In the Blink of an Eye

A Guest Artist Post 

by Brenda Smoak

Knowing . . .  a profound, deep knowing continually flows through me. It is not easy to define or explain yet it is there, as sure as my next blink. A knowing so intense that the mere thought of you made it nearly impossible for me to catch my breath.

Yes, I was a dreamer, or as you so finely said,  ‘A weaver of impossible possibilities and what if’s’. You saw the dreamer in me and begged me to give myself to you. Trusting you, I took a chance and shared my deepest secrets. You devoured them, as you did me, and we melted into a dream-filled boat that carried us over challenging seas.

Ever so gingerly, we cultivated deep love, understanding and respect as we tended to and nurtured our rose-colored garden. Time passed and we continued living our respective lives, mastering our craft, choosing other lovers, yet always knowing there was an unspoken bond calling us back together again.

I awoke years later to find I had blinked and you were gone. But wait! I was the dreamer and you were my dream. Many summers and winters came, ships passed, and still I dreaded the night, refusing to allow myself the luxury to dream again.

Then one recent morning I awoke to find that as I blinked the sleep away, I noticed my wounds had healed and the beautiful rose-colored garden, once parched and forgotten, is bursting with new impossible possibilities and  ‘what if’s’.

I am a dreamer and you were once my dream.

********************

This is a mixed media collage based on the RubberMoon stamp #417 (Dreamer) which reads: “When I was a dreamer and you were my dream”. The moment I saw that stamp, I instantly knew what to do with it. It pulled together all the words that had been wandering around in my head for so long and this piece came together easily.

My hope is that this collage theme is universal and you can relate to the quote whether it resonates as a lost love, a new-found joy, or a deep knowing and understanding that you are on the right path.

In addition to the RubberMoon stamp, I used:

Liquitex acrylic paints, 
Ranger acid-free pearl mica powders, 
Derwent Inktense watercolor chalk blocks, 
Archival India ink, 
handmade paper, a photography print and torn up letters to create this collage.

You can check out more of my stories and other artist’s stories on my blog at Artists Tell Their Stories. Thanks for reading my post today.

Blessings and may all your dreams be fulfilled!

Brenda

Your RubberMoon Tuesday Post: Instructions on how to create Painted Pony Power! from Teresa Cox Kolar and Purple Sun Studio!

Mixed Media Painted Pony

Hello and welcome to my first ever art tutorial! :-D 

I do a lot of teaching but, 

have never considered myself a writer/blogger.

 With that being said

I am excited to show you my process for

creating this 5x5 inch mixed media painting. 

Here we go-wheeee!.........:-D

Kristen of  RubberMoon and I met only

a few months ago. Kristen was conducting a workshop at

Lori Sparkly Franklin's studio. It was at that workshop that I fell in love with

RubberMoon Art Stamps.  So, this 

"RubberMoon Creative Team Adventure" is new and exciting and I am loving it! 

First Phase Materials

Time to get down to serious fun. 

My favorite kind!

Begin your painting with these materials

1/2" deep, 5"x5" gessobord

Naples Yellow acrylic paint

Burnt Sienna acrylic paint 

I have used Golden and Liquitex paints here. However, other

 brands of acrylics will work just fine.

Under layer

Apply a smooth under layer of Naples Yellow.

(Can't help thinking this little bottle of paint looks lonely-lol). 

Any type of acrylic brush will work for this step. This is a nice opportunity to

experiment a little. See what kind of brush you like.

Extend your under layer all the way 

around the sides.

Each new layer must be completely dry/ "bone dry" before

continuing with the next layer. Using a blow drier is a great way to

save time.

Texture!

For the next step you will need your Burnt Sienna paint, 

a rough paint brush (one with hard, scratchy, bristly type hairs. 

I save my worn out brushes for these textural treatments like the one shown below). 

Apply Burnt Sienna over the yellow with a nice rough

brush using very light and wispy

brush strokes. Using your brush with this technique will

produce this textural over painting allowing the beautiful yellow to show through. 

You will need to apply your paint sparingly and often. Building up to the look

shown above.

Next, prepare to get a little bit messy. Now it is time for a nice dark color like

Burnt Umber Light on this Linnie Blooms Mixed Media piece. Use the 

fabric like you would a stamp. Your fingers will 

get full of paint. No worries. It will wash off with

soap and warm  water.

Apply this to your canvas like a champ!

I mean stamp!!

This is the lovely result. More wonderful and unique texture!

More layering

Now apply another layer of Naples Yellow. Use a stiff, rough brush. Apply very light and wispy strokes. Gradually build up the application of paint until it covers the surface with some of the

colors and textures from beneath showing through.

Stamping!!

Woop Woop!!

Next apply Burnt Umber Light or any very dark (not black-too harsh)

paint to this RubberMoon Art Stamp 

Use this wonderful stamp

randomly, varying the position of the 

stamp around your painting.

(Little confession-this pattern has always 

been one of my very favorites! I bought this stamp

from RubberMoon and now I can use

it whenever I want, as much as want, how ever I want. Muaaahhh! 

I can get a little revved when in the creative process).

A little more layering

(layering is one of my favorite things- can you tell?)

For the last layer, apply cream colored paint. Again, use your stiff, 

rough brush with wispy strokes.

Stenciling!

