April Art Challenge Days 11-15, Plus a Roundup!

I feel like I can be honest with you - we are art sistas after all, right?

I cried happy tears this past weekend. Sure did. I'll tell you why...

A sweet lady, who is participating in the 30 day challenge, reached out to me to share her experience with the art challenge. She's given me permission to share her words:

"Martice, I can not tell you how much I love your 30 day art challenge! Your prompts are the best ones I've come across and they have given me the motivation to get up and create something. I am thankful to have found a fellow artist who leaves such thoughtful, generous comments on my art. You are a true example of what I aspire to as a professional artist. I have hidden my love for painting for the past 5 years. Yesterday, I decided to show my husband what I painted for the day 5 (spirit animal) prompt. He was shocked at the amount of detail I put into it! He also said that I should have it framed so we could hang it up in our living room!"

AH-MAZING, right?! Watching someone get past their fears to reach their breakthrough is nothing short of a miracle.

Want to join in? It's never too late.

Get all the details for the 30 day art challenge HERE.

Here's the cover of my board book for this 30 day challenge!

Click HERE to see a step out tutorial: How to Layer Jane Davenport Collage Papers.

Take a look at how I've been tackling each prompt...

DAY 11: DEEP IN THE OCEAN

A post shared by mARTice • The Curly Artista (@marticesmithart) on Apr 11, 2017 at 6:45pm PDT

DAY 12: STREET

A post shared by mARTice • The Curly Artista (@marticesmithart) on Apr 13, 2017 at 3:25pm PDT

DAY 13: CRYSTALLIZE

A post shared by mARTice • The Curly Artista (@marticesmithart) on Apr 14, 2017 at 11:12am PDT

DAY 14: VINE

A post shared by mARTice • The Curly Artista (@marticesmithart) on Apr 14, 2017 at 4:10pm PDT

DAY 15: SOMETHING FUNNY

A post shared by mARTice • The Curly Artista (@marticesmithart) on Apr 17, 2017 at 7:11pm PDT

  SHARE THE INSPIRATION!  

Here is a roundup from people who are joining in, from all over the wooorld!

Guessing game time!! See if you can you match the artwork with its prompt.  

Curious to see what other artists are creating? While you're visiting Instagram, search for the hashtag #MarticeSmithArtdaily30 or click here:

View photos from #MarticeSmithArtdaily30 on Instagram

Remember: you can start with DAY 1 or skip around to any prompt that speaks to you. Just have FUN!

Multi-layered, Exotic GODDESS Portrait | Guest Designer at StencilGirl

Hello there, lovely! I'm super excited to be over on the Stencil Girl blog as their Guest Designer, sharing my process on how to create a multi-layered, exotic goddess portrait.

::confetti toss + cartwheels:: 

Here are some sneak peeks for ya but you'll have to visit the Stencil Girl blog to see the full tutorial, OK?

Click here:

Arani, Goddess of Fire 

Deconstructed Floral Bouquet 

Rose Window and Border 

- See more at: http://www.stencilgirltalk.com/2015/05/multi-layer-art-jouranl-page-with.html#sthash.d1TJ4CHy.dpuf

sharing my process on how I created a multi-layered, exotic goddess portrait, combining three, very different stencils. These layers might look complex but I promise, they are simple + ultimately, produce a striking effect. - See more at: http://www.stencilgirltalk.com/2015/05/multi-layer-art-jouranl-page-with.html#sthash.oLt0pVj1.dpuf

Multi-Layer Art Journal Page with StencilGirl Guest Designer Martice Smith II

Multi-Layer Art Journal Page with StencilGirl Guest Designer Martice Smith II - See more at: http://www.stencilgirltalk.com/2015/05/multi-layer-art-jouranl-page-with.html#sthash.d1TJ4CHy.dpuf

sharing my process on how I created a multi-layered, exotic goddess portrait, combining three, very different stencils. These layers might look complex but I promise, they are simple + ultimately, produce a striking effect. - See more at: http://www.stencilgirltalk.com/2015/05/multi-layer-art-jouranl-page-with.html#sthash.oLt0pVj1.dpuf

sharing my process on how I created a multi-layered, exotic goddess portrait, combining three, very different stencils. These layers might look complex but I promise, they are simple + ultimately, produce a striking effect. - See more at: http://www.stencilgirltalk.com/2015/05/multi-layer-art-jouranl-page-with.html#sthash.oLt0pVj1.dpuf

sharing my process on how I created a multi-layered, exotic goddess portrait, combining three, very different stencils. These layers might look complex but I promise, they are simple + ultimately, produce a striking effect. - See more at: http://www.stencilgirltalk.com/2015/05/multi-layer-art-jouranl-page-with.html#sthash.oLt0pVj1.dpuf

sharing my process on how I created a multi-layered, exotic goddess portrait, combining three, very different stencils. These layers might look complex but I promise, they are simple + ultimately, produce a striking effect. - See more at: http://www.stencilgirltalk.com/2015/05/multi-layer-art-jouranl-page-with.html#sthash.oLt0pVj1.dpuf

