I joined a portrait group on Facebook so I'd be motivated to create more faces. I'm also making gelatin prints so I wanted to combine the two.
Here are two I just made last night and today.
They are oil pastel and graphite over a gelatin print. Then the pastel is pushed around with q-tips covered in mineral oil (or baby oil). I really like the way they are coming out.
For some reason Blogger is re-sizing my photos incorrectly. But if I put them on Pinterest they come out the right size.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Learning to Do Gelatin Prints
After much ado involving research, acquiring random things like craft foam, stencils, cutters, and other doodads and making my own gelatin plate out of gelatin, glycerin and water, I finally set out to make my first gelli prints. I made 20 before my back gave out. Maybe my notes will help someone else, so I'll try to explain what I did as I went along. Savvy?
The wave pattern was made with a plastic comb I picked up at a discount store.
The Elephant Series
The ANKH series:
I had cut the ankh out of textured foam. I tried to stamp it onto the wet paint but it didn't work well.
This time I cleaned a spot on the plate with a wipe, rolled ink on the ankh and used it as a stamp.
All in all I learned a lot today. Since this is ultimately for mixed media projects there will be at least one more layer of art over each one or maybe more. I will keep two for framing just as they are I think: The Accidental Heart and the Elephant in the Jungle. Always wise to keep samples of one's first efforts don't you think?
First three gelatin prints. |
First Print |
This was my first print. The only purpose was to get the feel of rolling the paint onto the plate. Of course I will save it for future uses, like a background page for an art journal. I only used 3 colors of craft paint for all of today's prints. I didn't want to be overwhelmed by too many color choices.
So now that I had the hang of it, it was time to have some fun. See the fine scratches? Those are caused by the edges of my small brayer digging in. That is not the ideal thing but I couldn't seem to prevent it. Next time I'll buy the larger brayer.
I like that the yarn I used left it's own print in the middle of the white edges. The first time I tried yarn it worked great and stayed where I put it. I could not duplicate this effect in future tries.
When the paint got too dry I misted it with water from a spray bottle.
The Accidental Heart |
Once I put the prints on my computer and could do some editing I discovered a happy accident. This print had a theme of purple hearts. Imagine my surprise when I realized during computer editing that there was a big accidental purple heart in the center. So this became my new favorite print (see above). The border of tiny hearts was made with a heart shaped hole punch on a piece of paper. The big faint heart in the upper right was a foam stamp I cut with scissors. The other hearts were made with a tiny heart shaped eraser used like a rubber stamp.
I always make at least two prints from each color combination. Then I clean the plate with an alcohol wipe. |
This way looks like a tall roller coaster. Which way do you like better? |
At first I named this 'Sloppy Heart' but the more I look at it the more it looks like a big strawberry. |
I think this is the ghost print of the one above. Notice how different it looks. |
This was my favorite print today until I saw the one with the heart. |
Elephant ghost print |
I had cut the ankh out of textured foam. I tried to stamp it onto the wet paint but it didn't work well.
Ankh |
I think I can save this with some white paint. |
This happened when I forgot to peel off the mask before printing. |
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Zelvolutions: My Newest Pattern Filling Projects
I'm going through a birds and feathers phase. Spring has come to the desert. I drew this bird yesterday while having lunch at Cafe 247 in Lucerne Valley, CA. The feathers I drew a few months ago. I can't remember if I posted them already or not. I'm looking forward to drawing something else today.
Thursday, January 02, 2014
What the Bleep Girl and Palm Tree Girl
Ever since I moved to the desert, I miss the beach terribly.
So it keeps wending its way into my artwork. Today's watercolor and pen and ink painting started as a wood nymph and morphed into a girl standing in the ocean. Weird how my subconscious mind takes over sometimes.
I also got photos of yesterday's 'What the Bleep Do We Know' painting. I really like it. I had in mind what kind of art journal painting I'd do if I only had a big enough art journal. Just imagine it in a journal.The dots represent the chakrahs. The snake represents the Kudalini energy and regeneration.
The vines behind her dress are from the grape vines in my backyard. The dress idea came from a 1940's dress pattern I saw on Pinterest. This is done in opaque watercolor and pen.
The inspiration for this tree was the cottonwood trees in my neighbor's yard. |
What the Bleep Girl. Original Painting ©Fayme Harper 2014 |
Palm Tree Girl Detail |
Original Painting by ©Fayme Harper 2014. Palm Tree Girl |
Self-Portrait |
Labels:
beach,
chakras,
cottonwood tree,
girl,
ocean,
painting,
palm tree,
snake,
what the bleep do we know
The Bleep Girl
What better way to start the new year than with a new mixed media painting. I am almost done, but I didn't take photos of most of it yet. I got so into it, I forgot. But I'll share the photos I took so far.
It is a metaphysical painting based on the film What The Bleep Do We Know. It has the chakra circles, some sayings inspired by the movie and a serious looking girl. The paint is opaque watercolors. The blue tape is to keep the watercolor under control and I've already removed it.
It is a metaphysical painting based on the film What The Bleep Do We Know. It has the chakra circles, some sayings inspired by the movie and a serious looking girl. The paint is opaque watercolors. The blue tape is to keep the watercolor under control and I've already removed it.
©Fayme Harper 2014 |
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Elephant Boy and Wandering Man
The Lucerne Valley Art Show was a wake up call for me. I've been spending so much time on crafts and very little on fine art. For the show I finished an assemblage I'd started a long time ago. I had painted 2 frames black way back when and figured out the elements for the first assemblage. So I finished that one, and then I made another one with a dried apple head I'd just finished. At the art show the assemblages are one thing that stopped people in their tracks, rather than just walking past another landscape.
My art was the weirdest art there.
Elephant Boy and Wandering Man assemblages by Fayme Harper |
Wandering Man wire apple head assemblage by Fayme Harper |
Owl gourd pyrography by Fayme Harper |
Ezmeralda the Emerald Lady by Fayme Harper |
Gourd doll by Fayme Harper |
Doll with the red button eyes by Fayme Harper |
Fruits by Fayme Harper, acrylics on wood. |
Fayme Harper |
Art Show in Lucerne Valley, CA |
Labels:
art show,
assemblages,
CA,
elephant boy,
lucerne valley,
outsider art,
wandering man,
wire,
wood
Friday, October 11, 2013
Four Halloween Gourds Ready To Go
I just put the final touches on my Halloween gourds. I wish I'd gotten them into my Etsy shop sooner, but it is what it is.
If you want me to reserve one for you speak up quick. They will be under $10 each.
©Fayme Harper 2013 |
©Fayme Harper 2013 |
©Fayme Harper 2013 |
©Fayme Harper 2013 |
©Fayme Harper 2013 |
Made from hard shell gourds ©Fayme Harper 2013 |
Cat in a punkin ©Fayme Harper 2013 |
©Fayme Harper 2013 |
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