Comfort Cottage

Art Journaling and the Versatile Stamp

Hi everyone!  I hope you are enjoying your Sunday.  After having breakfast with the husband at Wimpy and Dee's (see here), I returned to my studio to complete a little project.   How about joining me there?  As you may know, I'm taking a printmaking course at PAFA right now, so I'm attracted to all things print-related.  

 

 

I pulled out my carving tools and a Speedball rubber carving block and went to work.  The image I used is from a Dover book.  I enlarged it to about 4.5" x 4.5".  There's a pretty simple method for transferring the design to the block.  I traced around it firmly with a no. 2 pencil and then placed the image face down on the rubber block.  Using the edge of an old credit card I rubbed the back of the image firmly.  The pencil markings transferred pretty easily.  I then used my pencil to darken the lines on the rubber.  The rubber carves like butter.  I use Speedball's lino-cutting tools.  A tip for carving around curves:  move the block rather than your cutting tool.  This will result in much smoother curves.  After I finished carving, I played around with a variety of ways to use the stamp.

 

 

I placed the tissue paper over the stamp and rubbed oil pastel over it.  It seems to work best if you use the side of the pastel and change directions a few times.

 

 

Rubbing onto paper with colored pencil gives a more subtle image.

 

 

Acrylic paints work well.  It's a good idea to mix some retarder into them to keep them wet a little longer.  Otherwise, you'll have paint drying on your stamp before you get a chance to print it.  I rolled a brayer in the paint to coat it evenly and then rolled the paint onto the stamp.  Clean your stamp right away to avoid dried paint build-up that can ruin your images.  I use mild dish soap and water and a shop towel.  The terrycloth gets down into the cracks well.

 

 

Finally, I tried enhancing the design with acrylic ink and a dip pen.  A fine Sharpie or other marker would work as well.  You can use these techniques in your art journal.  Scan the finished papers into your computer, and you'll have a never-ending supply of hand-decorated art journal pages!

 

 Have fun!

 

Until next time,

 

 

Another World

I thought I'd get in a quick post today before I have to go back to school.  I've had such a good time working on my mixed media art journal this week!  This is my latest page.

 

 

Quote:   "If I find in myself desires in which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world."  -C. S. Lewis

I painted the background with Golden Fluid Acrylics in aqua and stipplied over it with a mix of quinacridone red and gesso.  I layered the flower arrangement over an old photo card in Photoshop.  Both graphics are from The Graphics Fairy.  I blended them and applied a Paint Daubs filter.  I adhered the finished graphic to the page with matte medium.  The bird graphic is also from The Graphics Fairy.  I cut out the silhouette in Photoshop and applied a clipping mask of an antique newspaper clipping.  The linework was done with Sakura Pigma Micron pens in various sizes.  The white linework is a Gelly Roll pen.  The pink scrolls were done with a Gelly Roll Moonlight pen.  The Japanese flowers at the bottom are a stamp from Inkadinkadoo and Ranger Ink in raspberry.  The tiny flowers at the top are filled in with a Gelly Roll Glaze pen.  I shaded around the edges with a Rembrandt pastel in turquoise and sprayed the page with matte spray to fix the pastel.  I deepened the shadows with  a Neocolor II crayon in malachite. I colorized the bird with a Neocolor II crayon in canary yellow.

 

On the subject of art journals, I got a copy of Dina Wakely's new book, Art Journal Freedom, yesterday.  Dina is very good at explaining and demonstrating principals of design and color theory.  I love her colorful, loose style.

 

 

The new issue of Somerset Digital Studio is out as well.  I've found lots of wonderful ideas that I can use in my art journal.

 

I love these images by Nicoletta Ranieri!

 

 

 

Tomorrow, I'll be traveling into the city for class.  These images give me great ideas for my photos of Philadelphia!  For now, I have to leave you.  May God bless you and keep you safe.

 

Until next time,

 

 

Be Yourself

I'm still experimenting with silhouettes in my mixed media art journal.  I thought this one fit my theme perfectly. 

 

 

Quote:  "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."  -R. W. Emerson

Here's to the "strange", the "different", the "not quite in step" with the rest of the world.  We make it a much more interesting place! 

I started by smearing paint and gesso over the page with a palette knife.

