Acrylic Paint and Rubber Stamps Experiment

From an old Somerset Studio issue, the technique: take text pages out of old books. Paint one side in your choice of acrylic color(s). Let dry. Add rubber stamp images/patterns to taste. Then use papers however you wish. These kinds of experiments are so instructive when it comes to what colors work together. This one? not so much ... Gosh. I love these.

Inspiration Synchronicity

One of my 3 favorite truck photos from my Daddy-O's and my trip to Jerome a few months back -- remember Old White, here? My Uncle Ray, the one I always refer to as The Real Family Artist? He told me way back when I first posted the pics that he was going to paint this one. I didn't have time to open my mail from yesterday until just now, here at work -- look what was in it for me ... Scanned copy of the painting by my Uncle Ray [aka Ramon] ... whew, woo, wow!! Yea, The Real Artist!!

Journal for a Friend

Front cover. When I took Kelly Kilmer's workshop, I bought some of the bond paper she used for the interior pages, so I could make another journal at a later time. Friday after work, I visited an art supply store here, as I needed heavy gel medium and I wanted a large sheet of paper for the cover of this journal. I decided on a plain charcoal sheet in lieu of one of the really gorgeous handmade sheets, because I knew the decorative tapes and other decorative papers I'd use would cover most of it. I attempted some beading on the tie-offs on the spine, but boy does my beading need work, ha! I also mis-measured, so the cover is larger by far than the interior pages, but I'm going to add some pockets and pretties to hold ephemera or notes, and make use of the extra space.

And if she likes it, this journal will be traveling to a friend who is commencing her own visual art journaling experience. I still haven't finished using the pages in the one I made in Kelly's workshop, and now, having made this one on my own, I know I'll be fine when I need another for myself.

Final Written Journal Backgrounds, and 1 A La Peter Beard

These are the last five backgrounds in my current journal -- I'm almost there! Grazie. The black and white image is a copy of one side of a mail art "thank you" postcard I made for a friend, and really liked. Paper and envelope scraps, otherwise, except for a transfer in the lower right corner. Lotus Rose. Postcard copy, from my collection. All paper scraps and the Lotus Rose piece from The Tuscan Rose and/or Patty. Butterfly postcard tucked in for extra journaling, and an orange-patterned index card. Harlequin stamps new, from Purple Onion Designs. This postcard always makes me grin. Chorus Line. Frame from Veronica. Tags, scrap and image from Patty/The Tuscan Rose. Acrylic paint. Inward Journey. Transfer of a portion of a postcard from my collection -- my transfers are improving. I did this one to a piece of glossy copier paper and it turned out really well. Lea Cioci rubber stamped words. Paper scrap, acrylic paint. I love this one, actually! December Woman. Rubber stamp images, mainly, and text ... some kind of butcher paper scrap, too. A La Peter Beard Side 1 - paint, funky scotch tape, hand-carved stamped images. Fun fun fun to do ... yes that IS my big paw print! This is just the first base layer -- I'm going to add more texture and rubber stamp images. A La Peter Beard, Side 2. Base only, will add more to this, also.

Masterboard

Traci Bautista actually got me started playing with this idea. I do these infrequently, usually for a head-clearing exercise. Then I scan them and use them in all kinds of different ways, on cards, in my journal, for tags. Thought I'd try the grayscale feature on my scanner today -- looks pretty cool. Paper scraps and favorite images and rubber stamps and embossing, stickers, postage stamps, you name it, I probably threw it on here. It's so relaxing, doing these! Anyway, feel free to download these and use them if you like them. Cut them up, re-work the images, get crazy!

Dreams of Paris

Reves de Paris (Dream of Paris). Mixed media canvas for Candy, initially inspired by some Paris stickers she sent me. Apologies for a horrid scan, but I already sent it off so couldn't re-do!

Green Piece

Ahhh. My precious Miss V received her green piece package, so now I'm allowed to post it here. Again, this was one of our personal exchanges/challenges, to use a color in a monochromatic way on any kind of project we wished. The front cover, previously posted. The theme of this book is to encourage V to believe in herself as an artist. Like all of us, she can sometimes doubt it, but I NEVER DO!! Inside front cover. Title of the piece is YOU ARE AN ARTIST. This is also my first flag book, which I've been wanting to attempt for a loooooooonnnngggg time! Note: NEVER again use corrugated paper for the folded spine, as nothing wants to stick to it. Took 25 pounds of heavy gel medium for each insert to stay PUT. Tags 1-3 - fronts. Each message, front and back, is related to Veronica being an artist. Backs of Tags 1-3. Tags 4-6, fronts. On the far right, not visible in the scan, are the stamped words: USE EVERYTHING IN YOUR ART. Backs of Tags 4-6. Inside back cover, using a scan of one of Miss V's pieces for me, cut into three parts, and a photo of Zoe (also a Miss V fan). A fabric butterfly, rub-ons, buttons. Again, back cover with vintage post card tied on with a ribbon.

Card for My Beloved Aunt Judy

The 'serenity' stamp is from Artistic Outpost, and completely set the tone for this card. The little girl is my maternal grandmother, Lydia, when she was a wee wee lassie! My 'folks' on My Lovely Mother's side were/are all rural, farming people, and this Artistic Outpost image captures that for me.

