How to Make Paper Mâché Corsets

At last! The Mermaid Room is open for corset tutorial enrollment! Paper Corsets part I and II are available for purchase in my Le Charmed Life Etsy shop.  These two videos go over what you will need to make the basic corset in any size or shape you want. It also includes a template file for use as a guide to help you get the corset shape perfectly sized or you can modify it to reflect your own personal style and character.

This tutorial includes parts I and II video instruction along with an instantly downloadable PDF file containing a dress form guide and supply list. Price of this tutorial is only $15.00. Enjoy!

Altered Box Assemblage

My search for box frames took me down the path of altered box assemblage where I came across this eye catching piece created by mixed media artist Lynn Corsi Bland.

"Incubation" by Lynn Corsi Bland

The shelf inside actually swings out. Love it! The piece titled "Incubation" was accepted as part of the National Collage Society 2010 Exhibit. I'm late to the party as usual but I think this is just terrific.

I see visions of that armoire swirling around my head right along side this. A little shabby chic, a little rustic . . . mmmm so many wonderful ideas!

Note: Images associated with this post remain the copyrighted, intellectual property of Lynn Corsi Bland.

Mixed Media Art ~ Creating a collage painting on wood panel

Mixed media art has been such fun for me especially the creation of this collage painting on wood panel entitled "Sabine." The creation of this piece was all about the process and for the first time I was not in a hurry to get to an outcome. I took my time, learned, played and most of all, I had fun!

"Sabine"
Prints Available on Etsy

I put together a video of the progression of the piece. You can watch various stages of both the drawing and the painting process. I hope you enjoy.

An Exercise in Blending Acrylic Paint

While I understand the concept of blending acrylic paint, the artists I've observed who are successful at it make it look so darn easy! Yes, I can do this are the words I kept muttering to myself while painting this face. I let it be okay to mess up . . . a lot! Maybe it works and maybe it doesn't just change direction accordingly.

Let it be okay to mess up

The reason she has such a distressed look to her here is because I painted her and scraped the paint off twice. I excavated more times than that around the mouth and nose but I was determined to find out what she was supposed to look like when I finished painting her.

Seek your own Truth!

There are some things I would do differently next time. Some are obvious and some not so obvious but I'll refrain from launching a full on self critique. Since this exercise was meant to be practice, the important thing is that I learned, improved, had fun and grew as an artist.

Becoming Comfortable Painting Faces with Acrylic

The greatest challenge to painting faces with acrylic is the quick drying time of the paint which can make it difficult to get the nice blended look that oils produce. I am, discovering that the effect can indeed be achieved by working smaller areas of the painting and blending your colors that way rather than trying to tackle the piece as a whole. Genius!

Mixed Media Face Painting

I am delighted with how fast my progress has been with these mixed media faces. Looking back at some of my earlier posts there is a remarkable difference between faces painted as a whole rather that being worked and blended one small area at a time as in this example. My work is actually taking on a more life like quality. Yes!

Fear of Mixed Media Painting

Is there a such thing as a painting phobia? What would the fear of mixed media painting be called? Artistaphobia? Painterphobia? Whatever it's called I'm positively, steadfastly gripped by it! The side effects of said disorder include severe procrastination and justification of sitting like a lump watching others create under the pretense that I am "observing for learning purposes." Who am I kidding? It's certainly not my aware self. It hears my pleas yet chooses to remain passive.

shading exercise in graphite - where's the paint!!

Just how deep does the rabbit hole go? I'm afraid I'll never know the answer to that question because so far, I haven't landed anywhere. The fall just seems to go on with no end in sight. How do I stop? Where's the magical "release your phobia" potion or did I miss it on my way in? Come on awareness! Where's my 12-step program to releasing fear? I guess I could start by making a list of the pros and cons of remaining in my current state. Yes! Good idea, I think I'll start with that.

Mixed Media Face Painting

I am finding mixed media face painting with acrylic can be challenging because of the short drying time. I spent the better part of a month perfecting my drawing techniques. It's important for me to keep in mind that my painting deserves no less attention. How else will I learn what will work best for me right? I am determined to overcome!

good blending, could go darker in places

In my second and third painting attempts I thought I was using my extender but realized later I was using glazing medium instead. I found I could actually lift the paint layers beneath just by overworking an area with glazing medium. While this may have its uses, I found it difficult to reclaim the area after that had happened.

colored pencil used to add detail

I've read that acrylic painting actually has something called an awkward stage at which many beginners give up. I must admit that I too have felt the urge to give up but have pushed through. I keep hearing that little inner voice as it nags at me again whispering for the 800th time, "don't give up!"

