Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum

Slowly but surely I have been making progress with my latest piece.   In keeping with the theme of Alice in Wonderland I created the twins.
I first started by drawing my girl in my sketch book.

Then I transferred  my girl onto a piece of masonite board using carbon paper then traced her with tracing paper so that I had a flipped version of her to transfer to the other side.  A mirror image of the girl!

 Next, I started painting their faces and body. I used water color crayons, Titian Buff Golden acrylics, neon red Golden acrylics , pencil, Montana Markers in neon and large Pitt Pens in black and white.

 I used a stencil and Golden Glass Bead Gel and a stencil for texture on their dresses and some on the background. Next  yellow acrylic paint was used on the background.

 Its hard to see but I used a stamp and ink pad in black for the background but then lightly painted over it so setting it into the background.  I applied the arrow stencil with orange acrylic paint in the background as well.  I used some grafite on the dress to cast shadows and dirty it up then I added bows and a pearl flat sticky back bead as well as a crystal on top of their propellers for the finishing touch.

 Here is the finished version of my girls.  I love the brightly colored hair with the contrast of the yellow background and black and white stripped shirts.

Terminator costume..... I'll be back

For Halloween this year my son wanted to dress up as the Terminator. Yes, my 9 year old loves Terminator movies thanks to my husband introducing them to him.
So I went on a search through Pinterest and Youtube to figure out how to make this costume come alive. There are some really great "how to create a cyborg costume" on youtube that helped me figure out what I wanted to do.  I bought some face paint, fake blood and grabbed my tacky glue and went to work.

I ordered a cyborg prosthetic from amazon that said it was kid size but it was more like adult so I cut it down to size and used sprit gum to adhere it to his face. Then I used Tacky Glue around the edges to seal it and to make it look like torn skin.  On his hand I used the tacky glue to outline the opening and then used grey, black and white face paint to create the inside of the hand. I did the same thing on the other side of his face. Then I dabbed fake blood all around the glue.

For the finishing touches I took a pair of 80's style sunglasses and a red finger laser light and attached the laser light to the side of the glasses with sticky back velcro.  I found a jacket in his size on amazon and bought a toy shot gun.  A little spike of the hair and we were done!

Off he went to trick or treat.  All the grown ups knew exactly who he was, his friends had no clue!   The best part was he would knock on a door and when someone would open it he would say, " I'm looking for Sara Conner" and then after getting his treat he would say, " I'll be back" It was too funny!  

I wonder what he will have me create for him next year?  I guess it will all depend on what old movies my husband will be showing him next!

Hope everyone had a fun Hallowen!

Curiouser and Curiouser

I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.  Lewis Carroll.

That is one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite fairy tales,  "Alice and Wonderland".  Today I finished my latest art piece called, "Curiouser and Curiouser".

Don't mind my messy table!  I normally will take a picture and crop it so that I can create prints but because the wood substrate I used was curved I couldn't get a clean line without cutting off some part of the piece. So I started to play with it in Photoshop. My skills in Photoshop have come a long way but I still have a long way to go. I usually play with the color and contrast but while messing around trying to figure out how to cut out the background while leaving the picture in tact I discovered a happy accident!  So after several changes I have created a fun print of  "Curiouser and Curiouser".

I think Alice might have been hanging out with the Cheshire Cat! If you like the print it will be available in my Etsy shop. If interested in the original please contact me. 

I had a lot of fun creating Alice, thanks for checking out what I have been up to.  

Upcycle Post.... Check it out

The founders of Upcycle Post upcyclepost.com came in to my booth this past weekend.  Loved talking to them and  what they are doing over there on their website.  

Right now its a gallery of upcycled product imagery, but it sounds like there are some big things to come.  They took some pictures of my scrabble tiles and one of my OOAK dolls and they are now posted on the site. 

If you love to upcycle or buy products from crafters who upcycle this is the place to go.

Check them out!   http://www.upcyclepost.com

Redmond Arts Festival is over but I had so much fun.

I had a blast this weekend at the Redmond Arts Festival. I met so many nice people and I am so happy to see my girls going to new homes!  Thank you to everyone that visited my booth this weekend and a special thanks to everyone who purchased a piece of my artwork!
I will be updating my blog as to where I will be next real soon.  Hope to see you all again!
xo

Game Boy was published.

Exciting news! Game Boy the art doll that Jackson and I created for the Anthropomorphic Doll Challenge was published in the magazine.   Even more exciting is that it has it's own page!

Cover

 Page 122

 

 

Thank you Art Doll Quarterly/Stampington & Company you made Jackson and my day!

Newest Creepy Cutie Jesse and Chi Chi

I started drawing Jesse and Chi Chi when I was sitting at my booth at Odd Mall at the beginning of June and I have finally finished putting her on a background and adding color.
She was created on a 11 by 14 wood canvas and she has some fun old papers that I have stashed in my studio.  Some of the old papers are from my great Aunt. She loved to write recipes on all kinds of papers and what not.
I used acrylics and some stamps and stickers for her background.  She is colored in with water color crayons, acrylics and pencils.  I used some twinkling H20's on her eyes.  Chi Chi was painted with acrylics and water color pencils.
I love how she turned out and while she isn't too creepy, Chi Chi is!  I was inspired by an artist that I met at the show Jessica Wilkinson. She makes the most adorable monster pottery!
Prints of Jesse will be for sale along with other Creepy Cuties in my Etsy shop as well as at Redmond Arts Festival August 15th through 17th at Redmond Town Center.  Vala will have an art installation at their new arts center and I was one of the artist picked to have a piece represented in the installation.  I'm very excited to be a part of this installation.
I finished up one more piece today called, " Sisters".  I have been missing my lil sis and so I created this piece thinking of her.
It was a fun productive day in the studio I loved it! Haven't had one of these days in a while.
Hope to be able to spend some more longs days creating again soon!

Jesse and Chi Chi 11 by 14 mixed media on wood canvas

Sisters 14 by 18 mixed media on canvas panel

Unforgettable (will be in artist installation at VALA)