Posts Tagged ‘Flowers’

Flower Decopage

I thought I would post something entirely different today.  What follows is how to turn a plain cardboard box into a beautiful flowered wastebasket (or storage box….whatever you find useful)   Several years ago, I cut flowers from several old magazines and glued them to empty file folder boxes.  I have used them for storing special fabric.

The process is very easy. You just cut out flowers or scenes from magazine before tossing them.  (I usually pass older magazines onto the Senior’s Center, but once in awhile I’ll use one up on a project like this).

Below is a file folder that has been covered with flowers cut from various magazines.

Today, I decided to transform an 8″ square, 36″ high cardboard box that sits next to my computer and work table because I’m so lacking in space, the tall, thin box was a great use of space.

I cut various photos of flowers from a Good Housekeeping magazine to begin the transformation.  From what I’ve done so far, I’ll probably use up two more magazines….depending, of course, on how many flower photos are in each one.   I cut them out with scissors, curving in and around them to make the  overlapping shapes more interesting.

Then, I turn each piece over and cover the edge all around with glue stick, adding  some lines of glue inside the shape for the best attachment.  The entire box will be sprayed or brushed with lacquer at the very end, so you don’t have to cover the entire back of each cut out,  but it is important to make sure all the edges are glued down well.

This is the way I begin by wrapping some of the larger cut outs around the corner of what I’m decorating.

Here is a picture of how the overlapping of photos creates a sea of flowers, rather than an identifiable scene.

Here’s what two nearly finished sides look like.  Once I’ve finished the sides, I might cover the bottom in the same way or just use plain paper.  The top edge can either end flush with the cardboard, or wrap the flowered paper over the edge, glue down and then reinforce with tape, if you wish.    The last step is to spray all the outside surfaces with lacquer.    Voila…..you have a beautiful container and have recycled the colorful contents of one or more magazines!

Good Luck!

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More Almost Daily Sketches

Two more 3″ X 5″ sketches done with Micron Pen on sketchbook pad I carry with me all the time.   My motto is:   when in doubt,  draw plants and flowers.

Enjoy

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Almost Daily Sketches

As you can see, these are not recent sketches.  I’m working on a larger than usual pastel for me and I’m not ready to show it.   In the meantime, I went back through my sketchbooks and found several that had never been posted.     Let’s see:   a pumpkin, a Chickadee, some tulips and an unidentified flower……..that just about covers it!

Enjoy!

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Harvey’s Flowers

This is a watercolor I did for a very good friend who has been very ill.  He always admired my flower paintings here in the blog……..and isn’t it a rule that you have to take flowers to someone in the hospital?  Well, here is Harvey’s.    This was is a quick 9 X 12 and only vaguely resembles real flowers.  Sometime, I just like to make up my own.

Enjoy.

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Big Sur Spring in Pastel

This is a photo taken from Hwy 1 in the Big Sur area of California.  Chick and I took the trip several years ago and loved the views….although as a city boy, he wasn’t crazy about driving so close to cliffs that fell majestically down to rocks and the ocean.

About two years ago, I decided to paint this view using a technique I had been reading about which was to paint the large areas with acrylic and then put the pastel over that.  The idea being that some of the color from the acrylic painting would effect the pastel (since pastel is primarily a crystal).  Unfortunately, I guess I didn’t read enough.  I blocked in the areas with color….pink in the sky yellow and gold for the hills, etc.  I painted this on watercolor paper and put a rather heavy layer of acrylic down, totally filling the indentations in the paper and making a slick surface.  When I tried to paint over with pastel, it just slid off the acrylic.   So, back into the folder of “unfinished paintings” it went.

Since that time, I’ve done a lot more study and taken a demonstration class in using watercolor as the first layer…….thinly, of course.   So, a few days ago, I decided to see what I could do with the painting.

