Quotations IV

To be yourself in a world constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Follow your inner moonlight; don’t hide the madness.
Allen Ginsberg

Adopt the pace of nature, her secret is patience.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

The average adult laughs 15 times a day; the average child over 400 times a day.Martha Beck

I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.
Og Mandino

If you hear a voice within you say, “You cannot paint,” then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.
Vincent van Gogh

Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.
Rumi

Sadness flies on the wings of the morning and out of the heart of darkness into the light.
Jean Giraudoud

If you really want to,
you can hear me say
“Only if you want to
will you find a way.”
If you really want to
you can seize the day.
Only if you want to
will you fly away.
“Only If” by Enya

God is the friend of silence. See how nature — trees, flowers, grass — grows in silence. See the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. We need silence to be able to touch souls.
Mother Theresa

Happy is the friend who knows what to remember of the past, what to enjoy in the present, and what to plan for in the future.
Arnold Glasgow

Write the bad things that are done to you in sand;
Write the good things that happen to you on a piece of marble.
Arabic proverb

Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.
James Matthew Barrie

Solitude begets whimsies.
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu

I have never found a companion so companionable as solitude.
Henry David Thoreau

Marbled Background

Marbled Background

Consider using a large piece of paper and cutting into cards when background is complete. Chalk with Versamark chalks if available, not dry chalks. Choose several colors that set off your center. Generously rub a cotton ball in each color and lay aside. Hold Versamark pad upside down and rub over surface of card. With one color, dab chalk sparsely on surface. Repeat with other colors until area is quite covered. For a more blended look, rub a clean cotton ball over the entire square, rubbing in circles with light pressure.

Backgrounds – Artist Trading Cards

Backgrounds – Artist Trading Cards

• Date stamp. Use heavy=weight watercolor paper cut to size. Add backgrounds with watercolor wash, cheap acrylics thinned in half by water or light-colored blotted ink. Using date stamp (office store) cover background with date. Straight reading line text, angled text, rows, whatever.
• Dry brush acrylic paints onto background, hatch strokes. Soften edges by adding wisp of paint with very dry brush. Same color or complementary or neighbor.
• For a shimmery background, mix pigment embossing powder with clear powder. Using large rubber stamp with lots of detail, ink with Versamark Stamp Pad, then stamp and emboss. Shimmery, glossy effect.
• Unusual background. Use partially stretched cheesecloth on ATC, either covered, nearly to the edges or overlapped. Attach with staples – colored staples if you have them.
•   1)Antique embossing. Some time needed. Use watercolor paper #120. Choose a stamp design that fits nicely on ATC – try mosaic, floral, antique designs. Or you can use smaller design and repeat. 2) Stamp design with clear embossing ink, sprinkle with clear powder and melt with heat gun. 3) Apply acrylic paint over entire surface and let nearly dry and then gently scrub paint from embossed area using damp terry cloth. 4) Add metallic rub-on for added dimension.

Quotations III

Art is the only way to run away without leaving home. Twyla Tharp

A single fantasy can transform a million realities.
Maya Angelou

Christopher Robin spent the morning indoors going to Africa and back.
AA Milne

You cannot create experience. You must undergo it.
Albert Camus

When one door of happiness closes, another opens,
but often we look so long at the closed door
that we do not see the one that has opened before us.
Helen Keller

I dream about the roots of trees
and where they travel underneath us,
and how they sustain us from above.
I marvel at tree canopies and spectacular branches.
SARK

When you walk to the edge of all the light you have
and take that first step into the darkness of the unknown,
you must believe that one of two things will happen:

There will be something solid for you to stand upon,
or, you will be taught how to fly
poem by Patrick Overton from his book, Rebuilding the Front Porch of America, 1997

Still More ATC Inspirations

When my fishy-cards came out I got a lot of responses from everyone. Now I am going to throw out some different topics and you can see what your Muse has to say about experimenting. (I bet she’s all for it.).

1) For you science enthusiasts out there. (We DO have some science lovers, don’t we?) Obtain an old copy of Gray’s Anatomy, or any other book that details the insides and the outsides of a human body. I’d look for something in the used book store. When I went to check availability, I found four different sources. As a suggestion, do a pen and ink rendition of a tiny part of the body, using as much detail as you can. Consider hatchings for shading and contrast. Or you can use your favorite medium. So what will you try? Heart? Brains? Skeleton? Big toe? It’s up to you and your Muse. You can always do these as a set or individually for trading.

2) Use photography to capture your favorite hobby or subject. Take a series of shots. (Me? I’m always looking for gates, some unusual, some just regular.) I have friends who do their series’ in lighthouses, windows, and unusual signs. Anything that interests you is a perfect subject. Don’t fret about the subject, just go take some pictures.

