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How to Organize 684 Pens, Pencils, and Markers
You’re sitting down in your studio about to create, and you can’t find your favorite pens and markers. Then you start the hunt, spending half of your creative time trying to find your markers or organizing them so that you can start on your project. If this happens to you, you’re not alone! I’ve been so frustrated with my creative space over the last few months that today I’m pulling out all 684 of my pens, pencils, and markers to reorganize them. Join me as we talk about ways to go from crazy clutter to a beautiful, organized space! Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our…
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Easy and Beautiful Acrylic Paint Pouring Holiday Ornaments
Have you ever tried making holiday ornaments using acrylic paint pouring techniques? This medium may seem messy, but today I’ll show you how to get beautiful results with a controlled pour. This makes these stunning ornaments easy to make and requires a lot less clean up. Why Pouring Medium? I love pouring medium because of the glossy effect of the paint and the beautiful depth of color that you can get in your designs. It isn’t an easily controllable medium, so it lends itself better to abstract pieces and designs. This makes it perfect for holiday ornaments. I’ve recently been teaching a lot of paint pouring and had a lot…
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Texture Tips for Your Holiday Collage| Reflecting on the Season
Are you looking for ways to add texture to your holiday collage projects? There are so many ways to alter and add texture that will give your project that “wow” factor. Today I’m sharing some alteration and texture techniques for you to try on your holiday collage projects. This is a great project to try during the holiday season. Perhaps you are busy preparing for Christmas or are busy with family, friends, and other commitments. This is a great opportunity to slow down, find intention during the Christmas season and have a time of creative self-expression. Join me as we create a seasonal collage project and talk about capturing our…
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Struggling with Contrast when Gelli Printing? Here’s How to Fix It
Are you struggling with contrast when gelli printing? This is a common challenge when monoprinting with a gel plate. There is always experimentation when playing with monoprinting. You won’t always be able to control the result. But here are a few tips and ideas to help you get great results when creating contrasting gelli prints. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Leaving Objects on the Gelli Plate when Printing You may be struggling with contrast with your gelli prints because you don’t have enough contrast between the elements. Start by adding a…
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Paint Your Season’s Greetings with Simple Watercolor Christmas Cards
Looking for ideas for simple watercolor Christmas cards? With the Christmas season approaching, we may want to make homemade Christmas cards. But it can feel really overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. How do you come up with a simple design that’s effective and easy to make? And most importantly, a design that you can easily replicate so that you can give all your favorite people a hand-made card. Today I’m sharing with you beginner-friendly and simple watercolor Christmas cards. This is a great way to practice your basic watercolor skills and make a bunch of beautiful cards quickly and easily. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy…
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15 Amazing Gift Ideas for Artists and Creatives
Are you looking for gift ideas for artists this holiday season? It can be challenging to shop for the artist in your life. There are so many products and options it can feel overwhelming. Today I’m going to simplify this process for you. I’ve included 15 of my favorite supplies that I use constantly in my creative process. Whether working in an art journal or on a canvas, these quality products will make fantastic gifts for both professional and novice artists alike! Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. 1. Helix Circle…
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Mixed Media Magic: Altered Photo Techniques for Your Art Journal
Do you ever use altered photos in your art journaling pages? We take photos all the time with our phones but may not realize that these photographs can be perfect additions to our art journal pages. The challenge is how do we seamlessly incorporate our photos into our pages? By using altered photo techniques this can help use change our photographs from snapshots to elements that are perfect for our art journal pages. Today I’ll share with you not only how to alter and adjust your photos for use in the art journal but also how to create a seamless and cohesive art journal page with a range of…
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The Art of Napkin Decoupage: How to Easily Transform Any Surface
Are you new to napkin decoupage? Or have been trying to refine napkin techniques on your own creative projects? Using napkins is a fun and beautiful way to add designs quickly to any surface. I love incorporate napkins into my canvas paintings, art journal projects and cards. But what it you want to use napkins on a curved surface or for a home décor piece? What do we need to know to make sure that we get great results every time? Today I’ll be sharing about how I use napkins outside of the art journal by transforming a plastic pumpkin into a beautiful piece of fall home décor. Hop-A-Long Studio…
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How to Create Stunning Image Transfers with Isolation Layers
Are you intimidated by the idea of using image transfers on your mixed media projects? Image transfers are a beautiful technique. But it can sometimes be hard to get great results, especially on a mixed media background. In today’s project I’ll show you how to can create a beautiful image transfer on a mixed media background that uses both resists and watercolor crystals. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. The Challenge with Image Transfers Having attempted image transfers in the past, I found that I often got mixed results. Part of it…
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Mixed Media Magic: Transforming Pumpkins with Decoupage
Looking for a way to practice your mixed media skills outside the art journal? Try making a fun and original home décor pumpkins with decoupage techniques! I found a plastic pumpkin at my local craft store and thought it would be perfect for adding a variety of mixed media elements to make it unique. Generally, I’m not much of a home décor creative, but occasionally it’s fun to change up the creative process. It can be a way of picking up new skills or learning how to use skills that you have in a different way. I find there’s always fun surprises along the path of creative self-discovery. Hop-A-Long Studio…
The Art of Self-Care
