Day 1: Comfort

Comfort

: a state or situation in which you are relaxed and do not have any physically unpleasant feelings caused by pain, heat, cold, etc.

: a state or feeling of being less worried, upset,frightened, etc. during a time of trouble or emotional pain.

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I chose to use a rough, fuzzy-textured round shape, with extended 'protective sides'.  Also, I liked that the surround is the shape of the letter 'c' and the round shape is like an 'o', two letters in the word Comfort.

DAY 23: An Argument in the BE-lack Forest

Feeling those stretch marks on your brains today?  Me too!  Yesterday's challenge was kind of painful, no?  Well, we do have a lot of work left to do before the end of the challenge.  You've almost made it through, don't quit now!

The one week countdown is approaching fast.

There was an argument today in the Forest of Bullseye Blacks.

Turns out that 'Stiff Black' has been running amuck through the forest and has been causing frustrations for some of our participants.

When the spirit of 'Regular Black' heard about this, he confronted 'Stiff Black' and said,  'Why have you been so uncooperative with these new sgraffito artists who are trying SO hard to complete this challenge without frying their brains completely? 

'Stiff Black' just flopped there looking clumpy and pathetic.  He had no answer.


Regular Black pointed sharply at Stiff Black and shouted.

"I command you Stiff Black, to force yourself into the graceful lines of a sgraffito tree, or at least grow some antlers like ME!"


Stiff Black, who could not point sharply, stood up and said, 

"I have become a tree made of rumply, crumply, Elephant Bark!" 

 "Allow me to stay and frustrate those Challengers just one week longer!"

Regular Black didn't think that rumply, crumply Elephant Bark was going to be helpful to anyone trying to learn glass sgraffito drawing.

So, Regular Black put on his "A@$ Whooping" face, and quickly drew this pointy weapon with a business card.  

He stretched his wings and antlers, and flexed his tiny muscle. 

 "YOU, Stiff Black, shall return to your jar, and be hidden amongst the furthest reaches of the frit shelf FOREVER!!!".... or, at least until January 31, 2015.

Stiff Black shrunk down, grew a ratty tail, and retreated shamefully back to his jar, where he shall stay until the day when we need to use him for silkscreening or something... THE END.

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Because you all did so well pushing through that awful safety pin challenge you'll get some freedom in today's challenge.

 (AND, since I know that not all of you actually DID the safety pin challenge... you'd better get busy, or Regular Black will find you where you're hiding and you can explain it to him )

The Challenge for DAY 23:

Take a photo of something you collect, and create a glass powder sgraffito drawing of it.  And then link it to the page with the 'add your link' button down there.

I'm interested in knowing what those collected things are in your collections.

If you collect dust bunnies... drawing them would not be challenging yourself much.  lol

An InLinkz Link-up

DAY 22: Sharp and Shiny and a Reward Tiny

Today's Fused Glass Sgraffito Drawing Challenge will build on the skills you've been learning through your practice so far.  Now, let's sharpen how we see.

A safety pin is a fabulous subject for so many reasons... It's a simple object that everyone is familiar with, but still a difficult little bit of a thing though, isn't it?  That's what makes it a great challenge! Plus, if you get really frustrated you can open it and poke someone. 

Just kidding.

Here are some hints at how you can tackle this tiny shiny.

Really LOOK at the pin.  Study it and find the edges where dark and light meet.  Lines are essentially 'darks meeting lights'.  Finding those places, instead of just drawing a line in the shape of the pin will be important if you want to make the pin look shiny.

Pay careful attention to the negative space around and inside the safety pin.  Getting to know the shapes around the pin itself will help you get the shape of the actual pin right.

2. Your wide range of values (light, middle, dark) will determine whether your safety pin looks flat and dull, or sharp and shiny.  Find those edges where light and dark meet. They're not always where you think they are!

Don't forget to add your link!

An InLinkz Link-up

Here is a tiny reward... it's not a video (need more arms) but you can at least see a step by step progression. I did a similar piece as a class demo last weekend and then dropped my phone on it right before I was going to fire it.  That one went bye bye... 

This one is going to be much better.

I'll post more as it goes along.

*please don't copy these photos without asking permission, thanks!

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Day 20, More Sgraffito Flowers!

Day 20: Sketching Glass Sgraffito Flowers...

