Put on your shades its Arty Farty Friday 21

Dear Chicago House,

You know I have a things for swirls and spiral right?

Looking at this pattern I painted in acrylic I feel the need to don a pair of shades. It really is a little loud and probably best kept in my sketch book.I must have painted it on a grey day when I was in need of a bit of color action.

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

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Pencil Doodle: Arty Farty Friday 20

Dear Chicago House,

Squiggly wiggly it is Arty Farty Friday and time to share something pretty. I can't quite believe I have made it to number 20 in this series.

This is another doodle from my sketch book I enhanced with colored pencils. I'd quite like mug with this pattern on it.

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

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Seed Bead Art: Arty Farty Friday 19

Dear Chicago House,

Work, work, work...I have had a busy week with little time to flex my creative muscles. However while I have been confined to my office working on SEO projects for a number of clients, Chicago teenager has been a great office companion and on a fantastic creative roll.

While she is happy to create projects to share on this blog she is not as keen to write the posts!

I love this simple piece of art work she made using seed beads

She started with a piece of white card and started sticking beads down using Elmer's glue.

Before long it looked like this.

At this very moment she is making another...she is keeping with the beachy theme and making an octopus.

Proud mama!

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

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Arty Farty Friday 9

Dear Chicago House,

You may need your sun glasses on to look at this chalk pastel...it is rather bright. I created this quite a few years back...I wonder what was going through my mind at the time?!

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

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Arty Farty Friday 10 and another free card

Dear Chicago house,

My, my, the arty farty Friday feature is in double digits!

Let celebrate 10 with these fun snails.

And lets celebrate even more with a free card to download

This would be a perfect card for someone who has just moved house.

You really do not see many snails in Chicago, but they were in abundance in California when I visited a few months back. And no garden in the UK is complete without it's own little army munching away at anything tender.

This painting was done with water colors.

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

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Arty Farty Friday 11

Dear Chicago House,

With the sudden blooms appearing in my garden this week, I thought I'd share something floral for arty farty Friday.

Here is a simple budding ring in pencil and ink.

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

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Arty Farty Friday 12

Dear Chicago House,

Don't you think this watercolor of sea horses would make a great shower curtain or even fabric for a beach tote.

...I wish I lived by the ocean!

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

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Arty Farty Friday 13

Dear Chicago House,

It's Arty Farty Friday number 13...unlucky for some or maybe not.

Here is another doodle as a result of a horribly long "on hold" I had with a web hosting company this week. I was at the point of nearly pulling my hair out in frustration but the old pen and ink calmed me down somewhat.

You can see another pen and ink phone doodle here

Love from

Creative in Chicago
XX

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Arty Farty Friday 14 and a secret message

Dear Chicago House,

I have a bit of a thing for intertwining shapes together and as well as producing interesting pieces of art, it is a skill that has served me well professionally.

• Getting paid for playing around with shapes and form: Check!
• Getting a US patent based on hiding messages in interlocking shapes: Check!

Here is an image from the Patent (United States Patent 5,479,507)

Can you guess what is hidden within?

This image hiding technique was used on all sorts of security print from American Express Travelers checks, to the certificate of authenticity that came with Microsoft windows and even on some currency.

Who knew Arty Farty Friday would turn into a pop quiz. I'd love to hear your guess...of course if you visit the patent all will become clear but lets face it patents are not the most riveting read!

( stumped all is revealed here http://www.creativeinchicago.com/2012/06/arty-farty-friday-15-and-secret-message.html )

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

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Arty Farty Friday 15 and secret message revealed

Dear Chicago House,

Swirly whirly, it is Arty Farty Friday so here are some water color twirls to celebrate.

But enough of this nonsense and lets get down to revealing the secret message I had hidden in last weeks Arty Farty that featured intertwining shapes.

Remember this

Well if reading the patent was not your thing (and no one would blame you for that...they are so.....YAWN), here is the answer.

VOID VOID VOID VOID.

Did I have you all stumped?

This patented method of hiding messages was used on all sorts of security documents to create anti counterfeit features. I can't tell you how it works..I am sworn to secrecy.

Here is one I designed for the Microsoft certificate of authenticity.

It is not the sexiest of design features but that is not it's job. It is there to make counterfeiting the document more difficult.

Who knew design could be so science geeky!

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

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Arty Farty Friday 16

Dear Chicago House,

Look into my eyes...

I have a bit of a thing about the spiral, I think it is the perfect shape.

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

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Arty Farty Friday 17

Dear Chicago House,

I have been a bit slack on the old blog front this week and Chicago teen has not penned anything either. Blame it on extreme Chicago heat but the real reason is that I have been up to my eye balls in work. As a self employed web and graphic designer that is something never to complain about!

So Arty Farty Friday is a quick sketch this week

A simple flower in pen and ink. Don't you think it would make a lovely gift tag?

Now maybe next week I will get Chicago teen to share some of the art work she has just completed in a High School class. She got an A+, so I think it is more than worthy!

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

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Arty Farty Friday 18

Dear Chicago House,

We had a little break from Arty Farty Friday last week, we were down in St Louis and didn't have a chance to blog all week.

But today it's back and today I am featuring work from no other than Chicago teenager, I may be a little biased but that girl has talent!

This pencil sketch was featured in a school art show
Can you guess who it is? Here is a clue...think 1960's model.

Oh and a little more teenager news, the UK teens who were inspired to create these pens, won their school competition by making the most profit from selling them. Their prize, an overnight trip to a design museum in London. Well done team JJ-MO!

Enjoy.

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

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