Sunday 24 January 2016

Kim Dellow's Show Your Face on Friday - Eyes, Tears and Smiles!

Hello and Welcome to Magpieheaven! I am a bit late linking up with Kim Dellow's 'Show Your Face on Friday' blog (here) this week. I'm still occupied with thinking about and creating this and that and I've just signed up for an online class with the very talented Robin
 Laws. This course is titled 'The Storyteller's Art', so as I love stories and art I just couldn't pass that opportunity to learn more about both! 

As it's still January, Kim's blog is focusing on eyes. Now, I promise there is a connection here - trust me! As I went through the little biographies of my fellow students, it struck me how our life stories are all a blend of sorrows and joys and moments that could only be described as magical! I wanted to create a little project that echoed this thought as I started out on the course. So often it is in a person's eyes that we see a story of mingled comedy and tragedy. Here's the link then with Kim's theme this week - I wanted to create eyes that would look both happy and sad! I don't know if I'm skilled enough to manage this yet, but I did use some symbolic embellishments as well! I began with this little crackled MDF heart. I'm still really enjoying painting on a crackled surface and for this project I think the worn look added to the sense of a face that has seen life!


The heart was quite small to work on - approximately 2" x 2". I used Fresco Finish Nougat over Little Black Dress and Crackle Glaze and added detail with Micron pens and touches of Inktense blocks. When I was happy with the effect I sprayed the heart with fixative to avoid smudging. What I was aiming for was a woman smiling through tears.


There is a dark cloud in her life: perhaps she has experienced disappointment of some kind - the discovery that our dreams cannot always come true in exactly the way we had hoped maybe?

I used PaperArtsy Antarctic over the crackle on the cloud and gave it a silver lining with a touch of Treasure Gold. The little wooden moon painted with Teresa Green and Granny Smith and again touched with Treasure Gold suggests magic and enchantment on the horizon,so hopefully the tear in her eye will soon be drying. My next step is to turn her into a brooch and maybe add a little text - just one word will probably do. Thank you so much for stopping by Magpieheaven today. It's always such a pleasure to share with followers and friends. And I do hope you'll link up to Kim's blog, as there is still time to add your own 'eye art' before Friday.

13 comments:

  1. At last I've managed to come over and read a full post and I'm so glad I did! What a wonderful insight you have brought to this lovely piece and as always I have loved reading every word. Please give me a nod if this lovely lady goes into your Etsy shop as I've been wanting one of your brooches for ages but never been able to decide which one. I think it may have been because I was waiting for this one ;-)

    Hugs
    Lesley Xx

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  2. Great face, unlike Lesley, I haven't read any of it - lol xx

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  3. OMgosh Julie Ann! You absolutely achieved the look you were going for!! Well done! This is quite a brilliant little heart piece! Beautiful ,my friend! xoxo

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  4. I just love the story you tell about this exquisite face and I think you have captured the emotions that you set out to. Wonderful work! Hugs, Anne xx

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  5. This is gorgeous, Julie Ann. I am sure you are going to enjoy your new online course, it's right up your street!

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  6. Really love this and you absolutely managed to express the sorrow and joy of living - thank you so very much - she is lovely

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  7. The clear definition on your crackle lines gave your heart face such depth and interest. Blessings!

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  8. Love the face and especially the eyes and all that lovely texture! Thanks for stopping by.

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  9. What lovely effects, it's a beautiful face! xxx

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  10. This is beautiful Julie Ann, it will make a gorgeous brooch!

    Lucy x

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  11. Wonderful - smiling through tears (how very Chekhovian). I love to paint over crackle too (let's face it, I love to do anything over crackle) - not that they're my own paintings most of the time, but I'm getting there with my own mark-making. I had a lovely time with my Wanderlust journal, once I'd broken all the guidelines for what we were meant to do!!
    Alison xx

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  12. The crackle ♥ and beautiful expression along with all of your artful touches make this piece so expressive and special!
    Smiling through tears is something I can certainly relate to and so many others too I'm sure.
    It will be a treat to see what comes out of your new class Julie Ann!
    oxo

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  13. another stunning piece Julie Ann I enjoyed reading your making of her..your new course sounds right up your street! can't wait to see what you do xxx

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