Adventures in Art Journaling

Going with my word for the year, Courage, I decided that I would learn some new techniques and try some new things this year. Since Strathmore (the artist papers folks) are offering some free workshops to go with their new Visual Journals, I decided to start the year with the Recycled Journal Pages Workshop.

Not only has it been lots of fun, but the page shown above has been featured in the Strathmore Winter 2011 newsletter, on their blog, and on their Facebook page. Plus I received a pack of their Ready Cut Watercolor paper. It comes in standard sizes to fit readymade frames and mats. I received 8 x 10 inch hot press paper, a nice size to use, with 10 sheets of 140 lb paper.  So how cool is that!

In the Recycled Journal Pages Workshop, you work on one page over a period of four weeks. I'm actually working on two pages. I have always kept a sketchbook, or actually more like a creativity journal since it has notes and thoughts as well as sketches. This workshop uses copies of your old pages to make new pages. It's been a fun workshop and I've leaned some new techniques from it. Life got in the way, so I still need to finish weeks 3 and 4.  That's one of this weekend's goals. The workshops are self-directed so you can still start the Recycled Journal Pages Workshop. More on my pages from this workshop later.

Studio Friday: Purely White

This week's topic for Friday December 15th suggested by Jo: PURELY WHITE!

"All these colour combos have given me an idea, especially with christmas coming...to do a 'white christmas' studio friday...where artists put together whatever they want...only using neutrals...or to be really strict....white, (being a textile artist its great to get back to basics and to restrict oneself to just one colour, then see how many different surfaces or textures you can find.)"
~ Jo

This is a postcard-sized collage (5.5 x 4.25 inches) using several specialty papers, some tissue paper and some ribbon.

This week's Studio Friday got me thinking how versatile white is. Right now when I think of white, I think of ice and snow and fog. In the summer, white reminds me of clouds, white sandy beaches, sea shells, and white cotton clothes. White in painting gives us those wonderful highlights.

You can see more Studio Friday at here.

Studio Friday: This Is Me!

This week's topic for Friday November 17th suggested by Jill: THIS IS ME!

" How about photographing a collage of the things we work with? An arranged collection of papers and embellishments, or fabrics and trims, or paints and paintbrushes, or whatever it is we do that says "this is me." I know we did tools and supplies already, but I thought it would be fun to create a little collage of all the things we use - tools and supplies both, and even other things like a favorite cd, dvd, cup of coffee, nail polish etc that say "this is me and this is what I do".
~ Jill

This is me, or at least me when I'm painting, drawing, or doing some other creative thing. Starting at the upper left is:

• Coffee
• Fiber for spinning
• Color wheel
• Traveling art supplies
• Sock knitting
• Paint
• My reference books
• A variety of sketchbooks and journals
• Brushes

You can see more Studio Friday here.