Two products for decorative painters are beeswax products which can be seen/purchased at http://www.chaphams.com/
One product is a furniture polish and the other is a wooden salad bowl finish.
I love to use wax on my wooden pieces that I stain first and then paint my design "ontop" of . I apply several coats and buff good between each. Really makes an heirloom type piece to be proud of.
Steampunk Brass jeweled Filligree Ring
I just love the "base" for this ring and the oblong watch movement in brass instead of the usual silver.
This is my favorite piece and is for sale at: http://www.jewelryjeans.etsy.com/ If it doesn't sell it will go to the consignment store in PA where I ship my pieces.
COOL OFF 7.23.09
It is sooooooooooo hot here today..more to come..and days past. WHEW....the heat is early this year and lasting much longer.... SO.........enjoy this picture and let's take a dip.... The water is coming down from the mountains so I don't need to tell you how cold it is.........just looking at this seems to make it cooler...
ENJOY......and check out how blue...no enhancements have been done.
MARBELIZING WITH SMOKE
Several years ago Nancy Dale Kinney provided her technique directions for marbelizing with smoke on one of the Yahoo lists I was a member of. I love this effect.
SUPPLIES: 1" candle, candle holder, Tablespoon
DIRECTIONS:
The surface to be smoked must have already been prepped with the background color and dried. To smoke light a candle in a holder and allow to burn a few minutes until you have a good tall flame. Hold the scooped side of the tablespoon over the flame until you get a black carbon build up on the spoon. Practice moving the spoon around over the flame until you see a steady stream of black carbon or smoke rising above the spoon. I have found that the spoon must be almost perpendicular to the candle. If the candle has burned a few min. you will have a better flame. You must use the standard 1" diameter candle. This stream of smoke is what adheres to the project piece. Hold your piece over the stream of carbon, moving the piece around so that the carbon will adhere to various places. Be careful not to let the spoon touch the surface. When you get the desired result, immediately spray with the Krylon Matte 1311 or the Liberty Spray. You can always go back and smoke again if you want more smoke even if you have sprayed. What ever spray sealer that you end up using just be sure that you can paint with acrylic on top if that is the medium you are using. On larger pieces smoke sections, spray, allow to dry and then smoke other sections. Spray to avoid smudging. To give the marbelized porject a more interesting effect, I wash in touches of color where there is no smoke. Wipe excess paint from brush and blend into the smoked areas a little. Allow to dry.
SUPPLIES: 1" candle, candle holder, Tablespoon
DIRECTIONS:
The surface to be smoked must have already been prepped with the background color and dried. To smoke light a candle in a holder and allow to burn a few minutes until you have a good tall flame. Hold the scooped side of the tablespoon over the flame until you get a black carbon build up on the spoon. Practice moving the spoon around over the flame until you see a steady stream of black carbon or smoke rising above the spoon. I have found that the spoon must be almost perpendicular to the candle. If the candle has burned a few min. you will have a better flame. You must use the standard 1" diameter candle. This stream of smoke is what adheres to the project piece. Hold your piece over the stream of carbon, moving the piece around so that the carbon will adhere to various places. Be careful not to let the spoon touch the surface. When you get the desired result, immediately spray with the Krylon Matte 1311 or the Liberty Spray. You can always go back and smoke again if you want more smoke even if you have sprayed. What ever spray sealer that you end up using just be sure that you can paint with acrylic on top if that is the medium you are using. On larger pieces smoke sections, spray, allow to dry and then smoke other sections. Spray to avoid smudging. To give the marbelized porject a more interesting effect, I wash in touches of color where there is no smoke. Wipe excess paint from brush and blend into the smoked areas a little. Allow to dry.
PAINTING TIPS
REDUCING AND ENLARGING PATTERNS.
REDUCE: Divide the size of the pattern by the size you want. ie: Size is 10" and you want 6". Divide 10 by 6 and you get .60 or reduce by 60%.
