Oh Great...Another Interest!

Yep, you read that right. I have another new creative interest. That AADD (Art Attention Deficit Disorder) is sure giving me a hard time lately. Thankfully, this one is easily combined with several of my current pursuits. What is this new venue? Etegami. Etegami (think Spanish for the vowel sounds and you will be able to pronounce this) is a Japanese Folk Art form. Simply stated it is E - picture + tegami - letter. So, put them together, a picture-letter. There is more to it such as how they are traditionally made, materials used, etc. But for my purposes here I will just say they are hand painted postcards that are not truly Etegami until it is sent to someone. I will refer you to Debbie Davidson's blog for a much better introduction to Etegami than I can give you at the present. Etegami by dosankodebbie  and her intro to Etigami post.

So naturally with the words painting + Japan + letter writing in combination I had to learn more. I spent one evening this week reading and viewing every single post on Debbie's site. I started with her first post and worked through to the most current. Though I lived in Japan for two years, I really don't remember running across Etegami. I wasn't really into sketching or painting at the time. So, it is no surprise that it didn't go past my radar. The style is simple and yet there is an element of elegance in the simplicity.

I grabbed my sheet of Moulin du Gue, (rough, heavy, art paper) torn a section off and then split it into smaller "postcard" sized pieces. I figured it felt similar to the descriptions of the Etegami paper and would work for practice and play while I find the right combination of tools...

Here is my first attempt.

The writing says, "the apple is delicious." or at least something close to that. Also tried to use my hanko (personal signature stamp) but my ink is all messed up. It is about 30 years old. Time for new ink.

Today, being a rainy day at school, I decided to share Etegami with my students. Because it focuses on drawing AN object rather than all sorts of details it seemed easier for young kids.

We used white construction paper and Prang watercolor paints. I wasn't sure how these tools would work. I had them only do the black outline. We went to lunch and then painted the color. I did the two Etegami above as my examples for technique... Here are some of the pictures my students created. You will notice some chose to just copy me. While others sought out their own images.

(OK, FINE....I cannot get the picture to load properly. Sorry they are upside down and sideways. - I will edit this post when I find a way to get them to cooperate.)

Even upside down, you can see that some of my students understood the idea of one object, minimal details and no background... But some just could not resist the urge to add more.

 I played some more while they painted and cleaned. My chosen subject, Leafy Sea Dragons.

Then I just had to try the technique again. I headed to my favorite hangout for coffee and some me time. I tried painting Sleeping Beauty in the style of Etegami. I was working in my journal so I had a 7 x 10 page to work on.

I like it. but it is too big, about 1/2 page. I want to try doing a postcard sized piece so that I am forced to focus on part. It was too easy to get carried away with adding to the picture. I think I am going to like this addition to my repertoire. Maybe some of you will even receive an Etegami from me in the near future. Off to order real paper... for just such purposes.

The Olympics and Some Ink

If you are like me, you have been caught up in the Olympics. As a former competitive swimmer, I spend my time watching the races in the pool. My husband is excited as he gets to watch the BMX races for the second time. He is an old BMXer himself. As a member of the BMX Hall of Fame and one of the first generation racers, he is proud to see the sport now accepted in worldwide circles.

I sat and sketched in my journal some of the highlights of the Opening Ceremonies. I tried to pick out a few of the events that stood out to me. I am not sure that some of the flags I drew are accurate or even actually representative of a country...(more the concept).

Not long after starting my Visual Journal, I began to read about using Fountain Pens to sketch with. Naturally I had to try this out. I now own several different pens. Of course then I had to play with inks. I found a great sampling program at Goulet Pens. Each month they send their "Ink Drop" - 5 small vials of inks. Each month there is a theme around which the inks are chosen. The July Ink Drop theme was the Olympic Rings. Last week Brian Goulet announced the start up of a monthly Ink Drop contest.

The rules:

You can submit any kind of writing or artwork.

It can be an ink review, a poem, a watercolor wash, a sketch, or even get all scientific with chromatography... it just has to be ink on paper.

I asked my friends to give me words they think of when they think of the Olympics, or the colors of the Olympic Rings. These words I sorted by number of letters so that I could see what I had to work with. Then I began writing choosing words at random that would fit the space I had. I am happy to say that I used every word we came up with and I think I only repeated 2 words anywhere on the  page.

