Talent Tuesdays!!!

So I want to start this new thing (probably not new at all...but new for me)...

Talent Tuesdays!!!

Each Tuesday (or every Tuesday that I actually remember) I will post a piece of artwork by one of my students!!!

This one is a work in progress... I know she was inspired by a "Zentangle Inspired Artwork" that she found online while researching patterns to use in another assignment. And the next thing I know... she has this!! I believe the artist is going to add a little color.. I can't wait to see what she comes up with!!

I'll post another pic when she's done!

Some Zentangle Inspired Ideas...

Just some Zentangle inspired doodles from my staff meeting notes.... I love looking at them. They make me smile...

This one (above) is very Mooka...esque.

I feel like wave(y) doodle is missing a pirate ship..

I love drawing paisleys...

The Silent Dancer...

I have completed my whimsical woman!

Well... kind of... I do feel that she still needs a little something... but I am not sure what. So, she is where she is now.. and we'll see what I come up with to modify her in the future.

I am calling her The Silent Dancer... although she still needs a name...

I almost feel like she is standing backstage peering around the curtain before a show - I think it is the hair piece that makes me think that way. And her expression, is like the ... "go get'em" focused face while she tries to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. The calm moment before the excitement...

I am contemplating creating a curtain that frames the top and flows down the side of the picture. ....I will continue to play with that idea... I could use a fabric, or draw it in.. tough decision..

Whimsical Woman....in progress..

This young woman is my current work in progress... I love the idea that is in my head... But because I have such high expectations for it, she is taking forever.

I was originally inspired by another artist, Michelle Mathey. I have been following her blog "Pigment of my Imagination" for a while now and have always marveled at the portraits she creates. I love the simple colorful style of her work... The way she uses a variety of different black lines.... The way her bold solid colors create a sense of feeling. The people she creates are simply drawn, but have SO much character and personality. 

I decided to give it a try...

A simple sketch of a woman (I had no one in mind when I started it... I just went with the flow). Now, she looks a lot like one of my cousins.

Here, I began adding color using my Inktense blocks. Sandy, you were right... the Inkense are AWESOME!!

  

My workspace... who said creation was clean??... My creative side shuts off if it is too clean around me... I like the term "organized mess" when I am working.

I took a break from painting/inking the hair... I wanted to see how it looked when it was dry... (the color does change a bit when there is no water on the paper anymore).. in the meantime, I began creating the Zentangle Y.A.F. pattern that I am going to put in her hair...

Back to the girl, and inking in the colors... In this picture I am almost done with the color... I think she is going to get a little more rouge on her cheeks.

Creating the background for my Whimsical Woman... I want something that contrasts the colors and lines of the face and hair... A Zentangle background using grid-based patterns to contrast the soft curved lines of the hair?

More work on the Y.A.F. ...adding some green-ish and pink-ish pigments... and some glitter... not too much, just a little.

Where the Whimsical Woman stands now... I have a bit more to do. Maybe I will have her finished up sometime tomorrow... but you never know... I tend to keep adding and adding to my projects whenever I think I am almost done. 

 

 

Now, here's the thing... I feel like she needs a name... Any thoughts? I am looking for ideas!

Finished...?? yet...??

Remember the Paint Chip Doodles I posted about on Saturday? I worked on them a bit more...

I like them more now! ...They are fun... and silly!!!

Colorful and sparkly!! ...and I used puff paints to make things 3-D!

OH.... and the one with BTL Joos... GLOWS IN THE DARK!  Isn't it great!

---well ok... the BTL Joos' white stripes glow...

I will have to do more!!

Zentangle fun...

I came across this blog by Alisa Burke...  her post the other day as entitled "Paint Chip Doodles". You can see it here: alisaburke.blogspot.com

I love the way her paint chips look! They are bright and exciting! And it reminds me of Zentangle... So, I had to try it out... and I started by using ZT patterns....

