Ronda Palazzari Designs

Abstract: My Beginnings

Still taking classes with the fabulous Michael Gadlin. i had to take some time off thanks to illness but it's ok as Michael is getting ready for not one but two new shows coming up.  However, i am still creating on my own, taking in all that he has taught me.  What's has been fabulous about going for lessons in his studio is watching his work progress until he feels it's done. i feel blessed to watch art happening before my eyes.

Michael had 4 very large pieces hung on the walls and was working on each of them at different times.  When i came this particular time, he added a new piece on the floor. It is massive and beautiful. My favorite piece to date. And yes, he is standing on it. 

After setting up my supplies, i sat watching him create and snapping photos. i asked all about the mediums, the reasons why behind the piece, and what he was thinking. Have you ever been to a museum and wanted to ask an artist his thoughts? Imagine doing that as the art is happening. 

i admit i was fascinated with him walking on the piece. But it makes sense, Art comes within and he was pouring himself into the art. 

Michael told me how he was inspired by me and it was reflected in this piece. While the piece is completely his own, things we talked about pushed him in new ways. It was so much fun to stand in front of this and take pics of my favorite areas.  

Remember this photo? This is me set up to go working on a blank canvas. This day was about starting from scratch, letting go, and Michael watching me work to guide me.   i was scared and exhilirated to start!

i really wanted to stay loose so i made a conscious decision to do this piece mostly left handed. i am a VERY right handed person so this would force me to let go of too much thought and trust my instincts.  

and i did let go

trusted my instincts

i did do a few areas right handed

filling in 

and loving every minute of it

While i could leave it in black & white, this is to become the base of something else, filling in with color and all kinds of collage pieces.  Michael and i were pleased with my progress, my taking risks, and letting go. 

i set that piece aside to dry before doing a working varnish layer, readying it for the next steps. When i looked up, i noticed this scene before me. Michael utterly lost in his work like i was. 

i knew that i wanted to start another piece and had this idea in my head that just wouldn't leave. It was begging to be put down on canvas and i willingly obliged. i didn't have the full idea but once again trusted that the direction would appear in layers. 

After i got my thoughts out, i began sealing the piece knowing that some of the smearing would occur. i did it on purpose, getting the effect i wanted.  

Once i finished sealing it, getting ready for the next layers, i decided the piece was complete. It needed to stay black & white. Michael whole-heartedly agreed with me. i just need to put on the final varnish and ready it for hanging.  

and here's a peek at the progress of the other piece. It's still in the works but i am ever so excited at the direction it is heading.  Needless to say, but i will say it anyway, i LOVE art, painting, and taking classes with my mentor and fellow artist friend.  

 

Two new CRAFTSY online classes!

Halloween Decor, Fun & Fancy Projects.  It's spooktacular!  Purchase the kit filled with Jillibean Soup new Halloween lines, Owloween Stew & Witches Brew, and you get exclusive Video Lessons for FREE. As September is upon us, now is the perfect time to create some BOOtiful Halloween Decor!

Kit Includes:

• Jillibean Soup Owloween Stew and Witches Brew 6”x6” mini paper pads
• Jillibean Soup Owloween Stew Pea Pods Die Cuts
• Jillibean Soup Owloween Beanboard Alphas in Black Glitter
• Jillibean Soup Owloween Enamel Stars in Orange
• Jillibean Soup Owloween Multi Dot Paper Tape
• 3 HD video lessons led by expert Ronda Palazzari (<-- that's ME!)

In this free class (with the purchase of the kit!), I will show you how to use Jillibean Soup's paper pads, black glitter beanboard alphas and festive embellishments to create a witch’s hat, pumpkin centerpieces and even a spooky banner!  

Artful layering, stencils, ink, & embellishments is another FREE class with the purchase of the Stencil & Ink Kit.  Learn to expertly layer your way from blank paper to finishing touches throughout four HD video lessons.

