Abstract Art - 001 - Soaring high and All Aboard at AVJ

So it's the third of March and we're celebrating our third birthday at A Vintage Journey and for this special challenge I have created something completely different. Our theme is called 'All Aboard' which leaves it completely open for entries and Creative Guide samples.

At the beginning of the new year I decided I wanted to do more 'art' and what I really mean is looking at my mixed media style and extending it, I needed to do some research and try to create some abstract paintings, which is where I really began my artistic learning back at teacher training college all those years ago. So I'm getting into 2017 with some abstract canvases - yes hopefully there will be some more to see how I get on - but this is the first. I'm looking to soar and fly high and enjoy this new part of my artistic journey.

- Layers of gesso applied with a palette knife and dried between each layer.

- Rub with a wet wipe and brush some thin layers of paint over the canvas and when dry brayer over white to touch the high points of the textured gesso.

- Rub some brown paint around the edges with a cloth.

- Stamp numbers randomly using permanent black ink.

- Now here's where I went 'off piste' and picked up the DecoArt chalky finish paint and using a palette knife scrape two different colours randomly on the canvas.. (I mixed the vintage rose colour using smitten, relic, whisper and cameo).

- Stamp again, this time use letters randomly and permanent black ink. In fact add some words if you like the look.

- Using the a palette knife again apply another colour still leaving previous layers showing through. I chose the cameo.

- At this point I was unhappy with the serene blue so I had another go with that colour and the palette knife - notice the straight lines appearing in these top layers and I remixed some pink too to lighten up some areas.

- Finally I mixed some whisper. and rustic to highlight a few spaces.

- When completely dry I rubbed coffee archival ink round the edges.

Here's the colour inspiration I found on my Pinterest 'colour palette' board.

So there we are, I'm not 'unhappy' with this 20 x 20 cm canvas but I can see I have lots to learn. I'm just gonna run with it and see where my muse takes me when I get a chance to experiment.

So hopefully you will be able to pop over to the AVJ challenge blog to see what else there is for your delight and certainly the Creative Guides have lined up some very magical creations and maybe you will share you art with us too. You never know you might win the £20 voucher being donated by Country View Crafts this month.

Take care and listen to your heArt.

hugs Brenda xxx

Tim Holtz inspired for CVC

There is a brand new challenge at Country View Crafts today and the lovely Christine has chosen 'Inspired by Tim'. Now as you all know I love Tim's style and products and recently I purchased his Tiny Houses die and I just had to have a play.

I began by cutting the pieces from mountboard.

Then I used Tim's Wallflower papers to cut out individual pieces to adhere to the mountboard.

I realised the corners would be on show so I spread some texture sand paste over them and let it dry ....

.... and decided to paint them using white tinting base and burnt umber media acrylic paint.

When it was all dry I adhered the pieces together, gave them a coat of decou-page on the surface and put them to one side for a couple of hours while I went for a walk waiting for them to dry out completely.

When I returned  I spritzed a little water and blended over picket fence distress paint to tone the colours of the papers down a bit.

Then I used one of Tim's mini stencils to sponge through some dried marigold distress paint.

I stayed with the nature theme and added some of Tim's new Wildflowers thinlits on both sides cut from core'dinations papers.

Then out came the distress crayons to add some more colour

Finally before adding any embellishments I sanded and inked all the edges.

The colours didn't have enough contrast with the background so I used black and white pens and painted some tinting base between the flowers and leaves then added distress markers over the flowers and foliage to strengthen the colour.

The small talk sayings are perfect to give some meaning to each little house and I painted some greyboard pieces to give them something to stand on.

I hope you like my take on being inspired by Tim, it certainly gives me so much scope as I love so many of his products and playing with something new is always a treat.

hugs Brenda xxx

Sizzix Bigz L Die - Tiny Houses By Tim Holtz Tim Holtz Paper Stash 12x12 - Wallflower DecoArt Mixed Media - Texture Sand Paste DecoArt Media Enhancer - White Tinting Base DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic 1oz - Burnt Umber DecoArt Americana Decoupage Sealer/Glue Matte 4OZ Tim Holtz Distress paint - Picket fence Tim Holtz Layering Stencil - Mini Stencil Set #4 Distress Paint Flip Cap - Dried Marigold Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 7PK - Wildflowers #2 By Tim Holtz Tim Holtz Distress Crayons - Set #2 Tim Holtz Distress Crayons - Set #1 Tim Holtz Distress Crayons - Set #3 Tim Holtz distress ink pad - Ground Espresso Tim Holtz Ideology Small Talk Sticker Book Tim Holtz Distress markers

InLinkz.com

Water colour colouring - Watercolour powders 4

I've decided I will make a technique journal this year and have started with the water colour powders.

Experimenting a bit further with the water colour powders I began with the brown bister sprinkled over the water colour paper and then spritzed an old stamp with water and pressed it onto it, repeating lots of times until I had it fully covered the paper.

I then stamped an old Tim stamp with ground espresso distress ink over the top.

Taking a fine brush, some water on my craft mat and chipped sapphire and stormy sky distress inks I began painting in some of the designs and finger splattered some blue onto the background. I love the browns and blues merging together in some areas.

I repeated the process with antique linen and tea dye.

As this is a journal I thought I would keep it simple and add one of Tim's small quotes.

And hey presto the first page is done.

I can see me using this technique for my Packhouse cards. It will be interesting to watch what designs will sell. At the moment I am gathering up Mother's Day style bits and pieces and making some shabby cards to do a changeover tomorrow - just trying to keep to the themes of the year. I had forgotten how much I love shabby card making - I can see some appearing on here soon.

Happy Sunday.

Listen to your HeArt.

hugs Brenda xxx