Jeepers...Another One to Sigh Over

 
 

It's amazing how a simple traditional pattern like Gelgit can be so elegantly beautiful. This is perhaps the easiest of patterns to make yet one can come back to it again and again, never tiring of making it or exhaust its endless variations. This piece would have a totally different feel if the space between Gelgits were closer together or farther apart, if I made it with a rake instead of a stylus, if I added movement to my strokes...not to mention changing up the order in which I threw the paints or changing the paint colors themselves. And this is the appeal of marbling: there is no wrong way to do something...just another way.

Today is the last day to take advantage of the Early Bird ($179) and Buddy Specials ($159/each when you sign up with a friend) for my Intro-to-Marbling eCourse Clouds on Water. Visit the registration page for more info or to sign up.

Weekend Fun

 
My studio altar.

My studio altar.

 

The conditions for marbling this weekend were horrible ~ temps in the 90s and humidity levels barely in the double digits. So I needed to work quickly in the tank. That meant working small and working simple (no complex patterns with lots of strokes).

 
I started out by creating simple backgrounds with vibrant colors and high-contrast colors.

I started out by creating simple backgrounds with vibrant colors and high-contrast colors.

 

But small and simple can be beautiful too!

 
Overmarbling the simple backgrounds with dense, bold colors or the same pattern but in a different direction takes them to the next level.

Overmarbling the simple backgrounds with dense, bold colors or the same pattern but in a different direction takes them to the next level.

 

Marbling can be such a finicky art form. I learned long ago not to fight the tank and instead adjust my expectations as well as my actions. And you know what? Some of my best work has come from these times. Work that may never have happened had I not been willing to make lemonade out of lemons.

Uppercase Magazine "Inserts"

Last week, I teased you about the special project I was working on by posting a photo of papers I said were marbled backgrounds. The next step was to overmarble those backgrounds and here are some of them drying in the sun:

Marbled-Uppercase-Inserts-Drying

These little gems are for the next issue of Uppercase Magazine, which is inserting the work of featured artists into it. And while all 4,500 subscribers won’t be getting one of my inserts, a lucky 150 will!

Marbled-Inserts-for-uppercase-magazine

In my case, these aren’t simply “inserts.” Each marbled paper is an original piece of art, signed and numbered. They measure 4″x6″ and are on a lovely, creamy, soft 100% cotton rag paper that I am so in love with. (I don’t know the brand…I got a ton of it on a closeout and sadly I’ll never find it again.)

Marbled-Inserts-for-Uppercase-Magazine

There’s a part of me that is having a hard time letting go of these beauties. I had a magnificent three days in the studio making them and got sort of attached. But I’m also excited to know that they are going to new homes, especially to those of Uppercase Magazine readers.