Saturday, September 30, 2017

#ARTifacts: August 2017

Artifacts (plural noun): objects made by a human being, typically an item of cultural or historical interest.

ARTifacts (plural noun): a collaborative project for 2017 documenting adventures in art.


Every year I have so many "art memories" from my travels, my teaching, my adventures in NYC, and my studio work. I have decided that 2017 will be the year of ARTifacts where I document my adventures in art for the entire year in a physical book. Here is a glimpse of my August pages.



Always wanting to be inclusive, I turned my project into a no-rules collaboration. Participants were asked to find or make some sort of artist book, planner, scrapbook, 3-ring-binder, folder, or other container to document their creative experiences, whether they be in art, craft, or anything else.  As you can see below, each and every participant put their own creative twist on this project. And it is never too late to join. Email me at shap97@gmail.com if you would like to participate.

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YOU CAN SEE ALL PREVIOUS MONTHS HERE

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Translucent Layering

Acrylic paint has multiple properties, both within and across brands. When we're choosing which paints to use for a project, most of us typically base the decision on color. My go-to palettes are usually blues or browns. To take your mixed-media work to the next level, you can also consider the level of transparency and opacity of your paint.


Happy to have a post on the Cloth Paper Scissors blog that focuses on using transparent paint in your mixed media layering and shares a step-by-step tutorial with images on how I add translucent paint to my work to create complex, dimensional surfaces. It is a favorite technique and one of 10 that I share on my new DVD/downloadable video workshop 10 Techniques for Creating Layers in Mixed Media.

Monday, September 25, 2017

NDNS: New Dies Now Shipping

My newest collection of dies from Spellbinders is now shipping from my online shop.


Quantity from this first shipment is very limited. It will continue to find its way into both select online retailers and many brick and mortar craft shops in the coming weeks.










Thursday, September 21, 2017

Colors for China


I am excited to be a Guest Creative Guide today at A Vintage Journey, an online site devoted to all things vintage, shabby, mixed-media, art journaling, industrial and timeworn. In other words - all the good stuff. 


The site shares artwork in these genres, publishes tutorials, invites guests to post, and creates a wonderful community to be a part of.

COLORS FOR CHINA
(Sold - thank you)

For my guest post, I created Colors for China. Like most of my found object artwork, I started with an inspiring object and created the entire piece from there - with no idea of what it might look like in the end. For this piece, my inspiration was a set of 3 vintage text tubes of the most gorgeous "vitrifiable colors" designed to be used on china. 


Nearly everything I have included in this piece is vintage - with the exception of the cradled panel it is built on and a few new, metal embellishments.


Like all of my work, no matter the genre, it is all about the layers.


Please head over to A Vintage Journey to see more pictures of this artwork, to read a bit about my art making process and to discover a wonderful website and community. 

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

10 Techniques for Painting Layers in Mixed Media

Yesterday I announced the upcoming release of a new DVD/downloadable video titled 10 Techniques for Mixed-Media Artists. Today, I get to preview a second DVD/downloadable video that I will soon be adding to my collection:

10 Techniques for Painting Layers in Mixed Media
A Seth Apter Creative Workshop

This 124-minute long workshop video focuses on techniques for creating paint layers in mixed media art. Step-by-step I demonstrate multiple approaches to paint application including ombre effect, blackout technique, translucent layering, subtractive splatter, brayer basics and more.

Here is a brief preview of what you will find inside

I will share more details when the DVD/video is released in late September/early October. You can preorder a signed copy now in my online shop and, at the same time, browse through my earlier releases as well. This DVD is also available for preorder at the North Light Shop.

Monday, September 18, 2017

10 Techniques for Mixed-Media Artists

I am thrilled to share the news of the upcoming release of my newest DVD/downloadable video from North Light...

10 Techniques for Mixed-Media Artists
A Seth Apter Creative Workshop

In this 118-minute long workshop video, I demonstrate 10 varied techniques that can be easily integrated into your mixed media art. Some may be familiar to you while others are likely to be new. Just a few of the techniques include heat embossing, fiber layering, color staining, photo altering, and debossing. 

Here is a short preview to give you a taste of what you will find in this video

I will share more details when the DVD/video is released in late September/early October. You can preorder a signed copy now in my online shop and, at the same time, browse through my earlier releases as well. This DVD is also available for preorder now at the North Light Shop.

Friday, September 15, 2017

Unity: The Grand Final

The International Tournament of Art & Craft is nearing the end. After 5 weeks, 5 destinations and 5 challenges, we are on to the grand final. If you are just hearing about this for the first time, ITAC is a completely free, where in each of the past 5 weeks a group of international artists presented a challenge based on the culture of a different continent. They provided a guide to follow so you could create a project, shared their own artwork, and offered videos and step-out instructions so you can learn new skills. And there are giveaways. There is still time to complete all the challenges - including the grand final - as the deadline is not until September 24.

My contribution is all about harmony and unity between and among all people.


To see more images of my project and all the details of this challenge - along with artwork, tutorials, and the giveaway - head here.

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Dan Eldon: The Movie

Dan Eldon

His name and his story bring so many feelings to the surface for me. But I think number one is inspiration - a word we all sometimes overuse but is perfectly apt in this case. Have you heard of him? Dan was many things: activist, journalist, photographer, adventurer, artist, journaler. As a young man, in the early 1990s, he covered the ongoing unrest in Africa as a photographer for Reuters and, along with several other journalists, was stoned to death by an angry mob. Dan was 22 years old.

Dan documented his life in a series of journals. He probably didn't know it, but he was creating work that presaged the journaling movement in our mixed media community.


I first saw Dan's work in person at a traveling exhibition that stopped in NYC in 2008. 


In 2013 I included a tribute to Dan in my second book, The Mixed-Media Artist.


In 2014 I had the good fortune to meet Dan's mother Kathy and give her a copy of the book. 


Kathy, along with Dan's sister Amy, have kept Dan's legacy alive through the Creative Visions Foundation and through a website and a series of very popular books. Have a look at the video below as Kathy and I speak about my book and about Dan.



I am excited to say that Dan's story has now been documented in a powerful movie. Until recently, the film has only been seen in limited showings. It is now available to rent/buy on both Amazon and on iTunes. It is a must-see - and somehow seems particular relevant in the current world climate. 


Thank you Dan for continuing to inspire.

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Preview: New Die Collection from Spellbinders


Thrilled to be able to share with you that my newest collection of dies from Spellbinders will be available online and in stores in October 2017. I drew the first designs for this collection in November of 2016 and have been sitting on them since. No easy feat. But today is the day for the first reveal. Check out some of my favorites below and head to the Spellbinders blog to see many more. 

SUNBURST


JAGGED EDGE


COFFEE BREAK


SPLAT