As part of my “Creative Every Day” challenge for this year I’ve been working in an old book that was cut down and had a hole punched through the edge so it can be clasp shut with a chain.
Here are a few of the first projects I’ve done in it:
I also did a two-page spread of this lovely lady and her funk and funky hair:
I have done a few other things since then but I’ll save them for another post. Have any of you been following the “Creative Every Day” challenge? What have you worked on?
Lynne
I’ve been working on two large pieces of art featuring butterflies. Today as I was waiting for some of the layers to dry on those two pieces I took time to create three smaller butterfly pieces. Using the batik style I’ve been fond of lately I started by drawing them with a Sharpie on some hand made paper.
After the outlines were down I added color with my Pitt pens that are full of india ink. Love me some Pitt pens!!
The next couple of steps involve wax being applied on the surface to make a resist when I spray liquid watercolor onto the paper. The first layer of wax just covers the part of the the drawings I don’t want to blend with the background color. After that has been sprayed on and dried I cover the entire piece with wax. Then comes the part that continues to make me nervous – wadding up the paper into a tight little ball to crack the wax in a random kind of way. Then (gently) unfolding it and spraying the piece again, this time with a contrast color to make random lines throughout the piece. I used black watercolor on these pieces but have some white ink on order than I’m anxious to try for a different result.
The final step is to place the waxy art between sheets of newspaper and iron it with a hot iron, which pulls the wax out of the art and leaves it on the newspaper. Sometimes this takes a few ironings before it’s totally wax free. Ta-da! Art! Well, okay, I did go back in with some gel pens and add a few details. Then the ta-da happened. 🙂
Rather amusing is that these quick little pieces are more exciting to me than the larger ones are right now! Go figure. I’ve added these three to the “Giftables” page on my website so go pick out your favorite and give it a home!
Lynne
This piece was created last winter/spring and never made it to the blog. So, belatedly, may I present “Monocromatic”! Creating using a mixture of markers, charcoal and ink here are images of the piece in progress:
As you can tell I was busy creating instead of taking photos of my process. It happens sometimes!
Next post will be another tree from winter/spring, this one with a tropical feel. Look for it soon.
Lynne
A recently finished piece!
This was a fun project that I started for one reason and finished just because I loved making it. 🙂 Originally thinking I’d enter it into a competition, I didn’t get it finished before the deadline but that didn’t stop me from completing it. The drawing/coloring of all the mandala “leaves” was much more time consuming than what I thought! 
After getting them drawn it was on to adding the background paint and then it needed to dry for a while, it had gotten quite saturated!
Once it was dry, the first details I tackled were in the tree trucks.
Then on to the leaves. That was the slowest part of the process. 
I used a semi-limited pallet so that the piece would have some continuity, which added to the challenge. 
The finished piece is still in the studio as I decide how to frame & display it! I’m also thinking it needs a better title than “Mandala Tree” – what do you think??
Lynne
So, yes, you guessed it. More art on old LP’s today. 🙂 This piece started just like the others:
From that point it pretty much followed in the footsteps of “Circadian” with a mandala pattern on watercolor paper, painted, carefully cut and attached to the LP.
This piece is very bright, fun and lively!
Next post will be one of the last pieces of the art on LP’s and a combination of a couple different previous ones I’ve shared. Be on the lookout!
So, in case you missed the first opportunity to attend the first “Mandala Art II” your next chance is coming soon! Thursday, September 20th from 6 to 9 p.m. at ArtSplash Gallery in Carmel, Indiana.
We will push our creativity out of the smaller “round circle in a square box” format and create some interesting art in a larger format, using the techniques learned in the “Intro to Mandala Art” class. Once the basic design is created the addition of watercolor paints will add another element of fun to our playful art.
If you’ve taken the first class and are ready to push your mandala art a step further then this class is for you! Cost per person is $35, including all supplies. For more information or to register email me at info@lynnemedsker.com
A Randomly Creative Blog 