WALL CALENDAR TUTORIAL...PREPARING FOR 2013 IN STYLE!

2013 Wall Calendar

 

As I discussed yesterday, this year was a good year to create my own calendar. In MY studio there is little space that doesn't get covered up, so a wall calendar with deadlines and highlights is just the thing for me.  I had SO much fun making this calendar that I wanted to share the HOW TO with you!

 

The materials you will need are:

14" x 14" stretched canvas (this is so you can poke things in it easily) OR you could use a sheet of Styrofoam; it just may not last for YEARS...:)

10 1/4" x 10 1/4" pieces of...PAPER, BRISTOL BOARD, WATERCOLOR PAPER...something easy to poke things in to...(you'll eventually need 12...but I say do them as you wish throughout the month)

Acrylic paint and all the materials to paint NOTE: IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO PAINT YOUR BACKGROUND YOU CAN SKIP THIS AND JUST GET WRAPPING PAPER, WALL PAPER...SOMETHING YOU CAN GLUE ON THE SURFACE OF THE CANVAS...FOR THIS YOU WOULD NEED SCOTCH SUPER 77 MULTI-PURPOSE ADHESIVE MADE BY 3-M or modge podge if you feel talented enough to get a smooth surface by applying your paper to the canvas...

Pens, ruler, markers...anything you want to use to make lines and write with...

STICKERS, BRADS...OBJECTS D'ART YOU MIGHT WANT TO DOLL UP YOUR PERSONALIZED CALENDAR!  I used SPARE PARTS brads from Hobby Lobby and some stickers...

an ICE PIC OR CLAY TOOL to poke holes in your paper and canvas easily so your brads will fit through; holding your paper to canvas.

Be creative in your choice of additional "texture" for your pages...OR, be REALLY creative and draw everything! HA...

 

STEP ONE you've already seen...cut your calendar page 10 1/4" x 10 1/4" and then make your squares 1 1/2"...this is approximate...but I found it worked well for me.  Leave the top row open so you can put your month design...It will be 1 1/2 " x 10 1/4" long...see photo! Put your numbers in your square wherever you wish...January 1 starts on Tuesday this year...it has 31 days.

Note that I found some fun 3-D letters that I will use for my months...and I stamped the rest of the word January because I am terrible at lettering!...You could: Cut the word out of a magazine; use a stencil; go freehand if you are better than I; type the word in any font you wish and print it and then SPRAY IT WITH KMAR VARNISH and then modge podge it on...use your imagination!

 

STEP TWO: A. Prepare your wall canvas...your base for your calendar.  You can PAINT IT, or as I mentioned apply wall paper scraps, collage from a magazine, paint it a solid color and apply decals...adhere a favorite wrapping paper...the base is up to you! OR, you could print a photo you love and apply it...click HERE for a tutorial from Pinterest on how to do this last one...

This is MY base...I basically cleaned off my palette and spread it on with my palette knife.  It was a little too dark, so I applied two thin coats (watered down) of a Golden product called Absorbent Ground.  It is a product that watercolor artists use to re-surface their paper over areas they don't want...it allows a surface that can accept paint...I like it for that reason, and it lightens things...ha

 

B. I then drew my design on my canvas...keeping in mind that the whole big part of the middle would be covering the surface with your page...I bet you could guess that I would put trees on mine somewhere!!

 

I drew the trees with a sharpie marker...painted more Absorbent Ground on the trees to make them a little more noticeable and used my sharpie to put the knot holes in my trees...If you look closely you can see the horizontal lines I drew as guides for where I would put my calendar page...

 

C. I drew my robin and juniper berries on top and bottom and painted them...

 

AND. last but not least I used my ice pic to poke holes through the calendar page into the canvas and put two snow brads on the corners to hold my page in place! You can use these holes for all your pages...or poke away anywhere on future pages...as long as it is under the page no one will see it!!

