Tag Archives: makes

Rock your Frock by Kooky Makes

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Kooky_picHi everyone!
Today I’m creating an art journal piece using a technique for making textured paper which I learned from Gillian Cox. When I asked her permission to use the technique she was happy to share – I think that’s pretty awesome. As soon as I saw the paper created by the technique – which Gillian uses as layers in her mixed media art – it made me think of crumpled fabric and so this piece was born.
RockTheFrock
Once you’ve made the paper creating a dress is easy. You can either draw it (from your imagination or a reference), use transfer paper to copy the dress to your paper, or cut a dress out a magazine and use that as a template. Whatever your drawing skill level you’re going to come out with something that looks good. And you can use this paper & transfer/template for all kinds of other things.
Here’s the video (It’s short but hopefully sweet!):
Supplies List:
  • Daler-Rowney FW Acrylic Inks – Prussian Blue, Purple Lake, Turquoise & Dutch Blue Pearlescent
  • Spray Bottle (I used mini misters but any will do)
  • Photocopy paper (thin & white)
  • Water
  • Big Paint Brush
  • Magazine picture of a dress for reference (if needed) – I like long dresses (folds & no legs!) and pictures with just one hand showing to make it easier to draw
  • Transfer Paper or Tracing Paper
  • Scissors
  • Golden – Gel Medium
  • Tombow Pens – to match the inks you use
  • Pencil to draw details
As always, I’d love to see your dresses so do share on the Lulu Art & Friends facebook page. To keep in touch with what I’m doing you can follow my blog or like my facebook page. You can also follow my ‘Dresses for Art’ Pinterest board.
Kooky

How to Draw Your Dragon by Kooky Makes

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Kooky_picHi everyone,
Today I’m going to share my How to Draw Your Dragon secrets. I’ve always had a bit of thing about dragons but it only occurred to me recently that they would make a great addition to my art journal. Although many stories about dragons suggest they are beasts to be afraid of I’ve always imagined them as representing the wise and noble parts of ourselves.
The video is mostly my method of drawing a dragon in profile using simple shapes. I then show you how I use the outline to create a dragon with a message to my wise and noble self. I hope you’ll give it a go and add your own frills and decorations.
Supplies List
 
Do share on the Lulu Art & Friends facebook page – I’d love to see what you create. To keep in touch with what I’m doing you can follow my blog at kookymakes.wordpress.com.au or like my facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/kookymakesart
Kooky x

Mixed Media Background and Quote by Kooky Makes

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Kooky_picHello fellow art fans, I hope you’re all getting your supplies hoarded for a winter of creating. I really love the winter for holing up in my study and making lots of art and craft.

For my post today I’m going to take you through how I make my layered, translucent, mixed media backgrounds.

DT_May2014

When I first started art journaling I really struggled with making a background that had enough interest but didn’t take away from the subject and writing. Over time (and a lot of awful backgrounds!) I worked out a process that allows me to create something with layers, white space, muted colours, texture and translucency – all the things I love.  If you like these things too I hope you’ll take the time to watch my video below.

Supplies List

Here are some points to think about as you create your background:

  1. Think about where you’re going to put your subject and leave that bit white. Don’t be afraid of white – it makes all the other colours pop!
  2. I like working with complimentary colours (brown & blue are opposite each other on the colour wheel) and tend to just use variations of the two I’ve picked.
  3. Start with a water based layer on gesso (so it moves around) that will bleed up through the layers.
  4. Do a couple of transparent layers (distress stain then washi tape) then a couple of opaque ones (acrylic then paper) then a couple more transparent (tissue paper then stencils/stamps)
  5. Make it look messy.
  6. Use gesso to pull all the different bits together and to tone things down at the end if anything is standing out too much.

I hope you enjoyed the video and have learnt some new techniques for layered backgrounds. If you have, I’d love to see your work on the Lulu Art & Friends facebook page. To keep in touch with what I’m doing you can follow my blog at kookymakes.wordpress.com.au or like my facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/kookymakesart

Thanks for reading and watching. 🙂

Kooky

Inks & Flowers by Kooky Makes

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Kooky_picHi everyone,
I hope you managed a break over Easter, preferably one filled with art.
Over the last few weeks I’ve been rediscovering my love of inks and stencils for bright and colourful backgrounds. A few people have asked me how I manage to keep the colours from ‘muddying’ or going grey so I thought I’d share my techniques with you.
In my video I go through my take on colour theory and the colour wheel when working with Dylusions (or any other non-permanent inks) and create the background for this bright pretty piece.
You can watch the video here:
Supplies List:
Here are the key things to remember with my techniques:
  1. Keep to just a few layers.
  2. Keep cool and warm colours separate
  3. Dab the ink off between sprays
  4. If colours start to get muddy dab them off with the paper towel
  5. Use sprayed water to make colours less vivid or to remove/reduce colour you don’t like the look/placement of.
  6. Work round the piece.
  7. Leave the piece to dry completely before you go in again with more colour!
I hope you enjoy the video and learn something that helps you have more fun with these gorgeous inks. Do share your lovely creations on the Lulu Art & Friends facebook page.
If you’d like to keep in touch with what I’m doing you can follow my blog at kookymakes.wordpress.com or like my facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/kookymakesart
Kooky