Friday, September 19, 2014

Chaos!

"All great changes are preceded by CHAOS." - Deepak Chopra


Ha! When I think of "chaos" I immediately think of my studio (well, to be perfectly honest, FIRST, I think of the tv show, Get Smart. LOL).  

Yes, my studio is usually a mess, but it's a creative mess. That's a good thing! When there is chaos that means I have been working and playing. It means I have been creative, and there is nothing bad about that, right?! I am learning to embrace my "chaos"....just don't pop by for a surprise visit, okay?! 

Here's what I have been working on these last couple days -





I started with a 7"x14" canvas which I primed with gesso. I recently purchased a small sampler from Faber-Castell which included gesso, gel medium and glaze. I decided to try them all out on this project, beginning with the gesso. I apply my gesso with a palette knife. I really liked this gesso, it was lighter than what I usually use and it didn't leave as chalky of a finish. I didn't need the gesso to cover anything, I just needed to add a little "tooth" to the canvas surface, so it was perfect.




The next thing I did was to grab my favorite medium, my Gelatos®,  a Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft® product. If you haven't used these you don't know what you are missing. These creamy sticks are so vibrant and they can be used wet or dry. Wetting them results in a watercolour effect. I just LOVE them!





Finally decided on a color palette and grabbed some acrylic paints to match (I buy my acrylics to match my Gelatos®).  

I applied a little Butter Cream Gelato all over the canvas*, using a baby wipe and my fingers, I rubbed it around to create a light background.  (* oops, as I was editing my video I see I also used Butterscotch Gelato in the background).








Next I used my handmade foam fern stamp, along with the LIME Gelato. I "colored" the stamp with the Gelato then spritzed it with a little water. I like the effect, later I will add a little to it with a Stamper's Big Brush Pen.

Using modeling paste (darn it, wish I had some of the Whipped Spackle, it's on my LIST!) which I have tinted with acrylic paint, I stenciled onto the canvas using Joggle's stencil called "Spin".





Next I used plain modeling paste to stencil a couple larger swirls. After they dried I "colored' them with Cotton Candy Gelato and spritzed with water to create that watercolor effect I talked about earlier. Then I added a little Blueberry, Lime and Metallic Mint to the mix to give it some more depth.  








A corn pad glued to the other side of a stamp.

I continued to use the stamps to fill up the background in several shades of greens and blues. I also used a dot dabber (from Gelato's Tool kit) and a marker top to create a few round shapes. One other circle was created using a foam pad made to treat corns! LOL!   (I am always on the lookout for items I can use to create shapes and texture and will use almost anything in my mixed media art.)  






When it was dry I coated the whole canvas with Mod Podge to seal it. 




NOW, the fun begins - shading and markings! I love this part, it's what give my pieces their dimension and movement. I use my Stamper's Big Brush Pens to do my shading. Once you have sealed the layers underneath you can add the ink (India Ink) and rub it in. Later when it dries it will be waterproof!  In addition to these I used Molotow acrylic paint pens and a Zig Posterman marker. 



Once the final layer of color has been finished it's time to add my quote. Using a technique I learned from July of "itsaworkofart "YT Channel (http://youtu.be/BF1zIweCBPI),  I printed my quote onto a papertowel. I spray my printout with cheap aerosol hairspray to keep the ink from bleeding.    





Once it's dry, I gently pulled the plys apart until I had just the top layer with the words I was using. I coated the back of these words with the gel medium and then placed it onto the canvas. I then added another layer of the gel medium on top to seal it to the canvas.


LASTLY, I used the stipple brush from the Gelato Tool kit with watered down acrylic paint to flick some paint onto the whole canvas. NOW, it's complete and I love all the texture and dimension!  What do YOU think? Leave me a comment and let me know.




I will be posting a video of the making of this canvas in the near future (I have LOTS of editing to do!!) - So stay tuned to my Youtube Channel!

UPDATE: Video uploaded so go check it out!