Drawing with Colored Pencil

I have so far attempted 4 versions of face drawing with colored pencil and none of them have been taken to what I would consider a finished state but that's okay. The important thing is what I've learned so far. It pays to take my time and build my pencil color in layers. I am going for a peachy, porcelain like finish in warm tones and want my features to resemble something like my graphite drawings.  In the version below I was in too much of a hurry to get finished and added the pupils with black marker. Mistake!

color version #3

In the version below I spent more time but I could go further with the blending and it wouldn't hurt to apply some paint glazes and a little more pink and yellow ochre. I approached the shading in the same way I did with my graphite drawings, something I didn't do in the first 3 versions simply because I wanted to experiment. The features look good. The red-purple color used to outline the eyes and nose gave her a bruised look when I burnished so perhaps a warm brown would work better in the next version.

color version #4

I painted over her with clear gesso and lightly sanded after it dried then applied more pencil. The pencil does not seem to burnish as well after the gesso goes on but it sure does take that pencil quite nicely. It's good for going back over darker areas or adding texture. I shall keep practicing but I think I'm on the right track. Note to self, there's no better time than now, you can do it! Be fearless.

How Do I Feel About Drawing the Human Face?

Drawing the human face is something I struggled with during my adolescence. I enjoyed drawing faces of pretty girls and turing them into princesses as a child but it became my belief that if I was going to draw faces and figures as a serious artist they had to look realistic. One of the journal prompts given to us in Suzi Blu's La Serina Mermaid tutorial was this: How do I feel about drawing?

first face drawing on a grid

What was revealed to me in my writing was why I gave up drawing the human face in the first place. At the time, because I couldn't get it right, I imposed a self created belief that went something like this: I can't draw the human form realistically so I give up. I'm just not going to try to draw them anymore. Did you get that? -A self created belief! WOW! That was an eye opener.

2nd drawing with higher nose placement

Perhaps what I didn't understand then was that they don't have to look realistic as long as the proportions were correct.  Shouldn't that have been in the book I was using to study from back then? I think I was so hell bent on realistic that I must have missed that message entirely. Just like so many things in life, we don't hear the message until we're ready for it.

3rd drawing - narrowed eye width

Suzi Blu, Kelly Rae Roberts, and Gritty Jane have made it okay for me to draw pretty faces that don't look photo realistic and use them in my art. The message finally got through and Suzi Blu delivered it in exactly the way I needed to hear it.

eyes only - getting them both the same shape

What you see here are exercises in learning. There are differences in how I approached each face from the standpoint of layout. Those small, subtle changes have made the difference in every face. I am excited about drawing pretty faces again and I'm excited about combining mixed media painting with my paper art.

I Dream of Mermaids - Vision Boarding

I dream of the legendary mermaid. What is it about this mythical creature that captures our imaginations? Perhaps because it is so much fun to believe in something that adds a touch of magic with the promise of mystery to our every day existence. It's simply too irresistible and decadent an idea not to believe, isn't it?

Dreamy Sheer Fabrics

I am taking an online video tutorial with Suzi Blu called La Serina in which Suzi will teach us how to paint pretty mermaids. The first instruction she gives is that we gather ephemera, fabrics, trimmings, papers, photographs or anything that helps put is in a "mermaid" mood.

Mermie Trimmings

Ya know, I have actually never considered creating a vision board to help inspire my finished artwork but I am in love with the idea of it all. It's fun to go within and think like a mermaid. What kinds of things is my inner mermaid drawn to? Who is she? What am I meant to learn from her wisdom and perspective?

Blue Green Fabrics and Sequins

I ended up at the craft store yesterday . . . okay 2 craft stores and the art supply store in search of my mermaid materials. I went a little crazy and spent a small fortune, but what a treat. I wouldn't trade a thing. Just look at all the booty! So far I know my mermaid loves shiny, sparkling, pretty things in shades of aqua, blue and green with a few splashes of warm pink and coral mixed in as accents. It's all so très sea-chic.

Mermie Bling

So far, I have learned that it is good to pay proper homage to my ideas so that they might in grace, bloom more fully. Through vision boarding I can practice cultivating moods. I can let the idea evolve, grow and become what it wants to without judgement of the final outcome. My inner mermaid whispers that all the adventure of the journey is in the "becoming" and not the end result.

Glitz and Glam

I'll leave you with a question. Have you met your inner mermaid lately? What say you? Feel free to leave links to your mermaid art or mermaid art processes in the comments.