☆ Make Shift Magic [Life Book 2014]

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 Week 30 - Make Shift Magic with Carissa Paige

This would have been a fabulous lesson had it not been the epic failure of my supplies!!

Carissa Paige taught a technique using what we call in Australia contact paper (clear sticky plastic that you use to cover books - that is every mum's nightmare when school goes back cause it's always full of bubble or creases!!)

So my first layer was some cool papers I had lying around + then I photocopied some images I had in my inspiration pile + then I stuck contact on them.

The theory being that when you soak them off, you end up with this amazing image on your contact (a little transparent ), it's still sticky enough to stick down + then you are left with these really cool images + the back ground shines through the image.

Cool right?

Well, perhaps if I had contact that wasn't from the reject shop. And maybe if I hadn't soaked them in boiling water. And perhaps if I hadn't forgotten they were soaking + left them for an hour.

So when I remembered + had time to rub the images off, they contact slid right off, like I had coated the images in butter.

In the end I stuck the wet images down (+ I had a glimpse of what they would look like had the contact worked)

It's dry now + I am not sure what I will do with it next - whether to leave it as is, or add some paint + journalling to it.

Have you had a supply malfunction before? How did you salvage the project? Feel free to share your stories below.

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☆ Starlight

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I have been teasing you a wee bit with a new larger painting that I started at the end of AEDM + this week, amongst the christmas chaos, the sewing + baking of cookies, I finished it!

Many years ago, I had to create two major works as part of my art finals .  One of my major works was called 'Anonymous and Free', which had three large mixed media drawings of faceless people in crowds. I remember the first two were really easy to conceptualise and create, the third drawing didn't come together until the very last minute + I hated every minute of it. HATED. IT.

'Anonymous + Free'

So when I was inspired with the design + plan of this new painting, I remembered these old ones, and knew that it was time to pull them out + recycle them.

While I cringed when I revisited this one (and the others) I also knew that they were part of my story, and they would continue to be part of it.

And this is what came next:

I pulled off the collage pieces and papered the board 

I wasn't sure where to go next so I just threw colour on it until I was happy with the result

The beginnings of Starlight

Starlight

Because it is so large, photographing it + showing the true colours was difficult. It is much lighter than this. It is also very similar to Wild, (the commission piece I did for my friend), but I was so inspired by Wild, I decided that I wanted something like her on my walls.

I was nervous about this one. The last time I painted something specifically for our bedroom, I hated it so much that it has been relegated to the darkest corners of my studio. (It is now a to be recycled project!) So I am so happy with the finished product.

Anyway this is my last 'big' project for the year - with (hopefully) only Beastie to come before the end of the year.

I have a few more little bits to share with you before the end of the year, but it will probably be very sporadic. It really is Christmas in four days, as much as I am not really prepared for it!

Have a great + relaxing weekend

P.S. There are heaps more progress shots of Starlight here

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☆ Beautiful Failures

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Totally Epically Failed
magazine picture transferred onto wood

I am trying to celebrate my failures.

In the past I would have given up. Put the pencils aside, glared at them with a mixture of longing and despair, and ignored them for a day. a week. three years. ten.

I swore when I began this journey I would never revert back to long held habits, that I would work through the funk, that I would celebrate every piece of art I created.

Sometimes it works, sometimes I  need a day or two off. (or a chocolate cake, or a glass of wine or three, or a good cry all of these work fine)

I try to celebrate the failures. I try to see them for what they are - not failures but successes.

They are a successes because I tried something new, I stretched myself. And even when the process was flawed or the final product was not to my satisfaction, I have learnt something new.

And I keep going.

So I will celebrate them and share them with you guys. And maybe you can celebrate my beautiful failures with me!

I would love to know how or if you celebrate your failures? How do you cope when something doesn't go to plan?

P.S. It is not to late to enter this months GIVEAWAY - It is so easy to enter. Check it out here. x 

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