ENLARGE: Size is 10" and you want 14". Divide 14 by 10 and you get 1.40. You would therefore enlarge by 140%.
HANDMADE WOOD FILLER:
Mix sawdust with Elmers glue
TO CRACKLE GLASS:
Paint with acrylics and put into refrigerator for a natural crackle.
STAIN CONVERSIONS TO *DELTA ACRYLICS:
Antique Oak *Walnut
Cherry *Red Iron Oxide
Fruitwood *Spice Brown/Red Iron Oxide
Modern Walnut *Dark Burnt Umber
Golden Oak *Spice Tan
Walnut *Brown Iron Oxide
LACEY QUILTED BACKGROUND:
Basecoat and let dry.
Apply a 2nd coat of paint with some extender to give a longer open time.
Wet a quilted paper towel, lay on surface and remove.
OTHER OPTIONS: Lace and Bubble Wrap
JO SONJA MAGIC MIX RECIPE
2 Parts JoSonja Glazing Medium
1 Part JoSonja Retarder
REDUCE: Divide the size of the pattern by the size you want. ie: Size is 10" and you want 6". Divide 10 by 6 and you get .60 or reduce by 60%.
ENLARGE: Size is 10" and you want 14". Divide 14 by 10 and you get 1.40. You would therefore enlarge by 140%.
HANDMADE WOOD FILLER:
Mix sawdust with Elmers glue
TO CRACKLE GLASS:
Paint with acrylics and put into refrigerator for a natural crackle.
STAIN CONVERSIONS TO *DELTA ACRYLICS:
Antique Oak *Walnut
Cherry *Red Iron Oxide
Fruitwood *Spice Brown/Red Iron Oxide
Modern Walnut *Dark Burnt Umber
Golden Oak *Spice Tan
Walnut *Brown Iron Oxide
LACEY QUILTED BACKGROUND:
Basecoat and let dry.
Apply a 2nd coat of paint with some extender to give a longer open time.
Wet a quilted paper towel, lay on surface and remove.
OTHER OPTIONS: Lace and Bubble Wrap
JO SONJA MAGIC MIX RECIPE
2 Parts JoSonja Glazing Medium
1 Part JoSonja Retarder
Landscape Painting Tips from: M Steven Doherty
The goal in a landscape painting is to create the sense of space.
Colors generally follow a prismatic progression from foreground to background.
Background colors should be on the blue/indigo/violet range of the spectrum with a bit of cool red added. Objects are smaller, have less contrast, are closer together (as in a fence) and have softer edges that blend together.
Foreground colors are green, yellow, red or ohre. Objects are larger and have contrast, texture and clarity.
** My thoughts. When riding in a car I am always looking at objects in relationship to one another, colors, clouds, and especially the look of a background, and take notes. I have a notepad and pencil in my purse where I jot down things as they come to me. For some reason when I am in a car sight takes over and my mind becomes the receiver as the secondary function and I love to become quiet and thoughtful. Riding is very relaxing.
I have also read/heard that if you use a color on one side of a landscape you should incorporate the color into the other side so that you have balance...and mix cool and warm colors for floral accents.
Colors generally follow a prismatic progression from foreground to background.
Background colors should be on the blue/indigo/violet range of the spectrum with a bit of cool red added. Objects are smaller, have less contrast, are closer together (as in a fence) and have softer edges that blend together.
Foreground colors are green, yellow, red or ohre. Objects are larger and have contrast, texture and clarity.
** My thoughts. When riding in a car I am always looking at objects in relationship to one another, colors, clouds, and especially the look of a background, and take notes. I have a notepad and pencil in my purse where I jot down things as they come to me. For some reason when I am in a car sight takes over and my mind becomes the receiver as the secondary function and I love to become quiet and thoughtful. Riding is very relaxing.
I have also read/heard that if you use a color on one side of a landscape you should incorporate the color into the other side so that you have balance...and mix cool and warm colors for floral accents.
