I don't like it when bloggers start off with...

I don't like it when bloggers start of a long-awaited new post with "I know it's been forever since I last posted..."  So, I won't do that here.

I have been very busy working on The Paper and squeezing in as much time to paint as possible.  I've gotten a lot better in my opinion.  Currently, I'm in a little bit of a tangle though.  My last two or three paintings were good, but I made changes to them and now they need even more work.  I can't decide whether to set them aside or try to tie up the loose ends on the stragglers first.

Anyway, I sold a couple of things on eBay.  The first went to St. Louis.  I couldn't believe it.  In the feedback she left, she called me a "promising artist!"  :)

"She's In Church" $49 SOLD

The piece is 12" wide x 18" tall acrylic and cut paper on watercolor paper, sealed with gloss varnish.  The finished piece was then mounted on a 12"x18" board (about 3/4" thick) that had been painted black.  I have attached mounting hardware to the back.  All it needs to hang is a nail.

Then, I painted and listed this.  A little different in style, I think.  I'm still struggling with pinpointing my own "look."

"Mary Gazes" $49 - 11" x 18" x 3/4" original mixed media on solid wood

I added gold leafing to the edges of this one.  It didn't go very well for some reason.  Not sure why, but I like the end result anyway.

She didn't sell the first time around, so I re-listed her.  

Next time around I wanted to experiment with this narrow format.

"Prayerful" $30 SOLD

 I just wrapped the fifth issue of THE PAPER, so hopefully I'll get some painting in this evening!

Puffy Face

I had a couple of teeth removed yesterday (not visible ones, thank goodness) and my face is all puffy and sore; also, this antibiotic they've put me on is of the devil!  It has my stomach feeling like it has been removed and I should have woken up in a tub of ice with "call 9-1-1" written on my arm.  Remember that urban legend about the kidney harvesting?  Gross, but that's how I feel.

Well I'm not letting it stop me from piling in a car with my mom, dad, uncle and four-year-old son for a weekend pilgrimage to Arts In the Heart of Augusta.  I can't wait! 

Here's a photo from last year (I hope THIS guy is there again this year):

I really like BIG art like his.

So, apparently you can blog with your mobile phone.  I'm going to try that feature out while I'm there tomorrow, so if you see any wonky-looking posts, I'll fix them when I get back.

The First Tutorial In My "Con Artist" Series

I have written my first tutorial.  I have ideas for more and have decided to name this the "Con Artist" series.  You can purchase the tutorial through my Etsy shop or just send me $16 via PayPal to melanie@conandkat.com.  Then, you'll be emailed the six-page PDF.

Here is the Etsy description:

This is a six-page tutorial that will teach you, in ten easy steps, how to use the photo of a loved one (or anyone, really) to paint a portrait that will amaze everyone!

The tutorial was written with the complete novice in mind, someone who feels there is no way they could do anything like this, but really wishes they could.

Is it cheating? No. Art, to me, is about you going through the creative process. It's therapy that should be available to all and not only those who were born with this wonderful ability.

I hope you enjoy this, the first in what I think I will call the "con art series." :)

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If you don't have a PayPal account, I accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. You may also mail a check or money order to LULU HATCH, PO BOX 1305, GRIFFIN GA 30224.

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After your payment has been received, you will receive an email with the PDF attached. It has been designed, so that it will print nicely on standard printer paper.

Two Angels, One Duck and One Little Hippie

My mother and I were in Hobby Lobby yesterday.  I was considering buying a block of watercolor paper, not because I needed a block, but because I'd seen Gritty Jane use it in one of her tutorials and I was intrigued.  A BLOCK of watercolor paper?  I think I remember her saying something along the lines of, "this is a block of watercolor paper... it's glued on all four sides instead of just at the top... you just carve it out when you're done."  CARVE it out?

A former art student, my mom should know about this, right?  She did not.  She even said it sounded stupid.

