Ronda Palazzari Designs

Arting, Lessons in Abstract & Painting

i love art. Arting is part of my daily life and also my job. i love that this is my job. However my days aren't always filled up with creating. There's lots of computer work, conferences, planning, etc. i need time in my schedule to develop & grow as an artist. i have found taking lessons with local artist Michael Gadlin has been the key to making sure i am on the schedule. Jumping & leaping into these lessons has been amazing to me. They stretch & challenge me in so many ways and open me up. i also notice the same ruts i fall into when creating. Michael calls me on them which is awesome.  It's really good to have someone who will tell you when something isn't working for then you can trust the praise.  

i go to his studio and paint in his studio. We talk about what i am bringing and what i will be working on. i create right in front of him which i admit can be intimidating. i do get butterflies in my stomach. But if i don't take the risk, if i don't leap, that growth won't happen so i jump. i sometimes even close my eyes and paint just to get my brain to shut off for the start. After my session is over, Michael gives me homework and he isn't shy about piling it on. i need this accountability. The above photo is me working in my studio.  

i bring my work back into the studio and we critique it together.  We talk about the good areas & the problem areas.  We get into techniques, theories, and big discussions about art.  Sometimes he pulls out art books, explaining the idea, concept, or technique through other artists.  Sometimes he takes one of his pieces  and we dig deeper into the concept.  These processes really help solidify the lessons in my brain.  i'm also a note taker so sometimes i break out my journal to jot ideas down.

After these discussions, we dive back into the piece i worked on at home. Michael will pick up a paint brush and jump onto my piece (with my permission of course) and we work together on the next layers. i watch with child-like eyes soaking up everything from how he holds the brush to watching it dance across the page.  

i will often start one or more new pieces from scratch, taking all the previous lessons and pouring them onto my fresh canvas. it doesn't mean i am done with the previous work. i always bring my earlier works with me to the studio, knowing we might come back to it and keep building. Starting fresh really pushes me to process all the information given to me so i can be successful on my own.  

i keep working with Michael moving in & out the studio, nudging me, praising me, and letting me lose myself in the art. Once i let go, it is the most glorious feeling. Art makes me so excited and free. It is my voice. All too soon the lesson comes to a close. i get more homework assignments, things to work on, pieces he wants me to start from scratch at home, and practical play. He shows me examples again of the types of things he wants me to do without boxing me in. Again i am taking notes and pictures to keep it clear in my head. i clean up my space, pack everything away, and come home to my studio feeling energized.  

 

3 Art Journal Lately

My art journals are almost like my lifelines.  It's a place for me to pour my thoughts, create, and play daily.  i always keep in mind i don't have to share a page if i don't want too.  it releases me from overthinking.  The above page is for Word Up #83: Will.  OLW always challenges me to see things in my life.  

i WILL always love to create art

i love the white space on the page along with those colors.  They feel earthy, as if i am grounded in art.  i suppose that's how the sprout popped up.  Art grows in me and out of me. it WILL always be part of me and who i am. 

Did you know OLW is now on Instagram?  Check out all the inspiration there!

More evolved out of me practicing some strokes in my sketch journal, part of my homework from abstract classes.  Simply india ink, gesso, & ball point pen.  i love love love the background and find black & white very moving.    

The journaling across the page adds another graphic layer.  My script is getting looser.  It feels like it complements and contrasts the piece at the same time.  

In Time is nearly green monochromatic with a few pops of color here & there.  i was cleaning up my palette and hate to waste paint so i started spreading it around this page.  i loved the look so much i continued building up the same color.  

Those pops of color came from me cleaning up my palette.  It's a porcelain palette so often i peel the paint up to clean it up, really enjoying seeing the layers of color.  i save some of the pieces and add them to art pieces, like this art journal page.  i journaled throughout the process and then at the end, along the side with my white sharpie.  

