Trying some new paint...

Yesterday Mary Freeman's monthly Art Journaling started back up so spent a lovely morning with the girls playing. I decided to play with black paint as my main color which isn't my norm but I enjoyed it and may do it again sometime.





A couple pages playing with black, gray and yellow in an abstract.





Later in the evening I spent some Gelli plate play time to try out my new Akua inks. I've been reading about that they stay wet until applied to paper so I asked for a set for my birthday.


The color selection is limited at least compared to Golden Paints but they are very thick and creamy. I used very little to roll onto the plate.


There is a blending solution to use with the inks to thin them to emulate their pigment inks. Haven't tried the pigment inks yet but I have one to test. Above shows were I did a test with drops of the blending solution after the fact and let it sit. After blotting it left the circles and I like the effect.


This is the finished piece after a couple more print layers. I also used the new Strathmore Printmaking paper and I like how smooth it is and it takes the paint very nicely. Next I will try the intaglio paints on watercolor paper to see if there is any difference.

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Birthday Celebrations

Last Sunday was my birthday and I celebrated all weekend long with family and friends. I actually was off for the holidays so I had some pre birthday, pre New Years celebration with some art time.


I've been wanting to use my Gelli prints in collages and this is my first endeavor. I also used some strips of deli paper that I had made random marks on.


This piece is a Gelli print and I used a wheat stencil for a focal point and added some floral chicken wire for added texture.


This print is the ghost from the previous one with a bit of additions.


This print started out as testing and I added some plate cleaning to get the bits of red.



This is another print from cleaning the Gelli plate to get the bits of paint left behind.


So, to start off the birthday celebration, Friday night was bowling with the family. Fun was had by all.


After bowling was a slumber party at my brother/sister-in-laws. Such a great host and hostess complete with home made waffles and my niece also made quiche. We considered it breakfast although by that time it was lunch. ;-)





Saturday was crafty time with the girls and I wanted to try my hand at a landscape and then I used the ghost for more of a foggy tree look. I did another couple prints but didn't stop when I should've and messed them up. Oh well.


Saturday was also my youngest niece's 6th birthday and she wanted to play with painting too. This is her first Gelli print.


This is her first ghost print and I added a bit of yellow to it.


This is her final ghost print with more of my yellow added.


She then painted the Gelli plate using the pattern left behind from her previous prints.


And this is her ghost print where she flawlessly wrote her name backwards. I see another artist in the family.


For my presents I received these two cameras, one from Rebecca and one from Misti. Great additions to my collection.


My niece wanted to go to Medieval Times so that is what we did Sunday. She wore an Elsa dress and looked cute as could be. Neither of us have been before and it was a great show and the food was uncomplicated but tasty.


On Monday I had a final pajama vacation day to recover from the nonstop fun.

I hope everyone had a blessed New Year's Eve.

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