I have had a very stressful and busy year at school and I have not had time to create, blog and build my youtube channel. I have to say that participating in Facebook art groups, such as, Krazy Island Family, Journaling by 5s along with Gelli Printing Enthusiast has help me stay creative and continue creating. Step one is always fairly easy, I tend to use the Gelli Arts® plate. This allows me to get texture and depth in one step. This time I add spray inks in the first step with stencils too. I have 20 finished pieces listed in my etsy shop: www.etsy.com/shop/debbyepps & four videos on my Youtube Channel: Debby Epps as a result of the process.
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Due to an extremely stressful start to the school year, both my art blog and time in the art studio have suffered. I worked really hard for a few art shows that didn't payoff and left me feeling even more deflated. Last night I watched recent youtube videos to get inspired, and then went into the studio to explore. I have been trying to use color combinations that I see others use successfully and change it up and tried printing on card blanks. Well, that was such a bust that I found myself reverting back to my comfort zone. I think to really add to my new palette it will take adding some new bottles or tube of paint! I also feel like it is time to cut more background stencils on the shilouette. On a brighter note, my etsy 50% off sale helped generate one custom order which was so fulfilling to create and a possible second custom order. I have found that I can use Facebook post to promote my art work and etsy shop but it seems to take a big sale to generate orders. I feel that my pricing is in line, but purchasing art is a desire not a need. In today's economy, we still seem cautious about our spending; however clothing and jewelry seem like necessary purchases. I have joined some of the Facebook Etsy-Shop groups in hopes to promote my shop more while keeping my cost still to listing and selling fees. I did order the new card reader to try since the square won't swipe with my new android phone? Same rates, removes it from my shop inventory and shows as a sale in my shop. So as I edit last night's video and wait for it to upload, I am going to cut new stencils, start participating in the etsy group post & posting my shop listings. My 50% off sale on all current canvas inventory will continue through January 31st so stop by a take a look:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/debbyepps Link to Etsy Shop I have participated in a few local art show recently and was s uprising at how little traffic there was. Location, location is everything. I have been positioned on the main street of an annual art show the last 2 years, without other artist near and no electricity (4 -10pm show) so this year I elected to join several other artist just off the main street in a large park area. We had a music stage, food trucks and decent weather considering the earlier for cast of rain. Unfortunately, it seemed more like a waste of time. Almost no sales, very little traffic and reports of large crowds on the main street. Not sure, but I feel like the location was too remote. I will definitely keep participating in shows like this, but will stick to my instinct about my actual location. This has been an issue before and with an excess of inventory on hand I have decided it is time for a 50% off sale on canvases.
I have been trying to vary the stencils and colors that I use when Gelli® printing. It is very easy to fall into using similar sets of colors and the same stencils. I make an effort to try to keep adding to my stencil collection. Video Link I have been cutting several animals to use in black out Gelli® prints. I find it harder to get background stencils that I am happy with in layers. permission to use the Gelli® or Gelli Arts® trademark, which is owned by Gelli Arts® LLC Using scrapbook papers under the Gelli® prints helps accent the colors in the print.
Recently I have considered the possibility of needing to separate my personal facebook page from my artistic post. I sometimes worry that my repeated post bother them. I realized the other day that unless they belong to the Facebook groups that I am posting in, they would not see the 5 post when I share a new video or blog post.
1. Pebeo on tissue and pattern 2. White clean up too heavy with Golden Open Acrylic on top 3. Golden Open Acrylic overlapping Pebeo layers 4. Coral craft paint too wet but will add second layer later. Once I realized that I could Gelli® print on tissue, I kept thinking about sewing pattern tissue and gift wrap tissue. I have successfully printed on both through my printer and stamped on it but would it stand up to the Gelli Arts® plate or not? Why yes, it is possible; however, it does require a delicate touch. I made sure to pull gently, but firmly from both sides with even pressure. But the most important step is before you ever lay the tissue down! The type of paint and amount of paint affect the results. I found that the translucent Goldens Open Acrylics worked the best along with very light applications of Basics or Pebeo Acrylics. The wetter craft paint didn't work as well. I do think that the distressed inks would also work great with this paper medium. I found that the too heavy paint layers once dry could easily take a second layer of monoprinting. Also cutting the tissue down into more manageable sizes might help if your space is limited. The plan is to continue to explore this weekend and upload a video documenting my results on my youtube channel : Debby Epps. permission to use the Gelli® or Gelli Arts® trademark, which is owned by Gelli Arts® LLC
I started making an effort to use several papers as I use my Gelli Arts® plate. It bothered me to waste paper by cleaning my brayer on the same paper. Eventually,it just was mud. Now, I keep the blues, greens on one paper and reds, purples on another. I will occasionally mix them on same large paper but not let them roll over each other. These brayer papers can then be used as a base layer for future Gelli® prints or backgrounds for other projects. I use them to decorate happy mail envelopes.