You know, I didn't really think about all of us sketching flowers using black frit.  They are looking pretty darn black, aren't they? 

                                                                                                       

You all did some very nice work!  I love how many different kinds of flowers we all chose.  

So many artists use flowers in their work, and I've never known anyone to say they hate flowers and mean it...  They are a subject I always turn to when I'm missing summer.

I will keep things short today, because it's almost not today anymore :)

Here is a little blast of color to break up all this black and white!

Tomorrow, for Day 21 of the 30 in 30 Challenge 

We have another exciting day floral drawings! 

 This time, we're going to use ONLY black frit, and aim to get a wide range of values in your sketch.  Experiment with ways of applying the glass powder so that you can achieve areas that are very dark, very light, and 'some things in between'.  Here's a hint: The distance you hold your sifter, fingers, etc. from your glass makes a difference.  For lighter areas, try holding your hand higher, darker areas, work closer to the base glass.

"Poppy Fields and Blue Skies"  Alcohol ink painting, Kelly Crosser Alge

Post Your Black Flowers For Day 21 Here!

Link-up opens at 12:05 am EDT

An InLinkz Link-up

Day 16: WHITES WEEKEND!

Day 16 of the 30 in 30 Challenge, and we are over the hump!

Today is the beginning of a 3 day "Whites Weekend" Challenge!  

You have until Sunday night to create 3 sketches of an object that is white.

You can use the same object for all three sketches, choose a theme, make a triptych (3 panels that create one work of art) or just pick different, random 'white things' .

Portraying white objects in a sgraffito drawing presents a nifty little challenge in itself.
Those of you who did the Great White Shark sketch a few days ago know what I mean :)

Here is a hint:  If you focus on adding black powdered glass to the areas that are in shadow (the negative), the object (the positive) comes forward.  Then you can focus on the details.

It does make your brain hurt a little, but once you get it it keeps getting easier.

Try to stick with light colored glass and black powder for these sketches....

I'll tell you why tomorrow.

Here is a quick sketch of my baby shoe

Quick alcohol ink painting today... I love these colors

An InLinkz Link-up

Day 12: Artichokes and Real Life

Yesterday's challenge was to do a study sketch of a vegetable, thinking about it's texture.  I chose an artichoke for my subject partly because I have a lovely sheet of Bullseye's Artichoke glass, and partly because I like the intricate detail and texture of artichokes. Plus, they are healthy and yummy.... Besides that, when it comes to a challenge why not pick something totally ridiculous?  Today I haven't been able to spend the time to really study the artichoke as much as I would have liked to. Real life is happening in my house, and I'm predicting another school cancellation tomorrow...

I know that many of you have been strapped for time during this challenge.  It's OK!  I bet real life is happening in your houses too.   If you skip a day or many, or if you're just following along right now... you're not alone!  If you have just joined in, it's not too late...remember that this challenge is all about learning and camaraderie.  Any effort you make is worth it, even if you aren't proud of what you produce on a particular day.  We're all in this together...

I've done a lot less glass work this month than what I had planned to do; and instead I've developed a new relationship with my computer that I didn't plan.  I am blessed to have learned a lot just trying to keep up, and the time I've spent away from my own glass work has been worth it.  Seeing your work and to getting to know you a little bit has been more than I'd planned, and way more than I'd hoped for.
Onward we go....

   Tomorrow's challenge, for Day 12:  Create a glass powder sketch of something you use every day.  We often overlook the things we see and use each day, but they make really interesting subjects for art work.  It can be simple or complex, but make it personal.  I love getting to know you by the things you create.

My computer is being silly, so the link to post your photos won't open until tomorrow at 12:05 am.  Keep watch :)  Technical difficulties will always abscond with the best laid plans, won't they??

 My alcohol ink painting for Day 12 of Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge

An InLinkz Link-up

Day 11: Seeing Beyond What You See...

'Pomegranate People' Glass powder sketch  4"x 4"

I'm really loving the artwork coming out of this group.  Yesterday's challenge was to create a sketch of a piece of fruit in some kind of a setting, or 'doing something'.  Let's just say we had some laughs and some of our minds have been in well... the compost heap.  Ha ha!

