Ceramic Mermaid Tile

Supplies 

Blank Glazed Ceramic Tile (Home Improvement Store) 3D Crystal Lacquer 3D Crystal Color Lacquer (Yellow, Blue) 3D Crystal Lacquer Pearl (Green, Blue, Gold, Bronze)

Micro Beads (Gold and Orange) Mini Starfish and Shells Extra Fine Glitter Dust Gold Metallic Pen Mermaid Image & quote (color photo copied)

Step 1:  Start with a white glazed ceramic tile and 3D Crystal Lacquers.	Step 2: Apply the pearl blue and dark blue colored 3D Crystal Lacquer across the tile alternating colors.
Step 3: Apply a layer of clear 3D Crystal Lacquer over the colored lacquer and blend and smooth with your finger.	Step 4:  Apply the pearl green 3D Crystal Lacquer starting 3/4ths the way down the tile to create an ocean floor depth.
Step 5: Next while the lacquer is still wet sprinkle micro beads and extra fine glitter dust along the bottom of the tile. Allow to completely dry.	Step 6: Add accents to your photo copied image using the 3D colored and pearl lacquer to create depth on your image and set aside to dry. (**A color photocopy is  recommended instead of  printed so your ink  doesn't run)
Step 7:  Once your tile is dry apply a thin layer of clear 3D Crystal lacquer and add your photo copied and cut out quote to your tile. (**Color photocopy is  recommended instead  of printed so your ink  doesn't run)	Step 8: Next add your image to the wet tile and apply a liberal layer of 3D Crystal Lacquer over your entire tile.At this point you can also add your mini starfish and seashells to the wet tile as well (**If there are any air bubbles you can use a straight pen to pop them). Set aside to dry in a draft free level area.  Once dry repeat process as desired.
Step 9: Once the tile is dry completely color all four edges with the gold metallic pen to finish your piece.	You can use a mini easel to display your tile or you can glue a hanger to the back

Bubbles The Mermaid

Mz Bubbles the Mermaid sings a story

through her bubbles....where those

bubbles come from is the question at hand...

<==check the archives to view previous posts

Marissa The Mermaid

Meet Marissa the Mermaid.

She's always ready for a party!

Give her a girlie drink and

she's happy as a clam!

<==check the archives to view previous posts

Felicity The Mermaid

Felicity is all about having the latest designer mermaid fashions and having her hair just right. She's cousins with Penelope but they couldn't be more different in personality! One might even say she's a bit snooty!

Did you know you can click on the label "whimsical drawing" below to view all my drawings at once or click HERE

<==check the archives to view previous posts

Maeve The Mermaid!

Maeve

I did it! I finally drew a mermaid with hands! Confession time-I've been afraid of drawing hands anymore then necessary, but after some encourgement (you know who you are!) I finally did it Whoohoo! Now don't think I'm gonna get hand crazy on ya! LOL I'm just thrilled to give my mermaid some hands for a change.

<==check the archives to view previous posts

Merri The Mermaid

Merri

It was only a matter of time before my mermaid

addiction showed up in my drawings again LOL

<==check the archives to view previous posts

Finished Art Pieces

MoonPie

I took a bit of time for myself and finished up some pieces I had left unfinished in my sketch book. I had originally started these using watercolors and added detail with Pastel Sailor Pens then finished them up using a new favorite art supply Shiva's Oil Paintstiks. I've used water soluble pastels for years, but had never tried Shiva's Oil PaintStiks and I'm in love with them. They can be used on fabric, wood, metal and paper and are permanent. I highly recommend getting the blender stik to go with which ever set you choose. It helps with getting a smoother look. I like that I can dig in and just use my fingers to spread and manipulate the colors. The clean-up is great they wipe right off my hands with a paper towel and they don't dry out because they develop a skin that you just break through when your ready to use them again.

Ursula

<==check the archives to view previous posts

Goodbyes and Hello!

We said our goodbyes last weekend to Spencer as we dropped him off at college. I'm proud to say there weren't any tears from me....at least until the next day :-) but I'm fine now and adjusting to not having him here.

School also started for Mr. Morgan so Hellooooo art time! I squeezed in some small increments of creative time and managed do another painting. The mermaids were calling to me again, so here's another mermaid painting. I used cold press watercolor paper and a mixture of Chalk inks and my Color Mists for the background. I then sketched out my drawing and filled it in first with gesso and then once it was dry I used gouache paints and once it dries which is quick I add detail with the pastel sailor pens. I love using these pens they really make things pop!

And the Winners are. . .

Thought I'd forget about the *Mermaid Postcard Giveaway* didn't ya! Nope, I was up early this morning and added numbers for each comment posted and put them in a cup to randomly pick out.

Only thing is I couldn't just draw 1 number since

there was such a great response! So I created more

postcards and drew 4 numbers out!

Whoohoo!!

And the winning numbers are...

:::drumroll please::::


Congratulations to the 4 winners
of the following postcards below!

Ha thought I'd tell you the names huh, nope you have to go and count now to see if your the lucky winner, I know what a tease huh! LOL

*WINNERS*

As soon as you contact me with your snail mail addy and I verify your email address with your comment, I will then mail your postcard off to you.

Update
******

Congratulations to

#1 Joanne Huffman

#31 Rena Sawatski (please contact me Rena)

#20 Autumn Labbe-Renault

#39 Cindy Bullok

Carved Mermaid Project & Giveaway!

It's been awhile since I've carved stamps, but it's definitely something I really love to do, and find it very relaxing. If you've never done this before don't let it intimidate you! It really is fun and easier then you think. Stick to a simple design the first time around. I use soft white or grey carving rubber that can be found online or at your local art store. There are several different types of cutters you can choose from. My suggestion is to pick one that comes with several different cutting ends. The one I have pictured here is made by Speedball.

Step 1. Draw with a pencil your design like I did above or you can trace a design you like onto the rubber using graphite paper. Its probably a good idea here to remind you NOT to do what I did and write your wording the right direction....what I meant to do was write it backwards, so when it's stamped it reads the correct way ( Obviously I was sniffing paint fumes when I was doing mine!), but not all is lost (see below).
2. Carefully carve your stamp (small cuts are better then big ones). Just in case you accidental forget to write your wording backwards like me LOL You can use an xacto knife to cut around your image like I did above.

Step 3. Next color your postcard background

using chalk inks direct to paper. Keep lighter

colors towards the center and the darker

colors towards the edges.

Step 4. Ink and stamp your stamp (I usually mist the

stamp very lightly with water to make it juicy before I stamp it).

Step 5. Using fine gel pens, paint pens or micron pens outline your stamped image and add detail to it (Notice how the detailing helped pop the stamped image).
Step 6. Next I added a piece of printed transparency over the image (it helps add depth). You can adhere with brads, two-way sticky tape around the edges, vellum tape or run it through your Xyron.
Finished Carved Mermaid Postcard

*Giveaway*

Would you like this Postcard sent to you?

Leave me a comment and include your EMAIL (this is a must or I can't contact you) and I'll have my son draw a name 2 weeks from now and whose ever name he pulls I'll mail you the postcard to YOU! :-)

Don't forget about OTM's Summer Sizzle Special

Click the link below for the coupon code:

http://aileensmusings.blogspot.com/2008/07/sizzlin-summer-deal.html#comments

Gothic Mermaid

I'm slippin' in my piece for this week's Mermaid themed Gothic Arch Challenge , enjoy!

Mermail Anyone?

The Mermail Thank You card and envie I created using Color Mists, small-holed punchinella and chalk inks and some gold leafing paint stamped. If the mermaid and the sea horse look familiar (see previous post) I decided to cut up the picture and use them separately.

Front of Envie

Some of you may recognize the shell stamp in the background that I made....see my penscore tutorial on my OTM BLOG and before I get asked about the Mermaid faux postage stamps they were sent to me, I have no idea where they're from.

Back of Envie

I'll be the first to admit I wasn't thrilled with this previously posted mermaid but I had promised before I would share not only the good but the not so good and even the not so pretty! I think the later is what this chubby big haired mermaid fell into so I trimmed her hair and reworked her face--wouldn't it be nice if we could do that...wait a second scratch that, I had visions of that movie titled Death Becomes Her starring Goldie Hawn and Meryl Streep....scary thought! LOL Anyhow, I'm not thrilled with her but I'm keeping her for now who knows what she'll turn into.

Contest, Mermaids & Halloween

I finished another mermaid painting, it's taken me all week to finally get her done. Due to lack of time and then having to fix her face (we won't talk about that!). She still has a bit of the deer in head-light's look but what can I say I'm still a beginner :-) I do however, like how her body/tail turned out and did contemplate just cutting that out and using in some art, but decided against it for now.

Sorry, but I couldn't hold true to my word I did another Halloween Postcard! The little girl and boy image was just sitting there begging me to do something with them. I had already painted them previously with Gouache Paints and since I was making backgrounds on photo paper using the new Limited Edition Color Mists for Halloween, it all just fell together, I love when that happens!

**BLOG CONTEST**

Since it's my birthday tomorrow I've decided to give this really cool NEW Art Apron to a lucky blog reader.

Do the following 3 things:

1. Post a comment with your NAME & EMAIL

2. Include your email address (I'm not psychic)

3. Leave a link to some cool Halloween Art (can be yours or someone elses) or a fun Halloween Project.

Each person that leaves those three things will have their name entered in the drawing. Send this blog contest to a friend and for every friend that posts a comment and mentions your name you will get an additional name entered into the drawing!

The Sky's the limit!

Drawing will be held on Sunday Sept 23, 2007

**Just remember if you don't leave your name and email I can't notify you**

Before you ask the contest is open to International blog readers as well :-)

Apron is made from canvas and is adjustible to fit all sizes