Modify with PhotoShop or other graphics program if you want. Although I never use a software program BECAUSE I don’t own one.  It could be interesting to do all the photos in one tint, do them in sepia, or use one of the artist medium tools.

Reduce image size to 2 1/2″ by 3 1/2″ or smaller if you will use them for artist trading cards. You can either cover the entire card, or use only a part and add a different technique for the uncovered part.

5) Do some ATCs in a puzzle piece style. Use heavy weight paper or medium weight board for the background and to support the puzzle pictures. Use a magazine or a graphics designer catalogs. Designer catalogs, about two inches thick and full of varieties of photos and drawings, are great fun to use. Go to the used book store for these, too. They may seem a little pricey but examine the book and think of all the possibilities. Anyway, you figure out how to make the puzzle pieces. Are they going to make a picture, maybe a small part of a well-known logo? Maybe you’ll do a play on colors from magazine pix? Or only scatter a few pieces on the card, or let a puzzle piece be absent?

So go play. Let me know how you are doing.

ATC Ideas

More ideas to document while inspiration is fresh so I can come back and see which ideas I am interested in doing.

1. I took a picture recently of a nearby lake on a calm day; the reflection in the water was a perfect duplicate. Try doing a minimalist watercolor spread over 3 cards. (Use a larger piece of watercolor paper and trim into 3 cards after paint has dried for a panoramic spread and a set of 3.) Maybe use a charm with a lake theme in the lower corner of each card. Charm could be an anchor, sailboat, fish, nautical wheel, compass… Or attach a sparkly threesome of jewels.

2. The planets have been especially bright on these clear summer nights. I was relaxing in my backyard atop a small rise, when I was treated to a lovely sight – two falling stars, about 10 minutes apart. Inspiration for an artist trading card, very simply done. Dark background (for night sky), yellow acrylic paint for the two falling stars. Add glitter to the stars using a gold glitter pen. Using small cut-out letters from newspaper, junk mail or magazine, add a two word description either going along vertical side or positioned around a corner. Some thoughts – twin shooters, falling twins, night show, night glory.

3. Another idea for a shooting star card. Ink drawing, either simple or detailed, of the stars. Perhaps add a ringed Saturn or a red Mars with its lakes in the background. Use ink on white or a wash of paint on watercolor paper or other heavyweight paper like cardstock to keep it simple. Try embellishing by sewing yellow seed beads onto background.

4. Continuing on the night sky theme, wtaercolor a background with dark color. While still wet, sprinkle sea or kosher salt (larger grains than table salt) onto the paint. Let dry and brush off salt crystals. Embellish with ‘night lights’.

5. Using black, gray and white pictures from magazines, cut paper into 1 inch squares. Mix squares and glue sets of four on several ATCs. Draw a black ‘frame’ around each ‘inchie’ or leave as is for the minimalists. Make a simple mark (a zig-zag, Greek or Chinese letter, hieroglyph, etc.) in a contrasting color on each card, a slightly different mark on each card. Good technique for making sets of 9 – the ultimate set.

Fishy Set of ATCs – Another 6 Art Techniques

6. If you’re talented with rubber stamps and can make your own, try this. Make an angel fish, complete with stripes on body. Using cardstock and a Versamark stamp pad, ink the image and emboss using UTEE. Heat set. Tear blue or green paper into wavy strips and adhere to part of card for a ‘watery’ background. Do a light watercolor wash if desired.

7. Use your own idea for the background. Make an angel fish, cutting or tearing silvery and related colors of paper into mosaic pieces. Add bits for black stripes and seal with matte medium.

8. A silly idea. Good to be silly – who knows where your imagination will take you. Put the angel fish on stage. Draw a simple stage and add color. Add microphone. Arrange a dancing, singing fish balancing on its’ tail. (at an angle) Add a ballet or tap shoe or whatever. Maybe a cane and top hat. Use your imagination.

9. Crazy ideas are fun, too. Use crayon resist for angel fish and do it crazy! Is the fish on a picnic or sitting on a park bench? Smelling the garden or flying an airplane? Sillier the better. Have fun with this one.

10. Chalk background and set with spray if necessary. (Use spray outside or very well ventilated.) Apply two angel fish about 2/3rds down the card. Use coral (or another color) fibers to make ‘coral’ to hide the fish. Or make a bed of reeds for them to take cover in. (Reeds are their natural habitat – read the article listed under the angel fish picture.)

