Hi all!
I thought I would post a few progress photos of how my journal pages come together. When I show my journals, sometimes people get a bit overawed by the busy-ness of them all which is then followed by a kind exclamation "I couldnt do that". Let me assure you, if you want to keep art journals like this - you CAN!

Three simple tricks.

1. Start at the top
2. Include stuff that interests you
3. Fill in the gaps

Easy peasy!

That third trick is a funny one as I have no aversion to empty space. My artwork and scrapbook pages show that. But in my journal art, my preference is: More is More! A full to bursting page is interesting, compelling and it takes less emphasis off the writing (this will come up in future posts) My journals tend to be pretty public (ya think?..lol) and if viewers are distracted by sketches, photos, memrobilia they are less likely to witness the inner workings of my brain! Plus I love how exciting an overflowing page looks.

Journal page progress
So... If you look at a previous post Monday's entry looked like this:

The date coloured and glued in, a paragraph and a rub-on.

Yesterday's (Tuesday) : The date, a recipe (recommended!!!) cut out including its picture from a magazine/website, snippets from an article I was reading cut out and glued in, a stamped image of a bird over the text, number stickers added to the recipe to create interest.

Today: The date coloured and glued in (I like keeping to the same format at the moment, though that may change). And since its only 5pm that's as far as I've got!

TIP:
I have a photo I may want to add once its developed. I know the sizes I like to print so to work my writing around I keep cards or old photos handy to work as placeholders as I write.


In this photo the red card is just sitting there so I know how much space to leave. Sometimes I make decorative placeholders and attach them with ribbon to the spine of my journal so I always have a placeholder card on hand. Plus they look cool if its a funky image or photo.

Ok that's my page in progress so far. Its now 5.06pm I have stuff from my day to write and a class to teach! Catch you later :)

~Kathleen

Labels: Instruction, Journal-Ideas, Journal-Notes, Journal-Pages

Collage Tip for the day...

A friend recently told me that if your statement rhymes people are more likely to take it as truth... so did it work?? hehehee

Brayer your first layer... or in non-rhyming terms: Use a roller on your collage backgrounds to make them crisp, smooth and touch ably smooth. Because lets face it warpy gluey background papers just isn't pretty!

Sounds obvious doesn't it? Yet it's an easy step missed especially when your papers have adhered a'ok. However if you roller over the surface they sharpen into life! Firmly rolling the surface ensures complete and even adhesion pushing out air bubbles or glue pools.

Tips on this tip :)

• Keep a brayer just for glueing. Any glue that gets stuck onto your lovely clean ink brayers will ruin them for future ink application.
• If you are going to be appling ink, dye or paint washes over your background be aware that any transference of glue to your background surface will act as a resist - this may or may not be desirable for your art outcome.
• Brayer from the center of your work outwards so any airbubbles are pushed to the edge.

Edit to add: Brayer while your glue is still wet.

~Kathleen

Labels: Collage-Tips, Instruction

Hi arty friends,
Introducing a new feature on my Blog: Art on Demand

I get a lot of requests on how to use materials. Sometimes a product will sound interesting but you find yourself unsure of how to use it or what the results will be, so it sits there unused - potential in a jar. You may find yourself wanting to break out of your norm and use your materials in new and interesting ways and combinations but are unsure where to start.

Well that is what Art on Demand is all about! Techniques and combinations that will encourage you to try different art techniques and materials.

Lets get started!


Exhibit A: a lucky dip box. All items unused, many unfamiliar in brand or method. So diving in I went. Three items I was digging for and came up with:

• Cornish Heritage Farms unmounted stamp - Trees Backgrounder
• Pan Pastel Sofft Art Sponge - Flat Angle Slice
• Ranger Adirondack Ink - Pitch Black

and since these all seemed a little safe, decided to dig for one more...

• Claudine Hellmuth Studio Acrylic - Sable Brown

Initial thoughts

Stamp: Quite taken with the size and detail of the unmounted stamp so I wanted to use a technique that would show up its potential texture.

Sponge: Hmm I could cut it, paint with it, burnish. Nice dense sponge would result in smooth application.

Ink pad: Black ink. Well a core item in any crafters arsenol. Note to consider - Pigment ink so would only dry on absorbant surfaces or would require heat embossing.

Paint: Acrylic paint, dries on most everything. Brown - a stepping off point for my colour scheme.

So not exactly a scary combination for this tutorial but hey, want to see where I ended up?...

RESULT


I wanted to highlight the texture in the stamp and create a peering in effect. So keeping lighter colours towards the middle and a frame style layer adds the effect of depth. Detail is in bead tendrils and tiny clear micro beads on the interior edges of the frame.