I chose to sketch a pomegranate yesterday, partly because I had one sitting on the counter, and partly because I love the intricate patterns of their perfectly packed pulpy seeds.  They're delicious!  Today's challenge was to use the same fruit and make it 'more'. That meant I really had to think about pomegranates.  The first time I had one was in 8th grade Latin class.  I thought they were weird, but the story about them was pretty cool.

Ancient Greeks believed the pomegranate to be the 'fruit of the dead'.

 Here's the story in a nutshell:  

Hades, the god of the underworld wanted to have Persephone for his wife.  So he kidnapped her and took her to rule with him in the underworld for eternity.  Demeter, Persephone's mother, was the goddess of the harvest.  She mourned in anguish at the kidnapping of her daughter, and refused to produce a harvest or allow any living plant to grow.  The big man, Zeus, decided that it would not be ok for the earth to die off just because Demeter missed her daughter.  So he ordered Hades to give her back to her mother...  There was a rule that if anyone should eat or drink while in the underworld, their fate would be sealed and they would remain in the underworld for eternity.  

Hades didn't want to return Persephone, and although she didn't eat or drink in the underworld,  Hades tricked her into eating a bit of a pomegranate before returning her to her mother.  Because of this, she was forced to spend half of the year in the underworld with Hades, and she was only allowed to be with her mother for the other half, and so on, for the rest of eternity.  The Greeks used this myth as an explanation for the change of seasons.  

My sketch today reflects on this story, each seed bitten sealed the doom of a soul.

Morbid, isn't it?  Sorry.  I can't turn off my brain.  I wish I could...

OK

For Day 11, your challenge is to sketch a vegetable.  Pay very careful attention to its texture.  Is it smooth? Bumpy?  Figure out a way to tell us as much about how that vegetable looks and feels as you can through your glass sgraffito sketch.  'See beyond what you see'!  With your new arsenal of tools, you may have just the thing you need to show off the texture, maybe not.  You might have to dig a little deeper to find just the right thing.  

This is getting more fun for me each day. :)

'Sunrise Ridge', alcohol ink painting for Day 11 of  the 30 in 30 Painting Challenge

An InLinkz Link-up

Day 10: Double Digits and 'Winging it"

It's Day 10 already.  That means there are only 20 more days of this challenge... A third of the way to the end!

Today I asked everyone to do a sketch of a piece of fruit.  I worked really hard on some strawberries and threw them in the kiln.  I did my shipping, some laundry, etc.  I thought I had gotten ahead a little.  The kids and my teacher hubby were all home today because school was cancelled again, and I took a much needed nap.  WELL, during my 15 minute nap the power went out and then came back on.  We all know what happens mid-firing when the kiln loses power.  Especially when you don't discover that the power went out until hours later.  grrr. 
That flashing 12:00 taunting me on the microwave... I don't think my strawberries are going to make it.  You might be surprised to know that I really don't care all that much.

When I make art, I get what I need to make my heart happy from the process of making it.

Don't get me wrong, when I open the kiln and find things just as I'd hoped they'd be it's a great feeling; but the product is not why I make art.  I make art because I have to.  It's part of who I am.  I can't be 'me' without making art, for better or worse.
(also, I can't pay the bills without making art, but that's not the point here)

We can plan all we want, but it's freeing to just 'wing it' once in awhile. Life is full of opportunities to wing it.  Today I 'winged it' with these pomegranates.  I like them.  The challenge for me now will be to figure out a great color mix to make a good pomegranate color.  Had my original plan worked out I wouldn't be looking for that perfect color mix now, and I'd be stuck with boring strawberries.  I'm excited for the challenge of figuring out the perfect powder mix to make 'pomegranate' now!

Life happens, and art happens.  Embrace both, and don't get upset if you've fallen behind in the challenge!  You can drop in and out as we go.  The important thing is that you keep trying!

Tomorrow's challenge, for Day 10 is to do a sketch of your fruit in some kind of setting, or doing something fun.  You can 'wing it' when it comes to interpreting the challenge... I'm excited to see what you come up with.

Here is my last minute glass sgraffito pomegranate for today,  and an alcohol ink painting for my other 30 in 30 Painting Challenge.  I used my business card, sifter, and the eyelash tool for the glass sketch.

