Art Smorgasbord - No Solid Theme

Greetings!  I like having a thematic thread that connects all my pieces, but was not able to achieve a solid one this week.  However, I believe they are at least somewhat meaningful pieces and they are Earth friendly.

Celebration of Love
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2013

Purple Heart
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2013

These first two pieces were inspired by Christ, love and a painting technique I learned from Kristina Werner.  I used the Rays & Retro Circles folders by Tim Holtz to emboss my cardstock backgrounds.  For my "Celebration of Love" postcard, I drew the stylized Christ King on an old Church bulletin using a black micron pen, a red Faber-Castell marker, and diamond Stickles.  I used a set of Magnetic Poetry word stamps to print my text tiles on the back of a Starbucks cup warmer.  I mounted my design on a piece of 6x4" black cardsctock and added a strip of Smash washi tape to the border.  I am submitting this piece to Sunday Postcard Art - Tape it!, Collage Obsession: Let's Make Mail Art!, and Orange You Glad It's Friday.  For the card, I used a leather purple Heart, which I embellished with a scrap of red Sizzix paper, an EK Success Fastenater, an old button, and strands of fiber.  I am submitting this piece to Simon Says Stamp and Show - Challenge Color, Artists in Blogland, and Mandarin Orange Monday #39.

Proverbs 12:10
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2013

Philemon 1:4
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2013

These next two pieces were inspired by my girls, my 3 dogs, and two different Bible Verses.  I took the photograph during Easter, when my youngest daughter was having a "conversation" with the dogs.  I thought it was precious the way they were all three sitting up listening to her.  It reminded me of what is taught in  Proverbs 12:10, "The righteous care for the needs of their animals."  I am submitting this piece to Artist's Play Room #54 - Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes, 52 Photos Project Gallery 1 {Conversation}, Word Art Wednesday, Inspiration Avenue - Talk to the Animals, and Inspire Me Monday #69.  For my art journal page, I quoted Philemon 1:4, "I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers," because my girls and dogs are part of my daily prayers.  I did the hand lettering and cartoon scene using a micron pen, Faber-Castell markers, and Prismacolor pencils.  I am submitting it to What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 203, Paint Party Friday - Week 7 Year 3, and Sunday Sketches.

Sail Away
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2013

Last, but not least, I worked on this masculine card inspired by my blogging friend Adri Munhoz's sketch at Blog Dos Desafios #13.  (By the way, I don't know Portuguese, but between my knowledge of Spanish and occasionally Google translator I figure it out.  LOL!)  I used a McGill stamp punch and a paper cutter, as well as tan paper, a K&Company fish print, and a Clearsnap blue ink pad, to create the background.  I used a Tim Holtz Picture Wheel die, a K&Company print, a Martha Stewart compass stamp, a brad, and a K&Company seahorse to create my focal point.  I really like the way the my background pattern shows through the little windows!  I hand cut and lettered my banner.  As a finishing touch, I added a real seashell and a reef knot I made with some satin cording.  I am also submitting this card to Take a Word Challenge - Sea, Simon Says Stamp Challenge: Anything Goes, Illustration Friday, and Paper Saturdays.

I hope you found my post meaningful and appreciated my Earth friendly touches.  You are cordially invited to follow my blog and/or leave a comment.  The latter is truly motivational to me.  I always make it a point to leave a comment on the blogs of those that leave a comment for me… as well as comments to bloggers that don't reciprocate.  Blessings!

Short and Sweet

I went to visit my daughter at Texas A&M over the weekend, because I had a students' parent meeting to attend.  It was a very informative meeting, and I had a marvelous time visiting with my daughter.  Therefore, my studio time was curtailed, and I only have a few pieces to share in this post.

This masculine greeting card was loosely inspired by the Tim Holtz card on the Ranger Blog and his new Picture Wheel die cut, which I purchased over the weekend.  Yeah!  I began the background of the Inkssentials ATC, by dragging different colors of acrylic paint onto it.  Next, I created the coin embellishment by stamping the image on cardstock, embossing it, staining it, spreading some Crackle Accents over it, and cutting it out when it was dry.  When the ATC was dry, I stamped some other coins and used various Distress products/tools to finish the background.  Then, I decorated it with the mailbox letter, a Tim Holtz license plate sticker, baker's twine, and my coin.  I layered the ATC over a distressed cardstock print and a distressed cardboard picture wheel.  I am submitting this greeting card to Simon Says Stamp and Show: Background and Crazy Amigo Challenge - Backgrounds.