 

 

I rubbed oil pastel (the kind that is not water-soluble) over some violet tissue paper that was placed on top of a Crafter's Workshop stencil.  I used the Portfolio water-soluble oil pastels on the bird.  I adhered pieces of tissue, patterned papers, lace paper and old magazine pages with matte medium.  I prepared the silhouette in Photoshop CS6 by cutting the figure out with the pen tool and applying a clipping mask of vintage music over top of it.  I then placed another clipping mask of flowers over that. I placed this over an original digital background I created.  I printed out the figure, cut it out and applied it to the page with matte medium.  The bird shape is a stock custom shape from Photoshop CS6.

 

 

If your papers are heavier or textured, i.e. the patterned cardstock and lace paper I used, it's best to use gel medium to adhere it.  I wrote in the quote with a Pigma Micron Graphic pen-size 1.  I highlighted the lettering that was over the darker area with Gelly Roll Souffle pens.  The scroll stamp is from Inkadinkadoo and I used Ranger's Adirondack ink in rust.

This is the background I used behind the figure.  You may download it for personal use only.

 

 

This is the outline of the figure I used.  You may download it for personal use only.  Try stamping on it, painting it, etc.

 

 

Finally, I had my son take a picture of me with my painting at PAFA's juried CE Student Exhibition.

 

That's all for now.  I have a blank canvas that is calling to me!  Have a great day.

 

Until next time,

 

Healthy Thinking

With all of the challenges we each face on a daily basis, we definitely need a prescription for a sound mind.  This one has never failed me.  It's worthy of it's own page in my art journal.

 

 

Quote:  "...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." -Phillipians 4:7-9

I find it is so important to reign in my thoughts and to remember what is good rather than dwell on what is wrong.  It can change the entire course of a day...and a life.

I started by adhering various scraps of paper to the page with matte medium.  Then, using a palette knife (an old credit card or a thin piece of cardboard will do), I scraped on Golden Fluid Acrylics in aqua, quinacridone red, and naples yellow.  Using a Crafter's Workshop stencil of a ledger, I rubbed pastel over it and then sprayed with matte spray to seal it.  I've been seeing lots of silhouettes lately, and I think they are terrific for art journal pages.  I made mine in Photoshop CS6.  I found a stock photo from Deviant Art and cut out the silhouette of the woman with the pen tool.  I used a free vintage clipart piece of writing and used a clipping mask to make the writing only show up in the shape of the women.  I used the stroke command to make a black outline around the silhouette and then printed it out.  The flower was a stock shape from CS6.  I prepared it in the same way as the silhouette.  After cutting out the shapes, I adhered them to the painted background with matte medium.  Using the palette knife, I roughly outlined the shapes and the stems and leaf with Golden Fluid Acrylic in black.  It looks best if the lines vary in width (think grunge).  The writing was done with a black Pigma Micron Graphic Pen - size 1.  The white highlighting around the word "think" was done with a gelly roll Souflee pen.  The rest of the white line work was done with a Bic Wite-Out pen.  I scraped some fluid acrylic in green gold on the leaf, stems, and background.  I stamped the swirl on the silhouette with a stamp from Inkadinkadoo and Ranger Ink in Pool.

That's it for now!  I hope you have a lovely day.

Until next time,

 

 

Who's In Charge?

Today was an exciting and inspiring day.  I traveled into Philadelphia to visit the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine arts.  I needed to have a student ID made, so I used the opportunity to familarize myself with the school.  I am beyond excited.  The school houses some wonderful galleries and to my delight, a satellite Dick Blick store.  I stopped in to fill in a few items on my class materials list.  The guys working there tell me there is a 20,000 square foot location a few blocks away!  I even get a student discount!  Who could ask for anything more?

I did manage to get some work done when I got home.  Here's the latest page in my mixed media art journal.

 

 

I began by covering the page with gesso.  I used a credit card to scrape some titan buff paint onto the surface.  I tore some old French dictionary pages and adhered them with matte medium.

 

 

I peeled away some of the paper.  The pages are partially transferred/partially torn away.  Using an unmounted rubber stamp, I stamped partial images with black ink.  I sprayed the page with matte spray to fix the ink.  I then scraped more gesso over the page.

 

 

You can see the torn paper a little better in the close up.

 

 

I scraped in some acrylic paint around the edges in permanent light blue and cadmium yellow medium.

 

 

I painted in some flowers and dragonflies with pyrrole red, cobalt blue, and cadmium yellow medium.  The black linework was done with a scriptliner and black acrylic ink.  I added gel medium transfers of an old French map.

 

 

I printed some texture with plastic canvas and acrylic paint.

