Seize the Day

Pages in the Bits and Pieces visual art journal:

Collages from scraps of painted paper 

and assorted papers. I especially like the 

little tab that I made (right) from a scrap of 

watercolor paper doodles.

Left, 'Pink' is an extra 4x4 from a swap in 2008.

Right, another collage of scraps with magazine word.

It is a happy circumstance when you run across

art work in the studio (ok, stuffed away in nooks & crannies)

that you had forgotten about.  These hearts in acrylic paint

were successful pieces,
but they are small: about 3 1/2 inches.
I didn't know what I wanted to do with them...

When I ran across them again, I realized

they would be perfect for art journal pages!

Collaged from acrylic and watercolor paintings.

Have you tried doing an entire page of doodles

or abstract shapes in bright colors? Tear them up

and they make wonderful collage ephemera!

Maybe the 'tearing up part' is difficult at first,

but also freeing in a way...try it!

An index card with a Monet quote...found on 

Lynne Hoppe's blog. I don't remember seeing this

quote before, but it expresses the frustration that

many artists feel. Critics make a living of 

'evaluating and critiquing' art works. Monet 

just wanted people to enjoy his work.

An excellent goal indeed.

Graffiti, Zentangle and Collage

Graffiti Wall

Sharpie pen and highlighter

on index card.

 

 The Index Card a Day challenge will be

over on the last day of June, but that

doesn't mean the creating ends.  The whole

point was to get a habit started! 

Creating every day is good for my mental health...

 just Do It, as the advertising slogan goes.

 

Flower Mandala

Vintage White

Fabric, notions, and watercolor

Pink

Painted paper, scrapbook paper,

magazine image and paper punch scraps.

Zentangle

Zentangle 2

Below: Patterned Stripes

Journal Collages and Index Cards

Bits and Pieces

visual art journal: cover was painted

with gesso and collaged with

hand made paper, remnants of vintage

fabric, buttons and lace.

The first three spreads are from

the Bits and Pieces journal...

Journal borders from fabric, doodles,

and paper.

Yellow 4x4 on the right is an extra I had

 from a color swap in 2008.

The black images are my drawings.

The bird was copied onto clear acetate

after I completed the drawing on paper.

Again, I utilized an extra swap page (on the right)

and attached it with decorative tape.

Tree of Life-

inspired by Medieval art-

in a larger spiral art journal.

Below:

DRAW WHAT YOU SEE

Index Cards

Ball jars on the windowsill

The foot rest on a restaurant chair

Restaurant chair and table...

the tiles on the floor and counters

make an interesting counterpoint to

round tables.

The jumble of equipment on a

restaurant counter.

The above drawings were 'direct to

paper' in pen without any preliminary

sketches in pencil. It was a challenge to

find time in a busy week to draw the index cards!

What did you create this week?

Words in Collage

Happy La Rana

Fabric, watercolor flower, vintage game card,

Loteria card, painted cardboard, found word,

recycled tissue box.

Blues

Watercolor, fabric, recycled tea packaging,

scrapbook paper, ledger paper,

ball point pen, tempera.

Play

Hand-dyed paper (gifted by Diana!)

scrapbook paper, tempera, stamped word,

painted cardstock, color copy of a 

previous collage, ledger paper.

Garden Bouquet

Fabric, cover illustration from a  book of postage stamps,

watercolor and pen. The words are the 

title of the postage stamp.

Not so many cards this week...

life happened.

I am trying to remember to

cherish all the moments...

Miscellaneous Index Cards

Paper Mosaic

Pods

Simplicity

Islamic Motifs

Doll Collage

Live Your Life

13th Century Church

The Art of Sewing

An upcoming wedding is scheduled for October,

and the rush of preparation has begun.

There will be two flower girls for 

strewing petals from these little bags.

I made two lined bags from burlap and white muslin.

