Painting Project No. 32 & 33 from “Ways to Learn Acrylics” - Landscapes

These two projects are the last in Chapter 3 - 'beyond the basics'.  Can't believe it, but my first painting in “Little Ways to Learn Acrylics: 50 small painting projects...” by Mark Daniel Nelson was back in November. Looking forward to moving onto Chapter 4 and probably for the first time in a long time finishing what I started.

Project number 32 ‘Accenting with a complementary colour: Birch trees’ came out better than I thought it would. At first, the steps to finishing the painting seemed odd but the final result was pretty nice and despite my prejudice...I liked it.

Project number 33 ‘Using exaggerated colour: Expressionist landscape’ was all about various colours as well as shapes; in my opinion it didn’t look so great. Probably should have tried to do my own thing and make some alterations to the instructions, but really I’m just ready to move on to the next chapter.

Craft Show Farnborough - Greeting Cards

My addiction to making cards was intensified by the Farnborough Make It craft fair. Even though it was £9.50 to get in I couldn’t stay away. After some research and one awesome blog post  it looked like it was worth going. My friend Snezana very graciously gave me a Cuttlebug and I needed more dies, embossing folders, stamps, paper, and ink pads. A previous trip to Hobbycraft wasn’t enough and I just needed more!

Spent £53 on products at Farnborough and couldn’t believe it. The money just flew out of my wallet and into the stallholder’s hands. It’s a good thing I didn’t have more cash on me; only charged the entry fee and one heart die at the end.  It’s amazing how much time it takes to put together just one card. Although, I do have ideas and pieces of things to use for future cards.

The balloon card is created with stamps and layout ideas from Issue 29 of Creative Stamping magazine. The flower card is from a Sizzix die cut and paper purchased at Hobbycraft.

The cake card is partly from a stamp that came from the Creative Stamping magazine and blue ink stamps from the show. The circle card is from a circle cutter and paper purchased from the craft show.

Painting Project No. 31 from “Ways to Learn Acrylics” - Sunflowers

Project 31 in "Little Ways to Learn Acrylics: 50 small painting projects..." by Mark Daniel Nelson was 'Creating contrast with temperature: Sunflowers’. I’m not experienced with painting sunflowers but all in all they came out pretty nice. I probably should have stopped sooner because with too many layers of yellow, the flowers don’t pop as much as they did. I prefer the poppy painting.

Painting Project No. 30 from “Ways to Learn Acrylics” - Poppies

Project 30 in "Little Ways to Learn Acrylics: 50 small painting projects..." by Mark Daniel Nelson was ‘Massing multiple objects: Poppy field’. As mentioned before, I don’t like massing or painting from loose paintings; but I do like poppies. This project started out looking good, then there was a moment where it went all wrong. After working on it for a day or two I was able to salvage the painting to a point where I really liked it. This method was difficult but effective and the poppies look vibrant.

Painting Project No. 29 from “Ways to Learn Acrylics” Landscape

Project 29 in ‘Little Ways to Learn Acrylics: 50 small painting projects...' by Mark Daniel Nelson was ‘Massing in nature: River and trees’. Sorry to say but I didn’t like this exercise either (see Project 28; Bananas); not a big fan of massing. This whole chapter is really challenging for me; loose painting from images that are loosely painted is a real nuisance. I worked on this landscape over several days until it looked presentable enough to publish.

Couldn’t wait to start Chapter 3 but now I can’t wait to finish it:(

Painting Project No. 28 from “Ways to Learn Acrylics” Bananas

Project 28 in ‘Little Ways to Learn Acrylics: 50 small painting projects..." by Mark Daniel Nelson was ‘Massing shapes: Bunch of bananas’. The technique called ‘massing’ involves combining groups of small detailed shapes into larger more generalized shapes. Well I didn’t like it; for me, it’s easier to work from a more specific outline.

My first try came out really awful so then I painted a bunch of bananas that were in my kitchen. After getting a feel for what bananas looked like, I went back to trying the project from the book. In the end I was satisfied with the final product.

Abstract Acrylic Paintings

With my sudden addiction to making greeting cards, three art classes, and an almost pathologic need to get through the 50 small painting projects book, I’ve forgotten what I love! Abstract painting… this blog is for you. These two paintings were started about three or four weeks ago and today I was determined to finish them.

The larger one 40cm x 50cm was supposed to be green, yellow, red and black, but as ever I was in a hurry and couldn’t wait for the black to dry. The first layer was really nice but the white of the canvas was showing; more black was added and it covered up some of the good stuff. The green was an acrylic ink and a little watery so when the third layer dried it was very translucent. The final layers were in Jackson Pollock style.  I may work on it some more but for now it’s done.

The smaller one 25cm x 30cm was originally just yellow and black. My husband liked it but I felt it wasn’t finished. Using the JP style, I painted outside in my garden and boy was it cold... but worth it. I love this style of painting because you can always rework it and it’s never wrong.