Start drawing 1

Here is a quick drawing of my cats head whils he was lieing on the chair.It was so fun, but at the same time hard as he kept moving.I am not really a good drawer but after listening to this fab podcast(http://dannygregory.libsyn.com/), I really wanted to draw.So I am going to make it a weekly practise, that I draw at least one drawing per week.Drawing really lets you grow artisticly and dicover yourself.All you need is paper, a pencil(I recommend 2H) and a rubber(I recommend a kneadable putty rubber).So i will be posting a few drawing prompts over the next time.Starting today:

DRAW YOUR PET OR HOUSEPLANT OR ROOMIE AND WRITE YOURSELF POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITASIMS, SO YOU CAN WORK ON THE BAD PARTS AND BE HAPPY ABOUT THE GOOD PARTS:)

Etsy Loves 7.4.2010

Cute art doll made with Air dry clay can be found here







Super cute art doll made from fabric and plaster with moveable polymere clay arms.Can be found here










This super cute Forest girl painting can be found here and was painted by marisolspoon.















This cute nurse kitty was painted by tanyabobd and can be found here

StudioWednesday 7.4.2010

I have decided I will not post my art pages on thursday.I will post them whenever, but
I will do so once a week.Okay guys?

Anyway:

Below is my first art journal page in my new handmade art journal,I have already done way more but I am always abit behind with uploading photos.But who cares? I did this page by first taking my neocolour IIs and appling them to the background and adding water so that you get that lovely blend of colours. I love having lots of colours on my pages.Then i tried out tape trasfer for the image.The way you do so, is take some clear packaging tape, the wide kind and laying the image onto it.Wet this and rub off the back layers of your image.This leaaves only the top layers of paper and therefore the image on the cellotape.The reason I have lines going through mine is because I did not have wide tape , so I had to improvise with normal tape.I still think it turned out fab, don't you? I want to buy some clear packaging tape, so I can try again.

After doing all this, I sat infront of the telly with scissors, a glue roll(very handy) and my box of patterned papers.I just sat there and cut and pasted pretty images the whole evening.Very relaxing. At the end of it all I decided not to add any words as I find this page is like a picture of some secret coloured water.The girl looks like she is under water and it seems to tell me a a million things without any words and i did not want to ruin this.I really like this page.

The next one, is my version of journalgirl's prompt(what makes a miserable art journaler?).I used many layers of paint and paper scraps to gat the background, but I really do like the background.Then I just added my list :

1. 1.She tries to exactly copy other peoples art.Just copy the elements you lika nd combine into your own style.
2. She tests everything out before doing it. You should react frominstinct. Your art journal is you place to be free from judgement on how good things are.
3. Isn't ever happy with what she creates.Sure we don not always create good pieces, but If you dont like the page, you at least liked the process right?
4. She does not capture her personality and feelings in her art journal
5. She always does the same basic thing. So say, text in corner and picture at top.Have fun and play with placemnt¨
6. She lays one layer of background and then is done.Layer you back grounds.Layering is fun!
7. She plans out her next page!Just be creative

At the moment I am challenging myself with daisyyellow april creative challenge, Make a list of 100 ways to use a paintbrush!It is hard,but very funa dn really makes your brain think creatively!I have 25 ideas so far!!!:)

Book review:Collage Unleashed

I really love this book.I got it a few months ago and have reread all the techniques and ideas over and over again.This book has 6 chapters, so first I will give you a quick round up of what is in each chapter.