The art journal page above was inspired by several sources.  First of all, Jenn, at the Artist's Play Room #53, challenged the artists participating to use a color combo they liked and name it.  I did a little research into color meanings, and found that Green stands for "growth, harmony and nature," while pink stands for "unconditional love, nurturing and compassion."  Since I liked these qualities, I decided to go with this combination, which I'm naming "Verdi-Rosea."  I used these colors on the hand painted papers that I used to make my heart, as well as for the page detailing.  My journaling is an excerpt from Jeremiah 15:16, which was featured at WAW last week, so I'm submitting this piece to Word Art Wednesday #76.  I'm not crazy over the resemblance of the pen self-portrait sketch, but considering I did it in less than 15 minutes, it's not terrible.  I am also submitting this page to the Twenty Minute Challenge, What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 202, Paint Party Friday - Week 6 Year 3, Sunday Sketches, and Paper Saturdays.

Although not literal, the photograph above features another self portrait in the form of an assemblage.  I staged my photograph in an area in my studio where I have a vintage globe and typewriter.  The latter represent my traditional values and global views, as well as my love for writing and dreams to travel around the world.  The books represent my love of reading, especially the Bible which is prominently sitting on top.  Finally, I added one each of 3 different pairs of boots I own, to represent my eclectic nature.  The Western boot represents my family's ranching roots, the preppy boot represents my private school rearing, and the green Doc boots represent my artsy persona.  I am submitting this photograph to the 52 Photos Project: Gallery 52 {Self Portrait}, Orange You Glad It's Friday #34, and Mandarin Orange Monday #38.

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute that I spent in my studio.  Although not much, I want to dedicate this post to the victims and families of the Boston bombing, as well as my Bostonian friends.  May the peace of the Lord be with them.

Art Smorgasbord - I Am Blessed

As I was looking through the art work I did last week, I thanked God for the gift of creativity.  No matter how hectic my life gets, I can find refuge in praying through my artwork.  Through blogging, I can share the humble pieces that have blessed me with the world.

The first two pieces above were inspired by Tim Holtz, whom I highly admire and whose work I've been following since he first appeared in the CAROL DUVALL SHOW.  Do you remember?  Anyway, the first photograph is my entry to Tim's 12 Tags of 2013 - April challenge.  I used the techniques he presented, but used my own original design.  I was excited to finally use one of the "Travel Labels" stamps that I won during Tim's September challenge as a backdrop for my butterfly and on the acetate wing overlays.  As to the original card design, it was inspired by the Upcycling with Tim Holtz post on the Jo-Ann Fabrics blog.  I LOVE the idea of working on my artwork and helping the environment at the same time!  I made a set of these to mail out for Mother's Day.  I am submitting this card to Simon Says Stamp and Show: Fly, Simon Says Stamp Challenge: Spring Flowers, Crazy Amigo Challenge: Home Sweet Home, Victoria's Earth Day Tribute and What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday? #201.

The next two pieces are from art journal.  The "Angels" page is basically a warm up exercise doodle.  I like to do these when I'm feeling uninspired, because they get my creative juices flowing.  I hand lettered the scriptural passage from Psalm 91:11 first.  I lightly penciled in the text, and then inked it with a micron pen.  I used Faber-Castell Pitt markers to draw the plaid by moving from light to dark colors.  I used the same process to illustrate the angels and starry flowers.  However, I used Prismacolor water soluble pencils and watercolors on them.  I like to  layer colors with the pencils and then blend them with a coordinating watercolor.  I did the grassy area by doodling with the pen and watercolors.  I am submitting this page to the 10 Minute Warm Up, Inspiration Avenue - Share a Tutorial, Crafting By Designs - Spring Flowers, Three Muses Challenge - The Written Word, Orange You Glad It's Friday #33, Artists in Blogland, Sunday Sketches, Mandarin Orange Monday #37, and Inspiration Monday - Week 67.  The "Fruit of the Spirit" page was done in a similar way, but I took more time to develop it.  I chose to illustrate grapes, a citron, a fig, dates and a pomegranate because they are all fruits found in the Bible.  I am submitting these pages to Artist's Play Room #52 - Fruit, Order of the Opus Gluei #154: Color Challenge, Take A Word Challenge - Botanical, Word Art Wednesday #75, and Paint Party Friday.

