In the Studio: Making Texture

I started a new painting tonight and I wanted to explore texture in the cool colored background. I figured it was a great opportunity to use my new Catalyst blades and do some experimenting. I love it when a custom project lets me try something new that I've been dying to do! I started by applying paints directly onto my large canvas... no need for a paint palette!

I moved the paint around with a large brush and then added some glaze to give it even more play and allow for more texture.

I used the brush to blend colors and make some designs...

Then I used a blade (or rubber spatula brush) to give the paint a rougher texture. So fun to see what it can do!

I added more paint and then used a small blade to dig into the paint layers. I love the colors that show up underneath!

I used another blade to scratch out more rough texture... the different shapes give lots of cool effects.

Then I pulled out the trusty palette knife (the metal one! ha!) and scratched thinner lines to give a more random distressed look.

It was so fun to explore new tools and techniques with this background! This painting will likely change a lot from here... I plan to add more layers, change the colors and offer more depth. It's freeing to explore with paint and do something completely different!

I have more trip inspiration coming up along with more fun updates on new projects! Come back soon!

Printmaking Techniques Round-Up!

1. Poppy Talk DIY: Print Your Own Fabric
2. Poppy Talk: Easy Relief Printing
3. Modern Parents, Messy Kids: A New Art Technique to Try
4. Blissfully Domestic: Printmaking Techniques for Preschoolers
5. Home Sweet Homemade: Wine Cork Stamps

With all of the excitement over Hatch Print Shop's letterpress yesterday, I decided to research other fun methods of printmaking. It's SO easy and fun.... anyone can do it! Look at these great tutorials I found... I can't wait to print something! Maybe some tea towels or fabric to make a pillow.... or maybe try some of them out on my next painting project!

I love it when inspiration meets creation.
Happy day!

Hatch Show Print

Our first day in Nashville, we took a walk downtown and came across the legendary Hatch Show Print shop. Sadly, it was closed on this particular day, but I saw the effects of this print shop all over town! Store windows had these amazing design treasures and the next day I saw several at the Ryman Auditorium. I had read a little bit about Hatch when I was doing research for the trip, but I had no idea how amazing it really is!
I'd say it was one of my favorite inspirations from Nashville.

Walking through the historic Ryman Auditorium (where the original Grand Ole Opry was held) there were so many beautiful show prints, all created at Hatch! These were just a few of my favorites...

I couldn't believe how many modern artists had a Hatch poster from playing at the Ryman and once we took a tour backstage I realized what a big deal it is to have played there and to have a poster lining its halls! I took a little time to look up other beautiful designs created by Hatch Show Prints..... aren't they amazing?!?

If you'd like to learn more about the process of letterpress printing, check out this great article:

http://uppercase.squarespace.com/hatch-show-print 

Also, check out Brad Vetter, a designer at Hatch for the past 8 years! (I've asked for a YOUR STORY interview, so keep your fingers crossed.)

http://bradvetterdesign.com

You can read the history, see the poster gallery and even see how to order your own Hatch Show Print here:
www.hatchshowprint.com

Currently dreaming of playing with printmaking and trying out some "letterpress" styles with my paintings! Wouldn't that be fun to incorporate? Also, I've been dreaming of designing a gig poster for awhile now, so if you hear of anything, let me know! :)

More fun inspirations coming up! *See more of my poster love after visiting The Filmore here.*

Inspiration is Everywhere.

Even in Music City! Last week I traveled the south with my sweet Jeremy and his family in an RV! We made special stops in Nashville, Atlanta & Monroe. All along the way I brought my trusty camera and took pictures like crazy. There's something about traveling that always inspires me and gets me excited to create! Coming up this week I'll share some of the fun inspirations I picked up along with some cool stories. Maybe I'll even pull out my sketch book and see what comes up!

More to come soon.... happy day!

Time to Play!

Guess what came?!? I ordered a few of these, forgot what they're called, but I'm naming them "paint brush spatulas"! ha! I can't wait to see what they can do! Sometimes it's so nice to try out some new tools and techniques. It's inspiring to me, like a new adventure! When I test them out, I'll be sure to show you.

Hope your weekend is full of fun adventures and new experiences. :)

Sending "Thank You's"!

These are a few "Thank You" packets I'm sending out! They were so fun to make! I wrapped up a hand-written note on an art print postcard along with a business card. The envelopes are actually little treat sacks! I also threw in some cute specs confetti! I sealed them with specs and "&" stickers and stamped the front with my logo stamp. I know I'm a little nerdy with branding and stationary, but I just think it's SO FUN!

Happy day!

In the Studio: Stars

I've been excited to share these paintings for months! When this sweet friend/client asked about this set of paintings, I couldn't believe it. First off, I LOVE this Bible verse and secondly, I've never done a night scene before! I couldn't wait to get started. 

Here are the two completed paintings...

She hung them on the same wall on either side of her fireplace. This verse is so beautiful because it's about how BIG our God is and it shows us how much loves each of us individually. If He cares so much about each individual star, how much more does he care about us?

I tried to google the number of stars in the universe. As it turns out, there are about "3,000 stars visible to the unaided eye and 100,000 seen by a small microscope". Our Milky Way Galaxy has about 100 billion stars and there are like 100 billion other galaxies known to exist. There's an estimated 10 billion trillion stars..... that number looks like this: 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. Another article I read, said the new number is 70 sextillion which looks like this: 70,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
(sources here & here) 

Our God, because of his great power and incomparable strength, knows exactly where each of them is.... there's not one missing! I wanted to portray that on the first painting... an outdoor view with tons of stars... we can only see a fraction of them!

Then on the second canvas, I brought the feeling to a personal place. I wanted it to feel like you're looking out the window in your home and realizing how personal our infinite God is!

I hope that everyone who sees these will be encouraged and praise God for how GOOD He is!

Thanks for letting me share!
I hope you enjoy, Caroline!