I've taken three, very different stencils to create this portrait:

StencilGirl Stencils: Arani, Goddess of Fire; Deconstructed Floral Bouquet; Rose Window and Border

This portrait looks complex but my tip is to always start out simple...like this:

Oh look! Modeling paste!
...continuing with another art journal page, featuring modeling paste. I LOVE this stuff!

You gotta see how my page turned out! 

Please hop on over to see the finished art journal page + leave some comment love for me while you're there! THANKS a bunch :)

Multi-Layer Art Journal Page with StencilGirl Guest Designer Martice Smith II 

Multi-Layer Art Journal Page with StencilGirl Guest Designer Martice Smith II - See more at: http://www.stencilgirltalk.com/2015/05/multi-layer-art-jouranl-page-with.html#sthash.d1TJ4CHy.dpuf

Creating UNITY with Repetition

Hi! Today I'm talking about how to create unity in your art journal pages by repeating your favorite elements. If you follow The Documented Life Project, you'll know that our May challenge is all about my fave techniques...Touchy Feely (Texture) using modeling paste. Let's pLaY!!


Here's my supply list overview:
Gelli Arts® - Gel Printing Plate
Art journal
Modeling paste
  
Yummy colors to play with: 
Media Fluid Acrylics from DecoArt Media:

• Pyrrole Orange
• Quinacridone Red
• Cobalt Teal Hue
• Banana Cream (this one is by Americana)

+ small dot of Titanium White
+ small dot of Dark Grey Value 3

Stencils to hoard (oops! I mean to 'use'):
Alphabet Spaghetti
Snake skin
Deconstructed Floral Bouquet

Creating UNITY with Repetition

Repetition, one of the Principles of Design, is helpful when you're layering. Repeating elements (shapes, lines, colors, textures, etc.) creates unity within a work of art + helps you keep control as you build up layers.

Here are 3 tips on how to make this work:

TIP #1// Limit yourself to 3 or 4 stencils + colors, repeating them all over your page/canvas.

TIP #2// Play with a variety of sizes.

TIP #3// Overlap elements. (Use deli or tracing paper add extra dimension.)

Remember, once you master the rules, you can break them mugs like a #BOSS!

My process: 

• First, I decoupaged a yellow + orange monoprinted scrap onto my journal page.

• Then stamped with the Alphabet stencil; outlined certain areas with pencil.

• Glued a piece of deli paper tagged with my graffiti writing - making sure to overlap some of the Alphabet stencil + pencil marks.

• Add handmade washi tape.

• Finally, I applied paint with my fingers into the Deconstructed Floral Bouquet stencil. Wipe away some paint with baby wipe.

Creating UNITY with Repetition | collage by Martice Smith II

Oh look, there's more!

Here, I spread a very thin layer of modeling paste through my snake skin stencil. I played around with the ratio of modeling paste + water vs. modeling paste + glazing medium.  
My goal was to experiment to produce a translucent effect.

Ooooh weee!
I like the mixture of glazing medium the best. (The texture of the modeling paste softens up compared to the mixture of modeling paste + water, which produced teeny tiny air bubbles with no raised areas.)

See how the magenta peeks through the gray? That's because I used a glazing medium!
I know you just wanna reach into the screen + touch it, don'tcha?

...and of course, more hand-lettering ;-)...

Notice that I incorporated 3 variations of my hand-lettering:

variation #1: I wrote directly on the surface of the page with a black ink pen.

variation #2: Using the handle end of my paintbrush, I scribbled into the acrylic paint while it was still wet (gray area).

variation #3: I used a black Sharpie to write chunky letterforms onto a scrap piece of deli paper.

Great way to repeat the same element, in different ways. We're creating UNITY!

 

What kind of things do you intentionally repeat in your mixed-media collage works?

(If you're not sure, take another look at a few of your journal pages to find them, then come back to share a link in the comments so we can check 'em out, too!)