P and J take some photos

Art on the walls

Or at least in their frames.  This is a bit out of order, since I realised I hadn't posted about my art project.  I did find frames for my artworks, and they are on the walls. 

I had planned to put the smaller pictures up together to create a kind of naive art look, but P asked if she could have one on her wall and I couldn't refuse.  She also asked for it to be really low down on the wall, so that it is in her line of sight, which is very cute, but also a really good idea for kids.

The pictures don't actually look all that good on the wall, mostly because my wallpaper is very busy, and it detracts from the pictures because they don't have any borders on the frames.  Once we finish wallpapering the house, they will stand out better.  I can definitely appreciate white walls for showing off art works.  I still haven't worked up the courage to sell any other pieces yet.  Maybe next time.

Art

My project this week is Art.  After my hot knife failure, I took a bit of a break from my artistic endevours, but this week I have found my art mojo again.  A little while ago I was thinking about some of the art that I have made, especially the pictures I created when I was younger.  Mostly they sit in a folder in my bookcase, which just seems a waste.  So my plan is to frame some of them up and put them on the walls, and to sell those that I don't keep.

I have to say, the decision to sell some of these pieces is a little daunting.  Creating something for myself is one thing, but for someone to buy it is something else again.  My biggest fear is that I will sell something, and the buyer will be disappointed by what they receive.

Any tips on how to overcome this fear of selling stuff?

Art slump

My project this week is supposed to be Art.  But I've hit an art block.  My giveaway post is here

 It all started with the records, and the idea to make really cool birds with them.  When I found the records so cheaply, it seemed like a sign that I should make this art.  Then I realised I needed a hot knife, so I bought one that wasn't terribly expensive.  And then I couldn't find any gas that would fit it.  You need to fill the hot knife with flammable gas (essentially the same as with a lighter), but we (DH and I) couldn't find any cannisters that had the right attachment for my hot knife, so it remains stubbornly unfilled.

Now it is sitting on a shelf, while the records sit in a pile in my bedroom and I am stuck.  I can't complete the artwork I wanted to, and I think I may have gone off the boil with the idea anyway, but I can't seem to move on from it to something else.  So now I am stuck, with an art idea that I can't move beyond.

I might see if I can find some other art at that place I go where I buy stuff (you know where I mean), or maybe some frames for the artworks I've already got.  But this is also fraught with issues - the only framing options seem to be prohibitively expensive, or cheap and ill fitting.

Maybe I'll just spend all week immersed in my Art history books instead.

Preschooler art

This is one of P's playgroup pictures that I framed in a very old hand painted frame of mine.  Its got the date I did it at the back - its over 10 years old now.  P specifically asked to have some of her own pictures framed, and who was I to disagree with something so lovely.  Our week of art was successful (just don't ask about the vinyl records).

Art time again

My project this week is Art.  And for my big plans this week, I splurged on some heavy duty equipment.  Well, not really heavy duty but it is a tool.  I have great plans involving my vinyl records, although DH did suggest that maybe he would have to do it for me.  I don't think so Tim!

Success!

So my week of photos was very successful.  I didn't manage to put any photos in albums, but I got plenty on the wall.  Its so lovely to be able to really see the fruits of your labour (pun intended).  And because I got hold of some glue, I also got some art sneakily on the wall as well.

To be honest, when I first glued all the birds on, I wasn't all that thrilled with the end result.  I had hoped that viewed on the wall from a distance, it might look a little better.  And while it does look nicer on the wall, especially since it is in J's room, which is otherwise very plain, I'm still not entirely happy with it.  There are a couple of birds that I think could go in a slightly different position, and its not as dynamic as I had hoped.

But check out the photos (no don't adjust your computer, they're blurry on purpose).  I love the arrangement and the pictures I've got up on the wall, and I often find myself stopping as I walk through the doorway to look at them.  So last week was very successful.

Failure

So this week was all about Art, and in terms of actually getting art on the walls, it can only be described as a failure.  My prints from my parents, and my llama picture remain stubbornly unframed.  And as mentioned, the making of bird prints from vinyl records requires some specialist equipment.  Apparently I need a hot knife, which I gather is some kind of soldering iron.  DH has found one on the internet, so that project is on hold until I get one (although if anyone knows where I can get one in NZ, please let me know).

But since I am not one to let go of an idea once I have it, I decided to use my bird templates for another project.  I had a calendar from several years ago that I couldn't bear to throw out because the art was so beautiful - lets call it forward thinking rather than hoarding.  So I cut out my bird templates, and painted a canvas blue to stick them onto.

You will notice that there is no picture of the completed artwork.  This is because I have no craft glue, and the  supermarket failed me.  In fact, the supermarket failed me completely, it didn't even have picture hooks for the cute felt canvasses to go into P's room.

So no art on the walls this week.  But I did get the chance to do some 'arty' things, including some sketching so I actually feel quite pleased about how this week went.

My creative space

I thought it was about time I joined in with this, so here we are:

I tried to cut out my records today, but I think I will have to invest in a hot knife.

So then P and I made some paper instead.

You can find more creative spaces here

Art in progress

So it turns out that cutting up vinyl records is moderately more difficult that I expected.  Actually that’s not true, I always expected that it would be a little hard, and it is.  Apparantly the key is to heat it, which also releases toxic fumes.  So not the kind of activity that can be done with little ones around.  I will have to leave it in DH’s capable hands as to what kind of heating implement I should use.

More Art!

My project this week is art.  My parents bought me a couple of lovely prints of native birds that I am going to frame, and I thought this week would be a good opportunity to finally get my llama picture mounted as well.  While I was out looking with my parents, I saw some really cool cut outs that were made of vinyl records.  It looked like something that I could do, so I thought I might give it a go this week.  I know somewhere I can pick up old records really cheaply! Of course, like many things that look easy, it might in fact be very difficult to produce something that looks any good, but I'm happy to give it a go.  I am super excited to be doing art again this week, especially after a week of tidying, where its hard to feel like I've actually accomplished anything.

So my computer and camera have made up. The first picture is a copy of a Van Gogh that I did with acrylic. As you can see, she has no feet - I hate drawing feet and hands. Most of my figures' arms end at their wrists. In all honesty this picture looks better in the photo than in reality. The colours are a little darker in real life.

I had every intention of mounting the Llama drawing in this second frame, but when I actually came to do it, I realised that the opening was too large. So instead I cut out some material and felt and stuck them onto the board to create some 'crafty' art. At some point in the future I may take it out and do something a little more 'art', but I only had the morning to knock something up, and several frames with the same style of artwork would probably look quite cool as well.

There will definitely be more art projects on the cards for me, now that I have rediscovered my love for art - I just need to buy the supplies.

Well my week of artifying my house has been a success. I bought some pen drawings from - you guessed it - the Hospice Shop, and I also framed some of my own art.

Unfortunately my computer and camera aren't playing nice at the moment. So the llama is all I managed to upload. Looking at the works I did before I had children was really invigorating. It all looked much better than I thought at the time, I think there will definitely be another making art week some time in the future.