Add Your Link
Don't forget, submissions begin at 12:05 am, EDT.  If you don't see the open link, it's not quite time :)

Day 2: Trees with Fingers and Business Cards

It's true.  The beginning is usually the hardest, especially when you're doing something new.  Today is Day 2 of the first ever 'Fused Glass Sgraffito Drawing 30 in 30 Challenge", and I want to say thanks to all of the artists who signed up to participate!   Getting started is difficult.  I've asked you all to jump out of your comfort zones not only in the way you work with glass, but also in respect to all of the 'techie' stuff like setting up a blog and uploading photos.  Trust me, while it is uncomfortable and frustrating now will pay off in the end.

'Trees with Fingers and Business Cards' sounds like a B horror flick doesn't it?  Ha.  I like it.

Today's challenge is to use glass powder to draw a tree or two with only the use of your fingers and a business card.  Everyone wants to break out all of their tools and get down to action already,  but let me explain why I'm challenging you to start this way...

People with nothing are usually the most resourceful.  When you have nothing it forces you to develop ways to do the things you want, without having the 'tool' you'd really like to have to get the job done.  If you need to pound a nail and don't have a hammer, you might find something else that will do the job.  A big rock, perhaps?  A brick?  My point is that if you have the hammer already, you don't have to be very resourceful; you just pound the nail with it and that's the end of it.  When you are forced to be resourceful, your brain makes connections that it wouldn't make if you were just running to your toolbox to get 'the thing that you use to do a thing'.

Tree with Fingers and Business Card.
I added some frit and will post the fired piece tomorrow.

We'll talk more about that later, but for the next few days please do your best to make yourselves stick with the fingers and a business card.  Make it work for you.  I promise that it will be frustrating, but also that you'll understand once you've done it.

I promised some firing schedules today... I'm going to post the schedules I'm using based on my particular kiln as well as the size glass I'm using, but please keep in mind that you may need to adapt for your kiln / glass if there is a big difference in your situation.  These are programs I have been successful with, but may not be 'the standard'.  More on that in a week or so.





Here are my pieces for today.  One for the glass challenge, and one for my painting challenge.  My glass piece is in the kiln right now, and tomorrow I will post the fired piece.

Firing Schedule for the tree above:  It is 4"x6", and I added a layer of black behind it to make it 2 standard sheets thick with small bits of frit on top of the powder.  I'm using Bullseye Glass. (90 coe)  Firing in a tabletop kiln with a 10' shelf, single side element, no top element.

300 DPH

1000F

Hold 10 min.

AFAP

1460F

Hold 10 min.

AFAP

900

Hold 35 min. 

End Program

*AFAP= As Fast As Possible, enter 9999 on most kilns when you program.

Best to you all, and thank you again for participating.  See you here tomorrow, Nanoo Nanoo :)

Add your link here

Happy New Year Everyone!

We've made it to another year!  Happy 2015 to all~

I love the 'freshness' that a new year brings.  I get excited when the hustle of the holidays ends and a bright, shiny new beginning to a whole year of possibilities lies before me...  Here's a little story:

Two years ago (as a New Year's resolution) I accepted a challenge to paint 30 small paintings in 30 days.  The challenge was offered by artist Leslie Saeta, and I was pressured by my painter friends to give it a try.  Here is a little background info... I did not care about oil painting.   In college I painted what I would describe as a 'whopping total of two complete failures' using oil paints, and I never wanted to use them again.  As an art major,  I thought I should automatically be good at painting, but I'm telling you that I mean it when I say 'complete failure'.  Fast forward an undisclosed number of years...  I gave in and decided to give it my best shot, even though I knew I would hate it.

The first week was torture.  I,  (being me, of course) chose the most difficult things I could think of to paint.  A yellow fire hydrant on a violet background.  lights and buildings reflecting on wet pavement.   bicycles. backhoes and orange barrels buried under piles of snow.  Those things interested me.  Painting apples did not. Strike one. (apples are easy) Trying to paint the subjects I wanted to paint with this peanut buttery disaster of a medium made me mad.  Strike two. (I got mad).  After the first 4 paintings...Strike three. (I quit).  I was so frustrated!

A few days later I 'un-quit'.  I was determined to finish my 30 paintings even if every one of them sucked, because I wanted to be a better painter.  In all, it took me 45 days to finish my 30 paintings. The timing doesn't matter.  What does matter is this:  The things I learned in that short time by experimenting on my own and forcing myself to practice amounted to so much more than I ever expected; and the speed at which I improved could not be matched by taking a painting class.

