Art Glitter sponsors Sketchy Thursdays Challenge this week

Our friends at Sketchy Thursdays are having fun with glitter this week! Check out this great challenge blog and join in. You may win! Here are some layouts they've done:

Prim Glitter Illustration by Lisa Kettell

Materials:
Art Glitter: Designer Dries Clear Adhesive (for fine glitter)
Art Glitter: Fine Vintage Glass #613 Diamond Dust
Art Glitter: Shard Vintage Glass #901 Krystallos
8 inch by 10 inch masonite board, wood or canvas
Vintage piano paper, lettered paper or scrapbook paper
Acrylic paints, variety of colors
Glue: Mod Podge and sepia collage medium
Pencil: mechanical pencil, charcol pencil, and black gel pen
Tools: rolling pin, scissors, paintbrushes, water cup


Directions:
1. Measure 8 inch by 10 inch onto piano or scrapbook paper, cut, set aside. Use a paintbrush to coat the masonite board with mod podge, attach the cut piano paper or scrapbook paper onto the coated board, smooth using a rolling pin or place a stack of books onto it for 15 minutes.

2. After paper as set to the board, begin drawing your illustration onto the board. If you aren’t a good free hand illustrator, trace an old image onto the board using transfer paper.
Re-line your pencil lines with a charcoal pencil.

3. Color within the lines using acrylic paints, fill in face details with a black gel pen, let paints dry.

4. Mix the two glitters together, set aside. Now paint the outside of the illustration with the sepia collage medium, while still wet, coat with the mixed glitter, let dry. Now coat the rest of the illustration with the sepia collage medium, rub in with soft cloth or fingers, let dry.

5. Add any extra details with more sepia collage medium and glitters.


Tips:
-If you can’t locate a sepia collage medium, mix some antique brown paint into regular mod podge instead.

-Try various glass glitters and shards for the background, example try pink for the background glitter or aqua.

-If you don’t have transfer paper, try any one of your fave transfer techniques to get the illustration of your choice to the masonite board.

-Recycle an office clip board by taking off the clip and using the board itself as your base.

A Glittery Collection of ATC's by Violette Clark

Artist trading cards (ATC's) are wonderful miniature pieces of art which you trade (for free – you're not supposed to sell them) with your friends. The only rule in creating ATC's is that they are supposed to be 2 1/2” x 3 1/2”. You can create them using a multitude of media and ephemera. The possibilities are truly as boundless as your imagination. You might love your ATC's so much that you may want to attach them to a blank greeting card to give to a friend. Consider mounting your favorite card in a shadow box or using one as a gift tag.


Supplies:
• Fantasy Film – Blue Nile and Satin
• Fantasy Fiber Edge of Night
• #263 Bright Gold Ultrafine Opaque Glitter
• #724 No Moon Transparent Microfine Glitter
• #710 Iris Transparent Microfine Glitter
• #731 Icicle Transparent Microfine Glitter
• Cardstock (a few pieces)
• Acrylic paints of your choice
• Paper towel
• Micron pens
• Book pages
• Button
• Magazine images and printed imagery
• Computer generated text
• Sandpaper
• Your art repurposed
• Sequin waste
• Water soluble oil pastels
• Decorative paper scraps
• Designer Dries Clear adhesive
• Sticky Strips
• Black watercolor pencil crayon


Directions:
Things to do ahead of time:-

Create a page for your backgrounds by scrape painting 2 or 3 colors onto a piece of cardstock with a discarded credit card. You can stencil on a design as well (I used sequin waste to stencil some pink on). Dye a piece of paper towel by scrunching it in a ball and dipping it into 2 small containers of a paint/water mixture. Make sure you cover the entire piece with dye. Set aside to dry. Take 3 pieces of Fantasy Film (I used Blue Nile) approximately 4 x 4 inches and iron them between two pieces of parchment paper (I used cardstock) for 3 to 10 seconds. If you would like the piece to vary in color snip a few tiny pieces of another color Fantasy Film (I used Satin) and sprinkle it over your 3 pieces of fantasy film before ironing. Set fused piece aside. Now gather a small amount of Fantasy Fiber (I used Edge of Night) and place between two pieces of parchment paper. Set Teflon coated iron to medium or polyester setting. Again iron for approximately 3 to 10 seconds. You'll be using this fused piece in a couple of your ATC's.

ATC's #1 and #5

ATC #1 – Cut a 2 1/2” x 3 1/2” piece of paper from your painted background. Cut and tear a piece of your fused Fantasy Fiber and adhere to the background with Designer Dries Clear adhesive. Cut a heart from some Fantasy Film. Cut two wings from your painted backgrounds or decorative paper. Apply a bead of glue to the wings and sprinkle #263 Bright Gold Ultrafine Opaque Glitter on top. Glue the wings to the back of the heart and adhere over the Fantasy Fiber. Add computer text to the ATC.

ATC #2 – Tear book text into small pieces and adhere to an ATC size piece of cardstock with Designer Dries Clear adhesive. Paint over the background with watered down brown acrylic paints to age the card. Edge with orange water soluble oil pastels and smudge with your finger. Print out a small black and white photo (you can alter it in photoshop by changing the picture to gray scale) and cut out. Glue it to the background, edge with black watercolor pencil crayon which you have wet with a brush. Print out the computer generated text and glue to your ATC. Add dots of glue with Designer Dries Clear Adhesive and a bead of glue around the text – sprinkle with Bright Gold Glitter and tap off excess.

ATC #2

ATC #3 – Cut your dyed paper towel to size and adhere it to a piece of cardstock cut to the ATC size. Apply a layer of Designer Dries Clear Adhesive on top as well and sprinkle on Iris Transparent Microfine Glitter. Clip a magazine image or photo of your choice and glue down. Sand it a bit with sandpaper to distress it. Glue a piece of Fused Fantasy Fiber on the bottom, cut a circular piece for adorning the woman's head – glue down. Cut three leaves from your painted backgrounds and adhere. Glue a button on top.

ATC #4 – Shrink one of your journal pages or pieces of art to slightly smaller than an ATC. Paint the border of your blank ATC purple and adhere the miniature art to it. Dot the edges of the card with Designer Dries Clear Adhesive and sprinkle on Bright Gold Ultrafine Glitter.

ATC's #3 and #4

ATC #5 – Cut a piece of your painted background to ATC size. Cut out a magazine image and distress it with sandpaper. Glue the image down. Glue down some computer generated text. Lay a piece of Sticky Strips down at the top of the card – remove pink protective strip and sprinkle on Bright Gold Ultrafine Glitter. Tap off the excess.

ATC's #6 and #7

ATC #6 – Cut a piece of decorative paper ATC size. Print out a photo of your pet. Clip a bow tie shape from your fused Blue Nile Fantasy Film - adhere it to the image. Dab a bit of glue to the center of the bow tie and sprinkle on Icicle Transparent Microfine Glitter. Glue the pet down onto your background. Adhere the text. Dab dots of Designer Dries Clear Adhesive on the background and sprinkle on No Moon Transparent Microfine Glitter. Tap off the excess. Outline text with black watercolor pencil crayon.

ATC #7 – Black and white ATC. This one is simple! You just draw or doodle a black and white design with a micron pen onto a blank piece of cardstock. Brush glue onto the mouth or whatever you decide should be the focal point. Sprinkle on some Iris Transparent Microfine Glitter and tap off the excess.

Put your ATC's in a binder with little plastic sleeves like they use for Sports trading cards. You can organize ATC trading events in your area or go online and swap them with your cyber friends!

Art Glitter On White House Christmas Tree!

Art Glitter was proud to collaborate with the Arizona State Parks efforts in creating dazzling ornaments for the Capitol Christmas Tree 2009 Program. This is the first year that Arizona was given the honor to provide The White House Christmas Tree. School children from around the state had the privilege of making 4,000 ornaments for this special 65-foot pine tree from the Apache Junction Sitgreaves National Forest.

Above is a cluster of yucca seed pods that look like a star!

Karen Farias, Education Program Planner for Arizona State Parks contacted Art Glitter with a proposal for sparkling ornaments made from mesquite and yucca seed pods, Arizona Cypress tree seed cones and Locust tree seed pods filled with dried berries, flowers, seeds and Art Glitter colors. “We were delighted to supply all the glitter and glue they needed,” says Barbara Trombley, president of Art Institute Glitter, Inc., based in Cottonwood, Ariz. “It’s a joy to be a part of such a historical event.”

These are mesquite seed pods with Crystal Art Glitter on them. Don't they look like icicles?

This seed pod is full of dried flowers, seeds, berries and Art Glitter of course!

More icicles from native Arizona plants.

Ms. Farias traveled with Art Glitter supplies to several workshops across the state. “Your (Art Glitter’s) partnership was very important to the project because your glitter made the natural beauty of the seeds and pods shine through. The students felt very special to be selected to take part in the project and I am sure that our ornaments will be one of the favorites groupings sent to Washington. The experience has left everyone who participated sparkling all over.”

“A Pink Halloween” Glass Fairy Wand by Lisa Kettell

Materials
-Art Glitter: Designer Dries Clear Adhesive (for fine glitter)
-Art Glitter: Ultrafine Transparent Glitter #56 Pumpkin (for fairy crown)

-Art Glitter: Ultrafine Transparent Glitter #87 Hot Kiss (for outside cat topper)

-Art Glitter: Ultrafine Opaque Glitter # 245 Night Lights (for clay pink pumpkin)
-Large clear glass bulb ornament
-3/4 inch thick wooden dowel, cut to 12 inches
-Vintage image
-Sturdy cardstock, white
-Metallic cardstock, pink
-Orange crepe paper
-Small doll head, small enough to fit through ornament hole
-Model magic clay
-Silver embroidery floss
-Tinsel chenille stem
-Dresden lettering
-Acrylic paints: white, bright pink, black, orange and aqua
-Glue: Hot glue and hot glue stick, liquid nails, glue stick
-Tools: scissors, stylus or cooking stick

Directions:
1. Locate a doll or storybook image, shrink to fit inside your glass bulb, cut and attach to sturdy cardstock w/glue stick, and re-cut again. This step provides durability for your image.
2. Next glue a flat back doll head to the face of your cut image, attach w/hot glue, let set. Now create a basic crown for your doll, using cardstock, cut out, attach to doll head w/hot glue, let set, now coat with clear adhesive and sprinkle w/ pumpkin glitter.
3. Now Dress your doll w/crepe paper, tinsel stem and more pumpkin glitter, then add a little banner from card stock cut into small triangle shapes, attach to embroidery ribbon or floral wire and hot glue to doll.
4. Insert the doll into the glass ornament by slightly rolling the doll, once in, hot glue the doll’s feet to the bulbs hole rim, let set. Now using a stylus insert into the bulb hole and push open the paper doll and set into place.


5. Place wooden dowel into the bulb opening, seal in place w/ liquid nails, let set 3-4hours depending on your climate location. Then roll a ball type shape attaching around the bulb base and the dowel using model magic, let dry overnight, before painting.
6. Now roll a second ball shape from model magic and two triangle shapes, attach the triangle shapes to each end of the ball, to form a cat shape, let dry overnight, before painting.
7. When clay is set, paint it bright pink, let dry, then draw a face onto the cat shape using a ball point pen, glue to top of bulb using clear adhesive, let dry an hour. Now coat entire painted cat with clear adhesive and sprinkle with hot kiss glitter, let dry.
8. Coat the clay base w/clear adhesive and sprinkle with night light glitter and let dry.
9. Embellish wand with trim, Dresden lettering, and more glitter. Add a metallic pink cone hat to the top of the glittered cat, and paint dowel white.

Tips:
-Make a tiny fairy wand for inside your glass bulb using a small star paper punch, white floral wire for stem and Art Glitter: Ultrafine Transparent Glitter #110 Taupe.

-If you can’t locate a tiny doll head, use the regular doll image and coat w/clear ultra thick embossing powder and heat for a glass like finish.

-Try making a pumpkin shape for top of the bulb, or make a clay shape doll instead of a paper doll.

-Glitter the entire wooden dowel or the back side of the glass bulb.

Learn How To Make Your Dreams Come True

You have a dream, don't you?


• A dream to make money from your arts and crafts?

• A dream to be a well-known artist?

• A dream to generate more sales in your online shop?

• A dream to stop being the best kept secret in the arts and crafts world and finally reach the goals you desire?


Join Laura Bray, one of our past designers and good friends as she helps you reach your dreams by marketing your designs. Check our her website to find out more on how to benefit from Laura's marketing strategies: Katydid Designs

Jack O' Lantern and Crow Buddy by Violette Clark

Soon the ghosts and goblins will be at your door beckoning you for treats! What better way to get into the mood of this festive holiday season than to create a whimsical Halloween motif treat container? This miniature jack o' lantern and crow buddy all fashioned from paper clay and oodles of yummy glitter are just the ticket to start off the Halloween season.


Supplies:

Small paper mache box
Paper clay
Paper towel
Small black feather
Craft wire - 24 and 19-gauge
Assorted folk art paints
Gesso
Designer Dries Clear Adhesive
Microfine Transparent Glitter:
Icicle #731
Raspberry #740
Rock Moss #742


Directions:

Basecoat paper mache box with gesso.

Roll a 1/2” ball with the paper clay for the tiny pumpkin. Cut a piece of craft wire (24 gauge) about 1” and insert it into the sides of the pumpkin to form a handle. Form a larger ball – approximately 1” for the larger pumpkin. With the end of a paintbrush poke two holes for eyes. Make indentations for the mouth and segments of the pumpkin with an awl or x-acto knife. Cut two pieces of 19-gauge wire for arms – about 2” turning ends over with a round nose pliers - poke into pumpkin. Cut two pieces of 19-gauge wire for legs – I used long pieces so they would be easier for me to handle while painting the pumpkin (I cut them down later). You only need the legs to be about 1” since you will be poking them into the paper mache box later. Poke into pumpkin. Spiral a length of craft wire around a paintbrush and poke into pumpkin head (this will be a tendril). Fashion a simple crow shape from the paper clay. Poke a hole for the eyes and one in the tail section where you will later glue in the feather. Cut two pieces of 19-gauge wire 1 1/2” for legs, insert. Form a conical hat with paper clay and a small leaf as shown.

Let your paper clay creations dry over night.


Paint the edge of the box with black checks. With thinned brown acrylic paint wash over the checks for an aged patina and blot off. Paint the base and top of the box orange and yellow with folk art paints. When it's almost dry apply a wash of brown paint. Blot it off lifting some of the paint underneath for a distressed look. Basecoat pumpkins, crow, hat and leaf with gesso. Paint pumpkin orange, eyes yellow with black dots. Paint a triangular nose and mouth with black paint. Paint black stripes on hat. Paint crow black with a yellow beak. Paint tiny pumpkin orange on the outside and black on the inside. Paint leaf green. When tiny pumpkin is dry paint face black with a liner brush or fine tip felt pen.


Apply a thin layer of Designers Dries Clear Adhesive to the hat, crow and edge of box and liberally sprinkle on Icicle transparent microfine glitter. Shake excess off. Apply the same adhesive to the two pumpkins and then sprinkle on raspberry transparent microfine glitter. Apply adhesive to the tiny leaf and sprinkle on Rock Moss transparent microfine glitter – shake off excess.

Dip a piece of scrunched paper towel (or you could also use a strip of green paper streamer) into turquoise and green paint (which has been thinned down with a bit of water). You are dyeing the paint so you should achieve a tie dyed effect. Hang to dry. Tear dyed paper towel into small pieces. With an awl or thumbtack poke four holes into the top of the box – two for the pumpkin and two for the crow. Adhere the hat and leaf to the top of the pumpkin's head. Glue feather into crow's tail section.

Scrunch up the small pieces of dyed paper towels and glue with Designer Dries Clear Adhesive to the top of the box. Add a dab of glue to the wire legs of the pumpkin and crow and insert into the holes in the box. Add a dab of glue to the tiny pumpkin handle and place beneath the crow's beak.