Authentic self canvas

Inspired by a couple of things happening around me, I got in my hot studio today.... and created- gosh it makes for a lighter heart!!

The canvas is small- just 8 x 10 inches, I've used the prompt Authentic Self, and intuitively painted. I started with mod lodge, and doles, scraps of old book pages and a napkin. I've then sprayed with inks, and the painted with my fingers, using various acrylic paints. Finally with black ink and white out pen, I've added the details.

The Dolies and the acrylic paint, which I layered and heated - have created some nice texture, that reminds me of encaustic painting.

I'm entering my canvas over at Mixed Media Place, where the Creative Gym exercise #4  is Intuitive Painting :)

Women canvas

women 12 x 12 canvas

Here's the first canvas I did during my recent online painting month, it's just small  a 12 x 12. I love the colour that I've managed to squeeze on here :-)

This painting is the first of mine to actually leave my studio and find it's way onto a wall- it's hanging on in my best friends house, which makes me real happy :-)

Day Dream Canvas

I've used the cool Rogue Redhead Designs  Relish Reading and the Getting Grizzley set, to create this funky bright canvas. I was inspired by a feature in the Craft Stamper magazine.

Altered Canvas

I used acrylic paints, with masks and random painting and then added some background stamps, I once again had heaps of fun creating this.

The Lovers Carnival Canvas

The Carnival Lovers Canvas

Today I'm sharing with you a canvas that I've created using the Lovers from Rogue Redhead Designs Carnival Dreams.

I have to admit I've gone all out Pink for this Canvas :-)

And I love it! I've given it to a friend as a little thank you for all her wonderful insights :-)

I hope your day and week is as Pink as mine :-)

In a Tropical Garden

It's the lovely Suzanne's turn to host our challenge this week at Craft Room Challenge. She's chosen the theme In the Garden- but she what's it also to be anything but a card :-)

As always my fellow teamies have pulled some stunners out of the bag, so make sure you check out their creations.

Here in Wellington, New Zealand, we have drought conditions- I know my Northern hemisphere friends will think that sounds delicious after all their snow- lol but actually it's becoming a bit of a worry for the poor farmers. Anyway, the reason I mention that is because the sun filled garden inspired my canvas for this fortnight's challenge.

This is a 12 x 12 canvas, I've covered it in text, and then lightly gessoed. I've then drawn the hummingbird and flowers, and coloured with Promarkers, and written the words. I then used some thick gold UTEE, added some glitter and microbeads and some wooden leaves. I then covered the whole canvas with beeswax.

Our sponsor this week is Crafty Emblies

Have a great week.

Deb is Going BIG

Yep, I'm going Fearlessly BIG. It's taken a lot of time thinking about it, but now is the tme to actually start and Do.
So Last week I started with Connie of Dirty Footprints Studio the Fearless BIG 6 week painting course. These are my first 4 exercises.

I'm already soooooo excited and Joy filled with these creations, I LOVE how they turned out.

These are all painted with acrylic on BIG pieces of Cartridge paper- 24 x 36 inches.

The first exercise - was the Scribble Exercise

I just went for it :-) and just let myself go for it with big strokes of colour.

a Close up:

The Next Exercise was the Flow Line, now I just Loved this, the colours and the painting flowed, and then I felt connected and I know that this was about my hubby and Me- full of Love and Passion. The little Fear Gremlin had a go- about following the Rules of the exercise- but I just said- hey the only thing I need to do is Listen and Feel the painting.

The next exercise was Shape or Shapes, I went with a teardrop- cause that was the first thing that popped into my head. I found this exercise tricky to do- as the Fear Gremlin was right there first hesitation, first doubt:- You chose the wrong shape, you don't know what you're doing, this is a mess etc. But once I just breathed centred and just went with and stopped worrying about what it was going to look like, I found joy in my shapes.

Finally, Draw like a 5 year old- classic, this just made my heart smile :-) the first thing that popped into my head was a Chicken. So a chicken it was. First, though I thought maybe I'd just do this exercise on a smaller piece of paper- A3, to save paper to not waste paper- (there's that pesky Gremlin again) but as soon as I picked it up, I was like No WAY!! that's way too small - BIG all the way.

I love my chicken picture- I painted it with the thought, the chicken has feathers, it's orange, it has a chick - it lays eggs the grass is green and the sun is big and yellow. Trying to attach no thoughts to the process.

I think what I learned today, is that actually I love to paint BIG, that I love Colour, and that I worry way too much about wasting paint, wasting paper, wasting time. And that I have a thing about painting to the Rules, whatever those might be. But that I can let go of that and just Flow and feel the Joy of being BIG and colourful.

Here's to week 2 of BIG

Unruly Canvas

My article for Unruly Paperarts is now live, please check it out for my full article on how I handle a canvas, Here.

close up of the bird.