Add interest to your projects by stenciling, masking, artfully tearing, inking your layers and more. Plus, create gorgeous paper flowers and follow along with Me as you assemble a special scrapbook page that's sure to inspire!  

Kit Includes:

The Crafter's Workshop Stencils

• Four 6" x 6" stencils (Rose Window, Wildflowers, Hourglass, Retrobursts)
• Designed by Craftsy Instructor Ronda Palazzari (<-- that's me!)

Ranger Ink Distress Mini Ink Kit

• Four 1" x 1" stackable mini ink pads.
• Pads feature a raised felt pad perfect for use on small craft projects.
• Designed by Tim Holtz

Ranger Ink Blending Tool

• Ideal for precise application of inks and other craft mediums
• Ergonomic, solid wood

I had a ton of fun creating these classes with the Craftsy crew.  I am really impressed with the online classrooms and have taken a few classes myself.  If you haven't tried Craftsy yet, you will love it! You can even download the Craftsy App onto your mobile device or tablet and take your classes with you! 

Hope to see you in my classes!

 

 

 

Create Daily: Letting Go

Unfortunately i am still sick but on the mend. i appreciate all your kind words about Anthony & becoming a grandma.  So while i am recovering on the couch, i thought you would enjoy seeing the process of this layout using my new stencil called Persian Gate. Letting go is an important part of creating art. You have to be able to let go of control sometimes and trust your skill to know it could lead you to something great. Of course there is the flip side and you end up hating what you created but i guarantee you learned something in the process. i also look for opportunities to take something i hate and turn it into something i love by pushing myself to keep going. i know that even if i don't like the whole piece i can cut it up and turn it into something different.  

i started this layout with that premise of letting go, playing around, having fun, and just keep creating.  i used Dina Wakley's Media paint on the watercolor paper. i then added some journaling and stenciled images using my 12 x 12 Geometric Art Layers stencil.  

Persian Gate (TCW 472)

i then broke out my new stencil called Persian Gate. i love this simplistic form of a quatrefoil with the nice sized openings. Lots of possibilities with this one and i am going to show you just one technique you can use with it. 

i placed the stencil over the painted page and added a layer of clear medium over top using a plastic palette knife, scraping through the stencil.

It's slightly opaque when wet and translucent when dry.  Depending on your climate, it may take a while to dry.  i usually let it set for an hour or two, sometimes more if i put it on really thick.  

After it is dry, i painted over it and wiped down the stencil bits to have that color pop through. i love this technique a lot. In fact you can see a variation of it on my Rose Window Video HERE. 

 

 

 

Lose Yourself

Not until we are LOST do we begin to understand ourselves. Henry David Thoreau.

i get that. Totally get it.

There have been many times in my life where i have felt lost. At first it was a very uncomfortable feeling. Many times being lost evokes fear. But i have come to see the beauty of being lost. Getting lost in a new city is one of my favorite ways to travel. It means i am out there exploring and trying new things. Getting lost in a book is another favorite pastime for me, another great way to explore new worlds or shut my mind down to this one so i can let go.

"I lost track of time." 

How beautiful are those words when we lose ourselves to whatever task at hand and soaked up every minute of it.  Especially when we engaged in an activity we love: music, painting, reading, etc.  

But how about losing yourself? It used to scare me too. i have felt lost and questioned what i was doing, where i was going, or even who i was. i know now that it's ok to have those feelings and actually appreciate them. i understand something good will come out of all those emotions. The beauty of being lost allows me to take a look at my life and change the things weighing me down. i have learned to embrace the fear, to let go, to trust i will find my way again and be a better person because of it.  

i started this art journal page with black gesso covering most of the background, to me it represented lost and darkness.  i journaled with a white sharpie on top of it. 

i then added some tissue paper from Hazel & Ruby and some Dina Wakley Media paints.  i went with both dark colors and light colors knowing my life comes with both of them. 

i journaled more in both black & white to signify both my happy and dark thoughts.  i continued using these two colors adding marks and doodles around the page.  

i use a gel medium through the pie chart on my 6 x 6 And So On stencil around the page knowing these would be the main color pieces peeking through the next layer.  

