Painting Again

Mexican folk and American pop art are not the only major aesthetic influences in my art.  I am also drawn to the natural lines and subjects of the Arts & Crafts movement of turn of the 19th Century (as well as to the writings and arts of the fin-de-siècle).  For the last year I've been meaning to do some paintings inspired by this era - mostly florals - but in my own style.  I finally started!

Anyway, it's late.  I'm tired, the gel medium is drying...   Why don't I just show you what I've been up to over the last few weeks?



It's almost finished & I'll be sure to post about it when it is (there are already people asking for the prints).  I intend this piece to be the first in a series of four - I even have the preliminary idea sketch for the next painting (pomegranates) done and am ready to start to the color study/sketch.

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Nowhere NEAR Finished, But...

More layers of color...
Originally uploaded by Skelekitty (Krissi Sandvik)

here is the progress thus far on "Painting The Roses Red," just the same. Today is gel medium transfer day. On a lot of pieces, I'll use clear packing tape as a transfer medium, but I wanted this piece to have a dreamy/layered look to it (I want to see the "space" between the layers using the thickness of the gel medium).

For those of you who haven't heard yet, the DaVinci Mode Challenge is STILL going, even though we passed day 30 a few days ago. I'm calling the new challenge "DVM-365!"

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In Wonderland

More progress
Originally uploaded by Skelekitty (Krissi Sandvik)

I've been working on a new painting for the last few days that is NOT Skelekitty. This piece is called "Painting the Roses Red" and is my submission for the "Alice in Wonkaland" call for artists. The show will be in July in So. Cal., so keep your eyes (and RSS feeds) open for more info. Even if my piece isn't accepted (sniffle), I'll post about this amazing and super way cool "Alice meets Willie Wonka" show!

clickie click on the photo for a few notes about what's on the painting and my art table....

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Finished Art or Technique Experiment?

Most of the quilts or mixed-media pieces or even the ATCs I create usually start with an idea, theme or play on words, but the piece I just finished wasn't really anything except experimentation with some techniques.


I wanted to see what kind of effects I could get with the silver irridescent and red/orange interference paints mixed with acrylic glazing medium. It turned out so-so compared to my hopes, but I did like the way the background shows through, even with umpteen layers of watercolor pencil/pastel shading and silver glaze.


I wanted a little bit of dimension on the milagros so I used several carefully placed layers of Golden's clear tar gel with the teeny-tiniest bit of Lumiere mica powder mixed in.



I also played around a little with a handwriting rubber stamp, some basic masking techniques and two different inks (for some hard-core masking techniques and tools, check this out). The first layer of stamping is under the background color and I used StazOn black permanent ink. I love StazOn, which isn't much of a surprise since Tsukineko also makes the Fabrico double-tipped fabric marker which is one of my staples for art quilts (remember my art quilts? I barely do).

I used Brilliance Moonlight White pigment ink (yeah, by Tsukineko again) for the top layer of stamping/masking. This time, I thought it would be fun to add some embossing powder - here's a tip: careful you don't end up melting or bubbling your acrylic layers with your heat gun... that is, unless you're going for that look. I liked the way that the white really stands out where the embossing powder stuck to the pigment inks, even with another layer of acrylic glaze over it. I'm filing that experiment away as "successful."

In between the layers of stamping I used one of my favorite transfer techniques - good ol' packing tape and my Epson inkjet printer. For those of you about to try this, you can use all kinds of images to transfer - newspaper clippings, laser copies, inkjet prints, magazine photos, etc. Results will vary depending on the quality and water soluability of the ink transfered. You can also use clear Contac paper for large images. I like these techniques over gel medium image transfers because I get a very thin transfer very QUICKLY.

For the edges, I had planned to use aluminum HVAC repair tape (I don't have a favorite brand so just Google it, folks) plain and simple, but once I got it on there it just looked too dangded shiney. Adirondack alcohol inks to the rescue (in oregano, caramel and latte)! I used their ink applicator tool (you could use cotton balls, but I like the convenience and tidy nature of the applicator) to dab the various colors on, then I sprayed it with some rubbing alcohol and let everything dry. I topped the whole frame off with a very carefully applied layer of matte acrylic topcoat.

