Day 8: What's in Your Junk Drawer?

Day 8: Show me the tools! 

What did you come up with?  The Challenge for Day 8 is to continue looking for ways to make tools, and do a glass powder sgraffito sketch of your choosing.  You can take as much time as you like today, and you may use any handmade or found object as tool, in addition to your business card, sifter, and fingers.  NO PAINTBRUSHES!!!  Nope. no.... just don't do it...

This is one of my favorite tools, made from a paint stir stick, red duct tape, and plastic doll eyelashes. No dolls were harmed in the making of this tool... or were they????  ha ha 

Many of you have asked about reference photos to use for these drawing days. Here is a fabulous website you'll want to check out:       www.paintmyphoto.ning

This is a website for artists who are looking for reference photos that are free to use without copyright infringement.  Kind photographers post their photos there for the sole purpose of allowing other artists to use them as reference photos to create artwork!  Sharing is nice! Here is my glass sketch, as well as my alcohol ink painting for Day 8 of Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 Painting Challenge.  Whew!

An InLinkz Link-up

July Sgraffito Challenge (#2 of 4)

Week one went by really quickly, didn't it?

The crows are so very cool, keep posting them!  If you are like me, and haven't done your crow yet, don't worry.  There is plenty of time to catch up.

Onward we go!

Our next challenge (#2 of 4) is to create a glass powder sgraffito drawing of a lightbulb.  You can pick your own lightbulb and compose a drawing from it, or you can use the reference photo as a guide.

It can be a real challenge to capture shine and reflection, and to make things look 'round and real'  (remember the safety pins?)  you can do it!  Pay special attention to where a dark shape meets a light shape, and compare their values.  Talk to yourself if you get stuck!..."this shape is lighter than that one, but also darker than the one next to it." etc. 

If you're feeling like you need a little more challenge, try laying the lightbulb on a patterned background and see how you capture it shining through the glass, or include your hand holding the lightbulb.

Don't forget to link your photo here so we can all see what you've been doing, now you can use Instagram to post your photos.  YAY!

An InLinkz Link-up

Here's a little quote by Thomas Edison that should be an encouragement to you! 

An InLinkz Link-up

New Fused Glass Sgraffito Work in Progress Slideshow

Hey! I learned how to do a slideshow on my blog, this is great!  Now everyone can see what goes on while I'm working on a new piece.  Hopefully I can shed some light on the process for those who aren't able to attend a class:)  However, if you ARE thinking about taking a glass sgraffito class, don't be fooled by the photos~ it's not nearly as difficult as it might seem, and I can show you the tricks.  I will try to post sllideshows of works in progress more often if this works well.
 OK, short but sweet today, I'm off to visit the 3rd and 4th graders at Trinity Lutheran School for their weekly recorder lesson.  Love me those kids...