trying out something a bit different... for me anyway.

Howdy crafty friends!
This is a peak at my first go at creativity on canvas. Mixed media art to give it it's proper name although it was called collage when I was at college. What fun! Thing is I'm not sure where it's going but I am enjoying the process and I guess that's more important than anything else.
   I wanted to try something different as I feel it's about time I stretched myself a bit and we don't have any original paintings in our house, just one or two prints, mainly in a graphic style. So, this is my first attempt at a splash of colour. I'm a graphic designer to trade which is a very different thing to being a fine artist - basically I can't draw for peanuts which may or may not come as a surprise. Many designers can but some of us can't at least not well enough to make a living from which is why when I got the chance to specialise in magazine design I grabbed it with both hands. Anyway I'm going off on a tangent when what I want to tell you about is these. Gel Pastels from French brand Djeco! They are similar to Faber-Castell Gelatos but a bit cheaper cos they are for kids. This set I got last sunday from HobbyCraft for under£7 which was a bargain as they normally retail at £9. They are lovely and soft and so easy to blend together. Great stuff. Now, not having had the chance to use Gelatos (no-one stocks them anywhere nearby) I'm not sure how they compare but I'm guessing it's all about the ratio of pigment to carrier. These have loads of pigment, certainly plenty for working on white canvas - haven't tried them on a dark background!

Here's a sneeky peek at my first go...

The background told me it needed some birdies as it was a sky that evolved on the canvas... These main images have been printed and cut out....

This is the corner that I'm swithering over... it needs a bit of lettering or something but I just don't want to overdo it and lose the breathing space. I live in fear of overdoing everything arty and live by the saying that "less is more".  Stay tuned to see what I come up with...

Pop by soon to see the completed project.

Love Jak xxx