Unfortunately, I didn’t take a picture of it before starting, so I don’t have an example of that to show you.  I used  a spray fixitive  make by Lascaux to lay down a surface that the pastel might stay on.  It was a bit of a struggle with lots of  negotiating, but I finally finished the painting    (unless, of course,  I decide later to make changes…I do that all the time…..final is not always final.  I think you have to live with a painting for awhile to know if you are really done)

The following will show you the painting about 1/4 to 1/3 done from the top down, then about 3/4 done and the probable final version.  I hope you enjoy it!

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Almost Daily Sketches

I’m working on several things at once, but have to stop occasionally and get some drawing in.  These were drawn (quickly, I might add) on a 3 X 5 sketch pad using a brown Sharpie.  As you can see almost anything catches my attention when I’m in the mood.  If you can’t identify the flowers, don’t worry.  I took artist’s license to improvise as I went along.   Hope you enjoy

Sorry the film is so faint.  I should have stopped and made sure I had more light on the easel, but then there you are.

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Pastel for Pasadena Exhibition

Titled:  Above the Arroyo

This is a 9 X 12 soft pastel on Canson’s Mi Tientes, using primarily Unisons.

This is my entry into the most recent call for exhibition submissions by the California Art Club.  This is in conjunction with the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce.  Accepted paintings will be on display the SouthPas ArtFest  2010 from October 20 through November 13 at the SoPas Gallery, located at 1121 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA.

The paintings were to be of South Pasadena and/or the Arroyo.  Unfortunately, the leaves haven’t really been changing a lot in the Arroyo and I wasn’t drawn to anything in particular, but this scene along the road that traverses the top of the Arroyo caught my eye.

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White Clematis

I’m in the middle of completely redoing my “studio”  (2 small bedrooms) and have totally neglected my daily sketching!   Can’t have that!  So, here is this afternoon’s effort done on the usual 3 X 5 sketchpad in my lap.

I do have exciting news (for me, at least), and that is that on August 31st, I entered two digital submissions to a national competition being held by The Pastel Journal!   Boy, did that take a lot of anxiety calories….I must have lost maybe a half pound…………..

Anyway, although I have entered three shows sponsored by my local Lakewood Artists Guild, this is the first national competition that I’ve entered (could you tell?  Am I repeating myself?)  However, since I had years of entering quilts back in the days when that was my artistic endeavor of choice, I know from experience that the next one will be so much easier.  It’s always that first hurdle, right?

I don’t think they will be letting anyone know if they are even being considered until January.  These national competitions attract thousands of entries and the staff has to first make sure that what you are submitting meets the technical criteria, and then there’s the first go-round to whittle the final judging down to a reasonable number.

So, I’m now preparing to enter some others that still  have 2010 deadlines to take my mind off this one.

Oh, I think I didn’t say that I submitted the last pastel I finished “Coast Sentinels” and one done earlier titled “Birches”.  Both are in the landscape category, so I’m competing against myself along with the hordes of others.   Believe me, I’ll keep you posted when I hear anything!

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Coast Sentinels Step Two

Well, it’s been awhile since I last posted.  Unfortunately, I pinched a nerve in my neck and haven’t been able to sit OR stand at an easel for awhile.   If you scroll down to before the post regarding the display at the bank,  you’ll see the first step in this study.  Hopefully, I’ll get it finished in the next day or two and move on.

I hope you enjoy!

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Display in Gateway Bank

I completed hanging 7 paintings in the bank yesterday.   The photos below just give you an idea of how they are placed throughout the main floor.  Actually, I’m working on 4 new pastels that I hope to take in and substitute for 4 I just put up.  The new ones are brighter and larger and will show up better.   I have to say, I’m excited when I see my work up on a wall.  Particularly in a location like this where the paintings will be seen by the general public, rather than someone visiting a gallery…..  Not that I would turn down a chance to hang in a gallery!

The people working in the bank were looking forward to seeing new work and they say that their customers notice right away and talk about what they like, etc.  Since this is a commercial bank, they have a local customer base that comes in often.  It will be interesting to hear any comments.  But, once again, I believe the reception to the newer work will be even more positive.   I should be able to get the exchange done next week.   We’ll see.

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