Well, I guess that's it! If you just happen to like it as a pretty picture it's called "Praying For (big) Miracles and is 24x12". If you would like to have it for your very own, it is "$100 and available through Side Show Studios until March 10th.

Thanks for reading and happy experimenting!

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Art Is Like A Box Of Chocolates...

Once again, a piece I'm working on is not ending up where I thought it would, but it's still pretty cool.

When I started the piece that I wanted to do for the Valentine's Day love & lust / the human body show at Side Show Studios, I envisioned more "real life" color coming through multiple layers of transparent silver glaze on the milagros, so I started by shading with orange (hand) and red (heart).


Once I got going on the first layer of painting, things just weren't looking the way I'd hoped so I went another route - black and grey shading over the silver glazed layers, with a little interference paints (orange and red) mixed in for some fun. I ended up spending MUCH more time on the background color blending and layering than I had intended too. Who knew? Anyway, here's where I stand, with some Golden tar gel drying over the milagros (hence the spots of cloudyness).


I have no clue what else this needs (though I do have my "finishing touch" thanks to a little convincing by Evie to trust my initial instincts).

I also finished, as you know, the piece for Allyson of her doggie, Lulu, as a skelecritter.


After much prodding by Ron, Allyson and everyone else, I went back and made the 'skele-Abby' up in the right corner more prominent:


This is finally sealed & dry, and has all the hanging hardware attached to the back so it's going to Al TOMORROW! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she likes it.

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Two new creations (mixed media)

At long last, here are the new pieces up at Grind & Groove in Midtown Sacramento through the end of the month (along with four quilts, a framed print and a hand painted frame). Since I have a little cold, I figured I might as well catch up on uploading photos in between naps. First,

"Star F*cker"16x11" mixed media on canvas

Many of us in the art, crafts or music (or late night horror host) scene know one or two of these. The tone on tone writing reads,
"I do nothing ORIGINAL"
"but i know people who do."
"Who I know defines my worth."
newspaper clippings, sharpie markers, glitter, milagros, liquid acrylics, crystal medium and ... ummm... paper towels (Bounty, if you MUST know).

and

"The Catalyst" 16x11 mixed-media on canvas

Cohort or alter-ego to the Star F*cker, the Catalyst enjoys creating volatile situations among her "friends" and sitting back to enjoy the explosion. Since she is not, by her very nature, consumed by the process of catalysis, she is able to create many such reactions.
liquid acrylics, digital transfers with gel medium & crystal medium

Both paintings are available at Grind & Groove in Midtown Sacramento until the end of the month (or through me if you're out of town).

Critiques, questions and usolicited advice (on the techniques, not my relationships) are welcome from fellow arteests and crafty fiends.

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Golden Child: Chris Cozen

Yesterday, the mixed media artists group to which I (and La Snatchita) belong, met, as we do once a month. Our meeting was almost canceled when a family emergency took our scheduled presenter out of town. However, yesterday fortune managed a smile for our group and we were treated to a presentation by Pasadena-based Golden Working Artist, Chris Cozen. I'm not sure whether to stalk her or give her permanent stink-eye for it, but I'm now wanting one of EVERY product created by Golden, of which there are MANY new ones!

Chris's short, but densely informative presentation solved the "paint mud" problem I've been having, while opening numerous doors of mixed-media possibilities. Most of us spent the lecture trying to keep our chins off the floor or wiping away art-supply-coveting drool. I'm glad I came home with her book, Altered Surfaces...., and have been reading and re-reading it since yesterday. If you're a crafter or mixed-media artist without a chemistry or art education background and don't have this yet, you MUST get it.



She is in the process of writing a new book I plan to be in line to pre-purchase on transfer techniques, a particular love and interest (obsession?) of mine. Unfortunately, we must all wait until early 2009 before we can start thumbing through our own copies. Rest assured, I will be giving it a review.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to seeing a presentation on Golden's Mix More Media line - I have the kit, albeit unopened, sitting like a shrine to printed possibilities in the center of my studio. I have made a solemn oath not to open it or read up on the possibilities until I catch up on all of my backorders, swaps and get the Skelekitty copyright and licensing stuff in order (dang).

Anyway, as you probably expected, there is a new blog on Skelekitty's list:

Let's Talk Color

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