Thursday, May 22, 2008

Creative Collage Techniques


I have just started perusing Nita Leland’s “Creative Collage Techniques”. A definitive guide to collage, if there ever was one! Nita Leland is one of those very rare creative people, who are able to convey art methods in clear, precise steps, enabling even the novice to jump in and start creating his very own collage. I just love this quote from the inside flap: "The fun is in doing it today. Tomorrow you can learn to do it right" Why not make it our motto this month?


This is one art handbook that really lives up to expectation. The myriad of techniques are not only suitable for collage artists, but will infuse the watercolourist and acrylic artist's painting with rich textures and spontaneity. I have long been a champion against the expensiveness of art materials, which makes Creative Collage Techniques another boon - it shows how any found, inexpensive object can be used to create art. The limit on the materials that you are able to use, is simply set by your own imagination.

The companion charts listing the range of art supplies, adhesives, and papers/boards available for collage, is extremely helpful and well organized. If I knew before hand that gel medium is such a great adhesive and all rounder, I would not have forked out a considerable amount of money for buying a range of other glues, mediums, pots and tubes!

Great Prizes to be Won in the Prestigious Pastel 100 Competition

For all our pastelists out there - the Pastel 100 competition is celebrating there 10th anniversary and entries for this year are now open. Sponsored by the American Magazine "The Pastel Journal", this is an international competition and you can enter online! Some of the great prizes include a 402-piece set of Unison Pastels— worth $2,067. All entries must be postmarked by September 1, 2008, so don't wait too long before whipping out those pastels!

 

To learn more about the competition, or to enter online please visit the competition site:

http://www.artistsnetwork.com/pasteljournalcompetition/

 

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

May 2008 Schedule

May is usually a very busy month with our demonstration/exhibition at the Pretoria Botanical Gardens and we also have our local New Signatures selection. Read al about this in our May 2008 Schedule. Good luck to everyone entering paintings for the New Signatures!