Let that be a lesson to me...

I've been working on both versions of my art journal workshop exercise off and on for the past few days, squeezing in a scribble here, a smudge there, and a swipe of the paintbrush in passing.

Right now my desk is covered in supplies -- my color journal and my art journal, various watercolor pencils and watercolor crayons, pens, brushes, paints, and various other implements of artistic nature. And -- most significantly for this story -- a jar of water to rinse my brushes.

At least, that jar of water HAD been on my desk. When I walked away from the project early last evening, I forgot to empty it. Mayhem (one of my loyal feline studio assistants) took care of that for me.

You know it's a bad thing when you're sitting downstairs and hear a hard clink, a soft thump, and the sound of water hitting a hardwood floor in your office above.

The damage to the desk, floor, and supplies was minimal. (The toe I stubbed on the chair in the dark, however, not so much.)

Let that be a lesson to me: empty the water jar. No exceptions!

Art Journal Workshop 1: Do-over

My first attempt at the Strathmore Visual Journal workshop exercise was less than satisfying. I didn't like working with the oil pastels. I thought the charcoal dirtied up the page. I didn't have gesso, so I used a semi-opaque watercolor instead.

So I decided I needed a do-over, using materials that I'm more comfortable with. After all, they keep saying it's all about the process, right?



Steps from Lesson 1

• I resized the sketches and reformatted the text and printed them out.
• I prepped a two-page spread with a random application of turquoise watercolor, added texture, stenciled stars, and random sprays of ultramarine blue.
• Strips of blue metallic tissue paper provided my vertical element.
• After topping it with my sketches and text, I brushed on a light wash of my turquoise watercolor to tone down the white and darken some of the shadow areas.

Steps from Lesson 2 and Lesson 3

• I added a few details and "underjournaling" in white crayon, which will provide a resist under the next layer of water-based color.
• Using Derwent Graphitint and Inktense water-soluable pencils and an unknown brand of watercolor crayon, I added the shading in blue and purple, and highlights in yellow and green.
• A thin application of white gouache enabled me to smooth out and re-establish the white areas, and to add highlights to the eyes. I then added more shading and color.
• For the stars, I made a stencil using cardstock and a punch.
• I used a blue Faber-Castel brush pen to re-darken the text.

Lesson 4 is still a mystery. I expect we'll be able to access the video for it this weekend.

Artist Journal Workshop 1: Continued

In an earlier post, I shared my work-in-progress for the Strathmore Visual Journal Workshop 1. Picking up where I left off, I began adding other media to the now-dry collage page.

Lesson 2 called for adding more layers and color to the page, such as using gesso to paint over unwanted elements, adding "under-journaling" using graphite, enhancing the depth and shape of the elements using charcoal, adding color with oil pastels, and pulling it all together with a gesso wash.

Lesson 3 called for adding more color and texture to the negative space and image elements with oil pastel, re-doing outlines with pencil, and adding hints of color throughout.

I made an honest attempt to follow instructions, but ultimately my method varied in several respects.

Layer 4 -- The instructions called for adding lines with graphite and then shadows and depth with charcoal. I also added conte' crayon because I liked way the reddish color echoed the layer of scrapbook paper. The charcoal just seems harsh and dirty.


Layer 5 -- The instructions called adding color with oil pastel, and then giving the whole thing a light wash of gesso. I used oil pastels as instructed, but I simply did not like working with them, and I'm unhappy with the effect. (For more on that part of the process, see "Warming up oil pastels: Cup Warmer vs Warm Cat".) I couldn't find my gesso, so I used light washes of white gouche and a mostly-opaque flesh-tone watercolor to tie the elements together.


Layer 6 -- I added more color using watercolor, a step that was not in the original lesson.


Layer 7 -- The graphite disappeared completely into the page, so I used ink where I wanted to see the lines. This is where I stopped, after adding more color, more charcoal, more oil pastel, and ink. I probably should have stopped sooner. Like the page says, you've gotta start somewhere. Knowing where to stop is something entirely different.


I still don't know what Lesson 4 will hold, but I bet it involves adding more layers to this piece. I'd like to try a do-over, using only the materials I'm comfortable with.

Artist Journal Workshop: Getting Started

I signed up for the Strathmore Visual Journal workshop series. I was intrigued by the idea of working with new media (collage) in a new format (bound journal).

I'm getting a late start because I packed up my office/studio over the holidays so I could remove the carpet. I'm still unpacking, but I'm itching to get caught up on this workshop.

Today I watched the first 3 of the 4 lesson videos in Workshop 1, and I've read many of the discussion forums. I must admit I'm baffled at the concept. The materials and the process I understand. The purpose of doing so, not so much. Then again, the whole reason to take a class in something new is to stretch your mind and your comfort zone, right?

Since I always start a new sketchbook by jotting down "New Sketchbook!" and the date, I took a similar approach to this new project -- but in the spirit of the workshop.

I resized some scans of sketches I did last summer, and manipulated the fonts and font sizes on a few phrases until I had a starting place. I printed them out using my Epson Artisan 710 on plain inkjet paper.

I cut the images apart and moved them around on a blank page until I was satisfied with their placement.



The arrangement was very horizontal, so I decided it needed a vertical element. I chose a piece of scrapbook paper, mainly because it was a color and design I'm least likely to use in cardmaking. I ripped it into strips, then used YES paste to glue them to the page.



Next, I glued down the sketches and phrases in the arrangement I planned out in Step 1.



From previous experience, I know that YES paste causes my paper to curl, so I've placed a heavy book onto to hold it flat until it dries.

Next up -- add color!

Making glass gem pins...

Ah, there's nothing quite like the smell of E-6000* in the morning!

This morning I've been making glass pins to wear, to donate to the NFPW Education Fund auction next week, and to sell at Archon next month.

I start with a small image of one of my paintings, apply a glob of glue, then squish the gem into the glob and slide it around until the glue is evenly distributed and the image is centered. The photo shows what it looks like at this stage.

After the glue has had time to cure, I'll trim the edges, glue on the pin back, and then seal the back and edges with a mat varnish.

Alternatively, I could glue a magnet on the back, in which case I'd skip the varnish.

*silcone-based industrial-strength adhesive

My Favorite Dragon, WIP

Cliff Dwelling Dragon, WIP

What's on the table?

Another dragon, a work in progress. I'm applying very thin layers of underpainting on this one, trying to build up the three-dimensionality of this guy. Just how pale? Compare the painting to the worktable. Very pale. Stay tuned.

I'm really intrigued by his eyes. I'm not sure how I'm going to keep their expressiveness when I apply color to the pupil.