Description
This workshop is a random collection of short classes I have done. You can check out what each class in this collection offers below!
Dot Art – Create Beautiful Mixed Media Pieces From Left Over Scraps
If you are anything like me… you create a lot of art. And not all the art you create you love. I end up loving some things and framing them up for my house… some pieces I give away or sell… but there is still a lot of art that finds its way into a drawer… or pieces I’ve cut up and saved the scraps to use in collage art. I’m going to show you a fun, super easy project you can do with these leftover scraps you have.
In this class, I’m going to show you how I create some fun, dynamic, interesting mixed media pieces I’m calling dot/circle art. These are pieces I have really enjoyed making and looking at. I know you are going to love the outcome after making a few for yourself.
This class is for you if:
- You love learning new techniques for your art
- You are interested in using some of your leftover scraps or art you don’t love in new and exciting ways
Supplies:
In this class, I’ll be cutting up some existing art scraps I have and using them as my circle pieces. You can make art for this, use existing art scraps like I am, use old papers, book pages, handmade papers, etc… the possibilities are endless on the options you could choose to use to make your circles out of.
- Watercolor paper – I Iike cold press 140lb paper – I am using this as my base for my circles. You can really use any type of paper you want to experiment with here since you are gluing your circles down and not really using the paper to paint on.
- Leftover art scraps, old papers, handmade papers, book pages, etc… your choice on what you want to use for your circles you cut out.
- Scissors
- Circle template or Circle paper cuter like I’m using in class
- Glue – you want to use acid-free glue for this – you can use glue sticks (which I have used on previous pieces), Yes Paste (which is what I’m using during class), you could even use other glue you have handy like matte medium, etc… Just try to stay acid-free with the glue so your piece is more archival and will last for you.
- Frame – If you plan to frame your piece like I am doing with the one I make in class – I recommend you get the frame/mat FIRST… so as you are creating – you can make sure the piece you create will fit within the confines of your mat. You’ll see what I mean when we get into class.
Pin Prick Art – Create Enchanting Landscapes With Unexpected Pin Prick Mark-Making
In this class, we are going to be creating some really cool art with pins… yes… those little sharp objects that can put holes in your paper. It is unexpected, interesting, and fun to do.
We are going to start out painting some mystical ombre-type landscapes with watercolor, then do some strategic mark-making with our pins to prick holes in our paper. I love doing this kind of art with my pin pricking – it is something that will be beautiful and allows our pinprick designs to have a chance to really shine and become a feature in the art.
After we get comfortable with this technique, I’ll show you a few other ideas you might consider going forward – including pin-pricking some of your own art and doing some cool marks on photographs. I think you are really going to get excited using pins in your art and I cannot wait to see what you end up creating!
This class is for you if:
- You love learning new techniques for your art
- You are interested in creating some interest in your art with unconventional mark-making
- You love watching how others approach their art practice
- You love experimenting with your art supplies
Supplies:
These are the supplies I’ll be using in class… definitely get creative and experiment if you have some other supplies or ideas that come to you as you go through the class.
- Fabriano 140lb – 100% cotton watercolor paper. You are welcome to experiment on any of the watercolor papers you already have on hand for this project. I just like the cotton papers when I am doing a wet-on-wet technique. I like how the colors blend as they dry.
- A few of your favorite watercolors. I am playing with the Schmincke super granulating watercolor because I love the extra separating the colors do – but you can work with any watercolor you have on hand just fine.
- Watercolor brush – I end up mainly using my Princeton Neptune 10 brush in class.
- Pins – you can look around at what you have for your pins to use for pricking. I am using some office supply push pins in class. You can also use sewing pins or any other pin you might have on hand.
- Artist tape – to tape off your landscape
- Circle stencil – I’m using an old architectural stencil I have had since my college days – you can find these around the drafting supplies if you want one similar to mine. You can also look at all of the stencils you might already have and experiment with them.
- Crafters foam, packing foam, or cardboard – I’m using this under my paper when I am pin pricking to give the pin a place to go as we push it through our paper.
Abstract Scribble Art – Channeling Your Inner Picasso And Getting Loose With Your Art
In this class, we are going to have some fun with scribble. Did you ever do some scribble art as a kid where you drew a bunch of scribbles on paper and fill in the loops and spaces with your crayons? It is a fun way to loosen up and just have a bit of fun.
In this class we are going to do some scribble with your choice of paints and pencils – I chose to do acrylic inks and acrylic paints – but this project is so versatile that you can truly use any of your supplies and see what you end up creating. We will experiment with some different colorways, do several small pieces, then build up to doing some larger pieces.
This was so much fun… and so delightful seeing what we end up with in our pieces. I think you are really going to get excited using scribble in your art and I cannot wait to see what you end up creating!
This class is for you if:
- You love learning new techniques for your art
- You are interested in learning to loosen up and play
- You love watching how others approach their art practice
- You love experimenting with your art supplies
Supplies:
These are the supplies I’ll be using in class… definitely get creative and experiment if you have some other supplies or ideas that come to you as you go through the class.
- Canson XL 140 lb watercolor paper was my paper of choice today. You can use a variety of papers to do this – so use what you have on hand for your projects.
- A few of your favorite acrylic paints.
