ART on the Go! + Traveling Art Kit

Oh hello!

So -- I am a person that likes to art anywhere AND everywhere! This means arting in the car, stuffing journals into my purse, going to parks to paint, wherever I can dream it I will go and I will art there!

Sometimes my "traveling" really just means I won't be working in my art studio and instead I will be on the porch, or the couch or the dining room table.

Except... it's hard to carry all that stuff around. Journals, paints, gessos and mediums. It's really a lot to cart around, but I found a method to it! So, I found a handy little carrier on amazon. Officially, it's called a "16-inch tool bag". It's priced roughly around $20-$25. Not too shabby! Added bonus, it's super strong because it is meant for heavy tools -- and it has TONS of pockets. It is perfect for carrying around stencils, acrylic paints, pens, pencils -- you name it. 

Here's a little video on how I've packed mine up:

Today we went to the range with some friends and it was a beautiful day outside. I opted to take my travel kit along for some car arting! This painting was started and finished away from my art studio.

Here's a little timelapse video of some of the process:

To see my other artsy musings and have access to things like zines, prints, videos galore, visit my Patreon!: www.patreon.com/PanArt

Watercolors and Mineral Paper

Hello again!

As artists, our art tends to evolve with us. New life experiences, emotions, inspirations and yes, even art supplies can all help turn our creativity in different directions.

Right now, the direction I've been taking involves mineral paper, watercolors and Artistcellar stencils.

I was over the moon with Lisa's Artistcellar package containing the brand new stencils - Tibet Series Stencils. If you follow me through facebook or instagram I'm sure you have seen the stencils in action already... they made me swoon!

Today, I made a short little technique video to show you one watercolor/mineral paper/stencil technique that I accidentally stumbled upon and I LOVE!

I hope you enjoy the video I created for you today using The Tibetan Om, Buddha Eyes, Eternal Knot and Lotus Flower:

To showcase one of my favorite stencils from the set, I also created a couple of girls from the Lotus Flower stencil. 

I started with the stencil as the base, and then used a pencil to sketch the girl "growing" from the center. Next, I filled it in with watercolor and ink. 

The two girls below were both created on different paper, so you will see the dramatic change that using different paper can be. First is created on mineral paper, and the other is on a hot press watercolor paper.

And below, here are some examples of other paintings I created utilizing the technique demonstrated in the video!

With each new release, I'm always amazed at the magic Lisa creates with her stencils... and the resulting artwork to follow. I hope you will find inspiration with the new Tibet stencil series -- and perhaps you discovered a new technique to play with today as well.

See you soon!

Watercolor with Stencils Technique

Hello again!

Do you ever find that inspiration strikes in the most random of ways? Recently I was cleaning in my art studio and I found a container of old watercolors. They are probably around 10 years old -- but they are bright, bold colors and great big bottles! I'm not sure how they were ever forgotten, but I had to pull them out to play with them right away.

I discovered that I have a love for making painted papers with watercolors and stencils! The papers can be used as collage or as a foundation for a painting later on.

Here, I grabbed a few different Artistcellar stencils and used a paintbrush to brush the watercolor on 140lb watercolor paper... however I really want to also try it with Yupo and Mineral Paper. On a few of them, I also mixed watercolor with rubbing alcohol and splattered alcohol on the page. Look at the fun textures I was able to achieve!

I went a little crazy with it because I was having so much fun playing with colors -- so I made page after page after page. Try it! I think you might find it a little bit addicting.

Artistcellar stencils used:

• Blocks Series Stencils
• Cathedral Plans Series Stencils
• Diamond Series Stencils
• Sacred Geometry Series Stencils  

Mind's Eye

Hello again!

This week I've been busying myself getting preorders ready for my oracle deck. In the meantime, I was going through my art studio and re-discovered Mineral Paper! Don't you just love when that happens? 

I was on vacation this weekend, so I packed up some art supplies on the go -- watercolors and stencils! I absolutely love the way watercolors work on mineral paper... and I really, really love how the paper does not buckle or have any issues standing up to the wet media. 

To begin the painting, I sketched out the girl and then outlined it in black ink. Then, I started adding color using various Artistcellar stencils (see supply list below).

