Blogging again and a new tutorial

So.......

To say I'm not the most consistant of bloggers might be a bit of an understatement. It's a big commitment, this blogging thing.

Coming up with new ideas, recording the video or composing the posts, can all take a lot of time. Working 4-5 days a week in my day job and then...life...it just doesn't leave that much time for blogging.

But then came CO-VID19!

Not being an "essential worker" I've been in lockdown for awhile now.

During this time, I've completed a decent amount of art projects and also finished some major household chores. Chores that are put off because it's just too big a job. Ones like taking off the kitchen ceiling fan blades so that I can clean them properly, or organising my linen cupboard...fun stuff, like that. Ha!

Then I remembered my poor neglected website.

I've been gone so long that the platform has changed so much. My old blog was outdated and I had to transfer everything over to this new one!

So here I am again. Bright eyed and bushy tailed and raring to post some art.

Today I have three videos where I prove that it doesn't cost a lot of money to start an art journal practice. If you switch things around, you can achieve many different looks using very minimal supplies. So here are my suggestions for Art journaling on a budget

Happy Journaling to you all.

Take care and stay safe.

Cheap paints are sometimes okay!

We all have that perception that, if something is inexpensive, then it isn't going to do a good job.

That can be true with acrylic paints, but it really depends on what you want to do with them.

Today, I've posted a journal page where I've used some very inexpensive paints from the scrapbooking section in K-Mart.

A lot of thought had been put into the colour choices..... very enticing. Boxed into sets of four at just AUD$5. I couldn't resist!

As I mentioned in the video, some of the colours had varying consistancies, but all were workable.

Using a credit card, I scraped a translucent layer of pink and blue over a scruffy old layer of purple.

With a well loaded brush in yellow, I laid in some petals and buds.

For leaves and stems, I used my brush, loaded in light green then tipped into the dark green. (This gave me a nice variation of greens all in the one stroke)

Using the back of a brush I dipped into orange and dotted in the flower centers

Highlights and some shading was applied and also a black outline.

On the facing page, I sketched in a girls face, basecoated her in flesh coloured acrylic then finished her off with pastel pencils. Yellow paint and a brown Tombow marker were used for her hair.

My memory card was filled up by now, so I missed out on recording the addition of some lettering, a few white background cirlcles and details on the girls dress.

So next time you see some bargain paint, give it a try. Using inexpensive materials has a way of freeing you up!

#demonstration #artjournal #acrylicpaint #portrait

What WhimsiKans want to know

Hi everyone.....

Today, I'm introducing a new concept.....the ARTicle.

On these posts, I'll share my views on products, workshops, resources and all things arty!

I hope you enjoy these 'ARTicles' ....I know that I'll have fun putting them together! :)

Today, I have a workshop review for you.

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Workshop: Blobapaloosa by Leslie Wood

The workshop is hosted on the Course Craft platform

Total Video Content.......over 6.5 hrs

Downloadable videos....Yes

Companion PDF's............Yes

Current Price.....................US$55

Skill level............................Beginner

Fun for.................................Beginner/Intermediate

Social Community...........Facebook. Closed class group

(I was so lucky to win this workshop in a competition drawn by Leslie herself. It in no way reflects on my review or opinion of the class)

During this course, Leslie is going to hold your hand through the whole process of creating your journal, adding backgrounds to each spread and then developing fun and interesting blob creatures.

I had a relaxing, fun time creating and filling my journal and it is one of the few times that I have have gone from start to finish on a workshop project without getting distracted by a shiny, new art idea.

I don't know about you, but I often skip videos from workshop teachers that are purely thoughts and commentary about their classes. Leslie is not one to be skipped however.

She has a quirky way of relating to the camera and her honest and unrehearsed commentary are delightful and entertaining. (Whatever you do, don't miss the 'blob definitions' video!)

Leslie has a reassuring and encouraging teaching style that I enjoy and she allows us to listen to her thought process as she works through each artwork.

From the enchanting stop motion video intros right through the entertaining naration and thorough instructions, you will enjoy every moment of this delightful workshop.

It truly is Blobtastic!

Here is a quick video of my workshop projects

This website and all contents herein are protected by Copyright C 2015-2017 Karen Hawkins. All rights are reserved.

Disclaimer: Reviews are my expressed opinions only. I am not providing any professional recommendations and under no circumstances will I be held liable for any differences in said opinions.

#ARTicle #review #workshop #mixedmedia #book