Here are the first three tiles I've done/started.

I like the first one... It makes me think Btl Joos (I think I spelled that wrong)  is engulfing the paint chip card... I think I might add a tentacle wrapping around the other side.

And...These are spring flowers! ...wishful thinking??? as there were flurries this morning... There is plenty of SUN now though!

Finally my Mooka inspired paint chip. ..But when I tucked it into my sketchbook it smudged! Instant frustration! ...So I started adding color... I like the tiles a lot more now... And I want to add more... I'm still working on them... We shall see what I come up with.

This one is still very smudged (you can see it if you open the larger viewer - click on the image). It is so annoying when sharpie smudges... isn't sharpie supposed to be permanent? I guess it's my fault that I didn't let it dry completely before putting it in my book. ...I guess it's still a work in progress....

I love my flowers! They are my favorite now... We shall see what else pops up into my brain with that chip.

And my see-life paint chip... with Btl Joos is definitely far from finished....But it will be Awesome!!!

I think I may turn these paint chips into book marks... so that I can use them and see them all the time!

Some Fun Little Tidbits...

As I've posted before... The school year has begun, and is in full swing. Last week was the first full week of school and OHhhh... my did it seem forever long....

But today is Monday, the beginning of a fresh new week... and it has been a very busy and productive Monday (I like these Mondays).

 Aside from my regular classes, there are several other things that came up today...

(1)   During a meeting today I was Tangling.. (I doodle a lot during meetings, it allows me to focus on what is being said better...really... who ever said students cant learn if they are doodling/drawing on their notes, needs to take a good look at the learner profiles!)

Anyway... I made a bookmark. I love the way it came out! What do you think?  I think I'm going to add a little more...  (**Sorry about the image quality... My next task is to get my scanner back up and running... Pronto!)

Lively Tree... Inspired by an image I found on Flikr

(2)   Ironically, after the meeting, I returned to my room to find a Zengangle Newsletter from Rick and Maria in my e-mail... There's a new tangle pattern!You can check it out in their newsletter here: ZT September Newsletter    I'm going to have to try this one out soon! I love the way it looks! 


(3)  I also was thrilled to find the note from a teacher in the newsletter. She teaches ZT to her classes too!...Check out her student examples... They are beautiful!!  I'll have to take some pictures of the ZT Bulletin board I am working on and post them! (4)

 (5)   Also, Carla Sonheim has published a new book! Imaginary Animals. It will be released very soon... Actually she is hosting a two week long "Blog Celebration". Check it out by clicking the button on the right panel of my blog.     -->   -->   -->   --> 

I took one of Carla's online courses (Silly 5) last spring and had so much fun! I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to have some creative fun (without having to stress about being "perfect").



Alrighty, I gotta go be productive again!  

I'll be back soon with more!

Humbled

I've had another one of those experiences... You know?... The kind that is like a slap in the face, and completely humbling at the same time...

Today in one of my art classes we were talking about the Virginia Tech shooting that happened yesterday afternoon. One of the campus police officers "Crouse, ... was involved in a traffic stop in a campus parking lot at the time of the shooting. Police said the gunman walked up, shot the officer and then fled on foot before he apparently killed himself nearby. The suspect was not involved in the traffic stop."

This officer, left behind his wife and five children... and he wasn't very old, 39. Based off of this quote: "a woman who answered the door at the Crouse home...said it wasn't a good time to talk, and they were trying to get the children to bed." I would assume, his children are probably quite young. ---My heart breaks for the family.


We were reading over the news articles and press releases and one of my students (rather excitedly) asked "Can we all make Zentangles and mail them to the family?" I almost cried... really, she took my breath away. I told her, if she wanted to make Zentangles over the weekend, I would find a way to get them to the family. ...And I will. Since then, I have mentioned the idea to various classes and students. I explained that anyone is welcome to make the family Zentangles, artwork or cards, and I will gather the gifts Monday and Tuesday and will package and mail them Wednesday. I am curious to see what is brought in.