Last, but not least, I worked on the digital photo collage above.  I did it using the Pixelmator program on my computer.  I used two photographs I took at Texas A&M, home of the Aggies and the place where my daughter attends college.  Gig'em, Ana!  The program works in layers, so I could play with each photograph individually to get the effect I wanted.  The third and fourth layers were for the text.  It's a well designed and easy to use program.  By the way, I'll be at A&M again this weekend, so God willing I will take some good shots to post later.  I am submitting this photo to 52 Photos Project: Gallery 51 {My Favorite Place}, Illustration Friday - Urban, and Collage Obsession: Faces.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for visiting, joining my list of followers and/or leaving a comment.  I feel humbled and thankful.  I also love reading the comments and then visiting the authors blog, if I haven't already done so already, to leave a comment in return.  May you be blessed by my artwork as much as I was blessed working on it!

It's Still Easter!

According to the Gregorian/Christian calendar, which is used by Catholic and Protestant denominations, Easter Sunday is just the first day of Easter.  After a little research, I now understand that the celebration is officially over on Trinity Sunday.  Therefore, I felt it was appropriate to do an Easter tribute this week, since we are really only 4 days into it.

I started planning for my daughter's Easter baskets above a month ago, when I made a pair of Tim Holtz inspired flower broaches.  After the latter, I designed the cards using some EK success paper doll templates and DCWV prints.  To dress them, I traced various pieces, and modified some, to fit my design.  To do the background, I also used Tim Holtz tissue and a K&Company Stamp.  I finished my design by punching the corner design using a couple of EK Success punches.  As to the Easter egg ornaments, I used some scroll cut wooden forms.  I sponged the background using various acrylic paint colors.  When they were dry, I hand lettered the Bible verse from James 4:10, "The Lord shall raise you up."  I varnished and embellished them with a hand made Sculpey flower, a metallic number, Martha Stewart rhinestones, a mother of pearl cross, and various trim ties.  I arranged all the elements in the baskets along with some candy and ribbon ties.  I am submitting this project to Simon Says Stamp and Show - April 1 (A Very Strict Challenge), Pin & Tack: Challenge #8 Anything Goes, and Blog Dos Desafios #12 Vintage.

The photograph above is of my family's Easter Sunday celebrations.  Of course, we began the day by attending church, which includes the flowering of the cross.  My girls have been taking part in this tradition since we first moved to Del Rio 13 years ago.  Once we got home, the girls took care of dinner, and I set the table.  Did you notice the  rabbit napkin holders I made?  I got the head idea from Digs Digs, but I used teacups to simulate the rabbits' bodies.  Since I used some old wooden eggs, they were very easy to make.  By the way, I made the photo collages above using the "Strip Design app" on my iPhone, and matted them in orange because of its feeling of warmth.  I am submitting this last photo to 52 Photos Project: Gallery 50 {Tangerine}, Orange You Glad It's Friday #32, and Mandarin Orange Monday #36.

I was challenged to do the art journal page above by my friend Jennifer McLean, during her Artist's Play Room #51 - Peacocks.  She apparently has fond memories of these animals.  I've been fascinated by their beauty, so I have a trio of their tail feathers sitting in a cup in my studio.  I used one of them as a model to illustrate it using Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens.  Next, I found this Bible verse which I thought completed my art journal page perfectly - don't you think so?  I used the same type of pen to do the hand lettering.  I am also submitting this art journal page to Art Journal Journey - Landscape Within Me and Sunday Sketches.

This next page was primarily inspired by Illustration Friday - Egg.  I began by designing the 3 eggs using various hand painted paper scraps that I had from previous projects.  I used a Fiskars Shape Cutters template system to cut the oval shapes.  However, the flower designs were all cut free hand.  I shaded the edges with an ink pad to give them a little dimension.  I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with the eggs, so I moved them around my page as I visualized various ideas.  When I found a photograph of a little girl holding a basket online, I knew I wanted to do a Twenty Minute Challenge micron pen sketch to complete my page.  It actually only took me about 15 minutes to do it - LOL!  I am also submitting this page to Inspiration Avenue - April and Inspire Me Monday - Week 66.

Last, but not least, I want to share this ATC size mixed media piece that I made of "The Lamb of God."  Jesus was the sacrificial lamb who served as the atonement for our sins.  Therefore, the lamb is truly the best symbol for this special celebration in the Christian calendar.  I began this page by using a watercolor washes and salt technique.  When it was dry, I did the drawing with a pencil first, and then traced it with micron pens.  I used oil pastels to highlight the drawing.  I did my lettering with the micron pen too, and then went over it with a Sharpie poster-paint marker.  I am submitting this piece to Crafting By Designs: It's All About Animals!, Word Art Wednesday #74, What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 200, Paint Party Friday - Week 4/Year 3, and Sweet Saturdays Week 94.

Well, I hope you enjoyed my celebration of Easter through art.  Thank you for all your kind comments last week, and don't forget you are cordially invited to follow my blog if you are not already doing so.  Blessings!