Clip Art and Photoshop

If you need a card in a hurry- Photoshop and clip art can come to your rescue. Quick results!

Alien Artifact revisited

I finally finished this!





This went through a lot of changes.






I reinforced the outer shell with paper mache strips.
I used a lot of different techniques for distressing the finish. :)






I added some lighting effects that I'm very pleased with.







Lots of fun details. Hard to get a good photo of this.






I love the way the light reflects up through the tubing inside the wire coil.






This was way fun to create!!


Watch it in action.

Zorg sketches

I found some old sketches from trips to Zorg.



One of the stranger denizens interacting with some of the other oddities....




Field sketch of a Zorg bug.




A few Zorgian artifacts.

Dreaming Flowers

Yogi mentioned that she thought my lst canvas was calling out for some calligraphy.
I have NO calligraphy skill, but I had been thinking along those same lines.

I decided to try an image transfer over the Fantasy Film ironed to canvas.
I WORKED!



I saw a quote on line that became the inspriration for this piece:

"Butterflies add another dimension to the garden, for they are like dream flowers- childhood dreams- which have broken loose from their stalks and escaped into the sunshine"

M. Rothchild

Finished canvas

I finally got this canvas finished.
I like it. A lot even.



Added the top coats of varnish really made a big difference.

Fantasy gourd

I collect carnival glass.
When I discovered that I could get a finish that looked very much like real carnival glass using Fantasy Film, I went a little crazy and started 'canivalglassizing" anything and everything I could get my hands on.

I LOVE the way it looks on this gourd. :)



The textures are yummy too. I'll be using this close up shot of the textures in something at some point I'm sure. ;)

Inspiration from the Midnight Art Ranch Retreat

I enjoyed my time at the Midnight Art Ranch Retreat very much.
I took some amazing classes, and created some artwork I'm very proud of.

But, sometimes, unexpected things catch your imagination at an art retreat.

After her class, one of the instructors, Jeni Calkins, showed me a technique she had been playing with. It involved Fantasy Film and Opals embossing enamels. Two of my favorite things!
Annette Husband, Annette from Oz for those of you who know her on line, had also been doing some really great stuff with Fantasy Film and Opals creating Opals Paper. So my curiosity had been whetted.

Jeni was using up the scraps left over from doing Faux Carnival glass and other projects by layering them, sprinkling on some clear (Franklin) Opals and ironing it between two sheets of parchment or two craft sheets.

Jeni left a few sheets for me to play with. I used one as a backdrop for a photograph of the PMC (Precious Metal Clay) pendants I made during the retreat.


I was so intrigued with the possibilities for this "paper" that I decided I had to try incorporating it into the shrine I was working on.
I added some to the door of my shrine.


I used some Golden Gel medium to adhere the Fantasy Film Paper to the wooden door. When it was dry I added some crackle finish, highlighted the cracks with Radiant Rain Daubers, and coated it with some varnish. Wow! The varnish really made the colors POP!
I fell in love with the texture and the depth of color achieved.



I played around with some very small scraps I had left. I glued it onto some scrap mat board colored with Brilliance inks, topped with Crackle Glossy Accents and highlighted with Sepia Glossy Accents.



I mounted these on a separate piece of mat board as a dimensional mixed media piece- but I think this technique would be great for doing pendants, pins or as an embellishment for other things.
I'll post some blown up images so you can see the details:





When I got home I decided to play with this a bit more.
I tried ironing the Fantasy Film onto various things. I love the look of it on canvas.
I used the black heat set glue pad by Stewart Superior to adhere to the canvas it with the iron.
I can't seem to get my crackle finish to "crack" here. It is getting too cold and damp in my studio.
I need to order some of the Crackle Accents.
This is a work in progress. I still need to get the corner piece to crackle and add some highlight color on the sun rays.



Details:



I tried another canvas too. This one isn't finished yet either.



I also used the black glue pad to adhere some fantasy film to the flat areas on one of the wooden bangles. Then I used Radiant Rain daubers and sprays to color the rest of the bangle and highlighted it with metallic rub on wax in copper. I sealed it with a spray gloss coat.
WOW!!
I think this is my favorite bangle yet!





I'll keep y'all posted on how the projects progress.

Back from Sonoita

I spent two weeks in Sonoita Arizona.
I was attending an art retreat at the Midnight Art Ranch.
I had a wonderful time. Sonoita is really magical. I stayed an extra week after the retreat just to enjoy the area and spend time with my friend Linda Hansen of After Midnight Art Stamps.
I love being at the Midnight Art Ranch. Linda's studio is great! I get to play with all the latest toys. :)



This is a digital piece I created in Photoshop using a photograph I took of the grasses in Sonoita and adding a drawing of a pony I did a while back.

Fairie World

The local Audubon society had a booth at the Fairy World Fair.


It is a real treat to see these birds up close and personal. They are all birds that have been rescued and can't be returned to the wild.



Love this little guy.


The coloring and marking on this barn owl are amazing.


What a face!!!


The profile shot is very cool.

But there were a lot of other winged things to see at the Faire too. ;)

Winged Things

I've always loved fairy tales and fantasy artwork. The Fairie World conventions are such a joy to attend.
Lots of cute little fairies.





They have wings for everyone.



These were my most favorite wings of all. I want to make some like this.




I love the iridescent wings. I need to try my hand at these to.




Lots of variety in wing styles.




Love the way the light reflects from this type.


I thought these dragonfly wings looked a lot like the ones in my real dragonfly photos. :)


I really need to create some of these flags for my yard.

Alexander James Adams

Not all the fairies are cute and sweet. Some are just totally hot. ;)



Alexander James Adams was playing with Tricky Pixie. They put on a fantastic show.





Find out more about them at the Faerietale Minstrel website.