- Acrylic ink – I used Paynes gray to do all of my scribble work. You can experiment and try any of your favorite mark-making tools for this part – posca pens, graphite, Stabilo marks all pencil, etc…
- Paintbrush – I end up mainly using my Simply Simmons shader brush in size 8 for my projects.
- Artist tape – optional – but I liked having clean edges on my pieces
Simple Landscapes: Create Simple Dynamic Landscapes with Oil Pastels
In this class, we are going to play with oil pastels. I’ll admit, I’m a little afraid of the oil pastels, not because they aren’t beautiful or I don’t know how to use them, but because they never really dry… which is absurd since I love the chalk pastels and they will shed pigment forever… LOL! So today, I decided to play with the oil pastels and create some beautiful, super easy, little landscapes. We’ll talk a bit about finishing sprays at the end in case you want to at least have the option of them hardening a bit and being a little protected. I hope you love trying this project out!
This class is for you if:
- You love learning new techniques for your art
- You are interested in learning more about oil pastels and how to use them
- You love watching how others approach their art practice
Supplies:
These are the supplies I’ll be using in class today.
- Fabriano Studio cold press 140lb watercolor paper – I tried out several different types of paper to do these on – I like cold press watercolor paper best.
- artist tape
- post it notes – or paper you can tear to create your mountains
- Oil pastels – I’m using the sennelier oil pastels 24-count box in class
- hole punch – that is what I used to create the sun/moon in the sky
Brayer Roller: Creating Modern Abstracts With This Printmaking Tool
In this class, we are going to play and experiment with the brayer roller. This is a hard rubber roller generally used in printmaking. I have several of these to use with my Gelli Plate for monoprints. I thought it would be fun to create some abstract paintings that had that monoprint feel without using a Gelli plate to pull paper prints from.
These came out fantastic. Modern, contemporary, and minimalist. Very dynamic in feel and look. I encourage you to do several at the same time. Work in a series. I find that when working on many – I always get several I love and a few I don’t love. By working in this way – the ones I don’t love weren’t the only ones I created and I leave excited for the good pieces instead of disappointed at the few that weren’t my favorite.
This class is for you if:
- You love learning new techniques for your art
- You are interested in learning more about using a brayer roller to paint with
- You love watching how others approach their art practice
Supplies:
These are the supplies I’ll be using in class today.
- Canson xl cold press 140lb watercolor paper
- Acrylic paint in your chosen colors
- Artist tape
- Brayer roller – I like the 4″ one best and ended up just using that size. You can get several different sizes – so experiment and see what size works best for you!
Watercolor & Ink Minimalist Abstracts
In this class, I am again limiting myself to a few supplies and creating some beautiful minimalist abstracts. I think that by limiting yourself in the supplies you use to create a project, you push yourself and your supplies in new ways. Having too many options kills your creativity and leads to frustration.
I want you to gather some paper, a few watercolors, and your pen & ink and create some minimalist abstracts with me. We will start out with a simple but elegant leaf design, and move into some really beautiful abstracts.
This class is for you if:
- You love learning new techniques for your art
- You are interested in experimenting with watercolor and inks
- You love watching how others approach their art practice
- You love experimenting with your art supplies
Supplies:
These are the supplies I’ll be using in class. Get creative and experiment if you have some other supplies or ideas that come to you as you go through the class and create some of your own art.
- Canson Heritage cold press 140lb watercolor paper – use what you have on hand or your favorite paper to play on.
- Watercolor – I’m using my Schminke Supergranulation watercolors – I have the Forest, Haze, and Tundra collections on my watercolor palette.
- Watercolor brush
- Ink – I’m using black India Ink – You can substitute and use any ink you have on hand. Acrylic inks are a good choice too.
- Dip pen – I’m using an inexpensive dip pen with a sharp nib to give me some fine lines as my mark making
*The video workshops come with Online access and you can download videos to keep. Your workshop includes approx 4hr+ of videos (37 videos).
Check out what students are saying about my other workshops in our workshop group:
“Thank you, Denise. I’m really enjoying your workshop. You give me so many creative ideas; Thank you for all that you teach and are willing to share.”
“How FUN! Love this class and now I can’t wait to get into my studio and play with a mix of my supplies. Denise is such a great teacher!”
“Loving your workshop! It’s really helpful, absolute quality, and the very best value for money!”
“I’ve waited anxiously to get this workshop and got it yesterday and very excited! Started watching it yesterday and I have to work this weekend, but with Monday being a snowstorm guess what I’m doing!”
“I just love these classes and they get me working on my art. Success!”
“I LOVED this class!! And I love Denise’s fun and bubbly personality! GREAT CLASS and I would definitely recommend it!”
“One of the best collage classes I have taken. Lovely enthusiastic teacher, with lots of ideas and examples. Can’t wait to create my own and finally use some of the mountains of collage fodder I have already accumulated. Thank you so much”
“Your classes make me feel art-capable. Thank you!”
Once you make your purchase – your course will be available for you immediately. You will access your course under the “my courses” tab up top under the “my account” tab.
You must be logged in to view your course. All of the videos are available for download for you to keep. I provide a Vimeo link below each video – which will allow you to access the Vimeo video page for your download options.
