Inspiration from Marin van Uhm

I was just getting lost in a world of google images and I came across this beautiful Alphabet by French Graphic Designer Marin van Uhm. I absolutely love the colour combinations and clever use of shapes to create the letters.

Acrylic Medium Transfers

I've been really enjoying these Monday morning try-it workshops at the Beetroot Tree. This week I went on one to experiment using Acrylic Medium Transfers - a technique you can use to transfer printed images from your inkjet printer or photocopier onto almost any surface. You can use any acrylic paint to do this but we used an acrylic gel which is clear so it enables you to layer up images.

 

Acrylic Transfer onto White Card

 

Acrylic Transfer onto Linen Fabric

 

There are two different processes - a transfer and a lift. A transfer will apply a reverse of the image directly onto surfaces such as paper, card and fabric. A lift will create a skin which can be applied to non-porous surfaces such as metal and plastic.

 

Acrylic Transfer Lift



 

The transfers will be particularly useful for me to get a printed image onto really thick paper or fabric that wont go through the printer directly. I also like the quality of the image once its transferred as it breaks down a bit and you get some really interesting effects by accident.

Stamping Workshop

Here's an update on the Stamping workshop I did on Monday. It was so much fun and great to have a play with some new media and techniques. Softsculpt was a revelation to me and I really enjoyed using it - you heat it up with a heat gun and press a texture into it, then you reheat it and it springs back into shape ready for the next use - fantastic!

Stamping with a pencil eraser.

Stamping with an eraser.

Stamps created using Appli Glue.

Stamps created using foam sheets and SoftSculpt.

Mini Workshops

Where did the time go? School has broken up for the summer so I have a bit more time to dedicate to my artwork. To help things along I've booked on a couple of mini courses over the next few weeks at my favourite local gallery the Beetroot Tree in Draycott - one on Alternative Stamping and the other on Acrylic Medium Transfers. They're a bargain at £7.50 for a couple of hours to learn a new skill and I'm really looking forward to them - I'm making the most of some time to myself as I wont be able to do any courses for a while once the baby arrives in September!

Alternative Stamping - Use non traditional stamping materials and methods. Create your own textures, stamps and prints from a selection of unusual materials. Things like fun foam sheets and raised outliners can create one of a kind effects to use in artwork, scrapbooking, cardmaking and more!

Acrylic Medium Transfers - Learn how to lift and transfer images using acrylic gel medium. Create wonderful images and designs by using the gel transfer technique. Images can be transferred onto metal, fabric and more!

On my Coffee Table: Colours

I managed to go to the Nottingham Contemporary Gallery last week for the first time since it opened up. They had an exhibition of Thomas Demand Model Studies which I found really interesting - I loved the textures, angles and movement created within the photographs. They have a mysterious quality emphasised by the lighting and abstract compositions. Thomas Demand was a new artist to me but I wasn't surprised to find out he was German - there's something about German Art I am drawn to.

I did also however spend just as long looking in the shop - they have such an exciting array of interesting things to buy. I came across this book called Colours by PatrickGeorge that uses transparencies in a really inspiring way. It looks at colour and what happens when you play with it. The transparencies have coloured areas which when placed over the two opposite backgrounds create a different colour and scenario. I suppose its really for children but I had to buy it!

Reflection: Work in Progress

I've been really busy experimenting lately - trying to develop my Coloured Transparency Work. Am really interested in creating layers and movement where the overlapping sheets create new colours. I've also introduced some repetition based on pattern through the use of mirrors. Here's what I've been working on - so far I'm happiest with the above image - I love the incidental shapes that occur in the photograph along with the sharp and blurry areas. Am excited to see where all this experimenting takes me - will keep you posted!

 

 

Art Technician Insight

Oh how I love visits from the Starbeck Sales Van! It's filled to the brim with drawers of unusual, exciting range of multicultural artifacts. They're a fantastic resource for any school or artist, and our school buys from them at least once a year to refresh our drawing resources. We bought a range of dried seed pods for one of the GCSE exam questions this time, but previously we've bought masks, fabrics, wooden stamps and bowls.

I've also been using the seed pods as part of my 365 project as they are so beautiful to photograph.

 

14/365

 15/365

16/365

Cyanotype Tutorial

Maybe you've seen my Cyanotypes and thought - I wonder how Jenny creates those?

Well I've written a tutorial on how to get started with the cyanotype process for Carina's Craftblog. Carina is a total inspiration to me and I've taken so many ideas from her blog that I was so excited to help her out.

