Monochrome Challenge

Monochrome Challenge 

I've been doing a monthly art challenge with a wonderful group of local artists, coordinated by Selena Stevens Art and Two Sisters Scrapbooking and Papercraft. 

 This month was "Monochrone".  

I had so many ideas and was finding it hard to actually start a piece.  Over the past 2 years I've painted a number of black and white paintings, from landscape to still life, but I wanted to step outside the comfort zone with this challenge. 


I started the piece yesterday, finally with a clear idea of what I wanted to paint.  Then this morning it changed…..  I started to listen to what the canvas and paints wanted to become.....  I know it sounds a bit funny, but I just started to follow how the colours where blending and the patterns from different strokes and the next thing.....  well here it is.

Abstract art is a challenge for me, but I'm enjoying the processes involved.  

Details:
Canvas - 31cm x 61cm
Acrylics
Title:  Looking through the fabrics of time
Original piece by Wendy Patterson

Abstract Painting.

Had the chance to finish up an abstract painting today.  Trying something a little different for me.

25cm x 30cm canvas.  I didn't prime this canvas before I applied a thick layer of texture paste.  I used a pallet knife and modelling tools to create some additional dimension and patterns to the paste.  Because the texture paste was quite thick in some areas, I let it air dry for several days.  I didn't use a heat gun to dry, I wanted to avoid the texture paste from cracking.

Once completely dry I used the Colour Blast Black Gesso to the canvas.  I then used a copper metallique wax, by Art Alchemy to highlight the texture of the painting.




I enjoyed this process.  Looking forward to trying this on a larger canvas.

Finding time to draw

I have so many art journals and sketch pads, I'm not game to count them.  I have one the comes with me everywhere.  It's my "Ideas" journal.  I've jotted ideas while on lunch at work, waiting for appointments and out travelling around the country side with family.

Today my little journal came with me while I waited for the girls after school.  There are some trees around the school that have such amazing character.  I decided to practice on my drawing and started sketching a section of the tree.  It was very relaxing to sit, block out the world  and draw something.  I was having fun.

When Miss B jump in the car, she wanted to know why I was drawing screaming tree?  I didn't see it until see said it.  It is quite obvious now.  What do you think?

May's Red's Art Cart.

Having a great day today.  Cuppa with Mum and Dad (always a good laugh) and then hitting the art studio for a little painting.

Last year I came across a page on Facebook called "Mrs Red's Art Room", based on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.  One of the products available from Mrs Red's, was the "Red's Art Cart" subscription.  Each month you receive an amazing range of art supplies.  Now I do subscribe to a few art suppliers like this (such as Art Snacks), but they are all based in the USA or UK.  This was the first Australian based business I found offering art sample packs.  So I gave it a go, just to see what it was like.  I fell in love.....  became hooked and joined the monthly subscription. 

For me, based in Australia, the Red's Art Cart has been better value.  I'm not paying for the big international postage or dealing with exchange rates and I receive the art supplies within 2-3 days from postage.  Apart from receiving the art supplies each month, you get support from the wonderful and talented owner, Jane (AKA Mrs Red).  As each Red's Art Cart is released, Mrs Red up-loads YouTube clips on the products and how to use them.  Once you become a subscriber, you'll also have access to the Red's Art Cart members page and the ongoing support and mentoring from Mrs Red.

One of my favourite things about the Red's Art Cart, is not knowing what is in this colourful package until I open it.  It is like Christmas.  I'm a little bit of a arty nerd....  I get excited about these things.  Some of the supplies I have received are things that I would not have considered buying myself.  However, some of these products have now become some of my favourite things.

Please note, I'm not getting paid to review these products from Mrs Red's Art Room, I'll be doing these posts because I just love the Red's Art Carts.

Each month I will try to bring you an update on each Red's Art Cart and provide feedback on the art supplies I receive.  I'll also try to back-date some of the other art carts that I have received over the past 12 months.  But lets start with this month.....