11. Use markers, black pen liner and glitter glue stick to make aquarium with angel fish and a school of neon tetras.

12. Using three colors of cardstock, cut 1 inch squares. Approximately 4 will cover card when leaving space between them. Cut to make them fit leaving 1/16th” in between. You can leave enough space on the bottom and one side for small script if you wish to add words. Use any kind of mark maker to draw tiny angel fish in 3 of the blocks. Make them all the same or different. Whatever. In one of the boxes draw tiny blue/red neon tetras. Apply squares in a grid using matte medium. Using a metallic pen, inscribe words if wanted. You can write ‘angel fish and tetras’ enough times to fill the space or write a true fact about the fish, find a quote or write your own colorful description.

Twelve ideas for an angel fish set of ATCs. You could do nine of the cards to make a nine card set to fill a plastic trading card holder (binder insert). Or store them in a metal band-aid box decorated aquarium style or with a modern design of silver and black lines. (Sand first so paint will adhere to surface.) Then you can take them out and enjoy handling or sharing them whenever you are so inspired.

Fishy Set of ATCs – 6 Art Techniques

I’ve had much time to think of ideas for ATCs since I’ve spent a fair amount of time sitting in hotel rooms. I haven’t done any of these yet, but I’ll throw some of these idea seeds out in the next few posts to percolate. Later to browse and consider. Maybe a fresh idea will turn into a favorite ATC and you’ll be inspired, too.

I recently visited the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. What a marvelous experience! I came away with many ideas for art-making and scribbled them down while stuck in Dan Ryan traffic. Although I saw many species of lizards, mammals and fish at the aquarium, I was inspired by the regal angel fish and also the tiny neon tetras. Reminded me of the aquarium we had when my children were little. Such nice memories, perhaps I’ll immortalize them in artwork.

http://www.twilightbridge.com/hobbies/aquariums/angelfish.htm

I plan to work on a new series focusing on angel fish adding a few neon tetras on the side for a bit of brighter color. So here’s a scatterings of ideas to consider.

http://www.twilightbridge.com/hobbies/aquariums/neontetra.htm

1. First, an aquarium. Using dark cardstock, spritz with Clorox bleach. (Use gloves, protective eyewear, protect surface with newspaper and properly dispose.) Alternatively, use a gel dish washer product (dish washer, not dish detergent) and use a toothpick wrapped with a tiny bit of cotton to dip in gel and spot the background. This will turn the black paper one of a variety of shades depending on who manufactures the cardstock. I’ve seen brown, lavender and blue so far. Add bits of green and blue (try paper, string, fancy fibers) for plants and fashion a piece of sandpaper or a flat sheet of cork to make the bottom layer. Place a rendition of an angel fish as focal point — Photoshop-enhanced photo, sketch, cut-out, etc. With a toothbrush used only for art (obviously) spatter bits of red/blue paint for tiny neons.

2. Another aquarium. Collage a blue/green background using long, narrow strips of torn thin paper (magazines, gift wrap, specialty paper, whatever is available) laid horizontally and layered for the ‘water’. Cut angel fish shape from a geometric- patterned magazine picture or from black/silver paper and apply with acrylic matte medium. To add a little color if desired, use a standard hole punch on orange or yellow paper and distribute as ‘fish bubbles’. Coat with matte medium on both sides.

3. Do background by lightly sponging with blue, green, lavender acrylic that has been diluted by half with water. Using colored pencils, sketch and color an angel fish. Complete by adding several layers of matte acrylic medium.

4. Transform an angel fish into an angel. Transfer a copy of an image of fish onto paper using clear packing tape method. Cover image with tape, wet thoroughly, rub off paper backing until image is clear. Add wings and halo using found objects. Cutting wings from a metallic gold leaf skeleton (found in craft stores) makes a unusual set of wings with an ethereal effect.

5. Paint background in bright acrylic paint – any color. Add pix of angel fish. Adhere a piece of stretched and pulled cheesecloth (do not be neat about this; large random holes should be apparent) over fish to imitate netting. Dye the cheesecloth before gluing if wanted, though I stayed with a natural color. Use a spray adhesive for adhesion. VENTILATE. Use outdoors source when spraying if possible.

6. If you’re talented with rubber stamps and can make your own, try this. Make an angel fish, complete with stripes on body. Using cardstock and a Versamark stamp pad, ink the image and emboss using UTEE. Heat set. Tear blue or green paper into wavy strips and adhere to part of card for a ‘watery’ background. Do a light watercolor wash if desired.

More ideas to follow.  Give me a couple of days.

Visual Journal and Journaling

Once the background on the journal page is completed and your artwork in interspersed on the page, perhaps it is time to do some journaling. Whether it’s only a few words or a full entry, there are many techniques to use besides the “write it down in the blank space.” Here are a few I’ve used in my current visual journal.

