Abstract

 With the unexpected time being stuck indoors whilst we had snow I decided to have a "play" with my paints.

I decided to have a go at abstracts.  I had been looking online at my talented cousin (https://aoh.org.uk/house/axios-tattoo/ paintings online and thought I would try.

Well, I have NEVER tried abstract before and boy it is hard-building up layers, waiting for it to dry (yep, used my heat gun-I have NO patience).

I painted a canvass with black gesso then used a rolled and spatula to add colours

I used three different colours and added some blocks of white to add interest.

 I then created a tints of the colours, mixing them on my old Girl Guide camping metal plate!!

Until finally I was reasonably pleased with the result.  

Not sure I like it, it is different and not my usual style but I certainly enjoyed spending the day painting and so I have decided to hang it on the wall at the top of our stairs-not sure it will stay there for long, but it is growing on me!  

Some closeups of the details

I certainly enjoy the process and think I will try again.

Have you tried abstract?  Do you have any tips you'd like to share?

Happy crafting

Kyla

Abandoned art

 I often leave small pieces I have created on my walks etc for others to find.

A few weeks ago I started to paint some left over cardboard I had and also some small canvasses and I don't think I have shared them with you yet.

For the canvass boards I used stencils and various 3D mediums from gels and pastes (again, using up old stash).  I added colour with sprays and paints, watering down some and flicking them across the canvasses and then adding some words with a posca pen (I love these pens as they seem to take on most surfaces).  I finished them with a light spray of a sealant just in case it rained when I abandoned them.

The cardboard was even easier I just drew direct onto the white acrylic again with a posca pen.  I drew a couple of my favourite Studio Ghibli charachers of Totorro and a soot sprite!

Once again I applied a light coat of sealant.

Some of these have already been abandoned, some I have yet to set free!

Kyla

Art Abandonment at Upfest

 Following on from my Upfest post I thought I would share the Art Abandonment's I placed around the festival.

Art Abandonment is a global group of artists (search Facebook/groups/artabandonment) and we leave pieces across the globe for people to find, leave or pass on.

This is one of the canvas boards I made a couple of weeks ago ready to leave at the festival.  My husband found some stencil art left by 'Dave The Agent' (I found a piece of his a couple of years ago!) so I left this in its place, it seemed fitting.

This is the piece my husband found abandoned, lovely find instead of just abandoning.

My final piece was one of the cardboard pieces I made painting a Studio Ghibli inspired Totorro and Soot Sprites-I am a huge fan of Ghibli and always manage to find inspiration in their work.

I have also abandoned some rock art around Sidmouth during the folk festival and my husband took some for me to Blackpool to the Rebellion punk festival.  I hope to be able to blog about those soon.

Happy crafting

kyla

Powertex playtime

 Not had much time for crafting or blogging but I was able to have a go at playing with my powertex.  First I made sure I covered the table with plastic sheeting and wore an apron and for once I also wore gloves!  I know, me, the person who nearly always has messy hands (just have a look at http://lunchladyjansfabricfrenzy.blogspot.co.uk/ that's my hands the lovely Jan used for her title!!)

Next I poured white powertex over the canvas, spread it out leaving some areas slightly thicker to see if it affected how it cracked (it does, the cracks are deeper on thicker layers)

 I then sprayed Bister (I remember this as a wood dye my father used to use back in the 70's but powertex sell it as a good way to add colour) and added some splatters too.

 I then cut up an empty milk carton to mix some thickener up with the white powertex.

 After I dried the canvass with an airgun the cracks started to appear.

 I used a pallet knife to apply the thickened powertex and coated some wooden canvas stretchers with it to help it adhere.

 I then added some powertex clay balls and started to play with mica's and acrylic inks dribbling and spritzing water to see how they reacted (after all the idea of this was to play and see how the products react).  

I also soaked some scrim in water and powertex and scrunched this up (and was REALLY pleased I was wearing gloves-boy is this product messy).

 My final piece, not sure if its a cross or a desolate tree after a forest fire (on my mind at the moment, my thoughts go out across the pond to those in Alberta).

 Not too sure on the final piece but I do like the depth and texture you can achieve with this product so I know I will be making some more time to play.

Happy crafting

Kyla

Latest mixed media canvas

Afternoon all.....so in the UK we are back to cold, wet and windy!!  Mind you, the Bank Holiday was glorious, so we shouldn't complain too much!

I thought I would blog another canvas I have made.

This one is much paler and gentle and is one I made just a few days after my dad's death.  I have used many layers of acrylics in cream and whites with some touches of yellow and blush.  I added some texture with some paste and this time I added an inclusion (top right).

 

 I added 4 jigsaw pieces which I painted and added a little gold foiling to the edges and some charcoal to ground the pieces.

I added some stronger colours to the bottom of the piece with oil pastels

The inclusion was made by cutting through the canvas and adding a matchbox tray which I painted and then added texture paste to blend it in with some acrylic, oil and charcoal to bring the piece together.

 I hope you like it.

Happy Crafting

Kyla

 

A new painting

I hope you have been able to enjoy the sun.....I have given the house a good old blow through and managed to wash the net curtains.....how very middle aged of me!!!

In an attempt to get some crafting done I decided to use some of the painting supplies that my dad was using before he died.

 

The canvas has many layers of acrylic paint and also acrylic inks with some iridescence to add a little shimmer.  

I think dad would have been pleased.

Happy crafting....I now have to clear up the mess before hubby get home!!!

Kyla

 

Make Time to Create

 Hello all, I hope those of you who have time off of work are enjoying it (extra crafting time!!).

Blimey its cold here in the UK at the moment, the ice in the back garden hasn't defrosted for 2 weeks now....luckily the craft room is the smallest in the house and bathes in the sunlight so its the warmest!!

My new make is a new stamp.  On my WOYWW a few weeks ago I had a pack of 10 round rubber discs which only cost me £2.50 (25p each---bargain!).

Now I have admired the folky art girls that have been around in books and blogland for some time, so I thought I would have a go.  Now, drawing and me are not natural friends but I thought if I managed to draw one I liked then by capturing it in a stamp would mean that I could replicate the face time and time again.

So here she is:

 

I decided to create a picture on a canvas covered board using the new stamp.

I spread some texture paste through a number stencil at random points on the board.  Top right I spread some through a clock face that I liberated from an old desk clock I was throwing away and added some clock hands (made from wooden drink stirrers I pick up from coffee shops!)

I added lots of acrylic layers, pinks and yellows with blue, green and black over the top for depth.  I then dribbled some acrylic inks down the board.  

I stamped "Make Time to Create" on tissue paper and adhered it with multi medum and added the girl cut out of various papers and distressed them with inks.  I coloured her face with oil pastels so I could blend the colours.

I highlighted a few areas with both black and white chinagraph pencils and gave the piece a quick spray of matt varnish to seal.

The saying is so true to me, I spend hours at the pay the bill job and think about it almost constantly when I am not there.....it drags me down and the best way to relax, for me at least, is to create something, be it fabric, ink, paper or resin....but finding the time is difficult-I think I need to schedule some time for it in my diary, even if its only 30 minutes a day.

Anyway, its a bank holiday, housework is nearly finished...so the warmth of the craft room beckons!

Happy crafting

Kyla