 



And, Voila' you have your calendar...now all you have to do is SOMETIME during the month of January make a February page...I'll try to do one and post it to help you remember!!

 

HAPPY CREATING...and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

 



CALENDAR TUTORIAL COMING...FUN DOINS!

It's that time of year when we need a calendar for next year to mark and measure and keep us on track...SO I began to consider what kind of calendar would suit me this year. Calendar picking was always a big deal...we LIVE with it for a year...so we best pick one that suits us...SO, I began to search...and found nothing that really sparked me. I've had them made from previous paintings...that was fun that year...I've picked ready made ones that made me laugh or had a message...those were fun for those years...but THIS year I wanted to do something else.

Thus the calendar page that I made myself...a little freestyle (NOT in the mood for straight edges and perfection this year!!).  I started with a 10 1/4" x 10 1/4" piece of drawing paper...but you can use bristol board, watercolor paper, poster board...you name it. I marked off 1 1/2" squares (enough space to write in)...keeping the top row for your month decor. That's it...THEN I decorated my January the way I wanted.  This month was a little collage...a little stamping and a smidge of paint...who KNOWs what February will be!! :)

SO, if you are wanting to make a WALL calendar this year (that will serve for years to come!)...stay tuned because I am finishing it as we speak...well, finishing the beginning...I'll be sharing more tomorrow!...til then...ponder what my January page up top has to do with this...it's a secret til tomorrow...unless you figure it out sooner!!

HAPPY CREATING!

ANOTHER COUGAR STICK (as I call em)

Yep, soooo my husband saw the first cougar I painted on a "stick" for our neighbors, and before I knew it he was coming in with his walking stck and said "Can you do one for me?" OF COURSE! So, this cougar was actually inspired by some fauvist type art we saw over the holidays in Louisville...very bright colors...and, as this one isn't over the top you can see the puples and greens that I promise you do NOT grace the face of the mountain lions I know! It was fun to veer from the local colors for awhile! This is a true walking stick...about 6' long and skinny enough to get a good grip around when walking...thus his barely fitting on one plane"ish".!

My son is a very creative soul...he lives in San Diego; Ocean Beach to be exact...and every year he spends as much time on the beach skating as he can...and, around this time of year he makes sure to take photos of the local fun...sometimes it is a snowman on the sidewalk, or snow seals... (you have to think about where he is!!)...(a local lady actually goes to where the snow is and brings it back!!)

 

And, this year it was the Ocean Beach beautiful Christmas tree all lit up...we can all sit back and make a collective and gloriously stress cleansing sigh..."AAAHHHH"...now that's a nice way to come up on the New Year!!

 

HAPPY CREATING!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! MAY YOU FIND PEACE AND JOY AND LOVE! LITTLE BITS OF INSPIRATION...

Here's hoping you all are having a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS...and that you have the HAPPIEST OF NEW YEARS! 

 

 



NEW OFFERINGS IN MY ETSY SHOP and REVISITING A FAVORITE!

"Little Cone"

4"x4" oil on 1/2" deep panel with slots for hanging

$25 +2.80 shipping in US

I may have posted this little guy before...I just love him...and he is a HE by the way...I read that pinecones that are soft and have not opened up are males...interesting factoid I think!

 

I find this painting intriguing in it's photograph because I have photographed him about 20 times and every time in every kind of light the background looks blue like this which is NOT the case in real life! I can't figure it out!  It is really a pinkish/peachish color like in the side view...GO FIGURE! Anyhoo...I've just gotten around to adding him to my ETSY shop...you can see the sides have been painted black like the others in the shop, only his 1/2" depth allows for hanging, or sitting on a shelf or a little easel...OR, I can include him mounted on a black, lightfast backer board; 5"x5" so he can be framed in a 5"x5" frame as well...Note "Big Red" below and the framing possibilities with these little wonders!

 

"Big Red"

4"x4" oil on heavy textures 1/2" deep panel with slots on back for hanging.

