Winter pictures class video tutorial (part 1) is available

I've completed part 1 for Winter picture class tutorial. It's one video file with English subtitles and pdf document with photos and short description.

This class tutorial is intended for beginners, for everybody who wants to learn basic skills of working with pressed plant material to create any images from it.

The class contains three parts and each part is more complicated than previous one. Each part includes one text tutorial for one winter landscape. Also you can watch the video tutorial for each part. In first part of the class you will learn:

- how to make the background for your artwork in simple way using watercolor (3 colors);

- how to prepare pressed banana skin;

- why I recommend to use brown leaves under snow for depicting trees and how to pick them up;

- how to cut and glue pressed plant material to make the branches of trees and bushes.

This tutorial is available for $10. You'll get the description and a link for downloading the video. Also you will have my explanations to any your questions.

My award from Korea International Pressed Flower Exhibition 2017, Gurye

Many of the WWPFG members enter to Korean contests every year and get high awards. As you know there are two annual Korean International Pressed Flower Art competitions that are open to all artist from around the world. – in Goyang and in Gurye but this year there is not any competition in Goyang.  So I entered to the 16th Korea International Pressed Flower Exhibition in Gurye. It was first time I participated in Korea contest.  And I’m glad to tell you about my award that I won. My artwork “Winter’s coming” has brought me the Second prize! A total of 60 artworks were be selected and awarded and only 12 ones got the Second prize. 

This work is made from pressed plant material entirely, with no any paints.

The Gurye County competition stresses on wild plants usage. Judging is based on creativity, pressed flower condition, material application, background, and wild flower usage percentage. All artworks that are winners in Gurye Exhibition will be displayed there for one year.

Also I’ve received the book with the pictures of all entries by both Korea Exhibition (only for Korean participants) and  Korea International one.

          and winner’s certificate.

     I’m proud to receive this award!

Students works from March online class

My online class "Decorative Pictures in Vintage Style" is finished. This time my students did two decorative artworks of varying difficulty level. I was glad to have so many students that managed perfectly with their work. And it's always interesting for me to see how other people realize my idea with different materials.

Since I got positive responses to video format of the class tutorial, I will go on to work in this direction. 

How to treat banana skin for pressing, mini-tutorial (video)

I prepare new class for beginners where we will use pressed banana skin and leaves under snow that I like so much. To press banana skin is often the issue for beginners. If it turns out too thick, you can't glue it down entirely. Also the skin may get moldy for pressing. So I decided to make small video that is a part of another tutorial to help those who wants to start working with this perfect material.

March 2017 Professional Workshop "Decorative Pictures in Vintage Style" with video tutorials

I'll teach students at this online guild class during March.
In the class we will do two decorative pictures of varying difficulty level with the birdnests. This time I captured all principal working stages on video just to show how I make these things.  
 I explain in detail to the students:
-how they may do nice vintage background for their pressed flower art using laser-printed pictures, stencils and stamps;

- what plant materials to take for depicting realistic images;

- how to create different shapes (a birdnest, eggs, a bird, tree branches) using the pieces of plant material;
-  how to decorate a frame in the same style using simple methods and accessible materials.
The class is easy and intended for the beginners. If you come to understand the basic skills of working with the plant materials, you will be able to further to make any images from pressed leaves and flowers.
Besides of that these two pictures are perfect Easter presents for your family members and friends. 
I'll be glad to see you on my class!

How I make large branches (video)

Yes, at last I've done it! This is my first video. I'm preparing my March professional workshop and decided to catch on video the small part of my work. Hopefully it's clear even for a beginner at Pressed Flower Art.
For making trees and branches I like to use the leaves under snow. You can read in my article "Last year's leaves" why I take this material for imaging branches.
I prefer first to make large branches and trunks on separate piece of thin paper and then glue them down onto a picture. Next I complete other branches of the tree just right on my work.
The large branch that I make in this video is horizontal so the light falls down on it.

Sorry for unideal quality of my pilot video :)) I'll try to improve my skills in the future. And do not hesitate to ask me any questions.

2015 WWPFG Conference in Charleston, South Carolina

In this November I was invited to teach at regular conference of World Wide Pressed Flower Guild that was held in Mariott hotel, Mount Pleasant (Charleston, SC).
It was my first visit to US and coference as well. And for me as teacher, this class was first real, not on-line class in the guild. Of course I was exciting so much.

At last I have met in person those people which I knew for my on-line workshops, guild competitions, etc. Nice to meet you, all my petal friends!
Mila, Lisa, Jacki, Denise, Kate, Barb, Loretta, Sally, Hendrica and dear Chinese ladies! I was so happy to see everyone!

Mila and me

We started first day with Denise's class and learned to make initial/number cards. I've made this for mom.

 Then we learned encaustic technique with Mila Garro. It was very interesting to get fantastic images with hot wax. 

I had fun. My experiments

Next class was by Xianghuan Liu from China. She taught to make decorative work with lotus flowers and gilded background. I liked to work with gold flakes.

First part of my class was in second day. The task of the class was depicting realictic water reflections for different subjects. In this part I have demonstrated how I glue the sky, make the foliage and depict distant trees, house and shore. I hope it was very useful for all to see how I work with tweezers to make the foliage of tree, 

Then all practiced

After lunch Mila Garro has shown how to work with pond scam.
Then we did the landscape using soaked scam for depicting tree branches.

Next Kate Chu taught to use contour stikers for making beautiful butterflies. And Betty Green has shown how she does flower fairies.

My picture

In last day we did nice picture with cute petal lambs by Li Wang from Beijing, China. Then after lunch my students continued to work with their landscapes. Of course we had not enough time to finished the picture but I hope everyone has understood how to cut strips for depicting water and reflections. And I will see the artworks completed soon.

Finally we had flower exchange. It was so joyful thanks to Jacki and Denise.

And these are cards by Guoyo Zhao that I got for gift exchange

Thanks to all who worked and organized the conference and Mila for hosting and translating to English. I liked downtown and historic places of Charleston

 and specially loved sunny November weather here! This time already winter is in my city in Russia. And here we were swimming in ocean! 

     Also I  thank my husband Vlad for the trip and assistance in English. 

     Wish everyone to enjoy new techniques and ideas and hope to meet again one day!