Jane Davenport Artomology | Decompress in Times of Stress | Arting with Kimball Davis

Hello again! Kimball here with another Artomology adventure! Life is full of ups and downs and art can serve as a great tool to express emotions and release stress, especially when your world seems to be changing rapidly. When using art to express yourself emotionally, it can be beneficial to take on a more carefree approach to your creation. When you aren’t focused on a specific technique or end result, it allows you to focus in on what you’re really feeling. Sometimes you end up with a surprising piece that takes you out of your comfort zone and allows you to discover new things about yourself as an artist.

Instructions:

Even though I recommend freeing yourself from a rigid structure or “steps” as it were, here is a bit about my journey with this piece.

• I used the Friendship clear stamp set with fun Squid Ink colors (Sea Anemone ,Scallop Shell, Mermaid Eyes) as a base. I wanted the girls to have a sense of calm and serenity as chaos raged around them. Having friends and loved one’s nearby during times of stress has always helped me stay centered and I wanted to convey that feeling with the girls here.

• Once the stamps were set, I used inks and watercolors to create the shape of a tree with the leaves draping down towards the girls.

• I used pale colored Smooth Markers (JD-024 & JD-025) and watercolor to give the girls a bit of color and shading. I wanted to keep this part simple because I knew there would be a lot of other things going on around them.

The inks I used on the leaves set a great color story for the background, but it was time to add more texture and interest. Using the Build-A-Bouquet clear stamps  with various colors of Squid Ink, I was able to let my imagination run wild. It’s a lot of fun getting lost in the various shapes and textures and this was the point of the piece when I really started letting go and having a ball with my art supplies. My goal was to have a free flowing and dynamic background while still keeping it calm around the girls; I really like the contrast between the chaos of the tree and the peace of the girls. If you’re looking to add energy to a piece, playing with complimentary colors can help do the trick. Once the background started to come together, I realized the girls were getting a bit lost in the overall composition. To bring them forward, I used Cave Black Squid Ink to re-stamp the girls. This may seem like an odd choice but it actually creates a very interesting and unexpected effect that I just love. It reminds me of old comic book and newspaper prints when the alignment of the colors were just slightly off. You can achieve many different effects depending on which colors you decide to overlay and how far off you place your stamp. The girls are sending good vibes out into the world. To express this feeling I used a mix of water colors, Smooth Markers and colored pencils to create a blue aura that seems to trail into the sky.

Spellbinders Supplies:

• JDS-024 Friendship
• JDS-035 Build-A-Bouquet
• JD-005 Squid Ink Sea Anemone
• JD-004 Squid Ink Scallop Shell
• JD-032 Squid Ink Mermaid Eyes
• JD-037 Squid Ink Cave Black
• JD-024 Smooth Markers Feathered Friends
• JD-025 Smooth Markers Mermesmerizing

Other supplies:

Jane Davenport 9”x12” Canvas Journal, Jane Davenport INKredible Inks - Fairy Floss, Fresh Orange and Lemon Sherbet, Jane Davenport Watercolors Bright Palette and Neutral Palette, Jane Davenport Paint Over Pen “Unicorn”, Prismacolor premier colored pencils Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope this post inspires you to let loose and just have a bit of fun! Just like in life, whatever you’re feeling affects those around you. So, if you’re a bit down or life has gotten the best of your emotions, try releasing them into your artwork. You might be surprised at how much better you feel afterwards.