But more importantly, she said, "I thought you weren't going to take any instruction."  Ummmm... oops.

I can't even follow my own rules!  Well, that's just me.  I'm a rule breaker.  It's all I know, so I'm sorry about that.  Well, not really.  If I were not a rule breaker, I probably would have given up on this art thing a long time ago.

Anyway, I've been practicing what I learned in those tutorials, but I quit watching them because Gritty Jane hurt my feelings (you may have noticed I took down my post about her blog). 

The first face I tried (and didn't finish because my four-year-old said she looked like a duck... and he was right) was this one:

Never finished.  Connor said, "Ewwww... nooo... she looks like a duck."

Then, I tried again:

My first angel.  Better, but not quite.

I was happy with her.  She wasn't quite what I had in mind, but I thought she was the best I'd ever done.

Then, I tried this one:

My second angel. I like her... just not REAL excited about her.

 

 

And then something wonderful happened.  My aunt and cousin and two of my second cousins (or is it first cousins once removed?) came for a very brief visit.  Violet, who just turned four years old, I believe, decided to do her "silly dance."  I snapped a photo and, in my mind's eye, I saw a painting.

Here's the photo:

Violet doing her "silly dance."  Doesn't she look like she should be at Grateful Dead concert?

I painted her the very next day.

"Violet's Silly Dance" 11" x 15", Acrylic and Graphite on Watercolor Paper.

A Facebook friend said he was thinking about taking a watercolor class until he saw this and it humbled him so much that he was just going to forget it.  No, no, no!  I use techniques that anyone could use to create these same results.  I am going to put together a tutorial and you'll see what I mean.

In the meantime, here are some good books:

Acrylic Revolution: New Tricks and Techniques for Working with the World's Most Versatile Medium
Rethinking Acrylic: Radical Solutions For Exploiting The World's Most Versatile Medium

Oh and about that watercolor paper block.  I didn't get it because... that's just stupid.
Canson Montval Watercolor Paper Block 12 x 16 inch 140 lb CP 15 sheets

Connor's Overdue Library Book, The Dot

Most mornings are rushed; this is probably true for most of us.  But this morning was different.  I woke up a little early and so did my four-year-old son.  As I was getting him ready for school, I remembered he had a library book that was due.  I felt a little sad because we hadn't read it yet, but then realized we had a little extra time so we sat down in a chair together and enjoyed this cute little story.  The message is very much in line with the meaning of this blog.  If it's unclear to anyone why I'm blogging, this is a good metaphor.

The Dot, by Peter H. Reynolds, starts off with a girl named Vashti staring at a blank sheet of paper at the end of art class.  She's angry and frustrated because she feels she just can't draw.  She expresses this to her teacher who says, "Just make a mark and see where it takes you."  So Vashti jabs a dot on the paper.  Her teacher takes a look and just tells her to sign it.  The next week, Vashti is surprised to see her "dot" framed in gold and hanging on the wall above her teacher's desk.

Vashti says to herself, "Hmmph! I can make a better dot than that!"  And she sets out to paint a better dot.  But she doesn't stop there.  She paints all kinds of wonderful dots.  She shows all of her dot paintings at a school art show.  She is admired by another child who says, "You're a really great artist.  I wish I could draw."  She tells him, "I bet you can."  He says no, he can't even draw a straight line with a ruler.  She gives him a blank sheet of paper and says, "show me."  He draws a wobbly line.

Vashti takes the sheet of paper with the boy's wobbly line on it.  She looks at it carefully.  Then, she tells him to sign it.

The Cracker Queen

First, a disclaimer.  In my previous post, I said I was going to try to incorporate some things I "learned" from Jane.  That was wrong.  I should have said I was going to try to make my project look like hers.  Ahem.  I should really splurge on some of her tutorials.  This looks nothing like what she produces.  But that's okay because if I get over that fact, I think this is... charming, maybe?