While i was impatiently waiting on them to dry, i added a white glaze over the entire piece to dull the dark areas and let the color just shine through those pie pieces.  To me it represents all sides of my life, both the light & dark in being lost. i added the last journal thoughts on the top layer using india ink.  

Are you ready to get Lost?

 

 

2014 Summer Stencil: Geometric Art Layers, Fireworks, & Maple Leaf

 

Geometric Art Layers 6x6 Fireworks 6x6

Summer time is in full swing here which means it's time for my summer TCW stencil release!  i have 9 new stencils and 9 new stencil fragments this release.  Today i am sharing one new stencil & two new stencil fragments: Geometric Art Layers, Fireworks, & Maple Leaf Fragment.

Geometric Art Layers (TCW 470)

Geometric Art Layers is a fun blocked stencil filled with all kinds of cool shapes & patterns. This stencil has so many uses both as a whole stencil or just using individual pieces. Those white spaces are perfect for photos if you want to use this stencil as a template for a layout or art journal page. It comes both in 12 x 12 and 6 x 6 sizes. 

My Path Layout uses both the 12 x 12 stencil and 6x6. Those shapes are so much fun to stack around my page. i love that big bold number pattern in black to the left of my photo.

i used the triangles on the 12 x 12 stencil with my NeocolorII crayons to give the background some color and layered the small 6 x 6 stencil circles on top.  i could create with this stencil all day long!

Fireworks (TCW 473)

Fireworks is one of those fun background stencils that's perfect for every occassion. i love all the different shapes you can see within this stencil. Do you see the small gear like shape? The dashed lines? Mask this stencil for so many possibilities. It comes both in 12 x 12 and 6 x 6 sizes.

You can be bold with this stencil like the above tag or softer like this layout. Love is a layout capturing those Colorado Sunsets. Since i wanted my photo to be the main focus point, i chose to layer the stencil softly in the background with a tone on tone approach. Did you notice the doodles with the stencil? i love those tiny black triangles sprinkled on the page!

Maple Leaf Fragment (TCW 2048)

i love this Maple Leaf stencil fragment. i left the leaves open to be filled with color or doodles. It fits nicely in a project life page, looks great on scrapbook pages, cards, tags, or art journal pages. It would look great with gelli printing too!  While it's great for autumn pages, it really can be used any time!  And for my neighbors to the North, this fragment is perfect for Canada Day.

Look at how lovely it looks with all those colors! i doodled the leaf onto my 4x4 watercolor page and then painted all around it with black paint. i filled in the leaves with a rainbow of colors for this stunning effect.

So what stencil(s) caught your eye today? Don't forget you can purchase these at BlueMoon Scrapbooking. i will let you know as other stores have them in stock!

 

Create Daily: Gelli Prints + Fragments

i love playing around some days just to get my hands inky so i broke out my gelli printing plate, my friend Dina Wakley's Media Line from Ranger Ink, and my "Ronda's Stencil Fragments" to create prints. My fragments are perfect for these prints and i totally love Dina's bright colors for these creations. i just love the way they blend together!

Once i got started, i just couldn't quit, print after print! i like the build up of colors so i didn't clean up the plate between prints. i love all the prints i got on both watercolor paper and deli paper.

Here's a look at a few i created on Deli paper:

And here are some prints on watercolor paper:

i know these are beginning layers and i cannot wait to add more layers. i'm not sure how i will use all of them but i am excited about the possibilities. i know some of them will be used in various creations like my art journal, collage pieces, or on my abstract art.

Have you used fragments or stencils in your gelli prints? 

