The Grands Continue…

In my last blog post I featured the first two colorful portraits that I created of my grandkids. I’m continuing with that topic today. This one is actually the one I painted first, just to see if I could! It kicked off the whole idea of painting each of them! My youngest/teen grandson (and yes, he had pink hair at the time!). These are some of the progression images:

I got a little carried away with the hair and had to go back in a shorten it up, then re-do the background and did even more fine-tuning before I was finally satisfied! This guy spend his first five years of life growing up at our house and has a pretty special place in our hearts!

Although not in chronological order of creation, I’m sharing the working images from his little sister, my next-to-the-youngest granddaughter. I actually did one entire painting of her that I disliked enough to paint completely over it and start again! This process is still not the easiest for me, but once I get it right I am a happy artist! These images are the steps of the “do over” painting of my Sweetpea:

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I was surprised how many times these youngsters started off looking like old people!! Thankfully that had improved before the final image:

Last, for today, is the artwork of our youngest granddaughter. She is one of the most joyful kiddos I know – and also the one that I collaborated with to create a special book all about her. I call her my Sunshine!

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Finished image

My next post will feature the last two of our Grands, who happen to be (non-identical) twins! Twice the fun!! Until then!

Lynne

Abstract Advent Art Project

I was inspired (and invited) to do an art installation at our local church for Advent this Christmas season. I had three amazing ladies that volunteered to help with the project, which was awesome! After learning more about the meaning of Advent, the coming from the darkness into the light, I knew that I wanted the project to both “wrap around” the little country church sanctuary and change its appearance by getting brighter each week. The church has three sets of windows on each side and a wooden “rail” across the front near the altar. Using some wooden easel displays that fit in the windows it began with a very dark blue yard wrapped abstractly around sets of three easels. These were placed in the very back windows. The middle windows had a slightly lighter blue, the third window had light blue sets and across the rail were sets of three white yarn-wrapped easels. The lighter ones initially had some random black yard wrapped over them as well. The team was awesome with the help wrapping all that yarn! There was a single easel on each side of the railing that had tiny lights wrapped around it, signifying the light of Jesus that would be coming soon.

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After the first week the very darkest yarn-wrapped set was removed and the progressively lighter ones were moved toward the back of the room and another set of light-wrapped easels were added to the front. The following week the mid-blue colored set was removed (as well as the extra black yard from the white set) and, again, more light-wrapped sets were added in the front as the light spread through the church. The Sunday prior to Christmas the entire display had changed to all white lights, all of the darkness was gone.

For the Christmas Eve service the final part of the art display was added…we created different line drawings of the nativity on glass panels that were placed in front of each easel/light set so they would be illuminated from the light behind them. They were a beautiful part of the celebration that night with the darkness outdoors and the lights dimmed in the sanctuary!

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Next up? An interactive art project for the congregation and visitors on the topic of redemption and deliverance. I’ve also got sketches for a “fruit of the spirit” project and the construction of a cross with each person adding a piece to it. I feel blessed to be able to share my creativity and use it to inspire and build up others!

Christmas Eve Service, 2018, Mt. Olive UMC, Martinsville, IN

Stamp it up!

Last weekend in the studio I decided to do a little side project while I was there. I’ve got a nice stash of scrap wood from the studio construction that I’ve squirreled away so I dipped into it and pulled out a selection of different size pieces. I spent a few minutes with my hand sander knocking off the rough edges (I hate getting splinters!) before I continued.

Then I rounded up the rest of the materials I’d need:

A sheet of block printing foam, white glue

Pen, ruler, scissors, hole punches

Exacto knive/Cutting mat

The first step was to trace around the blocks of wood on the block printing foam and cut them to size, at least for the first few.

For the larger two stamps I created the designs with a pen, the rest I just kind of “winged” as I went along. After drawing the design I marked out the pieces I’d be removing from the foam with the exacto knife.

I kept all the removed/marked pieces to use on the second large stamp. I felt like I should seal the wood somehow before adding the foam so I sprayed the wood block with some clear spray paint. After assembling that stamp it dawned on me that by covering the entire surface with glue that was probably enough of a seal so I skipped that step on the rest of the pieces. One or two already had paint on them so they were going to be fine anyhow. The gluing was easy and straightforward, the drying time always takes the longest!

For the second stamp I used the cut-aways and arranged them randomly. With the pen marks they leave a fun print! The next few stamps were all random lines and curves to fit the sizes of the stamps.

The last two stamps I brought out a few hole punches. Circles, holes, dots, squares and rectangles, all just willy-nilly random fun.

I ended up with eight new stamps for just a bit of work, a few materials and a little time. The best part? No one else has one like them. 🙂 Later this week I’ll share some of the prints I made with these new stamps and a gelli plate that added the fun colors you see in the top image!

Hugs,

Lynne

 

Back in Time: Prehistoric Monsters!

How’s this for something completely different? 🙂 I like to post things that perhaps you weren’t expecting, predictability is boring!

“Monster #14” © Lynne Medsker

The “Back in Time” in the title has a double meaning – first (and most obvious) is that fact that these imaginary monsters were inspired by the creatures that roamed our earth long, long ago. The second reference is that these are some of my first creations playing with watercolors, probably close to 10 years ago!

monster #6, watercolor © lynne medsker

Creating these “monsters” would be a fabulous activity for kids this summer when the weather isn’t fit for playing outdoors. Great for exercising those creative muscles! Here are the simple instructions:

!. Starting with a piece of watercolor paper randomly paint a shape on it with some loose watercolor paint.

2. Before the paint dries cover it with a piece of plastic wrap.

3. Smooth the wrap and squish the paint around under the surface then set it aside to dry.

4. After the paint has dried remove the plastic wrap.

5. Turn the paper around and study it until you can see the beginnings of a creature.

6. Add the details with more paint and/or markers, pens, pencils.

Pretty simple, right? I really like the textured/mottled surface the paint and plastic wrap create. Here is an image of “monster #6” (shown above) before the details were added:

I created several of these fun creatures, one was even framed & sold. The rest I still have, nice memories of exploring my creativity a bit and stepping out of my comfort zone.

“Monster #3” © Lynne Medsker

“Monster #7” © Lynne Medsker

Works of fine art? Well, no, probably not…but I learned a little more about using watercolors and I let me imagination take over. You have to take small steps like that to get to where you want to go!

“Monster #4” © Lynne Medsker

“Monster #8” © Lynne Medsker

I’d love to hear if you play with this technique – even better I’d love to see the results!