So... this is Business Painting 002.  It's for my friend Lauretta Hannon, author of The Cracker Queen.  I call her my friend because after I read her book, I sent her an email and she actually wrote me back.  And then, even more amazingly, we had "brunch" at the Silver Skillet in Atlanta.  See.  FRIENDly.  It was very cool to meet her.  She's not only funny, but she's insightful and genuine,  Those are qualities that I admire in a person.  You should really read her book.

Here's a picture of Lauretta when she was... I don't know... little.

So I drew her as best I could.  I think I did pretty good, but I just didn't capture the sweetness and bliss of her face.  My drawing looks too "grownie" ("grownie" is a term I've heard people say around here; mature or grown-up looking is what they mean).

Here is my mixed media piece.

11" x 14" mixed media (acrylic, newspaper, cut paper, pencil, ink) on hardboard

I mixed some media and here is what I learned: I love the look of that ink, but it ALWAYS smears when I try to varnish it.  I need an alternative that won't smear.

I also learned that, in art as in life, you shouldn't try to copy anyone.  You'll always fall short of the original.  It's better to just admire, try to incorporate a tip or technique and follow your own heart.  You have a better shot at being satisfied with the results.

This is for you Lauretta.  Literally.  I'm mailing it to you.

One last thing.  You may be saying, this isn't really her logo or business card.  Well, first of all, it has those ball-pointed asterisk-looking things on just like the cover of her book.  And second of all, you haven't sent me any business cards or logos yet.  Get on it.

My Assignment

I received a call from a client I've been doing some painting for (window lettering, trimming out commercial entranceways, etc.); he asked if I would meet him in front of a building so he could show me what changes he wanted to make to the facade so I could sketch out his ideas for him.  He'll use the sketch to present to the city for approval.  Here is what he drew for me:

Thank goodness I listened to what he was saying instead of relying on this "drawing."  I spent the better part of yesterday sketching what I think he was trying to communicate to me.  Here is a picture of what the building looks like now.

And here is the sketch.

I have never done anything like this before and I'm really happy with how it turned out.  About an hour ago, he came by to look and said it was close to his vision, but not quite.  So, I'm off to make some changes.  I'll upload those later.

Business Painting: Whip It Cupcakes by Bhoomika

Have you checked your Facebook page suggestions lately?  I guess I never had because I wound up looking through them the other day and there were a LOT of them.  I found tiny, local businesses that I didn't even know existed.  A handful of them had the most creative logos and names, the beginnings of some very good branding.  Ninety-nine percent of them will remain side or home-based businesses and won't need signage, but signs are fun and everyone should have one.

So I had this idea: pick one of these little cottage industries and paint 'em a sign!  Then, post the painting/sign and information about that particular business here.  Finally, wrap and mail the sign to the business owner.  The business owner gets free publicity on this blog and a free, hand-painted sign... whether they want it or not.

Without further adieu, here is my first selection: Whip It Cupcakes by Bhoomika based in Griffin, GA  Here is the original image, no doubt created by the talented Bhoomika Dey.

And here is the 11" x 14" sign I painted:

If you live in the Griffin area, you can order cupcakes as a gift, for a party or just to cheer yourself up.  Bhoomika asks that you order at least a week in advance.  Email gtcdey@yahoo.com or call 404-557-1060.

This sign is painted with acrylic and outlined with a Precise V5 Rolling Ball pen, which I've only recently discovered and fallen in love with.  It makes the most beautiful lines that don't bleed on porous surfaces... however...

As you know, I always make a mistake from which you can learn.  If you're using a brush-on varnish, even if you use spray fixative liberally before, the ink outlines will smear... badly.  Granted, it was only this morning that I realized I was using a spray fixative that was for pencil, pastel and graphite.  Duh.  I'll buy new fixative, suitable for the medium and see if that works better because I'm loving the look of the outlined details.

