NATURE + ART workshop

Join me in this hands-on workshop to inspire and teach you basic and advanced techniques to enrich your artwork with natural objects and images, including flowers and plants, and animals and wildlife.

I’m limiting enrollment in this workshop, and molding it to the interests of the participants. We can cover topics such as improving your nature photography, using nature in mixed media art, how to find natural subjects or attract them to your garden, and much more.

Masdevallia orchid box

No equipment is required, but if you have them, bring along your digital camera and/or laptop computer (including iphone or tablet).  Or bring your favorite paints, pencils, pastels, etc.

Sunday June 19, 2011, noon to 4:00 p.m., $60 plus materials. At the El Cerrito Canyon Trail Park Art Center.  Pre-registration is required. If you have questions, or to register, please email me at heidirand@gmail.com

And click here for the complete list of my upcoming classes.

Photo Art : Altered Imagery Workshop

Do you have folders-full of photographs on your computer that are okay, but you want to transform them into art that you’re really proud of, that you can print and frame — for yourself, for gifts, or to sell?

Cattleya orchid

Ready to take the next steps with your photos, to stretch your creativity and artistic imagination?   If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, I’ve got just the workshop for you!  Sunday April 10, 2011 from noon to 3:30 p.m., at the Canyon Trail Park & Art Center, 6757 Gatto Ave., El Cerrito, I’ll be teaching you the magic that you can find within your own photographs.

Egret allium blended collage

We’ll explore how to enhance your original photos to achieve unique and artistic effects using Adobe Photoshop Elements. Elements is a very powerful, but affordable, image processing program.  The techniques that I teach you, though, can be accomplished with other programs, and we’ll discuss those other programs, including GIMP, a free image processing software that you can download from the internet.

Making a kaleidoscope

Space is limited, and we’ll work on your images at the workshop, so pre-registration is required.  For more information, or to pre-register, email me at heidirand@gmail.com.  The cost is $50. If you can’t make the workshop, email me for other options, including private classes and ebooks.  And here’s a list of my other art and craft workshops.

Dorian and Lars

Workshop: Introduction to Selling Your Artwork Online

Etsy shop

Let me guess — was one of your New Year’s resolutions to open up a shop on Etsy? Have you been promising yourself that this is the year you’d finally look into how to make your paintings or photographs, jewelry or knitted goods, available for sale on the internet?  How long have you been thinking that you really want to sell online, but you just weren’t sure where to start, and you found yourself confused by all of the options?

Zazzle shop

Bay Area artists and crafters, I’ve put together a workshop just for you  – Introduction to Selling Your Artwork Online,  Saturday March 19, 2011 from noon to 3:30 at the Pinole Art Center, 2221 Pear St., Pinole.  The cost is $60.  I’ll give a thorough explanation of the many different options to market and sell artwork and crafts on the internet.  You’ll learn the pros and cons of having your own website, selling through print-on-demand websites, selling your handmade work on Etsy or Artfire, using blogs and other social marketing tools, and much more.

Facebook business page

I’ll have my laptop, and there’s wifi at the Art Center, so we will get online and look at all of the sites. If you have a smartphone or laptop, bring it along, but it’s not required.  We’ll discuss what has been preventing you from beginning to sell online, what kinds of skills you need, how to keep yourself motivated, and more.

Twitter page

The information will save you much time in doing the research on your own, and will save you from wasting more time and money on the wrong kind of venue for your situation.  Space is limited and pre-registration for the workshop is required.  If you have any questions or want to pre-register, just email me at heidirand[at]gmail.com
If you’re not in the Bay Area, I’m writing an ebook on the subject — let me know if you want to be notified when it’s ready.

Handmade Pet Collars class is available on CraftEdu!!

In my last post I let you know about my new online class — and hooray! it’s now available for you to preview and sign up for on Craftedu. Click here to go to my page at CraftEdu – to see the list of my classes, click on the green button: “see all classes“.   Or click here to go right to the class. In the class I take you step-by-step through making adjustable dog and cat collars using re-purposed fabric from garments that you’re no longer wearing or other used material that you have around or that you find in second-hand stores.

