Saturday, September 26, 2009

lots of little prints



This was what I got up to yesterday (that's our dinner table!) I use these little prints to collage and make cards, like this.
It's a really quick and easy print technique using a styrofoam sheet (you can buy art-foam or recycle packaging foam sheets). Draw into it with a pencil, print up using a foam roller and acrylic paint with a drop of retarder. It has it's limitations, you can't get a fine or very varied line, but it's fast and fun!


In the photo you can also see 2 tiny orange canvases which I've printed onto too. For me a blank canvas is daunting and not very inspiring, so I have to mess it up a bit first. I'm starting on some little canvases ready for a craft fair at the end of November - more on that soon!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

ATC party girl


It was my birthday on the weekend, and I had a lovely day with more presents than usual - my partner outdid himself - now we just have to get around to planting the mango tree and the passionfruit vines. This week it's cake cake and more cake at work, I don't know if I can eat anymore!

I hope you're having a good week too.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Rollercoaster


Sitting down to paint on a Friday I feel like as breathless and excited as a kid getting on a roller-coaster. It's not always easy to sit down and get started. 'The book show' is on the radio at 10am (ABC Radio National), so I aim to listen to that while I paint. I tell myself I'll just do a couple of base coats or play around in my sketch book. By the time the show's finished I'm usually in my stride and keep painting for a couple of hours.
I wonder what tricks other people use to get down to work...?
This painting is called - a fairytale wolf in Paris. It's for an exhibition on the theme of lost gloves that opens next Friday.
Have a great weekend!


Monday, September 14, 2009

birds in the grass atc


In the overgrown garden

thimble sized birds

peck seeds in the long grass.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

ATCs


Maybe it's because I live in far off Darwin, or maybe I just haven't been paying attention, but I never heard of ATCs until last year. I love the idea of trading these tiny artworks and making contact with artists around the world through them.This is the first batch I made in May. I'm trying them again, on scraps of cardboard from work (we throw so much away, more than I could ever use). Blogger isn't playing today! (could be something I'm doing wrong) but I'll show you some of the new ones tomorrow!

Friday, September 11, 2009

A drop in the blogging ocean

Over the last year I discovered the world of art and craft blogs. It's been so inspiring and fun. At last I got the courage to have a go too.