Here is my entry:

 

Please visit Goulet Pen and then click on "July 2012" to view my work and that of my "competitors." And make sure you vote. Voting Form (July Ink Drop Contest)Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog...even though I am not so consistent. I know it is hard to keep your attention when there is a Gold Medal race to watch somewhere.

Meeting Merida and other Scottish Activities

My husband and I both had Friday off. So after a morning appointment, dear hubby dropped me off at Disneyland while he went to a dr. appointment. I grabbed a muffin, some coffee and headed back towards "It's a Small World" to the area set up for "Brave" and Merida the heroine of the story.

I found a comfy spot across from the entrance and pulled out my Visual Journal, to sketch. I love people watching and sketching at Disneyland. Loved the little boy, about 7 who was sitting about 10 feet from me who kept wandering a bit closer each time he walked around while his parents dealt with a sibling...I know he was trying to get a peek at what I was doing without getting too close for me to notice, but I noticed.


I left room for Merida's signature.

 A few hours after I started my hubby came to meet me, wearing his Utilikilt, ready to meet Merida. We spun the wheel to find our clan - Dingwall. Then off to meet Merida, the bear cubs

 and some archery practice.

While waiting our turn with Merida, the Monorail came by sporting it's "Cars" paint scheme. So cute.



This was a 3D display at the ScotFest. Brave was one of the sponsors this year, quite fitting don't you think? They even had a wig (hanging on Dingwald's hand) for you to put on so you could pose as Merida with the backdrop.


Keeping in the Scots frame of mind, we were off the next morning to the ScotsFest in Orange County. We love attending this event each Memorial Day. It is our chance to immerse ourselves in our ancestral history/culture. Great music, good food, lots of red heads and kilts.



Highland Dancing competition.



One of many great bands competing at the Festival.

 

"Bad Haggis" performing on the Alex Beaton Stage. The lead musician and piper can be heard on many familiar soundtracks including Titanic.



Hard to see but the Caber is center, right in front of the man with the dark red and black kilt.


Our favorite activity is the Caber Toss and other athletic events as part of the Highland Games.  Though the Caber Toss looks like an activity of strength, but it really is a game of strength and skill. Participants lift a pole, balancing it on their shoulder until they are upright. Then the goal is to lift and toss the pole so that the end in their hands flips over and lands as near to 12 o'clock as possible.


My journal page, sans the journaling, from yesterdays events.



Out of Sync and Out of Touch

Well, I am not sure how it happened but all of February and March just ran away from me and I did not get anything new posted here. Sorry about that. I cannot say that they were not eventful, because they were. Between being ill, Dentist apps, and then having to catch up at work from all those events... I did not lack for activity. The sad thing about this time frame is that I may have been active, but it was not always fun. I really had no energy for sewing or playing with my Cricut. That would have required much more physical and mental prowess than I felt I had last month. I am glad I had picked up my pen and paints and had begun to play with Zentangles and a Visual Journal during this time.

For today's post I am going to spend a bit of time in my Visual or Artist's Journal. Last summer I found out Strathmoreartiststudio.com was hosting a few online workshops on Art Journals. Each new workshop was taught by a notable artist via video, online discussion boards, flicker galleries and notes. These first workshops were great mixed media ideas. Each video gives new techniques to try as well as some examples of their own finished work using the taught techniques.

Strathmore has a new series of workshops going on right now. The first was a Mixed Media Workshop. Though it is over, you can still register and view the videos, browse the discussions.... Workshop 2 just started 3 weeks ago. I am so excited as this workshop is on Sketching and Watercolor. YEAH! And it is taught by an artist I am familiar with, Cathy Johnson. I love her style and had already been scouring her various books, blogs and online videos, when I saw that she was teaching this session. I have already learned a great deal from Cathy and from the other participants. The first week was just basic washes and how to use them in a sketch. I tried several sketches/paintings last week, and was having difficulty getting the hang of water to paint ratio, as well as getting away from massive need to pay too much attention to detail.

