Thursday, January 31, 2013

Cardboard Inspiration

One of my favorite artists, Mindy Lacefield, posted this video, "Little Cardboard Paintings", on YouTube. I found it very inspiring so, I did a few of my own. Now, after you watch the video you'll see that I didn't do them quite like Mindy did. I tried, but got stuck. So, I decided to experiment and just create whatever the heck I wanted to. They're only cardboard. If I hate them I can toss them out if I want. No harm done. It is a completely freeing way to paint.

Here is how the backgrounds started on each board.

And here are the finished boards.

 

 

 

 

 

I used acrylic paints, Stabilo Marks All Pencil for sketching, acrylic inks for glazing and oil pastels. These were soooooo fun to make! I'll be exchanging these with some art friends of mine who are also making sets. If you are an artist and you are feeling stuck, try painting on small pieces of cardboard. I think when the material is disposable, it gives you a freedom in your creativity. You don't mind messing up. You don't mind painting over things. Watch the video and give it a go. You won't regret it.

 

19 comments:

  1. These are great! I'm going to go watch that video.

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  2. It's so freeing, isn't it? No worries about high expectations for the result, just plain fun. It's fun to see your figures and also the different marks and the little pieces of collage and text. Really fun, Lynda!

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    1. Thanks, so much! These were fun to make and I plan on doing more. Maybe "go big!" next time!

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  3. I just love these. I especially love how the subjects are all bright and colorful, and the background more calm--the opposite of what you often see. I think I will have to try some of these!

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    1. Thanks, Holly. Doing calm areas is something I am working on. These little painting helped me find a process I like. Once I tweak it some more ill probably do a blog post on it.

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  4. I love them! I'm still working on mine. I have two more to go before they are ready to be mailed out.

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    1. Thanks, Stephanie! Mine will be mailed out soon. I have to scan them first.

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  5. I absolutely LOVE these, Lynda! What a freeing approach - looks like so much fun.

    I'm super excited to take a weekend-long class with Mindy this weekend. She is adorable.

    Thanks so much for sharing this! Off to watch that video...

    :)

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    1. Thanks, Wendy! I have to wait till summer for my weekend of painting with Mindy! Have lots of fun!

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  6. Wow - they turned out great! When I first looked I thought the first pic was the finished ones--just abstract creations--I loved the colors already. They sure are sweet at the end.

    Jill

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    1. Thanks, Jill. I tried to do the "areas of calm" Mindy does in her paintings and I would just stare at them not knowing what to do. I decided to do my critter sketches, flowers with glazing techniques and circle technique I learned from Tracy Verdugo. I was just playing and I had a blast!

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  7. Your exuberance is showing! It's fantastic! Patsy

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  8. Wow! These are so pretty! I love the vivid colours and sweet characters. =:0)

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  9. Beautiful! I love your vibrant colors. I just now found your comment on my "Ravens" post and thank you for your kind words. Not sure why your comment didn't show up in my email or at the bottom of the post, but thankfully it was waiting there in my analytics. Your paintings make me smile!

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    1. I'm so happy my paintings make you smile, Mary! You're so sweet!

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