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An exploration of art journal supplies and techniques from a guy that hates getting his hands dirty. Check out product reviews, creative challenges, my own creations, and much more. Note: I am not responsible for the sudden urge to go out and purchase materials that you see featured on my blog. Consider this your warning.
Saturday, November 14, 2015
A Couple of Quick Sketches
I've done a couple of sketches the last few days; I thought I'd share. They're not masterpieces by any means, but they were fun and occupied a little bit of my time, (read: they successfully distracted me from organizing) so, I'm counting them as useful works of art.
My attempt at a relaxed face. I used watercolor for the skin tone, lips, and hair. I still need to work on shading and I think I had problems because I wasn't patient enough to let the washes dry before I began putting down another layer. I still think it looks pretty good though, considering where I started.
This was an idea that popped into my head as I was listening to music. I still need to work on my penmanship and the border of the mirror is way off (can you even tell that it's a mirror?). The figure on the left is a superhero and the reflection in the mirror is a villain in jail. This one was colored in with colored pencils and I used a Pigma Micron .03 pen for the outlines.
*Scroll down to listen to the song that inspired me.
Thanks for taking a peek!
My attempt at a relaxed face. I used watercolor for the skin tone, lips, and hair. I still need to work on shading and I think I had problems because I wasn't patient enough to let the washes dry before I began putting down another layer. I still think it looks pretty good though, considering where I started.
This was an idea that popped into my head as I was listening to music. I still need to work on my penmanship and the border of the mirror is way off (can you even tell that it's a mirror?). The figure on the left is a superhero and the reflection in the mirror is a villain in jail. This one was colored in with colored pencils and I used a Pigma Micron .03 pen for the outlines.
*Scroll down to listen to the song that inspired me.
Thanks for taking a peek!
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Happy Accidents
Don't you just love those moments when you choose a color you wouldn't normally pick, or a stencil that doesn't always appeal to you, only to find that the end result is your own version of artistic perfection? I'm not saying this happens to me very often because the truth is that it just doesn't. Every now and then the planets seem to align and your creations just seem to work, whether or not you'd get the same result if you tried it all over again.
I finally broke out my Gelli Arts Gelli Printing Plate and went to town with it. The images below are my top three pulls of the evening. Feel free to save the pictures and use them in your art and collage projects if you so wish.
This first one involves the use of a lettering stencil that I have never before used on my gelli plate. Since it was the first stencil I used, you can barely see it in most places. It helps build up a lot of great texture.
This next print is a lot darker than I intended to go. I used red for the bottom layer and added on a green and a blue. I like bright colors and have gotten into a habit of using bright, bold colors in my art journal. This is a welcome change.
I think this one is my favorite pull of the night. You can see some of the previous image's bottom layer which didn't completely come up, and on this pull it introduces a nice amount of red to contrast with the orange and yellow. The final layer, black, is what brings it all together.
I highly suggest that everyone get their hands on a gelli plate and experiment with all of the fun. It can be a relaxing, almost meditative process. Post a comment and let me know which is your favorite out of these three, and let me know if you have any questions.
NOTE: The images above were created using Journal Artista's (AKA Paula Phillips) "crusty bits" technique.
I finally broke out my Gelli Arts Gelli Printing Plate and went to town with it. The images below are my top three pulls of the evening. Feel free to save the pictures and use them in your art and collage projects if you so wish.
This first one involves the use of a lettering stencil that I have never before used on my gelli plate. Since it was the first stencil I used, you can barely see it in most places. It helps build up a lot of great texture.
This next print is a lot darker than I intended to go. I used red for the bottom layer and added on a green and a blue. I like bright colors and have gotten into a habit of using bright, bold colors in my art journal. This is a welcome change.
I think this one is my favorite pull of the night. You can see some of the previous image's bottom layer which didn't completely come up, and on this pull it introduces a nice amount of red to contrast with the orange and yellow. The final layer, black, is what brings it all together.
