T is for TECHO and Trivia

Trivia is defined in my Webster's

Dictionary as "unimportant matters."

My Hobonichi Techo is the place for my

own daily trivia...stuff that is 'important'

only to me. 

Still enjoying learning about these

unfamiliar (to me) fruit that were part

of the Hobonichi Challenge. The

drawings make for colorful pages!

Went to see the movie

Guardians of the Galaxy 2...

not as good as the first movie, but

fabulous special effects and music.

The plot was a bit...I don't know...

choppy?...forced? Still enjoyable 

for Science Fiction lovers, though.

Baby Groot simply stole the show!

Our family had a wonderful Mother's Day,

and I hope yours did too.  I wish I had

taken some photos, but alas I didn't

think to take my camera. 

Linking up for the T Tuesday blog hop over at 

Altered Book Lover's blog. Stop by for a

 beverage and a chat. You can even join in 

with a blog post featuring any kind of 

beverage. (Did you see my little coffee mug 

drawing? It qualifies! 😉) It's a lot of fun

 to see the variety of beverages and

 activities that our blogger friends have 

been up to: travels, creativity, swaps, restaurant

visits, vintage, baking, and beverages.

My choice of beverage is usually coffee, and even

 though the blog hop is called Tea Tuesday, our hostess

graciously permits other beverages! (*smiles sweetly*)

♥ ♥ ♥

 "A coffee a day keeps

the Grumpy away!"

Hobonichi Techo ~ Illustrated Pages

Because of our cottonwood trees,

it has been a week of cotton

on the wind...our yard is covered

in fluffy stuff. The bunches and

twiggy pods have been dispersed

by the lawn mowing, but just 

scattered the cotton in a thinner layer!

Enjoying the sunshine, and doodling

in my Hobonichi Techo journal.

For the record, I really dislike housework.

(You probably already figured that out)

I'd much rather be drawing and journaling!

Above is the requisite

 tea (or in my case, coffee) cup, for

linking to Elizabeth's Tea Tuesday blog hop. 

I like to write about and draw my

crafty pursuits, what's going on,

things overheard...silly stuff...

it's in here. 

It seems odd that we haven't had any

 locusts in our area. I know we've

had them before.  Maybe they overslept...

American Folk Art: Index Card a Day 2013

This week for ICAD, I am featuring

Pennsylvania Dutch motifs from 

Frakturs.  Fraktur-schrift, as it was 

termed in Germany, was a form of calligraphy

named after the 16th century typeface called Fraktur.

(When I learned calligraphy in high school, we

called this style Old English.)  Frakturs were illuminated

documents such as birth and baptismal certificates,

book plates, house blessings and valentines.

Frakturs were highly ornamental, hand drawn and colored,

and usually executed by the schoolmaster
or clergyman, though itinerant artists
were also sometimes available.

The schoolmaster was expected to prepare important 

documents, and also teach his students how to write.

Sometimes the schoolmaster would use an example

of his calligraphy as a reward and token of regard,

presented to one of his students. 

Promising students would copy their schoolmaster's

calligraphy models, but usually with a few changes of

their own, thus developing their own style.

This week's index cards feature motifs that would
be just one small design within the very complex Fraktur.

Highly stylized decorative flowers and birds

were favorite motifs, as was the heart.  Animals

were also sometimes included, such as stags and 

unicorns.  Some Frakturs feature angels or mermaids.

When you consider that the artist was using a 

dip pen, these detailed art works are even
more impressive. Dipping a pen nib into an ink bottle,
 controlling the pressure and direction of each stroke,
 with an eye to the spacing, form

and shape of each letter is quite an intricate task.

Sadly, the increasing popularity of the printing press

decreased the demand for hand-lettered documents.

Fortunately, the highest grade of cotton rag paper

created by Pennsylvania papermakers has

helped these records survive for us to enjoy today.

Source: Treasury of American Design, Vol. 2;

by C. P. Hornung; Abrams Publishing,  c. 1973.

Handicrafts ~ ICAD 2013

The Index-Card-A-Day 2013 Challenge

continues with 15-21.

This week I ended up with the theme

of 'handicrafts.'  My Webster's dictionary

defines it as "an occupation requiring skill

with the hands."  A broad definition.

Above, a sketch of a cookie form

made from cast iron.  Somehow my

bird ended up looking angry...

Above, a motif inspired by chintz fabric.

I love big old-fashioned cabbage rose images.

I decided to draw some of the many pin cushions

that I've made in the last year.  Above, the heart-shaped

pin cushion that I made in February, using traditional

cross-stitch sampler motifs.

This cross-stitch pincushion is a design by

Homespun Elegance, c. 2010.

They call it a 'Pin Poke.'

I really liked the gathered circular shape.

When I got the pattern home, I discovered

that the gathered fabric base was a pre-made

item, and there were no directions included for it.

So...a little trial and error, and I made my own.

As I've mentioned before, I have 

a hard time throwing away any small

scraps of even weave fabric, so here is

a drawing with watercolor of a book mark

that I made using sampler motifs

on 11 count Aida. I whip-stitched the

edge to prevent more raveling.  It's 

considered poor form to cut things 

this close, but the rebel artist in me

doesn't really care about that.

Hope your day is filled with

flowers and bird song.

