Mixing Pencil Sketch with Canvas; Face Study

Face Study

 

 

As an artist, I think it is important to try new techniques and ideas.  I made a large canvas and painted it with a tan acrylic paint.  It hung on my wall for weeks as I tried to decided what to paint.  I love sketching and pencil work and even like the illustrations on how to draw a face, etc.  I actually like the lines left in and think it adds an interesting element to the sketch.  I got out my pencil the other day, after about my third cup of coffee and started sketching.  I wanted to convey raw art and really liked the tones and simplicity of the piece.  Once I finished my sketch I sprayed it with an acrylic matt finish to protect the pencil lines and prevent smudging.  Two of my daughters pointed out to me that the painting looked like an older version of my grand daughter.  I will let you be the judge. 

My sweet grand daughter

  Perhaps I have her sweet face in my sub-conscience and her likeness ended up on my painting.  Her sweet outfit was made by my youngest daughter and my middle daughter is the photographer.  I am so proud of my kids and the creativity they have. 

Mermaids and Sirens

Siren's Call

Since I was a child I have always been fascinated by mermaids.  I loved when the National Geographic special came out titled "Mermaids the body found" and was glued to the TV.  I have to admit, I bought it, hook, line and sinker :) and was really disappointed to learn it was not based on real evidence.  Whether they really exist or not, it is a wonderful myth and mysteries always intrigue us.   For centuries there have been stories and legends and since we know so little of our seas and what creatures really exist, it is easy to believe (especially for those of us that have over active imaginations).  I started this canvas as an abstract work and left a layer to dry.  I was teaching a Zentangle class at the time and decided it would be interesting to combine a woman's face with  Zentangle inspired hair using colors you see in the sea.    I left her skin pale because I imagined that  she has spent her life under the water.   What I love about this work is the mixture of techniques and styles.    

Making my own canvas and abstract art.

Inferno

Lost at Sea

Found a nice round bolt of white thick fabric at a thrift store.  Love when I get a deal on things I need.  I bought 2 x 3 x 6 furring strips and made a simple framework.  I then used a stapler to stretch the fabric and staple it to the frame.  I put a coat of gesso on let it dry then began my paintings.  The beauty of making your own canvas is that you can make larger frames at an affordable price.   I have to admit that they are not stretched as tight as the store bought frames and hopefully with practice and time I can learn to make them tighter.   As an artist it is important to keep track of trends and what sells.  There is some debate on whether or not you should do this and personally I like creating what I like regardless of whether or not anyone else likes it.  But..... while that is what I like to do, I have to sell art to fund my creative passions.  I read somewhere that people like red and art with red tends to sell more than some other colors.   I took a close look at what I generally create, the predominate colors are blues and greens.  I know that stems from my love of the sea.   I have had a lot of fun creating some of the abstract works and decided to try reds, oranges, yellows in the work titled "Inferno".  The finished product reminded me of a lava flow and the name just popped into my head.   To give my eyes a rest, the next painting I used my familiar blues and greens and the finished result looked like turbulent seas, thus the title: "Lost at Sea".     Both of these works are larger than I usually paint and measure: 18 x 31.  They are currently hanging at: Across the Tracks, artist market in Livingston, TX 

Pointillism - Deer , Fox and Homesteading Update

Buck

Fox Trot

No excuses!  I know it has been a little while since my last post.  In the meantime, many of you know we have been working on our tiny house.  We now have an ac that actually works (we have been having 100 degree days) and a cute little stained glass window in one of the sleeping lofts.

Front of the Tiny House

Experimental Garden

 I have also built some cute window boxes and my husband decided we needed a heat shield and added in the camo awning!  Agh.  He assured me it is temporary, just to see if it helps.  I hate to admit it does.  But really, camo?  I would understand it we were at a hunting lodge on a deer lease, etc.  I really have to come up with something that is cute! Eventually, we are planning on a cute little porch but in the meantime, camo it is. We have also been experimenting with gardening ideas and found one that really looks like it might work.  Water is a precious commodity to us (we collect rain water and haul in drinking water) and I have been amazed how little water this system uses and how moist the soil stays.  I thought we would try some fall crops just to see it it will work.  Basically, we have a 2 x 4 frame, then stapled plastic inside, lined with rocks and put soil in Wal-mart bags.  The  bags act as a wick and keep the soil moist and from what I have read also air trim the roots.  The 5 gal. bucket in the center has a small (pencil) sized hole near the bottom to allow the water to flow into the rocks.  My husband is building an airtight watering system for me that I will post once it is completed.  It will help with an evaporation and allow me to load up the water and not have to worry about it for probably over a week. Nice.   Surprisingly, I have managed to create some new pieces and even taught a class at Sew Fancy in Livingston featuring the Buck, Egret and Fox Pointillism.  What I love about pointillism, is it is not an exact science and allows students to start looking for the tonal differences in the objects they are painting.  Even is someone does not have a steady hand this particular style works.  I am really proud of the progress  the students have made.  If you want to take a look at some of the students finished projects type in Sew Fancy Livingston, TX on Facebook to take a look. 

