4/28/14

week 17 for 365/2 (part2)

April 21-27

#114 - I thought I'd work in a couple different sizes to see if I can figure out if I'm more comfortable working big or small.  I know, you'd think I'd know that by now - and while I'm equally uncertain in all sizes, I'm trying to figure out if I have a comfort zone in size (not content).
Working on watercolor paper - 6" square and 12" square.  I kinda thought to try working in series, but I got this far and then worked on the 12"........so does that tell me that's my size preference?


I added deli paper marks and lots of paint and spritz layers.  The burlap, photo and feather aren't glued down yet; I'm still toying with composition and finishing this.

#115 - I printed off a number of photos in about 3x2" size to try to use them more often in my art.  I feel like that is a direction I need to explore more. I have so many photos I love, it seems I should be able to incorporate them into my  mixed media....  Below I used primarily distress inks and color wash sprays with lots of water.  I bought them ages ago and then have hardly tried using them. I found I REALLY like the way they move with water and blend together.  I mounted the bird on a torn map page and then used a metallic bronze marker to wander around the painting. Not sure if it's quite done......

#116 - some abstract and mark making fun practice - 6" square on watercolor paper

#117 -  and, another one

My cold seems to be getting better finally - I can't believe I got this much done when I had SO little energy this week.  But, a few minutes here, a half hour there adds up - and before you know it, progress!

Here's hoping for good health for all of us this week (and month, and year!).  (you may have noticed I didn't get my Documented Life Project page done - ah well....I'll have to do 2 this coming week)

4/24/14

week 17 for 365/2 (part 1)

April 21-27

#111 - browsing online (pinterest or facebook, can't remember which), I discovered the videos of Kiala Givehand.  She set herself the challenge of creating A Book In A Day (BIAD) each week last year.  So she has 52 videos of easy, fun, different bookmaking ideas.  After watching a couple videos, I got up off my fanny and made one!  I really like this little book and see lots of uses for it and variations of it.  I made mine using my gelli print papers.....  (See my last post for my process pics)


#112 - spent a couple evenings drawing patterns in my moleskin....I got a new magazine and as I flipped through I was inspired by pillows, tableware, etc. for the patterns.

#113 - have been hit by a terrible spring cold. Everyone in the office is sick and I thought it was going to miss me, but no, I'm down and out.  So I managed to do just this simple journal work....building layers, adding random text, and using my fab new Stencil Girl stencil that I won.

Hope I feel better to get back in the art room this week.....



4/22/14

quick little book

I discovered the helpful, fun site of Kiala Givehand and her self-challenge of creating A Book in A Day for each week of 2013.  She made a video of each and shares her process and some instructions..... I was inspired to create this version of one of her books. Here's my step by step process: (lots of pics ahead :)

Using pieces of my gelli prints, I cut 10 pieces about 4" tall by varying lengths long - longest maybe 10".  Fold each page in half.  You can see I have a little range of heights, though not any dramatic differences. TIP: it's sturdier and better to keep them all the same height (or within 1/8" or so) but the widths can vary to your heart's content.


Step 2: Cut a length of string/yarn/ribbon (I used embroidery floss) for each page.  Glue each page shut after snugging the string into the fold.  She used double sided tape; I used my glue stick.  Press pages under heavy book til well dried.

My pages glued with strings inserted.

Step 3:  Assemble the pages in the order you want, lining up all the folded edges evenly together.  Clamp them together so they don't move while you're tying them together.

Step 4:  Tie each string to the adjoining string until all pages are knotted together, top and bottom.

Then it's time for finishing touches - I took several of the top strings and tied them to bottom strings and added a bead - it's not necessary for holding the binding together, I just tried something new.....  I separated the threads of the floss to fringe it....



As you can see, my interior pages were all different lengths.....


Quick and fun!  - I'll show you as I fill it up a bit - I'm thinking......a bird theme.  Let me know if you give it a try.


4/21/14

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!




4/18/14

a garden walk

What a pleasant spring day it was here in Seattle today.  After 2 days of rain, today is partly sunny, comfortably warm, totally spring!  I left work early and stopped by my fave little botanical garden......here's my visit...





There were a few blooming things - mostly azaleas - but what I really noticed was the pockets of contrasting textures and colors.





Isn't spring just amazing????  Hope you're loving it wherever you are too (or the beginning of fall, if that's your season).


4/17/14

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.





4/14/14

week 15 for 365-2

April 7-13  - here we are at week 15 and I'm running a bit behind because we have house guests......so I didn't do a mid-week post since there wasn't much done - also felt the originality suffered a bit as I hurried to finish things.  I'll try to take more time next week......

#97 - this week's Documented Life theme is to create something monochromatic - since I just made my bird stamp, thought I'd use it.  The tree is drawn with several shades of blue in oil pastels; stenciled and acrylic background.....

Last week (14) was to embellish our own names and I showed you just the name page, but here's the completed layout with my "planner" side done too...

#98 - I spent a couple evenings getting mail art ready to go out.....I had a bunch of responses to make so the note, addressing, etc takes a while.  The one in the middle is covered with the netting from a bag of oranges!  Here are a few outgoing:


#99 - making marks on deli paper for transparent layers in collage and mail art

#100 - working in my journal......something to refer back to when I feel the need to practice my drawing skills..... I saw something similar on Pinterest but it was full of things I wasn't interest in drawing....lots of animals, bugs, etc. so I made it fit me....  the best kind of inspiration, right?

#101 - I worked this week on my journal page in a round robin swap - Carroll's theme is just color....and lots of it.  If you know her work, you know she just loves her some color!  Each of us in the round robin is contributing one 'folio' to be bound by the owner -
Carroll loves bright, vibrant colors so I made this collage using some of my painted papers, gelli prints, and a gifted paper or two in the center pages - the saying?  Happiness can be painted in any color.  Below is the front page.....inktense pencils on watercolor paper

#102 - MMSA theme for this time is "scavenger hunt for the letter S".  this one is totally challenging - Karen wanted us to find 10 things starting with the letter S, 10 ways to represent "S".....  The next challenge is due April  21st and we want to see what you can do using blue and brown (a much easier challenge!) (OOOPPS, I forgot to take a pic of these and it was a hard theme so I wanted you to see it.....ah well.)
Instead, here's some other random p/c I made while in production mode.
Above - gelli prints with snippets from my leaf photo, below gelli with photo and my recently carved stamp with flower from book.....

#103 -  Winkflash had a book sale (I've had many photo books published by them using this sale and love it - it's a free pages sale so you get up to 100 pages for the cost of a standard 20 page book - this photo book ended up being 94 pages and would have cost over $100 but I got it for $25 (incl ship) which is a bargain!)  I finished up a couple last pages using my digital scrapbooking stash (which is extensive).  Of course they have templates galore if you want a quick and easy layout..... It commemorates our trip to China a few years ago.



I just got notice that they shipped my book - I'm excited to see it all put together!  It's such a great way to remember a trip - serves as a journal of what we did and what we learned as well as an easy way to share some of our favorite photos.....

Hope you have a most excellent new week - full of whatever you need......relaxation or excitement, quiet or busy noise, creativity or restful down time......