Category Archives: painting

Arting for 365 Day 246: Commissioned Coasters

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Acrylic on compressed paper coasters

Acrylic on compressed paper coasters

Goal: To create one piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days

I’m back to coaster making. Funny enough, my ventures into these things have proven somewhat popular. I’m now even being commissioned for them- this set being one of those commissions. Here are the specifics I was given to guide me:

1. The house these will be inhabiting has lots of deep purples, mauves, and tans (so no fluorescent/super bright colors please).

2. Also, the person would probably appreciate something more abstract or non-representational.

Because I love the idea of having one larger completed work of art that can be separated into smaller images, I began by taping the six pressed paper coasters together. Blending purples and reds, I created my base layer. I went back in and thickened up the blends in certain areas and after the paint had dried, I used a small squeeze bottle of acrylic to draw on the white design. The squeeze bottle thing was a first time experiment for me. I learned about it from an artist named Bryan Martin who also has a studio at Poudre Studio Artists & Galleries.  I finished up the piece by adding areas of solid color in order to create a more blocked effect.

Day 246: Commisioned Coasters scattered

I feel pretty good about the final piece and the friend who commissioned them seems pretty pleased with them as well – which always makes me happy. To finish the coasters off I will make prints of the originals, attach them to tiles, coat them with lots of varnish and add cork to the back. Below are a few examples.

Arting for 365 Day 244: Grasshopper Tiles

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Tile paint on tiles

Ceramic paint on tiles (which may be used as coasters)

Goal: To create one piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days

Awhile back I decided it would be fun to explore painting on ceramic surfaces. I figured I could pretty-up a mug or try my hand at creating some abstract patterns on a bowls. I picked up a small thing of black Liquitex Glossies paint, which is made for just such a thing, and got to work.

Day 244 Paint

After purchasing a high-end mug from the dollar store, I started in on the painting. I ended up with a mug covered in geometric design. The boyfriend loved it and quickly claimed it as his own. It was a fun project, but honestly, I did very little with the paint after that.

About a month ago, though, I broke the boyfriend’s new favorite mug and promised I would make another someday. I sneakily got it done to have as a Christmas gift. At the same time the boyfriend thought he would motivate me to make another by getting me a slew of colors for Christmas. Good stuff!

Yesterday, I took the paints and worked on creating a realistic, colorful grasshopper image. I wanted to see how well the paints blended. It turns out, not fabulously, but not terribly either. The paints seem to need a few layers in order to really be able to blend. They also dry quickly, which makes things a bit tricky. I had a lot of fun using them though and hope to try a few more approaches with the stuff.

Day 244 Scattered Coasters

Day 244 Grasshopper Detail

Arting for 365 Day 87: Elephant in the Room

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Day 87 (7/24/12): Elephant in the RoomGoal: To create a piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days

The elephant wasn’t as big as she’d imagined he’d be. She wasn’t sure if this was due to the elephant actually being somewhat small for a pachyderm, or if the room was overly large. Either way, it was a pleasant surprise. A small elephant in the room seemed much more manageable than a large one.

Original painting is available for purchase.

Arting for 365 Day 75: Roll With It

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Goal: To create one piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days

Technically it is called a sphere, but I prefer ball. Either way, the object is such a lovely little thing. It has no top or bottom nor front or back. It presents itself equally to all and – due to its natural form – easily rolls with the punches. A lovely little thing, indeed.

Coasters, both original and as printed versions, will be available shortly on etsy. Until then, if you are interested in them, please email me at micah@azzlsoft.com

Arting for 365 Day 74: Lifetime Performance

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Day 74 (7/11/12): Lifetime Performance

11 x 14″ Acrylic on paper

She was born to perform. Give her a song she’ll sing it, a line and she’ll act it. Dress her in a red tutu and watch her flit across the stage. It is something to behold – watching her imagination play out. The world, it is clear, is her stage.

Both a print and original of this piece are available for purchase. Please contact me micah@azzlsoft.com if you’re interested.

Arting for 365 Day 72: Emu

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Day 72 (7/9/12): Emu

11 x 14″ Acrylic on crazy thick paper

Goal: To create one piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days

I’ve been enjoying personifying animals in my work lately.  The images make me laugh and tackling human ideas and emotions via a four footed or winged friend is something I’ve really enjoyed. It puts things in perspective – which keeps me from taking things too seriously.

For day 72 I wanted to explore the emu. This little guy is a study for a larger piece I have in mind in which I plan to personify Mr. Emu.

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Original and prints of this piece are available for purchase

Arting for 365 Day 67: Not Just Any Fruit

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Day 67 (7/4/12): Not Just Any Fruit

4 x 5.5″ Greeting card. Watercolor.

Goal: To create one piece of work each day for 365 consecutive days

Most fruits are enjoyable enough. They are sweet and refreshing – leaving you feeling pretty good about eating your daily quota. For the most part, you enjoy them, but they aren’t something you’d yell about from the rooftop. Now and again, though, at the peak of a season, you come upon a fruit that is beyond delectable.

Its juices run down your hand as you slurp madly to catch every last bit. Bright reds, oranges, purples and greens hint at the goodness inside. Your salivary glands work overtime just imagining the next bite. This is not just any fruit. This fruit deserves a place on a pedestal.

This piece available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/listing/103687979/not-just-any-fruit-original-watercolor or by emailing micah@azzlsoft.com

Arting for 365 Day 65: Foliage and Dew Abstraction

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Day 65 (7/2/12): Foliage and Dew Abstraction

14 x 42″ Acrylic on canvas

Since this whole, making art every day for a year thing started, I’ve barely put brush to canvas. For day 65’s work though, I pulled out the acrylics with an aim to create a large scale abstracted piece.Two things in particular inspired the work:

1. I recently sold one of my favorite pieces. I LOVE that this happened, but the bare wall where it once hung seems, well, really bare. I was missing the work a wee bit and so it felt good to create something with a repeated circle pattern:

2. I really liked day 64’s delicate little piece. There was something about the stippling-esque approach that appealed to me. I wanted to explore something similar, on a larger scale.

I gotta say, I am super happy with the way this puppy turned out. It combines both painterly and drawerly (made up word) approaches.

Side Note: Some of you have wondered if I actually get these big pieces done in one day. The answer is sometimes. I started this one late Sunday afternoon, worked on it all day yesterday and put finishing touches on it this a.m. I create smaller pieces as well on those days to use as my daily work.

This piece available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/listing/103540907/foliage-and-dew-abstraction-acrylic or by contacting micah@azzlsoft.com

Arting for 365 Day 46: Eggs in One Basket

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Day 46 (6/13/12): Eggs in One Basket

24 x 36″ Ink and acrylic on canvas

Goal: To create one work of art each day for 365 consecutive days

Some of you avid followers may recall that I made a piece titled Subtleties on day 30 in which I experimented with painting using only light colors. That piece has been hanging out on my easel, wondering what to do with itself ever since. Subtleties, it seemed, just did not fit in at this house. It lacked any sort of personality and longed to be given attention. So yesterday, I did just that.

With the wise old saying, “Don’t put your eggs all in one basket” on my mind, I created the work for day 46. As I did so, I realized that while the saying is really quite true, sometimes it’s worth the risk to load up the basket and hope for the best.

This piece available for purchase at http://etsy.me/NlXCQI or by emailing me at micah@azzlsoft.com