Stop by Daisy Yellow to see more

ICADs!

American Folk Art; Index Card Conclusion

Theorem painting.

Sharpie pen and watercolor

 on an index card.

This index card art was inspired by

theorem painting, a turn of the 19th century

art form that was taught to young ladies in

the New England area of America. Women in

academies and boarding schools were taught

to embroider samplers and paint theorems,

as a way to become 'accomplished ladies.'

A true theorem was created using stencils.

(so my work, above, is not a true theorem,

but inspired by the fruit still life often depicted)

Theorems often featured fruit, flowers, and 

sometimes birds or insects. They were often

painted on velvet, but also on paper or wood.

Folk art flowers

I delight in the varied flower shapes

and leaves on one stem.

Traditional American folk art

would have used primary colors,

but actual antiques would have a

subdued color palette due to their aging.

The angel, above, is created using 

flourishes and a flower.

Trees, flowers and birds would have been

used on family records, award certificates,

and even mourning art.

The bird above, inspired by an

image that was termed a "peacock."

I have modified its design, but the

long, thin shape is true to the colonial art.

"Pop Ten"

The one card on this post that isn't American Folk Art.

Collaged from a root beer soda carton,

 a Chinese calendar image, a postage stamp,

and a scrap of vintage wall paper.

Was the Index Card a Day Challenge

successful for me?

1.  I didn't make art every single day, but I did keep going for the entire two months, even if I had to make several cards in one day. 
2. I found myself working "in series," which helped me explore a subject, medium, or style in more depth.
3. I did more 'drawing from life' on the index cards than I usually do on my art journal pages. I consider that a positive thing.
4. At first, I spent quite a bit of time visiting other bloggers' sites and commenting on their work. That became time prohibitive, so I was unable to keep it up. Perhaps that is the same situation other artist bloggers found themselves in, because not many visitors commented on my posts after a while. I wonder--were you tired of seeing index cards?
5. I did stick it out for the whole challenge, and have 61 cards to show for it. Some may become mail art, some will go into art journal pages.  I plan to make something to hold the rest of the cards to keep them together.
6. I didn't do any acrylic painting. I think time constraints were the reason.
7. I found that I don't require a "challenge" to make art, but it did give me a "deadline" and a focus. I was more conscious of my commitment to make art. When I go for a few days without drawing or painting, I get that restless feeling, as though I've missed something important. Something as simple as drawing on an index card (or in my art journal) helps me feel happier. A specific deadline brings that need to the fore. A self-imposed deadline could be what is needed.

In the next few months, stop by to see wedding crafts!

Art Journal Faces and Folk Art

Art journal pages created with

scraps of lined paper and maps

as the background for drawings and

an Artchix paper doll.

Collage made from

more scraps and the paper doll,

with magazine text and a 

vintage advertising image.

Art journal page:

Scraps of one of my ink drawings that

was photocopied and cut up. The 

image of the girl may be from

Artchix, but I am not sure...

You can use almost anything in
your art journal pages...

Magazine images and paper scraps

with my drawing/watercolor.

Subdued shades of watercolor

inspired by  a vintage photo.

Collage using

more scraps of drawings and watercolors,

this time brightly colored doodles...

A sketch:

I've told myself that I need to do

more sketching this year. Toddlers are

a challenging subject as they don't 

stand still much! Caught this pose

while she was watching tv.

When I want to do a quick 

journal page, a folk art flower

and a quick quote or thought

make a satisfying exercise...

Many of Emily Dickinson's poems

are quite sad, but this excerpt

speaks to me of brighter moments.

Listen for the song of hope

in your heart, and in your art!

American Folk Art Index Cards

This week I had trouble doing one 

index card each day...

so I did several in one day.

Not the idea of the challenge, I know,

but made me feel like I was

still staying on track.

All of these index cards were inspired

by folk art.

I bought a book at our local library sale

called "American Folk Decoration" by Jean Lipman.

The first copyright date was 1951!. My book is

a reprint from 1972.  Most of the images

in the book were black and white, however,

with one color plate in the front giving

recommendations for authentic colors to be 

used in the designs.

I've given them my own 'twist.'  One thing I 

really like about folk art is that the artists tended to

load up several leaf and flower designs on one stem.

And flowing curlicues abound on some of the designs.

Many folk art designs are symmetrical, which 

means that the design would have a central motif

with the designs on either side of it being a 

mirror of each other. But I personally prefer

asymmetrical designs.

'Lady Washington.'  This is inspired

by a historic sampler which showed both

Lady and General Washington.  I

"prettied her up" a bit, as the original

looked a bit like a man wearing a dress!

The head-dress and sleeves are

quite high style for the times 

I suppose...

Another folk art flower...

the top and bottom flowers are

designs that have developed over

years of making these.

I often try to incorporate as many

shapes and curlicues as possible

into one flower!

Hope your day blooms with art!

Visit the 'DaisyYellow' blog to see

more index card art.

Art Journal Pages in Pink

Bought some

Canson Mi Tientes paper

on sale at our local

Art supply/craft store. They were a real bargain

and I couldn't resist a few sheets.

It made beautiful little art journals,

though working on colored backgrounds

is a bit different for me...

A 'doodle' drawn on the back of

a bit of paper, then combined into

a collage with painted paper.

Enjoy your last bit of summer!