 

 

I added a few more layers of peeled paper and smeared gesso.  I splattered and dripped more paint.  I painted in the words with a script liner and black acrylic ink.  I added more line work with FW acrylic inks.

 

 

No one is in charge of your happiness but you.  It's an empowering concept!  Thanks for joining me and have a wonderful day.  I'll be linking to Paint Party Friday this week.  If you would like to see what everyone in the group has accomplished this week, just click on the icon in my right sidebar.

 

Until next time,

 

Santa Fe Window

I put in some time in the studio last weekend.  I've been trying to come up with interesting ways to incorporate my photography from my trip last summer into my mixed media art.  As I experimented with my photos in Photoshop, I developed a method of processing them into elements that would work well in a mixed media painting.  This is the first of what I expect will be a series.

 

 

Sante Fe Window

8" x 8"

Mixed Media on Cradled Birch Panel

 

Sometimes, half of the battle is overcoming the blank canvas.  I prepped the panel by sanding and applying several coats of gesso.  I adhered some antique book pages with liquid matte medium.  Using a credit card, I smeared a thin layer of gesso over the printed pages.  I dragged a texturing tool across the wet gesso in wavy lines.

 

 

I lightly painted in a background with FW Acrylic inks.

 

 

Next I did some gel medium transfers of old handwriting.  I began deepening the ink colors.

 

 

I added scraps of patterned paper.  Then, I drybrushed some gold acrylic ink.

 

 

I added a print of my altered original photo.   I tinted molding paste with acrylic inks and spread it over the edges of the photo and around the edges of the gel transfers.

 

 

I painted over the photo in places with acrylic inks.  I used a recipe for faux wax from the book, Surface Treatment Workshop, by Darlene Olivia McElroy and Sandra Duran Wilson.  I poured it onto the surface and spread it with a wide plastic blade (the sort of tool you would use to spread grout).   Using Golden heavy body acrylic paint, I stamped the surface with one of my hand-carved stamps.  I added some pieces of mesh paper around the edges of the photo, and painted them to blend them with the background.  I reworked the background a bit more with acrylic paints and inks, and then added a layer of liquid matte medium.  After the paint has time to cure, I will coat the surface with a satin acrylic varnish.

 

 

I will be linking to Paint Party Friday - better late than never!  We'll visit again soon.

 

Until next time,

 

Art Journal Gymnastics

While the Fab Five were tumbling their way to an Olympic gold medal in London, I've been doing a fair share of artistic gymnastics in the studio.  I've got three new art journal pages to show you.

 

 Art Journal 7-28

 

"Embrace your uniqueness.  Time is too short to be living someone else's life." - Kobi Yamada

I began with a background created in Photoshop CS5.  Before attaching the buildings, I stitched around them on my sewing machine.  I enhanced the background with watercolors and adhered the buildings with matte medium.  The circles and swirls were done with acrylic paint.  I outlined the circles with a Pitt carbon pencil.  After accidentally smearing some of the carbon pencil, I sprayed the page lightly with krylon matte acrylic spray to prevent further disaster :)  The writing, windows and dots are done with gel pens.

 

 Art Journal 7-30

 

"There is no way to re-enchant our lives in a disenchanted culture except by becoming renegades from that culture and planting the seeds for a new one."   On the surface, that sounds radical, but to me, it means concentrating on helping someone else and caring about their needs instead of having tunnel vision on my own needs.  I think that is the key to finding joy in life again.

I created a digital background and printed it out.  I drew the flowers and doodles, and then base coated them with white acrylic.  I added color with watercolor paint and FW acrylic inks.  I then added line work with gel pens and Sakura pigma micron pens.

 

Art Journal 7-31

 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways, submit to Him and He will make your paths straight."  - Proverbs 3:5-6

I created a background in Photoshop and printed it out.  I painted the tree with acrylic paint and shaded around it with watercolor.  I used a patterned oragami paper for the girl's shirt, and glazed over it with acrylic ink.  The face and hand are also painted with acrylic ink.  Initially, I used a patterned paper for the skirt, but I didn't like the result.  I used acrylic paint to paint over it.  The outlining of the tree and the girl was done with pastel pencil.  This time, I remembered to spray the page with matte spray before I smeared pastel all over it :)  That's not to say that I didn't still make a mess - I forgot that I had painted the green leaves with watercolor, and when I went to collage over top of them, I had a green blob instead.  Fortunately, I had based the leaves with white  acrylic paint, so I was able to wet them and wipe away the mess.  The line work and writing were done with gel pens.  I also did some rubber stamping with one of my hand-carved rubber stamps.

