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Printing with Gelli Plate Minis
Are you looking for a new technique for your mixed media practice? Today I will be demonstrating printing with the Gelli plate minis and how these differ from larger Gelli plates. It is always nice to try new things and discovering these little plates has opened many creative doors in my art practice. What are Gelli Plate Minis? Gelli Arts Mini gel printing plates are smaller versions of the Gelli printing plates and come in a variety of shapes. The collection of Gelli plate minis I have are oval, rectangle, and hexagon but they also come in shapes including triangle, circle, octagon, and diamond. The oval, rectangle, and hexagon Gelli…
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Stamped Background for Moving Past a Creative Block
Do you ever sit down to create a project and end up staring at a blank page? We all have moments where we struggle with how to move past the creative block. Today’s project is a stamped background technique that I use when I am struggling with inspiration. Why a Stamped Background? A stamped background is not only fun to make and a great start to a mixed media piece, but is also quick to execute. When the creative block comes, it is important not to stay in it indefinitely. By choosing art tools and materials that cover a blank page quickly, this can help get the creative juices flowing.…
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The Best Acrylic Paint Pens: A Paint Marker Comparison
Today I will be sharing my journey in finding the best acrylic paint pens for my creative practice. I generally avoid using the words “perfect” or “best” when I talk about art supplies. I believe that there are good supplies available at a variety of price points. However, when it comes to acrylic paint pens, this is not the case. There are a lot of brands out there, but there are very few pens that I have found that work as advertised. We will be exploring the different brands that I have tried and what I have discovered is the best acrylic paint pen for my creative practice. Hop-A-Long…
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5 Art Journal Background Ideas Using Ink
The art journal is a wonderful place to create, but it can be challenging to know where to start. Today I am sharing 5 art journal background ideas using ink to help inspire your creativity. These are some of the ways that I start my journal pages, especially when I’m not sure where to go next. The blank page can be intimidating. There are so many directions a page can go. These easy techniques can be a springboard for your creative ideas, to help you move past the blank page. 5 Art Journal Background Ideas Using Ink Ink Blending Ink blending is one of the simplest ways to quickly…
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How to Decoupage in an Art Journal
Have you ever tried decoupage in an art journal? If you have ever felt blocked trying to figure out where to start a new project or page, decoupage is a great technique to try. Today we will be discussing how to decoupage in an art journal and some of the techniques to get consistent results. Decoupage in an art journal is a very simple technique but it does require a few materials to get started. For years I did not try decoupage because I was uncertain of the materials to use and how to apply them. Today we will be touching on the paper, gels and mediums that can be…
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Stamping Tips and Techniques
Do you use stamped images in your creative projects? Today we will be covering stamping tips and techniques using ink and paint that will help you get consistent results. Stamping is a huge part of my creative practice. If you find yourself stuck with a project and not sure where to go, try using stamps. The process of stamping is very therapeutic. You may start with not having an idea, but the more use you stamps, you may discover a project waiting to be uncovered. Stamping can be frustrating if you get mixed results. We are going to cover stamping tips and techniques that will help you work with a…
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How to Create a Traveler’s Notebook
There are so many fun Traveler’s Notebooks available for sale, but have you ever tried creating your own Traveler’s Notebook? Today I will be demonstrating how to create a Traveler’s Notebook using a stitched binding. Why Make a Traveler’s Notebook I have shared about how to use a Traveler’s Notebook in a previous post. In that post I share some of my ideas on how to use a Traveler’s Notebook in a variety of ways. Traveler’s Notebooks are not only fun to use but are also quite easy to make. The process of cutting the paper, sewing the binding, and assembling a book can be a great self-care activity. It…
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How to Create Layers Using Ink Blending
Creating in a journal is a great self-care practice but it can be challenging to add layers and dimension to a page. Today we will discuss how to create layers using ink blending in your creative projects. Layering Inks Layering inks is a great way of creating dimension in your projects. There are several things to consider when you are creating layers with your inks: Color Values In my last article I shared about how to use color values when creating a monochromatic project. By using a variety of color values this creates different shades and intensity of color, which adds dimension to your project. Type of Ink Certain types…
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Using Alcohol Inks with Stencils
Have you ever tried using alcohol inks with stencils on a large project? It can sometimes be challenging using stencils with alcohol inks because of the loose nature of the medium. If the stencil is smaller than the surface that you are using, it can leave harsh lines detracting from the overall design. Layering Alcohol Inks One of the ways to prevent harsh lines in your alcohol ink project is by layering alcohol inks. One thing to keep in mind when using this technique is that when you add more ink, it rewets and often resists the ink below. When it resists, the ink will push the previous layer of…
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How to Paint a Night Sky
This week we will be learning how to paint a night sky using watercolor paint. This is one of my favorite self-care exercises as it is simple and so relaxing. What makes learning how to paint a night sky so fun is this technique can be used with other colors and other applications. This provides practice and an understanding on what colors you can create from blending watercolor paints. The Inspiration The inspiration for this project was thinking about the warm summer days when I can get out of the city and see the stars. I love the night sky, there is something about the expanse of it that is…
The Art of Self-Care