These collars are great for your own pets, for gifts, to donate to shelters or animal rescue groups, or to sell.   They’re fun to make, but you can’t buy the hardware for them in any brick and mortar store.  Most online sources sell them in quantity for people who make the collars to sell, so I decided to make them available through my ArtFire shop in packages of two sets (if you only want one, or you can use more than two, please email me at heidirand@gmail.com) and I’ll calculate the shipping.

If you take the class and are making the collars for an animal shelter, a feral cat organization, or other animal rescue group, please email me with the name of the organization and the date when you purchased the class, and I’ll send you a set of cat or dog collar hardware at no charge.

Click here to join CraftEdu’s facebook page to get the latest information on all Craftedu classes and instructors, and notices about when new classes become available.

Handmade pet collars — my new online class at CraftEdu!

I just put the finishing touches on my new online class, and it’ll be available for you to preview and sign up for on Craftedu Monday March 7!  I teach you how to make dog and cat collars using re-purposed fabric from garments that you’re no longer wearing or other used material that you have around or that you find in second-hand stores.  If you know how to print on fabric (hint, hint — if not, check out my CraftEdu class on Inkjet Printing on Fabric, or my book on the same subject), you can make truly personalized and unique collars.  And of course you can always use new fabric that you buy.  These collars are great for your own pets, for gifts, to donate to shelters or animal rescue groups, or to sell.  This was my first post about the collars I was making from fabric that I designed and printed myself, and I followed that with this post specifically about the collars for dogs.

I created this class because of the steep learning curve I went through when I first started making the collars myself.  I couldn’t find good instructions anywhere, so I sat down and made this step-by-step instruction guide, with lots of close-up photos and clear directions.   I include a handout that you can print with screen-shots of the entire class.  I also give you a list of places to buy the pet collar hardware, and a guide to common collar and neck sizes for dogs and cats.

Click here to join CraftEdu’s facebook page to get the latest information on all Craftedu classes and notices about when the classes will go on sale (for some classes you can get a discount on the first day it’s offered).  It was so fun making this class — I just love the idea of using fabric that would go into landfill and turning it into a useful object instead!

Handmade gifts with your inkjet printer : one-day workshop November 21st

Tote bag with Lars portrait

I look forward to this workshop all year — it gives you a chance to try any of the techniques that I teach, and sparks your imagination to go home and make gifts for everyone on your holiday list!   I’ll show you how to make personalized gifts for friends and family or for yourself, using your own photos, designs, or other material — and your home printer.

Pet squeaky toy ornament

We’ll explore a  variety of different techniques to create unique gifts, like printing on fabric and other special surfaces ideal for making presents.  Each person will complete at least one project at the workshop, and you’ll go home with many ideas and new things to try on your own printer.  There’s plenty of time before the holidays to create gifts for everyone on your list!

Pillow

When you make a personalized gift you can save money and show that you care to take the time to create something special for your loved ones.

Light switch plate

You can use photographs and the originals or scanned memorabilia of things in your lives together for gifts that people will treasure and keep.

The workshop is Sunday November 21, 2010, noon to 3:30.  Cost is $40 plus materials. It will be held at the Canyon Trail Art Center in El Cerrito California.  Pre-registration is required.  If you have questions or want to pre-register, email me at heidirand@gmail.com.

If you want to see some of the gifts that I make from my photographs and designs, please visit my Artfire shop or my ETSY shop.

Beyond paper : inkjet printing on alternative surfaces

In this one-day workshop, you’ll learn to make creative and unique artwork by printing on surfaces other than paper.  I’ll introduce you to several different products and techniques to print directly on fabric, vellum, transparency film, and more.

Butterfly altar

You will learn how to coat surfaces for inkjet printing with Golden Paint’s Digital Grounds and inkAID.

Golden's digital grounds

We’ll also print directly on metal and wood veneer — since a printer with a straight path is required for these surfaces you may not be able to do this with your current home printer).

