Pantone Inspired Abstract Art

 Pantone Inspired Abstract Art - Large Scale Color Swatch

Hi friends!
Today, I’m sharing how to create a large scale color swatch using DecoArt's new Americana® Premium™ acrylics, which are now available at select Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft stores.

I've included a downloadable color guide, below, so you can see the entire range of colors.

This project is great for the color-mixing-challenged folks. Super simple, I pinky promise! There's no exact rule on how to mix the colors - we are just gonna layer them one-by-one, on top of each other. Simple + instant happiness, which I know you love!

With all of the colorful frenzy happening in my studio, this muted pink was the perfect color to bring a sense of calm + more feminine energy.

This isn't just a simple, solid-color swatch - it’s layered with multiple colors so that it gives the illusion of depth. Let's get started...here's what you'll need:

Products Used:

DecoArt Americana Premium Acrylics:

• Titanium White
• Titan Buff
• Primary Magenta

Supplies Used:

• Watercolor paper
• Paint palette
• Paint brushes (flat, wide bristle brushes)
• Container of water
• Picture frame (16”x16”)
• Black marker
• Pencil + eraser
• Utility knife + cutting board

Time to complete: 1 hour (includes drying time!)

  

Step One: Clean the frame + cut out paper

I purchased a frame from my local thrift store + gave it a good cleaning because it had a lot of yucky dust buildup. If your frame has a cardboard backing, make sure you keep it as you’ll need to use it later to keep everything snuggly inside the frame.

Next, I cut a 16"x16" piece of watercolor paper. This will be our Pantone swatch.

  

Step Two: Draw lines to create the Pantone box

I don’t know about you but I don’t mind getting messy while creating art! I drew a border around the paper to represent the space where I'd paint.

One inch borders on the top, left, and right side. The bottom has a four inch border.

Step Three: Paint the color swatch

Don’t be afraid to paint outside of the box! In fact, the messier the paint strokes, the better.

(Notice the test swatch! I referenced the exact Pantone color, "Pale Dogwood".)

Squeeze out the acrylics onto your paint palette.

Take a large bristle paintbrush + apply the colors to the paper. You don't need to wait until each layer is dry - keep adding colors until you're satisfied with the color.

Order of application:

First layer of color: Titan Buff
Second layer of color: Titanium White
Third layer of color: a small dip of Primary Magenta.
(These premium colors are highly pigmented so, literally, a dip into the Primary Magenta will quickly change the mixture.)

Step Four: Add hand-lettering

Using a pencil, write the words on the Pantone swatch then trace with a black marker. Erase pencil lines.

Finally, add a pun to make it fun! I love a clever play on words.
Mine says “I have a blush on hue”. (This is a play on the phrase ‘I have a crush on you”.)

Step Five: Reassemble the frame + hang on the wall

Carefully place everything pack into your frame + admire your new Pantone-inspired abstract art!

  

Still curious about these awesome acrylics? Watch the video to learn more about 'em...

Americana® Premium Acrylics™ provide an intermediate-level, artist-grade tube acrylic at an affordable price point. YES! ::insert all the heart eyes::

They're similar to the Americana acrylics that you may already be using. However, these premium acrylics are medium-bodied...just a bit thicker than the craft ones.

They are intermixable which means that they blend well with other paint brands so that you can have #allthecolors! I also appreciate the flip tops which makes them super easy to use.

Happy creating!

How to Make a Color Wheel for Your Art Journal

Color is definitely my thing. (I'm guessing that if you've been hanging with me since the beginning of my blogging career, you already knew that, didn't ya?)

I admire how people respond to color in different ways. We know what we like + there is such a yummy buffet of combinations. Being able to articulate what turns you off about a certain color will help as well. (Maybe you prefer olive green over pine green or light pink over flourescent pink...)

I understand the frustrations of not being able to mix that perfect color from your imagination. Learning the basics of color theory will help you immensely. Color theory is easy to learn!  

Tutorial: How to Make a Color Wheel for Your Art Journal

Every artist - no matter their skill-level - uses a color wheel at some point for their creative projects. Learn how to make your own color wheel, so that you can study at your own pace.

Fear no color.

Allow yourself to be open to experimenting + playing with color. This activity teaches you how to mix up your own, unique colors, apply them to your work + what you want to express.

Alright creative peapods - are you ready to slosh paint around? Hop on over to my guest post on the StencilGirl Talk blog to create a color wheel for your art journal.

I am lovin' these 4 colors!

Playing with a few sizzlin' summer colors today!