Tricky to see in the photo but the stamp image carries over the background and continues through the frame.


Process
1. Assemble your materials and turn your hot glue gun on.

2. While your hot glue gun is heating up, cut a piece of white cardstock slightly larger than the dimensions of the rubber stamp. I chose a cardstock that has a linen finish.
3. Spray the surface of your card with Glimmermist shimmer spray keeping the light colours to the middle of your card.

4. Force dry with a heat gun. You could let it dry naturally if you wish.

5. Ink up your stamp with the black pigment ink and stamp directly onto your now shimmery white card.

6. Emboss immediately with the black embossing powder. The technique for embossing is to sprinkle the still wet ink with powder. Shake off the excess powder onto a clean piece off paper and return the excess to its jar for re-use. Heat the embossing powder that is now stuck to your stamped image with a heat gun or over a toaster so that the powder melts into a glossy enamel sheen. Set embossed image aside.

7. Apply hot melted glue directly to your rubber stamp (do not use on acrylic stamps - I havent tested them yet!). Rubber stamps are made of vocanized rubber and are not harmed by the hot glue.


8. Apply the hot glue around the entire edge of the rubber stamp to create a frame and then trail the glue inwards to build up width to the frame. Vary the thickness of the hot glue and allow small threads to snake across the image. Set aside to cool.

9. Using the sponge, apply black ink to the edges of the cardstock image blending lightly.

10. Layer the embossed inked image onto a piece of blue and black cardstock. Each piece slightly larger than the last to add a mat border then zig-zag machine stitch to hold the pieces together and create a decorative edge. Leave the threads hanging free for additional interest.

11. Once the hot glue is well cool (it will be cloudy looking), peel it up off the surface of the stamp.

12. Paint the hot glue frame with black gesso making sure to get paint in all the detail and crevices.

13. While the gesso is still wet, burnish back over the frame with the sponge to remove the gesso from the top peaks of the texture. This will add back a subtle translucent look.

14. Sponge some colour into the frame using the sponge. Burnish back again lightly to reveal the translucent peaks.

15. Apply the glass bead gel to the interior edges of the frame. Once it is dry it will give a crystal frost like detail to the piece.

16. Using your fingertip, rub some shimmery white metallic rub-ons near the glass bead gel to blend out the icy effect.


17. Attach the frame over the stamped image (the images will line up) by piercing holes either side of glue bands in the frame then thread a large needle with metallic threads and tie the frame onto the embossed image. I tied mine in three places leaving the thread excess hanging free.

18. Add final detail by attaching a small charm to the frame with ball chain. Thread tiny crystal seed beads onto the ends of the free threads.

19. Adhere your textured image to the front of a journal, book, album or box and your project is complete.


This is such a easy and effective technique. I challenge you to give it a try! If you do, please post a link to your creation back here in the comments section. Every person who links back will recieve a FREE original Artist Trading Card and an word or image sheet for use in your artwork.

Feedback and requests for specific materials or techniques to be featured welcome.

Happy creating!
~Kathleen

Labels: Art, Art-on-demand, Inspiration, Instruction

Journal Pages from Sunday 29th March:


My morning at the Scroungers Hot Rod meet, Rosebank Road was set to the soundtrack of crackling country music and car exhaust. A good morning too - sketching, taking photos and looking at the hundred (s?) of cars with Dad. Apparently if you hang around till 3pm they start up all the cars and you can feel the air pulse.

I especially liked the girls in 50's garb and had hoped to catch their beauty contest, but the starting time came and went without any indication that it would start soon. The girls looked fantastic, so 'Marilyn' and playing the style in their personalities. Chatting with a couple of girls it seems some adopt this look in every day wear. I did buy myself a very gorgeous spider brooch and was very tempted by some cateye glasses! I love it when people capture an identity and go at it no holds barred regardless of the current norm.


Details about the page:

• Pre-washed coloured backgrounds
• Photos and business cards
• Pen sketch
• Flip addition
• Stitched trim, eyelets and specialty paper
  

Links:

• A nice set of Flickr photos of the event can be found here
• Rita Sue vintage clothing and accessories
• Devel clothing
• Teaser Lounge retro up-dos
• Making Memories attachment sets (including page flips) from NZ Scrapbook

Labels: Instruction, Journal-Pages

Got a drawer full of yummy ribbons? Yeah thought so, I knew it wasn't just me!

My fav thing (among many) is making Book Belts. So simple to make, holds my bursting journal closed in my bag and is like my journals changeable fashion accessory. Here's how to use your ribbon stash to make your own Book Belt.

