Random Art Challenge Video Series Launch

2023 is a year for putting more creativity and positivity into the world. I recently launched the Random Art Challenge video series. I pull random prompts from a series of jars and then proceed to create a piece of art based on the prompts. The concept is very similar to the writing competitions I used to compete in and the process is extremely valuable in stretching those artistic muscles that can grow stiff of not used from time to time. If you’re looking for inspiration or simply curious to see what crazy prompts I pick, each video shares insight into the creative process and strives to educate through tips and tricks in a variety of media. So, if you’re thinking of trying a hobby but don’t know how to get started, chances are I’ve tried it and you can see how to get started. Subscribe and never miss an episode of Nicole’s Creative Life. I promise you’ll learn something and the videos are even safe for kids to watch. Download the FREE Anime Cat coloring page of the latest challenge result and join in the fun!

DAFT PUNK Halloween Costume Reveal

On Halloween my neighbors finally found out why I’d been sanding and spray painting in my garage all summer! Voila! My ode to Daft Punk, (love you Thomas and Guy-Man) one of my favorite bands that sadly parted ways this year, but their legacy lives on. Not only their music, but their damn fine eye for design. I mean, seriously, forget dressing up as a sexy nurse or unicorn furry for Halloween, give me a slick French robot that’s about to drop the sickest beats you’ve ever heard. Showing zero skin never looked so good!

I’ll do another post on the actual process later. This photoshoot is the result of the incredibly talented photographer David Crossett and the super chill Younger Than Yesterday record store in Peoria, IL. We showed up unannounced and walked in, the clerk didn’t bat an eye that I was a robot and just said, yeah do what you gotta do. We had the place to ourselves and it did not disappoint. We both got excited as soon as the helmet caught the neon. These images just make me so happy!

Let’s get bedazzled.

I’m not a 6 ft tall Frenchman but I work with what I got.

“Search for Spock! I don’t have this one!”

“It’s good to exchange ideas and feelings and culture, whether it’s France or Japan. To exchange ideas or share music or art, can bring everyone many gifts, to travel, and then share everything we can to learn more about oneself and try to bring, maybe, peace.” —Daft Punk

Nothing says 90s music zine like a fisheye lens.

Creativity in Full Bloom: Catching Up

I’ve been so busy with so many projects, sorry it’s been a minute. My peony bushes exploded this year and I was so delighted. My house smelled like sweet roses for days. I can’t get enough of these. The white ones were the size of popcorn balls!

It’s been in the 90s lately, so you know what that means…ICE CREAM SEASON!!! Oh yeah, baby. I’m coming in hot with strawberry rhubarb sorbet, salted caramel, lemon sherbet, and chocolate buckeye ice cream. All from scratch. I have an ice cream stand at my window and hand it out to my friends, family and neighbors.

I’ve also begun production on my Halloween costume. Actually I think I started this in March but it’s been some trial and error. I will post a video of my lengthy process on my YouTube Channel: Nicole’s Creative Life. This is what happens when one of your favorite bands breaks up and you discover that the library offers 3D printing for $1 an hour. Halloween is going to rock…ROBOT ROCK!

Painting Process: Vantage

Time has little meaning or disappears completely when you’re working in the studio. I looked back at photos and realized this oil painting has been on my easel, untouched, for nearly a year. Yeah. That’s how I work on things. There was just a single session left to finish it, but I let it sit there, until today. And it didn’t feel like a year. So I finally patched the last holes and called it a day. It started as a canvas I revamped from a painting I had started probably a decade prior. This artwork takes me back to a Friday at the Art Institute, when a friend of mine and I played hooky from work and drove to Chicago to take in the culture and see Death Cab for Cutie in concert. It was amazing, exhausting, and unseasonably warm, so oddly enough the Institute smelled of linseed oil. My guess is they had something wrong with the climate control system. (YIKES!) That aside, I like catching people having an intimate moment with art. Painting it becomes my moment. The angles were tricky but you know I like a challenge. What artist do you gravitate toward in a museum? I’d love to hear.

Session 1: Marker, just straight up drawing the composition onto the canvas.

Session 2: Blocking out mid ground. Finding the mid range colors that I can add shadows and highlights to.

Session 3: Adding tone. Enriching the colors to get them closer to realism.

Session 4: Details, details, details. Tightening loose screws.

Session 5: Adding those last flecks of life and adjustments to make it pop.

Make Art: Suit Up

Doing the house picture, brought back memories of past projects. A few years ago on my birthday, I found myself in DC at the National Air and Space Museum, face to face with the suit John Glenn wore during the first orbital flight of a U.S. astronaut. I snapped a picture because I thought it was so cool. It’s hard not to be taken with the sight of a uniform, whatever that is. All the buttons, snaps, straps, and character. Clothes tell stories. I did this in colored pencil and tried watercolor paper, which was very thick and could take the pressure, but it was almost too textured. A good lesson learned. What’s a uniform that catches your eye?

DIY Projects: Revisiting Resin

Back in my Blick days, I had to make some resin gems for an example project, but never really took it any further than that. So when I was given an Amazon gift card, I did what any sane COVID-era hermit would do, blow it on another hobby. I’d seen some cool and inspiring pieces on Pinterest and Instagram, which my brain interprets as “hey, I can do that!” I started with a sweet paperweight and some scrap jewelry chain.

I used Dr. Resin brand resin, which was the 16oz $14.99 kit from Amazon along with a $14.99 Silicone Casting Molds Set. I had some Pearl Ex powder and glitter in my cache of art supplies. Heated up my resin in a plastic bag in water in a mini crock pot. Make sure you wear gloves, have good ventilation, and mix in very small batches. A heat gun or lighter can help get rid of bubbles.

I’m gonna look so baller at the arcade tonight.

The giddy 80s child inside me was dancing around when I removed these pieces from the molds. They set in 24hrs and were fully cured in 72hrs. The little metal moons are from a nail art kit. Can’t wait to make these into earrings and other jewelry. OTHER TIPS: Stir the resin with the hardener for a full 7 minutes. Use scotch tape to get dust particles out of silicone molds. Don’t mix the powders in the molds just mix and pour from the silicone mixing cups. Also don’t scrape the the mixing cups, there’s a chance that some didn’t mix in the corners.

White Leather Purse Makeover

Back when I used to work for Blick Art Materials, I would get tapped to try new products. Even though I mainly produced catalog, ad, and email designs, once in a while they needed to feature something new for photography or social media. These Angelus Leather Dyes are so fun (and messy) to play with. I scored this little plain white leather purse from a local thrift store for a few dollars.

I picked a design that would be striking with high contrast, but also that would only use maybe 2 or 3 colors. I drew out the design with a light colored pencil or skinny marker. It was going to get covered up so it didn’t need to be very dark.

Do as I say, don’t do as I do, ha ha! I highly recommend putting plastic a sheet down on your work surface. Wear an apron and gloves—this stuff stains! It’s designed to dye animal skin (use real leather not pleather) so it will stain your skin for some time. It works a lot like ink or watercolor. It can be diluted with the neutral clear color they sell in the shop. This stuff will not wash off, crack, or peel—it’s a stain. I recommend getting some leather scraps to practice on.

Here’s the finished product! I’m really pleased with how it turned out. I look forward to experimenting further with the Angelus dyes. So many colors, so many possibilities. I only used the purple and red colors on this particular purse.