New sketches in my 4"x6" journal

Here a this week's sketches in my new journal that I talked about here.

I decided to change it up a bit and make a 2 page sketch. I'm happy with the composition, colors and materials on this one. I haven't used bleeding tissue paper in my art in quite some time. This material adds some nice texture and color variation to a sketch.

The next sketch, one on the left below, is drastically different than the way it started out. I wish I had taking process photos along the way. It was dark brown, red and turquoise. Needless to say it turned out very muddy looking. With a quick swipe of white gesso, the mess was gone. More bleeding tissue paper was used along with watercolor and oil pastel. I pushed this 80lb drawing paper to the limits with all the layers of paint, etc. and it held up nicely.

The sketch on the right started down the same path as the one on the left. I pulled in the reins and kept the sketch simple.

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Loops Book with French Link and Copitc Stitches

I decided to give the French Link with Coptic Stitch another try. You can see my first attempt here. "Loops Book" has 20 - 4.5" square individual signatures that are sewn together using black waxen linen thread. I painted the loops using Turquoise and Red acrylic paint and thin black Sharpie. 

This attempt was a more successful than the last. There is something to say for practicing. Right? Next time I try this stitch I will use signatures with more paper. The bulk of the signatures will showcase the French Link stitch because there will be more space between the stitches.

"Loops Book" - 4.5" square

"Loops Book" - 4.5" square

"Loops Book" - 4.5" square

"Loops Book" - 4.5" square; all the pages

As I mentioned here. This book is on display at the eXtreme Fiber Art exhibit at the ideaXfactory.

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eXtreme Fiber Art exhibit as ideaXfactory

I am thrilled to have my colorful books in the eXtreme Fiber Art exhibit at the ideaXfactory.  

eXtreme Fiber Art exhibit

ideaXfactory

351 N. Boonville Ave.

Springfield, MO 65806

Exhibit Dates and Hours:

September 7 - October 12, 2018

Tuesday and Thursday 3pm-7pm

 

"2018" Accordion Book (front view) - 4"x4" to 4"x20"

"2018" Accordion Book (back view) - 4"x4" to 4"x20"

"Little Red Book" - 4"x4"

"Loops" book - 4.5"x4.5" to 4.5"x9"

"Mini Pink Matchbook" - 1.5"x2"x9"

"Mini Green Matchbook" - 1.5"x2"x7"

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New sketches in my journal

I have started working in my new journal that I talked about here. I'm finding that I like the size (4"x6") and, surprisingly, I like creating on a blank page. My previous journal had pages that were monoprinted with acrylic paint. Both journals used the same paper as the signatures, which is Blick White Sulphite Drawing Paper in 80lb weight. Even though this paper is made for drawing, I found that painting with acrylic paint and gluing collage papers work well. Granted I wouldn't use watercolor. When adding felt markers like Sharpie, I find that the marks don't bleed through to the backside if it's applied on top of the paint. If the felt marker is applied directly to the raw paper then there has been some bleeding. All in all, I like using this paper for my journals.

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Beyond the Edge Fiber Artists' "Exploration in Fiber"

 

"Renewal" - 20"x20"

In previous posts, I have mentioned that I'm part of an amazing group of fiber artists called Beyond the Edge Fiber Artists. We exhibit locally and nationally. This weekend our exhibit, "Exploration in Fiber", will be opening at the Potocki Center for the Arts.

The Potocki Center for the Arts is located at:

27301 La Paz Road

Mission Viejo, CA 92691

949-470-8470 

Exhibit dates:

September 8 - November 3, 2018

The exhibit will feature a wide range of fiber art. If you are in the area, please stop on by!

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Starting a new journal

As I mentioned here, I completed creating in my "Language" sketchbook journal. I had to decide which of my completed books to use as my next journal. Recently, I took Nik the Booksmith's Hollow Back Book Binding online class. One of the books I made didn't turn out as planned because it doesn't have a hollow back spine. The book has a flat back spine. The book doesn't close all the way because the signatures (group of pages) don't lay flat along the inside of the spine. I won't be able to sell the book because of this flaw, which helped to make my decision to use it as my next journal. 

The cracker box substrate is 6"x4" closed and 6"x9" opened. I monoprinted the paper used for the outside and inside covers. The covers have coordinating duct tape and washi tape on the spine. The five signatures are made using Blick White Sulphite Drawing Paper in 80lb that are sewn into the book with waxed nylon thread. There's a 50 pages.

In my "Language" sketchbook journal, I used the same paper but monoprinted the paper before sewing into the journal. This time around the paper is unmarked. It will be a good challenge to start with blank papers.

Let the fun begin!

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"Language" sketchbook journal - new sketches

Here is the last page in my "Language" sketchbook journal. As with anything done on a regular basis, creating in a journal has because a habit for me. A good habit. All 60 sketches. I'm already constructing a new journal that I will start creating in this week. 

"Language" sketchbook journal - "that's all she wrote" 5"x8"

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"Language" sketchbook journal - new sketches

At my day job this week, I had two separate conversations with co-workers where we commiserated about different work situations. The parting quotes by each co-worker resonated with me. I decided to write these quotes in my journal for safe keeping.

"Language" sketchbook journal - "and all shall be well" and "this conversation didn't happen"

  

close up - "and all shall be well" 5"x7"

close up - "this conversation didn't happen" 5"x8"

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"Language" sketchbook journal - new sketches

I have been feeling overwhelmed lately. Juggling my day job, art related responsibilities and opportunities. I was talking to my dear, long-time friend, Gene Brown about it. He said something that resonated with me. "Better to be overwhelmed than underwhelmed". So true, my friend, so true.

This week's sketches in my "Language" sketchbook journal are inspired by this quote. I need to keep the "hustle" going as well as thinking it's "better to be overwhelmed than underwhelmed".

"Language" sketchbook journal - "hustle" and 
"better to be overwhelmed than underwhelmed"

close up - "hustle" 4"x4"

close up - "better to be overwhelmed than underwhelmed" 5"x7"

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"Language" sketchbook journal - new sketches

I struggled this week with deciding what words to use for these two sketches. What finally came to me was a bad habit that I want to break. At my day job, I tend to apologize too much when I make a mistake. It's a relatively new bad habit - the last 2 years. I'm looking to find new ways to acknowledge my mistake then move on. The sketch on the right represents the bad habit. The sketch on the left represents some word options to break myself of it.
 

"Language" sketchbook journal - "sorry" and "okay, understood, got it"

close up - "sorry" 4"x4"

close up - "okay, understood, got it"

 

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