Weekly Face on Weds #3

This week I went all blue...

I started with a sketch using the grid method, this is by far my favourite way of getting things in the right place.

I then blocked in with a limited number of blues.. in fact I only used 2 blues, 1 white,1 black  and 1 purple for the whole thing.

I used Daler Rowney Acrylics.

Starting to refine and shade..

I was quite startled at what I could achieve with such a small palette. 

Final piece..

I absolutely love this face, she is so serene, and radiating light. As always it was more luck than management, and I doubt I could recreate it. 

It is interesting to note that I found the areas of light and shade much easier to work out and blend using just blue instead of a whole range of skin tones. 

if you are joining on with weekly faces then please leave a link in the comments. 

Darcy x

P.S, here are some more free templates for you from JAY'S BLOG...

Weekly Face on Weds 2

 No steps by steps this week.sorry. I got so into this that I zoned out and completely forgot to take photos. Also I had no idea how this was going to turn out or if i would like it or keep it... I should have had more faith in myself, because as it turns out I love it.

All Daler Rowney Acrylic.

If you want to play along each Wednesday then feel free, anything goes as long as it is some sort of a face. Though do try and challenge yourself, maybe there are certain aspects of faces that you struggle with and feel you need more practice...concentrate on those, or maybe you want to try out a completely new medium or technique.

Maybe you are totally new to making faces, in which case go HERE... Jay is a wonderful artist and teacher, and at the moment he is posting free face templates on his blog for you to use. Print them, trace them, use them for painting practice or pencil shading practice. 

1st batch of templates

2nd batch of templates...

and if you go and SEE THIS POST you will find a great face tutorial. All last year he posted a face EVERYDAY, yes everyday for a whole year. Check out the rest of his blog.

Weekly Face on a Weds - Face 1

How about that for a rubbish title lol

I simply do not have the time to do daily faces, I work incredibly slowly and it puts me under too much pressure. however i really want to do more faces, practice more, learn new techniques...so I plan on doing a weekly face.

So here is Face 1

After watching a show on ustream, August 2012, I started this old lady painting. For one reason or another it didn't get finished, and sat in my book for a whole year. Then Jay, who had done the original show on ustream created a pdf to go with the show, and this prompted me to finish mine.

HERE... is his blog where you can find a link to his instruction.

I am afraid mine came out nothing like his lol, but at least she is finished.

Last year I had drawn her out using a grid method.

Then I added the darkest areas..

and next mixed up several browns for her skin..

adding more and blending..this is the point at which it got left... 

So when I went back to it, I added more layers and eventually ended up with this. She is as finished as I can make her. i really don't know how to add in the wrinkles in her skin, and don't want to ruin what is there. So I am calling this one done. 

I will be back next Wednesday with another face. some weeks I will have step by step photos, and others I may just have the end photo....that will all depend on whether I have remembered to take photos along the way lol

If you would like to join in each Wednesday then blog your face and link up here. 

Darcy x

Birthday Card

Today I had my first play with GRUNGE PASTE.. from PaperArtsy.

Usually when I want to add texture in papercrafts I use Polyfiller/Wall filler/Spackle. It can be quite stiff to work with though, and it does dry quickly so you have to work fast. Grunge paste is a dream to use, it is smooth and silky and stays wet for much longer, giving you ample time to work into it.

I took my stencil and laid it over black card. Then I pushed some grunge paste thru, smoothing it out. I used a metal spreader, but an old credit card would work just as well.

I then took a Chinese script stamp, spritzed on a little water (as per the instructions on the grunge paste pot) I pressed the stamp into the grunge paste, released it and left to dry. Once dry I painted it with matte black craft paint. 

I then did exactly the same with some small circle punchouts. Dipped in paste, stamped and painted. 

Next I gently added ROSE QUARTZ treasure gold this fabulous metallic wax adds such an amazing effect to anything it touches. I added it lightly with a finger, and then left it to dry. After about 10 minutes I was able to buff it up with a soft cloth, this really brings out the shine. 

Finally I started to construct my card. I added a piece of origami paper to my card blank, and then cut flowers from a contrasting origami paper.  

