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All Things Ampersand

Project: Forest Friends

Judi Kauffman Judi Kauffman | January 30, 2018 | Primed Smooth projects | 4 Comments

Once upon a time there lived two sisters named Tracy and Allison, AKA the Artgirlz. They created and sold amazing things like rubber stamps, wool felt, and fabulous pewter charms – faces, crowns and hats, arms and legs and hands and shoes, and more. (They were into mixed media long before the craft industry had a clue what it was about.)

I was their fan and their friend and their customer. I collected the charms and kept them in a safe place for many years, figuring that I’d use them someday, but ‘someday’ can be elusive and I’m no longer young, so I decided that tucking special things into a box is silly. Time for the charms to be out there in the world, made into something whimsical and colorful! Continue Reading >>

Project: Make It Count

Judi Kauffman Judi Kauffman | January 23, 2018 | projects unprimed basswood | 5 Comments

Though I taught drawing at The Corcoran College of Art and Design for many years, sometimes I just don’t feel like drawing. That’s when I reach for stencils. The same thought process applies: A basic idea for the outcome, a substrate, a color palette. I guess you could think of it as drawing with stencils instead of drawing with a pen or pencil.

I thought it would be fun to create a landscape but giving it a surprise twist. Initially, I thought that an oversized flower would be fun, but that seemed too obvious, so I went in a different direction. Continue Reading >>

Project: Stampstracts Triptych

Judi Kauffman Judi Kauffman | January 17, 2018 | Artist Panel Primed Smooth projects | 3 Comments

I’ve fallen in love with the 4” x 4” x 1.5” Ampersand Artist Panel Primed Smooth cradled panels. They’re an easy size to work with, and because of their depth, they have such a nice, assertive look to them!

Today’s project begins with another of my favorites, Stampstracts rubber stamps by Kae Pea for RubberMoon Art Stamps. The stamps are abstract, except for the moon-like face that has simple lines indicating the placement of eyes, nose, and mouth. As you’ll see, that’s where the fun begins…Each of the three faces is different because of the added pen doodling.

It’s up to the stamp artist to draw and doodle and color as much or as little as we choose. Note that I’ve called us ‘stamp artists’! We choose the stamps, the inks, the substrates, the colors and coloring medium and that is why the word ‘artist’ applies. Continue Reading >>

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