Now it is time for your stencil. This is a hand cut stencil I made myself.

I made it from a manila file folder. Simply sketch the figure you would like

and voila! You can use the stencil again and again.

Apply a layer of gray paint using a stiff stencil brush.

  Less is more here. 

Too much paint will squish under the stencil and result in an unattractive, 

globby outline. 

Tweeking

Make the image more sharp with an additional

layer of paint applied with a soft bristled, pointy paint brush.

(Oops! Please excuse the blurry picture. 

My photography skills can be a bit lacking at times) lol!

Nice crisp looking under layer of gray. 

(Thankfully a crispy-I mean crisp! photo as well). 

Next apply a layer of earthy red with a soft, pointy brush.

 And finally a layer of cream.

Shading

Like so! :-)) 

For shading, add a little of the gray to your cream. 

 Use a very small, very pointy brush here.

Leave the 

mane and tail of your pony gray for now.

More Stamping! :-D

I used this little sweetie pie RubberMoon Art Stamp 

for one of the very last details-impressionistic moon shape.

Voila!!!

Add details that you desire with your small pointy paint brush. Here I have enhanced the pony

 with some shading, spots, facial features and added wisps of cream and white in the mane and tail. Some careful wisps of cream and white around the legs with your scratchy old brush, little dots for some added pizzaz - Pony Power!!

Fini! 

More Ponies!

These are additional Painted Pony compositions using

different color combinations. 

The main thing to remember is to have fun!!

When making your own stencils you are free to make anything

you want-flowers, fish, trees, birds-anything. RubberMoon Art Stamps and Linnie Blooms Mixed Media Products add to the creative experience! Visit both of these wonderful companies at http://www.linnieblooms.blogspot.com/and http://www.rubbermoon.com/

Experiment and enjoy!

Find more of my art on my blog: http://teresacoxkolar.blogspot.com/

Also, check out my Etsy shop: http://www.teresaketsyshop.etsy.com

I am on Facebook too: Teresa Kolar and/or Purple Sun Studio

All the very best!-Teresa :-D

TEXTURE, STAMPS & SPARKLE!!!

I am sooooooo happy to be a part of the Rubbermoon Creative Team!!! Why, you ask?

because I truly cannot contain myself when it comes to TEXTURE in my paintings...

and RUBBER STAMPS are PERFECTO for all kinds of groovy patterns!

(and rubber stamps are like chocolate...one can never have enough...)

Allow me to show you why texture bedazzles me so.....

I begin with a 6"x6" canvas and assorted supplies.
a happy gathering of stamps, ink, paint, sparkly bits, -  the whole 'kit & caboodle' 

*and of course, a  1920's vintage advertisement for washing your undies...

cuz you never know what direction this project may take...

First, I 'frost the canvas' with a layer of Liquitex light modeling paste medium...I use a thin trowel, but anything with an edge will work - I have used a piece of cardboard in a pinch.                                                    I really should own stock in this product  - it's completely addictive - consider yourself warned...

just smooth it on, no need to be perfect. Dont'cha just love when someone tells you it's ok to be imperfect???  I do.

now, the FUN begins!!!!!!! 

Press a square into center of canvas.......

then LIFT it back off...........

I am THRILLED with how this Matboard Square (above) from Inchie Arts LLC

works like a charm!!!! 

I mean, just LOOK at the pattern after 'liftoff' !!!! I wasn't initially sure where I was going with my center image before I pressed the Inchie Matboard Square, but now I clearly see a branch-like pattern...

I am going to rotate it so it looks like a pretty little winter scene...and that way I can add sparkle without guilt. hee hee.

it could also easily translate into an underwater scene with seaweed...and glitter...

That is the utter beauty of the creative process for me. Start with a vague plan and allow the project to    e  m  e  r  g  e.

 Now to indulge in a lovely 'frame' for the winter scene,

starting with this wonderful Rubbermoon ink splatter stamp! 

how about a border pattern using only the top half of this Rubbermoon Diamond stamp?

oh yeah...

how fun is this???????

I use this vintage letterpress 'O' stamp (below) to make some scallops

above the half-diamond border. Then I use the other end of a paintbrush to further define and connect shapes.

allow to dry about 2 hours, then lightly sand any sharp points.

paint the 'frame' metallic gold

and sides too...

fill in your 'center image' with light wash of acrylic paint. I used 2 of my favorite colors, aqua and periwinkle, then I gently rubbed the color off  to soften it.

add a realistic aged patina to the 'frame' by smudging Rangerink Distress inkpad on raised surfaces.

now it's just refining the details...draw a black border around scene. I used a sharp charcoal pencil for a 'hand-drawn' effect.

* Charcoal can also add subtle shading to your scene, settling into tiny crevices, and lifting off raised parts.

Then.............can't resist  .........MUST... ADD... SPARKLE!!!!!!

I glue tiny swarovski crystals to the sky.......

and

dust a bit of Martha Stewart fine glitter into the scenery

then, yellow winter sun, a tiny red glitter heart, some snow-blob-doodles

and 

DONE!!!!!! 

ok, so I didn't get to incorporate the fun vintage undies advertisement into this project...there's always next time....

see more of my stories and projects on my blog and Etsy shoppe @ www.sparkly-heart.blogspot.com

or find me on Facebook - lori sparkly franklin