Thursday, January 9, 2020

The Cold Has Arrived

Happy mid-week everyone. We are having some crazy weather this week. The bitter Arctic cold has arrived and it it supposed to be cold and windy tonight and tomorrow. The weather people are telling us to expect it to feel like -5 degrees Fahrenheit (or -12 degrees C) with the wind chill tomorrow morning.  But then they are also telling us that by Saturday our temperatures will be practically balmy and in the 50's (degrees F. That's almost 13 degrees Celsius.)  I think the weather doesn't know what month it is. 
I find it hard to get excited about the bitter cold, but I did  read an article lately about a way to create cold looking water or ice in art. 

It was a new technique for me, and I was very interested to try it. And here is my very cold looking page to try it out. 
To create the look, I used some matte medium on my watercolor paper. Then I took plastic food wrap and laid it down in a slightly rough manner. Once the matte medium had dried, I put drops of a couple of different blue alcohol inks on the plastic wrap and rubbed them with a baby wipe.
I made the sky simply by spraying some blue ink and rubbing some pink ink on a brush also. 
I decided to use a polar bear and ice float images to make my designs, and then add a few snowflake die cuts. 
This was a new technique for me, so I am linking up to Jo's Something New challenge at Art Journal Journey.
Hope your week is going well, and of course
thanks so much for visiting.

17 comments:

Valerie-Jael said...

Fabulous frosty looking page, brrrrrrr! Here it's wet and 12°, no winter. Hugs, Valerie

Let's Art Journal said...

Wow, your winter scene is stunning! I love the new technique that you used to create the icy water by covering it with the gel medium and then roughly laying a piece of plastic food wrap (which we call cling film in the UK ...lol), how amazing is that 😁. It looks so perfect with the polar bear floating on the ice, beautiful sky and snowflakes that you added too! Thanks so much for sharing this new technique and your fabulous page with us at Art Journal Journey 😊. Hugs, Jo x

Neet said...

That's a good technique as it looks so realistic. I also like the effect of the spray on the top bit for the sky. So all of it points to a great page and it is always good to learn a new technique.
This weather is so different. At home we are experiencing milder conditions than what we are used to - I certainly do not envy your -5 with the wind chill tomorrow morning. Crazy weather isn't it with your temperature going up to 50 in two days time
As what the weather is I am not grumbling when I read about the fires in Australia. My sister is out there and is due in hospital for an operation on Monday so I worry about her, not just the operation which is bad enough and came as a real shock, but also what effect the smoke may have had on her and will have on the anaesthetic. Luckily she is the type to put a brave face on the whole situation - I so admire her.
Hugs, Neet xx
ps I am hoping to do a blog post about the fires in Oz but I keep losing the text for some reason - maybe I am not meant to do it!

Jeanie said...

I like this technique and I think it got what you were going for. It really looks like ice and very cold!

CJ Kennedy said...

The cold doesn't seem to bother the polar bear. Me, I can't wait until Sat. We might get up to the 60s! That's tea/lunch in the sun room weather! Stay warm today.

Mia said...

Your new technique is also new to me, Erika. Very interesting, I think I am going to try it. You created a beautiful page, my dear friend.
The weather is Greece is crazy too. We have temperatures from 5 degrees in the morning and at night, and 15 degrees at noon! Kisses, my friend.

sirkkis said...

WOW, Erika, your new technique works very well. Ice looks so natural and colors are wonderful with them. An awesome art journal page.
Our weather here in southern Finland is unusual, too. In contrary it is warmer than ever before in winter.
The climate is really changing.
Hope you have not too gold there :)

kathyinozarks said...

I love your page-and what a fun technique thank you for sharing how you did this pretty page-winter is coming here too but not that cold-quite a change from the spring like temps-flooding-then ice-then a few inches of snow-brrrr Stay warm Kathy

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

It has been way above normal temperature wise for days. Now WE are headed in the deep freeze with snow forecast for the weekend, just as you are feeling our temps from this week. I think Mother Nature is off her meds! She can't decide if it's winter or something in between.

What a great technique. I've used plastic wrap before, but always colored the paper prior to adding the wrap. This is lovely, and I'm so glad you focused on the endangered polar bear, too. It sure feels cold when I see that page. It's wonderful. Thanks for sharing it with us using Jo's theme at Art Journal Journey.

Divers and Sundry said...

What a wonderful technique! It does show the frosty, icy cold. Here we're expecting a high of 68F and rain tomorrow. In January. Weird.

Meggymay said...

It is a gorgeous page and winter background. A super new technique you tried Erika, the page for sure does look cold and icy.
You are so right about the changes in the weather, we had gales earlier this week and now its heavy rain. I hope the snow stays away for you.
Yvonne xx
Ooops nearly forgot to say thank you for another super page you have added to Jo's AJJ theme.

Eileen Bergen said...

Fabulous page, Erika. The frigid water technique is amazing! I think you really made it work by sketching in the dark waves. Brrr!

Hugs, Eileen

Carola Bartz said...

That's an interesting technique and I do like the result - it does look cold. I hope you're staying warm in your arctic air.

Iris Flavia said...

Oh, that IS cold indeed!!! And wind also?! And then up so much again? That is weird.
The look the bear gives us just represents it very well.
Get well through that cold, a nice day to you! Warming hugs...

Elkes Lebensglück said...

Beautifully put together to create a great journal. So beautiful the polar bear on the ice!!!
greetings Elke

Words and Pictures said...

Your choppy waves look absolutely freezing - I don't want to take a dip, though I expect the magnificent polar bear would be more than happy to go swimming. Great use of the technique to create your icy waters - what a wonderful page.
Alison x

craftytrog said...

Still got mild weather for January here!
I love your wintry page Erika! xx