Technique: Painted Paper Backgrounds

Why did I wait so long to try this!!? A few months ago, I purchased a pack of delicious paste paper scraps from Albie Smith and my interest was officially piqued. Some benefits of creating your own designs are:

Choose your own colors,

Patterns,

Paper Weight

Save money

Relaxing/Zen/Freeing

Experiment with new painting techniques for your "artist's toolbox"

Fun

I would have to say, the best part of creating my own papers for use in mixed media collage, is how free it feels to simply CHECK OUT and let your right brain take over... something we can all do more of. It can be the perfect exercise in LETTING GO and although I try to work intuitively in all mediums, it's so easy to just "give in to the process" while painting backgrounds!

Take the RIGHT BRAIN vs LEFT BRAIN creativity test.

Any type of paper will do. You can either make paste paper with Elmer’s Art Paste at Dick Blick's or whip up a home recipe of 6 cups boiling water, 1 cup of flour, strainer, as many covered (yogurt-etc) containers as paint colors desired. Begin by bringing 5 cups of water to a boil, mix flour with 1 remaining cup of water and add to (dedicated) saucepan. Turn off and stir to thicken. Add to containers along with acrylic paint. Stencil, layer, sgraffito, drip, spray, use mark-making tools (a fave).. the sky's the limit! Be sure to check out YouTube for more detailed information or my new friend Barb Owen's paste paper Vid on USTREAM!

My first 3 pages were made on blank newsprint sheets with cheap acrylic paint, a straw, a lid and a plastic gift card:

“If you hear a voice within you saying, ''You are not a painter,'' then by all means paint… and that voice will be silenced.” - Vincent van Gogh

Art Journal Page: 29Apr11

Recently having been bitten by the art journaling "bug," I took my book on our first trip to boston this year for a Red Sox game in april. The first pic shows this page in its RAW FORM having doodled in bed for two hours around 1 AM!! Later at home, I carefully taped over the writing with painter's (no-stick) tape and went crazy with my acrylic craft paints, using a homemade stamp around the border. The most fun? removing the tape!!

TEXT: "I trust my own perceptions. I receive your good willingly. This is my prayer. Believing in myslef and my abilities, finding strength internally, not depending on others for validation. I am worth taking the time and making the effort."

Camera Woes & Art To Share

I've been productive with LOTS of art to share but having some camera issues. Over the weekend I was unable to offload (351) photos from my finepix & will give it another try tonight... crossing my fingers. Worse-case I guess I can always take my photo card to Walmart!

Truthfully, I've known it was time and have done some shopping around. Looks like I may need need to start doing some serious research ~ as anyone that knows me, will agree ~ it's an appendage that I can't live without!

I'm looking in the $200-$300 range and haven't really landed on anything yet but would like an increase to my current 6.3 megapixel, 3x zoom with performance and reliability at the top of the list.

Journal Making Class GIVEAWAY

I'm excited to share the news. My talented friend, Teressa Thompson, is having a drawing on Monday for a FREE SCHOLARSHIP to her online Rustic Journal workshop! Just leave a comment on her post... here!

A Return to Cardmaking

January 2011 was catharctic for me. I made a plan to put my jewelry making on the backburner for a few months and take the winter off to focus on making ART AGAIN! The real change began in November when I reorganized my neglected studio space and that's when I couldn't ignore the "call to return" growing louder and louder, inside of me... (actually it was SCREAMING) so I listened.

A mother's day card that started with a new ATC, a quotation from a book on Roses and a pretty pink rose "popped" on top of a piece of foam tape and sprinkled with some german glass glitter. The final touch was a length of vintage handmade lace from one of my ancestors.. believed to be made by my great-grandmother, Laura Adella Murphy Farquhar (1859-1911) pictured below.

Experimenting with Small Format Again

Journal Page Technique: Citra Solv

Citra-solv! I love the "painterly" effects when you spritz this household cleaner onto photos in National Geographic. I don't know what makes it work, but someone/somewhere discovered that it reacts to the special inks that are used (thank you, someone). The New York Times Magazine was also mentioned in a post, which i have yet to try..

Lots and lots of resources all over the place for learning more. There's a facebook page, website with gallery and tutorial, tons of youtube fodder and be sure to check out another great resource at stampington for this video, as well as a gallery plus you can buy it from their online shop as well!

I follow the basic process of spraying the solvent onto the photograph, waiting a hot minute and wiping with a paper napkin or babywipe. As you can see, the solvent was applied right to the already assembled page.

Simple doodling with 3 Sharpie "Poster Paint" pens, journaled with same.. which turned out to give a really fab contrast to the black gesso.

...Now it's your turn TO GET DIRTY (my term for creating art!) and MAKE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL!