Summer Treats Palette - GPP Crusade No. 53

Virtual color palette extracted from scanned paint reference journal.

 A little scanning, Photoshop Elements, and imagination came together to come up with my Summer Treats Palette.  This month's challenge from the Green Pepper Street Team was the motivation to take a new look at my paint reference journal.  I use spiral bound watercolor paper tablets to develop palettes for many of my paintings.  I like to use a limited number of paints from the tube and develop a range of shades and tints so my paints will have unity.  This is one example of how I may proceed.

Scanned paint reference journal page.

These are smears of acrylic paint - Liquitex and Golden brands - that were applied to the page with palette knives.  Some colors are pure from the tube and others are blends.  I also added titanium white to some of the blends.  I write notes around the smears to help me recreate the colors.

I developed this palette last year while planning a painting for Unforgettable Art.  I used much of this palette for paintings of purple coneflowers.  Sadly, one of the paints is no longer available, so I'll need to do another version of this palette to come up with a good compromise.  Sounds like fun to me!

Be sure to visit the GPP Street Team blog to see how Michelle Ward prompted us for the challenge.  Maybe you'll be inspired to join in.  Even if you don't blog yourself, try this.  It was lots of fun.

New Jewelry to Premiere at Linn Creek Arts Festival this Sunday

 I've been busy creating new jewelry with some of my favorite beads.  You can see these and much more in Marshalltown at the Fisher Community Center this coming Sunday at the Linn Creek Arts Festival from 10:00-5:00.

This set was inspired by a gorgeous set of polymer beads created by Chris.  Her artistry and workmanship are top notch.  I found gorgeous orange garnets to coordinate with the polymer focal bead.  Red tiger eye and gold fill beads were added for accents.

It doesn't show on the photo, but the dark background on the floral beads has a hint of sparkle.  The white spots are reflections from my spot light.

Freshwater stick pearls were the inspiration for this triple strand necklace.  They're a beautiful shade of red-violet that perfectly complements the tourmaline and grossular (green) garnet beads.  Sterling silver and Swarovski crystal elements were used as neutral accents on this beauty.  The necklace is finished with a sterling silver clasp.

These earrings match the triple strand necklace.  You can see the fun texture of the freshwater stick pearls on this shot.  Sterling silver and Swarovski crystal elements complete the design.

Jasper comes in many varieties.  This necklace features a Fossil Coral Jasper pendant.  Picture Jasper and sterling silver accent the denim blue sodalite necklace.  The sterling silver toggle clasp closes in the front for an added design feature and ease of wearing.

More Fossil Coral Jasper... this time in marquis shaped beads.  I added Brazilian Petrified Wood beads and sterling silver to make a versatile necklace that can be worn extra long as one strand or wrapped to make a comfortable double strand necklace.  The matching bracelet closes with a beautiful toggle clasp.

I hope to see you Sunday at the festival. I'll be in booth #45.