TCKolar Art

TCKolar Art

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Get Inspired for Spring!:-)



Textured and Stamped Mini Easter Tote
           
 


Hello!
Teresa Cox Kolar here from Sweet Mare Studio and RubberMoon Art Stamps!  The following is an Easter project. Get inspired now, collect your materials, do the project (once or a few times) and you're ready for Easter!
 No better way to alleviate the winter blahs than to get creative with symbols of new beginnings like Easter eggs, baby chicks, bunnies, bright colors and treats!
If you should feel moved to create what you see, you have plenty of time to get your supplies.
So, let's get started!

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Supplies
To start you will need a paint brush or two, a mini wooden tote (I got this one from Michael's Art Store), favorite paints, and a gel medium. Shown here is a Golden brand gel. Any brand will do just fine.

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Do an under painting of a nice dark color. I chose crimson.
 A purple would work very nicely too.

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Apply a layer of gel medium. 
Gel is meant to create fabulous texture.
It will go on white. Then, will dry completely transparent. 
We want the wonderful under painting to "peek through" the top layers. 
So apply your gel in a textured way. 
We don't want a smooth application. 
The best brush for this is a cheap, stiff, coarse bristled one.

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Next, after the first layer is completely dry apply another contrasting dark color.
 I chose teal. As you can see, it creates a dramatic look.

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Now we will put on a layer of "Eastery" color. I chose an ocean green/light turquoise.
In this photo you can see the under paintings peeking through-nice!

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Now, a layer of cream.

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And finally, a layer of white.
The idea is to work from dark to light. Start your project with dark colors and gradually add each layer with a lighter color. The very first color is the darkest. The very last color is the lightest. Between applications make sure each layer is completely dry.

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Stamping!! :-D
This part of my project is particularly special because the
 stamps we will be using were designed by "your's truly!" 
The stamp pictured is called "Henri Motif"-#TK4aa. 
You can find it on the RubberMoon Art Stamps
Etsy site. Using a paint brush apply the color
 turquoise to the stamp. Decorate your tote keeping in mind that
the turquoise will show up the best when applied over white.

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Another stamp that I designed. 
This one is called "Organic Circle"-#TK6f. 
This stamp can also be found on the 

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Voila!!
Add some colorful grass and Easter treats. 
Hide from an excited Wee One.
So much fun.
**Special Note-eggs pictured here were happily 
donated by my hens-Madonna and Beyonce.

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Many thanks for visiting my blog. It was so much fun creating this tutorial for you to try. I hope you have enjoyed it. If you should have any questions, just leave them in the comment box.

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 Visit  this wonderful company, RubberMoon Art Stamp Company http://www.rubbermoon.com/
RubberMoon offers the stamps used in this tutorial as single pieces.
You will find oodles and oodles of amazing artsy stamps. Their site is new, improved and brimming with inspiration.

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Find more of my art on my blog: http://teresacoxkolar.blogspot.com/
Also, check out my Etsy shop: TCKolarArt
The stamps used here are part of a set offered at my Etsy shop-TCKolarArt
All the very best!-Teresa :-D
Experiment and enjoy!


Tuesday, January 14, 2014


It's January! It's cold! Let's create a darling RubberMoon Art Stamp bookmark! Then, cuddle up with a good book! 

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Hello Everyone!
 This is Teresa Cox Kolar from Purple Sun Studio.
It's blog time! 
I always enjoy putting together a tutorial
using RubberMoon Art Stamps.
Thank heavens for RubberMoon and their inspirational new website, blog hops, etc.,etc. Stop by their websites and pages often. They have  something fun going on ALL the time! There's nothing like creative ingenuity to keep us from the winter doldrums!
The following tutorial highlights a few of my favorite stamps from RubberMoon.  Also included is one of my tried and true watercolor painting techniques. This method will make your painting time stress free. Watercolors can be tricky and unforgiving.  However, with the following information, you'll be set for stress free learning and fun!
Let's get started!


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Super Heart/Checkerboard Bookmark




Time to start the fun!
You will need:
140lb. cold press watercolor paper.
Begin creating your bookmark by tearing a pre-measured piece of your watercolor paper. Tearing along a marked and folded line will give you a naturally deckled edge.





Time for stamping!!
The stamps you will need from RubberMoon Art Stamps:

Be sure to get a permanent ink pad.
 This is very important because we 
will be using watercolor paints.
Permanent ink will stay put. 
It will not blur or smudge
 when you apply
the watercolor paint.
The one pictured below worked great.






Create a pattern with your RubberMoon 
stamps on your watercolor paper.







Time for juicy, watery color!
This is a photograph of my watercolor palette.
 I haven't had it out in over 10 years!!
I simply applied water to the (Windsor Newton brand) 
paints and I was in business! 
A true testament to the durability of Windsor Newton 
watercolor paints!






Watercolor Painting Technique
Long ago, 
when I worked exclusively with watercolors
this was a method I used often.
It takes away the stress of working with the medium and 
it is virtually fool proof for achieving bright, transparent color. 
I never accidentally ended up with "mud." 
The colors "move around" together in the water. 
They don't mix. So you can put opposite colors together 
without the danger of getting an unattractive muddy result.
I love it!

Apply clear water to the area that you want color. "Paint" 
the water on with a brush. The same as you 
would if you were applying paint.






Here I applied some burnt sienna and yellow ochre paint to the 
water that I "painted" onto the paper previously.







Apply the paint at the top of your strip. 
Tip the strip up/vertical so that the watery paint runs down
 covering the the paper with beautiful transparent color.






Here I added a little antwerp blue
 toward the middle for variety.





Now it is time to decide which part of the strip 
I will use as my bookmark. 
I really like the watery design of the antwerp blue. 
Here I was contemplating using 
the acrylic marker on the right 
to do some doodling.





Still in the decision making process. 
Starting to think this wonderful little circular stamp
would look nice. 



Decided! 
I will be using the 
strip with out the blue. 
I like both however, the uniformity of the
 warm colored strip appealed to me for now.
Pictured here are the pens I used to embellish the
 stamp designs and watercolor background.




Voila!
A sweet little bookmark!
Easy peasy!!




Add  a piece of watercolor paper as backing and 
a border. 
Adhere them with the glue pictured here.


Fini!!

This doesn't have to be the end if you don't want it to.
You could add embellishments, a sprig of fancy yarn at the top.
Experiment, be creative, enjoy!!

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Many thanks for visiting my blog. It was so much fun creating this tutorial for you to try. I hope you have enjoyed it. If you should have any questions, just leave them in the comment box.

*****************

 Visit  this wonderful company, RubberMoon Art Stamp Company http://www.rubbermoon.com/
You will find oodles and oodles of amazing artsy stamps. Their site is new, improved and brimming with inspiration.

********************

Find more of my art on my blog: http://teresacoxkolar.blogspot.com/
Also, check out my Etsy shop: http://www.teresaketsyshop.etsy.com
All the very best!-Teresa :-D
Experiment and enjoy!