A funny story (or two) about the Disneyland pictures - I painted the castle from my table at the Jolly Holiday Bakery on Main Street. While I was working on it Oscar, the head chef for Main Street and VERY long time employee (something like 55 years), came by to see what I was doing. He is such a joyful gentleman. When I was painting the statue, I was sitting on one of the benches that circle that inner area. A family came up to take pictures in front of it. They did several different groupings... chattering away in a language I knew was European but did not recognize. Two little girls, maybe 6 and 8 years old, crept over from the family group and proceeded to climb up on the bench to observe what I was doing. They were having such a good time watching me that they did not see their family walk away. Grandma had to finally drag them off. Somewhere in the middle of it all I found out they were here from Sweden. I just love hanging out at Disneyland. You see and meet some interesting people.

So I started back through my Visual/Art Journal looking at the pieces I liked and what I thought was successful in each page.

What I discovered was I seem to lose the perspective and detail when I try to fill a whole 7 x 10 page in my journal. I do pretty good when I keep most of the picture within a 3 x 5 to 4 x 6 max. With that in mind, I tried again. - Like this one much better. Here are one of my new journal entries. I will share more later.

I am really enjoying this class. If you are at all interested in sketching and painting in a journal, this would be a great place to start. Strathmore Artist Journal Classes

You might also like some of Cathy Johnson's websites and work.

Cathy Johnson - info

Artists' Journal Workshop

Urban Sketchers of the Midwest

Nature Sketchers

Visual/Art Journal continued

I am having a blast with my Visual Journal. I like my colored pencils and water color paints the best, but I am trying to branch out and play with other mediums as well. I am not quite as carefree and unplanned as some might be, but I don't think that is really my nature most of the time. I am trying to push myself to be more spontaneous.

I did pull out my notebook the other day, while enjoying breakfast at a Panera before heading to the dentist. The restaurant I was at had a wonderful sitting area outside, with gas heaters (it was chilly) and a nice big gas fire ring. It was quite relaxing. I challenged myself to attempt the fireplace. Not bad for an amateur.

My cat is always good for a funny story, photo, or in this case a funny sketch. I have seen cats get caught up in something moving on a TV screen before, but Stitch actually sits and watches TV with us on occasion. Many times it is hard to figure out what caught his eye. This time it was the huge parrots and bats on a Nature Channel special about New Zealand. Not hard to see the appeal to a frisky cat this time around.

Besides a visit to the dentist (not a favorite place for me) I also got to have blood drawn for some tests. I am the biggest wimp when it comes to needles. I have always had trouble with them finding a viable vein for drawing even the smallest amount of blood. I usually end up with several punctures in both arms, which equals bruises...It was so bad one time, my family doctor took it from my neck. Yes, you read that right, my neck. Back to my story, I had to have blood drawn and no hubby around for moral support. I lucked out with the tech that did it though. She looked at my arms, decided not to torture me, and pulled from my hand. Yeah only one hole! Drawing hands is always a difficult task. I actually did this while my students were taking a test the next day.

Lastly, this past week and a half have been a major whirlwind for me.

Some on going issues, work changes (about 3 times in one week) and all my stress landed in its favorite place, right between my shoulder blades. That gave me 3 days off work, on my back, chiropractor visits, and not a lot of activity. Oh fun. How come I can't have a sick day where I actually have the energy to do something fun, like quilt or craft? I guess that is why they are called SICK days not CRAFT days, huh?

Well, I still have one day left before it is off to work again. I think I will work on some birthday cards for friends... and maybe another page in my journal.

Saying hello to the New Year.

My husband and I have developed a tradition for New Year's Day over the 20+ years of our marriage. We get up early enough to watch the Rose Parade. I make cinnamon rolls, and we spend the morning all snuggled up on the couch in our Christmas jammies, a crackling fire in the fireplace. Usually, since we were up late the night before with friends, we fall asleep sometime during the first showing of the parade and wake up to watch the replay. This year wasn't any different, with the exception of falling asleep half way through the parade. It was kind of weird going to bed at a decent time the night before... But made for a comfortable, restful day.

In my effort to continue working on a Visual or Art Journal as one of my creative goals, I did the following page about January 2nd.

My main medium for this page was Koi water color paints, I bought with Christmas money. I did use some gel and glaze pens to add detail and a Pitt pen to write my journaling. I splashed a bit of my soup on the page before I had painted the background, and it left spots on the page. The spots did not disappear when I painted the pink background. So I "fixed" it by doodling little swirls of them with a colored pencil that matched my background color. Then to make it look like I "meant to do that" I doodled swirls on the rest of the background. Ha! now no one will ever know - well besides you.

