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.

Coffee and Collage: T is for Tuesday

Sketches and collage in my

Green Eco Smash book:

A very plain mug - I think it was

a cream color - along with scissors

and a paint brush.

Stop by Elizabeth's blog

whose 'T is for Tuesday' challenge

I am linking  this week.

While most of the participants have shared photos

of their beverage container, I remembered this 

drawing (above) and decided to go with it.

The facing page of the spread, (above)

reveals a bit of a whine...

have you been subjected to video game

sounds in a waiting room?  I very nearly

asked the person to turn them off, but no one

else seemed to be bothered, so I just prayed

the offender would be called into the office 

quickly.  I really despise that 'plunking' sound

every time the screen is touched. I wrote my

reaction down on a scrap of paper, knowing

I would put it in an art journal. The 

Jerry Seinfeld quote just seemed to fit...

ACTING on ideas makes Art.

Don't think so much, just DO.

The pre-printed background in

the Eco Smash journal has this phrase

printed in white: "Ideas are a little like

Magic Beans; they can grow us skyward."

This spread features magic marker drawings

and lettering cut from posters I've done for

illustrated talks.  They seemed to have

 too much possibility to throw away.

'T' is for Tuesday,

'C' is for coffee and collage...

what letter are you working on today?

Draw, Paint, Collage. On Index Cards

Two weeks worth of index cards...

Acrylic craft paint on 4"x 6" index cards for the first of
the two weeks~July 6-12, 2013
 of the Index Card a Day challenge.

Visit Tammy at Daisy Yellow to visit other

artists doing the challenge!

July 8 & 9 - I decided to add some

drawing with the Sharpie pen...

July 10 - I drew a face over the

dried acrylic paint with a Sharpie

bullet-tip marker. Highlights added

with white Sakura jellyroll pen.

The paintings above and below started out

being a "wipe your brush free of color and

excess water" surface. Then the pen lines 

were drawn to suggest  brush strokes;

dashes and dots suggesting the stops and

starts of paint going onto the paper surface.

For the second week, July 13-19:  
Above, doodle motifs were added to 

sections of this painting for added texture.

Above, a Sharpie pen drawing after

a photo of a fresco of an archangel...

A collage from scraps, above.

Tulips and a bird, inspired by American folk art...

I think I will revisit this theme in the future.

"Draw and Paint your own embellishments

whenever you can."  Pink scrapbook paper,

hand-drawn green label, and my painting

of a violet-inspired flower in the left corner.

More dash and dot drawing over paint,

this time with watercolors.  Below, a tiny

collage added as a focal point to

the painted background.

Twelve days left of the Index Card a Day challenge.

Next week, I plan to create some cards

inspired by American Folk Art.  So stop by

 to see some art inspired by 

early American Frakturs.

To see some Folk Art from previous years,

go here and here.

Many thanks to all who visit!

Words and Doodles ~ ICAD 2013

Above is a quote from a Public Radio interview

of a 'creative life coach.'  Sorry to say I didn't get

his name written down, but he was saying that 

asking the right question can make us view things

in a whole new light, and energize us into action.

As someone who has to be ever vigilant about

maintaining my weight, I ask myself this question

every day!

A quote from the book 'Good Mail Day.'

It's a fun, inspiring, and motivational book

about mail art. I think this is a good way to

get over the 'blank paper' fear:  Don't think,

just make!

Quote from Randy Plowman's book

'The Collage Workbook,' another

excellent book about making collage,

with well-written guidelines and 

fun ideas to try.

As our Independence Day approached here in

the U.S. I thought it would be a good time to 

look up some quotes by our first president,

George Washington.  

I've been having a lot of fun with my Sharpie pen

and watercolors, but I haven't painted with acrylics

in ages.   I am feeling the desire to get messy with

paint and incorporate that on some of my cards...

so check back for the next installment.  

Post Script: Here are all of my ICADS
since the beginning of the challenge!

Visit Daisy Yellow , and also the ICAD Flickr group

to see more art on index cards.

I have been having some computer difficulties 

this week, with numerous crashes.  Cross your

fingers that I'll figure it out and get things

cleaned up and running smoothly again!

Have a creative week!

A Quote to Celebrate the Fourth of July

"Labor to keep alive

in your breast

that little spark

of celestial fire called

conscience."

~George Washington

 

Science Collages on Index Cards~ 2013

 Mini collages on index cards with

science illustrations from an old book,

and assorted ephemera...

I drew the sprig of flowers in the

upper right corner to repeat the 

motif in the pink scrapbook paper.

The pink flower on the lower right is

my own drawing with watercolor.

The illustration of the man is from a

vintage book that I bought at 

a library sale--a great resource!

More bits of ephemera: text, book illustration,

postage stamp, scrap of soda pop carton, drawings,

and brown paper with paint. It's fun to add the

pen-drawn 'shadows' around the edge of 

some of the shapes, and I have to resist the

urge to do it on every collage!

I am not sure where the Asian lady came from-

perhaps a collage pack?  This collage includes

yellow fabric across the center.

When I create a collage, I try to 'lead the eye'

from left to right across the surface of the

collage.  The viewer's eye can be directed

by the lines, placement of colors and shapes,

and even the edges and open spaces

within the collage.

I also try to repeat some of the colors,

shapes, or motifs within the collage.

Here, there is a repetition of rectangular shapes,

circular shapes, dots, and the color green.

Collages often look 'random,' but I

 put them together intuitively with the

balance of shapes and colors in mind. Above,

 there is a 'stair step' of shapes from the

 upper left down to the phrase 'Modern Life.'

The circular diagram and the tree motif 

on the right keep our eyes from 'falling

off the page' on the extreme right. Our eye

is guided back up into the text and we

can again look across the surface of the 

collage comfortably as many times as we like.

Contrasting unrelated or unexpected 

images gives a fun quality to the piece.

So glad you stopped by --

I hope you enjoyed your visit!  Your

comments are appreciated more than you know...

There are many more artists doing the

ICAD 2013 challenge. Visit Daisy Yellow,

or the Daisy Yellow Flickr Group

to see more great art on index cards!

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!