RAK Fluid Art

Do you ever get excited about something only to complete the task once and move onto the next exciting thing? I have this problem ALL the time! This year I am really trying to focus and to help with that, I am working in a series. It shouldn't be that hard, right? Well... Here's my alcohol ink flowers that I'm really into doing. They are a little trickier than they seem which is good. There have been many that I have just thrown out. Now to help me with my "distractions", I have decided to allow myself a different project one day each week. I'm hoping that will keep me from getting too distracted! This week I worked on a large piece that's on my wall that I don't like. I just keep covering it up and trying something new! I'll post that when I like the results! In the meantime, here are some of my alcohol ink flowers:

This past Saturday, I taught an Alcohol Ink Workshop for the Elk Grove Artist Association! We had 9 members and 1 guest sign up and it was a blast! I might have packed a little too much information in those 3 hours but we were never short on inspiration! Here are the samples that came from that class: I really enjoyed sharing my knowledge on this topic and I took home some interesting tips along the way too! I might look into doing more workshops so let me know if you're interested! The best way to encourage creativity is by being creative with others!!

Have you heard of the 100 days project? You are supposed to work on something small every day for 100 days. If you do anything every day for 100 days, it becomes a habit and you will probably get pretty good at it. I'm not very good at blogging on a regular basis, but I am participating in the 100 days project! Here is a sample of my birch trees on a ceramic tile. Are you participating? Have you noticed a difference in how you approach your creative project? These birch trees make me think of spring! It's April in Chicago, so while it technically is spring, it is cold and yesterday we had an inch of snow again. Ugh! Bring on spring!

Do you ever need to just experiment with your tools? That's where I was at today. We all know that Yupo paper is one of the best substrates to use but it also is a little pricey. So since I am just going to experiment today, I really didn't want to "waste" my Yupo paper. Usually I put some freezer paper down to protect my table, but this time not only did I put down some freezer paper but I also decided to tape a small piece of freezer paper on foam board so I could paint on that. I was very happy with the results! Since we are planning our Florida trip, I had sunsets and palm trees on my mind. Obviously, this is not a permanent painting, but I did decide to scan it in to see what I could do with it. First stop, blog post! I'm thinking this would make a beautiful notecard for any occasion. What do you think? Stay tuned...

If you are interested in having me teach an alcohol ink workshop in the Chicagoland suburbs, just contact Tammy at rakdesigns4u@gmail.com and we can set up a date. I am excited to share my process with others in a fun, technique driven, creative way!

One of my alcohol ink paintings has been accepted to an exhibit at the Elk Grove Historical Society. The exhibit will open this Friday, March 9th through August 31st, 2018 It is free admission with Saturday viewing hours from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. The address of the Elk Grove Historical Museum is 399 Biesterfield Road, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007. There will be over a dozen artists represented with the theme Elk Grove Past and Present. Come check them out! My contribution is called the Sunny Clock Tower.

One more for today...here is an alcohol ink background in process. What does it remind you of? Where should I take it? I really like to sit with a piece until it says something about where it wants to go. Take the time to sit and observe the painting. This is done on a canvas panel. It definitely moves differently than Yupo paper.

Do you want to learn how to unleash your creative mojo through alcohol inks? Contact Tammy at rakdesigns4u@gmail.com to sign up today! Join the Elk Grove Artist Association in this workshop for only $25. It will jumpstart your creativity! Here's a sample of a beautiful flower:

Do you want to experiment with Alcohol Inks? As one of my favorite mixed media mediums, I will be teaching a workshop on April 14th, 2018 in Elk Grove Village. Here's the flyer: We will be exploring different substrates, including Yupo and Canvas, and many different techniques that will give you different results. Even if you don't want to pick up a new medium, you will pick up techniques that can be used in acrylics or watercolors. It will be a fun, hands-on, technique driven class. Email me today to sign up! Here's another sample: I also realize my Word of the Year needs to be published. That will be coming soon! It's hard to believe it's already March!