It's that time of year when my large fall licensed collection has been completed, my fall shows are over and I've created one-of-a-kinds for a local boutique's holiday needs. 

It's a time when I can focus on other licensed pieces, custom orders and the designs I wish to make for holiday gifts.  Importantly, it is one of the times throughout the year that I decide to do some experimenting- - trying new techniques and playing with new materials.  I purposely block out time to wander around Michael's and Hobby Lobby and always seem to throw some things in the cart that will push me to think more creatively and learn new techniques.

 

Speaking of new techniques, I have been meaning to show you something 'new' I've been up to.

I've been watering-down acrylic paint and applying it in layers on to my wood creations.

 

Step 1:  Here I'm showing a piece of wood cut from a cabinet door.  The piece has been primed.  The edges have been roughed up by a hand-sander...

Step 2:  Of course, something goes wrong here and I'm unable to attach the visual of where I pencil in my basic design and 'ink' over that basic sketch using different sized black Sharpie markers.  No color at this point- - just drawing the design on in black permanent marker.

 

Step 3:  I water down the acrylic paint and begin blocking in the general colors...

 

Step 4:  I continue to layer on more and more watered-down colors to mix colors right on the piece, add shadowing, etc.  If the black Sharpie marker begins to look 'faded' by the layers of watered-down paint, I have gone in and markered over the marker.  Here, I had to do so on some of the wording.

 



Step 5:  Once it is dry, I varnish the item.  Here I've wired on a star, drilled for a wood dowel tree 'trunk' and assembled it into a wood layered base.

(The wood layered base consists of two pre-made wood blanks from Michaels' which I've stacked, glued, painted and dusted with glitter 'snow'.)

 

 

I'd like to try this technique on some wood frames and such.  It's a fun 'new' method that has really made me stop and think when creating and has also allowed me to paint outside the lines- - literally.

My wheels are turning with the possibilities.