Sneak Peek - The Green Piece

Veronica's challenge for the two of us this time was to do a monochromatic piece -- I chose the color green. Since I already gave Miss V this same sneak peek, I thought I'd share it with you. I'll post the contents once Veronica has received the piece. Working in only one color IS A LOT HARDER THAN IT SOUNDS, and I did deviate in a few places. Front cover. I love the effect of the collaged postage stamps overlaid by the embossed woman stamp image. Mmmmmmmmm. Back cover - includes a vintage postcard, tied with a ribbon, and a stencil on hand-painted paper.

Aloha piece for Tia Rosemary

Sweet Melissa, who was my oldest male child's lady for 4+ years, remains my friend. She reported to me that her Tia Rosemary loves my blog and my creations. Being as I was in need of a project to get me OUT of my journals, I asked about Tia Rosemary's favorite things, so I could make something for her. Melissa and I will present it when we all meet up for coffee, an arrangement we're still working on! The piece turned out so happy-feeling that I decided to use a close-up of a portion of it for my new blog header! I call this piece Aloha. Tia Rosemary loves purple, royal blue and pink, and wants to travel, especially to Hawaii! ['scuse the sorry background, but Aloha is outside dangling from my makeshift clotheslines while the sealer dries.] Upper left corner. Magazine image I love! Floral fabric swatches from Mercedes. Star chipboard shapes, Bella baubles, glitter. Lace 'crown' piece from Mercedes. Hand painted paper punched into flowers to go on her head. Upper left corner. Hand painted flowers, white & black rub-ons, acrylic paint. Lower left corner. Parrot playing card, floral fabric piece, and metro pass from Mercedes. Bella baubles from Miss V. Rub-ons. Lower right corner. Pink fabric square from a wallpaper sample book. Gold lace pieces throughout from Mercedes at Alterado, gift from Madrid! Butterfly from a wallpaper border roll. Rub-ons, and Bella baubles from Miss V. I love this rubber stamp image, here in the center of the white. The 'R' is for Rosemary, naturally. And a little lace and glitter crown!

My Own Paper - The Attempts Go On

Autumn Cape. Acrylic paint. It actually started out as an attempt at a transparency transfer, gone awry, as do ALL my transfer attempts.
Editor's Note: Very soon I'm going to have a magazine-&-book-burning in the middle of my doggone patio, all these transparency techniques that never flippin' work, eesh, blimey, shite! [What do you mean, operator error! Bite your tongue!] The only transfers that work for me are packing tape transfers. I've tried gel medium, I've tried spritzing glossy paper with water, I've tried that Citrus gel goop. pfffft. I'm not saying UNCLE yet, but I'm close.

Meanwhile, if you like this paper, please go ahead and download it and use it. Just trim off the stooopid wire binding edge my scanner refuses to cut off even when I tell it to (grin)! I made it after sitting on my patio at sunset on Thursday and soaking in the way the sky colors are deepening, the very very beginnings of leaf brownings, the hot pink layers of the lower horizon.

Start Something Measurable

Mail Art, Baby. But I'm not tellin' who it's for!

Sunday's Offerings

More blank cards for My Lovely Mother. This is one of the vintage postcards from my collection. I made the card so that the recipient can take the original off, and there is a similar image (a painted rubber stamped image) beneath.

Red Calla Lilies and Mesh

Very slowly, I'm beginning to attempt to make my own papers. This is the first 'page' I've liked enough to share, although it began as a visual journal page. Tell me what you think.

Something Different

Didn't wanna journal last night. Didn't wanna read or watch a movie. Didn't wanna do dishes, either [although I did clean the tub in the master bath]. Decided to fool around with some of my favorite photographs, see if I could muster something up that could become a postcard at some point. One of my old truck photos, wallpaper & ledger bits from Patty at the Tuscan Rose. I'm smitten with these trucks; they are my new NOT AT ALL SECRET crushes [thanks, Dad!]. My love, Ciera, in a photo I cherish taken by her Daddy. All the paper scraps & flowers came from Patty in a swap that is still nourishing my art!

Nude 1 & Nude 2

Source of inspiration for these two efforts: Casey at rue Manuel bis I scrounged through all my files to find nude images to attempt to sketch. They are in short supply, it seems - hence these two were copied from photos in a book of black and white 'erotic' photography! For 47 years I've been telling myself, "You can't draw. You can write, but you can't draw." Pfffft. I think that was a serious untruth. PRACTICE! PRACTICE!! I was giddy Friday night after finishing these two watercolor/ink/pencil sketches, giddy I tell you! I DREW THESE! I DREW THESE!!! Crazy happy with myself! That mood inspired the Me & My Dance visual journal page in the previous post!

Raphaella

A canvas for my friend Benita. She loaned me, with enthusiastic recommendation, the book A Perfect Stranger, by Danielle Steele. I've never read a Danielle Steele book -- got 41 pages into it and was flush with the ideas for this canvas. Reading can now continue, at least until the next canvas idea takes over my head!!!

Canvas for Dad