This year, I've invited glass friends to join me in a similar challenge.  We'll be working to complete 30 fused glass powder sgraffito sketches in 30 days.  Many do not have experience using glass powders, but have accepted the challenge feet-first.  I know they will improve by leaps and bounds over the next 30 days!  Surprisingly, there are currently 376 glass fanatics from 9 countries who have accepted the challenge as I write this.  It is going to be so cool to see everyone's work, and if we all complete the challenge, we will have created almost 11,000 works of art in just 30 days!

You can follow our progress each day here on my blog, and check out the artists' web pages and blogs by clicking on the photos they will be uploading each day.  Of course I'm doing the glass challenge, but I am also participating in the painting challenge once again, with alcohol ink paintings (call me crazy and maybe I'll break out the oils).

January 1, 2015 Challenge is to create a sketch using only glass powder and your fingers.  They're your best tools!

Glass Sgraffito Sketch Day One, fingers only!

Sunny Morning Aspens, Alcohol Ink Painting,  5x7
Start bid: $20

Artists: Upload your Day 1 sketches by clicking the 'add your link' button at the bottom left.  Choose a photo from your blog, Facebook, or instagram page, or upload one from your computer.  If you have trouble locating the image URL, try using CTRL+click on the image, then choose 'copy image address'.  This should give you the image URL. If you have problems, check the Facebook page for the Fused Glass Powder Sgraffito Drawing 30 in 30 Challenge.  Happy New Year!

An InLinkz Link-up

July Sgraffito Challenge (#4 or4)

The final July Sgraffito Challenge has arrived!

Today's Challenge should offer you some peace after working so hard on last week's figures.

This photo is by John Stewart, and it offers a lovely look at reflections. 

 (Guess what we're drawing this week?)

It's nice composition isn't it?  Here are 3 reasons why:

1. It utilizes a full range of value (lightest light to darkest dark)

    This makes for an interesting level of contrast.

2. The focal point (the sun and its reflection) are slightly off center, 

     both vertically and horizontally.

3. It follows the "Rule of Thirds".

     The 'rule of thirds' in a nutshell...  When dividing your subject photo into thirds using a grid overlay (like a tic-tac-toe board), interesting things should happen at the intersections and along the grid lines.  This particular photo is heavier on the bottom two thirds, compared to the top third.  When working on landscapes, it's helpful to begin by deciding where the emphasis should be- on the sky or the land. This way, the viewer's eye is settled since you've already decided for them what is most important to look at.  Tricky! 

This landscape by Elaine Cross is a good example of how images become 'reversed' in reflections.  This is a great brain exercise!  Also pay attention to the space between the actual trees and the water... the line where the land meets the water is almost always dark.

Your challenge to end the month of July (#4 of 4) is to create a drawing in powdered glass that shows a reflection.  You can use these photos as reference or come up with your own, make it as simple or complex as you like.  Add your photo link below when you finish your drawing so we can all enjoy it too!

Also, I'm working on something BIG for the month of October, so keep watch... Details coming next month... I'm so excited!

An InLinkz Link-up

Fused Glass Powder Sgraffito Drawing Challenge 2015

Beginning on January 1st, 2015,  I'll be hosting the first ever.... 
Fused Glass Powder Sgraffito Drawing Challenge  to create 30 drawings using powdered glass in 30 days.  Sounds impossible, doesn't it?  Trust me, it's not.

So far, there are over 350 crazy glass artists from 9 different countries participating! It's just for fun, and we'll all be working on improving our skills using glass powders while having a good time. The goal of this challenge is to encourage artists of all skill levels to develop new working habits, share ideas, and improve skills in using glass powders as an art form in the New Year.

Each of us will be creating a small piece of artwork using glass powders every day during the month of January. Photos of our daily work will be displayed on my blog, with links to each artist's personal blogs.  Please check back each day in January to view all of the artwork we'll be making!   

350 Artists X 30 pieces each = a whopping 10,500 pieces of artwork created in just 30 days!  This is going to be so much fun!!!

If you or someone you know would like to join the Challenge, send them to our Facebook group for details in how to participate.  Not on Facebook? email me and I'll send you the info: kelly@modernancientglass.com

And here are the participants so far:  Get to know them by clicking on their photos!

Artists, upload your photo HERE!