Beeswax Collage Workshop – five stars!

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noraIf you’ve kept up with my new work, you know how excited I am about my beeswax collage series using early 20th-centure photographs.

Along the way, I’ve developed some techniques for using beeswax and pigment on paper that have worked well for me, but I hadn’t taught the process until yesterday afternoon at the Studio.

I wasn’t sure if other people would be able to get the same results, but it was fantastic! Everyone was so happy with their finished pieces, and had a million ideas about taking this process to new levels with their own personal photos. Take a look!

 

Easy color-to-sepia photos for beeswax collage using iPiccy

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Sunday’s workshop at the Studio is Beeswax Collage (it’s sold out, yay!), and I’m going to ask the participants to bring a sepia-toned photo to work with. I’m sending them the link to this post to show them how to do a sepia effect with iPiccy, and you can find out, too, by following these instructions!

First, you need to choose a photo that you want to transform to sepia, and remember what file it’s in so you can find it to upload it. Then go to iPiccy and choose Start Editing!

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You’ll see a window that asks you to upload a photo.

sepia0 Browse to the file on your own computer that has the photo you want to change from color to sepia and select it

sepbird    Your photo uploads into the editing window.

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Look on the left side and find the bar that says Colors.

sepia5Click on it and scroll down that list until you come to the bar that says Sepia – choose the sepia tone that you like.

sepia3Once you’ve transformed the image to sepia, you can click on the Save icon at the top right and save it back to your computer

sepia7Give it a different name so it doesn’t overwrite our original color photo. Now you are ready to print it out and use it for your beeswax collage – or whatever creative purpose you desire!

Happy weekend, everyone!

How to describe your personal art style using Pinterest as a tool

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corwindetail

Lyn Belisle, “Corwin,” Assemblage 2015

“Oh, you’re an artist? What kind of art do you do?” I get that question fairly often, and I usually just say, “Mixed media.” But if you need to think in terms of a fuller description (such as when writing an artist’s statement), you might need to come up with adjectives that are more specific to your personal style.

One way to do this is to  start a Pinterest board with images of the kind of art that resonates strongly with you – chances are, these images will reflect your own aesthetic. For example, here’s a recent selection from my own Pinterest “Stealboard” (as in “Steal Like an Artist”):

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From this small selection, I can see that I gravitate toward a neutral palette of grays and rusts. I like organic shapes, twig-like lines, and odd and mysterious iconic faces.Not surprisingly, these elements show up consistently in my own work.

Now compare my favorite images to the Pinterest board of North Carolina artist Eileen Ross:

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I don’t know Eileen, but from her selections, I’d say she likes elliptical shapes, whimsical impressionist content, deep pastel colors, washes of paint, and calligraphic elements. When you look at her own work, you can see the strong relationship between what she likes and what she creates. Interesting!

What if you don’t have a Pinterest favorite art board, or even a Pinterest account? It’s easy and free to set one up. Just go to Pinterest and follow the simple directions. I would also suggest that you install the Pinterest browser button – here’s how. This little tool allows you to click on your browser’s tool bar to add a picture from the Internet to your Pinterest favorites board instantly. Be warned, though – once you start collecting, pinning, and analyzing the kind of art work that you love, you can get addicted!

Painting with Ellen Rolli in Boston

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Gloria Hill and I just got back from Boston last night. It was a journey that involved a lot more than miles – it was a painting adventure and self-exploration of artistic motives and direction. Thanks to the incredible Ellen Rolli for being our guide and mentor. Here’s a video of some of the work we did during the two-day workshop.

When we weren’t in the studio, Gloria and I were lucky enough to experience a few spectacular spring days in Boston. The Public Garden was ablaze with tulips, and all the trees were in bloom. ACHOO!

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It was a fantastic trip. We even got to see the newly installed arial sculpture by Janet Echelman in downtown Boston – you’d think it would be easy to find a one-ton floating construction, but it took us a while to track it down. Well worth the effort, though!

