Friday Art Smorgasbord - Texas Style II

Howdy, Folks!  Once again, my post was primarily inspired by the great state of Texas.  The inspiration was sparked when Carolyn Saxby, our team host at Tag Tuesday, proposed a Funfair theme for this week.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

My first photograph is of a tag that was inspired by Big Tex, the 52 foot tall cowboy at the State Fair of Texas, in Dallas.  My 9.5 inch (24 cm) marionette version can dance when held from the leather strap and the star is pulled down.  I illustrated him on Bristol board using Faber-Castell India ink artist pens.  For reinforcement, I attached eyelets to all the punched holes that were used in the stringing mechanism.  The limbs are attached with loose fitting brads and washers are glued behind them to improve the mechanism.  I attached a balsa wood star to the pull cord and glittered it for some spark.  I am submitting this piece to Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

My second photograph is of a sketch I did based on a photograph I took in the Big Bend National Park area.  Since I did it as an entry for my Twenty Minute Challenge post, I timed myself accordingly when working on it.  I used Conté sketching pencils, so it was really a challenge to fight the urge to use an eraser.  I believe I used it more than needed, since I wasn't able to complete the cactus, rocks and grass in the allotted time.  I am submitting this sketch to Three Muses - Masculine.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

This next photograph is for What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday? #169, Crazy Amigo Challenge - Back to School, and the 52 Photo Project Gallery 19 {Elements}, since it features some of the tools of my profession as an artist and educator.  I've been getting ready for my students, whom will start coming on Monday.  I designed a hand template (right) for them to fill with their choice of tangles.  I cut out the sample on (left) and will display it with an opaque projector as I model how to draw the tangles.  I have a couple of copies of Sandy Steen Bartholomew's children's book that the students will be sharing as they complete their original Zentangle hands independently.  The completed hands will be cut out and displayed in the classroom on a bulletin board.  (In case you're wondering what this has to do with Texas, I do teach here.  LOL!)

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

This family portrait is for Artist's Playroom #24, What's Your Inspiration?  Although the Lord is my greatest inspiration, my family is right under Him.  I guess you could call these 3 women my muses.  LOL!  My mother-in-law took this photograph of us during a football game we attended at Texas A&M last fall.  I cropped it and softened the edges to diffuse the distracting crowd around us.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

The two photographs above are for Inspiration Avenue - Doorways and Windows, Sunday Postcard Art - Doors, and the Order of the Opus Gluei - Challenge #138 Me and My Camera.  I took the first photograph in Marathon, Texas, which is an artsy little town in the Big Bend area.  I love the framework on the door, the textures, and the fabulous patina on the green door.  I took the second photograph at one of the original ranches at Big Bend.  It is the window and shutter to an outdoor adobe kitchen.  If you've followed my blog for a while, you may recall other photographs I posted from that area during the Summer.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

Last, but not least, I took a photograph of a card I designed for Paint Party Friday and Word Art Wednesday #43, using Card Positioning Systems - Sketch #280.  I began by painting my watercolor background for my coyote scene using a wax resist technique to form the moon and ground.  Then, I hand cut the silhouettes of the cactus and coyote, which I glued to the background.  I cut out blocks of color coordinating papers based on the CPS sketch, and used a strip of jute twine for the vertical line.  I attached all the elements to a Tim Holtz card base.  I wrote the word "Sing," as a reminder of Psalm 96:1, "O sing unto the Lord a new song; sing unto the Lord, all the earth."  (By the way, did you notice my vintage floral frog.   It's a gift from my blogging friend in Christ, Karen Letchworth.  Thank you, Karen!)

Hope you enjoyed my Friday Art Smorgasbord - Texas Style!  Sorry it's been more of a Saturday Art Smorgasbord for the last 2 posts, but I've had a hard time keeping up with my blog now that I'm back at school.  Thank you for your patience and motivating comments last week.  ¡Vaya con Dios!  Go with God!