 

Create Daily: Looking Back

Some times it is important to take note of where you have come from to know where you are going.  One of the things i like to do from time to time is to look back through my art journal pages.  This allows me to see the stories i told, to see how my art has change, to remember techinques i love, and really reflect on what i've done, focusing in on the positives.  Sometimes we get frustrated that we aren't where we want to be.  When we we look back we see all we have done and know the future is filled with possiblities.  

I use to art journal just on watercolor paper cut down to 5.5 x 9.  I have stacks of them laying around and would pick them up and play.  i love the layers of leftovers in these pieces. 

Take Note: the rub-ons & the wax layers.  Might have to break some of those out again. 

Overwhelmed is from 2010 and is still one of my favorties.  Monochromatic with strong greys and blacks.  i think this piece speaks volumes of what i was feeling at the time.

Taking Note: Love the simplicity of the piece and the stitches around the page.  Time to break out the sewing machine again. 

Find your Direction Art Journal page playing around with Dylusions, Maya Mists, & gelatos.  Big title on the page with an even bigger arrow. This page evolved from me feeling lost at that moment.

Taking Note: Simple color layers that are playful.  Love the touches of white in those cirlces.  The complementary colors really make that arrow stand out.

One Step is a page in my landscape art journal album.  I love that moleskin journal.  I first drew the leaves on the page with a stadler marker and then colored everything in with NeoColorII crayons.

Taking Note: Love the drawings with the watercolor background.  Need to just doodle more in my journal.  

Blue is layers upon layers of acrylic paints, maya mists, stablio marking pencil, and black pen.  I cut the blue "flowers" from a leftover tag.  

Taking Note: Love the mixture of the see-thru mists over the acrylic paint.  Need to break out the stablio pencil again.

23 is an art journal page about the loss of my sister and how her birthdays are really hard.  There is something powerful about this page.  Maybe it's the meaning and maybe it's the bold colors.  

Taking Note: Loving the journaling on vintage ledger paper and all the little bits & pieces around the page.  Need to play with paper a bit more on my pages

Hello Goodbye is a two page spread in the smaller dylusions art journal.  Two pages are rare for me but i love the way this one came together.  This page has lots of journaling along with that awesome quote.

Taking Note: Need to break out the gelli printing plate & play around more.  i think i need to stretch myself by doing more two page spreads. 

Things is a smaller page in the small dylusions journal.  I was playing around with "less is more" in my journal, craving at that time a simplistic page.  

Taking Note: Loving the typed letters.  These pages really pushed me creatively seeing how far i could take white space in an artistic way.  

Again is a really recent peice with just acrylics, white sharpie, and india ink.  Quite a change from my older style.  Playing around with techniques like dry brushing over layers and really pushing my journaling to become design. 

Taking Note: This art journal page is a reflection of who i am as an artist.  It reminds me to keep pushing, to really engage in my art.  

Have you created something this past week?  i love seeing other people's creations & being inspired by you!  Share a link at the bottom of this post with the inLinkz button.  Just leave a link to a specific blog post or image on flickr, rather than a general url. This way we can see your stellar creation.

 

 

An InLinkz Link-up

#bringbackourgirls: Hope Rising Wood Canvas

Last week i told you about Jessica Sporn's A Call to Art Auction in honor of the Nigerian girls who were kidnapped.  The proceeds to this auction go to Girl Rising, a global campaign for girls' education. 

My piece for this auction is titled Hope Rising. The darkness reminds us where the light can be.  It is a 12"x16" wood canvas with acrylic paints, latex paints, & india ink. The canvas has keyhole slots & is ready to hang flush on your wall. This piece represents the eternal flame no one can extinguish. A flame inside all women who keep hope burning in their souls, to know we are more than what people label us and despite what people try to do to us physically & mentally. Adversity makes us stronger and we are Hope Rising.