So glad to be home, re-inspired and ready to go to work in my own Studio!

Musings about mud and more

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I’m packing for Boston, eager to see Ellen Rolli again and to paint with her. I’ll send an update during the five days I’m there, but meanwhile, your homework is to watch this nine-minute film about Paulus Berenson, craftsman, pottery maker, environmentalist. This is what poet Mary Oliver says about him:

“Paulus Berensohn, whether he’s speaking, slowly and thoughtfully as he does, or just smiling, is a gift. With his presence, life takes on a new radiance and energy. He teaches. He shines.”

     —-Mary Oliver


Paulus and Clay from TOTM Film on Vimeo.

After you’ve seen the film, treat yourself to some inspirational “dessert” by looking through India Flint’s blog. I think you’ll see a visual and philosophical connection. Art is life. Life is good. 🙂

Photo sources, collage and copyright

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doorwaySome of you have asked about sources for old photographs like the ones I’ve been using in my encaustic photocollage series. My favorite place to look is Flickr Commons, particularly the Library of Congress albums. Be warned: perusing these photos is addictive – you can get lost in history! It’s wonderful.

So what about copyright? The photos I  use are all categorized as “no known copyright exists” or “no known restriction on publication.” This means that either there was a copyright and it was not renewed, or, more likely in my case, the image is from a late 19th or early 20th century collection for which there is no evidence of any rights holder. It’s extremely important to read about copyright before you choose an image to use in your artwork – here’s the Library of Congress link, and it’s written in fairly simple terms (explaining copyright in the digital age is like trying to nail Jell-o to a wall).

humongYou’re probably going to transform the photograph in some way. Most of them are already black and white or sepia toned, but you will most likely want to enhance the lighting and contrast to provide the most dramatic effect for your artwork. Even if you don’t have Photoshop or other industry-standard photoediting software, you can still have fun working with iPiccy or PicMonkey. These allow you to upload a saved photograph that you’ve found and edit it online, then save it back to your computer.

You’ll find that when you’re going through the old photos, one or two will just reach out to you as subjects, almost as if they are saying across time, “Choose me!“. That’s the amazing part. And once you have your special  photo edited and printed, you’re ready to start your collage!

sheltered

“Sheltered” Lyn Belisle 2015

 

 

What a show – and tell!

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Yesterday’s Show and Tell at the Studio was a mixed-media extravaganza! Each presentation was unique, informative, and fun – and everyone there bounced ideas around like popcorn in a microwave (how’s that for a simile?).

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Some of the highlights:

  • J’Cil Horn’s use of a fiber product called Warm and Natural, which is a cotton batting used by quilters that adapts itself to so many possibilities, including acrylic paint and fabric embellishments.
  • Paige Ramsey-Palmer’s fascinating introduction to healthy probiotic foods  – it is a culinary art that had us asking tons of questions as we sipped the lemon and ginger drinks she’d made for us.
  • Christie Smith’s show-and-tell on Gyotaku (fish printing) that she was introduced to the fish printing during the TP&W BOW (Becoming and Outdoor Woman) weekend this spring which was held at the Texas Baptist Encampment in Palacios, and, yes, the fish were real (but frozen). Christie’s shrimp prints were a crowd favorite.
  • Gloria Hill’s insightful presentation on two important mindsets for artists – recycling and stealing. The recycling part means transforming you less successful work into new creations through collage, and the stealing part is the good kind of theft – finding artists’ work you love and being inspired by their techniques. See Austin Kleon’s book, Steal Like an Artist, and read Gloria’s blog, Open Doors.
  • Rosemary Uchniat’s sneak preview of the Small-Space Dyeing workshop she’ll be giving at my Studio on July 18th from 1-5. I posted a rave about this technique recently. Rosemary previewed the technique and results in about a square foot of space. One show-and-teller signer up on the spot. FYI, there are two spaces left.

