You Could Make That

You Could Make That is an awesome site teaching how to make a linen runner and Paris type pottery. Check out her free giveaway!
YouCouldMakeThat.blogspot.com

Review-the Journal Junkies Workshop Visual Ammunition for the Art Addict

This book written by Eric M. Scott and David R. Modler is a 4 star ****.

Pages 1-31 are the intro, supplies and equipment list and the why of the book.

Every few pages has full sized pages of the art work graffiti like work, composed of journaling and quotes along with instruction on how to's between the examples.

Many various techniques are included: image transfers, water color techniques, how to make a pop-up page, text and doodling and drawing.

It has much in the book for eye candy like many books do, but is a fun book to look at to review techniques that you have perhaps forgotten to use in your collages for awhile.

Art Making Collections and Obsessions-in other words JUNK and Rust and Metal

Written by Lynn Perrell, Art Making collections and Obsessions seemed like the title of a book I would want to read.

I am an artist that loves junk and you can tell by my art studio room. Do you have so much stuff that you just can't seem to make your room look nice, or pretty. Good thing I like shabby chic because that pulls together a few basic colors in the room.

This book has a review of a rating of five stars *****. Why? It is composed of 3D work and 35 artists. The artists are quoted and their favorite artists are quoted showing large photos of finished work aspirations. How to's are not provided, but there are enough photos to give you great descriptions of how a piece was collected and put together, especially if you are already familiar with this style of work.

When you read and study the pictures, you get many of your own ideas of how to collect certain objects you like and desire to collect.

Unimagineable items that artists collect inspire the reader to perhaps do the same.

"The impression I get from most artists is that collecting is one enjoyment, using it in a piece is another" quote from the book.

I think that is why I have so much stuff because I love the items alone by themselves but know I bought them or picked them up for free with a purpose. Every once in awhile, I need to weed through everything, and give some away and get rid of alot.

So, take a peek at the book and notice that it is a keeper!

Texture

I am contemplating how I could add texture to my work like this screen is creating a change in the photo of the winter wonderland of snow. After working on a painting or drawing and making sure it is dry, stenciling on top of the piece could create a texture affect like the screen does.

If you do not want to try to stencil, use the finest tip marker you have and draw lines on top of your illustration to create the screen affect.

Can you imagine bringing this image up like it was under a magnifying lens, and seeing what is one of those small openings of the screen and drawing that or painting it to make an abstract piece. Click on the photo to make it larger.

Winter in New England is Here again

I love how the photo is separated in sections because of the window panes. It reminds me of the rules of nine when working on photography or even when you are working in a grid in your art work

Self Portrait

Gloucester-Dress Code

Does this little lady have exuberance or what? She is my friend from the Dress Code in Gloucester Maine. This is a little second hand store that I sell my clothes in. While I was there the other day, I wanted to shoot some of the clothing in the store and the pattern and color of these three vintage dresses caught my eye. Yes, people still wear this style of clothing and so does my little friend!

Notice pattern and color. I will be showing that alot in my next blogs, for you to take into account and process and work into your art.

Graphics-Illustrations-Hot Dogs

Have you ever been aware of the signs and posters that around you in your everyday life? Do they make an impact on you; on your purchases, on your interests.

For instance, this little hot dog stand in Maine that we stopped at. One dollar for a hot dog, not a bad buy! and a yummy one too! This little shack sits on a rotary in Maine where once a week they have $1.00 hot dogs from 11:00-3:00. Notice the sign on the shack and the sign in front. Would this sign attract you to stop by and eat or would you only stop by if someone mentioned they were good dogs? I think I do both; take the recommendation and look at the outside of the place.

Take this into consideration when you are working on illustrations and graphics in your works.

BRIDGE-Patterns in Life

As my husband was driving, I was hanging out of the car trying to get shots of this bridge we were going over in New England. He was scared to death that I was going to fall out of the car. As you can see I didn't:) I just love the patterns of this bridge and thought, why don't I share with my artists friends the idea of taking patterns we see in life and incorporating them into our art work. I think patterns done over and over again in a piece pull it together and integrate the work as a whole.

Gold Papers

After unwrapping 48 Rolo candies, I decided that the gold paper looked awesome and that I was going to keep it to use in a collage. Maybe not real gold in value, but it surely has texture and brightness. I have it in a cup on my work table so that it is there for when I need it, I am going to implement it in.

Anniversary-our Sixth

I forgot to takek my camera to the restaurant. My son is 17 and is a head cook at a Lebanese Restaurant so all our kids pitched in and bought us a gift certificate to this upscale restaurant. My son has been working there for over two years, and this is the first time we have been able to go.
We had lamb, stuffed shrimp, pita bread, salad, rice and potatoes, french onion soup, and a coffee tort with butterscotch and hot chocolate sauces and plenty of coffee!
Ryan was our waiter and he had everything timed when to deliver our servings, to treat us to more water and more coffee, it was awesome!

Disappointed-Selling our Trailer

We are disappointed but glad for the man that bought our trailer. He is going to do to the trailer what we wanted to do. Fix it up and put it on a plot of land in New Hampshire or Maine so that we and people from our church could have a vacation spot.

The recession has hit us extremely hard in our part of Massachusetts. Everyone is trying to do their part with helping us live her and keep our little church, friends, children, my mom, our church, but we are losing our home to an illegal modification and had to sell the trailer. It was not large enough for us to live in it so we had to give it up.

God has something better, TRUsTInG In HiM!

Writing Cards to loved ones

Leftover ham, polish seeded rye bread and tangerine

Last Gaze of Christmas Decorations and decorated window

Making Italian sauce or Gravy and the can

I absolutely love these tomatoe sauce cans. What to use it for mmmmmmm?

Sheltie-MiniMae at Her Finest

Husky Ostara is Her Namo

Journaling with Photos-New Years Art Ideas-InnerExcavation

I picked up a book the other day with Christmas money called "InnerExcavation-Explore Your Self Through Photography, Poetry and Mixed Media.

Photographing daily for a diary or journal is a great idea. My photos aren't the best just as Liz Lamoreux states about her photos not being the best-it is the IDEA.

So let me share with you some of my photos starting a couple of days ago.

Welcome Russia, Slovenia, Germany, Malasia, Netherlands, Romania, Australia, Israel Artists

WELCOME

Russia, Slovenia, Germany, Malasia, Netherlands, Romania, Australia, Israel, ARTISTS!
Happy New Year to You all! How did you all spend your New Years? Perhaps your new years is not mine, but a good one to you anyway!
I am thrilled to look at my stats and see that you have all looked at my blog.
PLEASE DO WRITE TO ME! I would so appreciate it.

Glass Cigar Tubes

Well I am on my way to pick up my glass cigar tubes from a giveaway from a freecycler.
I have seen some really awesome things done with these and can't wait to come up with my own tutorial!

Artistsnetwork.com

Wow, FREE videos for learning more techniques in art-watercolor, pastels, acrylic.
I love watching these videos. What I need to remember for the new year,is incorporate what I am learning and not just watch videos of other people doing their art, but do my own art.