$25 +2.80 shipping in the US

Speaking of "Big Red"...this one has also been posted at one time or another...under it's former name "Cherry"...which didn't really do it...this "little" cherry has a big presence on it's 4"x4" format!...I just had to re-name it and also put it in my ETSY shop...you can click the title to see it in my shop.

 

"Big Red" also has sides painted black, and it is also 1/2" deep which allows for sitting alone if that is what you choose...or, as stated above it can be mounted on a black 5"x5" backer board for framing in a 5"x5" frame shown as an example for framing below.

I was looking through my recent work and found a particular favorite re-work of mine.  You can see the trees here...formerly knowns as "Tree Line" I believe...but, to me it needed a bit of punch, so I added this darling little red bird and now it is lovingly called "Sitting Pretty".  It is painted in my mixed media style on stretched canvas...so, this is just a reminder that it is still here and avialable!

"Sitting Pretty"

12" x 36" mixed media on stretched canvas

framed in contrast grey metal frame

$525 includes shipping anywhere in the US

 

detail

 

HAPPY CREATING!! 





FUN GIFTS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

 

I just love this time of year when it comes to gift giving. I found a pattern on Pinterest that was for a pillow pouf kind of think for little ones...and, as you know there is a new little one in our family...so I made Paxton his very own dinosaur bean bag...I altered it somewhat...cutting out the shapes and adding interfacing and a thin layer of batting for extra softness on his little tushy and then put beans in it to make it a bean bag instead of stuffing...you can see it has a handle so he can carry it around...a thing he's in to right now! FUN!...and then I had a thought he might use it for a boost up on things like sofas, tables and over baby gates...I have to remember to bring that up to his parents...though I'm sure they will think of it themselves!!

We have these wonderful neighbors that are so wonderful...so yesterday morning I was wandering our property and found an old board...what to do...hmmm...I KNOW...I'll paint something on it...FOR THEM...they love the wild animals...so, it became a cougar stick...just an experiment...but it was FUN DOINS!!

SO, even though there hasn't been a whole lot of painting for the sake of painting...I've been a busy beaver...OH, and baking, baking like crazy...Hope this finds you all deep in the Christmas spirit!

HAPPY CREATING!!

CHRISTMAS IS COMING! PAXTON'S WREATH AND A SURPRISE...NO PEEKING MICHELLE AND DAMON!!

Paxton's Wreath

 

I had an idea in the night the other night to make a little Christmas Wreath for Paxton...well, for ME ABOUT Paxton...so had to get busy on that today! I found it very inspirational...made me want to do more!!  I think I need to do a wreath starring each of the kids...HOW FUN!

 

I told the kids that I would do another portrait of Paxton for Christmas...so, they chose the photo and I painted it in oil.  I think he turned out great...HOWEVER...it was challenging! Not so much the likeness...but translating it without strong contrasts in light was the BIG challenge! I think, IF I do anymore in the future, that will be the requirement! Needless to say he is done for his 1 year...

 

 

PS...you'd think his shorts would have been the challenge...HA...they took about 3 minutes...go figure!!

 

SO, I hope this finds you deep in the Christmas mood...not too stressed (like me, hee hee)...and full of INSPIRATION!!

 

HAPPY CREATING!!



"HANDSTAND" ORIGINAL OIL OF MY SON © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Handstand"

12" x 6"

FOR MY SON

 

For those of you who have followed for very long you know that I unabashedly love my family. For this moment, at this time, I want to talk about my son...I absolutely ADORE my son Jonathan. I so very much admire how he NEVER gives up on life and doing his best no matter how hard things get; and life is tough in his world.  He works two jobs in order to make ends meet which gives him little time to pursue his passion in life; HIS ART; skating. For him, it is his peaceful escape, and it is his true lifes' desire to work at his craft. I am proud of this man; this son of mine, that, no matter how little he has, he is always sharing. He makes it a point to stop and be FRIENDS with the homeless people in and around his home...I have it on good authority that he has given clothes off his back to help them. When he worked at a restaurant he made sure that had food from the left overs...when he had two, he gave one. It isn't just his personal belongings...he gives them his time and his kind attention. He talks to them, he cares about them, he grieves them when they pass away. 

