Stencilling and mixed Media

I'm not really sure if work days get any better than last Friday!

Once again, I had the good fortune to attend a workshop

 by Chris Stuart (Fine Artz Studio) focussing on Mixed Media.

Chris showed us many tricks of the trade with transfer techniques. 

All of which were wonderfully adaptable in the classroom and my own work!

But the highlight of the day was the insight I gained into the potential of stencil work.


Can't claim fame to this one unfortunately- this is by the lovely Lucy...

..and this is just part of the work.


We began the whole process by playing around with different stencils
 from a variety of places and we even cut some of our own from a product called ezi-cut.


As you can see we are reminded about the positive and negative,
 and the mirror image of a stencil to provide variation with repetition.

Chris gave us a sheet of watercolour paper which she had prepared with inks.
I really like this starting point because to me,
 there is nothing more distracting than a white surface.


 Lucy strikes again-look at the pattern in the black bird!

We applied our stencils with gesso: layering, using sponges, using rollers .
Then, we applied inks for colours.


We repeated this process over and over..
 blocking out areas... 
creating new areas...
adding & subtracting...
layer upon layer upon layer.

Can't claim fame this one either, unfortunately-this is by Marvelous Marcus!

Now... I'm no Banksy...

..but this process is totally addictive....

 and cathartic...

I really get it!

And if that isn't enough, when you are finished doing all of that stencilling,
you can work over it with pastels, or pens, or crayons...
pick your creative weapon of choice.

This one is mine. 


Tomorrow it is Friday once more...
 and so it's time for a wine whine...


Awww, I wish I was going to another Fine Artz workshop!


Thanks Chris.

Linking up this Elle and Lou post with:

Homestories A to Z

Hope Studios-Tutorial Tuesday

Homework
Sweet Little Girls-turquoise lovin' Monday
Debbiedoos Blogging and Babbling

Thursday

http://www.whipperberry.com/

Friday

http://answerischocolate.blogspot.com/

http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/

http://www.chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/
http://www.releasemecreations.com

Saturday

http://www.fingerprintsonthefridge.com/

http://thirtyhandmadedays.com/

http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/

http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

3d Sculpture for Children

Kids love to build. 

They are naturally drawn to sculptural activities and relish in the challenges they bring! 

How simple are these 3d wonders?

 All we used was some bags of plain paper balls from a craft supplier (polystyrene balls would probably work too), black textas, a hot glue gun, bendy wire and pliers. The stands were pieces of throw away industrial plastic from Reverse Garbage. 

These sculptures are a great way to teach and clarify some of the elements.

 Children  (and adults) are often confused by shape and form but its easy really....a circle is a shape, but a sphere is a form. These primary school sculptures were achieved through a focus on shape, line and form (some elements of art). The students 'drew' line work on the spheres and through the manipulation of the wire.

Obviously balance (a principle of art) was also a major consideration both visually and structurally. The little artists loved figuring out how far they could 'push' the design before it physically tipped - some great problem solving resulted.

I did this with Year 6 but I could easily take it into the secondary school classes.  

This was fun, fun, fun! 

Try it...I'd love to see the results!

Linking up Elle and Lou with:

Homemaker on a Dime-Sunday Blog Hop
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Sugar Bee Crafts- Take a Look Tuesday
Homestories A to Z
Hope Studios-Tutorial Tuesday
Homework

Ceramic Owls Children's Art

Don't look now....

but our art class have been busy creating a parliament of owls

 (isn't that a great collective noun?).

I actually prefer to call them ....

The Broody Bunch

(the owls, not my class)

They are so simple to make.

 This broody bunch was completed by my class of 10 years olds,

however,  my 6 year old made one just as easily!

My apologies for the quality of these photos,

 but I wanted to show you how I displayed them.

I cut out a tree from black paper making sure to include a hole in the middle and lots of spooky branches. Then I attached the owls and tree to the boards with velcro spots. 

These owls are found in many fantastic places on the net and I'm really not sure who began them- they look like something left over from the 70's school art scene to me

 (I mean that in a good way).

All you need is a:

 ball of clay

rolling pin /plastic cup/ dowel (to roll the clay

 texta lid ( or anything to create texture)

One Crayola Short has a great owl tutorial to follow,

 as does That Artist Woman- so check them out if you are interested.

