Friday 31 July 2015

Setacolor Fabric Flowers with Michelle

Creating these gorgeous Fabric flowers with the Pebeo Setacolour Fabric Paints is super easy.
All you need is a some calico, Setacolour Fabric Paints and decorative brads,




I have created a template you can use to cut out the calico flowers.
You can download this template from HERE

Once the template is printed just lay the calico over the template and draw the flowers on the calico with a pen.
Paint the colours you want over the flower I have used Cherry Red and Buttercup on this flower.
The thicker you add the paint and more solid will give you a darker colour.

Spritz the flower with water and then lay another piece of calico over the top to imprint a second flower, this also blends the colour in the flower.

 
 You can keep spraying the original painted flower with water and lay a blank piece of calico over it to create an imprint. You can imprint more than one copy from one flower onto another piece of calico.

 While the flowers are still damp cut them all out.
 Then roll them up into a ball in the palm of your hand.
 Unroll them and layer up the flowers and then attach together with a brad. You will need a craft knife of poker to poke a hole through the calico for the brad.

 Oriental Blue, Chamois and Buttercup was used on this flower.

Orange, Chamois and Buttercup was used on this flower.

If you want your flowers to be darker and richer in colour you can add less water over the flower and don't imprint off the original flower.










Thursday 30 July 2015

One Pen Can Make a difference - Pebeo Vitrea160 Glass Paint Pen


I seem to collect empty jars, I don't know why, but when we finish with a glass jar, if it has a unique shape or just a generally nice look, I soak the labels off and keep them (total hoarder) The other day I was looking at my paint water jar, so sad and boring, usually holding murky grey water, never really pretty. So I took to it with a single pen.
The Turquoise Vitrea160 Glass Pen. I didn't set out with any pre designed design. But for people who are total beginners and feeling nervous, you could perhaps sketch out some ideas before you boldy go in with a pen!

I shook my pen to get it going (keep lid on when doing this) then pumped the nib down a few times on a palette. Then simply began doodling a design all over my paint water jar.
I did the Jar in sections as I am left handed and didn't want to smudge my work as I went along. I just had fun! I had no idea what I was going to create, but I just drew patterns giving the pen every few minutes a few pumps on my palette to refresh the paint flow.
No plain jar is safe with these pens! I can also see adding tea light candles to some of the winder neck jars to make really lovely light shows! I might even do that for my next post to show you how they look at night!
I hope this very simple use for a single pen can make a colour impact on your life! I think these jars look amazing with all the doodling!

Have a wonderful weekend looking at your old jars in a different light!
Courtney Diaz

Wednesday 29 July 2015

DIY fabric coasters


Hello!
Felicity here with you today.

Had a little creative fun the other day. Had an old pair of denim jeans laying around and thought it would look good to create something with them.

I then got out my stencils and fabric paint and painted away with no real idea of what to do.
After I finished painting I then decided they would look really good as denim coasters.




I challenge to just use play and experiment!!
They super cute presents that don't cost a fortune.

Felicity XO

Tuesday 28 July 2015

Mepxy Max 12th Edition

MEPXY MAX 12TH EDITION

My Neighbour Totoro

BY Ash Chain
Created with Canson Drawing 220 paper and Mepxy Brush Markers



Studio Ghibli's My neighbour Totoro is one of my absolute favourite movies. Full of all the warm fuzzies that we all need in our busy lives. Here is my tribute to my favourite neighbour.


As usual start with your line work. I used basic art liners with the width of 0.8 and 0.2.


I use my yellow colours first as this is the smallest area to fill, the inside of the blossoms. 



Next is the blossoms. This is where I do my usual technique of shading with the darkest colour first then the medium followed by the lightest colour. This technique helps blend the tones out so there isn't such harsh lines. This helps defuse them.



Now for the leaves. I used three colours (dark,medium and light), but only actually used two on each leaf. for the lighter leaf I used the medium green in the middle of the leaf and flicked out to the stems followed by the lightest green to blend and defuse lines. Then for the darker leaf I used the darkest green followed by the medium green with the same technique of the lightest leaf.


Onto the acorns! keeping it simple I used three different browns but only used two of them on one acorn. I colour the tops the dark brown and medium brown then colour the acorn nut the lightest brown and medium brown for the acorn that has the darkest top.


Totoro time! I use two shades of grey. I first go around and figure out where I want the shadows to be and colour those areas. Then I go over the whole blank area and shadows with the light grey as i'm also trying to defuse the shadow line so it's not that sharp.