1. Painting Paper and Fabric: This chapter is all about ways to put paint to paper and fabric.Traci treats both mediums as one.I find this very inspiring.In this chapter she shows you how to die paper towels, how to make crayon cupcakes,how to use an iron to melt crayons and then use them as art and much more. Each idea comes witha step by step tutorial with clear photos and extra ideas.At the end of each chapter she gives you even more ideas to try such as to use your painted papers for colour swatches, name cards, Bookcovers, scrapbook paper or roll up beads.
2. Printing, stamping and using transparencies:This chapter gives you loads of ideas such as layering prints,doodle monoprints and how to make and what to do with transparencies made from your own art.She introduces the concept of fabric collage with transparencies and offers many attachment methods such as making transparency sandwiches with dired flowers in them and some fab ideas for a texture toolbox.
3. Freestyle lettering and Doodling:This chapter really inspire you to go out and buy a million gelpens and to get lettering and doodling.She has a fun doodle warmup, how to turn your doodles into wonderful colouring pages,lots of ideas for funky calligraphy and doodling prompts.She also really incouraged me to use everything and anything to doodle with like sumiink and a pipette.Lastly she offers lots of handy tips for writing on fabric.
4. Combining Collage styles:How to create fusion dyed collage,ideas for collaging with symbols and fabric paper patchwork collage.At the end of this chapter she shares collage starters and themes.A truely inspiring chapter
5. Stiching bindings and funky embellishments:This chapter is all about how to make journals,She starts of by offering a clear tuorial on making signatures, offers lots of unique binding methods such as free form crochet,bead macrameor latch and rug hook binding and hand and machine sew embellishing stiches.I know where I am going to look for my next art journal ideas.
6. Projects combining techniques:Shows you how to make many journals, wall hangings and bags with the techniques learned throughout this book.

I think this bôok is fab!Anyone who loves art journaling and wants to venture into working on fabric aswell, or any one that just needs paper and fabric inspiration should buy this book!!!!!!!!!!!!

Autor; Traci Bautista

Travel journal inspiration

I am going on a 5 day trip soon and thats why i want to make and keep a travel journal.Here are my links:

• I hanna's post on keeping a journal.With many cool tips
• I want to sew the pages like ihanna did.So here are some good tips
• Travel journal writing tips
• Fab tutorial

Spring cleaning Quilt- Along

I am not a tidy person.At all.But when the weather gets nicer, I do get into a Spring Cleaning mood. But it is still kinda boring.Then I had an idea!Why not make a quilt as I go along?The idea was born.Let's get right down to it:

1. Get all your fabric out.Everything, scraps, felt....


2. Put on some good music


3. Now start off by drawing a pattern for all your squares of your future quilt.Cut it out and you have your pattern


4. Grab your first fabric.Get a bag ready fro scraps even if you already have one, get a new one.Have a rubbish bin at the ready to.


5. Spread your fabric out, cut of any dangly bits that are in the way and are to small to be used in a big project and put these in your scrap basket. Trace around your pattern 2-4 times, use the scraps if you can.If not then just cut it out from your main fabric.Cut around this roughly and set aside.


6. Cut a small sample piece from your fabric to. Fold it up and put away in what ever way you choose, a basket, clear bag, box, shelfing unit-Whatever
7. Repeat steps 4-6 for all your fabrics.If you have some jersey or silk that is not good for a quilt, then just do the same steps , but do not cut the squares out. Make sure you cut out a sample though.
8. Once you are done, you can pile all your tester pieces, add some elastic, to hang it up by and staple the whole thing.Now you have a handy refrence to exactly what fabrics you have.
9. Go through your scrap bin and sort to bin, new scrapbin or if they are big enough to fit your square blanket pattern on them, then draw around it again.
10. Sort all your felt into scraps(seperate felt scrapbox) or new fabric.
11. Cut out all your squares

I will continue this soon.If you decided to take part, just leave a comment below with a link to your site and i will ad you to the toolbar.Be sure to share photos so far.At the ens of this project I will also post links to how to use fabric and felt scraps:)

XO MAKEALIFE

Talk about the product:Paintbrushes Part 2

Okay, let's continue were we left of.
There are many, many Paintbrush sizes out there and you have to just experiment with different sizes, until you find your perfect size for you. It will also depend on what you want to do with it. For painting details such as fasces, I like to use a round sable brush in 4, 6, and 8. But if I want to just paint the background, I prefer to use a bigger size flat, sturdy brushes like size 10 or 12.

The last thing that you need to know is that there are different types of brushes, which get divided into 3 categories.

• Round brush: Exactly what it sounds like. Rounded with a pointed tip. Works well for painting details, but when bought in a big size also good for big surfaces and flat washes.
  
• Mop brush: This is similar to a round brush, but just a bit more flimsy. This is used for laying large areas of colours quickly.
  
• Flat brush: You guest it, this brush is flat. It is good for painting large areas.
  

That's what I would call the basics. Now this is the same with almost every art supply and technique.T he best way to learn is to just experiment. A last tip: do not buy cheap brushes, or else the hairs will start to fall out and stick to whatever you are painting.