Want me to feature your business and paint a sign for you?  It's free.  The instructions for entering are on the about page of this blog.  <3  I can't wait to start receiving wacky business cards.

One more thing... see those links below this post?  The Google ads?  Do me a favor and click on them - they give me money when you do that.  I can buy supplies with that money.  ;)

A Brief, Crafty Tangent

Most of you (ha ha) don't know that I own a photo booth.  I built the first one about a year and a half ago for an event I organize called Hatch Market.  I did this after researching the cost to rent one.  Just one year ago, the cost was REALLY high, so I just made one myself.  Since then, I've been renting it out for wedding receptions and such.

To make a long, irrelevant, story short, this past Thursday night, I took my photo booth (www.photocatevents.com) to Opera in Atlanta.  It was a pre-wedding celebration for an Indian couple.  Oh my goodness, was it fun!  These people know how to celebrate.  I digress... the point is, I had to prepare for it by customizing the background for them and thus... not much painting got done.

I wanted to make a paper garland to hang in the booth.  So I did.

I just tore some pages out of a scrapbook paper book (they are all so cute and coordinate perfectly with each other, so you don't have to think too much), used a circle paper punch and cut out as many circles as I could.  Then, I just ran them through my sewing machine one at a time, leaving a few stitches of thread in between each piece.

Not much of it ended up showing in the pictures though.  :(  I still think it was a good idea, though; next time I'll just use a smaller paper punch and I think that will help.

Here are a couple of strips from that night.

                                          

The paper garland shows up a LOT better in most of the other pics; there were about nine people in the booth for the strip on the left (even though I told them that would NOT work and would be pointless, they did it anyway).

If you live in the Atlanta, Augusta or Athens areas and want to rent the photo booth, let me know.  It's my only real source of income right now (read: not a side business for me so I take it very seriously and will do a wonderful job).

Good night!

My Homer Bucket

So, I've been really busy the past couple of days and, although I've started on a painting, I haven't been able to finish it.  I plan on at least coming close to finishing tomorrow and starting on a rather large piece that will serve as a backdrop for the photo booth event I have scheduled for Thursday night.  I own the photo booth; right now it's my primary source of income.  The event is going to be at Opera and it's a pre-wedding celebration for an Indian couple.  The background might be some sort of Indian pattern.

Anyway, my posting for today is about my "Homer" bucket.  You know what a Homer bucket is right?... the orange paint bucket from Home Depot?  On a recent trip to the store, I noticed that, interspersed throughout the aisles, were different ideas for using them.  I know it sounds strange, but I saw the cutest thing by Husky called a "bucket jockey" or something like that.  I'd been searching for a way to organize and mobilize my painting supplies (for when I want to paint someplace besides home or when I've been hired to do some on-site job).

I am so happy with this, especially because it costs no more than ten dollars for both the bucket and the jockey.

King Bluebeard

I was standing in my kitchen, eating a chocolate chip cookie, staring at the astrology calendar on my refrigerator and wondering what to paint next.  It's August, so naturally the calendar featured a lion (for Leos) to illustrate the month.  This lion in particular had lots of swoops and swirls that looked like they would be so fun to paint.  So, here is my interpretation of that lion.

Painting Three: "King Bluebeard" 16" x 20" Acrylic on Hardboard $75

I didn't use any new mediums for this, but I did learn one thing: don't overwork the paint; even using flow release, the color can begin to muddy and the texture becomes sort of clumpy.  As a result of my overworking, the lion's face has a strange texture that I'm not real happy with, but his mane is so beautiful that, overall, I love this painting.  I think it would be really great in a little boy's room... there's a Narnia-ish quality to it.

The "-ish" Series

Painting One: "Birdish Flower" 11" x 14" Acrylic on Hardboard $25

Here is what became of the painting that was supposed to crackle, but didn't.  I call it "birdish flower."  This is painting one in the experiment I'm starting.