We painted ours with glazes, but you could certainly use acrylics on air dried clay.

Alternatively, I'd love to try these with a polymer clay too and use vibrant fun colours.

I hope you give them a go...

we certainly had a hoot!

These and other art lessons are also pinned on my Pinterest boards.

Linking up Elle and Lou with these great sites:

Be Different, Act Normal- Show and Tell Saturday

Serenity Now Blog- Weekend Bloggy Reading
Tatertots and Jello- Weekend Wrap up party

Hope Studios-Tutorial Tuesday

Homemaker on a Dime-Sunday Blog Hop

C.R.A.F.T- Making Monday Marvelous
Keeping It Simple - Motivate me Monday

Between Naps on the Porch

Boogie Board Cottage- Masterpiece Monday
Homestories A to Z
The Girl Creative- Monday

Debbiedoos Blogging and Babbling

Homework
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Sugar Bee Crafts- Take a Look Tuesday
Lil' Luna

Tootsie Wootsie

Handy Man, Crafty Woman

Bunny Jeans Decor

Day & Age Design

Under the Table and Dreaming

Keeping It Simple

Meet Virginia Design

The T-Shirt Diaries

Some What Simple

Beyond the Picket Fence

Be Different Act Normal-Show and Tell Saturday

Halloween Decorations - Book Bunting

Halloween has never been that big in Australia.

Growing up as a kid- it wasn't celebrated here at all.

I can't help thinking that we really missed out on something.

Halloween, Day of the Dead, All Saints Day.

All over the world and through history, it has had its various spine-chilling forms.

Essentially I think its popularity comes down to two things:

(1) We love being scared

and

(2) We love dressing up.

Maybe there is a another reason... 

Over the last few years there has been a slow eerie change!

More and more Australians are joining in the fun,

We are going to the neighbours house,

so I've made them a little gift....

SPOOKY BUNTING!

I found this ABC book for 10 cents at the local op shop.

Then cut the triangles.

Sewed on the ribbon.

I used the book cover to make into an envelope. 

Stitched the sides.

Made a tag.

So, what is the other reason Halloween is still so relevant and popular?

I think it reminds us of our mortality.

 It gives us a chance to remember,

 to grieve, to laugh.

Happy Halloween!

Linking Elle and Lou with these fabulous sites:

C.R.A.F.T- Making Monday Marvelous
Keeping It Simple - Motivate me Monday

Between Naps on the Porch

Boogie Board Cottage- Masterpiece Monday
Homestories A to Z
The Girl Creative- Monday

Etsy store- on line and operational

Finally, it has come together!

The Elle & Lou Etsy store has opened for business!

It has been a bit of a learning curve and I still have some curves to go.


So, what can you expect to see?


Elle & Lou on Etsy is fashion, decor and art.
Up-cycled, handmade, eco-friendly designs.


Here is a sneak peak of my Hybrids....

They are original art prints which combine vintage images on upcycled papers.


The artworks are limited edition with only a few printed in each run.
Every image is unique, as no two backgrounds are the same.

They can be ordered to suit the individual
- choose a number, choose a map page (if I have it, I'll do it).

More on this another time,  but in the mean time
I'd be as happy as a clam  lobster if you pop over to
Etsy and check out my shop!

OMG!

OMG!

I forgot to blog!

Not really-just busy with paid work!
Life has got the better of me and actually I am still  in the processes of changing my blog URL , setting up an Etsy site and all the time-consuming learning that goes with all this.
Won't be too much longer though, promise.

In the meantime, this is a card I made for a friend's 40th.
The image comes from this fabulous book of Oscar moments and the lettering from those kids' pencil-cases that you cut the letters out to spell you name- I really love that green and that dame, Miss Lovelace!


Linking with:
Debbiedoos Blogging and Babbling

Elle & Lou Welcome and Invitation

Welcome to Elle & Lou,

 my brand new blog designed to support my creative whims, desires, successes and musings.

I invite you to follow along

 as the fun begins in early October, 2011.

In the meantime please check out Uber Savvy Buzzword  which will be linked to this blog.