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Friday 26 September 2014

Almost There!

I can not believe that we are near the end of September!  I have to say that I have really enjoyed the 29 Faces in September 2014 challenge.  Also the Living Beings theme over at Art Journal Journey.  So thanks to the lovely ladies that host them.

Face 20

This is Ashley, she loves all living creatures and all creatures seem to love her.  Dogs and cats come running when she is in their territory.  Birds hover near her and sing songs to her!  She is a magical girl who walks through life with lots of compassion.  If you see her, smile and watch the magic happen.


Face 21


This is Kasey, she is dressed up in her party dress, it is her eighth birthday and all her friends are coming.  She is twitching with excitement as she watches her mother sets out the spread they will be having  … there are fairy lights, jelly beans and pink and purple cupcakes!  Best of all, there will be lots of presents!!!!

Faces 22, 23 AND 24

On Monday Morning I was doing a bit of blog reading while the kettle boiled for my breakfast.  I happen to hit on Morag of Paper Rainbow’s post about an Australian Artist Peter Rush (see here)  He does street scenes of Sydney with coloured pencils on old cereal cartons.  They were awesome.  My eye spotted the weetbix carton I had just put near the fireplace for burning.  Ummm ….I fetched it and made a few marks…….. An hour or so later the above was underway and my weetbix were soggy!  Needless to say I was so excited with how the coloured pencils worked on this card, that I had finished the picture well before lunch.  Three more faces done!


These ladies are three sisters, Bertha, Agatha and Elisabeth.  

The first and eldest sister Bertha loves to be indoors and hates being outside because of the creepy crawlies.  She is often to be found standing at the window watching her sisters’ antics with disapproval.  Did you see how a bee has managed to invade her kingdom!  


The middle sister Agatha, is a bit mixed up, she admires both her sisters and wants to be like them, but she can’t stand Bertha's nagging and she is actually very nervous of nature and really wants to be inside.  The youngest is a creature of nature she loves to dance in the woods singing to all the creatures she finds, especially the little people. 


I just love using the boxes and will be doing more of this. Now, for my beauty of the week:


 Face 25

This is Catherina, she wants to be a model, but has been let down by un scrupulous agents trying to manipulate her into dodgy ventures.  Despite her fragile exterior there is a strength within her that will help her to avoid all the pitfall of her chosen career, good luck Catherina, I know you will succeed!

I was going to show how I make some textures with my home made stamps this week but I have decided to wait till 29 faces is over and do a series on my techniques then.  

However I can give one tip that follows on from my step by step last week.  While I was doing the three sisters, I realised that all my faces no matter their medium I do a layer of white.  For pencil; work I use a white pencil as it softens the marks.  For watercolours and acrylics I use zinc white acrylic paint and do a thin wash, yes even over watercolour faces such as Catherina.  
I just love the soft magical feel it gives.



Even though I am enjoying all the challenges this month I will be glad when things are back to normal, it is spring here and everything is growing at a pace.  My poor garden is sadly neglected.  Don’t you think that Bro is trying to tell me something!!

Well, have a wonderful week every body!

Linking today to Paint Party Friday hosted by Eva and Kirstin

And Art Journal Journey hosted by Valerie and Susi

27 comments:

  1. Beautiful faces, all so varied. I will try your tip with the white layer to soften. Great photo of your cat! Have a lovely weekend, Hugs, Valerie

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  2. Sharon!!! I love love love your weetabix ladies!!!! Amazing!!! They suit the box format brilliantly and I think you could remake the box back to front and have them as a remade box hanging up as a sort of mobile!! Fabulous!!

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    1. Haha, I had already thought of turning it back into a box. Hadn't thought of the mobile though thanks. I am thinking of doing smaller boxes and using then as containers for gifts!

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  3. Oh wow, how creative you are! Your painting face 25 is beautiful. I love her!

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  4. These are beautiful you are super talented ;) love your photo of the cat too!
    Vic x

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  5. Gorgeous work as always! I have done several faces on cereal boxes...but I cut the thin strips off the top and bottom that way they stand up like an accordion. I too love how they work up! My daughter now saves every single bit of hard cards or boxes to check if I'd like it to paint on them! She even went into a recycle bin at work to get a large watch book that was bound and it's my favorite book to paint in. I just gesso over the images and then do my own thing. I will blog about that book one day! Thanks for sharing all this beauty!

    Hugs Giggles

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  6. Me again! Thanks for linking to Art Journal Journey, always good to seee you there! Hugs, Vaerie

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  7. Oh Sharon, I so love your faces! the ones on the cereal boxes are just awesome. Looking forward to your series on techniques!

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  8. I adore the warm and cool color contrasts in your artwork. AAaaaahhhhh--fills my eyes. I also love your kitty cat. She reminds me of our dear Snowbunny. :D

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  9. I feel just like you! I get excited by things folks leave behind like the Wombles. I don't know if you had the Wombles in NZ it is a UK kids series from the seventies in which some furry wombles collected old stuff and upcycled then into new. I love the art on the Weetabix box and all your colorful faces. Happy PPF

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  10. Oh my gosh! I am overwhelmed by this all Sharon.. specially love what you did with the cereal box...just AMAZING!

    Thank you for your kind words abot the AJJ Challenge this month and thank you for linking to us!
    xxx
    Susi
    Have a wonderful weekend!

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  11. There is a lot of fun going on on this page! Love the faces - all of them. The first one, Ashley seemed to be the one that really caught my eye. Gorgeous work, Sharon!! M.x

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  12. What fun! I'm seriously impressed! It's been awhile since I had a chance to visit your blog. You are getting REALLY good! I LOVE LOVE your faces. Awesome style :)
    ~Happy Paint Party Friday~
    Thanks for sharing your work :)
    Tam

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  13. wow- a really great collection of fabulous faces! Love the photo of your kitty in the flower pot-precious!

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  14. Hi from the UK Sharon and wow what amazing paintings you've done

    Wonderful artwork

    x Hilda

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  15. Your faces are indeed magical, they have an ethereal quality to them. I love Kasey's party dress and how you have transformed the cereal box, that's fabulous. I'm looking forward to reading more about your techniques.

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  16. Your faces are wonderful to view, Sharon. Catherina is such a beauty that I know she will succeed in being a top fashion model. Thanks for letting us know about the white. It gives such a translucent look to your ladies.

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  17. wonderful faces, I am thus begeisert of it!
    Elke

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  18. your faces are full of charater and color! I really enjoyed them, and the kitty is adorable too.

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  19. Gorgeous colors! Those ladies are fantastic, all of them!
    Your kitty looks like mine, like cousins hahahaha (mine has more of a white patch in the face)
    Enjoy your Spring coming, as we start slowly our fall here ♥

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  20. I just love your perspective in these faces, you create each time a new view.
    I use a lot of card boxes and all kind of recycling material, they are so inspiring. One never knows what's coming up when you start to paint a fun piece of torn card box.

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  21. What a delight to visit you and your faces Sharon... it's so interesting reading about their personalities too.
    It's funny how we develop our own style and technique... not matter how we try you can always see it there.
    I wish we were heading into spring but I shall enjoy autumn (it is my favourite) and try to find winter's magic.
    Have a wonderful weekend and maybe Bro is trying to tell you something... sit back, relax and enjoy the sun!

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  22. Fabulous art, I love them all so much and your art using boxes looks so great! It's bursting with fun and creation here!

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  23. Love your faces, especially Catherina. Pretty eyes.

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  24. OMG!!! Gorgeous and wonderful faces...love the way it looks and emotes...fab work Sharon :)
    Deepa
    http://deepazworld.blogspot.in/

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