Obsession

Okay, well it's almost been a full year since I've posted anything. It's now a competition between my blog and my diary for least updated. Whoops :S

I decided to make some mid-year resolutions instead of waiting for the new year and with only seven months left in Korea I plan to paint and blog more regularly.

A lot has changed since I've last posted. The most consequential being my job. I now teach at a University which gives me quite a bit more free time. Last semester was a bit hectic as I learned the ropes but I expect this one to be much smoother.

So I have a slight (some may question my choice of adjective) obsession with Angry Birds and I've been meaning to paint something for a while. This is my first go and it's acceptable but has much room for improvement. I plan on making all the birds from the game I just need to find some acceptable mugs in the different colours. Stay tuned as I complete more. ^^

same same but different

In my last post I talked about how changing the colours can really vary the outcome. I just wanted to show an example from my previous pieces that really illustrate this. While the mugs and patterns are identical apart from colour the feel of each piece is totally different.

The white mug was a pattern that I painted a lot for my craft shows. The inside of the mug was the same blue as the flowers and I usually ended up sticking with this colour pattern. I sometimes get too wrapped up in having things match and look neat. Messy and clashing definitely have their merits! :)

The brown mug was an order I made for one of my customers. I wouldn't have picked those colours myself but I fell in love with the finished product. That's one reason I offer custom orders. It allows people to see their imagination come to life and gets me to go outside my "box" and do something I wouldn't normally. The wonderful thing about this paint is that it's not permanent until you bake it in the oven. This allows you to make as many changes (and mistakes) as you like when you are making something. My next post will probably be more about my supplies for anyone interested in trying this themselves.

something bright and fun

I've been painting quite a bit lately but haven't really finished anything I wanted to post, except this.

I was inspired to do the polka dots after I purchased a round sponge brush. I thought it would be a quick and easy pattern to try out. I started with a wine glass using vitrea 160 and the sponge but wasn't completely satisfied with the results.

While applying paint with a sponge has a wonderful effect it wasn't what I was looking for at the moment. I switched to porcelaine 150 and a mug. This time I used a brush for the dots. The bright colours showed up nicely against the white background and gave it a bright and cheerful look. This immediately made me think of my co-teacher who is fun and coincidentally in need of a coffee mug^^

After the dots dried I outlined them with a yellow liner with gives a nice finished look and some texture. I personalized the mug by writing her name on the handle. This was a fun and simple project and I'm pleased with the outcome. I think you could really vary the outcome with changes of colour and liner as well. I will try some variations in the future.

back in the groove

This first post will probably not live up to my expectations but it needs to be done. It's taken me forever to find a focus for this blog, and now that I've done so, I better start writing immediately. Otherwise, it could be another few years before I get around to it.

I'm currently living in South Korea teaching English. My husband and I enjoy Korea and teaching, most of the time, but we are definitely looking forward to being home in Canada. Our projection is Spring 2012. At times I feel like that day can't come soon enough, but we are very lucky to live in a great city with wonderful friends during our adventure here.

So in the spirit of enjoying the present I'm going to focus on some things that I love doing. One of those things is painting. I can find it hard to be creative in this environment and often allow myself to get into a rut with my free time. I'm going to do my best to get out of that rut and allow my creativity to come to life.

I also want to bring my future goals into the present. Before coming to Korea I had my own business of hand painted glassware and ceramics. I want to continue my passion and craft so I can build upon my accomplishments. I think this blog will help keep me focused and allow me to share my projects with you as I complete them. I hope you enjoy.