The Busy Counter Top :)

This is my current major project ... have been at it for the past two weeks putting in a lot of thoughts in filling in the space to create a lively corner for a rendevous with a loved one :)



The lady sipping tea as she attends to her letters whilst the master of the house having his morning coffee with crepes drowned in honey .... that's the story it's telling :)) Try to hear the lively chat between the two :))

It's not finished yet... still need to put in details on the plate of chocs and finale on the mugs of coffee and tea. Shadows and cast shadows are still missing ... nothing "sits" in as yet ... everything seems to "float" on the table ... so keep tuned in ya ... but currently I'm taking a break .... don't seem to have any ideas as yet on how to proceed :(

Nora's First Solo Workshop :)

Had my solo workshop two weekends ago (19 March 2011) .... it's only now that I've fully recovered from the stress and fatique :( Converted my dry kitchen-studio into a workshop and I actually can have space for 10. Will think of more workshops later :))



It was a small group of six enthusiastic painters ... Syakireen and Monalisa (both from Melaka), Azie from Putrajaya, Kak Wan (from Kelana Jaya), Zaiyan (from TTDI) and Akmam (last minute entry from .... errrr... I forgot....sorry dear :(

They come with varied experiences ... from the totally fresh to the more experienced ones .... but I know we had fun and everything was completed within the time stipulated.... except for Kak Wan who had to stop earlier because she had to go to KLIA and Zaiyan who had to take a longer lunch break because she had to attend to urgent matters back home :)) However they will continue to complete later in a normal class.

Silly me however, forgot to take group pics but I do have some to show as they were painting :)

That's Syakireen flanked by Akmam on her left and Monalisa on her right .... all hard at work

Zaiyan together with Azilah and kak Wan (below) .... proving a point that being a senior citizen is never a hindrance to indulge in one's desires ;))

Some of the ladies with their finished paintings ... a first at still life for all of them ;))

They have asked what's the next workshop ... maybe I'll do lace work on a box next ... hmmmm

Would you like to join?

The "Carved" Lazy Susan

Something different on a lazy susan completed but a few minutes ago. The design is adapted from traditional Malay wood carvings done my way. Had it antiqued to make it look more traditional .... but of course it's not varnished yet (a'ha ... that's me... can't wait to show off hehehe)

Yup! That's it for today .... need to go back to my studio... on-going preparation for the workshop in March :)

Confirming workshop in KL

DECORATIVE PAINTING WORKSHOP

"THE TRIO"

Date : 19 Mac 2011
Time : 9.00am - 5.00pm
Venue : Nora's Home Studio, Kg Sg Penchala, KL

Skill level : Beginner - Advance

You will learn/refresh skills :
* basic surface preparation
* basic comma strokes
* floating
* dry brushing

Contact : 017-2517512
E-mail : norana_g@hotmail.com




* Limited places available. Please confirm by 13 Mac 2011. Hope to be hearing from you soon :))

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 :))