They are adorned with a white muslin rose

and vintage pearl beads. (click on the
image to see enlargement) The pearl beads

came from my grandmother's stash from
 Lee Wards, so they certainly should qualify as

'something old!'  I also added a cross-stitch

label inside with the girls' names, so they 

know which bag is theirs. (which for some reason

is important to 3-6 year old girls)

I found the idea for this bag on Pinterest.

But beware. It is extremely addicting!

So many entrancing images...so it can

really be a swallower of large chunks of time.

Whatever your art is, make sure you make the

time for it. Mine will be sewing, decorating, and

arranging flowers in the weeks to come...

Index Card a Day. June and July 2012

The challenge over at Daisy Yellow is

to create art on an index card every day for the

months of June and July, 2012.

So far, so good.

Collage above~Restore~

painted paper, hand-carved stamps,

and postage stamp. Acrylics,

watercolor, and tempera.

Collage using fabric, origami paper,

scrapbook paper, and hand-painted paper.

Pear with Blue, above.

Fabric and painted paper.

Collage of painted paper, scrapbook paper,

and a quote torn from an old textbook.

Index card collage which includes

a pocket and a tag. ' Pointing hand'

drawn in Sharpie marker and watercolor 

washes, along with scrapbook papers.

I hope you are making time for 

creating art this summer!

Medieval Art. On Index Cards.

Triptych of Medieval themes.

Left: Eve; Center: Virgin Mary; Right: Saint Walburga.

Sharpie pen and watercolor on index cards.

Mounted on cotton print fabric.

Angel. 

Bird in tree.

Dragon.

Medieval rendition of plants and trees.

Alphabet. Motifs from illuminated manuscript.

  This art work is

inspired by Medieval master works,

and adapted to line drawing format. Sources were

sculpture, low relief, illuminated manuscript, and 

tapestry. Though the portrayal of people during this

time was quite stiff and lacking naturalism,

I find the motifs and designs in the art work

quite fascinating, and useful for new work.

ICAD and Doodles

Index Card a Day (ICAD) Challenge: Mid-week update~

Collage made from assorted painted papers,

scraps from wallpaper and scrapbook paper,

drawings, and Dover clip art.

I doodle a lot on my journal pages...

I have tried to resist the "Zentangle Craze"

for a long time, and just couldn't any longer.

You may see some patterns that

resemble quilts. (I did!) Anything is

fodder for these little doodles, from

plants and fabric designs, to 

ancient decorative borders found in

Egyptian tombs...
(click on any image to enlarge)

I really didn't need another obsession...

it certainly can be addicting.

These were pasted into my 

visual art journal, and will be a 

reference for designs to add to

my journal pages.

Stop by on Friday when I'll

be posting the rest of my 

Index Card a Day drawings...

it will be a Medieval experience!

Index Card a Day: Week 1

The Index Card a Day challenge is

helping to make 'art every day'

a habit. "Sparkling Collage" above,

includes watercolor, scrapbook paper,

cardstock painted with acrylic,

and hand-drawn images.

This collage includes some images that

I've been saving for quite a while.

The calligraphy is from a piece that 

didn't work out, but I saved this bit 'cause

it was 'still good.' Tree from a magazine,

woman from a clip art sheet. (sorry I

don't know the source)

Fish card, above, is a combination of the

prompts 'fish' and 'dictionary.' Sharpie pen

and watercolor.

This index card will become a postcard

for a Mail Art call. It may be hard

to give it up...I really like how it turned out.

Sharpie permanent markers.

Doodles in Sharpie pen, above.

I've been thinking about making some

'Artistamps' for some time. These were

sketched in pencil and inked in with

Sharpie pen.  Since I am quite a 

'pack rat,' and collect stuff, it seemed

appropriate. (though I'm definitely not

a fan of rats, or even mice for that matter!)

Hop over to Daisy Yellow to find the

links to the other players' cards, or 

even join in! You don't have to catch up,

just start.  One index card every day in

June and July.  It's great fun!