Covering Sketch/Note Book Covers

Posted on by under sketch book

I told you a couple of weeks ago about the Sketchbook Revival. One of the free tutorials was about covering sketch books or note books or studio journals or whatever you want to call them. I am not sure why I never thought of this idea. The instructor suggested using commercial fabric and apply it to the cover with fusible web. Duh…

I have tons of fabric that already has surface design waiting around to be used for something. And this is so simple! Yay. This is a cyano-type fabric that I made ages ago with one of my sketches from my first circle book. I thought it was appropriate for covering my second circle book. I just wrapped the edges around and fused a piece of solid blue paper on the inside cover to hide the edges of the fabric. I am going to use this technique to cover a bunch more of my books.

This second book is full of collages and prints. I used a screen printed piece of paper from a session of deconstructed screen printing. I had been saving this piece for a while but this was perfect. I used fusible web and an iron, ironed it down and then used a craft knife to cut the extra paper off.

And just because I thought you all might like to see this. I went to a Kentucky Derby party last weekend. I made this hat from a variety of stuff lying around my studio. It only took about 30 minutes to throw it together and I got lots of complements. So all those UFO’s came in handy 😉

Two More Collages

Posted on by under Level 3 Art and Design

Here is another one of the texture collages that I have made for class.

This one is very dimensional and I have decided to call it Spelunking.

Here you can see more of the dimensional aspect of the piece. It is essentially a sample but I think it might be interesting framed in a shadow box frame.

Here’s collage I completed today. I had all of the pieces together but I had forgotten about it. So I found it today and glued it together. I completed a torn paper collage today as well but it is in the process of being flattened as it has tons of paper glued down and it got really warped. Hopefully, I can get it to calm down and lay flat. Perhaps I should do that too 😉

Sketchbook Revival

Posted on by under sketch book

A week or so ago, I saw that there was a free sketching course that has a variety of artists doing short tutorials for a couple of weeks. So I decided to join. It’s called Sketchbook Revival. You can still join in if you’d like, just click on this link.

I have been watching the videos but not doing all of the specific exercises. I decided that I would use this opportunity to start sketching in my small nature journal again. I want to sketch something from my daily walks. I am using different techniques, the tamarack branch is done with pen and markers.

I found three antlers already this year in and around our property. We have lived here for 15 years and these are the first ones I have found. This one is pen and watercolor.

And here’s a piece of wood that was interesting. I meant to pick up another one but left it behind. But this one was smaller and easier anyways. Again, pen and watercolor.

This is the first exercise in Sketchbook Revival tutorials that I decided to try. It is from day 4 by Val Webb. I thought it was a very useful tutorial including ways to use ink to make textural marks and feathers. I might have to try some more birds now. I am still working on my class homework too but trying to spend 15-30 minutes a day on sketching. Hopefully, I can keep sketching and practicing my drawing skills. I always enjoy it when I get started, it is just the getting started part that is hard.

 

Sunrise in the Trees

Posted on by under collage, Level 3 Art and Design

I finished another collage that I have been working on. It’s a little bit different color scheme than I usually use.

Hubby even noticed the colors and said, “These aren’t colors you usually like.” Pink is still not really one of my favorite colors but I think it works here. Do you have colors that you don’t usually use in your artwork?

Thinking of Spring

Posted on by under collage, Level 3 Art and Design

I am still wishing for and thinking of spring. It was a little warmer today with a bit of sunshine. However, there are still piles of snow around the house. So I have been doing some studies of wild flowers to pretend it is spring.

I’m not even sure what this flower is but it looks like a dogwood blossom. It grows on the ground and it is not on a tree, so it’s probably called something else. This is a combination of cut paper, some printed, some painted and then additional paint added.

This cut photo collage came about by accident. I was planning on printing some of my wild flower sketches on regular paper and then including them in collages. However, when I printed these, I accidentally printed them on 4″x 6″ photo paper. I didn’t want to waste them and I kind of liked the shiny surface which you don’t usually have with a sketch. So I used the technique that Deb showed our group last September. It involves taping the back side and slicing the photos up with a craft knife. It’s hard to take a photo because of the glare on the photos.

I hope that I start seeing some of these wild flowers soon when I can take my daily walks. Right now everything is mud, snow and slush. Maybe another week and I’ll see if the path is ready for walking. I’ll just have to wear my galoshes.