Broken Dishes

I love the Lynn Chase Jungle Jubilee hand painted plates. I ordered a set of four off of Ebay for $30. Unfortunately, two arrived broken in half, so I am left with two for this post. :/ (USPS claim is in the works!). Today I am going to show you how to fix a plate with a chip. Note: this method should only be used to fix chips along the edge of a plate and not where food is served.

Love these plates. If you look closely, you can see some chips along the edges.

Love these plates. If you look closely, you can see some chips along the edges.

To fix the chips, you need: 1) 2-Part Epoxy: I used Devcon from Amazon, 2) Oil pastels, 3) Toothpicks

Here is a closeup of the chips

Here is a closeup of the chips

Another closeup...

Another closeup...

To fix the chips, color the oil pastel directly into the chip, mix the 2-part epoxy with a toothpick (equal parts) and spread the epoxy over your pastel work. I've seen an alternative method where the oil pastel is mixed directly into the epoxy and then applied. Coloring directly onto the chip worked best for me.

Prep work...

Prep work...

Complete! Three chips basically disappeared..

Complete! Three chips basically disappeared..

My color matching was not perfect because I was short on pastels.

Animals for the Kids! 2.0

I'm back with more animal watercolors since they have been so much fun. This little monkey was inspired by a photograph and is for Meghan's son Tommy.

This little guy is for Little Tommy. :)

This little guy is for Little Tommy. :)

These lambs are for Kristy and her baby girl!

I added a little extra pink to these lambs! :)

I added a little extra pink to these lambs! :)

My friends have been using Framebridge for framing. You order a kit on Framebridge to mail in your art, and they mail it back in your fame of choice! Pretty easy!

Meghan chose white on white...

Lauren chose gold for Pierce's giraffe. I love how they both turned out!

Lauren chose gold for Pierce's giraffe. I love how they both turned out!

Animals for the kiddies!

I will admit upfront that I was inspired by some original work in Restoration Hardware recently that this post gets its creative juice from. I am planning on giving the giraffe to my friend Lauren's baby Pierce and the elephant to a colleague who recently had a baby boy! If anyone is interested in purchasing, please send a request to kimtraut@yahoo.com and we can pick animals together. :)

Here I am with baby P and his favorite giraffe last summer. Time flies, he is running around riding lawnmowers now!

My watercolor supplies are basic for this project. I love Arches paper for projects like this.

My watercolor supplies are basic for this project. I love Arches paper for projects like this.

I sketched the animals using some photos of the RH work as a guide. You could also use coloring book pages for inspiration.

I sketched the animals using some photos of the RH work as a guide. You could also use coloring book pages for inspiration.

After practicing, I drew the giraffe on the watercolor paper in pencil.

After practicing, I drew the giraffe on the watercolor paper in pencil.

I painted the giraffe with watercolor paints and shaded in the spots.

I painted the giraffe with watercolor paints and shaded in the spots.

Last step was to add some defining lines in pen and sign off!

Last step was to add some defining lines in pen and sign off!

The elephant was the same process - sketch, paint and define with pen.

The elephant was the same process - sketch, paint and define with pen.

Layers of watercolor shade the drawn shapes

Layers of watercolor shade the drawn shapes

Pen is applied last so it does not run underneath the watercolor.

Pen is applied last so it does not run underneath the watercolor.

This was such a fun project. I can't wait to see these framed!

Rolling Apples

After a few days of chipping away, the apples are in a good place. As I mentioned in my last post, I have been working on a series of rolling apples on wooden panels. The panels are painted in acrylic and the apples are painted in oil. There are three panels total in this series.

I began with a swatch of all of the colors I started with

I began with a swatch of all of the colors I started with

Building the base of color with oil paint

Building the base of color with oil paint

I worked on all of the panels together so they would be consistent

I worked on all of the panels together so they would be consistent

Three panels making progress

Three panels making progress

I wanted a playful coloring book look, so I painted dark green oil paint around each apple to define them.

I wanted a playful coloring book look, so I painted dark green oil paint around each apple to define them.

I will be posting these on my main site soon once they dry (likely a week from now!). In the meantime, I have a great jewelry project coming up for the next post!

Apples

I am working on a series of paintings on plywood panels. This time I am planning on using a mix of oil and acrylic; acrylic base with oil on top. I am early in the process but am planning to paint 3 panels that include a series of rolling green apples.

Early planning stages - sketching apples

Early planning stages - sketching apples

Preparing the panels with gesso.

Preparing the panels with gesso.

:) To be continued....

James Chris

My dad cut me a bunch of plywood panels and I have been so excited to show you all what I have been working on to turn these panels into art! The flights were cancelled this weekend due to a tornado watch (in New York!) and our 4th of July plans were off, so I spent the time finishing up this painting I have been working on and sourcing some inspiration for my next project with my friend Erin.

I prepared the plywood panels with a thick coat of Blick Gesso.

I prepared the plywood panels with a thick coat of Blick Gesso.

This was my first time working with oils since college and it was fun to get back into it.

This was my first time working with oils since college and it was fun to get back into it.

We've been going to a lot of museums lately and James always likes the portraits so I wanted to make him one of him.

We've been going to a lot of museums lately and James always likes the portraits so I wanted to make him one of him.

The oil takes forever to dry!

The oil takes forever to dry!

There may be a few more adjustments but I am going to let this dry for now.

There may be a few more adjustments but I am going to let this dry for now.