Here is an example of a recent project using the brayer ed map as a background. The giraffe was added with the Gelli Arts® plate and some additional stamping in black ink. Later, I mounted it on additional scrapbook paper. Video Link I recently participated in a napkin swap. While preparing to mail 48 napkins off, I pulled off the back two layers. Of course, I couldn't just throw them out. I thought I would stamp on them, like I do white tissue papers. But while Gelli® printing, I grabbed a stack of 48 napkin back layers to try to pull a print. I figure that I had nothing to lose since the Gelli® plate, stencils and brayer are easy enough to clean up. Pictured below are a few of the napkin scraps that I had leftover from my printing session. However, I did leave the two back layers together when I pulled the prints to help make it less delicate and then I tore them apart to soften the edges and removed the back layer. I took the pieces and used them to enhance or finish Gelli® prints that I had done the day before. I found them easy to print on like deli paper, but much easier to adhere to other projects than the deli paper which often doesn't want to adhere. This allowed me to move thempermission to use the Gelli® or Gelli Arts® trademark, which is owned by Gelli Arts® LLC around and get the exact placement I wanted. I continued to collage and embellish my pieces shown below.
This blog is part of a chain of artist blog hops. Each artist answers three questions, and selects three more artist to continue to the chain. Thanks to Sally Trace for giving me a chance to participate and including me on her blog hop: http://www.sallytrace.com/blog 1. How does your creative process work? 2. How does your art differ from others in the same genre? 3. What are you working on right now? How does my process work? It usually starts with an vintage image, gelli printed paper or collection of ephemera. This leads me to my stash of papers, ephemera and odds & ends to pull pieces that fit together to make a story of my central figure. Once I have collected several items that visually represent the person or era of my piece, I start to lay it out on my canvas adjusting as I go before attaching with gel medium to a canvas. Usually, I cut out my vintage figure in white cardstock and add it to the canvas. By using gel medium over the white cardstock, this allows me to use Faber Castell Pitt Artist Markers, with india ink, to "paint" my ladies. Recently, I purchase a Gelli Arts® Plate and have started making my own backgrounds and little abstract pieces.
What am I currently working on? Currently, I am working on several canvases for an upcoming local art show here in Fort Worth, Texas: Art Goggle. I was given a very nice framed matted poster after the glass had broken. It has moved from house to house over the years, but I decided that it was beggin' to be upcycled. I used a scrapbook layout that I found while cleaning out my studio and enlarged the pattern 4 times. I have recently started creating youtube channel, Debby Epps, tutorial videos and expanding my activity in online art communities to connect with more artist. Thank you for reading, please share and subscribe if you enjoyed this blog post and want to see more in the future.
I am happy to be able to introduce you to three more talented artist (click on names to visit their blogs)and their blogs: 1. Gina B. Ahrens, a inspiring artist I know through the facebook group: Krazy Island Family, http://www.ginabahrens.com/blog_page 2. Carrie Jackson, a fellow artist from Facebook group, Art Exchange, Happy Mail Love, www.thejaxon4.blogspot.com 3, Jennie Sanderson, a fellow artist from Facebook group, Art Exchange, Happy Mail Love, www.jenniesayblog.blogspot.com *permission to use the Gelli® or Gelli Arts® trademark, which is owned by Gelli Arts® LLC One of my favorite parts of mixed media, is sourcing the materials. It usually starts with scrolling through idea pins, Facebook post and watching Youtube videos for new techniques. There are several websites that provide digital images in a variety of formats. This can be costly for limited use images, but worth it for those you might use repeatedly like a good rubber stamp set. I like to print these on tissue paper cut and secured to cardstock or on white cardstock. I cut them apart and store in a large bin I can dig through when designing a canvas. But, my favorite kind of ephemera is the vintage or re-purpossed items you find digging in thrift stores, used book stores or at garage/tag sales. I like to use neutral items, like pattern directions, old book pages, maps & bargain scrapbook papers when I begin to collage my canvases. I also like to use these with my gelli plate. A $2 dictionary from a clearance shelf will go along way as will $1 sewing patterns (size and style do not matter!). Small haul purchased from Half Price Books was $20; Set of vintage Children's Book of Knowledge $5 at a flea market. They cover a variety of topics and include poems. This set has glossy pages that are easy to tint with color using Faber-Castell Pitt Markers. Check with friends and family...they might love for someone to haul off a set of old encyclopedias. Keep the Index book to source specific topics, color picture plates and maps. Last photo is how I store, leftover scraps of paper (top bin) and ephemera (bottom bin). Easy to take off shelf and dig through while working in your studio or watching television. Finally, I tend to save all my boxes and mailing envelopes for shipping and happy mail. Happy mail or swaps are great for getting unexpected ephemera. As soon as I get a paper pad, I pull out prints/colors that I don't care for to use in happy mail. Remember, just because it's not my favorite doesn't mean a fellow crafter wouldn't love it. Join a Facebook swap group and start networking with friends, other artist. I belong to one Facebook group that focuses on exchanges: Art Exchange, Happy Mail Love. I participated actively in Krazy Island Family art post and Tracey Weinzaftel Mixed Media Mondays Ustream show Facebook group too.
Swap stamped images, die cuts or parts of a set you don't need or want with friends or organize a mixed media crop where everyone brings something to work on and stuff to share. |