Art Smorgasbord - It's Extra Large!

Greetings!  Yes, I went a little overboard with my art smorgasbord for this post.  My wife was out of town last weekend, so I had extra time to be creative - LOL!

Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ;
it's no longer I who live, but
Christ lives in me.

This first piece is an original tag design using techniques I learned from Tim Holtz and a portion of a Bible verse I found last week.  I used a "Scripture By Design" chipboard cross that I won a couple of weeks ago at Word Art Wednesday - Thank you, Karen!  Therefore, it seemed appropriate that I submit the tag to their Challenge #73.  The wings and crown are from a Tim Holtz Grungeboard set.  I looped an teal ribbon to the top of the tag, and tied a purple organza ribbon to it.  As a finishing touch, I added a Tim Holtz Trinket Pin to the top of my tag, and embellished it with a hand wired glass bead and a yellow ribbon tie.  I am also submitting this tag to Simon Says Stamp and Show: Challenge: Quotable and posting it simultaneously at Tag Tuesday - Letter L.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2013

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2013

Last week, I also received another artful gift!  It was a stencil designed by my blogging friend Jessica Sporn that I won during one of her giveaways.  You can see it covered in green paint in the photograph above.  I have used motif stencils in the past, but never background stencils, so it was a blast experimenting with it.  I began by randomly sponging some blue. lavender and yellow acrylic paint on a white piece of heavy drawing paper.  When it was dry, I placed the stencil over the painted paper and sponged green through it.  As a finishing touch, I took the stencil off and spattered some watery red using a brush.  After it dried, I tore a square from the hand painted paper, sketched the fish, and lettered the word "Ichtus" with a #2 liner paint brush.  I glued the piece to my art journal page and did the hand lettering around the perimeter of the piece with a micron pen.  I am submitting this piece to the Order of the Opus Gluei: Challenge #153 - Go Where You Haven't Gone Before, Illustration Friday - Swim, Paint Party Friday and Sunday Sketches.  For the 2nd page, I glued the scraps on the page, did a timed Twenty Minute Challenge sketch, and then did the lettering.  I am submitting this page to What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 199, as well as to Inspiration Avenue - Seeds, since Maundy Thursday, when the washing of the feet takes place, celebrates Christ's institution of the Eucharist and the sacerdotal priesthood.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2013

© Arnoldo L. Romero

This week my family and I are celebrating my brother-in-law's birthday, as well as my father-in-law's.  They both have always appreciated my artwork, so I enjoy making their birthday cards.  Rick's card is featuring a vintage botanical collage that I made using a combination of Maryjo Koch and vintage papers.  I used a calligraphy pen to write his name on the label and tied some traditional baker's twine to the bottom.  I am submitting it to Artist's Playroom #50 - Flight, Creative Every Day: March 25-31, Crafting by Designs: Anything Goes with a Twist (Spring), and Collage Obsession: Steam Punk and Beyond.  Dad's card is featuring a mixed media collage background I did on an ATC size card.  I used the latter to mat a print of an icon of Christ which I did last year for a show in San Antonio, Texas, titled Lent Through the Eyes of the Artist.  I finished it in the same way I did Rick's card.  I am submitting this card to Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes, Three Muses - Out of Bounds, and Pin and Tack: Spark Your Creativity Now!  Challenge #7 Anything Goes.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2013

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2013

Last, but not least, I have a photograph I took last summer during a lunch date with my youngest daughter.  She accompanied me to one of my art exhibits in San Antonio, Texas, and these flowers were sitting in a vase at a place where we had lunch.  I loved the layers of colors and petals!  You may recall that I used the original composition of the photograph as the subject for a 20-Minute Sketch I posted last week.  This week, I am submitting a cropped version of the photograph to the 52 Photos Project: Gallery 49 {Layers}.  I also took a copy of the photograph and altered it digitally with a Pixelmator program.  I cropped it further and then used a line dye, which I adjusted to get these luscious orange hues.  To better define the shapes, I sharpened the image.  Finally, I flipped the photograph vertically, to enhance the view of the flower.  I love the graphic feel of this last version!  I am submitting this piece to Orange You Glad It's Friday and Mandarin Orange Monday #35.

I apologize for the length of this post, but hopefully you found something in this extra large art smorgasbord to suit your taste.  Thank you for all your encouraging comments last week, and if you aren't already doing so, you are cordially invited to follow my blog.  Blessings!