Eclectic Studio - Tammy Morrison-Koenig

I pulled out my art journal the other day while it were were watching the first snowstorm of the year and I was inspired by the start of the Halloween season. This, as you know, is my most favorite time of the year.  When I start a new journal page I try not to start a painting on a white background so when i finish a different piece I will clean my palette by scraping and smearing the left over paints on other pages throughout my journals. This page started with a smeared purple background then I went a little wild added some gesso, stamps, stickers, dictionary page, acrylic paints, heavy body gel medium, gel pens, oil pen and pencil, decoupage, ink and sgraffito, pretty much everything AND the kitchen sink from my art box to create this fun little mixed media piece.  If you like this journal page feel free to search out a some of my other Halloween inspired props, decor and art projects here: Halloween projects   Wishing everyone a HAPPY HALLOWEEN! If you felt inspired by

8*10 wrapped canvas Acrylic pouring is an exciting, unpredictable painting technique that doesn't involve brushes and can provide you with finished paintings or interesting backgrounds for additional techniques such as this one. Here is another revamped failed pour painting that after the addition of ink and watercolor it transformed it into something spectacular. Carefully places accents help to acentuate the.hair and weathered face of this individual.  I also tried really hard not to cover all of the beautiful background instead using the texture to my advantage. I LOVE this painting, it has everything I look for in a self-critic of my work, contrast, color, spontaneity, interest, lost and found edges. I hope this inspires you to try something new. If you found this of interest remember sharing is caring. 

I have been experimenting with a new technique of acrylic pouring with mixed results. This little 8*10 painting is one of those pours that didn't quite turn out the way I hoped, so when it dried instead of repouring it, I decided to use it as a background for another painting. I drew inspiration from the complimentary muted turquoises and rusty tones to dictate the overall theme of the painting. As there were not a lot of "pre-loaded images" to work within this pour so I had to carve out the images and work with the texture of the background. The muted blues/greys and texture also reminded me of washed out plaster of the Mediterranean so running with that I emphasized the oranges, pinks, and greens. With all the visual interest the background you don't have to worry about covering all the underpainting, just add enough detail develop your vision.