If you would like FREE step-by-step instructions on how I created this canvas, along with a detailed list of the supplies used, JUST let me know and I will e-mail it to you! USE the CONTACT ME! form on the left, at the top of this page.



Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft® products:
Textural Accents Sampler #770301: Gesso, Semi-Gloss Gel Medium and Semi-Gloss Glaze
Gelatos®: Butter Cream, Butterscotch, Blueberry, Lime, Metallic Mint, Cotton Candy
Stamper's Big Brush Pens: Cold Grey III #232, Leaf Green #112, Cadmium Yellow #107, Indanthrene Blue #247
Gelatos Tool Kit #770312 Palette Knife, Blending Chise, Stipple Brush, 2 Dot Dabbers and Drip Dropper

Other Supplies:


  • 7"x14" canvas
  • Acrylic Paints - Apple Barrel (Kings Gold, Cloudless and Laguna) Craft Smart (Green) and my own mix of mint green.
  • My handmade foam and carved rubber stamps
  • Modeling Paste
  • Joggles Stencil - "Spin"
  • Molotow One4All Acrylic Premium Paint 2mm Rd Tip - black and white
  • Zig Posterman Pen - gold
  • Mod Podge (Glossy)
  • Printer
  • Papertowel
  • Water





17 comments:

Unknown said...

Really liked this project

Jean said...

Love it, Love your process and all the products work so well together!! You go girl!!

Anonymous said...

This is amazing!

Unknown said...

Why, thank you Tina! How are things down there at Two and A Half Women? Miss the area, it's a cool town and a REALLY cool shop!

Unknown said...

Thanks, Jean! I love the Design Memory Craft product line! The colors are so vibrant and it so true, everything DOES work together so well. I am saving up for the FULL line of everything because I JUST HAVE TO HAVE it all! LOL (NOT that I am greedy, just know a good thing when I see it!)

Unknown said...

I don't know WHO you are, but I thank you. :)

Caroline said...

Caroline from fb group here. Don't really have time for mediaring (technical term) right now but trying to get a few a day in. After receiving email alert for this, felt I should come by...
Wishing you all the best with your "chaos" canvas, some cool vibes going on here. Hope your FC plans come to fruition!
I do luurvve the few gelatos I own but as I would NEED every colour & then the pens, it would be impossible budget wise!! ...
Gosh I do hope chaotic craft area is a good thing although not sure what it means if every room in my place has elements of craft & chaos? Lol...

Skye said...

Love ! You make me want to haul out my paints and stamps and make a mess :) I've tried but I'm too much of a 'neat' freak to do it like you do.... despite the fact that everything else is a mess around me, my art needs to be neat.. go figure ;)

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for stopping by Caroline, AND for your kind words. Crossing fingers, holding my breath AND Praying ALOT! LOL....and I am WITH YOU...I want ALL the colors and products!

Unknown said...

Get them out Sandra..what's one more craft mess gonna matter? and I know how to CURE you of that "neat" freak problem (that IS a problem!) get all your paint, pour it in the tub (be careful not to mix colors opposite on the color wheel or you will get mud - and that's a WHOLE different kind of bath!) then jump in the color!! ENJOY! Haha

Unknown said...

PS Happy Birthday!

Amy VanDyke said...

Beautiful Shelley! Good Luck!

Ode to Paper said...

It's a fabulous piece Shelley!

Unknown said...

Aww thanks Amy! Fingers crossed (really, really, really, tight!) LOL

Unknown said...

((Leah)) thanks, girl! I am hoping to join you in DT- land! Heehee.

Cataleya said...

Hello dear Shelley! :) Thank you so much for all your kind words and congratulations with Faber-Castell Guest DT!!! I'm really so happy to be a part of this wonderful DT!!! And I also so happy to meet you!!! :) Your creations are so beautiful!!! I'm following your sweet blog now :) Wish you a wonderful day! Big hugs, xoxo
~Olga Kovalchuk

Unknown said...

Olga, I might not have gotten chosen for the design team, THIS TIME AROUND, but I did gain a new friend! :)

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