Tummy time. Again only two colours. One to create shadow and the other to fill and defuse the shadow line.


Now to fill in some of that empty space. I used the lightest grey I have to fill in those gaps in between the leaves and acorns then use the colourless marker and go over the edges and again defuse the lines.


There you have it ladies, gents and Ghibli lovers. I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial and can use some of the techniques I've shared with you.

Colours used: 00, Y19, Y17, R32, R20, R00, L67, L24, G28, N27, O27, W37, N27, TG05, TG02, N01, N51, NG01

Monday 27 July 2015

Guest Designer Cindy Porter -Stylish Storage

Hi everyone, I am thrilled to be here with you today.

I have a 12x12" pizza box that I decorated to share with you all, showcasing the Pebeo Studio Acrylics colour paints and the Catalyst wedges...

I began by applying some modelling paste through a stencil... a little difficult to see, but I just wanted to create a base texture...


I then used the Catalyst Contour C-81 with some Oriental Violet, Primary Cyan, Verdnese Green, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Studio Acrylics...


I swiped the wedge down the box, and repeated the process until it was all coloured...


Once this had dried, I applied some more modelling paste using the Catalyst Wedge W-02 to create some fabulous texture over the box.... 


 I was particularly careful to ensure not to apply the modelling paste to the stencilled area...


Once dry I sponged on some more of the Primary Cyan and the Verdnese Green onto the edges and the corners of the box...


 Next I used some of the Schmincke Tro-Col-Bronze Dry Gouache in Rich Gold.... As the name suggest this is a dry product, it is a powder... I mixed it with a little water and magic!! so lovely and rich...

     
I painted over the stencilled area... 


 doesn't it look fabulous....


 I also added a little to the corners and edges as well...


 I love it... love working with it... so easy to use and so effective...

the finished box... 


 Now storing some of my current work in style...

Thanks for joining me here today,
happy creating,
xC

Saturday 25 July 2015

Schmincke half pan 36 palette - What comes in it?

Good Morning!
I thought I would do something a little different today give you a little tour of the Schmincke half pan 36 palette! A stunning art supply that I've had the honor of owning.This palette comes to you individually wrapped as you can see below, each half pan is loving secured with a colour label and wrapping, making each half pan a gift. I unwrapped mine one by one, and then cut the colour label and glued it onto a swatch card which you will see soon.
(above photo is the palette before each pan is unwrapped - brush not included also the two half pans in last row are also not included they were extra singles I purchased)
 
The colours you recieve in your set if you decide on the Schmincke half pan 36 palette are as follows:

Half Pan Set of 36 Colors — Contains half pans in 36 colors, including Lemon Yellow, Cadmium Yellow Light, Cadmium Red Light, Permanent Carmine, Ultramarine Finest, Prussian Blue, Phthalo Green, Permanent Green Olive, Yellow Ochre, English Venetian Red, Sepia Brown, Ivory Black, Chrome Orange, Cobalt Green Dark, Naples Yellow, Burnt Sienna, Manganese Violet, Cerulean Blue Tone, Chrome Yellow Deep, Deep Red, Magenta, Indigo, Helio Turquoise, May Green, Translucent Yellow, Translucent Orange, Scarlet Red, Ultramarine Violet, Delft Blue, Mountain Blue, Prussian Green, Olive Green Yellowish, Brilliant Yellow Dark, Madder Brown, Indian Red, and Burnt Umber.

It is a fantastic array of colours! and these watercolours are unlike any I have tried, they are buttery and so richly pigmented. I was literally blown away. (and that isn't easily done these days) You don't need to saturate these in water to activate them. With a whisper of water these colours dance almost instantly!

After I unwrapped them I took a piece of canson watercolour paper and ruled a very uneven colour swatch chart, having the labels of the packaging underneath the watch I did. This way I didn't have to hand write each colour myself. These swatches are ONE BRUSH STROKE. I did not have to go over and over to get this sort of vibrancy they are literally one swipe of my brush onto the cardstock. Like I said these watercolours are like nothing I have ever used!


 When you order the Schmincke half pan 36 palette it comes in this beautiful metal palette case. It has great mixing palettes and the half pants click into place to prevent them from moving with travel.
I loved the case almost as much as the colours. (can you hear my gushing)


 I will leave you now with some close ups of the amazing colours you will get if you decide to invest in this supply. Though the outlay is rather large, these are truly high end watercolours, and I can assure you, you wont be disappointed with them.



I hope this has been informative! and you've had a good look at the colours you will get in the palette! If you have any questions just pop them down below!
Seeya next week
Courtney Diaz