Another bra to show off - not mine this time

This time by Carol. You can see her blog post at http://postcards-and-stuff.blogspot.com/2009/01/bra-bag.html

Art Journal - January 7th and 8th

Day 7 was about creating the background and day 8 was about creating a soulmate self-portrait. The portrait was done on top of the background from the day before.

I learned a few things from this tutorial:
Use matt gel medium as a glue, it makes the pages buckle less.

Put a glaze over the top of the collage, paynes grey, white and mainly gel medium. This has the effect of toning down some of the colour and making the collage elements more connected.

Spritz white ink (I only had paint) over your collage, again, this makes the elements better connected.

Art Journal - January 6th

The prompt for this was "self portrait". I ran away didn't do it.

Art Journal - January 5th

Ok, the prompt for Day 5 was zentangles. I find them very relaxing.

Bras to Bags Workshop

Yesterday, I attended a workshop hosted by FiberPaperArts in Neath. It was run by Anne Griffiths and the idea was to make a bag from a bra. You can see other examples at http://www.pocketmouse.co.uk/bras.php. This is mine. It needs the dangly beads at the bottom put onto the other side as well, and it also needs lining, then it will be complete.

Art Journal - January 4th

Todays prompts are "Flowers and Spirals".

I am trying to get more depth into my pictures. I used Neocolour water colour crayons for the petals. Willowing showed me how you could do this by putting your paintbrush onto the bottom end of the crayon and then painting rather than drawing with the crayon and then adding water. This gives you a lot more control.

I watched a video the other day about using sharpies to mimic Copic pens. The author talks about using three shades of each colour, a pale one for the whole "thing" (in my case petal), the darkest one for outlining and a medium shade for shadow. I have achieved more depth than I usually manage, but I am dissatisfied with the amount of blending. For once, the photo makes the page look better than in real life.

Finally, the prompts come from Millande. You can find detail of the project here.

Doll Number 2

I started this doll over a year ago now. She is based on a pattern in Patti Medaris Culea's book Creative Cloth Doll Making.



Her hair has been added with a felting needle. It is kid mohair wool and still had some dried grass in it.




This is doll number 2 along with doll number 1. They don't have names at the moment.

Art Journal - January 3rd - Back Cover

This is the back cover.

The beeswax worked very well fixing the napkin to the back of the book. The words are "she had not yet decided whether to use her power for good or evil". What a remarkable thing to find on a napkin!

Art Journal - January 3rd - Front Cover

The challenge today was to do the cover.

I created mine using collage and beeswax, having been inspired by Suze Weinberg. Her video is here

I prefer the back cover to the front. The photograph makes the white appear brighter than it is in real life.

Willowing Girl

I have just painted this picture as a result of viewing Willowing's you tube video on face shading.
She is starting painting classes on feburary 28th 2009 and registration opens in mid January. Pop along to www.willowing.ning.com for more details if you are interested.

Cirencester

We took a trip out today to visit the Brewery Arts Centre in Cirencester, in England. We saw the Winters Tale Exhibition which had some wondrous exhibits.

• Wire sculptures showing wonderful movement. One was of a lady combing her hair and another was of a woman cutting her hair.
• Wire scupltures of a Raven and a wren.
• Plaques made with drink cans.
• Tiny tiny shoes
• Tiny tiny full length gloves
• Shoes created on wooden lasts
• Amazing sycamore furniture

We were lucky to find a space in the car park, and as we were walking to the arts centre we saw a Rag and Bone horse. It is nearly 40 years since I last saw one.

I don't know what the sculpture symbolises, it is on the outside wall of the art centre and I think it is rather wonderful.

Cold Weather in The Forest of Dean

It has been very cold here in the Forest of Dean (in England) for a few days now. We haven't had any snow but the trees have been very frosty.

Art Journal - January 2nd

Millande has been inspired by Misty Mawn to create a journal page for each day in January. I have decided to join in. If you want to play then click on the art journal image below



The prompts for today:
Directions - Pathways - Choices
I can look at myself, I can look at all the difference forces that are me. The faces of the Artist, Mum, Ponderer, Traveller, Seeker, Facilitator, Witness.
Which "you" are you really going to try and nuture and let out to play in 2009?

I decided to draw pathways from January to December.

As for my January 1st page, I have verbalised the detail

Artist - a constant path to be travelled (it goes from January to December)
Mum - I don't have children and I am 50, so there is a no entry sign on that path!
Ponderer - I need to concentrate on other faces.
Traveller - I am going to Germany in January, South Africa in May and Budapest in October. I could of course look at other sorts of journeys, but this is enough for now.
Seeker - as ponderer.
Facilitator - this is a major part of my job. I manage a team of software developers. In the past I have also been able to do some development, but this is no longer possible. I need to recognise that my role is to facilitate the members of my team.
Witness - as ponderer.

Art Journal - January 1st

Millande has been inspired by Misty Mawn to create a journal page for each day in January. I have decided to join in. If you want to play then click on the art journal image below



Millande's is expending much more effort on her journal than I will be on mine. My drive isn't to create an art journal but to do a piece of art every day, and this seems to be a good way to do it. I work full time and also work away from home so I need something quick and easy. I have decided to take an existing journal which has had backgrounds already created and to draw in it daily. I can take the journal and a pen to work and away with me.

The prompt for January 1st:

An old year has closed its doors and a NWEW year has just opened its doors wide for me to play.
What do I leave behind the closed door? What do I hope to play with when entering the new door?



I have had to add verbal prompts in order to remember the detail! I need reduce my alcohol and cholesterel intake. I could do with doing something about work but that won't happen so I haven't included it.



In 2009 I want to:

• Create a you tube video on creating boxes from hard backed books
• Create some artistic cloth dolls
• Do some whimsical drawing
• Give a workshop on altered books
• Do some more drawing
• Exercise on my recumbent tricycle
• Complete the Suzi Blu Drawing Course

I think these are achievable.