This is a very old site, but I'd like to still keep it active so I'll be converting it to the new Google Sites. I have no idea what the new look will be like. Probably very bare bones!
Sep 22, 2020
site changes
Feb 4, 2013
How To Make A Digital Mandala
Go to
http://www.sumopaint.com/app/
Click Open From Computer (if you want to use an image of your own)
Select an image
Click Open
Click on Filters (right below address bar)
Hover your mouse over Distort
Select Kaleidoscope
Then you can change the number of sides, zoom in our out, drag the little circle to change what area is focused on etc
when done, click OK
Totally optional:
You can play with it more under Adjustments, Filters etc
You can turn an image like this:
Into a mandala like this:
Jun 30, 2012
Make Your Own Stencil For Fabric Painting - Condor Shirt
May 21, 2012
Painting On Raw Canvas - Experimentations
I waited for the top layer to dry - very fast since it was a sweltering hot, sunny day.
Then I flipped the canvas over and and began applying the paint to the back with a big brush, adding water as needed with the brush. This side looks very primary but I will paint over it later and this canvas will become double-sided - I can rotate it on a whim :)
I chose where I put the big washes of colour on the back because I wanted it to bleed through in specific places on the front. For example I wanted the weeds to be greenish.
With this technique, what happens is that the paint on the front blocks colour from bleeding through from the back. The paint from the back only will bleed through onto any remaining parts of canvas that are still raw. It ended up having a far cooler effect than I had expected and I'm really excited about it :-)
One of the parts of this piece that I love most is the way the colour gradation shows through in the three diagonal lines in the corner:
I put my second piece of canvas under the piece I was painting part way through - as soon as I saw what cool effects were bleeding through onto the old sheet. I wanted them on the blank canvas instead!
Would I do anything differently if I did this again?
Yes - first of all I would use more than one finger for holding down the spray nozzle! :-)
I also would leave more areas raw, with only sparse splatter on them, because of how much I love the bleeding through effect.
Mar 26, 2012
Arashi Shibori Style Tshirt Alteration
I use very watered down acrylic paints as a fabric paint rather than fabric dyes and I'm using non-silk fabric so what I'm doing isn't actually Shibori - but that is what has inspired and informed me.
The particular Shibori technique I've been using is called Arashi aka Pole Wrapping. Usually it's done on a diagonal but with this Tshirt, I've done it vertically. I wasn't too careful about making the top of the paint be in an evenly horizontal line which is driving me a bit nuts but I don't notice it much when I wear it so hopefully I will be able to ignore it :)
For those interested in trying this, I didn't even buy any special supplies (eg PVC pipe, sinew or waxed twine).
I covered an old cardboard tube with a plastic bag (so it wouldn't get soggy when it got wet) and used a rubber band to hold each end of the shirt on and used waxed dental floss to wind around. I'm sure twine would be easier on the hands (dental floss is so thin and my fingers were pretty sore afterward) but I like using what I have on hand. When I'm done, I unwrap the floss and wind it onto an old cardboard toilet paper roll to re-use for future Shibori :)
Because the paint was applied by hand to a mostly dry Tshirt, most of the colour stayed on the top exposed layer of the shirt. When using a dye bath or having the shirt very wet first, more of the colour will spread through other layers.
I washed and dried once before wearing. I've had great success using inexpensive acrylic 'craft' paint instead of fabric paint. It does need to be watered down to avoid being stiff or crunchy. I've never used any of the additives you can buy to 'transform' acrylic paint into fabric paint.
This was a plain orange Tshirt and I was hoping for a flame-like effect along the bottom of the shirt:
Check out this great post showing various Shibori techniques: DIY Shibori
Jan 10, 2012
Red Star Mandala
When I want to create but have little energy, I often turn to the free graphics editing program Sumopaint and make mandalas from images I already have on hand.
This mandala was created from a photo of a painting in progress (shown below).
I really love how the texture of the canvas itself shows up in this mandala and makes beautiful, feathery lines.
The painting in progress is small and simple so far. I'm enjoying the colours.
5"x7"
acrylic on canvasboard
Jan 2, 2012
Alien Spires Painting In Progress
I'm finding it really interesting how the way I paint is changed by having images by another person as an underpainting.
At first I thought I wanted to mask areas of his paintings and then have them showing through when my painting was finished... but it didn't look right to me.
You can see some of his original concentric circles showing through in this version. I have already added a coat of paint so the original colours aren't present but the shapes are:
One thing that was really excellent about this experiment was how my choice of colour was influenced by the previous painting. It led me to choose colours and combinations of colours that I wouldn't have normally. I like being stretched like this and I now have a greater appreciation for why some artists sometimes choose a 'pallette' and constrain themselves to it.
There are still changes I plan to make to this painting, areas and colours that I want to change, but for those who enjoy seeing parts of the process, here's how it looks now:
I'm still a bit frustrated by the way the blue 'tower' on the right appears to lean toward the left (rather than looking like the pink and gold shape is in front of it) but I think I know how to fix that by having a bit of it peek out from the lower left side of that shape.
I'm loving the glowing goldy colours (which are much gentler without the flash glare :)
Dec 25, 2011
Dec 21, 2011
Free Intuitive Heart eCourse by Lauren Luquin
Lauren, beautiful soul that she is, decided to offer it for free!
You can read her lyrical, eloquent description of the course by clicking the image above.
Participants decide their own level of participation, no pressure or expectations.
:-)
That's perfect for me - I'm in hibernation mode right now, moving slowly and being cautious about commitments.
Lauren notes:
"*all Intuitive Heart members will get 11% off everything in my Etsy shop,
Sep 30, 2011
Painting In Progress 1
I'm so excited to have my health returned to a level where I can use acrylic paints and glue again! I am returning to my first love of using texture in painting.
Here's a work in progress:
first, paint, then a layer of glue-water mix - half and half, that I used to attach repurposed biodegradable packing peanuts! They end up shrinking and collapsing in fun ways:
It's great to keep old, damaged brushed to use for glue since the glue wrecks a little more each time anyway. You can get more life from a glue brush by washing it with HOT water and soap as soon as possible after using. I use an old toothbrush with soap right on it to scrub the glue brush.
then I used the same glue-water mix to attach pieces of printed napkins. Once the glue dries, the part of the napkin that was white becomes transparent so that just the printing shows. Flowers and a butterfly:
I have since painted the packing peanuts a shimmery pearl white and now I feel stuck in that place of wanting to add more... but afraid of messing it up!
I have soooo many paintings in an unfinished state because of this.
If you'd like to see amazing examples of fearless layered paintings, check out Tara Leaver. She is awesome! And she takes the time and effort to share photos of each step of her panting journeys! Such dedication and patience! I have learned so much as an artist from following her blog.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.