I added the small circles of treated card to the flower centres. 

I then added the metallic looking dragon. 

At an angle you can really see the shine..

just look at that scrummy texture..

ARC January

Welcome to the January meeting of ARC , the Artful Reader's Club.

I can't believe we are almost at the end of the first month of the year already. I am so glad I started with a quick book, after not really reading for the past couple of years, it was a bit of a struggle to get back into it.

So let's get to it.

Book1.  Review of Proust's Overcoat ( Author- Lorenza Foschini)

This is a slim, 120 page, hard backed book;bought recently for just 20pence from a charity shop. It contains several black and white photos and illustrations.

The book is set in France;from the1920's onwards, and is a true story of prejudice and lies, loves and obsessions. One might, from the book title, be forgiven for thinking this is a book about Proust, or even his overcoat, it is neither.

The main character is Jacques Guerin, from an early age a prolific businessman, and eventual head of a famous perfume house. He finds out that his doctor was the brother to, the deceased ,Marcel Proust. Although never to meet the great man, Jacques was drawn to him and so began a lifelong mission to collect and preserve all manner of items that had once belonged to the late author.

I found the beginning of the book very slow, to the point I almost gave up, but I am glad I persevered. The pace was never quick, more of a gentle stroll. We are teased with the copious amounts of name dropping, of places and stars of the period. We never find out much about any of the supporting characters, merely glimpses of their lives. The focus is always on Jacques.

It is at times quite melancholy, but also moving and always compelling.

Before reading this book I knew nothing of Proust, and now I find I still know very little about him, other than relations with his family were never easy, and it seemed he lived a solitary life. After his death his remaining family members attempted to destroy all his belongings. This is where Jacques became a self titled saviour, ingratiating himself with the family he was able to save many items.

It seems that Jacques and Marcel shared many similarities, both passionate about their work, both had compulsive natures, and both homosexual.

The book title does not become clear until almost the end of the book, when Jacques acquires his final trophy.

Did I enjoy this book? Well that is hard to say. I am glad that I read it, it is neither deeply informative nor wildly entertaining. However it dripped enough little nuggets of information to leave me asking questions, wondering and wanting to know more about not just Proust, but also the places mentioned and the other characters. While the subject matter is not one that I would actively go looking for, I found it on the whole a lovely little book.

Here is my artwork. I decided to go with journal pages. I plan to keep adding to this journal even after the challenge year ends. 

As the book is set in the 20's I  looked to that time period for colours and patterns as inspiration. First I added a small envelope in the corner and then used spray inks, and also used an alpha stencil. (Stencil and sprays from Art from the Heart )

Next I drew,coloured  and cut out a green carnation. At one time there was a huge fashion for wearing different coloured flowers, all of which had different meanings. Oscar Wilde started wearing a green carnation, and it was assumed to symbolize his sexual preferences. I wanted to include something in the background which referenced that both main characters were gay without it being a prominent image. Their lifestyle choices are not prominent in the book, but for one of them it did cause a lot of hatred and sadness. 

I added it to the page ..

and then knocked back the colour with white acrylic...I also added a stamp of a man to the pocket. ( Stamp from PaperArtsy ) and some text stamp to the background. 

Next I added wall filler, through a stencil that is meant to be a peacock pattern. This pattern was used a lot in that time period. Once the wall filler was dry I painted it with acrylic paints. 

I then doodled around the wall filler textured pattern. I just love using wall filler, it dries so quick and gives great texture. 

I printed out my review and popped it into the envelope.

Finally I added images of perfume bottles and hat boxes, these are all referenced in the book. I also printed out a love poem that is in the book and used that as the journalling on the page. 

The title is 'travail d'amour'  which means a labour of love. The jobs and passions undertaken by both men in the book were definately a labour of love for them. 

SO THIS IS WHERE YOU LINK UP...

please add your name and the link to the specific blog post where your review and artwork can be found. then check back later as the list grows and go visit people. 

PLEASE ONLY LINK UP IF YOU ARE TAKING PART IN ARC...