Work in Progress

Pages in progress in the 9 inch by 6 inch
watercolor paper journal. Borders
created using painted papers,
fabric, and drawing in fine-point marker.

Not sure where to proceed from here...
I'm liking the "cotton-candy colors" at this point,
but wondering if I should 'grunge it up' a bit...
and feeling intimidated by what to do
with the center areas....
to journal or to draw?

Merry Yule

Merry Yule!
Mixed media ornament 2007:
fabric, metallic thread, beads, ribbon
copper wire, printed tissue, yarn,
silver charm and
a tiny watercolor of holly...

To all who stop by to visit my blog,
thank you for a year of
inspiration and enthusiasm for art!
Your comments are so appreciated,
and you are all wished
a blessed holiday & New Year!
* Dianne *

Vision

Art journal entry in the 9" x 7" book I made
from watercolor paper. This spread includes
a flap on the left that folds in.
Border from scraps of hand-painted & stamped
papers, stickers, postage stamp, and pen drawing.
White gel pen used to color in the
tree trunks...inspired by some trees not far
from our house...

Fashion Pen Sketches

Sketches in my art journal
done in pencil, then finished in
Sharpie extra-fine point marker.
From Vogue magazine.
Shoe designers top to bottom:
Jimmy Choo (I actually rather like these black heels)
Proenza Schouler (woven slingbacks)
Donna Karan (wedges)

Also inspired by
Vogue fashion photos...
necklace design used as a repeated
theme in the background.
Only the fashion bold would wear
ankle socks with heals and a skirt...

Watercolor Art Journal

Created a little Art Journal from Fabriano watercolor paper
using the instructions by Teesha Moore.
Mine is 7" x 9" instead of the 8" x 10"
that Teesha made. This journal is simple to make and
so much easier to scan than my thicker
hardback journal. Teesha originally posted videos
on her blog explaining her process.
The videos are now on YouTube here.

Watercolor background with
scraps of hand-painted papers, fabric,
stamping, scrapbook papers, & found images.
Chalk pastel, Sharpie extra-fine point marker,
and white gel pen for added depth.

Collage in Art Journal

Magazine images, scrap paper,
drawing in Sharpie extra fine point marker

Art Journal Pages, part two...

Completed journal pages with
Sharpie permanent marker, bullet-tip
and extra-fine tip, purple highlighter and
Signo Uni-ball white gel pen.
Journaling inspired by a poem entitled
"Roads" by Rachel Field.

Funny that of all the places and types
of Art that I mentioned on this page
(and of course I didn't cover them all)
I noticed I didn't mention museums...
I love museums and the inspiration they provide,
but I guess I think of Art as a more
"living " entity...integrated into our very
lives and culture...
and I know I should pay more attention
to the rich diversity surrounding me...

where is the "road" leading you?

Art Journal Pages

Watercolor & Crayon
Things that make me smile...
cartoons, sketches, polka dots, quotes,
and silliness!

Click on the image for enlarged view.
If you can't quite read the quotes, hold down
Ctrl key and press + key until
image enlarges enough to read...

Pages in progress...
watercolor & mixed media,
vintage image clipped from a magazine

bits of fabric, hand-painted papers,
hand-cut stencil, scrapbook paper,
Sharpie marker & white gel pen.
The watercolor background does not
blend well as this is a dry medium sketchbook,
and the paper doesn't absorb water media well.
Hope to try making a little art journal from
Teesha Moore's instructions on her blog.
It takes me at least a year to fill my art journal,
and it's fanning out, stuffed with mixed media.
Hope the binding holds up...!

Art Journal Sketch

Sketch done in my art journal, drawn from a
National Geographic photo. Masai bride in her wedding finery...
her expression is sad as she is dressed to
leave her family for her
"arranged" wedding. Her large beaded collar
(which I chose not to detail in my sketch)
is made from small beads arranged in color blocks and stripes...
wonderful artistry. The geometric background is not
necessarily authentic but suggestive of
tribal African designs.
Ball point pen, permanent marker, black paper

Painted Muslin

painted muslin strips
on 4" x 6" cardboard

"I found I could say things with color and shapes

that I couldn't say any other way -

things I had no words for. " ~Georgia O'Keeffe

Halloween Images

Folding Artist Trading Card
from recycled cardboard
and acrylic paint.

The inside shows the Goblin Queen
using a color copy of an original watercolor.
Purple background is snipped from a magazine.

"Pumpkin Jack"
Original watercolor inspired by vintage images.
WISHING YOU A HAPPY HALLOWEEN
with creative treats and no tricks!

Images copyright dbcarey.
Please do not copy without
the artist's permission.

Shades of Black

mixed media collage, 6" x 6"
Magazine clippings, pen drawing, & found word.

beauty.
Is it the model or the mountain,
the male or the female,
the trees or the clouds,
the drawing or the photograph of ancient metalwork,
the images or the word?

Pebbles in my Journal

Doodling patterns can be soothing...
not sure if these combinations
really work for me...

Sometimes I think we are so busy
thinking of what we are going to say next
that we aren't truly listening
to what is being said...
I am guilty of that.

More Mail Art

Muslin painted & stamped with acrylics,
drawing with permanent marker,
a little sparkle added with gel pen.

