Friday, 1 May 2015

The Sea - New Challenge at Art Journal Journey

Hi Everybody!

Hope you had a good day. Here it was cold and we had a lot of rain, but the sun kept trying to poke through the clouds, and in the evening we even had a rainbow.

Today we have a new challenge at Art Journal Journey. Sheila is our hostess and has chosen the theme, which gives lots of opportunities to let your fantasy swim free and surface. You can see her lovely example at our challenge blog. Hope to see lots of you taking part again and sharing your creations with us!

I am starting off with a rather spooky mixed media piece, which I have called 'The face of the Sea'. I used an A3 paper which was given a quick coat of gesso and then sprinkled with Brushos in blue, pink and lime green. I sprayed it with water to get the colours moving and dripping. I added more colour where necessary with Gelatos. I drew the face, and gave it a coat of white paint, letting the underlying colours stain through. The waves of her hair were worked with felt pens, Gelatos, water-colours and a gold gel pen. I added some fish and shells (vintage German scrap), some fuzzy gold fibres, and  drew some seaweed.

I am also linking to Paint Party Friday, hosted, as always, by Eva and Kristin, and to Simon Monday challenge, anything goes.






Some photos of the skies in the morning and evening. The sky had a delicate, greenish tinge this morning:





The rainbow, always something special for me:


And the evening clouds rolling up:



Have a great day you all, take care,
and thanks a lot for coming by!

55 comments:

  1. Wow great face of the sea! That's a good theme Sheila...good for you!

    Hugs Giggles

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  2. Love the new theme, and you have made a splendid painting again, really wonderful. Great photos, too, good to see the rainbow. Hugs, Sarah

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  3. Such an unusual painting. As I am starting to participate in some mixed media, I notice that many paint faces. Is that a "thing"? years ago I did some portraits, but haven't in about 5 years now. I guess I will have to try again, yours are always so beautiful! Even the "spooky" ones! :>)

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    1. I don't know if it's a "thing" to paint faces, but I do use faces and heads a lot!

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  4. I love the painting! and OMG the clouds..... fantastic images ♥

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  5. Love your face of the sea! So unusual!

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  6. Das Gesicht ist einfach nur SPITZE! Die herrlichen Aufnahmen vom Himmel und der herrliche Regenbogen sind eine Augenweide! Wunderschön!
    Viel Spaß uns beiden (zwinker) diesen Monat bei AJJ...lol

    und HAPPY PPF und
    einen wunderschönen 1. Mai !
    xxx
    Susi
    ♥♥♥

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  7. Love the artwork and I drawn to the goldfish in the hair and the matching shells.

    Beautiful photographs and a very special one of the rainbow.

    The Tour de Yorkshire cycle race starts here today so I expect the town will be very busy but we will have to go and have a look :)

    Enjoy whatever you are doing

    Love Chrissie xx

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  8. Ich freue mich auf das Meer-Thema und finde dieses Bild großartig, vielleicht gerade, weil es ambivalente Gefühle auslöst, das Schöne mit dem Unheimlichen verbindet. Sehr gelungene Arbeit und - wie stets - sehr schöne Fotografien des Himmels. Schönes langes Wochenende, happy PPF und auf ein baldiges Wiedersehen bei Art JournalJourney ;) Viele Grüße Ariane

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  9. This is certainly spooky - I love the feeling you've created with it - makes me want to know how she ended up down there - there's a definite ghost story to be told!

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    1. I think she went down there to look for the secrets of the sea, and as the sea doesn't want them revealed, it kept her there as prisoner....

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  10. wie du dem gesicht die augen in form der Muschel gegeben hast, das ist ja fantastisch! aber auch sonst eine wunderbare seite. und herrliche himmelsfotos!

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  11. Oh Valerie, she's creepy, no eyes, no mouth, eeeek! Thank you for the rainbow though, that has calmed me back down again! :) have a lovely Friday. Xx

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    1. Yessssssssssssssss! I love creepy and spooky!

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  12. Fabulous page and very different, this is genial! Love the shells and fish,,, all details.
    Hugs, Mar

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  13. Hi Valerie .. yes I loved the art work ... I'll be off for a while .. but will be around in the background ... so don't lose touch - just have lots to do .. enjoy the art month .. cheers Hilary

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  14. Your Face Of The Sea is amazing, I love everything about it.
    xxx Hazel.

