Monday, January 16, 2012

A week late and a dollar short!

Like several of my art friends, I signed up for the free Strathmore classes that are now being conducted. This is the only class I have signed up for at this time, because I wanted to learn a few ways Traci Bautista uses all that color, as well as learning to free myself a bit when I make a collage. So I began by watching the first tutorial on Friday of this past week, hoping to learn a few things.


As usual, I didn't have the supplies the artist recommended. I did, however, have a full book of 90 lb watercolor paper (quite the comedown from the 140 lb, 18 X 24 inch Strathmore paper Traci recommended) that I was more than willing to use for this class, along with some grid mesh I think is used for latch hooking. I also had a few plastic doilies I could use.

By the time I realized the latch hook plastic was not going to work,


it was early afternoon. It was then I decided to cut up one of the plastic circles I have. Now I'm not sure where I got these, but I think they came with plastic pegs or beads that I got years ago at a garage sale. But cutting even ONE was very difficult on my poor aching fingers.


I love those circles and used them recently in monoprinted fabric, as you see above.



OK, back to the lesson I'm trying to learn (I'm very easily distracted these days). Using the cut up plastic mesh, along with some that I didn't cut into, I began spritzing the paper with various color mists. I used the manila envelop in the background to help curtail some of the mist.


Traci taught us to wipe our masks and stencils off using a brayer (which I didn't use) and a clean sheet of paper. Instead I used my fingers, which turned a not-so-lovely brown!

I continued to follow Traci's instructions, using feathers, paint, oil pastels, and India ink.


However, since I am not really a doodler, I could not seem to open up. That may be because I don't have the right type of Sharpies, or the proper ink pens. Additionally, my correction pen had dried up from non-use! Of course, it could also be that the weather had turned nasty, making my craft room so cold I kept longing for gloves for my hands. I will try to loosen up with the next lesson, especially if I have some of the supplies.


And even though many people have already shown their first (and possibly by now, their second) lesson, it was all new to me (the CED word for the month of January). Therefore, I am sharing this today at CED.

11 thoughtful remarks:

Unknown said...

This is a perfect example of how artists make discoveries by thinking outside the box! I think these turned out great(especially the one on top)! I can totally see them cut up and used in your altered pages or one of your quilts- yeah, a quilt could be so neat with real feathers and other mixed media....
Happy Monday,
Stephanie

Stephanie Bird said...

This is very inspirational! Thanks. I like how your work turned out a lot.

Carolyn Dube said...

Really like the circles and feathers on you page & your mono print fabric. I watched the first lesson of Traci's this weekend. I am working on loosening up to be a free spirit doodler - I love the look and am in awe of those who do it. I've tried and I find that it might look simple, but for me it's not. I've taken one of Traci's online classes a few years ago and I knew I would not be able to do it her way, but instead I took bits and pieces from it and played. I made a sheet of colors that I don't think stands on its own, but cut up will be a great something in the future. Can't wait to see what you create after lesson 2!

Sandy Coleman said...

Wow. It's great to know about this. I love seeing your creative process. Very nice. I like the colors and results.

rivergardenstudio said...

I love what you are doing with all the textures here. Very beautiful!
roxanne

Terrie said...

Like you, I'm not confident in my random mark making ability. Traci makes hers look so effortless and unplanned but the finished product looks so.....complete. Mine, not so much. I feel like it just looks like a collection of random marks! Traci says several times you don't have to go out and buy anything, just use what you have on hand and experiment. I think your experiment turned out great - love the colors and use of the plastic circles and your feathers are a strong addition. According to her lesson, you probably just stopped too early. It needs MORE :) more stuff, more layers/shapes/textures. I'm at about the same place you are and don't know where to add more...it already feels overdone and I find the hardest part for me is covering up, covering up, adding layers on my layers....I'm hoping to get back to it this week and try some more. Whatever we produce, it's a fun process, right? Something new, something freeing, something we can cut up and reuse! :)

Halle said...

I love how it turned out. The feathers look great!

Monica said...

Well i failed spraying 101. I have not tried class 2 or 3 as i was busy but tomorrow. Actually I watched 2 and thought it a variation on 1 and boring. may skip this! Although this stuff makes great journal covers.

Diane said...

I've signed up for the class too--and picking up some tips---I know what you mean about the doodling part--it's like I overthink it. Like Traci says--it's actually the most freeing part because nothing is wrong.
I love your start, and keep going--it's fun to fool around like this with no expectations.

pauline said...

oh, this looks like so much fun!! (i love making a mess!!) :-)
Thanks for all the great steps. I really love all your textures.
happy CED! xoxo

Tracey FK said...

Elizabeth I have just signed up as well and am hoping to get to it this afternoon.... I was happy to read your post because I have watched the lesson and am a bit nervous about being without any sort of plan.... so used to having an idea before I go in, but sure we will all get the hang of it a bit at least.... looking forward to seeing how you progress and thanks for sharing the struggles.... makes me feel better going in to it...xx