Digit-al Dozen does ... ART ..... Jackson Pollock

Hi Goddesses

As you may have guessed, I've found this challenge quite ... challenging lol, and quite by accident, a few of the Dozen had decided to do Jackson Pollock nails.   He, for those of you who don't know, used to do massive splatter paintings, and as a lover of splatter, I was very tempted.

However, I already had a gazillion ideas, PLUS I have about 3 splatters I'm showing this month on the 31DC, so, I acted holier than thou and declared I didn't need to "cheat" and do easy peasy JP nails lol.

Roll forward a few days.  Crumpet is now in despair over Art Week.  Crumpet no longer likes any of the images she pinned as inspiration PLUS 2 of the manis she has tried have resembled half a turd each so .... yeh, I caved.  JP here we are!!

To be fair, this is possibly the best splatter I've ever done.  And it actually looks fairly similar to the real thing - Jackson Pollock Number 8 - look !!!

This is a base of KIKO 325 Grey Green, which was just perfect for this mani.  I then splattered the various colours used in the painting, using OPI Did You Ear About Van Gogh, CG Papaya Punch and CG Life Preserver for the orange tones, and OPI Black Onyx.

The key to this splatter was the layering of the colours, and layering them in the right order.  Papaya Punch is the lighter of the 2 oranges, and I didn't want it to pop too much, so that went on quite early, so that it could be partly covered by the other colours.

Today is also the first day you are officially seeing photos from my new lighting set up.  I finally got a natural light bulb for the nail room, and also got myself some black felt - don't you think black backgrounds look more dramatic ?  I've included a few of the "old style" photos too - which do you prefer ?

It's taken me quite a few days to get to a point where I feel the pictures are "decent", albeit still not quite perfect.  It's been an interesting journey with a lot of learning points, and I'll be sharing them in a couple of weeks in the Blogger Boot Camp posts.

Finally, it does amuse me that out of those of us who have done splatters today, at least 3 of us have chosen the exact same Jackson Pollock painting as inspiration - telepathy of the mani nerds !!  Lol.

Enjoy xx :)

31DC - Day 13 - Animal !

Hi Goddesses

I'm quite torn about today's post.  In my head, when Crumpet does an animal mani, I know what I see, and this isn't it.  On the other hand, before I got *suckered* into this challenge, I had been planning to do Animal Week, and I have 5 of those perfect Crumpety animal manis sat waiting to go - and I was determined I wasn't using one of them for today.

So what you've got instead is a freehand tiger pattern I did back on the only day the sun shone this summer, which I was quite proud of til Missy did the tiger mani to rule all tiger manis (HERE).

I felt that too many tiger manis ignored the white element of a tiger's coat, and that's what I really wanted to play up in this one.  I also wanted to show some texture, so 3 oranges went into this, not that I think you can tell!

So this has Zoya Arizona as the lightest orange, CG Life Preserver as the darkest and then a fabulous Flormar (JG453 - is that its name ?) which bears more than a passing resemblance to CG Riveting.

This is a bascically a sponge mani - random orange sponging - then specific white sponging to try and create those stripe free areas.  I then freehanded the stripes with - yup, you've guessed it! - my CG Ink pot.

So there goes.  Laurie's post is fabulous today btw - awesome, epic and all that jazz.

Enjoy xx :)

Summer Challenge Day 40 - A Day At The Zoo

Hi Goddesses

Today's challenge is also known as "an excuse to use your stamping plates" lol.   If you're very clever, you can do the mani that Jacki from Adventures in Acetone did here, but if you're me, you'll do this :)

I actually had another mani all done for today, but loved it too much - so I've decided to keep it for a special theme week.  Instead, you have some stamping, some sponging, some art and some touch-up.  Ready ?

Just so there's no confusion, let's tick these beasts off, from the thumb - elephant, leopard, zebra, tiger and giraffe.

The thumb was the easiest.  2 coats of Zoya Harley, and then the same polish, darkened with a tinge of black, brushed on to make a tail, and then just as the brush was getting dry, make the tufty bits at the end of the tail.

The leopard is a white base, sponged with CG Kalahari Kiss and then with a few dabbings of CG Desert Sun.   Stamped with Konad m57.

Zebra ... ah, it all looked so good.  White base, stamped with Konad m57.   And then I Poshed, and decided there was still enough on my brush after top coating the leopard ....  Turns out there wasn't, and it dragged the stripes.  Boooooo!  So I resorted to a little touch up - it's not perfect, but it certainly hid the worst.  I used a cocktail stick and the white polish to cover the smudges.  The cocktail stick was the perfect tool, especially for a pattern that has such thin gaps between the lines.

Tiger.  He's a freehand.  White base, sponged with CG Life Preserver.   Trusty CG Ink Pot?  Check.   And then some freehand stripes.

And then we have the giraffe.   Roh dear :(   I had seen Colores de Carol do an amazing giraffe stamp using CG Desert Sun and Kalahari Kiss, so that was what I went for.  Except ... I got the colours the wrong way round, and had to start again.   Then when I did stamp, you couldn't see it, or when I double stamped it.   So I reverted to the cocktail stick to manually colour in the giraffe blobs.

Have you ever seen a giraffe?  They are the most amazing feat of engineering.  Their undercarriage is truly a work of art.  They really look like it shouldn't be possible for them to move.  Fascinating creatures.




Super chuffed with this mani.  LOVED IT.  What's your favourite zoo creature ? (mine is the lemur) Enjoy xx :)

Stamping Sunday - Inspired By Music

Hi Goddesses 

Ever have a really good idea and then realise that the reality of it sucks ass ?  Welcome to today's mani lol.   Last week's voting options in Adventures in Stamping were all inspiration based - music, your childhood or a movie - and song won.  I have lots of music that inspires me, so simples, yes?  No.

Everything I wanted to do, I couldn't with stamping plates.   Song I'd sing if I went on the X Factor ?   Just Like A Pill by Pink.  No suitable images, people!  Fave song of all time, probably Yes by McAlmont and Butler (about being stronger now that someone dumped you) - no suitable images, people!  Which left me with my favourite song from last year - Hair, by Lady Gaga.  And a semi-suitable image.

I LOVE that song.  There's something so euphoric and free about it, it's simultaneously anthemic and rebellious, AND melodic as hell.  Whenever this comes on my ipod, the volume goes up to 11.

So, I couldn't tell that I had an actual hair stamp, but my hair is curly, so I picked this wavy pattern on BM-210.  My hair is red (thanks Schwarzkopf) and the song speaks of having "racoon or red highlights" so I decided to go with a red on red pattern.

Fail !!  OR, the most subtle stamping EVER lol.   I didn't intend for it to be this subtle, because really, when am I EVER subtle, but I do kind of like it.   This is CG Life Preserver, one of my favourite oranges, and a shimmery Konad orange.  And THERE lies my mistake.  In my head, I thought the Konad was a light orange, so I picked a darker orange for a base.  Nooooooo.

You can't actually tell I've used 2 colours.  It looks like I've used one and then played around with matte coat.

Ho Hum, you live and learn.  I leave you with the Gaga Goddess herself - enjoy xx :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Okq8xHrIZ8I&ob=av2e 

Autumn Water Marble

Nail Fun

AUTUMN WATER MARBLE

Hi Goddesses

Ooh what a busy week!  Hope you’re well, whatever you’re doing.

Today I have photos of the water marble I’ve worn for the last 2 days and which I have absolutely loved the pants off!  I am so in love with this mani.  I’m also quite proud of myself because this is only my 3^rd ever attempt at a water marble (the first was my birthday purple one, and the 2^nd was a disaster!)

Beth wasn’t around at the weekend, so I had to do this All By Myself!  Gasp lol.  My original idea was to do a Muppets marble as those were the colours I had spent the weekend swatching.  I really wanted to use Animal-istic, Meep Meep Meep, and Pepe’s Purple Passion, but they just would not have it!  I think the flecking made them too heavy to spread out or something, so I had to revert to Plan B.

My amazing substitutes were CG Life Preserver (a perfect burnt orange), OPI Vodka & Caviar for the red, and OPI Catherine the Grape – a browny purple.  I had already put on a base coat of Animal-istic.

It’s not so much my water marbling talent that I am in awe of as the mix of these colour.  There’s something about the clash of them that is just Bang On and So Right.  The Life Preserver deserves a special award for outstanding contribution – just look at how wow it looks.  Catherine the Grape was the perfect contrast polish and may favourite nails are the ones where those 2 colours dominate.

Against them, Vodka & Caviar didn’t have a chance, poor love, but I do like the way I could see Animal-istic’s sparkle through the red – a magical added benefit.

The nails I am most proud of?  Left thumb, left index and middle (the first 3 that I did) and the right middle, where I managed to create an amazing swirly thing. 

Now, here’s the thing I still can’t get right – the plonking!  Or, to give it its more technical term, the placing of the nail EXACTLY where you want it in the bullseye.  Look at those awesome patterns that landed on the tape!!  I would have wet myself with delight if I had gotten them onto the nail!!

Oh an bubbles …  ggrrrr bubbles are my WM curse L

Oh and finally …. The photos.  Due to autumn closing in, my only current access to direct light is when I am in the car, so YES, these pictures were taken on my journey to and from work.  Mostly, when I was stuck in traffic and not moving, but there is the occasional action shot thrown in for good measure!

Lol – hope you enjoyed J