I highly suggest that everyone get their hands on a gelli plate and experiment with all of the fun. It can be a relaxing, almost meditative process. Post a comment and let me know which is your favorite out of these three, and let me know if you have any questions.
NOTE: The images above were created using Journal Artista's (AKA Paula Phillips) "crusty bits" technique.
Monday, November 9, 2015
Stencil Madness
I've recently come to the conclusion that my supply of stencils is greatly lacking. I'm intrigued by the idea of making my own stencils and have even experimented with using old packaging to create a couple of designs, but I knew I needed to put those ideas on the back burner for the time being. It is for this reason that I decided to procure some of the stencils already on the market.
There are a lot of good stencil manufacturers on the internet these days and I've been keeping a wish list for the past few months as I've tried to locate stencils that I can use over and over again without all of my creations becoming repetitive. I think I succeeded in finding some top notch stencils from a variety of creators.
A lot of my newly purchased stencils have been featured on live streams over on ustream.tv. Some of the ones I selected were specifically made for using the Gelli Arts Gelli Printing Plate, but that doesn't mean that they are only to be used for that purpose. Stencils are such a versatile tool that come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they can be used with a variety of mediums.
I'm still waiting on a couple of my purchases to arrive in the mail. I'll post a haul video as soon as they are all in my hands and ready to be played with.
There are a lot of good stencil manufacturers on the internet these days and I've been keeping a wish list for the past few months as I've tried to locate stencils that I can use over and over again without all of my creations becoming repetitive. I think I succeeded in finding some top notch stencils from a variety of creators.
A lot of my newly purchased stencils have been featured on live streams over on ustream.tv. Some of the ones I selected were specifically made for using the Gelli Arts Gelli Printing Plate, but that doesn't mean that they are only to be used for that purpose. Stencils are such a versatile tool that come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they can be used with a variety of mediums.
I'm still waiting on a couple of my purchases to arrive in the mail. I'll post a haul video as soon as they are all in my hands and ready to be played with.
***** COOL NEWS *****
One of my favorite ustreamers is Paula Phillips, AKA Journal Artista. Her live streams are how I've come to see many of the stencils on my wish list, and she uses a variety of them to get cool effects on her numerous projects. It was recently announced that she has become a new StencilGirl artist.
She has come out with 3 stencil designs so far and they are fantastic! I'm eagerly waiting for their arrival so I can start using them.
Check out the announcement and her stencils ASAP. You won't regret it!
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Inspiration Strikes!
Hello everyone!
I was sitting at my art table and staring at my water bottle as I contemplated my lack of acceptable craft storage. I think you know where this is going.
I knew I couldn't have been the first to get this idea so I decided to use the internet (what an idea!) to see what fun and exciting things other people had come up with. The link below is to my favorite find, and you'll see why when you see what they are using as a holder for scissors. Such simplicity!
Check it out here.
I was sitting at my art table and staring at my water bottle as I contemplated my lack of acceptable craft storage. I think you know where this is going.
I knew I couldn't have been the first to get this idea so I decided to use the internet (what an idea!) to see what fun and exciting things other people had come up with. The link below is to my favorite find, and you'll see why when you see what they are using as a holder for scissors. Such simplicity!
Check it out here.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Progress
I now have a work space. It's a shell and completely unorganized at the moment, but any progress is good progress.
I located the table I wanted at thestorethatshallnotbenamed. Our location is going through a renovation so most of the items weren't replenished when they last sold out. They're progressing quite nicely now and that is why my table is finally available. I'm still looking at options to cover the wall to protect them from paint splatter.
I bought a hanging tie organizer for my washi tape but I have to admit that I'm not really feeling the finished result. Maybe I need to stop organizing them by color and let it be completely random? What are your favorite washi tape storage ideas?
Meanwhile, I've been drooling at photos of perfectly designed art studios over at Pinterest. I think I'd need a few lottery wins to get to that level of awesomeness. Alas, my needs right now are for function more than aesthetics. I can tackle that challenge at a later date. You know, once I become famous and make tons of money on my blog.