I hope you have look and get inspired to have a go!

New year challenges!

Yesterday was the first day of Kim Klassen's year long class called Beyond Layers. In Kim's words it's 52 weeks of encouragement, motivation and inspiration……. centered around, but so much more than photoshop……

I've taken three other eClasses by Kim on Photoshop and have learnt so much from her in such a short space of time. I'd been using Photoshop for well over 10 years but was only using a small percentage of it's functions, now I'm able to not only use it quickly and efficiently but I can create my own brushes and textures to use on my images, and feel more confident explaining to the students at school how to use Photoshop.

I also decided to take on the 365 project - thats a photo a day for a year. I'm hoping it will improve my photography and open my eyes to new inspiration from my surroundings. You can track my progress here on flickr, I'll also be posting my photos in the Shutter Sisters flickr group.

Here are my first two photos - they are taken at school and are before and after a clay lesson.

Day 1 - cutting self-hardening clay into pieces ready for a clay lesson at school.

 Day 2 - carried on the clay theme - these are what the clay pieces turned into!

I'm really looking forward to the year ahead and what tips, tricks and surprises it will bring.

Inspiration from Mrs Eliot Books

Another delivery! This time from Mrs Eliot Books - I bought a pack of 6 postcards. I've been following her blog for a while now and when I saw the post announcing these postcards for sale in the shop I had to buy them. I adore these geometric patterns with overlapping colours and they came in a lovely package tied with string. Not sure what to do with them yet - I'm sure I'll think of something - in the meantime I'll just keep looking at them for inspiration.

Playing with Kaleidoscopes

It's funny - sometimes you just have to think something and it happens! 

Before Christmas I thought it would be fun to buy or make a kaleidoscope to take some photos with as inspiration for my artwork - then my Sister bought me one for a Christmas present - and then a few days later when I was sorting through some boxes I found two more that I already had!! 

I had lots of fun taking these photos - you can see more on my flickr account.

Business Cards

Had a very exciting package delivered - my business cards arrived - and sooner than expected!! 

I ordered them from Vistaprint. I got 250 matt finish with my own design, an engraved card holder to keep them from getting damaged in my bag, and I got a free stamp. 

Very impressed with the quality of everything and was all very cheap to buy so will definitely get more from them in the future.

2011 has been a fantastic year for me - I'm so glad I decided to take the Pikaland bootcamp course which helped me to to rediscover new enthusiasm for my artwork - heres to a fun and creative 2012!! :)

Merry Christmas!

Christmas has to be my favourite time of year - I'm really looking forward to a few days rest and spending time with family. Few last minute things to do before I'm ready though! Adam and I picked up some prints of his photos this morning from Replica Imaging which I've mounted and framed as presents, and this afternoon I've been baking and prezzie wrapping with some festive films on in the background.

My website is still under construction but I'll be working on it over the next few weeks and aiming for it to be online in the new year along with the first few items for sale in my etsy shop. Am so excited to get it all up and running!

I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas - thanks for your support and interest in my work x

Art Technician Insight

Hooray for the Christmas Holidays and two weeks off work! It's the last day of term for me and I've enjoyed a few quiet days this week with the art dept to myself as the Teachers and Students finished last Friday. I've been stock checking, ordering, tidying cupboards and doing a bit of scanning. Scanning in books is one of the few jobs I can do sat down as I'm normally on my feet all day, and it forces me to look through books that I wouldn't normally pick up and introduces me to new artists, so I really enjoy it.

We have an ongoing resource full of scanned images saved on the students area of the computer so that everyone can access it. We call it the Artists A-Z and it's in constant use. We know that all the images saved in there are high quality and are really easy to find. Theres even a notice up next to all the computers reminding students how to find it!

One of the books I've been scanning is a new book which arrived last week called Patchwork Folk Art by Janet Bolton. The book has lots of illustrations and with helpful practical notes. Her designs are rustic, simple, inspirational but also achievable, and use quite simple techniques. I especially like the multiple pieces with more abstract compositions because a lot of them reminded me of old fashioned puzzles and games. We are using textiles more and more each year and I think this book will be really useful especially with exam units coming up.

The Wonder of Christmas Lights

We put up our Christmas Tree at the weekend! No Christmas Tree would be complete without lights - and my absolute favourite are the flower lights in all different colours. When I switched them on to test them I noticed the beautiful patterns that were made on the floor so I got my camera out - 2 hours later I was still taking photos!!