My first Ceramic workshop

Hello it's Easter! I decided to kick it off by researching into how I would create the curtains for my creative room. So far we think we will stencil green patterns on but we will see how the tests turn out.

But today I got up earlier than I would for work to try out a taster hand built ceramic class, it was awesome and I needed the whole three hours to build my plant pot! I used the coil technique which requires me to roll out 6 sausages and then blend inside and out between each. It was tough! Especially after doing so many planks at body step Friday morning! I was really panicking about time towards the end as well. Some people made two things because they just used the slapping technique which you just roll a flat piece out and the curl it and that's it! Then you can spend the whole time decorating! I think I only had 40 minutes for it.

So this is how it looks.

From the side, the edges are uneven but I quite like it.

And from the back and yes the arms are different sizes! haha.

This is Angie's little cactus pencil holder.

And here is me with my proud little piece!

Now in three to four weeks mine will be glazed in white and my friend Angie have chosen dark green for hers cactus pencil holder! :)

I plan to do more ceramics in the future but I'm not sure I have enough patience and I didn't like the clay being so cold and the studio was freezing! But I would love to go to a workshop where you can build, colour and glaze the entire thing yourself!

p.s This is where I did the workshop. http://gocreate.co.uk/
And it was a nice class because Silvia was a very ethusiastic teacher:)

Craft Recipe 02-Hoppy Easter Bunny tutorial

Hi all, I am proud to present you with my second craft tutorial on my blog, I gave it a silly name as I love puns! Here it is, my Craft Recipe 02: Hoppy Easter bunny! It's a super simple, easy and quick piece of craft and you don't even need a lot of ingredients for this! Please try it and send me pictures! I added lots of steps just incase I am not being clear but it's actually very easy! Please let me know if you need any help!

Painting-All finished

So this marks the end of my first proper oil painting class at art academy. I wasn't sure if I ruined in this the third week though, I was tired that day so didn't do so well. Also poor Anastsia had noro virus! Ouch. I think the shadowing on the torso ws strange and I got really stuck with the legs. 

Here was on my last section, it doesn't look that different to before but I think I improved the shoulder, collar bone area and her face. I also had help from Anastsia on the right foot! If I had more time I would like to finish the background a bit more and stop putting weight on the model. She's like 10-15lbs less than she looks here! (sorry!)

It kind of feel a little worrying now I am out of the class I will stop painting but let's hope not!!! Keep painting!! Anyone can do anything as long as they practice and put the time in. These are things I learnt from +Zen Pencils last week!! Thank you so much +Zen Pencils 

Read this comic now if you are an artist like me who feels you are not good enough and it almost feel maybe you won't ever get good at it! 
ZenPencils-Ira Glass Advice for Beginners

I am now a lot happier now that I have been inspired and I just have to remember that..

 

"I may not be there yet but I am closer than I was yesterday", great quote from +Entrepreneur .

Hopefully 5 years from this blog my painting would be 5 times better!

:)

Slime lampshade

Today I am actually going to write about a quick craft of the day! With a bit of help from my boyfriend too. Basically I've got my hands on this beautiful book called 'Printing by Hand" by Lena Corwin.  for a while and has been tempted to revamp all my furniture for a long time. However my creative room has been taking its time.

Today my boyfriend have finally put them together and so we did our first craft project together. The tutorial is really clear from the book.

Basically you need:

1) A plain lampshade

2) Spray fabric paint

3) Any paper for your pattern template

4) Contact paper

5) Masking tape

6) Scissors and pencil.

This is the type I used, I wasn't sure if I picked the right item because its very watery that some leaked under the contact paper, I guess just makesure you don't over spray and the contact paper edges is stuck on very well.

After about an hour, tada! Done! Isn't it beautiful?



 Afterthought...

 

As always you want to rush to finish your work and I haven't had a lot of spraying experience so I think there was a bit of leakage which you can see here so please do not spare masking tape or over spray it so it floods into the inside. To distract this I might add some ribbons and findings to the bottom of it to make it more fancy! However we are so going to make all the lampshades like this in our house!! haha!

 

Week 02- Final Painting

Ok, I know the legs need work! and to be honest, it looks better on camera than in real life. But not to worry! 2 more classes to come!

Art Vs Cancer Exhibition

So finally! 1st March! The anticipated first "Art Vs Cancer" exhibition organised by my uni friend Sally Wilson. It was a very smart event Sally put together who also kindly invited me to donate work to the event. Look at how pretty the entrance is!

I arrived early at the event to help out, my main role seem to ended up being blue-tagging about 47 slate tiles to the wall for the labels, it was such a cool idea and nice touch! And so glad they didn't fall off, and thanks for whoever that did the final 3 while I get my dress on!

So here we are all ready for the guests to arrive , staring from the incredible piece, 'The Jaws of Skadrax', by Kit Prosser. I can't understand how it is made at all! Crazy stuff!

And look It's my little monster! Isn't he cute chilling out here in the corner while guests are yet to arrive. Not sure if I had a good response or not but I saw some girls taking photos of it and taking my little business cards. 

Also I met a nice lady painter called Linda South who gave me really good advice for my crafty art future and lots of nice compliments! Thanks Linda!

This is another incredible piece I must post called, 'Pawns' by my very good friend +Peter Ocampo , which was purchased by our other uni friend too haha! Two uni friends had to outbid each other ha!

Below I believe was the most popular piece of the night, 'Things meddling in the corner', by Lucas Vigroux. Original Pencil and Ink. Amazing! It has such story and depth about it, it is also as if the character is staring right at you. Love the way he applied the lighting and the way he drew the clouds. Also what fantastic character designs! Genius! if only I could afford it..

This is a humourous piece I almost got but was out-bided, 'Shark', by Simon Landrein. There was people guarding it!

 Really great turn out at the event:)~ all SOLD OUT!

And the show did so well! We raised a grand totaly of £3150 for +Cancer Research UK !! I have never been so proud:) Cannot wait til next year! Special thanks to Sally again for getting me involved!

For more official photos please visit:
http://www.facebook.com/artforcancerresearch/photos_stream

Week 01- last painting

I have never thought about how much I'd progress but I am always jealous of the people in the class who seems to be already very good before I started the class. I always thought I wasn't that bad at drawing but in week01 I honestly thought this is really hard, I have no clue but I really wanted to get good! But life isn't like I want to get good then you become good! But looking at this draft drawing, I am quite pleased actually maybe I am getting good?! or was it just I didn't realised how bad I was before!? hahaha

:)