Frida Kahlo Inspiration at Creative Jumpstart

Read to the end for a giveaway!  Week three at Creative Jumpstart was devoted to Frida Kahlo.   While I'm a fan of her work, I have never tried to paint in her style.  It was fun to spend a week not only studying Kahlo's work and inspiration, but watching how five amazing artists translated her themes into their own work.  (You can see the influences of Matisse and Basquiat here.)  Do you see Frida Kahlo's influence in the work I created last week?

One of the most transformative techniques I learned was painting with acrylic inks and using them like watercolors.  Here's a video of that process, using my Layered Peonies stencil from Stencil Girl Products:

You can also watch "Achieving Watercolor Effects with Acrylic Paints on YouTube here.  


I've been posting all my #cjs16 pictures on Instagram @jessica_sporn.  I've just started using Insta and I'm liking the immediacy of it.  I'd love it if you would follow me there too.

As an incentive - I'm offering the Layered Peonies stencil as a giveaway to someone who comments on this post and, for an extra chance to win, comments on Instagram too!  Here are the rules!

1. Leave a comment on this post that includes your email address in case I need to contact you.
2. For an extra chance to win, visit me on Instagram @jessica_sporn and follow me if you like what you see.
3. For a third "extra" - leave a comment on this Instagram post mentioning the Peony Stencil.
4. Time for commenting ends on Thursday, January 28, 11:59PM EST.

I'll post the winner in this blog post by Friday morning, January 29, by 10AM EST.

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!

This Owl Lady is Carrying Love

The prompt at Art Journal Journey this month is Frida Kahlo.  I have long loved the symbolism of her paintings and her use of animal imagery.  I once created a journal cover using a photograph of her for a silhouette profile.

My art journal page of a woman with the body of an owl was inspired by Kahlo's bird paintings and this painting called The Wounded Deer.  

For her owl body and the leaves, I used my Three Owls and a Branch stencil from Stencil Girl.   After all, who says this stencil can only be used for proper owls?

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

 

Frida's Going Around the World

I recently signed up for a circle journal collaboration organized by the lovely Tracy Woodsford.
There are 7 of us spread out over 5 different countries!  We each had to create a journal (8 x 10 or smaller) and this month they will embark on their journeys!

We each picked themes for our journals.  Mine is "Exploring the Inner and Outer."

 
I made front and back covers from cardboard.  I painted the cardboard black, and used metallic paint to stencil with my Hebrew Calligraphy stencil.  Then I mixed fluid acrylics and glazing medium to tint the stenciling.  (This is the same technique I used to make these trades for Art is You next month.) 

I was a little stuck about what to do next, until I received the gorgeous stencils Pam Carriker designed  for Stencil Girl's September Stencil Club!  They are of, and inspired by, Frida Kahlo.  And her whole body of artwork was inspired by exploring her inner and outer worlds.  Serendipity!






I found a profile picture of Frida, and created a silhoutte. 

I rubbed around the mask with a mix of gesso, glazing medium and yellow paint, and then scribbled some of my thoughts about being part of this circle journal.  I've never participated in anything like this and I'm very excited!  

I  mixed Modeling paste and different colors of red and yellow for the roses in her hair.

Inside the front cover, I created a random pattern using the leaves Pam designed. 

Inside the back cover, I stenciled Frida surrounded by the roses she loved so much.

I used duct tape for the spine.  Inspired by Carolyn Dube's class, Transform Your Tape, I stenciled the tape with my dots and dashes stencil.  I created one folio with sheets of watercolor paper bound with a simple pamphlet stitch.  I used the Hebrew Calligraphy and Hamsa stencil to add interest on the back cover. 

I am so happy that the September Stencil Club stencils arrived in the nick of time and inspired my handmade journal!  

And ... I am the designer for October's stencils for Stencil Club!  They are inspired by my yoga and meditation practices and I think you're going to love them.  They are exclusive to Stencil Club members and there's still time to sign up!  Stay tuned for some sneak peeks!

 

Tomorrow, this journal will travel to California, to artist Susan Jane.  Bon voyage Frida!

Linking to the challenges at Anything But a Card (hit the Books),  Mix it Monthly (hope it's ok that I was inspired by Frida and not Da Vinci!),  Tuesday Taggers (Make Your Flowers - hope my  Modeling paste roses count!),  Frilly and Funky (Anything Goes!).

Linking also to my favorite Friday hops: Paint Party Friday and Art Journal Every Day.

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.