 

My son Jonathan is a gentleman. He has NEVER raised his voice to me...not EVER. He is one of the few I know of that actually opens a door for a woman. He has a gentle spirit, but he is very strong.  Both physically as well as HEART"ily".  I love that about him as well.  This handstand you see here is a signature move of his...he flips from the top of concrete walls and lands...it's amazing to watch him!  In fact, he won 6th in the world in his division for freestyle skating a couple of years ago when he actually had time to do it! STILL PROUD! He has companies sponsor him, he is noticed in film...yep, that's my son!!

 

SO, I wanted to paint this for him as a surprise (don't worry, I think he barely has time to sleep let alone read!) this Christmas to let him know just how much I love him and admire him in HIS talent...in HIS art! 

 

HAPPY CREATING!!

"WINTER ASPEN" ORIGINAL MIXED MEDIA PAINTING OF ASPEN TREES IN WINTER © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Winter Aspen"

5" x 7" gallery wrap deep canvas

$47 + $8 shipping in the US

available through LUNA'S MANDALA in Conifer, CO

 

This little bit of winter fun is on it's way to my gallery in Conifer; Luna's Mandala. IF you love it and are not here, just let me know and we'll get it to you!

 

 

I've painted this little gallery wrap canvas in acrylic over a good bit of modeling paste built up. It is ready to hang or, it's depth enables it to also be set on a shelf.  These little canvases are a bit "natural" in shape, so I've included what they actually look like on the canvas...they aren't smooth and sharp edged like my cradles, but for some pieces I think it adds to the character of these little ones. You can see that I've just added a bit of what is going on to the sides. I rather like the abstracty nature it evokes!

 

HAPPY CREATING!



"PINECONE" ORIGINAL ACRYLIC-MIXED MEDIA PAINTING OF A PINECONE © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Pinecone"

7" x 5" acrylic and paper over textured background

$47

can be purchased by contacting LUNA'S MANDALA

Just a simple, but jaunty little pinecone...sitting around waiting to go home with someone; some lover of nature!  This is a gallery wrap canvas painting with heavy texture...the little cone is painted in acrylic.  I then sanded it down and sketched over it with ink...Just a little play day!

A little bit of fun facts about the pinecone...DID YOU KNOW....Throughout the span of recorded human history, Pinecones have served as a symbolic representation of Human Enlightenment.  DID YOU ALSO KNOW that the Pinecone is the is believed to be older than the flower, and its spines spiral in a perfect Fibonacci sequence in either direction, much like the Sacred Geometry of a rose or a sunflower, or DID YOU KNOW Our “Pine”al Gland, shaped like (and named after) the Pinecone, is at the geometric center of our brain and is intimately linked to our body's perception of light, and finally, DID YOU KNOW that a spread out pinecone is one that has already released it's seeds; these pinecones are the females; in fact the female pinecone is the one we most often refer to as a pinecone. The smaller, softer pinecones are the males. (sorry guys, I promised I didn't make this up!)

Remember how great it is to PLAY! Study a bit about your subject matter; it often gives you a title, and it most always marries you a bit more to what you are painting; which usually means greater success!! Experiment with different applications...paint or draw something that might appear to be a complicated piece. In the end you just might find it was a fun exercise to increase your inspiration factor!

You can find this little painting at Luna's Mandala in Conifer, or you can contact me and I will make sure it gets to you! Shipping is $8.

You may notice that I changed my header. I am missing my family; wishing I could be in the same place with each and every one...so, since I can't...I can at least see them every time I post! 

HAPPY CREATING!!