Mixed Media

The other day I did one of my usual "scribed" designs on a circle of clay but the color needed a little boost so I pulled out the colored pencils and touched it up. After I colored it, I discovered that the waxy colored pencils buff up to a lovely satiny shine. So then I decided to make a design on plain white clay and color the whole design (I had already scribed the design in, covered it with Pearlex, cured it, and sanded off the Pearlex using my usual method. Shee how I covered a bead with the Pearlex: http://www.flickr.com/photos/artybecca/4925713644/in/set-72157624802328426/)

This was white clay underneath. All the color is from colored pencils.
I used Spectracolors. I don'think you can buy them anymore...
my set is a box of 100 I've had for 20 years.

Above and below is on white clay.

This one was made of colored colored clay and I added
colored pencil on top, then buffed it.

I used a coiled wire on the back as the loop for the choker wire. I baked the colored top first, then applied raw clay to the back and pressed the coil into it. I put a thin strip of clay inside the loop and pressed it into the coil to strengthen the bond. Then I trimmed the raw clay using the edge of the cured clay as my guide. I cured the whole shebang again, then colored and buffed it.

Slightly Unbalanced

I never feel like I have enough time! I don't even have kids. I have no idea how parents do it.

New scribed thingies below...

I put the loop too low on the back so this tends to flop over from the top.
Now I know to put the loop almost at the top. 

On second thought, I DO know why I don't have
so much free time anymore!

Virtual Paintout Bulgaria

Every month I choose a scene for the Virtual Paintout challenge and nearly every month I run out of time. I was determined not to let it slip by me this month. So Friday night, I got into bed with my gray marker and paper and sketched this out while I watched Jimmy Fallon and Tom Cruise smash eggs on their heads.

Check out the original scene. I couldn't tell if these were homes for people or stuff. They seem suitable for neither.

Artwork: 6.5” x 4.75”,

gray marker on gray paper

If the link above doesn't work, enter this…

 “60 улица „Татарли“, Sofia, София-град, Bulgaria”

…in google maps turn 180 degrees from where you land and take one hop down the street.

Lovely watercolors by Al Woodford

Every month I look forward to seeing Al Woodford's latest watercolor on Bill Guffey's The Virtual Paintout blog. Looking at them gives me a feeling I can't describe, like rediscovering a hazily remembered favorite picture book from childhood. So charming and story-like...I can't help but imagine a tale to go with each one.

I can't find a website for Al, but if you want to give yourself a little treat, go to google, click on images, and enter "Al Woodford" in the search. Then click on each picture to enlarge it and enjoy!!

The PCD Bump, as Colbert would call it

Cynthia Tinapple's Polymer Clay Daily blog has quite a following, as if you don't already know that.
I am always amazed how an appearance on her site boosts your hits by orders of magnitude.
Check this out...

Here's what my typical hits look like...about 100-200 a day.

Here's what happens on a PCD appearance day. 600+ visitors came from PCD and then they hung out a while and looked around!

And here's another stat that's kind of cool...if you google "Dukan Diet Results," my page in this blog is the second result on google!! Now, if only some of those people wanted to buy polymer clay beads! I have to admit though that I am not being a good poster child for my diet right now. I'm up 7 lbs and need to get it back down!

Inspiration to develop my skills and style

There was lots of talk at Synergy III about "finding your own voice" as an artist and how to use inspiration to help  further develop your own style. I think I have my own style but I lack precision and finesse, usually because I'm in a hurry to cram too much into my limited free time. (I still spend my weekdays, as my brother says, Working for the "Man!")

In Seth Savarick's session at Synergy he talked about raising your work to the next level by having a plan before starting, being deliberate during the construction phase, and doing detailed finishing at the end of a project. Especially the finishing! He showed examples of work that he thought had promise, but the lack of attention to finishing kept the pieces from being stand-outs. Certainly he and others who were there, such as Dan Cormier, Melanie West, Melanie Muir, and Kathleen Dustin, exhibit a level of finish on their pieces that is unbelievable when you see them in person.

I decided I should work on more complex projects that require planning, precision, and polish to improve those aspects of my work. My inspiration was an interesting bracelet that Christine Dumont wore one day during the conference. Unlike a typical polymer bangle, it was not solid, and I found that idea appealing. You could see through her bracelet because she made it out of individual pieces with negative spaces between them.

With that concept in mind, I sketched a pattern for a bangle with cut-outs using my usual floral motif and then set about creating my "first draft" to see what works and what doesn't.

• As it turned out, the form I used was the right size initially but I forgot to consider that the form would add to the circumference and as a result, the finished bangle is too large so it's not wearable (on my wrist). 
• I created the black inside layer first and then put the colors on top. I might need to do the colors first, then apply the black to the inside after the form has been removed which would reduce the size of the opening. I would also be able to finish the inside (which looks terrible right now.)
• I will construct the banded edges differently to make them smoother.
• The bracelet is heavier than might be comfortable, so I need to determine if I can make the layers a bit thinner.

But, technical difficulties aside, I like the look of it a lot!