Dance to your own drummer...

Art Journal Page, mixed media:
Watercolor, colored pencil, Sharpie marker.
...though this isn't a true mandala,
it reminds me of one...
messages to feed the spirit...
positive affirmations help me quiet
the inner critic...
another response to the Soul Journal
mandala challenge...visit Collage Diva
if you'd like to join in...

Live in the Moment

Art journal page in gel pen...
reminding myself not to "wish away" the future,
appreciate here and now,
and look for beauty in all things.

Soul Mandala

Soul Mandala: Mixed media art journal page.
Craft acrylic paints, gel pen, hand-carved stamps,
and commercial rubber stamps.
Inspired by Soul Journal Yahoo Group.
Visit Collage Diva to find out more...
Spring colors are still inspiring me...the circular design was a challenge!

Spring Colors

Feed Your Soul--
Spring Colors Art Journal Page,
acrylic on cardboard, torn painted cardstock.
Quote: "The human soul needs actual beauty
more than bread."--D.H. Lawrence
Go Make Something-Make It Mondays
challenged us to be inspired by Spring.
Find your inspiration & feed your soul!

Crayons Aren't Just For Children

Crayons aren't just for kids...
vary the pressure for shading,
overlap and blend several colors,
use as a resist,
rub with a tissue for softening effect,
melt them (I haven't tried this yet)
endless possibilities...

Feed My Soul

Green Collage, 5" x 5"
Mixed media on cardboard:
Watercolor on cardstock, gel pen, marker,
pastels, painted tissue paper.
Computer generated words.
Some of the Collage Fodder from
the previous post made it into
this collage...
Do what feeds your soul!

Collage Fodder

Painted cardstock to be used as collage fodder-
watercolor and gel pen.
These will probably be torn or cut
and applied to collages...
maybe art journal pages, atc's, moo cards,
or in whatever project they can add
some color and texture.
copyright Dianne Bishop Carey 2009

Mini Collage

Mini-collage, 3" x 5", spiral bound index card
"Savor Moments" 2009
Dianne Bishop Carey
scrapbook papers, acrylic-painted cardstock, watercolor,
hand-written words.

Fifties Fashion

circa 1950, copyright A. Janet Burggraf Bishop
Pen and India ink, colored pencil on typing paper
Fashion drawings done by my mother.
She is not sure how old she was when she did these,
probably a freshman or sophomore in high school.
Apparently I inherited some artistic genes
from her. I remember that she often
doodled eyes and lips when she talked on the phone...
not faces, just the face parts!

My mother's drawing is above, my art journal drawing at the bottom. Mom's is in India ink and colored pencil, mine is in ballpoint pen. She drew these models from magazines and clothing patterns.







I attempted to draw the girl in the sweater on my art journal page...the profile is not quite right in my opinion.




A. Janet Burggraf Bishop, 1950

Dianne Bishop Carey, 2009

THE PROCESS-- Mixed Media Collage

MATERIALS:
Recycled cardboard
Gesso
Artist's chalk pastels
"Suave" max hold hairspray (or any inexpensive brand)
Scissors, glue, Sharpie marker
Papers, paint, fabric, ephemera
Hole punch, if desired

Recycle cereal box or other cardboard for substrate.
Cut to size & shape desired. Apply gesso, 1-2 coats.
Apply chalk pastels in desired colors.
"Fix" with inexpensive hairspray. (This is
to help prevent smearing of the chalk)

Choose scraps of fabric, paper, painted papers
to include in the composition.
Color contrast was a main consideration
for this piece. Lay out without gluing
and try several compositions.
Cut, tear, and overlap shapes.

Begin gluing shapes after experimenting with
color contrast, overlap, and how your eye
is guided through the page.
In the western world, our eye is usually
trained to "read" the composition from
(upper) left to right, top to bottom.
Try to guide the eye through the page
by the balance and movement
of shapes, colors, space & contrast.

I usually repeat some colors and shapes
throughout the surface, often using
something an odd number of times,
as in 3 times, or 5 times...
but it's not an absolute...
My process is intuitive.

"Connected" - Pink & Blue Collage

Often, it is difficult to know when the
composition is finished!
Some artists suggest that the artwork
is never "done" it just stops in
an interesting place...
I added layers of undulating lines
to suggest "strata" with
an extra-fine point Sharpie marker.
I used a hole punch to punch holes in this piece
to put into a "ring binder art journal."

Ingrid has been recycling cardboard
to create stunning journal pages in
a recycled ring binder. She has inspired me
to create my own version.
Please visit Ingrid's blog to see her
beautifully executed journals!