Loving Lichens

Today I enjoyed a long hike in the woods, enjoying the flora and fauna and searching for inspiration.
I am so attracted to mosses, lichens, and mushrooms! Lichens hold a big attraction because of the gorgeous shades of green (my favorite color).  I had to snap a photo of this stump, clad in several types of lichens. We had a stormy night so the lichens and mosses were extremely green and bright.  Lichens are actually a composite organism composed of a fungus and an algae.

I've been experimenting with creating some porcelain lichen pieces, trying to emulate the look and color.  My first piece is this tea light burner, but I'm working on creating jewelry for lichen lovers (haha).

I'm working on a tutorial for sculpting mushrooms that I should be adding to the end of the week!

As a "thank you" to any blog readers I have a 15% coupon code for use at my Etsy store www.alddesigns.etsy.com. Code: Mushroom

New Glass Gem Magnets!

I've been working on some new ideas involving my photos, paintings, collages and glass.  I have a large number of glass gems from various projects so I've been experimenting with making them into pendants and magnets.  So far the results are quite promising! I realize this isn't a totally new idea, but since the pictures in this case are my own photos, paintings, and collages, it gives it some originality (at least I think so, lol ).   I love the magnifying effect of the glass droplets. For those who have never made these fun little things, here is a quick tutorial:

Glass Gem Magnet Tutorial

Supplies Needed


Clear (without iridescence allows the picture to show through) Glass Floral Gems
Desired images, scrapbook paper works great!
Mod Podge or other gel sealer
round magnets, not larger than the size of the gems
scissors or round paper punch equal to the bottom size of the gems
two part epoxy glue

1. Wash and dry gems well, inspect for defects
2. cut images from the desired source
3. apply a small coat of mod podge to the flat side of the gems and then glue the paper circles face down onto the glass gems
4. trim any excess paper once the mod podge has set.
5. apply several more coats of mod podge to the underside of the paper and allow to dry
6. mix the two part epoxy ( I used loctite) according to package instructions
7. apply epoxy to magnet and stick magnet to the paper side of the glass gem
8. allow epoxy to harden, polish front side of new magnet

This is a greatly simplified tutorial, but you get the idea.  You can have a lot of fun using tissue paper layers, creating tiny collages under the glass. I like to use the "contact sheet" option when printing out photos or artwork because it's just about the right size.  I have plans to try this with glass tiles and would use about the same basic directions.  Also, using Mod Podge, you can make a gel transfer to the glass, creating a translucent image. It's how I made this:

I have some other artwork/glass projects up and coming.  A lot of my creations involve a necessity and right now I'm in the middle of redecorating two rooms and desperately wanted some interesting artwork, so that will be the inspiration for some lamps I am planning to make.  Hoping to get the supplies today and see if I can put them together!

First YouTube Tutorial

I know it's not the best, but it's not the worst either...lol. At least no one has to listen to me talking.

My Zinnia Tutorial

  I made some of these zinnias and was getting ready to list them, then I saw someone on Etsy's front page who had made something similar and I felt weird adding mine right after-- especially since hers were not only stunning but beautifully photographed.  I try not to look at stuff that is very much like mine when I'm on Etsy.  For one thing, even if it didn't influence me whatsoever, I feel concerned someone will think it did.  Also, if I have an idea I love, I'll feel disheartened if I find someone doing something similar.  Ignorance is bliss..lol...so I try not to look too much.  In my personal way of thinking, even if someone set out to do something EXACTLY like something of mine, it would always look a bit different because of the individual artistry of the other person. YET, here I am sweating it...lol.  Once I made a glass bead depicting a father penguin and a baby, yes I was inspired by some pictures of penguins, but not by someone's artwork...and this person actually made a big ole thing about it on a message board.  It was actually enough to sort of kill my creative spirit for a time.  I know it is part of what took my heart out of lampworking.  So this time around, I don't know if I will go much to ceramic message boards, I'd like to meet other artists, but at the same time there is always going to be someone pointing fingers and accusing people they don't even know. 

Anyway, I don't put out tutorials for my own gratification, I put it on to help other people starting out.  So if you use the tutorial to make something and then turn around and sell it, I'm honored.

Useful Things to Know When Working with Clay -- Part 1

I've been thinking a lot lately about the merit of a bamboo skewer.  You can get a big package of them for about $1 and they are about the best tool you will find for working with clay.  I've used them to carve details, create molds, poke holes, hold beads for drying, wrap wire for loops and I'm sure I've used them for other things.

Another thing I love is polymer clay.  I use it to make molds quite a bit. You can press buttons into it, as I've mentioned, but try rolling out a sheet and them poking it with the blunt end of the bamboo skewer, or try using a straw.  You quickly create a texture similar to that of a sea urchin test or a tribal design of dots. You can coil metal wire and press it into a sheet of polymer clay and you can create another pattern.  I do this with earthenware clay too, but polymer has the advantage of being able to be baked right away, and test the design.  I've recently been working on molds using polymer clay and bamboo skewers to make floral molds for pendants.

I've learned that stoneware clay makes beautiful raku pieces and that lower temp clay doesn't work as well because it becomes too close to vitrification and won't pull in the smoke as well.  This was a HUGE tip to find because it has a made a tremendous difference.

 

  

As you can see these are a big improvement over my first birds.  They hold up to the thermal shock wonderfully as well.

Links

I'm adding some helpful tutorial links that have been inspirational and informative. I'll be adding more as I find them. Every time I pick up a new art form I seem to get the most pleasure learning it through my own research, trial and of course error. I found these most excellent videos on www.Youtube.com by an artist under the name BHClaysmith. They are so well done that you can really see what's going on.