1. Attach a small envelope on the page. Paint, collage, draw, write, whatever, on the front of the envelope. Write your journaling on lined notebook paper or an unusual bit of paper (perhaps handmade?) and slip it into the envelope. Don’t seal unless the message is a private one.

2. Affix a pocket (from old shirts, jeans, specialty paper, or new fabric) to the page. Slip a paragraph of journaling inside.

3. Journal using a bullet list. Make it an elaborate to-do list for the future (week, month, year?) if you wish.

4. Journal a dialogue, using opposite points of view.

5. Journal on vellum that is placed on printed paper, vintage papers, or photographs.

6. Write a letter, extolling the virtues of a friend or family member.

7. Attach an image from a photo to the page by the top edge only. If you have sewing skills, you can stitch the top with bright embroidery thread. Hide journaling under the flap.

8. Journal on a piece of vellum. Then place bits of colored paper on its backside to highlight important words.

9. You can always add the familiar quote or poem, perhaps using different colors or unusual mark makers, (perhaps crayon or conte pencils.

10. Use your computer to journal on a separate piece of paper using an old ‘typewriter’ font. (Or if you have access to an old typewriter, type it.) Print the journaling on an ink-jet transparency, vellum or a light shade of paper and use eyelets to fasten to page.

11. Choose a word that most describes the page you’re working on. Copy or cut-out a definition from an old dictionary or a list of synonyms from an old thesaurus and adhere to a chalked tag.

12. Draw lines (can be wiggly, at an angle, or freestyle) horizontally covering the page. Use a single color (or more) depending on your mood. Print journaling on some or all of the lines in black pen or other complementary color. Add doodles in between some of the words or on the edges.

More Slide Mount Altered Art (Also can be used on ATC’s)

Another six projects.

7. Stars
Sponge color on the edges of several slide mounts, using sea sponge, make-up sponge, crumpled plastic wrap, crumpled wax paper or simply a wad of paper towel. Use 1 – 3 colors. Decorate with metallic stars, either lick-on or self adhesive paper stars, or metal stars. Place them on each corner. Cut a picture from a magazine, etc. and photocopy onto cardstock. Use the copy on your slide mount; it will hold up better. Photos of planets, moon, etc. work well, but use anything you wish. Use the slide mount as a view finder and choose part of picture you want visible through the center. Affix to interior of mount and seal. If you have made several, arrange them together. Wire works well to hold them in place — two wires on each side.

8. Handwriting
For a different look, write 3 or 4 lines in long hand, about 6 inches long. Perhaps you’ll write something original, a poem or a quotation. Choose from a variety of papers and writing tools. I have used Conte pencils with good results, either burnt sienna or raw umber. Or try Sharpies or gel pens, or silver or gold metallic on black paper. This amount of handwriting should cover at least 2 slide mounts. Glue the handwritten paper on the slide mount. For the center, consider using a faux or regular postage stamp or maybe a tiny hand from a bead shop.

9. Option for #8
Use the handwriting technique described in #8 to do 4 slide mount fronts. The handwriting can be all the same or use different papers and mark makers. Fill each center with a canceled postage stamp. Cut a square background of heavyweight paper with room enough to affix the 4 slides. Before adhering stamps, use a watercolor wash on the background. Wrap twine, string, hemp, excelsior or whatever, around the square background paper. You can stamp the wrapped twine surface with permanent ink for additional color. Mount the completed slides and hang with whatever cord you used. Sometimes I forgo hanging, and add to a collage, mixed media piece, or simply stand on an easel.

10. Playing Card
Use the back of a playing card to cover the front of a slide mount. Use any card available. I find it fun to use a standard, patterned print in blue and/or red. (Bicycle Brand) If no ards are available, you an purchase a two-pack at a dollar store for a buck. Cut out a heart, diamond, etc. for the center. Glue a penny or a bingo marker or bingo number to the corner of the mount.

11. Gingham
Cover a slide mount with either gingham fabric or gingham paper (found in a scrapbooking shop.) Mount a piece of fruit in the center — some suggestions are a magnet, a miniature photo, or a sticker. Wrap a matching rick-rack or ribbon around all sides, as if you were tying a package and adhere to back.

12. Movies
Copy a miniaturized photo of a favorite star (Johnny Depp? Bing Crosby? Paul Newman?) 8 to 10 times. Overlapping, glue the tiny photos on the entire cover of a slide mount. You can use sepia for the copy paper or color the faces with chalk or water soluble oil pastels. (Just color the same feature on each copy — blue eyes or red cheeks or blonde hair.) Fasten movie ticket to center. Cut letters from newspaper of magazine or use adhesive letters in contrasting colors to write FAME on the bottom.