See, I've always played with painting, but never really pursued it.  I have always allowed myself to get discouraged, thinking I paint ugly paintings.  Well, so what?  I love to paint, so I'm just going to do it.  And whatever the results, I'm going to post them here (and on Facebook).  I'm going to actively paint for one year, without any instruction whatsoever... no teacher and no how-to books.  Let's see if I improve over the course of the year.  I will consider any comments you may have and any advice you want to give, but that's it... nothing more in terms of guidance.  This will be an interesting twelve months!

It will also be interesting to see how many paintings I can complete in a year.  Will I get better AND faster?  I'll buy products I don't know how to use and review them, too.  Maybe you'll even go on this journey with me.  Boy, does that sound dramatic!

Painting Two: "Koiish Fish" 16" x 12" Acrylic on Hardboard $45 SOLD!

It took me exactly one week to do these two.  I started the first one while in Augusta and finished that one and "koiish fish" while on St. Simon's Island.  Going home today!

Amongst other things...

Amongst other things I sell (many of which I'll get to writing about later), I am now a dealer for antique factory carts.  I met this guy while selling t-shirts in Virginia Highlands.  He really liked our shirts and since we've met, he's purchased a couple hundred of them, hired me to do his website and lots of other graphic design projects.  But the best part is, he found and purchased about five hundred antique American factory carts and asked me and Michael to deal them.

Most people use them for coffee tables.  You can also use them in your garden to elevate containers.  What else can they be used for?  I'd love it if you, my imaginary audience, would give me your ideas that I can pass along to my potential customers.

They will be available raw (not cleaned or leveled), unfinished (cleaned, leveled, etc.) and finished (cleaned, leveled, sealed and stained).  I'll also be offering custom faux finishes or decorative painting to match any decor.

Restoration Hardware has them for about $900 plus shipping, making them about $1100.  If you live in the Atlanta area, we'll deliver them to you and you'll save tremendously.  I'll have them in the range of $350 - $800.  These are available in limited quantities, as is anything antique, right?

Also, if you've got one in your home, take a pic and send it to me, please.  The prettiest picture earns an original painting by me!  Don't all scramble at once!

Golden Crackle Paste

I was really looking forward to seeing cracks form in my painting.  I followed the directions... apply at least 1/8" thickness to substrate and let dry.  As the paste dries, it's supposed to form fissures or cracks in its surface.

This is what I wanted...

But, after applying around the painted bird/flower image and allowing to dry overnight, this is what I got...

As you can see, there's nice texture... but there are no cracks!  This is so frustrating, especially after I drove around St. Simon's Island three times before I found the bridge that takes you off the island, only to accidentally drive to Jekyll Island before I haphazardly found my destination of the Brunswick Michael's store.*  I paid $14 for this stuff.  What did I do wrong?

*I'm currently on vacation and staying on St. Simon's Island, GA.

I'll post a picture of the final piece after I do whatever it is I'm going to do to try and salvage it.

Introduction

I'm one of those people without a real job.  I make very little money and I work harder than anyone I know.  I'm a graphic designer, screen printer, web site designer, photo booth owner/operator, painter and MOTHER.  This blog is my space to collect photos of my work, of others' work, of things that inspire me.  My "real" websites are www.luluhatch.com and www.conandkat.com.  I design a line of t-shirts called con&kat, a little clothing line I co-own.

Hopefully, one day, we'll look back on these first few posts and see that I've made it to the BIG time.  Regardless of the outcome, this is my journey as a hopeful entrepreneur (to clarify, I am not hoping to become an entrepreneur; I'm an entrepreneur with hope).

"I Like You" by Amy Sedaris (image of book cover)

Good night all, my dear imaginary audience.  I snagged a copy of "I Like You" by Amy Sedaris on clearance at Books-A-Million today ($7.99!) and I'm off to read until I can't keep my eyes open anymore.  I very much hope to wake up to some actual crackles in my crackle paste.  I'll explain later.