Strony

Friday, 29 December 2017

With Brave Wings She Flies

Hello dear Readers!
It's time for my Creative Team's very last project in 2017!
Today Tanyalee is here to put you in the creative mood during these last days of December.
You will love seeing how she reached for a whole range of lovely different gold mediums to create this precious little canvas filled with magical tones and textures!

We all hope you will step into the brand New Year with a paintbrush in your hand spreading your art wings! :)

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Hello there lovely artist friends. It’s Tanyalee here with a fun mini canvas tutorial for the Finnabair Creative Team.
I enjoyed playing with all sorts of texture and Art Extravagance crackle pastes on this canvas to create a layered, abstract piece.
I started with a layer of Black Gesso and Graphite Texture Paste through a 'Mechanica' stencil to create a textured background, knowing I was going to cover most of it up with tissue paper afterwards. The tissue paper adds some great dimension to the piece.
Then I added Gold and Platinum Crackle Paste for interest, and for sparkle - some gold Glitter from the 'Luminous' set.
Next I added the Grungy Butterfly Mechanicals and rubbed them with some Vintage Gold Wax before using some Gold Mica Powder to make drips on the canvas.
I finished off with some White Impasto paint splatters and word stickers ‘with brave wings she flies’. It felt right with the butterflies and the black, white and gold theme.

Here's my video tutorial - I hope you'll feel inspired!






I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, and I look forward to creating a new project in the new year!

In messiness












Products used:

Wednesday, 27 December 2017

Winter Flowers

Hello my lovely Readers!
Flowers in December? Always! :)
Here's Kelly with her beautiful new creation - and you know what? No excuses here - you will totally feel the urge to grab some paints and a canvas! ;) Kelly's painting is so easy to create and she's also sharing a lot of friendly and helpful hints. Enjoy!

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Hello friends!
Here we are at the end of the year, I hope you have all had a happy and healthy holiday season.
For this month's project I wanted to create something that was simple, fun and full of bright colors. Something cheerful and warming to the soul.

I also really wanted to use and play with Finnabair's Art Alchemy paints - mostly the Impasto line but I couldn't resist a subtle touch of Metallique and Sparks too. :)
1. I started on a birchwood panel, 11/14 in size but you can of course use a canvas too or paint flowers with me on any kind of substrate really. Wherever your inspiration takes you. :)

2. I prepped the board with Soft Gloss Gel to seal in the wood. It ensures the sap won’t seep through later.
I then applied different shades of the Impasto paints in random marks on the board.
3. I used the brushes but for highlights, I also applied  some of the yellow Pure Sunshine Metallique and gold Dragon's Eye Sparks paint here and there with my fingers. Have fun and get messy!
4. Next I mixed the black Impasto paint with a bit of water to make it more fluid and painted with a liner brush the outlines of flowers all over the canvas board.
There is no wrong way to do this, whatever flowers you like! Just make sure there is a lot of them close together & even touching.
5. When the out lines are dry, add a little more of the black impasto paint to your pallete. I used a small flat square brush to fill in all the spaces between the flowers with black paint. It is tedious, but it’s so fun to see the flower color really emerge as you push black into the background. It makes the flowers pop off the canvas!

Artist tip - take your time with outlines and filling background in, it takes time and a slow, steady hand. The reward of all the work is a intricate and unique flower art piece!
6. The final step is use the white Impasto paint to make marks on the black paint and more highlights on the flowers. This is where you piece comes to life!
You can make any marks you want! You can also add words or stamps if you’d like.
I also used 3D Gloss Gel on the flowers when they dried and different colors of Glitter here and there to add sparkle.
You can paint this kind of image over and over and it will look different every time.
Be creative - try a white background with black marks and outlines with the colorful flowers. Play with the shapes of flowers and leaves, add collage elements - there are no limits to your imagination! :)
I think this would also make darling hand made cards on paper too.




I hope you all enjoyed this fun little floral project!

Sometimes it’s hard to make time to create art, but with this kind of project, you can work on a little at a time!

Working in lots of juicy layers of paint is one of my favorite parts of painting.
Plus I had so much fun playing with Finnabairs paints and mediums. I can’t wait for next month! :)

Have the best last week of 2017 and a super creative New Year!
Happy painting!
Xx


Products used:


Sunday, 24 December 2017

Happy Christmas to you all!

I know I was quiet in the last days - but I was trying to catch up with all the work and family stuff we need to do before Christmas... but I am here today to send you our best wishes and say huge THANK YOU to you all!


You are all very special to me - thanks to you all the mixed-media magic happens.
I'd like to thank you for being here, visiting the blog, FB page, social media - you make this place full of life and give us all purpose of creating, inspiring, finding new ideas. Because of you all this virtual place grows, fills with beautiful projects and all the inspiration we are trying to deliver to you. You are our steam, source of energy and creative happiness.
It's hard to express how much I appreciate your support, presence, the constant flow of love I can feel coming our way from you - this is just priceless.
Thank you so much again... and I'd like to send huge thanks to my wonderful Teams, who are my best support, a real creative family who joined this crazy boat and keep inspiring us all, spreading the true love for mixed-media. Without my Creative Team, Brand Ambassadors and my best friend and Team Coordinator in one - Eliza I would be completely lost and this place would be so very empty. You are all making a huge difference, you are so appreciated and I'm grateful and blessed to be able to work with you all... and call you my friends. Thank you!

Before we go Andrew and I would like to wish you all the most beautiful Christmas time - quiet, filled with love, peace and all that you need.  I hope you will find time to play, to enjoy whatever you like to do - taking time for yourself is so important!
Happy Holidays!

Finnabair and Andrew

Friday, 22 December 2017

Ambassadors' Words & Wishes

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Two days before Christmas I gathered my wonderful Ambassadors and asked each of them to pick one word that will express their wishes for all of you, Dear Readers. :)
As always - they have simply outdone themselves!
Please enjoy these unique projects and make sure to hit all the links to see these fabulous projects!

I’ve had many different 'mantras' for the New Year, usually a word or maybe a short and simple phrase that keeps me going through the good, the bad, and everything in between. For 2018, I’ve chosen to use BELIEVE as my mantra, my word to inspire and comfort me.

BELIEVE holds such a universal meaning - BELIEVE in myself that I have the strength and courage to conquer anything that may come my way. BELIEVE in others to give others love, respect, and a hand when needed. BELIEVE in the beauty of each new day and the endless possibilities that it offers.




My one word for December is “Connection”. We lead such busy lives and the world has become so complicated that I think we loose “connection” with some very important aspects of our lives.

Of course connection to our loved ones and the people we really care about is not so difficult and comes automatically, but connection with friends and the communities in which we live is often neglected, and communities make up countries and countries make up the world.

I feel if we all were more mindful of others and made stronger, more sincere connections, perhaps greater understanding of “differences” would result with acceptance, tolerance and respect being the prize.



This star can represent so many things to so many people.
For Jewish people it can be the Star of David a symbol of courage and strength. For those who celebrate Christmas it can be an ornament star or the star on top of the tree. For others it can be the star of HOPE.
This last one is really important for everyone. The world needs HOPE, PEACE AND LOVE.

Wishing everyone HOPE, may you always find a light to guide you through the toughest moments, love to embrace you and peace in your heart and soul.

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May all those wishes come true! :)
Happy Holidays, Everyone...

Finn & The Team