 

 

 

2014 Summer Stencil: Hand Drawn Frames, Curly Tree, & Curly Holly

  
Hand Drawn Frames 6x6  Contact Sheet 6x6

Summer time is in full swing here which means it's time for my summer TCW stencil release!  i have 9 new stencils and 9 new stencil fragments this release.  Today i am sharing one new stencil & two new stencil fragment: Hand Drawn Frames, Curly Christmas Tree, & Curly Holly Fragments.

Hand Drawn Frames (TCW 474) 

Hand Drawn Frames is such a versatile stencil.  You have so many different options with 9 different frames all drawn by little ole me.  Use them all or just use a few across your page, art journal, card, or any other crafty endevour.  These frames would also look great in your Project Life Pockets.  Don't forget about those stitches too!  Leave off the frames and use them as a great grid layout.

i started my layout with layers of paint & spray ink dripping down the page.  I then used the 6 x 6 stencil to add frames down the colorful area and filled in with the stitches. i added in bits & pieces of patterned paper into the frames.  My little instagram photo looks great layered over the background.  

Curly Christmas Tree (TCW 2045)

This fun tree is the perfect stencil for the holidays.  Unique in design, it will really add to your creations. It fits nicely in a project life page, looks great on scrapbook pages, cards, tags, or art journal pages. Don't be afraid to get fill in all those different spaces with lots of color!

Here's my little 4x4 Curly Christmas tree on watercolor paper. i love the bright colors surrounding the tree as if it is radiating light.  i wanted to highlight those starts so i filled them in with pops of yellow!

Curly Holly (TCW 2046)

This sweet stencil fragment is another great one for the holidays.  i left the leaves open to be filled with color or doodles. It fits nicely in a project life page, looks great on scrapbook pages, cards, tags, or art journal pages. It would look great with gelli printing too!  

i had fun coloring in this stencil with some fine line markers.  i love the bits of crosshatched coloring in the leaves. i outlined the whole stencil in black and then filled in all around the design with the lyrics to Deck the Halls. i really love the look of this 4 x 4 watercolor piece and it just may inspire my Christmas cards this year!

My new stencils are in stock at BlueMoon Scrapbooking! 

 

2014 Summer Stencil: Contact Sheet, Pods, & Pumpkin

Summer time is in full swing here which means it's time for my summer TCW stencil release!  i have 9 new stencils and 9 new stencil fragments this release.  Today i am sharing one new stencils & two new stencil fragment: Contact Sheet, Pods Fragment, & Pumpkin Fragment.

Contact Sheet (TCW 476)

Contact sheet is such a fun stencil ready to be filled with your heart's desires.  The openings on the 12" x 12" sheet are approximately 2" x 1 1/2", perfect for lots of photos.  Of course you can fill it with colors, patterned paper, paint, stamps, etc. The 6" x 6" openings are approximately 1" x 3/4". 

On my Seabrook layout, i offset the filmstrips using black ink to stencil the image on the page.  i then added in photos and patterned paper into the sections, choosing to leave some areas blank. i loved using this stencil to add lots of photos of my vacation to this layout! 

Ronda's Fragments: Pods (TCW2044)

These Pods have both a great organic and design appeal.  Such a fun element that can be used in lots of different ways.  It fits nicely in a project life page, looks great on scrapbook pages, cards, tags, or art journal pages.  Imagine the possiblities with a gelli printing plate!  

On my 4" x 4" piece of watercolor paper, i used Dina's paints over the stencil to create this dynamic background. You can uses these Pods both horizontally or vertically, depending on your mood.  i love adding simple lines to these shapes by using a white or black pen.  

Ronda's Fragments: Pumpkin (TCW2047)

Fall & Halloween is just around the corner!  This Pumpkin fragment is perfect for your season projects!  It fits nicely in a project life page, looks great on scrapbook pages, cards, tags, or art journal pages. The open spaces leave lots of room for fun designs or that burst of color.

i used the Pumpkin fragment on 4" x 4" watercolor paper and laid paint over the top using a blending tool.  i then took my white sharpie paint pen and added in layers of simple designs to add a unique touch.  

So what stencil(s) caught your eye today?