Sunday, January 2, 2011

A Message From Sue Gait

ARTATHOME.ca   
With SUE Gait CUSTOM WORK AVAILABLE
Painting & Etching Classes OfferedCertifying etchall® Master Etcher (Only person qualified in Canada)
Certifying Elite One Stroke Director
One Stroke Certified Level ll Instructor

519-620-1769
forgreenthumbs@aol.com
www.artathome.ca


Calling All Ontario OSCI’s

Would you be interested in coming for a Saturday class and learn what is taught at level 11?

I am thinking of putting together a class and show 3 projects form Level 11. And a surprise landscape. I’ll supply the canvas, and paint. 

 It would be in February on the 19th from 9.30-4?

Cost would be $30.00

Your supplies would include your surfaces, paint plus brushes.
You would bring a lunch and I’ll supply beverages.
Your surfaces can be whatever you would like. But they must be primed and ready for class.  One must be painted black.

If you think you might be interested please email me back at forgreenthumbs@aol.com.
I need 6 people for this class to run.

Hand Painted Cakes

These days I really don't get much opportunity to One Stroke as much as I'd like to but I keep promising myself that I'll get back to it.
I could be more disciplined when I was teaching as I got to paint at least once a week!  The only thing I really get to paint right now are walls....and cakes of course.
Here is a little package cake that I did at Christmas.  I painted tiny red rosebuds on it like 'wrapping paper' and finished it with tiny stems and leaves in pale green.

The next cake is a 'candle cake' which I painted with silver scrolls using real silver dust and a #2 liner brush. Of course you have to remember to keep two sets of brushes, one that you would use for your usual crafting and acrylic paints and the other that you would use for cakes and edibles.

Lastly here we have a five tiered wedding cake that was first decorated with one stroke vines and leaves in sage and sunflower yellow to produce a two tone effect, not quite One Stroke, but almost.  
Then I placed hand made sugar flowers (peach roses and lilacs) and painted large sunflower type leaves over the top.

The One Stroke technique takes a little mastering when using edible food colours, painting on fondant and painting vertically in 'steps', but when it's done, it's amazingly fulfilling.

Sugar is abrasive and it ruins your brushes quickly, alas!  On the bright side, so long as you can find the correct flat brushes, they don't have to be traditional One Stroke brushes, simple Walmart or Dollar Store brushes will do.


My Own One Stroke Cake Stand

I painted that cake stand!  Yay!

A very fun evening at the Lou Hanson Studio just before Christmas with a whole bunch of cake decorating friends.  This was cake related, but a little departure from our 'norm'.  What a lot of fun.

Although this is actually pink rosebuds it matched the Christmas cake well and many people thought that it was a perfect compliment to the burgundy flowers and berries on this cake.  Go figure.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Lou Hanson Pottery

Lou Hanson, a fellow One Stroke Instructor (we did our certification together), is doing some wonderful one stroked cake stands.  I can't wait to make a matching cake for it!



Check out her website CLICK HERE

Saturday, May 29, 2010

It's been a while since I blogged and a long time since I picked up a paint brush.  The urge is still there and I so want to paint, but time just doesn't permit.

My stepson took over my little studio (converted spare room) and so I moved into a large walk in closet and set up all my paint things, but it doesn't work for me and I just can't muster up the courage to pull everything out and put everything back again, so instead I do nothing!  Of course the wonderful sunshine outside beckons and it's useless painting outside in this heat......well that's my excuse!

I have lots of new plans and projects and have a teaching assignment in London in September where I'll be teaching painting with the One Stroke technique onto cakes.  It's all good fun at least my teaching forces me to get my paints out.  The most exciting project is the 'soon to be opened shop' that we are still in negotiations with, still in Dundas but something a little different.

Happy painting!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

More From Sue Gait

           We will be learning the basics of Landscapes.
You will need to take these classes in order to go forward to create other landscapes with me. 
It will give you more of an understanding of how things are created and easier as we go ahead.  There is a total of 4 classes that need to be completed at a cost of $25.00 per class.
MAY 8th One of GET TO LEARN LANDSCAPES.#1 Cost$25.00 9.30-11.00 Skies & Clouds
 
MAY 15TH Landscape. #2 Cost$25.00 9.30-11.00 Water and Moving Water
 
MAY 21-24 LONG WEEKEND  WELCOME SUMMER
 
MAY 29TH Landscape. #3 Cost$25.00 9.30-11.00 Trees & Bushes
 
JUNE 12TH Landscape. #4 Cost$25.00 9.30-11.00 Mountains and Rocks

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

More Practice Sheets - Co Op Girls


You've all done so well with your painting classes.  Here are a few more practice sheets for you to be getting on with.

Remember to bring your Magic Canvases to class on Thursday along with your brushes and palettes.

See you Thursday for our last class in this series.  For those of you who wish to carry on, please contact me!

Friday, April 9, 2010

Send Me Your Pictures

Have any of your students got pictures of your work that you would like to add here?  Please just send them in with your name and I'll be happy to post them for you.

Paint Your Own Greetings Cards

Create a wonderful Mother's Day or Birthday card using this simple design.  Blank cards to paint on are available from the Dollar Store, Michael's, Walmart and from most craft stores and stationers.  You can also make your own, but make sure that you choose gloss paper since ordinary paper goes a little crinkly.
Enjoy!