I have to work on my perspective when I sketch a bit, but I think I did ok. I think the hard part is just getting started, no matter how artistic we might not think we are. So jump in, try something new, revisit something you have not done in awhile...

Water Color Pencils

Someone on the Cricut Circle Message Boards asked about using Water Color Pencils to color and highlight a stamped or printed design. After posting an answer to her questions I thought I should make a sample of what I am talking about and then post it on my blog. (Gotta love the light bulb moments).

First, there are many brands of water color pencils including Crayola. I pulled out just a few of mine made by Derwert. I purchased just a few of these to play with and see if I like the quality before purchasing a whole bunch. While digging around I also found a box of Water Color Crayons I purchased from Close To My Heart. So I pulled them out too.

You will need a non-water soluble ink for stamping your design, think in terms of your inks for Copics...Or consider printing out Digi Stamp images, like I did for this exercise. You will also need a paint brush, water, and a paper towel.

Here is a sample of the 5 basic ways to use your pencils (plus a crayon sample)
1) Just color with them DRY just the way you would color with regular colored pencils.

2) Color with the Dry pencils just as above. Then give the whole picture a wash with a damp brush. Make sure to clean your brush and dab off extra water from the brush before using it on the next color.

3) Color with DRY pencils as you did before, but this time only wash parts of the picture to give different texture to different parts of the picture. I washed her raincoat but left her pants dry.

4) Use any of the ideas above but highlight (darken) areas by first dipping water color pencil in your water container, dab off water, and then sketch where you want to add dark shades.

5) Instead of laying color on to the image via pencil, use a damp brush. Dip your brush in water and then run the tip of the brush along the tip of the pencil, picking up color the same way you would from a pan of paint (think grade school water color boxes).

Then place the color on the image with the brush. This will give you the look of water color painting with a depth of color.

I really like the new "water brushes" that Pentel, Koi and others have come out with. Each brush has a synthetic brush that attaches to a refillable water reservoir. These actually come in several brush sizes/shapes. You have the ability to control the amount of water you are putting on paper by squeezing the barrel.

Lastly, I mentioned the CTMH crayons. I colored my little image with the crayons and then gave it an overall water wash. The colors in my box (Regal Colors)

I really like The look of water color so most of the time I load my brush and paint, but I really like the fact that I can change texture just by coloring with the pencils or wetting the tip to increase intensity. They really give you a lot of variety.

Addicted to Art Supplies!

Why does the sight of tightly stuffed, slightly mussed up shelves of art supplies makes my heart beat faster? It could be beautiful  specialty or scrapbooking papers, a display of pens, or walls of paint tubes and pallets. It might even be the clean new brushes, or an easel...or perhaps stationary, quilting fabrics and threads. I just love wandering up and down aisles of art tools and supplies. I guess it is like getting a new box of crayons. Do you remember the feeling of infinite possibilities as you gazed at the array of pointed cylinders staring back at you when you opened that box? I love that feeling.

Other than craft projects done in elementary school, the only real art class I have ever taken was a drawing class in college. But the idea of creativity has always appealed to me. I would not say I am the most artistic or creative person I know - that title would go to my mom, Ellen, and my Aunt Susan. But I have fun playing with new ideas and mediums.

Yesterday, I decided to break out some watercolor paints I had purchased. Instead of the hard pan type paints this time I opted for some tubes of paint. I pulled up a small table, my supplies and sat in my big, comfy chair. Of course Stitch, the cat, had to join in as the smell of something new was just too much for him. I did manage to keep him off the work space but as you can see, he REALLY wanted to know what I was doing.

Since I was just messing around and trying to get a feel for the brushes and paint, I figured I would paint what was right in front of me. Or in this case right beside me.

I did not really want to do all of the cat as I was working on small pieces of paper (4.5" square) and thought that trying to get the featheriness of his fur would be a good way to play with my brushes. He always seems to have one black whisker, so I had to put that in.

Then I played with another technique I have picked up over the past several years, Zentangle. I used a sepia pen and then washed the whole tangle in color, just for fun.

Well it is off to work on report cards and play with my paints a bit more. Hope you have a great weekend. Don't forget to do something creative.