"Sarsparilla" Prim Bottle Cap Bracelet
I have been working on a bottlecap bracelet for a swap exchange and this evening I finished it up and am pleased with the way it turned out.
The antique photos are inside vintage grungy bottle caps, and a heavy clear plastic medium has been added to preserve the photos. I happened upon the Sarsparilla caps which became the name of the bracelet. I wire wrapped lampwork beads, used some tree limb beads, a couple of civil war underware buttons, clear grey glass hearts, and some small square woodsy looking beads in between the caps. The bottle caps and buttons are on some sort of fishing lure pin so that the bottle caps dangle a bit lower than the rest of the beaded items. To keep with the primitive look I wanted; all of the findings are gunmetal grey.
I am going to put together a few "kits" for making this bracelet on my Etsy site JewelryJeans in the next week if time allows. If you are interested keep an eye out for them..
The Lavender Festival in Hood River was a delightful experience. The weather was beautiful. A bit too warm for me, but hey, I will take it.
The lavender fields were gorgeous as you can see from the photos.
Much to my surprise and dismay, and unknown to me until today it "appears" I am allergic to lavender... Hand lotion used, lavender lemonade (which was delicious) and the fields were a bit too much .... My eyes are watering and tired as well as a sniff-ling nose.
Enjoy the photos........allergy free.
Click on the photos for a full screen look.
I'm In Love
Goodness how I love alpacas...how can you not with a face like this one?
This little guy was at one of the lavender farms in Hood River, OR today and if I could have brought him home with me I would have. They are such a fuzzy, soft ball of fur. Ahhhhhhhhhh.
This little guy was at one of the lavender farms in Hood River, OR today and if I could have brought him home with me I would have. They are such a fuzzy, soft ball of fur. Ahhhhhhhhhh.
Exercise Ball
I recently purchased an exercise ball to be used as my painting chair and goodness what a GREAT buy.
I actually believe it has helped my back as it forces me to sit straighter, tightens muscles, and in rolling around I find I do not get as "stiff" as I usually do.
The balls are purchased in sizes according to height so that you get the proper fit.....I purchased mine in Big 5 on sale for $14 and it is worth every penny.
I am even thinking I need to take it up from my studio to the living room for when I am beading in the evening watching/listening to tv....
Just as long as I don't fall asleep I will be fine......
I actually believe it has helped my back as it forces me to sit straighter, tightens muscles, and in rolling around I find I do not get as "stiff" as I usually do.
The balls are purchased in sizes according to height so that you get the proper fit.....I purchased mine in Big 5 on sale for $14 and it is worth every penny.
I am even thinking I need to take it up from my studio to the living room for when I am beading in the evening watching/listening to tv....
Just as long as I don't fall asleep I will be fine......
Sandblaster
I love going to the hardware store with my hubby as I can browse to my hearts' content and he is never "hurrying me along". I love looking to see what there might be "I" can use in one of my artistic adventures, or to make life a bit easier.
Today it was sandpaper that is pliable; on a foam waffle backing so that it is flexible. They say it is "for a professional finish". It will be great on ornaments that are small, grooved areas, etc. I can hardly wait to try it. The "220 between coat"
pads are a real pretty wisteria purple....how neat is that...
There are 4 grades. Stripping, Bare Surfaces, Between coats and Final Finishing.
It is made by 3 M and you get 3 pads that are 5 1/2" by 2 1/4".
Today it was sandpaper that is pliable; on a foam waffle backing so that it is flexible. They say it is "for a professional finish". It will be great on ornaments that are small, grooved areas, etc. I can hardly wait to try it. The "220 between coat"
pads are a real pretty wisteria purple....how neat is that...
There are 4 grades. Stripping, Bare Surfaces, Between coats and Final Finishing.
It is made by 3 M and you get 3 pads that are 5 1/2" by 2 1/4".
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I LOVE FREEZIN' FOG DAYS
Freezing fog on a pine tree bough.