Stay tuned.....my next summer giveaway is coming soon.  Today...3 Chrysalis will take flight.
What do you think that means?

I've delivered the raffle winner's picture today and completed the painting of the figure in my latest watercolor.  The next step will be to Zentangle the background of the painting to accurately describe this wonderful little girl.  This may take a few days of thinking because it has to be fitting. Until then...on to the next project.

I've been working diligently, for the past two days, to complete the raffle artwork that was won by Susan Smelser of Powder Springs, GA.  It's done!!  She's already seen it so it's okay for me to post.
Congratulations Susan..I hope you enjoy your painting!!!!!

Over the past 3 days I've: Worked on 2 additional Chrysalis, the raffle winner's painting and have outlined 11 collage paintings for a new collage series on breast cancer.  The summer's moving steadily along.

No work today...YET!!! I've been hanging out!  This beautiful, hand crocheted, scarf was made for me by my "Bestie".  There's nothing better than a gift that was created just for you and with your name on it.  I cannot wait until winter!  If you'd like one, email me at iia_owens@yahoo.com...they are a bargain at $25.00 each!

Figurative Sculptures that have been sitting around, incomplete, for 6 months...now complete!

A little late but.....these doggie portraits are the last of my first 10 piece series!!!!

Two more collages done!!!

Father's Day....Church, then a little work and 'alotta' play!!!

2  more collages done!

Detail Day...Work in progress

Today: Painting...Painting...Painting!!!A new watercolor. Sometimes the process is what's most important.  I enjoy the process of painting.

Any good painting begins with a strong drawing.  In watercolor you work from light to dark.  I like for my watercolors to be a slow building of color; this is called glazing.

Today's progress....

I have completed 2 more collages and sculpted one more Chrysalis' face.  The summer's off to a great start.  15 days in....42 more to go!

Two collages completed!

I've been trying to work on sculpting likenesses of specific people.  I can see that's going to take much more practice.  It's difficult to take months off from a technique and finally get back around to it expecting to pick up exactly where you left off.  That's why, as with everything, you must constantly practice to improve your skills.  I have, however, created 3 fantastic faces that are going to make wonderful Chrysalis.  To sure to tune in to see how these figures evolve.

Additionally...the collaging has begun!  There's still a little more to be done but it's going pretty well so far.  Check back tomorrow to see the finished pieces!

Materials and Tools:

16- to 18-gauge wire
approx. 4-gauge thin wire for the hands
air-dry paper clay
fabric, synthetic hair, yarn
watercolor paper for picture
permanent black marker
crochet needle
beads
aluminum foil
2 wooden bases (6 in. and 11 in.)
acrylic paints
gesso
rotary tool
bristle paintbrush
watercolors
artist brush
hot glue gun and glue sticks
any stretchy/elastic fabric for the body
screwdriver/drill
wood glue and wooden dowels
4" nail and hammer
rolling pin
clay tools
cloth
baking sheet
masking tape
needle-nose pliers
scissors
2 L brackets
screws
sewing machine
doll dress pattern


Steps:

1. Hammer a 4-inch nail into the center of the small wood base. Build the shoulders and head around the nail with aluminum foil.

2. Roll paper clay into sheets with a rolling pin. Cover the aluminum foil with pieces of paper clay.

3. Smooth the clay using your fingers and clay smoothing tools.

4. Form a wire armature for the hands using 4-gauge wire. Cover the wire with paper clay and sculpt the hands.

5. Form a wire armature for the baby's head and body. Cover the baby's head area only with paper clay, smoothing the clay with your fingers. Sculpt the baby's face with clay tools.

6. Place the doll's headpiece, hands and the baby's head on a baking sheet in the oven for approximately two hours at 275 degrees. Remove and cool.

7. Apply a coat of gesso to all the clay pieces. Let dry.

8. Paint the doll's head and hands with copper acrylic paint. Let dry. Add accents to the doll's face and hands with black paint, wiping away the excess with a cloth. Let dry.

9. Separate the aluminum base from the doll's head. Cut the clay with a rotary tool from one side to the other. Remove the aluminum.

10. Glue the two halves of the head back together using hot glue. Let dry. Hot-glue synthetic hair onto the head.

11. Form a wire armature into the body. Tape the wire together at the waist with masking tape. Turn back the wire at the bottom of each leg one inch using needle-nose pliers. With the pliers, bend the feet at 90-degree angles to the legs.

12. Cut strips of fabric. Wrap the wire mummy style beginning at the feet. Hot-glue one strip of fabric to the bottom of a foot and wrap the fabric up the leg. Repeat with the other leg.

13. Build a doll stand by drilling holes in the large wood base and screw two L brackets to the base. Screw the other part of the L brackets to a wood dowel placed perpendicular to the wood base.

14. Attach the feet to the stand using hot glue so that the back of the doll rests against the wood dowel.

15. Wrap the remainder wire frame of the doll's body mummy style — wrapping the strips of fabric around the wooden dowel of the stand.

16. Form wire arms and attach them to the top of the wire doll armature.

17. Hot-glue the hands to the ends of the wire arms. Wrap the arms with more strips of fabric.

18. Hot-glue the doll's head onto the top of the wire armature.

19. Sew a dress as desired. An original designed dashiki was featured for our wire wrap doll's outfit. Add embellishments to the dress.

20. Crochet a baby blanket using yarn and a crochet hook. Wrap it around the baby.

21. Use a piece of fabric for the doll's hat and hot glue it to the head.

22. Bend the arms in front of the doll and glue the baby into the Eclectic Praise wire wrap doll's arms.

Iia Owens-Williamson has been making dolls since she checked out a how-to book on wire armature dolls from the library when she was seven years old.

The winner of the 16x20 acrylic collage painting promotion is............Susan Smelser. 
Congratulations Susan!!!

Get in your "LIKE" before 12 noon today!  Time is almost up to win a FREE 16x20 acrylic collage painting of your favorite pooch or kitty.  Type in " The Gilded Stroke" in the address bar then "Like" that page to be entered into the raffle!

One more day to get in those Facebook likes to be entered into the raffle.  There is a slight change:  All submitted names will be entered.  The deadline is 12 noon on Friday and the winner will be announced at 7 p.m. on Friday the 8th.  Thank you for your participation.

Go to Facebook and type in "The Gilded Stroke"  hit "LIKE" to be included in the raffle!

Today will be a day of painting papers and creating SplatterBugz...NEXT.

Looking for a fun art camp for your kids this summer?  Check out the Dallas Cultural Arts Center in Dallas Georgia and  check out: Theatlantagreentechnologyacademy.com for an arts-filled daily program by people who create art for a living.


Question of the day: Who is this?  This Chrysalis was sculpted to look like a celebrity...Who is it?