Wednesday, July 1, 2015

The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #14! - Summer Days!!

Ah, Summertime!!  We are definitely in the middle of a Hot'Lanta summer here in the south!! Humidity and heat can really start to get to you ... but cooler evenings with the sound of cicadas humming makes the days heat just melt away!!  (And luckily, so can sitting in my air conditioned house playing with mixed media!!)
  So here is July's Mixed Media Monthly Challenge ... #14 Summer days!!  Come and PLAY with us!! 



 This month we have an amazing sponsor!! I think Butterfly Reflections Ink, is a wonderful online store to buy a huge variety of supplies for my mixed media!! So be sure to click on over to the store and check it out - you will be pleased you did!!






And here is my Summer Days Challenge Piece! My ideal summer day - a picnic!!


Started it out with a scrap of wood board and a brown paper bag.
 


I started thinking about summer and all the things I love about it ... the pool, sprinklers, fireworks ... and all the picnics we have!! Love picnics! I am a foodie - I'll admit it - so picnic food! Yummy - makes me SO happy!  Then I doodled on the board as I imagined my perfect July picnic!


For the background, I  used blue and white paint smeared with a credit card.  Then for some dimension, I used a text stencil with more white than blue.  I liked the words, but I really wished that I had this is in a 12x12 stencil.

I ripped up some brown paper bag for the trees.

  
 A couple of weeks ago I did another tree project and had created some tissue paper leaves with my gelli plate. Luckily, there were a few extra gelli prints still hanging around! But when I laid them down into the trees, the placement of the text stencil looked odd.  It looked like the words were framed and they were the most important part of the piece.


So, using the stencil repeatedly, all over the background, it faded in more like texture.  Much better.  Then I coated the letters with blue paint.  


Then back to the leaves and onto my picnic!! I cut out all the little pieces I wanted to have at my picnic plus a festive bunting for decoration!   I watercolored the pieces for the table and used gel medium to put them all in place.  


Doodles, highlights, Stamps and rub-ons .... to complete the piece!




 Now, really, come and play with us at The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge!! We are super nice and we just love seeing what other artists create!!!  You know you want to come and join us with this 14th challenge!!

Thank you so much for stopping by today!! And I love it when you leave me comments - they make me smile!!!
-Karen

21 comments:

  1. I love this!!!! SO perfect for summer!!!!

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  2. What a neat idea, Karen! I have always been a fan of this style of collage, doodles and shading! The banner is my favorite part and the table setting makes me want to come over for a cookout! TFS!

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  3. I love that this is done Oma woodblock! So fun!

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  4. What a fun picnic this would be, complete with watermelon, homemade lemonade and a banner. Love seeing your creative process.

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  5. There's definitely a summer feel on your wood board! I love it!

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  6. Brilliantly constructed artwork Karen

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  7. excellent travail de collage et peinture:-) très inspirant
    corinne de france

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  8. Love the use of the wood as the base. Great images and textures.

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  9. I love the wooden canvas, and the summertime theme is perfect!

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  10. How is it that I haven't popped over here before?!? I didn't know what I was missing because girrrrrllll - you've got TALENT!! I love your work! This canvas is so creative and has so much texture and outstanding color! Awesomesauce. I'm your latest follower. :)

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  11. That is absolutely amazing Karen, what a wonderful collaged canvas! Picnics, blue skies and lemonade, yep, that's summer! Beautiful work Karen, thanks so much for sharing it.

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  12. I love the free and fun loving feel of your Summer inspired mixed media collage. Blessings!

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  13. I loved you took the time to post so many steps on how your created your summer project. Your project made me want some fresh lemonade. Nicely done.

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  14. Fabulous Summer day! Love your trees, so fun and awesome texture. Love all the photos, thanks so much!~kim

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  15. OHHHHH such yummy watermelon and WOW...all on wood...that's AWESOME!!!! I just love your fabulous depiction of the perfect Summer day!!! Absolutely inspiring.
    hugs,
    Lisa xx

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  16. Wow!!! This is gorgeous!!! Lovely project!
    Thanks for the tutorial!
    Lilian
    The Leaf Studio

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  17. this picture really sings out summer time, awesome work, thanks for sharing

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  18. Hehehe - this is so FUN Karen. Makes me think back to times at the park in the summer... you did a FABULOUS rendition of my memories!!!!!!!!!! Your watercolor pieces are great - love the stenciled background - your trees/leaves are the perfect "frame" - just an adorable summer creation. j.

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  19. I really love your wonderful collage full of fun elements Karen !! the water colored images are great,love how a bit of drawing skills can create magic, so many times one feels restricted feeling one does not have the right stamps etcetc, really love the inspiration here !!
    http://kalasirjana.blogspot.in/

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  20. It is a lovely collage, i would like to learn that!!!!
    Love your creation!!!

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