The Trio

I have been toying around with this idea for a long time now. I finally sat down and had them on paper and wood and this is the outcome.

I'm starting a workshop in Penang sometime in May. Am still in the midst of discussion and negotiation for venue and will have all finalised, God Willing, by next week... so keep checking my blog here for details ya ;)

What's in it for you? Decorative Painting is for all who has the interest in painting but lack the in-borne talent for it ... thus the reason we learn the techniques to attain the skill. So have no fear, Nora is here to guide you through the process. Do not be intimidated... we all have to start somewhere, right???

Anyway, from this project, you will learn

• surface preparation
• some basic strokes to create the leaves, daisies and filler flowers
• the art of floating and dry-brushing to create shades and highlights on the objects to give them "life"
• the technique of painting fruits and other still life objects
• to have fun while painting :))))

I'm also looking for anybody who'd be interested to help me organise this workshop in their area. Email me at norana_g@hotmail.com or call me at 013-2770425. My contact in Penang is Ira (013-2725496)

I am excited ... hoping that this dream will materialise :))

The 20 min job ..

Tried to do some serious painting today ... but the mood to focus was not there. Had this rolling pin hanger base-coated many moons ago... so to pacify my guilt for not painting... I started to doodle with roses again. Now not too sure whether to give away?...sell?... or keep for myself? ...hmmm we shall see .....

... still trying to complete the lazy susan ... but at the same time was contemplating to finish off the 10 little containers that Chempaqa sent to me ...errrr ... MORE than many moons ago hehe... 3 done ...7 to go ... all with different fruits but because it's so small it has become a tedious chore even for my tiny hands to handle ... oh well

Till the next episode my friends... have a nice day

What's new this week?

Was painting a trompe l'oeil design on a lazy susan ... somehow got stuck putting in the details ... so pushed that aside first until the juices flow again ... hopefully soon! Hence ... just so I don't waste time ...completed projects for Dee and kak Nomi ... something simple that does not require me to crack my brain (or whatever that's left of it at this age hahahaha!!!) ...

Dee's diary... painted my infamous roses on the leather jacket ... that was a quick job ... hehehe I like! I like! That's what I would normally do... whenever I get stumped by a major project ... I'd just stop and divert to something simpler ...

Then next painted on Kak Nomi's cutlery box. She had the crackled effect done ages (and I mean AGES ago ... like 3 years ago haha). It was a project she started but abandoned due to err.... hmmm I forgot what!!! Anyway ... I completed it for her ...again with my infamous roses!!! Another quick job hehehe ... I like! I like!

Also for Kak Nomi ... painted a bouquet of lilacs and daisies on a portable reading table. Another easy project ... I like! hehe ... that's it for the week... now for more serious painting of still life and trompe l'oeil ... back to the studio ....

That's all folks ...for now. Have a great day ya ... God Bless ...

A rose for Sarah

Sarah is tying the knot pretty soon ... and her aunties, cousins and other relatives are all roped in to contribute in whatever manner to prepare for the wedding. That's how I got roped in... though not a relative but since I'm connected to Zaiyan, her aunty... so I was given a job too hehe. A request to paint a rose on the lid of her box for the Quran was fulfilled about an hour ago :))

Portmeirion ...again :)

Finally.... it's done!!! *sigh of relieve*

I have painted the Tiger Lilies many times ... maybe one too many that it has become somewhat a chore to me ... don't like repetitive paintings :( However Sweet Williams is a first ... so at least that was a challenge hehe ... and a challenge it was!!! At first glance... hmm ... it's just circular flowers with lines, very little colour... so no big deal ya? (or so I thought!!) ... until I had to fill in the details in the flowers!!! I think I screwed my eyeballs together for everything became a blur upon completion .... not to mention my aching neck and shoulders!!! Anyway ... for lack of more words to describe (brain is already drifting away) ... please have a peep below ya ;))

The set consisting of a cutlery box and a tea box

The Sweet Williams on the tea box

*Another sigh* ... back to the studio ... yet to varnish them ... and then on to my next painting on a lazy susan .... nite2 y'all

When the mood fails.....