The online auc­tion beginsTMay 15th at 7AM EDT and ends May 17th at 3PM EDT.  i hope you will join me the other amazing artists Jes­sica Sporn, Linda Kittmer, Mar­jie Kem­per, Judy Shea, Glenda Hoagland, Astrid Mclean,  Nat Kalbach, MaryBeth Shaw, my friend Lisa Pace, and many oth­ers.  There is already some awesome art up for bid. 

 

Scrap Happenings

Have you seen the Digital May issue of Paper Crafts & Scrapbook?  I love that the magazine includes paper arts & scrapbooking.  it is brimming with great articles and awesome paper crafts.  You can subscribe using this link.  

This issue includes handmade flowers on cards, home decor, a scrapbook challenge using dollar store supplies, cool chalkboard products, and more.  

My 3 Generations layout is included in the chalkboard section found on page 45.  In the magazine i share my tips & tricks on how to create your own chalkboard look using black gesso.  i really love this layout of the Palazzari men.  You can really see how much Anthony has grown up in 9 years.  

i love how this layout turned out and i think the "Home Sweet Home" stencil looks fabulous on the layout.  Do you also notice the "Capture" Stencil?

Also in this issue is my Not Really layout as part of the "Cropped" feature.  Creating Keepsakes asked me to do this challenge and it was a challenge.  i remember them telling me about the feature and it sounded like fun.  And then the package arrived and i am sure the look on my face was hilarious, reminiscent of those chefs on "Chopped."  

The package contained Wiggly Eyes, confetti tissue papers, bandaids, bright kids puzzle pieces, and a gripper pad.  Can you spot them all in my layout?  i really enjoyed reading this article and seeing the other designers take on the same product.  

 

 

Stencil Round Up: May 2014

The new stencils have hit the stores, both online and brick & mortar.  Have you picked up yours yet?  i love seeing all the different types of projects & uses of something i design, both new & older stencils.  i am always happy when someone shares with me their creations.  Feel free to tag me on pinterest, twitter, instagram, or facebook, or add it to the Ronda Palazzari Designs Flickr group.  Here are a few of the latest i spotted & pulled from all over the place.  Thank you for sharing with me! 

Sanna Lippert - Wild & Enjoy Life

Sanna has some step by step tutorials on her blog using my Hourglass & Texturized stencils.  She is always willing to share her creativity so stop by her blog for a closer look.

Tina Walker - To Infinity & Beyond and Home Sweet Home

Tina is the owner of Frog Dog Studio, a mixed media kit company that has so many cool cool kits.  The Home Sweet Home Stencil was included in her January Kit.  The two above canvases were created using the kit.  If you stop by her blog she shares how she created them.  

Wilma Voermans - Picture of You

Wilma used my 6x6 Climbing Vine stencil to create this stunning background for her layout.  On her blog, she has a video tutorial detailing how this page come together.  Just beautiful.  

Lena Schreijenberg - Jared Leto

Lena shared her painting with me via email.  Isn't is so very cool, just like Jared Leto.  Did you notice the Quatrefoil stencil on the canvas?  Love how it subtle sits in the background!

Sara Case Strickland - Breathe & Yes

Sara has many wonderful creations up in my flickr pool as well as on her blog.  These two pieces really caught my eye.  Her Breathe canvas uses my Kaleidoscope stencil to create texture in such a beautiful way.  The Yes art journal pages has the same stencil.  I love how these pieces look so different.

Riikka Kovasin - Mug

i found Riikka on pinterest and quickly added her to my "Ronda Palazzari Designs" board.  i loved how she used the Quatrefoil stencil in so many different ways on her layout.  And i have to say that mug is super cute!

and did you see the DT announcement from The Crafter's Workshop?  So excited to see what this team creates!

TCW Team Coordinator is Cheryl Boglioli.