You will need: Your journal or notebook to gauge size, ribbon (I like twill and grosgrain ribbons the best), two metal rings with the diameter about the same or a bit larger than the width of the ribbon, two snaps and matches or a lighter.

1. Start by wrapping your ribbon around your journal to determine the length you need. If your journal is going to bulge or expand as you work in it then allow a little extra length.


2. Using a match or lighter touch the end of the ribbon towards the flame to melt the ribbon and stop it from fraying. Note: This only works with synthetic ribbons. Cottons require stitching to stop them fraying. Obviously use caution with this step :)


3. Take one end of the ribbon and thread it through the two rings and fold over about an inch. Using eyelet setting tools, set the two snaps through from the front of the ribbon to create a ribbon loop around the rings. If you don't have snaps you can hand or machine stitch the ribbon closed. Your book belt is now complete!


4. To use your book belt, wrap it around your journal and thread the loose end through both the ribbon rings.


5. Then split the rings apart and thread the ribbon between the rings and pull firmly


Now your journal is all fancy like and snug!

Stay tuned for how you can personalise your book belts even further.

If you make your own book belt I would love to see, post a link in the comments section so I can stop by.

Byes for now
~Kathleen

By the way, this was one of the six projects we made in my Journals Workshop at NZ Scrapbook last night. If you are in Auckland, keep an eye on our class calendar for upcoming Journal Workshops, I do new techniques and ideas each month. I have just added another date for my Intro to Journals Class 31st March 2009, and my Journals Workshop Class for those who have already started a journal on the Wednesday 15th April 2009. Bookings and inquiries can be made by phoning 09 912 0665

Labels: Classes-and-Workshops, Instruction, Journal-Ideas

Hi all!
Valentines Day is fast approaching and being inspired by some crystal stickers at the store I thought I would share with you an easy and fun card idea. You do need a sewing machine for this, hope it inspires you to give it a try!



This is a re-post from my NZ Scrapbook Blog

Labels: Cardmaking, Instruction, Video

Labels: Inspiration, Instruction

Hi all,
This is part two of my interpretation of the Own Art challenge. I have included full photos and instructions so YOU can have a go too!

In part one I started with my chosen subject of Wisteria vines and worked it into a sketch in my journal. I decided that I then wanted to try it represented as a textural sculptural piece.

Here is my result!:


My goals for this piece were to

1. Produce a 3dimensional representation inspired by my sketch and photos.
2. Work in a textural medium
3. Maintain a color washed effect

As I have reached these goals I am labeling this piece as complete in my mind however I ideas for further working it. More likely though, I will explore those ideas in another project.


Process:

1. First up I wrapped a block of wood in a piece of white tissue and baby muslin, hot gluing it securely to the back of the wood.

2. I then hot glued chunks of Floracraft Styrofoam onto the base in the general shape of my subject. This gave my piece height and stability for the detail to come.


3. Once the main shape was in place I started to cut into the foam to create more defined areas.


4. Using my sketch as a guide I continued to cut into the Styrofoam base with a scalpel and started adding a surface of Paperclay. Paperclay is an airdry clay that is receptive to detail. It dries fairly quickly so ideally it is best to start and finish this step in one go. If you need to leave your project during this step be sure to cover securely with plastic wrap to slow down the drying.

5. This photo shows the sculpture now covered in Paperclay and I am just working up the detail in shapes. My main emphasis here is to maintain the fluid motion of the shapes. Cutting lines into the background helped me visually differentiate between the background and forground as well as adding texture.


6. Once the Paperclay was dry I individually added small squares of baby muslin to the surface with Gel Medium. Using a pushing/dabbing motion with my paintbrush I could push the muslin into the cracks and creases. The baby muslin adds interesting texture and dimension to the piece as well as making the overall sculpture stronger. (much like a plaster cast! - and yes it does look like an archeological discovery!)

7. Using an old French dictionary I tore tiny pieces and used the gel medium to apply to the surfaces that would appear to be in shadow.

8. I then applied a coat of white gesso to the entire surface (going very light over the text) and allowed to dry. This is to even out some of the tones where the wood showed through and also give a good surface for applying color.

9. To add color to the piece I used the Derwent Watercolor pencils I had previously worked with in my sketch. Applying the pencil to the areas I wanted the most intensity of color then using my water brush to lightly bring subtle color the the highlight areas.

This was continued over the whole piece using a neutral color in the background.



Thankyou for following my process! I welcome your questions or comments and would love to see your Own Art results!

take care
~Kathleen

Labels: Altered-Arts-Magazine, Art, Challenge, Inspiration, Instruction, Journal-Pages