When Acrylic Gel Transfers Fail: An Art Post Mortem

Usually, I can fix failed transfers. This one, maybe not!



Bubbles, the alignment is off, and chunks that came off with the paper removal process. Oops. Good thing I printed it cheaply!


So why did it fail? I didn't take my time to do it properly, and I was afraid I would run out of gel, which I was short on anyway.

1. I didn't line it up properly. I may have cut it wrong to begin with.
2. I didn't use enough gel on the layers.
3. I didn't use enough gel to "glue"the print the prepared canvas.
4. Can it be saved? I'm thinking in the interest of time to let this one go. I can sand the surface and do a transfer on top of it, or just throw it out, it's only a cheap 16x20 student canvas.

Doing a Series of Art Works

I've been thinking of doing a series of art works, paintings, transfers, I don't know yet. I know, I know, let's do that in my SPARE time.


But I need something to express me, I need something that has an ongoing purpose or message. I need a project! 
A painting a day sort of project would be awesome, but time is always an issue with me. However, I do paint rather quickly usually. It could even be a digital painting a day! 

I need an art project to post on this blog about and make you keep coming back for more!
There are so many things I want to create, and I need an audience to support me in order to do that. So another reason to do any art in a series is to grow my audience.

How do I grow an audience? I make stuff and put it out there.

Entering Art Prize a Possibility

This is just here to be pretty.

I've been thinking about entering Art Prize this year. I had an idea for something to go on or hang from a type of room divider, like a stained glass mosaic made with resin, but each piece being a part of a photo-essay or something.

CIVA Conference for Christian Artists

I really want to go to here!
 http://civa.org/events/conference/ 

Here's the description:

"Today, more than ever, the Church needs art, and the Art World needs the Church. This four-day CIVA conference is an excellent opportunity to consider the ever-present tension that persists between artists and the church and to learn from leaders and practitioners who are working to overcome this divide. Through keynote presentations, exhibitions, workshops, and cultural outings, we’ll explore the role of art and the church. Artists and curators, educators and church leaders, and everyone in between are invited to celebrate the vital relationship of art and the church"   http://civa.org/events/conference/

But it costs money. 

While I have applied for a scholarship to help with the fees, the scholarship will not cover the entire cost. So I have started a gofundme campaign to help with the rest! 

You can find the campaign at 

NOPE!!!

There  are also rewards of a very awesome painting made just for you if you donate at least $75.

I would love to blog the event while I'm there and do art in the downtime too.

Developing the gift of art that God has given to me is very important to me, this is one of my biggest ministries.  I would like to grow and develop this gift as well as network with other artists who share a similar goal. 

 

Update! As of March 28, 2015, God prompted someone to donate the entire sum for my fees. 

God is good. And a bit crazy. :)

Ideas for Creature Making

A roly poly soot dragon. The current idea, and the many iterations of it. I have a large box of donated fur coats to make creatures out of. Normally i wouldnt pick real fur to work with, but the coats are not in good enough of shape to be worn or donated for anything else, so I shall make creatures. So far I have mostly brown, dark rust, and black fur, with a little faux gray and really cheap tan. So cheap I'm having second thoughts about using it at all. Maybe to practice with.c

Creature Making Inspiration

this one is mine

Its hard to define the kinds of creatures I want to make, but done of the first steps that I can do it find things like it.
I have quite a bit of random materials, and would love to populate a craft booth with creatures like these.


This  is a good example of the kind I want to make:
http://www.dollmakersdream.com/free-polymer-clay-tutorials-creature-6.html

Its semi realistic, soft bodied, and also has polymer clay sculpting.










Also like these:
http://santani.deviantart.com/art/I
nari-Foxes-418720127

http://lisatoms.deviantart.com/art/Silver-aqua-dragon-spirit-411076252

http://wood-splitter-lee.deviantart.com/art/SOLD-Poseable-Hand-Made-Baby-Fum-420878939

http://scenceable.deviantart.com/art/Exalt-435968577

Creating Texture On Canvas

 I love texture! This was done for a class, and with my very first hand stretched canvas, so it's kinda wobbly in the frame. Can you guess what I used to texture it? You can stick almost anything to a ground with gesso, except sugary things, which dissolve. Through bad storage some of the lentils have fallen off too. But it was fun! Everyone wants to touch it. I think it's 16"x20", 2009

Old Acrylic Painting I Did

This now hangs on my brother's living room wall. I didn't know what to do with it, and I didn't want to store it, so I gave it to him as a gift for helping me move. His roommates like it too!

I think I did it in 2010 or 2009. Acrylic, 18"x24" or possibly 16"x20" since I did it for a class and the standard required canvas size was 16"x20". I've learned a lot about perspective since then!

When I painted the city on the right, I was listening to a History channel documentary about Hitler, and those buildings will always remind me of that!
I was also living at home, and we didn't have much room. I used a milk crate on top of books on an upside-down chair balanced on a chair to make an easel. Some of the books never recovered.