Mixed Media Art with Antique Postcards

Want to learn how to do this?
Art Class Scheduled on: September 14th, 2013    2:00 - 4:00 pm
30.00 per person (materials included)
Choice of 6 different postcards to choose from.
Where:  Frou Frou Galore 26420 Preston Ave, Old Town Spring, TX
Call today to reserve your spot (limited space)  281-459-0711
Artist/Teacher: Tamyra Crossley

The Sweet Life

Pearls of my Heart

No. 6031 Lady

No. 27 Lady

Mermaid

Gypsy Queen

Gypsy Girl

Farm Girl

Evette

Bird Watcher

Ballet Toes

Enchanted Wood

My newest Mixed Media works start with a vintage postcard (some I own and digital downloads can be found in my etsy shop; Ivory Coast www.etsy.com/people/ivorycoast,  others I have digitally downloaded from favorite etsy shops; French Kissed; www.etsy.com/people/FrenchKissed  , MDR Grafix Postcards; www.etsy.com/shop/MDRGrafixPostcards , just to name a few.  I use canvas, scrapbook paper, paint, stamps, ephemera and pens.  I start with a blank canvas (handboard canvas is easier to work with but you then have to frame it or glue on a ribbon and backing piece).  I mix 2-3 coordinating colors together and paint (acrylic) the entire canvas.  While it's drying, I will take my vintage postcard and start collecting coordinating scrapbook papers, stamps, bits of paper ephemera, etc. to add to the canvas.  I used just plain old Elmer's glue, clear, but you can also use a Gel Medium to adhere each layer.  After I glue the back of the sheet I use a plastic putty knife to work out any air bubbles.  I like to start with the largest piece of paper first then slowly build layers.  The last layers are the small ephemera or stamps and then I will either use a stamp and ink pad or hand write areas with a sharpie.  A fun project and great way to preserve some vintage postcards.  Originals for sale at; Frou Frou Galore, in Old Town Spring, TX http://www.froufrougalore.com/
Prints can be purchased at; Etsy, Shop Studio Quest, www.etsy.com/people/studioquest , or Fine Art America, artist: Tamyra Crossley , www.fineartamerica.com , or tamyra-crossley.artistwebsites.com

Word Art

Was in a shop a week or so back and saw these painting black with white lettering that had all kinds of funny quotes, inspirational saying and just fun stuff.  Decided to try my hand at it using my own artwork for the back drop.  This is just a few but I think the final product is fun.  You can find some on my etsy shop: Ivory Coast and some on: Fine Art America.  Of course I do have just the art or photography on Fine Art America too.

New Home Decor Items

Cafe Milan Bath Salts

Istanbul Gypsy Bath Salts

French Ballerina

Mermaid Pillow

Reworked my etsy shop: Someplace Timeless to reflect more of what I plan to do.  I have created several fun art creations and hope to add more, plus some vintage items as well.

Circle Quilt

Now and then I get a desire to work with fabric.  My grandmother used to quilt (one of her artistic endeavors) and I have one of those quilts that have pieces of fabric from grandpa's shirts and grandma's dresses.  My grandmother had to care for her family  during the depression and saved every usable scrap of material. She would even cut buttons off of shirts and unwind the threads holding those buttons, then carefully wrap the thread around a small piece of cardboard.  Today, in our disposable society we are so spoiled.  It never occurs to most of us to use items we already have to make a quilt.  Like most people, I go to the fabric store and buy the fabrics I need.  This quilt I decided to do a little differently.  I had a child's dress in pink, orange and gold and used that color pallet to create my quilt.  I cut out as many circles as I could, using different sized bowls and bottle caps as my pattern.  I then went to a second hand store to find a nice big piece of fabric or sheet to use as the backing.  I found a pink striped fabric that worked perfectly and saved me money.  I used a plain muslin for the front backing and did buy some small pieces of coordinating fabrics for the additional circles.  After I cut out the circles I used an iron on fused backing to adhere the circles to the muslin then did a tight zig zag around each circle.  Once the quilt top was finished I used a batting in the middle and used a random stitch pattern to put it all together.  Running my wavy lines down the quilt vertically so that I could fit up to 1/2 the bulk into the space beside the needle and the machine. Overall, it is a fun quilt and a bit out of the box from the traditional quilt patterns.