May's - Red's Art Cart

I received the May's - Red's Art Cart on Wednesday, so today was play time.  In this month's art cart I received Georgian Water Mixable Oil paints.  I love the vibrant pigments of these paints.  I found no real differences in painting with these paints compared to normal oils colours.  When looking at how to use these paints from different tutorials (including Mrs Red's YouTube clip), on how to use these oil paints, some suggested that you can use a few drops of water to thin the paint.  So I played a little before jumping into a painting.

You can mix water to these oil paints and I was surprised that the water blends well with the oils.  However I did find that you need less water to thin the oils, and it seemed to reduce the intensity of the pigments a little.

I also tried the Winsor and Newton Safflower oil and Thinner (for water mixable oils).  I only needed to add a few drops.  Both blended very well with the oil paints.  With these products I found that there was no change in the pigment.  

It has been a few years since I've played with oils.  It was wonderful to experience again the way that the colours move with each other and blend together.  They are not as forgiving as acrylics, but I love the way that this medium plays on the canvas.  I used a pallet knife and brushes with this project to create different shading, blending and texture.  I need a little more practice with oils, but really enjoyed playing with this month's art cart.  I didn't use the bushes received in this month art cart, I turned to some of my older bushes.  Decided to keep these for another day.  

In this month's art cart we also received a paint tray.  I have another idea for this product and will keep you up-to-date on what I'm going to do with it.  It's something to do with a Red's Art Cart I received in 2017.  Will post an up-date in the next few days.

Hope you enjoyed today's post, and looking forward to hearing your feedback.  Keep an eye out for videos and product reviews on my Facebook page and YouTube channel. 

It has been a long 10 months..... blogging has taken a back seat.  After the loss of someone special, I'm jumping back into my blog as a bit of therapy...  Trying to remember beautiful memories and creating pieces that reflect my time with this amazing woman.

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year (sounds like I could break into a song), where all my family comes together to spend a few special days together.  We share bad stories that become more elaborate each year.  Cook way too much good food, resulting in a week long food coma.  My daughter was born on Christmas day; we always have an additional party for her, so we end up having parties just about every day over the Christmas week.  Not a bad time of the year.

I'm a little worried how we'll cope this year.  After a long battle with cancer my Mother-In-Law, a second Mum to me, lost her fight against this horrid illness.  We have no regrets.  We got to spend so much extra time with her this year, making sure that any time off, including holidays we spent with her.  Even fitting in a camping trip to one of her favorite spots.  I'm concerned how my girls will go over the Christmas period without their Nanny.  I know that we'll get through this, like many others before us.  If you've been going through the same thing, please share how you have helped your children through the loss of family member.  We talk about Nanny and all the amazing memories that we have together.  My girls have requested that I make all of Nanny's best dishes this year.  Hopeful they'll meet her standard.

For now it is just one day at a time.  While my husband and I are back to work today, the girls have started their holidays by heading of camping with both their Grandfathers (my Dad and my Father-In-Law). 

5 Minute Flowers in water colour.

This year I started the Life Book 2016.  I've learnt so much and have enjoyed the journey of developing new skills with different media.  

Water colours are something that I really haven't played with before.  Martha Lever posted a class with Life Book 2016 on 5 Minutes Flowers (in water colours).  This is my take on the class.  I need more practice but I'm so happy with the way these have turned out.

"Under a night sky"

I'm a country girl at heart.  When the fast pace of life gets too much, we love getting away camping. One of our favorite spots is a hour from a place called Mitchell, in Queensland, Australia.   Out in the middle of nowhere.  In our spot the phones don't work, no TV, just the vast open spaces of our amazing country.  Some may think that this is a backwards and limited activity, but this is where I long to be when I need to recharge the batteries.  One of the most enjoyable parts of our trips is looking up into the night skies.  The light pollution in our cities/towns limits what you can see at night, but here the nights are an amazing show of glittering stars.  

Due to flooding this year I haven't been able to visit this magical spot, so instead I've painted the night skies as I remember.  

I was so pleased with the why the night sky came to life.  I painted the canvas with black acrylic. With a sponge I dabbed on a mix of blue, green, purple and a highlight of white to make the back ground.  With a toothbrush I splatted white paint to create the stars in the sky.  When dry I painted the silhouette of the gum trees.  Simple but very effective I think.