{ jazz up written entries & kira grab "box" #1 }
Last week, the topic of written journal entries vs. art journal entries came up on the workshop discussion list. While some people maintain two separate journals -- one for the "art" and one for the "words," others, including myself, put the two together.
The discussion got me thinking -- how can you make a simple handwritten entry "fit" with the rest of the journal? And then I realized I already KNEW how to do this....I've been doing it since the beginning. Here's how I jazz up handwritten entries, like the one at the left.
1. Do a simple watercolor wash on a few pages in your journal; I use watercolor crayons and like to play around with color combinations. It's freeing and allows for discovery!
2. When the need for a simple, handwritten entry presents itself, write atop the watercolor pages. Instant color!
3. Go through and add embellishment. Underline important passages. Draw tiny pictures to illustrate some of the words.
4. Color in words and letters! I love doing this!
See!? Easy as pie. Now, you've got your written entry in your journal and it's a bit more colorful. Color adds SO MUCH meaning to your entries....if you're in the workshop, you know that already!
Kira Grab "Box" #1
We're in the process of getting ready for a garage sale around here in the Casa de Kira, which has me cleaning out old purses and such...as well as art supplies! I felt you all would benefit more from my discarded treasures more than random strangers showing up at my house....plus, who doesn't like a package of fun art stuff!?!
Every day this week, I'll be putting up a box of goodies for purchase. Since I don't have a camera, I shall list some of the goodies in this, the first, box. It's one of those 8.5x11x5 flat rate boxes from the post office.
+ Cavallini postage stamp set (in the tin and everything!)
+ R+H mini-binder in lavender (I use one of these as a planner...they're great!!!)
+ tons of fabric!
+ found papers
+ a HANDMADE JOURNAL by yours truly. ;)
+ buttons, trim, and lace
+ a nice zip-up storage case for on-the-go
+ ink pad
+ felt
+ vintage air mail set
+ randoms pens & makers
+ pretty blue coin envelopes.
Everything's in awesome condition...it just needs a new home!
The box is $25 + $15 shipping. The first to comment gets it; it'll be sent out the same day you pay! All packed up and ready to go!
Keep your eyes peeled for tomorrow's box of goodies! Some other stuff ready to go: a making memories alphabet type set (with TONS of letters!), some paintings of mine, more fabric, marker sets, and TONS of found papers!
SCC: Image Transfers
Happy Sunday!
Here in Chicago, it's a beautiful, warm day, one I hope to enjoy while reading Journal Revolution and playing in my own art journal (that has been woefully neglected this last week!).
This Sunday's challenge is all about image transfers. I've purposely stamped them in black so the sheet can be used with both laser and inkjet printers.
* all of these images are brushes and do not belong to me.
http://missm.paperlilies.com/01_news.html
http://veredgf.fredfarm.com/vbrush/main.html
(I think that's the credits...if not, let me know!)
Here are some pointers if you've never done image transfers before:
Laser Printer:
For this one, you have three options: solvent, packing tape, and heat.
Solvent: You have to find a colorless blender marker that still contains xylene. There are shops that still sell them; I got mine at Pearl Art in Chicago. This one may be easy, but I've never really had success with it. Basically, you put the toner image face down on the paper and burnish the back with the marker.
Packing Tape: You can use packing tape or that clear laminating stuff. Cut out your image and "laminate" it with the tape. Make sure to burnish it a LOT. Then, let it sit in a bowl of water for about 10 minutes. Take it out and rub the back gently until all the paper comes off.
Heat: Place the image face down on your paper and iron over it on a medium setting until the image transfers.
InkJet Printer:
Gel Medium: Coat the area on your page you want to transfer the image to with a layer of gel medium or modge podge; do it so it's glossy and smooth. Place the image face down on your page and burnish the back. I like to let the image sit for about a minute so the medium dries a bit...I find I get better transfers this way. Then, peel the image's paper up and voila!
Water: Spritz the image and paper with water. Place the image face down on the page, burnish lightly, then check.
Transparencies: My favorite. Same as gel medium, just replacing paper with a transparency to transfer from.
Experiment, and above all -- ENJOY! Download 9.23.jpg
pens & markers for mixed-media work
Pens. And markers. Well, anything we can hold in our hand and make marks with – when it comes to finishing a page, we go for those slim tools to help us doodle, outline, and write. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably spent more than five minutes in the writing instruments aisle at your local office supply store just drooling over all the colorful options.
But then, you try to write over spray paint or pastels and the black line begins to fade and then, in an anticlimactic spurt, the thing dies. No amount of scribbling furiously while coaxing the thing on in an increasingly angry voice can bring it back.
And it had so much potential.
