HOLIDAY CONTEST - GIVEAWAY - FREEBIE

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.
A talented follower has won the ornaments pictured below.


The house at left is collaged on both sides! Shiny gold on the metal one.

Use the comments section under this post to write a brief paragraph about what the holiday season means to you. Do use heartfelt, original, one-of-a-kind thoughts.
Sincere thanks to my wonderful followers.

Happy (U. S.) Thanksgiving! Watch for a new Contest .

Giveaway Coming Soon!

Follow this blog for a chance to win.

And have a very merry Christmas, too.



A FRIGHTFULLY FUN PROJECT

 

"Boos and ghouls" (boys and girls) of all ages enjoy this Halloween activity for kids,

Frightfully clever!

...it's so easy it's scary. Create "bootiful" kaleidoscopes!
Note: If you would rather engage in a less, um, spirited project, use autumnal motifs such as gourds, apples, pears, wheat, and (of course) fall leaves. 


No trick...it's a treat!



Add this to your bag of tricks!

First, gather assorted colors of bright art paper or construction paper in orange, brown, tan, yellow, red, gold, and yes, even gray, white and black.

1. Cut the paper into 6" and 9" squares, enough for at least three or four pieces in different colors for each kaleidoscope.
2. Fold a 6" piece twice, down to a 3" square. Draw a shape on it so big that it "touches" the sides of the square. (The "hinges" on the folded sides will hold the shape together later.) Bones, spiders, skulls, witches, ghosts, black cats, bats, and jack-o-lanterns are motifs that might not be allowed in some homes or schools, but other little goblins usually love them. 
3. Scissors will do for the young artist to cut around the shape, leaving the folds uncut. If the artists are mature enough to handle craft knives properly, they should also cut openings within the shapes to add interest: eyes, mouths, and other open-work. Because the square stays folded, the cutter must press hard to go through all the layers. Use an old magazine or a thick pad of newspapers underneath, of course.
4. When the cut paper is opened up, it looks very different! Now do two or three others, in other colors and shapes. Then try them overlapped behind or in front of the first.
5. Finally, as a background, use a solid (uncut) 9" square or larger of yet another color. Plan first and glue later, rotating the pieces and trying different layer combos to achieve the most pleasing arrangement.

EASY PAPIER MACHE SPIDER FOR HALLOWEEN

YEP. THIS SPIDER PROJECT IS FOR KIDS.

(OR ADULTS WITH WAY TOO MUCH TIME ON THEIR HANDS!)

 

I won't go into all the specifics about newspaper strips dipped in wallpaper paste. You've known the how-to since you were a child. But I will recommend two balloons for the armature, although they are slippery and two balls of newspaper are easier to handle. You can also tape the latter together before you even begin with the pasty strips.

 

(Balloons are smoother, of course, but who wants to wait until the two pasty spheres dry before you join them together?)

 

When ready to attach the bent wire legs, push them way into the dry body and tape them well.  Finish with a fine layer of small pieces of paper toweling, covering the taped legs as well. When that's dry (the next day), paint and add eyes.

Paint markings on the spider's back if you want to!

See more holiday postings at these links: Creepy Sunnies, and Day of the Dead.

 

  

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!



LET YOUR CREATIVE SPIRIT FLY WITH THIS PROJECT

HARVEST THIS HALLOWEEN

 OR FALL IDEA!

The October issue of Arts & Activities Magazine (a resource every visual arts teacher should have) has one of these Mexican-inspired, mixed media paper creations on the cover (my complete article is featured in the magazine, which you can access online).

The figure, from an old anatomy book, was enhanced with acrylics.





The "wings" here are also from an unwanted medical book.

Washes of thin acrylics were used to enhance the anatomy images,
but inks could be used instead. Dia de los Muertos,
or Day of the Dead,is all about new birth,
re-birth, and transformation.



http://www.artsandactivities.com/





COLLAGE + CHRISTMAS CARDS + HUMOR = LAUGHS!

Collage of vintage images, assorted papers.

A frugal way to make Christmas cards!

Ok, yes, this "collage" was done digitally.

Original funny Christmas card.

IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT!

Yep, those darn wings are everywhere!

Shown here, both sides of an ornament done on a store-bought cardboard heart. Collaged papers & acrylics.

Next up, an ornament that can double as a wind chime! 

First, you need decorative tins, sooo cheap at thrift

shops. 

Brightly colored tin containers.

You also need tin snips, glass beads, findings, ribbon, needle-nose 
pliers, & a small file.

Materials & tools for creating a Christmas hanging.

You can even collage the back if you like!

TIP: Be sure to file the sharp edges and burrs to a smooth finish.

