Beginning the year with new post

Happy New Year !! I have decided to have art resolution for this year, one creation every week.
The idea of turning up with something every week is exciting as well challenging. When I took break from work I was hoping to do so many things but over last few months  noting has progressed.

So I decided to do baby steps and follow France Papillon's art principle." A Layer A Day - A spread A Week". To know more about this check here.

Today's art journal is all about blue with my favorite stencils from Stencilgirl - Products. If you have never checked their stencils please do, they are beautiful, awe inspiring. I have used Gwen Lafleur and Seth Apter's stencils.

The background was prepared using  various blue colors - cerulean blue, cobolt blue hue, blue green, ultramarine blue and bit of aqua green. The colors were blended with light colors in middle and darker at  the edges. The border was created  using payne's grey, burnt umber and carbon black. Most of colors were brayed and blended. I applied  golden's iridescent silver with Gwen's compass stencil from Ornamental Collection. I wanted this to be subtle but not completely merged in the background, hence the silver paint. Using Seth Apter and Andrew Borloz stencils I added more patterns and interest to background.I also added later some stamping and golden color scribbles using Sakura gelly pens. 

The foreground I tried lot of new techniques.  The circle was mandala design from Craftangles which I wanted bigger than the intended stencil size. So I drew circle on parchment paper and copied the outer design using stencil. Later I masked the stencil and applied Itsybitsy Grey Modelling paste through one petal. This was heat set and repeated for each petal. Later the outer border and the inner circle was added by pipping modelling paste though plastic cover.

The entire piece was painted with payne's  grey, medium grey ad bit of golden micaceous iron oxide.The inner circle was painted with mix of medium grey and titanium white. There is also one more circle inside the  mandala which was cut, stenciled and painted with same mix of grey and titanium white along with payne's grey. The flower shape was created on regular paper using Craftangles stencil with modelling paste and was later painted with mix of grey and more titanium white. The medallion was created using IOD moulds and was painted with golden iridescent  paints and Finnabair waxes.

 The outer petals were stenciled using embossing paste and Gwen ornamental stencil.The petals were cut and embossed using Stampendous aged black powder. All of the foreground pieces were embossed and waxes were applied to enhance them.

The micro beads and seed bead are added along with gem stones to create focal point. The foreground was assembled and pasted using matte medium to the background.