Over the last few years, I’ve experimented with every sort of pen I could find, chucked many, and kept few. A lot of that has to do with my old habit of writing in wet paint (as I was too impatient to wait for it to dry), but it’s paid off. I now have a relatively small pencil case with a few – but reliable – writing instruments that work in just about every situation.
The Sharpie.
An oldie but goodie – you shouldn’t discount this marker just because it’s not “artsy;” it comes in just about a kazillion colors and marks on just about anything. Except oil pastels. They will kill these markers before you get a sentence written, and that’s if you’re lucky enough to get that much out of one. Don’t try it. It also has problems on spray paint – it’s the slick nature of these two paints that just doesn’t agree with the Sharpie. Oh, and don’t use in glue when it’s wet. That’s a rule for all these – don’t suffer for your impatience as I did.
Elmers Painters.
This is quite possibly, the best white marker I’ve ever used. It usually doesn’t have clogging problems and will write on anything – including pastels and spray paint. But be warned – the other colors suck. Don’t waste your money; get the white and try a different pen for any other colors.
Staedler Pigment Liner.
I adore these pens. I have them in most sizes, and use them to ink illustrations or write over paint. The nibs don’t break or become hard as easily as the Sakura Microns, and are pretty reliable. I don’t use these on anything other than paper, gesso, or paint because I don’t want to tempt pre-mature death.
Sakura Micron.
Ahh….another great pen that’s popular, the Micro comes in many more colors than most pigment liners (including the Staedler) which is why they’re so popular with scrapbookers and illustrators. While the range of colors is fun, I’ve found that the nibs get hard after awhile and you have to write with the pen straight up and down after awhile. But they’re lovely when they’re new. And they do have a navy one, which is my favorite color. ;)
Fabre-Castel Pitt Artist Pens.
These are lovely. I haven’t used the finer tips since one pushed into the barrel a few years ago (and I thus discovered different ones), but I have the brush pens in every color. If you want to do a quick drawing with the look of watercolors, these are for you. They’re fun to doodle with AND don’t bleed through the paper. The brush tip black WILL write on just about anything, and is my preferred way to draw/doodle/write on spray paint.
Sakura Gelly Rolls.
The ones pictured here are Glaze and Moonlight. These are awesome pens that are great for mail art! The Moonlight pens are paint pens and work fabulously on dark paper/paint. If you work slow, you can get the flow even on other stuff.
Permapaque.
Here’s a double-tipped one, but you can also get packs with just fine tipped solid colors and metallic (you can’t get the metallic in the double tip). These have wonderful coverage and write great over paint and gesso, as well as magazine cut outs. The only thing is, you have to do 2 layers or more because they’re more opaque than the Sharpie Poster Paint markers. But they’re fun, easy, and are great for doodling.
Sharpie Poster Paint.
These are fricken’ fantastic. Wonderful, paint-like coverage, several different tip-sizes and colors, and, with the exception of the extra-fine tips, flawless. I love these and use them all the time for doodles or even to “paint” a page when I can’t pull out my paints. If you are using one and it stops working, just take the tip out and flip it around – messy, yes, but will fix your problem instantly. These also accept replacement tips, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to use ‘em! They, however, don’t work on spray paint well, and pastels “clog” the felt tip. I like the extra fine and medium tips for detail and coverage, respectively. However! Hobby Lobby carries a few colors, Michael’s doesn’t – Blick is the only chain I’ve seen all the colors at, and that was only the downtown Chicago store.
Bic Mark It!
I just got these as the pack was pretty pastel colors. They work a lot like Sharpies, and I feel the only difference, really, is the colors. And that they only come in one tip size (I think).
Koh-I-Nor RapidoSketch.
OMG. I found this on clearance while out with Retro Girl and HAD to grab it. Think pen and ink without having to dip the pen every forth letter. This pen, since it’s just pure waterproof ink, writes on ANYTHING. The lines are sharp, the flow is fantastic, and…heck. Spend the money and get it if you want to write over stuff in black ink. It’s worth the investment.
Uni-Ball 207 Gel.
If you can’t get a RapidoSketch, get these gel pens. They come in various colors and are the smoothest pens I’ve ever used. And I’ve used a lot. They will write on most things – smooth surfaces like spray paint and pastels might give them a little trouble. You have to wipe off the tips every so often.
The short version? Play around and find what you like; pens are personal, and everyone has their own opinion. Hopefully, though, this will help save a few pens from untimely deaths...
Canvas Word Charm Tutorial
Well, ArtsyMama's having a blog party and has invited the blogsphere to participate! I thought I'd chime in with a little crafty tutorial that isn't art journal related!
I started making these a few months ago when I started carrying smaller, non-embellished purses and wanted to add a bit of artsy fun to my purse. They're very simple to make, tons of fun, and there are thousands of possibilities!