Mosaic Arts Online is thrilled to bring you this one-of-a-kind project and course “Lady in A Hat® with Debra Mager.” This course is for you if you love fashion, or have been saving odd pieces and found objects hoping that one day they would be perfect for a certain project. This course is also made for you if you have a love for the whimsical, and enjoy shopping for vintage or special pieces.
Debra has a knack for taking the unique and unexpected and turning it into something creative, colorful, and special. She will take you step-by-step from a blank substrate (designed by Debra) to a completed “Lady in A Hat®.” You can work virtually “side-by-side” with Debra as you create your very own “Lady in A Hat®.” This course will give you the skills and confidence to create as many of these ladies that you can dream up.
In this course you will learn:
- Prepping the substrate
- Debra’s favorite tools, materials, and adhesives
- How to trace or draw the facial features
- Choosing a color palette
- How to cut glass tiles for the facial features and neck
- How to easily edge the substrate with glass tiles
- How to create an attractive neckline
- How to grout with two colors
- How to choose and edit your jewels, baubles, and beads
- How to create a layered composition that has balance, depth, and dimension
- How to adhere pieces to the hat with specific adhesives adding strength and durability
- How to add the “sweetener”
This is a great course for anyone who loves using colorful and unique pieces in their art. Creating a mixed media project like this is so achievable and gratifying. As Debra guides you in making your own “Lady in A Hat®,” you will see her come to life right on your studio table. You will start to see vintage pieces, found objects, and other beads and baubles in new ways for adding to your “Lady in A Hat®'' projects!
Included in this course is a suggested list of the tools, materials, and resources. There is also a link to purchase the “Lady in A Hat®” substrate from Debra at a special price for students of this course.
Your Instructor
After a successful career as a corporate marketing executive, and a lifetime of collecting art, Debra tried her hand at mosaic art. As the demand for her work started to grow from just family friends to commissions from fans across the country, Debra soon realized she had found her second calling.
Debra Mager is now an established and highly regarded self-taught mosaic artist traveling around the country to teach mosaic workshops and to participate in art festivals. She has a penchant for creating dimensional, whimsical and rather unconventional mosaic works, which include her unique mosaic floral arrangements, birds and other creatures, as well her jeweled mirrors and mosaic shoes.
Making mosaic art affords us the chance to reassemble broken parts and pieces into works of beauty. What could be more healing and rewarding than that?
–Debra Mager, Asheville, NC
To learn more about Debra’s work and upcoming workshops,
follow her on Instagram and Facebook @DebraMagerMosaics
or go to her website DebraMagerMosaics.com
Course Curriculum
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StartIntro and Personal Interview with Debra and Tami (7:00)
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StartPDF for download. Suggested tools, materials, and resources
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StartOverview of The Ladies in their Hats (4:41)
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StartIntroduction of the substrate (1:48)
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StartOverview of materials and tools (4:16)
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StartHow to use the tools (3:33)
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StartOverview of the palette (4:41)
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StartTracing facial features (2:50)
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StartA breakdown of the facial features (2:56)
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StartDemonstration of cutting the eye (5:54)
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StartThe eyes and lips are getting glued down (2:12)
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StartApplying the glass trim on the edges (4:53)
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StartTips and tricks for adding trim around curved edges (3:41)
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StartCreating the nose (6:47)
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StartHow to mosaic the face (6:06)
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StartKeystone technique for completing the face (3:06)
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StartAdding the neckline (7:42)
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StartUsing china to create the dress (9:06)
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StartHow to create stems and leaves with beads and baubles (2:33)
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StartPreparing to grout with two colors (4:47)
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StartGrouting with the dark color first (8:16)
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StartCleaning off the first layer of grout (2:38)
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StartCleaning the grout to reveal facial details (1:41)
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StartGrouting the skin tone (4:07)
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StartCleaning the skin tone grout (4:05)
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StartPaint the hat before applying the jewels and baubles (2:01)
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StartSelecting and editing the jewels and baubles for the hat (2:53)
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StartAlways start with a focal point piece when building the hat (9:34)
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StartContinuing to add balance to the floral composition (7:26)
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StartAdding final details to the hat (7:22)
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StartWrap Up and Thank You! (0:29)
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StartBONUS: Creating leaves and flowers with Apoxie Sculpt (1:09)
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StartBONUS: How to remove porcelain flowers from vintage vase (3:56)