We will complete at least one printing project per person at the workshop.

The workshop will be held on Sunday September 19, 2010 from noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Canyon Trail Park Art Center in El Cerrito, and the cost is $60 plus materials. Class size is limited and pre-registration is required, if you’re interested, please email me at heidirand@gmail.com

Photo art : altered imagery. One-day workshop

Sunday August 29, 2010.  Noon to 3:30 pm at Canyon Trail Park & Art Center, 6757 Gatto Ave., El Cerrito.  $50

Egret swirl

Learn to transform your photographs into works of art with software programs and techniques.  We will explore how to enhance your original photos to achieve unique and artistic effects.  We will use Adobe Photoshop Elements at the workshop, but will explore techniques that other image processing programs use.

Angel trumpet

Pre-registration required.  For more information, or to pre-register, email me at heidirand@gmail.com.  If you can’t make the workshop, email me for other options, including private classes.

Inkjet Transfer Techniques Workshop

One-day workshop :  Saturday July 17, 2010

Noon to 4:00 pm at Canyon Trail Park & Art Center, 6757 Gatto Ave., El Cerrito.  $45 plus materials

Butterfly window hanging, Transfer Artist Paper

We will explore using inkjet transfers to enhance your artwork and to create mixed media, collage and other works.  Learn several techniques to transfer images and text to a variety of surfaces.  Transfers are ideal to get your images and designs onto surfaces that you can’t fit through your printer.  We will experiment with many different products, including a new heat transfer polymer material, Transfer Artist Paper.  You will complete at least two transfers at the workshop.

Double exposure on canvas, heat transfer

Pre-registration required.  For more information, or to pre-register, email me at heidirand@gmail.com.  If you can’t make the workshop, email me for other options, including private classes.

Lisianthus box lazertran heat transfer

Art Quilts & Fabric Hangings : One-day workshop

Workshop taught by Heidi Rand

Canyon Trail Art Center, El Cerrito California

Saturday June 19, 2010 – noon to 4:00 p.m.
$50 + materials

Lars quilt

Further adventures in the exciting new world of fabric printing!  Offered for the first time — a hands-on workshop where we will explore printing your fabric and designing a small art quilt or hanging.  Even if you’ve never made a quilt before, this workshop will teach you basic art quilt construction.  We go beyond quilts used for bedding, by adding embellishments and mixed media elements, and framing or hanging options.   Basic inkjet printing and sewing knowledge is helpful, but not required.

Golden butterfly art quilt on canvas

I’ll show you many examples of the kinds of art quilts and hangings you can make using your inkjet printer and sewing machine. You’ll get lots of new ideas about what to do with your images and designs, and the knowledge to go home and start making your own personal fabric-art piece!

Lavender rust quilt

Bring a flash drive with your images, or letter-sized images to scan.   If you want to begin sewing your piece at the workshop, bring your sewing machine and some possible backing fabric.  Pre-registration required.   Please email me at HeidiRand@gmail.com

Upcoming workshops:

Saturday July 17, 2010 noon to 4:00 p.m.  Inkjet transfer techniques. El Cerrito Canyon Trail Art Center

Sunday August 29, 2010, noon to 3:30 p.m. Photo Art : Altered Imagery. El Cerrito Canyon Trail Art Center

Sunday September 19, 2010, noon to 4 p.m. Beyond paper : inkjet printing on alternative surfaces.  El Cerrito Canyon Trail Art Center

Sunday October 24, 2010, noon to 3:30 p.m.  Exploring lutradur.  El Cerrito Canyon Trail Art Center

Sunday November 21, 2010, noon – 3:30 p.m.  Handmade gifts with your inkjet printer. El Cerrito Canyon Trail Art Center

Have questions? Interested in registering?  Please email me

If you can’t make the workshop, I also have an ebook to teach you to print on fabric and online classes at CraftEdu

Saturday June 19, 2010, noon to 4. Art quilts and fabric hangings. El Cerrito Canyon Trail Art Center