 

Now, since you've so patiently read my ramblings, I have two new journal backgrounds for you to download for personal use only.  They are both variations of backgrounds used for my own pages.

 

 

 I hope you have fun with them!  We'll visit again soon.

 

Until next time,

 

Art Journal Joy

I'm playing catch up since I was out of the studio yesterday.  I have three new journal pages I want to share with you.  I'm turning into a genuine mixed media art journal junkie!

 

 

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer.  Always remember you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."  -Harriet Tubman

 

"By reading the Scriptures, I am so renewed that all nature seems renewed around me and with me.  The sky seems to be a deep, purer blue, the trees a deeper green. The whole world is charged with the glory of God and I feel fire and music under my feet."  -Thomas Merton

 

After all the wandering is done, the only thing I long for is the familiar comfort of home.  This page was inspired by my happiness to return home after a day out.  Yesterday was one of those days that define what summer means.  My sister and I grew up spending many of our summer days at the Jersey shore.  Ocean City, for us, meant long lazy days at the beach, walks on the boardwalk, and the sweet smell of the salty air and water.  This summer, we've managed to revive those memories.  We spent yesterday standing in the swirling surf, lounging under umbrellas in the sand, and wandering the boardwalk once again.   We had lunch at Jojos, an amazing Italian resteraunt, and then sampled some of the most scrumptious gelato.  Of course, the day wasn't complete without visiting The Fudge Kitchen and The Ocean City Coffee Company.

 

 

Before I close, I have a few things to share that you are free to download for personal use only.  The first is a collage sheet taken from some of my handpainted artwork.

 

 

This is the same digital background I started with for the Thomas Merton quote.

 

That's all for today.  Keep calm and journal on!

 

 

Recycled Art

Those of you who saw my previous post will recognize the digital backgrounds I created for art journaling.  For this one, I combined a photo of a staircase with the background I created in Photoshop CS5.  The white branches are Photoshop brushes.  They are available as a free download for personal work from Starwalt Design.   I printed out the page and did the doodles and the quote with Sakura Souffle Gel Pens.

 

 

In this one, I blended the large roses and the perfume ad (both free vintage graphics) into the background in Photoshop.  The small roses at the bottom are from a Dover disc:  Redoute's Fruits and Flowers.  I printed it onto a transparency and adhered it to the page with matte gel medium.  The flower swirls are clear stamps from Inkadinkado.  I stamped with Adirondack ink in Rust.  The torn border at the top is also a free download.  I printed it out and sprayed it with Dylusions ink.  I love this quote from George Bernard Shaw!  I printed it with a purple Sakura Glaze Gel Pen.

 

 

I also have two more backgrounds that you may download for personal use.  This one is the same one I used for the Dr. Seuss quote in a different colorway.

 

 

This is a new one.

 

 

I hope to have more to share with you tomorrow.  I hope your week is going well.  Happy creating!

 

Until next time,

 

Learning Curve

A few weeks ago I had ordered the new Dylusions ink sprays  by Dyan Reaveley.  Today was a good day to try them out in my art journal.

 

Learning Curve

9" x 12"

Mixed media on Canson all-media paper

 

The concept came to me as I am dealing with some new realities in my life.  Isn't it always the way?  Just when you think you've got a handle on things, there's always a new experience with the accompanying lesson that you don't know so much after all :)

 

 

Just a few notes on creating this page:  First layer:  spray inks; Second:   patterned paper for the tree trunk and leaves, and stamps from Hero Arts; Third:  journaling with a black extra-fine Sharpie (it will write over anything!); Fourth:  free vintage graphics from various sources, i.e. Graphics Fairy and Deviant Art - I altered and arranged some of them in Photoshop CS5 before printing and cutting them out; Fourth:  multiple layers of Dylusions and Distress inks, acrylic paint, and prismacolor colored pencil

 

 

 

This is the aftermath of my little adventure:  a new mess to clean up.  It was worth it!

On a personal note, we had two new blessings this week for which we are very grateful.  First, we finally made it to the lake with the kayaks.  It was heavenly!  Second, my son got a summer internship with a software developing company - pretty impressive for a college sophomore!

Have a great start to your week!  We'll visit again in a few days.

 

Until next time,