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Clear gesso: a love story…

Last year we added clear gesso to my line of paints, gessos, and mediums.

Oh, how I love clear gesso! Some points about clear gesso:

• Use it interchangeably with white gesso.
• Especially use it when you want your substrate to be visible (like over vintage papers, scrapbook paper, burlap, etc.).
• Use it as a sealer in between layers.
• Use it over anything slippery to make the surface paintable/writable. For example, the picture below is one of Tim's awesome Found Relative cards. The cards are slick and paint beads up on them. But if you put a thin coat of clear gesso on the cards first, you can paint them easily. I painted the card below with some of my new colors, Fuchsia, Ocean, Cheddar.

What is your favorite way to use clear gesso?

Scribbly Fellas…representing the fellas in our lives.

I have always called my three boys "The Fellas." For this last release, I drew some Scribbly Fellas! You can use them on their own or pair them with the Scribbly Fashion Figures. It's good to represent the fellas in our lives, am I right?

 

A little art for art’s sake…

I'm taking Katie Kendrick's online class Grit & Grace. It's a lovely exploration that encourages process and exploration. I'm behind, of course, but I knew that going in I wouldn't be able to keep up. Finally I sat down this week to do a few of the exercises. What a joy it is to create art for art's sake.

Lookie, I scrapbooked!

I haven't done any scrapbooking in ages. When I was making samples for the CHA show, I felt the urge to make a few pages. It felt good to use my products to scrapbook, I really enjoyed it. It was kind of like coming home, since I started scrapbooking in 1995.

Here are the Dina Wakley Media products I used on the pages:

Page below: My acrylic paint, paint combs (look at the scallop…I cut that from a gelli print I had done with my paint and the paint combs), new Mica sprays (I sprayed a painted page, then cut the circles out from the page when it was dry. The photo doesn't pick up how cool and shimmery the circles are from the mica. I also took the lid off the mica sprays and used the lid/stem to splatter the spray on the lower half of the cardstock), the Grungy Stars stamp set. I also used lots of Archival black ink.

Page below: My acrylic paint, Scribbly Birds in Flight stamp set, Alphabetic stencil. Those scratchy circles are cool, aren't they? I drew them with the Tim Holtz splatter brush and my Night paint.

 

Have you scrapbooked lately?

Sharing some small paintings done with new paint colors…

Here are few small paintings (on cradled board) that I did with my new paint colors. Love the new colors so much.

Sharing my Designer Challenge piece…

The Ranger Designer Challenge this year is all about Tim's new Distress Crayons. They're blendable and water reactive and super fun to play with. Here's the piece I did. All of the color on the faces is Tim's crayons except for white paint and the black Stabilo pencil. The background has a little bit of my new paint colors and then a wash of his crayon color over it. Don't they blend well together?

Happy to announce my Winter 2016 Release with Ranger Ink!

Woo hoo, the time is here! I'm happy to share my Winter 2016 release with Ranger ink.

Six new colors! WOOOOO HOOOOO!

I am in love with the new colors. IN LOVE. They are Ocean (a pretty teal), Blushing (a coral pink), Elephant (a warm gray), Fuchsia (a dark, rich pink), Evergreen (a lovely green), and Cheddar (a warm orangey-yellow).

Can you spot the colors in this painting? It is 24×24 done on cradled board. You'll also see the new colors throughout all my new samples.

 

Next up, Media Board:

One package is three 9×12 boards, and one is assorted sizes (5×7, 4×6, and 3×3). What can you do with this? Everything and anything! I am so excited for it because you know how I looooove to make my own books. This will be perfect covers and even pages for chunky books. So awesome. You can join them, layer them, construct with them. Super fun.

Here's the project I am teaching for CHA using the boards:

Next up: stamps and stencils!

 

 

 

 

 

 

You will notice some familiar images. I took Tim's example and took some of my most popular images and sized them down so they're easier to work with on smaller projects like cards and tags.  Yay! So smaller birdies, insects, and flowers. And smaller versions of some of my favorite stencils. The new sentiments are great for cards, too. Can you guess who the little girls are in the Gals and Borders set? Some of those images were available in the exclusive Back 2 Back set from last year's retreat, which you only got if you went to the retreat. By popular request, here they are, but with different accompanying images and sized down smaller. You can still get the larger, original version of those images if you come to the first Back 2 Back retreat in February! hint hint!!!

This is the first year that I asked for help from some artist friends for some samples for the show. I have awesome samples from Jenn Shurkus, Cheiron Brandon, and Penny Bennington. I am going to share their offerings with you at the show…and be sure to check their blogs because I am sure they will share.

Here are a few samples that I made with the new stamps and stencils. I have TONS more to share with you…so stay tuned!

 

Next up, Mica Sprays and Archival palette!

 

Two words….NIGHT ARCHIVAL INK. Yay, finally! I know the palette will be a great addition to your ink collection. And the sprays are just plain fun. What can you spray them on? Everything.

Can you spot the shimmer from the spray on this sample? It's hard to photograph the sparkle, but it's there. Love it.

Hope you enjoy the new release. I will share more samples and show pictures on my Instagram, so be sure to follow me!

 

Get a free month at Brave Girl University

Remember Brave Girl University? It's a monthly subscription and you get access to TONS of content. I mean TONS. And now you can try it for one month for free. Just use the coupon code dinawakley when you sign up.  Enjoy!

 

Where I’ll be in January and February….

Howdy and happy new year!

I have been working feverishly on CHA samples. Can't wait to show you the new releases.  Until then…I though I'd let you know where I am teaching in Jan/Feb. I know my teaching schedule on the website isn't updated. We are working on that and hope to have that done in the next couple of weeks. We are waiting to confirm a few more locations.

In January, I will be at:

Jan 15-17 The Making Place in Escondido, CA (seats still available in classes).

Jan 30 Craft Fusion in Chandler, AZ (classes sold out).

 

In February, I will be at:

Feb 13-15 and Feb 19-21 The Back to Back Retreats in Lake Worth, Florida. (A few spots available.)

Feb 27-30 Whim So Doodle in St. Pete., Florida. (Classes to be announced soon.)

 

Also…just a note about a change I am making this year. After January and February year I am not going to teach on as many Sundays as I used to. I am doing this to honor the Sabbath better and to take important time to nurture my family. This might mean that I teach fewer classes at a store, or it might mean more classes on Thursday night and/or Friday. I appreciate your understanding.

Hope to see you in class this year!

 

 

Want to make art with me and Dyan?

You know you do! 🙂 Join us Feb 13-15 or Feb 19-21 (or both) for tons of art and fun. Why come?

• You will find your people, a tribe to belong to.
• We will make you laugh. And maybe cry, but a good cry.
• You will make art and not have to do laundry for the entire weekend!

Click here for all of the details!