So now that you’ve read the trailer, see the film! Here’s a short video of some of the great demos from yesterday, and the people who came, learned, ate, sipped and enjoyed the afternoon at Lyn Belisle Studio. Our next Show and Tell is May 30th from 2-4. Be there or be square and creatively unaware! 🙂

Fiber Artists of San Antonio Style Show 2015

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fasaWhen I joined FASA, the Fiber Artists of San Antonio, I knew they did more than quilting and knitting, but I didn’t realize that “fiber art” includes basketry, beadwork, braiding, clothing design, crochet, dyeing, embroidery, felting, hooking, knitting, lacework, mixed media, needlework, paper, quilting, sculpture, sewing, spinning, surface design, textile design and weaving. As a mixed media artist, I’ve discovered a lot to learn and love in this group!

Many FASA members create one-of-a-kind garments for the juried Fashion Show, an annual event that is wildly popular and usually a sell-out. I was lucky enough to get a ticket by the stage this year, and happily present to you a sampler of the artistic fashions.  The theme was In Harmony With Nature – and these talented designers combined nature, art, imagination and fashion in their creations. Take a look!      

One last note – the winner of the Walnut Ink Friday Freebie is Jo Etta Jupe – congrats, Jo Etta! Let me know how you’d like to receive your fabulous freebie 🙂
 

 

Walnut Ink – in the beginning (and a FF)

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wiIt’s a rainy morning here in San Antonio, so I was at the computer, clearing out some old duplicate video files when I  discovered this clip from 2011. It’s me, talking about a new discovery – Walnut Ink! Y’all know that I live and breathe that stuff – just ask anybody who has taken a workshop on any subject at the Studio.

This little video was made waa-aay before I had the big Studio, back when I was making Kindle covers for my old Etsy shop in the little garage studio. Here, I’m using Walnut Ink on unglazed clay to make a Scent Shard.  You may remember that I made a lot of these several years ago. The idea is to put drops of essential oils on an evocative earthenware face and let the scent and good vibes disperse over a period of time. Pretty cool, right?

Here’s the video clip, and for today’s Friday Freebie, the SHARDS subscriber whose name is drawn on Sunday night will get – what else?? – a bottle of Tsukineko Walnut Ink! (Incidentally, Wikipedia says the stuff was used to stain the hands of criminals back in old Rome because it wouldn’t wash off . . .)

 

Junanne Peck rolls out printmaking fun with FASA

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The Fiber Artists of San Antonio sponsored a workshop yesterday afternoon with printmaker Junanne Peck, whose printmaking techniques include collagraphs, drypoint, polyester plate lithography, etching and monotypes. I had taught printmaking in public school, but it was a long time ago and I learned some new things from Junanne that I thought I’d share with you.

First, she is a demonstrator artist for Akua printing inks, a division of Speedball. We used this ink for monotype printing and I was impressed with the texture and pigmentation. They also make fabric printing inks that are permanent once dried. Check it out.

DSCN6690But the item that really intrigued me was the PinPress – a hand operated roller-type system that produces beautiful monotypes.

DSCN6703It’s made by Akua – here’s what they say about it: The PinPress was designed specifically for monotype printmaking. The roller is precisely machined to an incredibly even and smooth surface for uniform contact between the roller, paper and plate. Durable all metal construction made of aluminum and brass bushings insures long lasting, trouble-free printing.

I used this press during the workshop to make a monotype print with the Akua inks and liked the feel of it a lot. It costs $235, so it is a bit pricey for a small studio, but if you are into monoprinting, the PinPress is a great solution and produces nice prints with good embossed edges. And it’s definitely cheaper than a conventional heavy flat-bed press!

All of us enjoyed the afternoon with Junanne – she’s a great teacher. Here are some photos from the workshop.

Last but not least, congrats to the Friday Freebie winner of the texture tool set whose email address is “justakid@sbcglobal.net.” I like that! Send me your contact info and I’ll get these to you right away – you can scratch and texture to your heart’s content.