365/3 for june

#139-145 - finally a new page in one of my art journals using a photo of grapes I took, followed by some painty/stencily/stampy background starts for mail art.  I'm overdue on returning mail again, so made a start on getting some backgrounds started.

Continuing my sketches from "Learn to Draw in 30 Days" by Mark Kistler.  Seeing some improvement though I'm still definitely just copying.  The lessons seem to be sinking in since the basic cubes are getting easier & more intuitive.  These didn't make it to ICAD cards, just in my sketchbook......
#146 & 147

So, I'm about a month behind in my 365 project - I need to double up on a few days to get back on track.  And, my Denver trip (see the previous wedding post) threw me off my ICAD progress. So I need to get back on track there.  Sheesh.  There is a long weekend coming up where I could really make some arty progress, but it's supposed to be record breaking heat and my art room is upstairs & faces west - HOT!  Maybe I'll just move some supplies downstairs.....

Hope you're finding time to escape the heat (or whatever weather) and be creative!

365-3 keeping busy

Trying to keep up with my daily art practice.....

#6 - documented life journal pages for this week -use a book page:

#7-12  - some of my efforts from lesson one of the Jane Davies class I'm taking.  I was lucky enough to win a drawing for a spot in her popular (and fills quickly) class 100 Drawings on Cheap Paper. My goal with this class is to get in the habit of producing art - somewhat in a series - but more that I create in volume. I want to "get over myself" and paint with the idea of learning, practicing, developing, improving......and that happens best with volume.  So here I go......  Line & Layering

My tools: acrylic paint, calligraphy ink, sharpie, graphite stick and crayons, oil pastel, paint markers in black and white, micron pen, graphite pencils, brayer & brushes.

Looking forward to what next week's class will bring and wondering if I'll find time for other artsy endeavors.......  Have a creative week!

365/2 continuing progress

My main art accomplishments lately are more pages in the gratitude journals I'm making and they're keeping me on my 365 project path.....

Here's one where I cut a random curved edge to the paper then doodled to follow the shape - the other side of the page is below. (I used my computer to kinda draw the edge, hence the ugly black wavy line - but you get the idea, right? each of the top petals is cut out)

Scrapbook paper for Valentine's week.

Splattered some watercolors then doodled hearts. Another version below.

Had a little watercolor overun from the other side along the edges.  Oh well...... art happens!

A few more later this week to catch you up ...........

More 365/2 art -

Continuing my quest to complete 365 projects for my second consecutive year.  Hit a bit of a snag in my production the last couple weeks - life just keeps getting in the way and I'm having a hard time making something every day.  But, I press on......

#276-279:  ATCs for MMSA project......haven't made any for a long time and it was fun to make little bits of art again.....

The bottom left pocket is actually made from a shiny silver envelope liner, not this dark gray thingy.

#280 - layers of painting made with drips and stencils, scribbles and shapes.  Still a work in progress.

#281 - I'm pleased with how this one turned out.....my first time using modeling paste (lower left). There's tons of layers that weren't going anywhere until I decided to collage some book pages in a rough vase shape.....then, it was easy and kinda finished itself.

detail

#282 &; 283 - Laura shared how she makes her collages using polymer medium and a tacking iron.  I thought it was interesting but didn't follow up on it.....then I saw that Karen gave it a try and fell in love with the process so that pushed me to try...... I bought a jar of the polymer on sale at Michael's and just used my regular iron on its lowest setting.  Here's my first couple of "iron on" collages, no glue used!  Then a bit of paint added.  

I used various weights of paper, some deli paper, tissue paper, magazines, etc.  Everything stayed in place really well.  You can see more detail on Karen's blog and Laura's made a how-to video.

#284 - a journal page still experimenting with polymer collaging. I made a fabulous discovery. I put polymer on both sides of this drying leaf and let it dry then I ironed it on with other collage pieces. I turned the iron up a bit and it was too hot so kind of melted the polymer off the front of the leaf (you iron over a piece of freezer paper so no iron was hurt in this process!) but  absolutely firmly sealed it to the journal page with no crinkles, wrinkles, or tears!  I love this discovery!

I'll continue sharing my progress - and watching yours. Have a creative weekend!

a little of this, a little of that

More catch up on what I've been doing with my 365 project lately......

#230 - a journal page ala Dina Wakley.  I got her book Art Journal Freedom from the library.  Though I follow her blog and would recognize her style anywhere, I found her book intriguing and inspiring and a good reminder on the use of color and white space.

#231 - working on a couple of canvases and waiting for the modeling paste to dry.

#232 - I've done a few pages in my art journal lately - still influenced by Dina - I added a photo that I used as the inspiration for the canvas above with the modeling circles.

#233 - another journal page where I scraped white over the scribbly, messy background (cuz I hated it!)

#234 - another random, unappealing pair of pages.....I'll probably go back and paint over these too - once I get inspired.....

#235 & #236 - more lettering play on my index cards

#237 -  Inspired by Dina Wakley's book, I spent some time mindlessly cutting shapes from some of my gelli prints.  Then I spent a half hour at the sewing machine til I ran out of black thread....... You'll be seeing these little puppies showing up here, there, and everywhere!

On this American holiday Monday, hope you're having some quality time with your family OR with your art room!  :)  Make your week a creative one!

week 16 - 365/2 (part 2)

April 14-20 - a few more projects for you to check out as I keep working on my 365......

#107 - another art journal page on black gesso background, then some brush clean-off swipes.  My new 48 acrylics had several metallics which I never really use.  I tried it out here and love the shimmer so I'll have to try it again - I like it more than I thought because it's subtle......

#108 - a little digi art playing from a photo I took on my garden walk a few days ago....
original

adjusted with layers and spot color......

Used a free texture called Old Tablecloth from Pixel Dust.....

#109 - Documented Life for this week challenged us to use a piece of cardboard food box in a creative way..... I actually use food cardboard all the time (mostly for mail art) so struggled a bit to come up with something I thought was 'creative'.....  So, I had my popcorn box "POP" apart!  :)

#110 - I made a few postcards for the MMSA theme of blue and brown.

Hope you enjoy a creative, art filled week!

week 16 for 365-2 (part 1)

April 14-20 - this is week 16 of my second year of 365 projects.....I'm feeling the need to get back to collages and have some ideas knocking around in my head....let's see if I can make time to do that -

#104 - made a birthday card for a friend - used gelli prints and my new envelope maker to customize her envelope too.

#105  - winner!  that's me......I am a lucky winner of some Stencil Girl stencils - I got 6 6-inch stencils.  With my "out" back (aching, aching), I didn't take time to be creative, just to try them out and document them. You'll be seeing much more of these!

I just inked these with a make up sponge dabbed in various stamp pads.  It actually worked pretty well - added a little micron pen enhancement.

#106 - playing in my journal.....the background is a smeary, streaky mess created with palette brush clean-off, covered in white acrylic around my sketchy drawing.

Hope you're having a fabulous week......thanks for stopping by.