Art Amongst the Chaos

I've created chaos!! Well, maybe not quite that bad, but it's bad enough. It started when I decided to reorganize my art supplies. I am a supply junkie. My supplies keep taking up more and more room.

Not a lot of art was done the last few weeks since I had to make a little working spot among the stuff I was sorting and moving. I did start the Summer of Color challenge for week 3, but I didn't finish. This was mainly because I kept changing my mind about what I was making. It is still not finished, but it will be since it is the first new spread in a new daily journal. I finally know what I want to do...if it works.

The colors of week 4, red + red + metallic, did not push any buttons. Since I was kind of busy, I let it go. But I have gotten the tops of my tables reasonably straight now, enough to get some art done anyway. I am waiting for the new storage containers I ordered to arrive next week.

SOC Week 5 is finished. I had fun with this one.

Supplies used:

• 14 in. X 11 in., 140lb. Strathmore 400 series Mixed Media Paper
• Dylusions Paints: Fresh Lime, Cut Grass, and Bubblegum PInk
• Dylusions Ink Spray: Bubblegum Pink
• white gesso
• Other items in similar colors of green and pink: Derwent Inktense Blocks (Apple Green and Fuchsia), Sakura Gelly Roll Moonlight Gel Pen (Rose)
• stencils from The Crafter's Workshop
• Golden Light Molding Paste

I started by covering the paper with Dylusions Fresh Lime, using Dyan Reaveley's baby wipe method. I rubbed the green Inktense block over a damp sponge, sprayed it lightly with water, and dabbed it onto the paper. I have used this technique before as a background for flowers. I usually use more than one shade of green Inktense which creates more depth than you get with only one color. After the green Inktense dried, I sponged on the fuchsia.

Next I used a template to draw circles where I wanted the flower heads. Then I modified the Whimsical Vines stencil by masking off the top set of leaves. Using the Cut Grass Dylusions, I stenciled on the leaves, leaving space to extend the stem to the flower head.

The first thing I did with the circles was to paint them with gesso. Otherwise, the pink ink would have looked brown over the green. After the gesso was dry, I painted the circles with Dylusions Bubblegum Ink which I have in a water brush. Once the ink dried, I applied light molding paste through the Mums stencil. The moisture from the molding paste reactivated the pink ink which was absorbed into the paste.

The camera messed with my edges around the flowers. They look blue in the photos, but the molding paste stayed white around the edges except in a few places where the pink ran over to the edge.

Text and a few dots were added with a Moonlight Gel Pen. A stenciled butterfly was added to finish the page.

Just some observations about the Dylusions Paints: I wasn't expecting to like these paints, but I have been pleasantly surprised, enough so that I will order the other colors. It is different from any paint I have ever used.

The Dylusions Paints work really well for stenciling, better than many paints. I think the way the paint is absorbed by the sponge dabber has something to do with the way it so neatly works with a stencil. I will definitely be using them for stenciling again.

The baby wipe application is a bit messy, but looks good when you finish. I used a brush to extend the stems on the leaves and to join up the bits of stenciled parts. This don't think I will be using a brush with this paint...maybe a sponge brush...have to try that out.

By the next time I post, most things should be stored away in their new place. Have a good week.