Painted, pieced, embroidered,
stamped, and drawing in
permanent marker.

Happy autumn to all!

End-Of-Summer Poem
by Rowena Bastin Bennett

The little songs of summer are all gone today.
The little insect instruments are all packed away;
The bumblebee's snare drum, the grasshopper's guitar,
The katydid's castanets--I wonder where they are.
The bullfrog's banjo, the cricket's violin,
The dragonfly's cello have ceased their merry din.
Oh, where is the orchestra? From harpist down to drummer
They've all disappeared with the passing of the summer.

Autumn Greeting

More quilted postcards...
painted white muslin fabric with acrylic paints
using a brush to quickly blend colors.
I hung the fabric up to dry overnight, and
pressed with an iron on the back side the next day.

Painted muslin was then stamped with black acrylic
using hand-carved stamps, painted free hand with a brush,
and details drawn in Sharpie permanent marker.
Some hand quilting through top two layers
(batting and the painted muslin.)
Machine quilting through the 3 layers of
muslin, batting and cardstock backing.
Zigzag stitch around the outside edge.
We'll see if the puffy results makes it
through the U.S. mail. I have received
wonderful PCs from others, and most seem
to have used interfacing as the "batting"
in between layers, and therefore more flat.

If you try machine quilting on paper, keep in
mind not to make stitches too close together,
as it creates an almost "perforated" area
which could tear easily. The paper backing
helps to make the postcard stiffer and presumably
more likely to make it through the mail system...

Collage Rebirth

Make a color photocopy of one of your collages
at a local office supply store,
then modify it for a new composition
and purpose. This one will be
applied to the front of a composition book,
to be used as a journal.
This collage was from my art journal in 2008.
The little photo of 3 girls (Digital Collage Sheets.com)
in the upper right covers the original face
I had painted. The quotes were added as
a reminder to be open, positive, and
accept yourself as you are...

Art Journal Pages

Had fun doing the images on these pages,
but for some reason "writer's block" struck...
so used some quotes that I found inspiring.
Watercolor background...

Assorted scrapbook paper snippets
adhered to outside borders, magazine clippings
of flowers and the girl's body. I drew the head
and glued it above the body, having fun with
the exaggerated proportions.
Doodling and writing added with
Micron Pigma pen. A few bits of added
color in Sanford Uniball gel pen...

Quilting Art

Sketch for a baby quilt that I am working on...
all cotton fabrics, hand-pieced and hand-quilted,
for a new granddaughter on the way!
As usual, I bought extra fabric, "just in case"
and now have leftovers for other projects...

Tips of fingers get calloused and a bit sore
from quilting, even with the use of a thimble,
but the quilting is my favorite part.
(Basting is my least-favorite part)
Stuck a corner of the quilt in the scanner,
so not the best image but you get the idea...
hope to post photos when it's done--
hopefully in time for the baby shower!

Mini collages

Painted papers mounted on black.

















They measure 1 and 1/2 inches including black frame.

Heart Series

Collages made from painted papers...

Acrylics, watercolor and crayon

Black fine-point marker

paint applied with paintbrush,
and some white applied with palette knife...

Inspired by a friend's poetry.

Life is full of color!

Rose Petal Soup

Here is a sketch done in 2004, reborn as a watercolor (and acrylic) in 2009. This celebrates the visit of a very sweet little girl who took some old roses ( I should have thrown them away before my visitors arrived...they were pretty wilted) and removed all the petals to make "rose petal soup!" I thought perhaps she had read it in a story but turns out it was her own creative recipe. I gave her a bowl and a spoon and she had a great time stirring her "soup" and feeding it to her baby doll. She played with triangular wooden blocks and dolls and whatever she could find around here. I recently enjoyed seeing her again at a mutual friend's party and it reminded me of the sketch I had done but not quite finished. So I located the drawing in one of my sketchbooks and used
watercolors and acrylics to finish it.

Thoughts

Art Journal Page:
White Uni-ball Signo pen
on black notebook paper
and Ultra Fine Point Sharpie marker
on white drawing paper.
Image of girl from
Georgia House Publishing LLC.
Quote is from a poem entitled
Some People by Rachel Field.

Postcard Art

Received this marvelous quilted postcard
from Christy B in NC. Thank You!
Hand-dyed fabric that she purchased
is machine quilted
onto a watercolor paper backing.

Two postcards that I sent out this week
to members of the mmartfriends yahoo group.
They are hand appliqued and quilted.
Embroidery floss used to edge the appliques.
I used interfacing between the two layers
but it wasn't very stiff, so I wrote "hand cancel"
on the back...hope they arrive safely!

Art in Small Sizes

"Nest" ATC
made from scrapbook papers,
painted brown paper bag,
& painted and hand-stamped papers.
There is a touch of gold sponged
onto the brown paper bag, along with
the brown acrylic paint.
Again, can't resist using scraps left over
from other projects...

Altered clothing tag: this tag of
heavy black plastic has the brand name
f.l.p. imprinted in the surface.
Black makes an effective contrast to
the painted papers.
Wonder if it would hold up if I
put it on my car key ring? It measures
1 3/8 inches by 4 3/4 inches,
so might help me spot them more easily!
Probably need to apply a couple of
coats of gel medium.