Design Team Members:

• Rita Barakat
• Beck Beattie
• Sue Carrol
• Lynne Forsythe
• KarenLiz Henderson
• Sarinda Jones
• Karen Jiles
• Sanna Lippert
• Lydell Quin
• Miae Rowe
• Tami Sanders
• Yvonne Yam

Along with 8 Guest Designers

• Marion Linnenbank
• Fregny Lorenzo
• Kathleen Mann
• Magdalena Muldoon
• Miriam Prantner
• Keri Sallee
• Robin Tompkins
• Kirsten Varga

Congratulations to the new team and to all those who entered.  It takes courage to put yourselves out there.  A big round of applause for all of you!

 

Create Daily: One Color

Many moons ago i talked about using monochromatics to free yourself from the stress of "what color should i use."  But it is also a great way to see how far you can really "push" a color to create.  In a lot of ways it forces you to see how values can impact your piece.  In case you don't know, monochromatic is using only one color or hue.  Black & White aren't colors so feel free to add them in.  i encourage you then, just like i am going to encourage you now, to use monochromatics in your art journals (or other creations) to challenge yourself.  

Pick a color, any color & just begin.  i encourage you to try out all colors and do this periodically when creating.  Grab some paints, spray inks, stamp inks, stickers, patterned paper, images, etc in your color and just create.  Here's a look at some of my monochromatic pages.  Just seeing these makes me want to do another set!

All the above pieces were done in the same small journal using a variety of acrylic paints, spray inks, and bits & pieces of other leftover material.  i looked around my desk and found a wealth of material to use. 

Don't forget about the Pinterest Perfect giveaway that closes tonight!  You could be a lucky winner of this new book along with an awesome art journal & stencil!  Go to this blog post to enter!

 

Abstract Again

Last year i lept into a class at the Art Student League of Denver called the Nature of Abstract with Michael Gadlin.  You can read more about that adventure here: The Nature of Abstract, The Nature of Abstract pt. 2, & The Nature of Abstract the finale.  Michael & i work extremely well together, pushing each other in lots of creative ways.  After the class finished, i knew i wanted to have more lessons with him for he knows how to challenge me.  He knows my strengths & weakness and really knows how to get me out of my comfort zone so i grow as an artist.  So i joined him in his studio last week to begin our first new lessons.  Here's a look at my day through photos courtesy of Michael.

i started with homework before class even began.  i started studying some lessons on principles and artists who corresponded with the principles.  These principles are different than design principles but similar in some ways. 

i admit i am a bit of a learning nerd so studying before class increased my thirst and my readiness to begin.  Before i started painting, Michael & i discussed some of these principles and looked at many works of art to get a feel for them.  

i was instructed to bring unusual objects to use for painting along with black & white paint.  do you see the cleaning brush in my hand?  

Crazy as it sounds, it does force me to be looser in my strokes.  Everything begins with black & white, color is the icing.  

i was nervous at first.  i get too much into my head and that's one of my biggest obstacles.  Sometimes the only way to begin is to just start, to take a big breath and leap.  

so i did and i lost myself in the art.  and it felt good.  really good.  

While i was lost in the art, Michael got inspired to paint.  Doesn't that always happen when you are working with someone else, talking about art, and inspiration hits?  It was fun to look up and see him at work.  Michael gave me homework again which includes losing myself in painting again.  i am a little anxious to begin one of the assignments but i will again take that leap trusting it will lead me to a whole new place. 

 

Grid Layouts with Leftovers!

Last year, i traveled to Cleveland, Ohio to film Scrapbook Soup with Julie Fei-Fan Balzer.  It was the most thrilling experience and i absolutely loved being her guest.  The second full episode, add-ons, is up on the Scrapbook Soup!  It was so much fun on the set and in the green room with Julie and so many other talented artists.  KS Productions is a great team and i am blessed for this opportunity. 

Here's the layout you will see in this episode.  I'll share with you a quick way to create "faux stitches" and how to use up leftovers to create a dynamic layout.  We talk a little bit about design theory and how to make patterned paper choices.