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  15. tolle seite,gefällt mir gut.
    ich habe auch eine seite gemacht.
    schönen tag dir.

    GLG Jeannette

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  16. An enchanting, mythical face of the sea, I like it!!

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  17. Eine ganz fantastische Arbeit! ... und soooo schöne Himmel!
    Liebe Grüße von Ulrike

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  18. Well done and always interesting, imaginative and colorful Page. Your photography is always exceptional as well.

    Hugs and Blessings
    Jim

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  19. Very interesting page. She looks like one with the sea creatures ....

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  20. She is rather spooky, but in a fun and creative way! Hope to have time to get in on this one!

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  21. Very clever piece today Valerie. Love how you used one of your heads in the image. She looks so much like part of the sea it is perfect. Have a great weekend!

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  22. Fabulous work of art, gorgeous colours and love the design.xxx
    {aNNie My Personal Blog}

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  23. Your mixed media piece is so pretty, Valerie. It is a real touchable piece of art with all the texture. And as always, your photography is awesome! Green skies around here mean storms on the way.

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  24. Va, what a wonderfully creative page! I love how you incorporated those shells into the face-beautiful! xoxo Happy May Day!

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  25. Love your page today Valerie! It's like where's Waldo with sea creatures! Very creative! hugs :)

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  26. Shell eyes and a star fish mouth, she is one in a million. The gorgeous rainbow I luv a lot. Happy you stopped over at my blog today

    Much love...

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  27. Very cool sea-themed piece! I love those effects you achieved with your process! Bravo!!

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  28. a super sea themed page Valerie!! Another fab theme for this new month-love it. Beautiful photos too-such lovely skies.

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  29. Fantastic Painting. love the sky photos too.

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  30. I love her eye! The fish look so real...

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  31. An amazing vibrant piece of art. Just adore the touches of the sea. Wish I could join you on your walks in such beautiful surroundings.
    Hugs Desíre {Doing Life}

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  32. I love the title of your piece Valerie. What a great page. The dripping is fantastic. Beautiful skies.
    Thanks.:)

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  33. I know you say she's spooky but she's BEAUTIFUL! She has that illustrative surrealism that I just adore - she makes me happy! And there's a sea theme at Art Journal Journey? Oooooo...... Like I actually NEED an excuse to do sea-themed art !! Wonderful post as always and a stunning piece. Love it xxxx

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    1. I hope very much that you will join us again at AJJ!

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  34. Love your unique concept for the challenge!! It's rather Cool indeed ♥ This should be a fun challenge for you. Love the photos ♥ Have a great weekend.

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  35. Maybe not spooky but definitely strange and other-worldly. It is certainly an imaginative and unique interpretation for "The Sea" and a very impressive painting. She looks rather sad.

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    1. Perhaps she's getting fed up with being under the sea for so long....

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  36. Wow! A great interpretation of the theme.

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  37. A real clever page today Valerie, she has her own kind of beauty and a great take on the new theme, will have to get thinking for this one.
    Yvonne xx

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  38. Wow Valerie, this is outstanding art work!! Gorgeous sky pics and I love the rainbow!
    Happy May Day and a good weekend.
    Hugs, CM

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  39. Oh wow Valerie, what an amazing piece of mixed media art! That face is spooky but very expressive. The whole thing definitely has the wow factor!

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  40. A sea creature with secrets to tell I am sure and a wonderful rainbow. xox

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  41. Lovely piece with a 3D effect! Gorgeous photos too!

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  42. I just love your abstract portrait - a different direction for you? It's always good to change things up - that's how we learn! Beautiful photos - I love rainbows too. About 2 weeks ago we saw 4 different rainbows on the drive home.

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  43. Lots of very cool light and movement in this piece.
    Hugs,
    Teresa

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  44. Wow I love it very clever and gorgeous colours

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  45. Yes, pure sweetness in your compositions all your lady beauty of the sea, pretty pictures too!

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  46. Great page, makes you dive into a sea of stories.

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  47. This is spooky and cool at the same time, I like the colors!
    I've had a busy weekend again, walks, partying, sewing... :)
    Hope you'll have a good week ahead!

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  48. Oh wow - she looks like she belongs in the sea and to the sea. You have the best creative spark!!
    Sandy xx

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  49. She does remind me of the sea. Rainbows are always always special. Blessings, Janet PPF

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  50. Oh wow, was für eine tolle Idee. Sieht super aus.
    LG Carola

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