Once again, the generosity and good will of the human spirit has brought a flicker of light in the dark.

I was dumbstruck (for lack of better words)... I guess, I was simply in awe, that in a world where stereotypes run ramped, where "teenagers" are so detached, so unrelated to the outside world, so self-motivated and inwardly-focused; one of these teenagers would quickly think to reach out to comfort those affected, by this tragedy. It was a huge reminder to me... (I'm really not one to judge or stereotype or even assume (I try my best not to))...but it really hit home. People, especially teenagers, are much deeper than what they appear to be on the outside... you just need to find that spark, that light, within them.

I really shouldn't be surprised, and I guess I'm not... I'm just totally and completely humbled.




Resources I used and referred to in this post include:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57340220-504083/state-police-virginia-tech-gunman-acted-alone-was-not-a-student/?tag=mncol;lst;5


http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57340014/slain-va-tech-cop-an-army-vet-dad-of-5/?tag=pop;stories


http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57340126.html

Requests

I've had some requests for more information about the ornaments...




Ornament templates were designed to be festive and decorative without being related to a "holiday". To remain PC and respect all religions we chose a "winter theme" for the ornaments. Shapes include, snowflakes, mittens, winter stockings as well as two different types of hats (with and without ear flaps). We also created several ornaments in the shape of a circle.

Designs were cut from 1/4" birch composite (1/4" ply wood). I chose the Birch opposed to the regular ply wood because it was a much lighter material. I'd rather not create heavy cumbersome ornaments. Shapes were cut and edges were sanded before being sprayed with primer.

Students from KEY club as well as volunteers from my different classes decorated and embellished the ornaments with a variety of materials, techniques and processes: Zentangle, Acrylic paint, colored pencils, glitter, buttons, yarn, ribbon, lace, glass reflective disks, paper cutouts, etc...

Finally, ornaments were sprayed with a selection of glosses or sealants (depending on the materials used to decorate them) to prevent wear and promote the life of the ornament.



For an additional .50 cents I will personalize an ornament for you. Your personalization will be placed on the back of the ornament.

A couple ideas for personalization?
* A Name
* Phrase
* Personal message
* To:    From:
* "Happy Holidays 2011"


Please send me a message with your specifics.

Here are some of the KEY Club members, on the day of the Craft Fair.



OH Yes! I almost forgot... We have donated the money we've raised to the holiday fund at this point. I believe the money we raise now, will go to sponsor our club members for their District  Conference admission costs.

Fundraiser for Holiday Fund!!

This is kind of exciting!!

I've set it up! I've uploaded images and information about the ornaments the KEY Club at MVHS made to raise money to donate to the Holiday fund! Check it out on my Etsy page: barefootedwanderer

We did sell many ornaments at the Holiday Craft fair this year. These are our leftovers. I'd really like to sell some more of them to add to the donation we will be making  (money will be donated to the fund within the next week or two). Any Proceeds that come in after, will be donated to another charitable organization.We have not decided which one yet. I will post as soon as we figure it out!

All ornaments have been hand made. Templates were chosen to reflect a seasonal theme, so that we do  not leave out any specific holidays. This way, anyone can enjoy them...even better - they can be displayed throughout the winter, not just the holidays!

There is a lot of Variety!

I'll be uploading more images of the finished ornaments here shortly, as well as some pictures of the ornaments "in progress"



***PS: Pardon the format of my images... Photoshop was not working for me today.

Zengangle Weekly Challenge

I am at my Aunt's camp... where there is internet... wow! The first time I have had internet in the past several days. I figure it is time to make a post (although I haven't really been dedicated to my blog).  So here it is.. I'm sharing a link to another blog.. the Weekly Challenge! (There will be a link on my bar to the right...) Have fun!

I'll try to be back on soon! Maybe when I am home again next week.

Weekly Challenge 49