Once I everything was dry I also added white highlights and additional "doodles" with the Uniball Signo UM-153 pen and Tim Holtz distress crayons.

Use your intuition and let yourself play on the page with your supplies!

I hope you enjoy this week's project - and in the meantime you can check out my oracle deck preorder at: http://bit.ly/DearHeartOracle

Supplies Used:

• Yasutomo Mineral Paper Pad
• Tim Holtz Distress Crayons
• Watercolors
• Waterbrushes
• Uniball Signo UM-153
• Jane Davenport's Mermaid Markers
• Artistcellar Creative Words Pocket Stencils
• Artistcellar Steampunk Mini Pocket Stencils
• Artistcellar Cathedral Plans Series Stencils
• Artistcellar Sacred Geometry 2 stencils

DIY Crystal Grid Board!

Hello! Today we are making crystal grid boards using Artistcellar's 12x12 Flower of Life stencil. 

I hope you enjoy the video I created for you!

Still, It Rises - Quilt Stencil with Artistcellar

Happy Friday!

Today I'm super excited to do a project with the brand new Quilt series stencils! I have both the 6 x 6 and the pocket set, so I got to work creating a little art journal page with them. 

Now I KNOW I want to experiment with the stencils using them to create artistic quilts, (and how fun would it be to sun dye fabric with Dye-Na-Flow ink?!) but for now I wanted to figure out a way to use the stencils in a totally off the wall way. 

So... I made a lotus!

To begin, I sprayed the art journal page with some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in "Verdigris". I just wanted to get some color on the page -- once I sprayed it, I set the book aside and grabbed a loose piece of watercolor paper. I had already used this paper to doodle on, so I turned it over and started spraying the "Star Flower" stencil with Lindy's Stamp Gang spray in "Ponderosa Pines Olive". I gave it a quick dry with the heat gun and then used scissors to cut out the flower petals. 

Then, I used a hot glue gun to glue the petals down and add a stem. I wanted more color on the page, so I used the pocket stencils with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in "Tarnished Silver" as well as Dye-Na-Flow in Turquoise and Dylusions spray in "Crushed Grape". I also added some black acrylic for more contrast and a Uniball Signo UM-153 pen to add the quote!

I hope you have fun playing with these new stencils! I am already brimming with ideas, they are so versatile and I haven't seen anything like them before! 

Painting with Frida (and DecoArt Media!)

This week's inspiration is...

Frida Kahlo!

I have painted Frida numerous times throughout the last couple of years. I always seem to seek inspiration from her because she was such a strong, brave incredible woman. 

To start today's Frida painting I used a large piece of watercolor paper and a base layer of ephemera and gesso.

To "glue" down the ephemera, I brushed DecoArt Media Matte Medium on both the watercolor paper and the top of the ephemera itself. Then, I used a light wash of white gesso to help push the ephemera back. Then, a light picture sketch of Frida (and some fun stencil elements from my friend, Sarah Trumpp!) before the fun begins - Color!

I used a multitude of fluid acrylics from the DecoArt Media line. I love working with this paint because it is so vivid and pigmented. The colors that I am using are: 

Burnt Umber

Titanium White

Carbon Black

Pyrrole Red

Prussian Blue Hue

and 

Dioxazine Purple

Quinacridone Violet (This week's favorite color!)

Inference Gold

(I like to mix the Inference Gold with the Americana Glazing Medium and another color... one example of this is in the dress. I mixed the gold with the blue to add just a slight golden sheen. It's a fun addition to mixed media products and not really something that can always be captured perfectly in a photograph. That's what makes it fun.)

For the background, I also incorporated DecoArt Media Mister's in "Shimmer White" and "Carbon Black". 

To finish off the painting I also added fun extra elements with the 12 x 12 Americana "Mandala" stencil and a Uniball Signo UM-153 pen. White highlights are so much fun and really bring a painting to life. For this part, I use only a portion of the stencil and trace it with the pen, and then add a bit more texture with Titanium White fluid acrylic on a paintbrush, like this:

To finish the painting, I mixed some Quinacridone Violet Fluid Acrylic with Americana Glazing Medium and brushed it on the background to give it a tint. 

I hope you enjoyed today's project! Until next time - you can find me on Patreon! 

- Cheers,

Pan