…

Anyhow, it’s quite obvious,  I really enjoyed the process. I find it so interesting how different colors speak to us. I am loving the ease at which you can add color to digital art and amazed at how a darker colorway or even a slight change in placement can make such a difference.

If you are interested in playing along in Louise Gales monthly color challenge then drop on by. She has created a great community of people participating in all mediums. I was delighted to find out that Louise is also a  fellow ABSPD student with me.I am looking forward to seeing how she combines her handmade and digital worlds. Guaranteed to be great!

I am loving how this big, whole cyber world just gets smaller everyday:).

Advertisement

Inspired by…pulling the plug

I am definitely on island time now… I know its Monday, but catch myself wondering if it’s not Tuesday and where did Sunday go? The days start early here and are very long and very full.

My goal during this trip was to disconnect ( from the computer that is…)…and as you can see that goal has now been changed to an attempt to try and disconnect. It is very hard indeed.

Call me a creature of habit, but my week “disconnecting” has been a mixture of relief …and anxiety. I catch myself thinking “oh I should blog about that…someone would find that interesting” I have had to stop myself many times.There is just so much to share though!

I am full of mixed emotions ~ good and bad.

The bad ~ I have a serious case of FOMO. For those not in the know…FOMO is a serious ailment known as Fear Of Missing Out..

I have had this all my life. I am familiar with it and have become quite good at handling it but I know there is lots going on in the online communities that I have become a part of. I know they are all up to good stuff ~ sharing, asking questions,offering tips..I want to be part of the action.I want to see everyones work, hear their comments, make my own comments and generally…be present.It causes me a wee bit of anxiety to think about all the fun I am missing out on.

The good ~ it really is true what they say about disconnecting and creating. I have had oodles of creative time. None of it has been a struggle. I am relaxed, focused and present.. here in the real world. It’s a very good feeling..the ideas are flowing freely.

No need to worry about me…I think I will be just fine:)

Back to reality…

Louise Gales creative color challenge for March was tranquil blues. It’s always fun to see how others use color…and the medium they choose to use.

Here is a piece I have been working on. This started out in my typical, intuitive painting kind of way….

Missing a few photos from above…to below, but I think you get the idea now..

This baby is now resting. I have lost all patience with it and when this feeling overcomes me ~it is time to face the canvas to the wall and  allow it to recuperate. Personally I would like to see this piece have a bit more softness, maybe a misty-like feel to it. It is not making me feel very tranquil. Funny, but when I think of the word tranquil I always imagine soft, misty pastels.

Anyhoo, I do like the top portion with the vertical lines and wondering if I should possibly make the reeds on the right hand bottom of the canvas similar? All suggestions welcome!

A great term I heard recently from Robert Genn  was that of strategic patience.

“Strategic patience” ~ It’s the strategy of letting time take care of at least part of the process. It precludes running off willy-nilly in a knee-jerk reaction–a reaction that often does more harm than good.

Half-finished paintings left deserted and grumbling in studio corners are often busy mending themselves. Pulled into the light, they re-boot the artist’s neural pathways. Solutions are often clearer, easier and less painful than originally thought. “All things come round to him who will but wait.” (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)

Robert puts out a twice weekly newsletter smack full of interesting artsy tidbits of info. Have a look… It is well worth subscribing to.

And just because I am very thrifty with my paint, I have been keeping journal pages beside me to wipe all of my leftover paint on. These are the result.

Well, my friends, there you have it~ March creative color challenge complete! My time with blue and green paint also done. Time to move on to some bright and sunny spring colors.

Towards the end of the week I will be back to share all of the beautiful flora and fauna found here on the Big Island. I have spent hours, camera in hand, admiring. Until then, I hope everyone is well and happily creating. Dont hesitate to email me directly if you have anything good and juicy to share…wouldn’t want to miss out!

Inspired by…the curious case of the ripped canvas

A work in progress...more seeds,flowers and ink work to come.

For months now this poor canvas has been staring out at me from  behind all of my other work. Sadly I put him to rest months ago when this happened..

RIP....rest in peace

One big rip.

I am still blaming my artistic affliction for this incidence…nothing is safe in this household when I am in one of my moods.

Well in honor of Louise Gales Color Challenge this month, and some New Years resolutions that have me concentrating on wrapping up loose ends, I have decided to resurrect this baby.

Thanks all for your comments (and support) on how to fix this problem. A special thanks to Serena who even sent me a video which helped to inspire this project.

So can one fix a rather largish rip in a canvas? I definitely know so!

You will need a scrap piece of canvas (purchased by the roll at most art stores), some gel medium and heavy books.
Cut off any loose threads hanging from the rip.
Cut out a piece of canvas a little larger than the rip. Place on back of canvas over rip and place gel medium between two layers. Make sure to wipe off excess on front and back of canvas.

Place some parchment paper on front and back of canvas and lay flat on ground. I used some good old elbow grease to rub it all down and make sure all air bubbles, creases etc were out.
Place very heavy books on top. Let it rest.
I removed books after a few hours (ok I peeked once or twice) and then gave it a bit of time to air dry.
 The final product. Not pretty, but mended.

I added a number of layers of gel medium on top of rip to help level out the surface and smooth it out. Use fingers for this step.

Then I sat and stared at it wondering how on earth I produced that orangey color……
I have to remember to always write down paint colors used on back of canvas so I can remember what to mix when I go back to a piece months (or even days) later.

I had a few difficulties figuring out the colors used for this piece. The new colors may be a little off, but whatever…at least it’s not ripped.

This is an awfully long post…

Off to continue work on this canvas…Part two and more info on the color challenge to come this weekend!

Thanks for popping by. If you have any suggestions or advice on how to fix a ripped canvas, please share!

Have a great weekend.