Vase Project Idea


Remember to clean your glass bottle well with alcohol before painting and use the Folk Art Enamels for best results.

Enjoy!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Paint A Parrot


MARY ELLEN LOCKYER’S CLASSES
MARY ELLEN LOCKYER BOB ROSS CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR IN
LANDSCAPE, FLORAL AND WILDLIFE

DATE: April 17th

LOCATION: Sue Gait’s studio
19 Richards Ave.,

TIME: 9.30-2

ALL SUPPLIES PROVIDED FOR CLASSES USE

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Co-Op Girls - Leaves Practice Sheet



Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Co Op Girls - March Break

Here are some petal sheets for you to use to practice your techniques during your March Break.
Be careful to read the instructions properly, use the correct size brush for the petal that you're doing and if possible the same colour paints.  Keep your brushes clean and your bristles fully loaded.  Push down for a larger petal and always start and finish on a chisel edge.
Only make one track unless you can't possibly help it.  Do not use water to thin paint, use floating medium.  

Monday, March 1, 2010

Co-Op Girls - March Break

If anyone wants some painting projects to do during March break please let me know.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Co Op Girls - Sixth Lesson

Our next project is a bird house.  This looks complex, but, as you all well know, the One Stroke technique is so much easier than you think.

Don't forget:


  • Your brushes
  • An old shirt
  • A cloth
  • Your palette
  • Your practice pad
Your project is a wooden brush carrying case.  You're going to love it!

Co Op Girls - Fifth Lesson

The rose is the classic flower of One Stroke painters.  it is somewhat more difficult than the other flowers because it has so many components, but once mastered it is so beautiful and well worth all the practice.

First start by practicing the bud, when you have mastered the bud, the sea shell which is the petal shape that the whole rose is made of.

The comma stroke comes next, to make the small petals that go around the bud.

When practicing, remember to leave a hole in the centre of the first five petals, if you don't, your second row of petals will be as big or barely bigger than the first row and it won't look like much of a rose.

Have fun!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Co Op Girls - Fourth Lesson


This weeks lesson is going to focus on sunflowers and their leaves.
Sunflowers are very splashy and large and work well for many projects where you need just one or two main feature decorations and if you have to cover a large surface.
You will be learning a new technique called "pouncing" with a brush that we've not used yet in class which is called a "scruffy".
These practice sheets feature the sunflower leaves on the right and just a little sample of the sunflowers on the left, the ones that we will be doing are much bigger than these.  But take a look anyway and familiarize yourself with the technique.
Please bring with you:


  • Your brushes
  • An old shirt
  • An old cloth
If you have any questions please contact me.

Project:  Small paper box

Last Call - Oil Painting Class


We still have room for the oil painting on Feb 20th. 9.30-1  Let me know.  Your cost is $85.00 lunch included plus all supplies for the class.


ARTATHOME.ca
  
With SUE Gait CUSTOM WORK AVAILABLE Cert-a-bee etchall® Master Etcher
Painting & Etching Classes Offered
Certifying Elite One Stroke Instructor
Certified Level ll Instructor

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Painted Cake


Part Painted and partly sugar flowers.  Vines using One Stroke techniques.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Co Op Girls - Third Lesson

It's Valentine week so we're going to be doing something that fits the moment.  We will be painting a heart shaped tin that can be filled with home made cookies or chocolates and given as a gift.
Please bring:
  • an old shirt to protect your clothes
  • your brushes
  • a cloth to wipe your hands 
  • paper towels
Here is a recipe for making red velvet truffles:

Ingredients:

  • 1 box red velvet cake mix, and ingredients to make the cake
  • 1 can (16 oz) prepared cream cheese frosting
  • 1 lb candy coating, white or dark chocolate
  • Sprinkles or small candies to decorate (optional)

Preparation:

1. Prepare and bake the red velvet cake mix according to the directions of the package for a 9x13 cake. Once baked, allow the cake to cool completely.
2. Crumble the cake into a large bowl and work it with your hands until it is in small pieces. If desired, reserve a few spoonfuls of crumbs to use as decorative toppings on the finished truffles.
3. Spoon three-fourths of the frosting into the bowl and stir with a rubber spatula until the mixture is well-combined. It should be very moist and hold together if you squeeze a ball of cake between your fingers, but not too wet or greasy. If the cake mixture is still a bit dry, add more frosting to get it to the desired consistency.
4. Using a small cookie or candy scoop, scoop out small balls of cake and roll between your palms until they are round. Place the cakes balls on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil, and refrigerate them while you prepare the candy coating.
5. Place the candy coating in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave it until melted, stirring after every 45 seconds to prevent overheating.
6. Using dipping tools or a fork, submerge a cake ball in the melted candy coating. Remove it from the coating and drag the bottom across the lip of the bowl to remove excess coating. Replace the dipped truffle on the foil-covered baking sheet. If desired, top it with a sprinkle of cake crumbs, small candies, or other decorations while the coating is still wet. Repeat with remaining cake balls.
7. Refrigerate the truffles to set the coating completely, about 20 minutes. These cake truffles are best served at room temperature, and can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.