Lisa Bebi's PAINT OVER TECHNIQUE Workshop, June 27, 2009

About 6 weeks ago, I picked up the new issue of SOMERSET STUDIO GALLERY and the very first article ... led me to artist Lisa Bebi and the workshop that Cara & I attended on 6/27/09.

Wow. Cara and I thoroughly enjoyed Lisa's workshop in Escondido yesterday afternoon. It was quite hot outside, but the inside of the Gallery was nice and cool, and we had a great set-up.

Lisa, getting us all started on the process ...

and Lisa with her quickly-completed example of her Paint-Over Technique ...

I have to say, Lisa teaches well -- she doesn't fuss -- and this particular technique of hers was rather easy to pick up. And FUN ... it was soooooooo much fun. Transforming magazine images and our own photographs, printed on plain paper from an inkjet printer ... what a way to make art!

Cara gets into her projects ...

and she's off and running!

sitting back to gain perspective ...

My daughter Cara, who is quite artistic and can draw anything FROM AN IMAGE of it ... hasn't worked much, if ever, with paints. Probably next to never, other than creating birthday party scenes for children, and transforming her daughter's bedroom into a Parisian Street Scene once ... but as for working with acrylics, I'm guessing never. (Cara has, however, been a drawing fool since she could hold a pencil and/or crayon).

I've only been working with acrylics since January, and my art background consists of ... making collages as a child, learning the very basic basics of architectural / interiors drafting when I was taking all the interior design classes, and that's about it. I've had color theory (interior design requirement), I've had art history; I've made scrapbooks and cards and such .... but as for MAKING ART, this is all new to me, too.

And while our class was small, it was "full" of interesting & talented women; one of which I was so happy to meet after being a FAN of her on the radio all these years ... The infamous "RUTH 66" from radio station KGB (101.5 on the fm dial here in town). Oh, and by the way ... she has a real name ... and it's not Ruth :-) ...

me 'n "Ruth 66", getting to know each other at the end of class

So to wrap this up ... here's how we made out yesterday:

Cara's finished / near-finished image of herself from a bridal shoot she did this year ... I love her use of color and line!

Bike-Mama from a vogue-style magazine - a la Cara --

again, her use of color blows me away!

a bridal mag image that Cara "techniqued" over ... luscious!


And my work for the day ... this from a bridal magazine ...

And this, my own daughter Cara from that same bridal shoot ... this was SO much fun.

Thank you, Lisa, for your hard work teaching us how to do this paint-over technique and for making it so much fun. I can't wait for another class with you!

-- Princess Magpie

Art Journaling

My beautiful niece Wendy and I took a trip to the local Barnes & Noble the other day, both with the intention of spending our Christmas gift cards on things we "couldn't live without".



Which, I admit, is never a problem for me ... B & N is my addiction, but books are a healthy addiction, so no need to organize an intervention for me - not yet, anyway.


What I found that I could not live without was a new Stampington / Somerset publication called ART JOURNALING by Somerset Studio, and wow, was it worth every penny {okay, dollar}. There is so much visual & creative stimulation packed in these pages, I relished the forced BREAK I had to take when the phone rang! {that says a lot}



I encourage you to take a look for yourself -- I guarantee that whether or not you keep a journal, an ART JOURNAL will appeal to you on some, if not many, level/s.



Here's the link to the magazine -- take note and get yourself out to buy your very own copy.
http://www.stampington.com/html/art_journaling_w09.html



Yours in DOING SOMETHING CREATIVE EVERY DAY,

Princess Magpie, aka, DAH

ARTISTICALLY Paying it Forward

So there is this cool magazine, beautifully edited and published, and oh-so-inspiring, and it is called ARTFUL BLOGGING: Visually Inspiring Online Journals {it is a Somerset Studio / Stampington & Company publication - visit them at http://www.stampington.com/ for more info on ALL their cool publications!). ARTFUL BLOGGING {the magazine}, in their own words, is where "Innovations in technology provide new and exciting platforms for artists and writers to share their creative work with the world."

In the Winter 2009 edition, there is a very sweet "post" on page 111 called "Pay It Forward", and it is dated August 12, 2008 -- it comes from the blog known as The Land of Lost Luggage, by Julie Prichard, which can be found at: www.lostluggage.typepad.com and I most highly recommend you VISIT her blog and look in her Archives for August 13th's entry -- you will love how Julie and her niece put together an Art Journal together, when gathered for days on end, preparing for a family wedding.

Introducing someone to ART, especially a child, can be life-altering -- for them, and for you; for us all. READ JULIE'S LITTLE STORY about "Paying It Forward" and I think you will agree with me -- it is SO worth it to take the time to do art projects with children. And grown-ups. And grown-ups who act like children, too!

-- Davi, aka, Princess Magpie