Frida Kahlo Inspiration at Creative Jumpstart

Read to the end for a giveaway!  Week three at Creative Jumpstart was devoted to Frida Kahlo.   While I'm a fan of her work, I have never tried to paint in her style.  It was fun to spend a week not only studying Kahlo's work and inspiration, but watching how five amazing artists translated her themes into their own work.  (You can see the influences of Matisse and Basquiat here.)  Do you see Frida Kahlo's influence in the work I created last week?

One of the most transformative techniques I learned was painting with acrylic inks and using them like watercolors.  Here's a video of that process, using my Layered Peonies stencil from Stencil Girl Products:

You can also watch "Achieving Watercolor Effects with Acrylic Paints on YouTube here.  


I've been posting all my #cjs16 pictures on Instagram @jessica_sporn.  I've just started using Insta and I'm liking the immediacy of it.  I'd love it if you would follow me there too.

As an incentive - I'm offering the Layered Peonies stencil as a giveaway to someone who comments on this post and, for an extra chance to win, comments on Instagram too!  Here are the rules!

1. Leave a comment on this post that includes your email address in case I need to contact you.
2. For an extra chance to win, visit me on Instagram @jessica_sporn and follow me if you like what you see.
3. For a third "extra" - leave a comment on this Instagram post mentioning the Peony Stencil.
4. Time for commenting ends on Thursday, January 28, 11:59PM EST.

I'll post the winner in this blog post by Friday morning, January 29, by 10AM EST.

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!

A Week With Basquiat via Creative Jumpstart 2016

As you know from last week's post, I signed up for the Documented Life Project 2016 and Creative Jumpstart 2016.   I still haven't jumped into  DLP 2016 yet (soon - I promise!), but Nathalie Kalbach's Creative Jumpstart is rocking my world! 

Here's what I created in the second week, inspired by Jean Michel Basquiat.   You can see two process videos below!

(In the middle piece on the right, I used my Blessings and Whimsy Turret stamps from Rubbermoon.  I love how that turret, on its side, looks like an arrow!)

Diana Trout inspired me to carve my own stamps and use them in some spirited mark-making! 



You can also watch Owl Art Journal Fast Forward on YouTube.

And somehow, and I'm not sure how, Jodi Ohl's lesson led to more owls!



You can also watch Jodi Ohl Inspired Mixed Media Painting on YouTube .

These are all in a gelli plate print journal that I created and bound using lots of Stencil Girl stencils.  (To see a video on how to create your own gelli plate journal, visit "Another Pamphlet Stitched Journal on YouTube here.) 

It was challenging to try and translate Basquiat's influence into my own work.  I discovered that I have a need to make my art "pretty."  Basquiat is very raw, and at times purposefully harsh.  So what I took away was mark making, urban buildings, words, and color.

We've been inspired by Frida Kahlo this week!  So next week, I'll share those pieces and a video as well!  All the CJS videos are downloadable through November 2016, so there's time to enroll if you haven't done so.  It's well worth it! 

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!

How Online Classes Can Jumpstart Your Creativity

The New Year is chock full of lots of inspiration in the form of online classes.  While I love in person classes, taking a class on line can allow you to experiment in the privacy of your own home and at your own pace.  

From Rae Missigman's lesson.

I signed up for the Documented Life Project and Creative Jumpstart 2016.   I haven't jumped into  DLP 2016 yet, but Creative Jumpstart has truly captivated me.  The first thing I think upon waking is - what does Nathalie Kalbach have in store for us today? I can't wait to watch the video, which goes live daily at 7AM EST!  This year, Nat has picked different famous artists and asked mixed media artists to "jump off" of their styles.  You still have lots of time to jump in.

Here's what I created in the first week, which was inspired by Matisse.

Inspiration from Julie Balzer's lesson.

Inspiration from Carmen Sanchez's lesson

Inspiration from Joanne Sharpe's lesson

Can you see Matisse's inspiration?    But do they still look like "me?"  Do you have a favorite?  I'd love to know!

Like my online classes, Creative Jumpstart 2016 is completely downloadable - you can watch the videos as many times as you like.  I'm glad because I'm learning a lot!

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!

Stencil Test Drive Redux (#3) and Giveaway

Welcome to the second Stencil Test Drive Redux!  (See all the test drives here.) 

GIVEAWAY ALERT!  Each month, I will give away one of the featured stencils to one lucky commenter.  Comments for the giveaway will close on Sunday at 9AM EST, and the winner will be posted in this post by Monday morning at 9AM EST, so make sure to check back! 

This week - a look back at the Rain Stencil Test Drive.  Here's a peek at my project from that Test Drive and the Rain stencil itself. 

     

Here are the posts from the artists on that original test drive.  Click the names below the images to go to the original blog posts.

Carolyn Dube

Marjie Kemper

Michelle Rydell

Natasha May

Maria McGuire

I created a video for my project.  Enjoy!

You can also watch Make Your Own Journal with the Rain Stencil on YouTube here. 

I hope you'll check out these posts and the great tutorials some of them have!  

For a chance to win the Rain Stencil, make sure to leave a comment below that includes your email address.  

And if you've used one of my stencils, make sure to send me a picture/link and let me know! 

Comments for the giveaway will close on Sunday at 9AM EST, and the winner will be posted in this post by Monday morning at 9AM EST, so make sure to check back!

And the winner is,

Congratulations Sue!

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!

How to Use Stencils for Finishing Touches

Happy New Year!  I wanted to show you how I often use stencils for finishing touches in my art journal.  These pics are from a new online class I'm working on, called "Facing Faces."  I hope to unveil it soon!

I glued a sketch into my art journal, and began painting it.  I also adhered a small embellishment I made using embossing paste and my Medallions stencil, from this tutorial (which has a video). 

 Here are more progress pics.

Although her face felt done, somehow, the page just didn't feel complete.  I brought out the Medallions Stencil again, and laid it over the hair.

I also painted up the embellishment, and went over the stenciled area with gold paint.

She still didn't feel "done."  I felt like she needed words.  Seth Apter's stencils for November Stencil Club were perfect!    Now she felt finished.

What do you think?  Do you like her better with or without the stenciled overlay?  With or without the words?  Are there certain elements you feel unfinished without?  I'd love to know.

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

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