I know you LOVE it when I share my desk cam sneak peeks. (Thank you to everyone who requested to see more!!)

You also know how much I love color, so, today I want to share with you, 4 swoon-worthy colors that are making me super happy right now:

• Yellow Ochre - Americana Acrylic (DecoArt)
• Hansa Yellow Medium - Fluid Acrylic (DecoArt)
• Quinacridone Magenta - Fluid Acrylic (DecoArt)
• White Pearl - Pearlescent ink (Daler-Rowney)

Desk cam! Martice's current color palette: Yellow Ochre, Hansa Yellow Medium, Quin. Magenta and White Pearl (ink)

This week, I've been working on one-of-a-kind, handmade art journals . Every single page is custom-designed with painty goodness, textures, creative hand lettering + personal symbology.

My idea behind these beauties is to have them work as collaborative journals. Simply put: I start them, you finish them. There's so much more to come! Stay tuned :)

What are your favorite colors to use while art journaling?

Art Journal & my two brayers

Today, I'll be sharing days 9 & 10 of Traci Bautista's Printmaking challenge with you! If you're just joining me here - WELCOME! Jump right in if you wanna play :)

All you need to do is upload your photo from any or all of the creative prompts, to your social media platform.

Oh! Don't forget to use hashtag #printmaking unleashed (without the space in between the two words) so everyone who is playing along can see it too!

Here's the chart of creative prompts

Day 9: Art Journal

This particular art journal keeps a collection of my various collages, textures, handwritten letters & notes and gelli printing papers.

 Day 10: Brayer
 Such a simple looking tool but extremely versatile in terms of application techniques. I use two kinds of brayers: a 3.5 inch, hard rubber brayer (pictured below) and a 4 inch, soft rubber Speedball brayer.

I like to use the hard rubber brayer to get uneven textures in my paint, like this:

This is my first experiment with foam stamping...I loved this technique! Simple process: draw onto the foam (with firm pressure), ink the "plate", then stamp.

 The second brayer is used for stamping, applying paint to journals, printing plates, etc. It is very important not to scratch the surface of this brayer. Any impressions will affect your final print.

This brayer is called a "Pop-in"; the soft rubber part can be popped out and cleaned.

Here, I used my Speedball brayer to ink a hand-carved chevron stamp on a phone book page.

Color palette + a peek at my studio table

I absolutely LOVE *anything* that sparkles with bright colors, textures, and interesting patterns! Here's a look at my color palette / "flair tray" some items that are inspiring me, at the moment...
Day 7! The prompt for today is "Color palette"

A few of these items were thrifted or found at estate sales, like the yarn, batik fabric, picture frame, and "Blessed" note cards.

Other things are: 

 • black and gold trimmed peep-toe boot •

• denim fabric (which is actually a paintbrush holder that I designed and made) •

• patterns that reflect my Native American Indian heritage; like chevrons, stylized eagles/water/sun •
• sewing embellishments •

• decorative office supplies/paper/painting palette •

Here's one of my favorite vintage-styled earrings! (The other one isn't pictured)  They were designed to replicate the 1950s era. The set of notecards has a biblical scripture on the cover, that reads: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." ~ Matthew 5:8 ~

Day 8! The prompt for today is "Studio table"

I think it's fun to share art spaces with other artists! I'm glad to have taken this opportunity to show you a tiny glimpse of mine. 

My work area, pretty much, stays organized because I'm working in such a small space. However, while I'm busy creating, I never worry about things being out of place.

This is my work table for creating my mixed-media/traditional works.

(I do have another area in my house where I work with a Wacom tablet and a laptop/desktop computer...but, that's kinda boring compared to this area!)

Here is something that I just created! A large, hand-carved chevron stamp, stamped on a piece of scrap paper. Also, see that white carousel on the left side? That's my new "toy"! I love it because it holds so much stuff + it turns 360 degrees!! Other new stuff includes the Derwent tin of 24 Inktense pencils and glitter and mica flakes set by Stampendous.

These are 3 postcards I recently created, using image transfer techniques with clear package tape. Have you seen the tutorial? It was just published! You can check it out here

Remember, if you want to be among the first to see my new work, I invite you to subscribe to the Uneek Art Letter, my monthly newsletter, right here. OR, just enter your name and email address in the form in the sidebar, to your right (at the very top).

Finally, here's a little sneaky peek at an illustration that I'm currently working on. I can hardly wait to reveal it to you! Some special things are brewing over here at Martice Smith II - Illustration & Design Studio!!!!