Hmmm... last posting here was about a month ago. So, what have I been doing? Oh... a bit of painting here and there... having classes now and then but MOST of the time ... just lazing around doing nothing but watching the idiot box!!!! The mood to paint seems to have eluded me once too often *sigh* Though I feel guilty I did nothing to fight the urge to get away from NCIS, Criminal Minds, Bones and the sitcoms on Astro 711.. even though they are just reruns!!!! Hmmmph!!!! Oh dear.... *sigh* Anyway, when the conscience bites ... I'd drag myself to the messy table in my studio ... and paint away hehe. So... for today, I'd just put everything I'd done the past 4 weeks or so in this one post ya ...

I painted Salmi's TV cabinet at her place ... just simple roses to enhance a much loved, long serving TV cabinet. Didn't take long to complete the job though hehe....





Next was a kitchen counter top. Zureen is a cat lover ... her request? To paint cat's fur on the table top ... and that I did. It was a tedious job... took me a week mulling over it!!! ... but it's done and is now with her




And ... in between the 2 jobs ... I painted on notebooks ... just simple roses and hydrangeas. Thought of selling them on my sales blog ... but hehe... they are now gone, with their owners. Will paint some more when the mood comes (one fine day) ... and then I'll post them on www.norastouches.blogspot.com ... my sales blog :)


Currently I'm painting more Portmerion designs on a cutlery and a tea-box. Will put them up once they are done ya. So that's it for now my friends ... till my next post ... cheerio, have ag reat week ahead :))

More doodlings :))

In between major projects or whilst alone with a student I would sometimes do small projects just to keep the mood going. I'd try new techniques or designs or just paint away on simple plaques ready on the go as gifts for whatever reason hehe ....

Anyway ... I'd never painted mums before .... so I gave mums a try on a background that I'd normally not use. I was clearing my paints the other day and noticed that this particular colour will harden soon if left idle for much longer.... that would be such a waste!!! Paints are not cheap ok??? .... so mums it was on a deep purple background hehe ... it's either you like it or you don't ....

Then I also tried a slightly different technique for my hydrangeas ... kind of liked the soft hazy look of the blooms ... maybe will stick to this style from now on ...hmmm ...oh well ... this is Nora... what she thinks today may not be what she does tomorrow... muahahahahahaha .... THAT's soooooo me ...hehehe


Wokeyh... need to go back to my studio .... must finish those tiger lilies (again!!! *sigh*) before the owner calls me for it ... oh dear, when's the deadline again eyh???


Nite2 ya.... muah

Salmi's Topiary

Topiary painted on canvas for Salmi .... it's not often that I get to paint on canvas ... but this felt good. It made feel like a real artist hahaha ... wish I have an easel to place the canvas on whilst I paint....

That's it for this post... it's 5am ... the brain is still asleep hehe

Have a great day y'all ...

Just doodling ...hehe

These gift boxes were base-coated ages ago... many times over!!! Every time I'd picked them up to paint ... I'd end up changing the base colours. Why??? ...uhhh don't know why... just a feeling of dissatisfaction I guess .... until finally one fine day ... I decided to paint just roses (for lack of ideas .... as the brain was on emergency leave on that day hahaha) Anyway, initially thought I'd paint to sell .... but hehe ... I now decided to keep them (fell in love with them colours muahahahaha!!!).... maybe I could use them as samples .... any orders???...for wedding favours, maybe???

Hehe... the story of my life ... fickle minded 'lil ole lady ...hahahaha

The cupboard needs a makeover too....

Rozaini came to me with a real beat-down hutch that she got from some junk shop. I looked at it ... and went .... "OMG!!! What am I getting myself into???" ... oh well ... it was a challenge that I took with much apprehension ... aiseyhman hahaha


I sent it for repairs (I'm no carpenter... just a painter hehe) ... changed the back and certain parts of the doors ... gave it a new coat of paint ... and started doing my "stuff" hehe. It took me many days of staring at it, mulling the designs over in my head, "painting" with my mind's eyes before I could actually decide on what to do ... so here's the outcome after 2 weeks of HARD work!!!! ... ooh my aching neck ... and back!!!!

The final makeover .... ;) niceeeee hehehehe .....

Have a great day ya....