S is for Sailing

S is for Sailing

S is for Sailing Word Art 

  I am always trying to think of new creative ways to sell my artwork.  Sometimes I will make a small painting into Jewelry, at others create digital downloads with word art for scrap booking or mixed media work.  I decided to add a story to the Alphabet letter S that I completed.  It reads:  He went off to sail the high seas in his little sail boat.  He had no idea how long the voyage might take, how rough the seas could become or where he might land his vessel but the lure of the sea called, beckoned to him like a long lost love.  The salt air felt good against his weathered skin as he loaded supplies to last the long voyage.  A compass,  maps, telescope, star charts, rope, fishing reel, tackle, water, food, matches, cooking utensils  blankets, rain coat, clothing, a few books, boat shoes, knife,  flair, repair kit and his pipe were the things he considered essential.  He knew once he set out it could be a                       very long time before he was able to restock supplies.  He had planned this trip for many years, writing and re-writing his list of supplies, mapping out routes to take and preparing his boat.  The day had finally arrived…..

I hope to create one painting for each letter and think they would be really fun in a nursery.

Angel's Voices

Angels Voices

Found these wonderful song sheets in a cute little shop.  Thought they would be great for my mixed media projects.  I had intended to use bits and pieces but loved the title of this particular song and decided to draw directly on the music.  Again, I found myself drawn to blues and greens and the celebration of women.  I used watercolor, pen and ink, paper ephemera and colored pencils.  The sheet measures 9 1/2 x 12" and the original is available on my Studio Quest Etsy site.

Mini Mixed Media Jewelry

She was different

Decided to put some jewelry pieces in Woodlands Art League Gallery this month.  I have added some Scrimshaw (see previous post) and these little mini works of art.  I love using vintage ephemera in my mixed media work and words cut out of novels to convey a message. 

New Beginnings



Meditate and find your inner peace

On some of the pieces I included original drawings or tiny watercolor paintings.  All have paper ephemera, stamping and words that fit the image.  The canvas I used is hard plastic dominos with soldered backs and edges.  Chaining was hand picked to compliment the piece.  Some have hand dyed silk ribbon and others have complimentary beads.


Authurian Fantasy



All the pieces are at Woodland Art League Gallery this month but I plan to create some new pieces and put them on my Trace Fragments Etsy site soon.





I dreamed of a girl.....

I dreamed of a girl

It is quiet this morning so I started to sketch.  Pretty soon the watercolors came out, then the ink and next thing I know paper scraps, stamps and glue.  As I added a bit of this, then a bit of that the woman became a bit clearer in my minds eye.  It isn't everyday I paint a woman with blue hair but I think it works.  I looked through my word cut outs and found "I dreamed of a girl", perfect!  Overall, I am happy with the result.  Hope you like it too.

Contemplation

Contemplation

Found this wonderful brown thick paperbag like paper at Home Depot on a large roll.  I've been looking for a nice brown paper for awhile now and this really fit the bill.  I decided to try my hand at a combination watercolor and pencil piece.  After a few tries, I finally got the combination right.  It turns out you cannot get the paper too wet and do not work it too much.  My lady is called Contemplation because she is simply looking ahead in deep thought.  I really like the simplicity and timelessness of this type of work and look forward to future projects.  I certainly have enough paper to last for a long time.

New Year’s Un-resolutions

With the New Year upon us I am fighting the urge to make a long list of resolutions.  The very name “resolute”; having determination: possessing determination and purposefulness, has such a “determined” feel to it.    My normal career goals list goes something like this:  

1. -         Loose weight (what this has to do with business I am not sure but is always at the top of the list)
2. -         Make a living with my art (define living?)
3. -         Organize my art room – supplies (never ending process, I always feel the need to pull out everything)
4. -         Have my art in more galleries (have NO idea how to go about this)
5. -         Keep up with paperwork (something I hate and put off until it is out of control)
6. -         Draw, paint or create every single day ( working on that)
7. -         Write a book, or finish what’s started
8. -         Send already written children’s books to a publisher (a bit afraid of the rejection that all aspiring writers face)
9. -         Keep better book-keeping records (the pile of receipts in the shoe box probably doesn’t really count)
10. -         Don’t stress (yeah right, with a list like this, really?)

 

 

So here I go again, my resolutions stress me out!  You know what I mean, that Giant “TO DO” list, just waiting for me to check off each box.  I’ve hidden these lists in my Christmas stocking only to be pulled out the following year (the idea is that I will be pleasantly surprised how many goals I have accomplished the previous year but usually the list only reminds me that I haven’t yet reached most of the items on the list).   I have posted my list prominently (as a constant reminder to stay on task), or written the list in my journal (which I rarely write in) with the hope that just by jotting things down on paper will somehow, magically, make the wishes come true.  Sound familiar to anyone out there or am I the only crazy one?  This year, I’ve decided to allow myself the freedom of going with the flow. 

 

                                                                                                                               Freedom

 

Jumping for Joy

 It’s not that I don’t have goals, I do, but I’m choosing (trying) to think of these as ideas to explore (a fun project of sorts ).  Don’t get me wrong, I am a firm believer in identifying the target then implementing small steps to achieve the target goal, but in this process want to remove the pressure and enjoy the process a bit more.  After all, if we hate the process, I think we’ve missed the point. 

Top of the World

 

Here’s to hoping all of you can enjoy each and every day of  this New Year you’ve been blessed with.