:)
I located the table I wanted at thestorethatshallnotbenamed. Our location is going through a renovation so most of the items weren't replenished when they last sold out. They're progressing quite nicely now and that is why my table is finally available. I'm still looking at options to cover the wall to protect them from paint splatter.
I bought a hanging tie organizer for my washi tape but I have to admit that I'm not really feeling the finished result. Maybe I need to stop organizing them by color and let it be completely random? What are your favorite washi tape storage ideas?
Meanwhile, I've been drooling at photos of perfectly designed art studios over at Pinterest. I think I'd need a few lottery wins to get to that level of awesomeness. Alas, my needs right now are for function more than aesthetics. I can tackle that challenge at a later date. You know, once I become famous and make tons of money on my blog.
:)
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Friday, October 2, 2015
Unpacking is a major pain.
I've been feeling the urge to art after almost a week of not doing anything creative. It's like an itch that you need to scratch but are unable to reach. Talk about a tortured artist. (c;
I recently moved and despite my best intentions of packing art supplies with art supplies, all the important tools that I really want to work with are now MIA. My gelli plate is only 5X7" and it can fit in the nooks and crannies of boxes pretty easily, so I'm fairly certain it's just playing a game of hide and seek. It's almost as bad as a needle in a haystack except that this needle is clear and in its original packaging. I hope I find it soon.
Is this what it feels like when you quit smoking?
I've been trying to organize my new bedroom and art space but it has been slow going due to fatigue that comes with my depression. I actually went to the store today and was bummed that they didn't have the table I want to use, so now I'm trying to decide if I want to wait until it becomes available or find another option. The jury is still out.
I'll make sure to post photos when it is all organized and "photo ready," assuming my camera presents itself around this time. Thanks for reading!
I recently moved and despite my best intentions of packing art supplies with art supplies, all the important tools that I really want to work with are now MIA. My gelli plate is only 5X7" and it can fit in the nooks and crannies of boxes pretty easily, so I'm fairly certain it's just playing a game of hide and seek. It's almost as bad as a needle in a haystack except that this needle is clear and in its original packaging. I hope I find it soon.
Is this what it feels like when you quit smoking?
I've been trying to organize my new bedroom and art space but it has been slow going due to fatigue that comes with my depression. I actually went to the store today and was bummed that they didn't have the table I want to use, so now I'm trying to decide if I want to wait until it becomes available or find another option. The jury is still out.
I'll make sure to post photos when it is all organized and "photo ready," assuming my camera presents itself around this time. Thanks for reading!
It begins.
I have gone back and forth on whether or not I wanted to create a blog to show off some of my art journal pages. It seems like everyone has a blog these days and there aren't enough hours in the day to keep track of what everyone is creating and sharing, let alone talking about, so why would they have time to bookmark my blog when there are so many others that are better, more creative, and insert self-defeating reason here? Creating this blog is my answer to my inner critic.
It's entirely possible that no one will see this blog and what I post. I've decided that is perfectly fine. As art journaling is more about the creative process than it is the finished product, this blog is more about documenting my thoughts and feelings about my creations. It's not about how many readers I get or if the big people (*waves sheepishly at Dina Wakley*) know my name. It's about me being me and doing what I want to do without any thought to the numerous reasons why I shouldn't, whatever they may be.
We're flying free, my friends, and it's time to soar into the big, bad world and see what stares back at us. Here we go.
It's entirely possible that no one will see this blog and what I post. I've decided that is perfectly fine. As art journaling is more about the creative process than it is the finished product, this blog is more about documenting my thoughts and feelings about my creations. It's not about how many readers I get or if the big people (*waves sheepishly at Dina Wakley*) know my name. It's about me being me and doing what I want to do without any thought to the numerous reasons why I shouldn't, whatever they may be.
We're flying free, my friends, and it's time to soar into the big, bad world and see what stares back at us. Here we go.
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