"Luna moth" - Art Element Theme Challenge

This months theme for the Art Elements theme challenge was chosen by Jennifer - " Luna moth". I have to say this was a difficult theme for me as much as I love these insects (and insects in general are simply stunning creatures!). Maybe it was simply the fact that I got ill, there were a lot of deadlines, I spend some long days writing grant applications, and also went to a conference. Sometimes a too literal theme stuns me in the beginning.

I know, I could have simply taken the colors alone as inspiration or create an abstract pattern but once your brain is stuck... it is not easy to get it working again. The only way that works for me is actually to start creating something even without inspiration or any idea. So I tried to sketch a luna moth to get a better feeling for the shape, pattern, size and overall shape. The upper wings are not wide enough but it helped.

If you follow me here or read my blog post at Art Elements, you know that I don't like most commercial available water color sketch books and started binding my own ones. I still wanted to try out the Moleskin one. Although I am not such a fan of the art sketch book, I have to say the water color book works really good! I was pleasantly surprised. The only downside? It is so damn expensive... 

When I am stuck, I love to create color swatches. They are so relaxing, to see the colors flow has something so beautiful and joyful. It lead to another try to pain a luna moth. It is okay but I am not in love with it. Just a... meh...

But you know what? This kind of challenges where I am stuck in the beginning can be the best! Because it forces me to think. Jennifer shared her carved stamps in the last theme challenges and just showed her tiny sketchbook made with tiny wee carved pattern stamps for the sketchbook project (have a look here). The last time I carved anything is a year ago and I thought maybe I should change the medium.

I simplified the shape of the luna moth...

....and I wanted to add eyes. I don't know why but the image of eyes, the moth and the moon kept coming up in my head.

If you want to mirror copy a stamp, simply stamp it with watter resistant ink on the rubber. Now you can carve it. If it should be the same orientation like the original one, simply to it again with the mirror image stamp. Yes, they will be a little bit different but in the end it should still be a handcarved and unique stamp.

I tried out several shapes and pattern for the eyes. In the end my favorite was the one with the tear drop that I copied to have a pair to be combined. The only thing I changed in the mirror stamp: The light reflection should come from the same side!

I played with the stamps and water color. Just playing...

This pink card was a birthday card for a friend. The moth is maybe a little bit too big for cards. 

I also created several test prints on high quality paper.

I think this one is my favorite with a single eye on top. Maybe I will add a moon / circle in the background.

I also need to play more about how I could incorporate the eyes. 

By the way, if you want to add metal effects in your water color, I really can recommend Aqua Bronze from Schmincke. It is made of metal powder and not mica. It comes in a powder form that includes a kind of glue. You have to wet it with water (every time fresh!) and then you can apply it as paint. It takes some experimenting with the ratio and paper since the metal particles can be easier rubbed off than pigments. Depending what you want to do with the finished piece you should fix it.

But it looks so stunning! No other paint ever came close, it has an effect like metal foil! I also have a silver version. 

As always... shimmer and shine is difficult to capture on camera.

In the end I actually had another go at a luna moth painting. This time it worked for me and I like the finished piece. The trick was to go for different colors. There is still green but combined with turquoise and not anymore this neon like light green. It may be not the true color of luna moths but somehow it looks more real to me.

As much as I struggled in the beginning of this theme challenge, I really love where it lead me. My absolute favorite? The eye stamp(s) with the tear drop! I think this may become one of my favorite and most used stamps ever!

Thank you for joining us and please have a look at the ideas and creations of everyone! :)

Guests:

Alysen

Beth and Evie

Colette

Divya

Karin

Rozantia

Sarah

Sarajo

Tammy

Art Elements Team:

Caroline

Cathy

Claire (you are here)

Jen

Jenny

Lesley

Lindsay

Marsha

Niky

Newspapers, paint and thread!

I had to start creating things. I just brought some needles and thread, crochet hooks and yarn with me. I can do a lot with that kind of supplies but... it really couldn't occupy my mind enough. It took me some time but I found some great air-drying clay (it has a really strange consistency... and now I know why they don't use polymer clay here... most apartment don't have an oven. They are cooking and frying a lot but they usually don't bake in korea). I will show you what I made with it in the next days. Still have to finish the painting. 

But... with some newspapers lying around.. and some cardbord from the cereal box... I started playing around. Some paper beads, some cut outs (still just single pieces, nothing done with it yet) and this card! And... mh... I bough three copics and a white laquer pen ^^

The shape of the butterfly was roughly sketched on the newspaper. The several layers were sewn together to create the body. Afterwards I cut the shape out. The rest was playing with scribbling, doodling and painting all over. The butterfly was then glued on the card. 

Can you see all the layers? The effect is really something which I will repeat in the future!

And it is already on its way to germany. Next to this card I played a little bit with blank envelopes. Just with the new pens... To doodle around is quite relaxing. All of them are also on their way to germany... and next tuesday I will also head home.

Swallows, swirls and vintage paper

Some impressions of cards and wrappings, of tags and comissions I made before and especially because of christmas :)

Just pages of an old book, one of my hand carved swallow stamps, swirl stamps (I used them from viva  decor) and a stamping pad with silver ink...

...oh... and of course a scissor and glue ^^

Bird ornament card

I cut some card board elements to create ornaments... and thought I should draw myself a template for the future. Like the one I used for my felt birds (have a look here and more birds here). 

But then I thought... mh... looks cute as it is, why not make a postcard out of it? So here is my bird ornament card! To make your own little bird ornament ^^

My will go on its way tomorrow!

If you want to make your ow: Feel free to print my bird :) 

Inside your cell

Okay, it seems that I am a little bit slow sometimes. I mean: Hey, I just realized that I still don't have a cell stamp. And I am a biologist! Without a (an eukaryotic) cell stamp!

I was a little bit shocked by myself. Really! So I had to change that...

...and carved an eukaryotic cell stamp ^^

I just stamped with lino print colours (it is a big stamp) on water colours like here.

Mh... and I think I need another one, this time more detailed or "stuffed"? Or just a beautiful neuron? 

PS: Who can name all the structures inside the cell? ;)

Print on water colours - tree stencil

I used my tree stamp with lino print colour and made a print on top of the pink circle. The circle is just artistic water colours (you know how I love them!). 

To get a little bit more of a structured / strange patterned colour I added some salt cristals on the still wet surface. The salt cristals will start to soak the water inside and create this little patterns. 

I just use normal salt from the kitchen for this effect. 

If you want to see transfered the stencil / image of the tree silhouette onto a rubber stamp carving plate - just have a look here [How to transfer pictures for stamp carving...]

Or have a look how I created the tree silhouette from a foto [Tree stencils]

My vintage eastern critter - playing with the rabbit

This is the leftover of a rabbit I cut out of an old book page. It was just per accident that I laid it on my "try-it-all" book cover. Doens't it look great? I took a picture and again: I played with all the photo editing features of picasa. Oh.... and no... I can't decide which one would be my favorite! I love them all! A little bit to late for eastern this year... but next year I will print some of the pictures in a high quality to make some cards out of them!