Finally, here's a link to a Christmas collage that is so easy to do! 
And I love the stained-glass effect:  Madonna

Have a blessed holiday and thanks for following my blog!

A HOLIDAY ASSEMBLAGE AND A COLLAGE - PAINTING REPRISED FOR OCTOBER

HALLOWEEN WILL BE HERE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT!

I love decorating for October 31  (and it's easy because the cobwebs are already there). 

This altered art piece, below, has appeared in my blog previously. It was inspired by Michael DeMeng.

Porcelain figure, decorative wooden house, and more.

Squeezed lines of acrylic paint form the "fence" here.

The painting above is a collage as well, and it has 

appeared elsewhere too.  But I think the 

moodiness is perfect for this post,

for October, and for Halloween.

Be sure to see my Halloween sunglasses, 

with spiders, bat-wings,  and other 

creepy-crawlies, at this link!

Happy Valentine's Day! Jokes and More!

We all need a daily laugh, right? Here's some

Valentine's Day humor just for you

(and don't miss the collage/painting below, with "heart.")

Black and White Wedding

Attending a wedding for the first time, a little girl whispered to her mother, "Why is the bride dressed in white?"
"Because white is the color of happiness, and today is the happiest day of her life."
The child thought about this for a moment, then said, "So why is the groom wearing black?"

Three Words

Phil, a smart and handsome young man, walked into this local pub. He noticed a woman gazing at him without blinking her big eyes. Phil felt flattered so he walked up to the woman and said in his deepest voice, "I'll do anything you wish, beautiful lady, for just $10 but on one condition." The woman appeared to be trapped in the moment and asked as if in a trance, "What's your condition?" Phil answered, "Tell me your wish in just three words." There was a long pause, the woman opened her purse, counted out the money and handed it to the man along with her address. She then looked deeply into his eyes and whispered, "Clean my house."

Switching Grooms

Little Emily was at her first wedding and gaped at the entire ceremony. When it was over, she asked her mother, "Why did the lady change her mind?"
Her mother asked, "What do you mean?"
"Well, she went down the aisle with one man and came back with another one."

Collage/painting

ALTERED ART ASSEMBLAGE FOR HALLOWEEN!

i WAS INSPIRED BY MICHAEL DeMENGE TO CREATE THIS HALLOWEEN PIECE FROM FOUND OBJECTS.

Perfect art activity for the October 31 holiday! Ceramic figure, plastic skull,  small decorative  wooden house,  acrylic paint, and adhesive. 

Be sure to see my other Halloween projects on previous posts! Here's a link to one:
http://mixedmediamanic.blogspot.com/2010/10/after-monsieur-demenge.html

EASY HALLOWEEN CRAFT, COOL COSTUME IDEA!

Get an old pair of sunnies at the thrift shop, and a bag of plastic creepy-crawlies at the dollar store, and make a c-OOOO-l pair of shades for cheap!

This is altered art at its most fashionable!

I used a hot-glue gun and finished this project in no time.

     







Below are links to more Halloween art ideas, spooky assemblages!http://mixedmediamanic.blogspot.com/2012/10/altered-art-assemblage-for-halloween.html
and http://mixedmediamanic.blogspot.com/2010/10/after-monsieur-demenge.html

For this spooky project, try worms or snakes, too!

 

BLOG CANDY WINNER ANNOUNCED! The follower who won the freebie is...

DONNA! I will be contacting Donna via email and shipping the contest prize as soon as I have her mailing address. A huge thank you goes out to everyone who left comments. Follow this blog for another contest soon, and watch for fresh tutorials, too!

                         Below is an original photograph of mine that I found quite apropos for the upcoming holiday.

Another Valentine for my Followers! A Giveaway Contest

To say thanks to my present and (I hope) future followers, I am drawing a name from all

those followers who leave a comment here,

to receive the mixed media collage/painting shown below. I will mail the framed, signed work as soon as the winner (after Friday, Jan. 28)

emails me their postal address.

Remember, be a follower and you only need to comment once, with this posting, by late Friday of next week!

Christmas Art! A Collage to Wish You Happy Holidays.

This 6" x 6" wraparound artwork can be wall-hung or placed on a tabletop easel. I used art papers, ink, and several acrylic mediums (in addition to the images, of course).
It was fast and easy to make. If you create something similar, consider a gallery-wrapped canvas. Tear or cut your papers first and arrange them without gluing, to check your composition. Then adhere them, and to the sides,too, and let dry. Add ink, crayon, or pen lines, etc., and let dry again. Finally, varnish the piece to protect it. Send me your own examples of this tute if you like...I would love to see them!