Things that work together

I was just playing around with some of Pat Dews techniques where she puts things that will make patterns and textures into the wet paint and lets it dry. This is punchanella (lower right) and molding paste over punchanella (top) and waxed paper on the blue and green. I wrote the letterforms in a Neuland type hand with a black calligraphy marker in my practice pad and decided that I would try and use it some how--- so this is how it all came together. I changed the letterforms to off -white and stuck it in! Works for me and made me happy!

More Calligraphy

I am still working on this new chunky book and I am still coming across some snippets of watercolor that just needed some lettering. This one is about 5 x 7 and written with Dr. Martin's Bleedproof and outlines with a tiny micron to make it pop. Of all the art that I do which I feature in Art du Jour, this is really who I am, a calligrapher who is still learning and admiring all the wonderful artists in Blogland who are some of the best calligraphers in the land. Lisa is one such calligrapher as well as Renee. And, Oh, Lisa, thank you for the oh so sweet Sunshine Award. THANK YOU my dear!!! And one more, although she does not mention it much but Lori is one of the best too!

OH and PS... Jane Farr is incredible too!

One more background...

I must say that I am very thrilled with how the Parallel pens work on this rough watercolor paper and I dipped it in two colors of Hydros watercolor. I did lay down a thin coat of clear gesso because calligraphy over watercolor washes have a tendency to bleed so maybe I have solved that with the clear gesso. I have been doing pretty good at filling up this journal and as you see I seem to be using the same colors. Note to self: Jump out of this color box you are in! Maybe use some lavender!

Lisa workshop Day 2

The lighting is really bad here at the Embassy suites but I wanted to show you the almost finished piece. I plan to sew with various threads and some metallic thread and finish it up then I will take a good picture of it. I really have had a wonderful time and Lisa gave us "permission" to do all sorts of things that were really ok when assembling a collage or writing on fabric. I am so glad I came to the workshop. I only got lost a few times so thank goodness for the Hertz Neverlost. SO ... actually I was never lost!!! The Birmingham guild gals are exceptionally precious people and it was fun to see how talented and creative they are were. We have actually all had most of same teachers along the way and it gave us an instant bond. Oh, how I wish Jacksonville still had a Calligraphers Guild. That makes me very sad that we don't. Anyway....I think I am tired now and I think I will watch a movie. I watched "Julie and Julia" last night and thoroughly enjoyed it! Flying home tomorrow---I'll be glad to get home.

Calligraphy Practice Pad Book and a Teesha Moore Journal

I don't know if any of you have seen Teesha Moore's Youtube videos on her amazing 16 page journal but it is great but beware...don't start watching them at 10:30 and night because you will be up until 1:30 like my buddy, Lori did. It's great fun and eye candy galore!

And also in this vlog is also my calligraphy practice pad journal book for all of my students who are taking Italic Calligraphy to see how I made a book out of the practice sheets. It was fun to make and it makes practicing fun!

My soul waits...

I was reading a blog post that was a link inside someone else's blog which was a link inside that blog etc...( I guess you call this blog surfing) and this Scripture was in that post. If I could find that post again I would like it but I could but can't find it---but it was good. This Scripture was so fitting for that post--God's Word is like that. He can speak to all our circumstances. So I decided to write it, scan it and place it into this background that I created in the Layer Love background class but actually pretty much digi-brushed it and altered it quite a bit. Since I have been filming the Italic Calligraphy class I have been writing some quotes and Scriptures to add as some examples for the class. I am about finished with the filming of the classes--just need to do the capitals---then the editing begins....

Little Mini Hand Book

I made this little video today while I actually should have been filming Lesson 3 of my online class. I really did want to see how my new light and background would look. I like the green so now I will use it for the rest of the lessons. Then after I made this video and was all ready to start filming I decided that I would be really smart and organize my files that come from Movie maker in the Imovie events. Apparently you can't do that because I lost all of my editing and had to export all of the clips back in one by one and still I didn't get them all---so that required refilming of some parts. I knew things were going just a little bit too smoothly. Well, maybe tomorrow I can get to lesson three. But hey, I just thought of something, if I had filmed lesson 3 then I would have lost that one too. Actually in a strange way, God is looking after me! Of course He always is.

Art hath an enemy

This is just a little quote which will be added as an example in the online class. Today I will be filming lesson three--the letterforms. So far so good!

Babies Don't Keep Quilt

Well, if you quilters had seen me put this thing together you would have either laughed or cringed --probably cringed. I had all sorts of problems pop up that I didn't know how to solve so I am the queen of camouflage. I surely won't show you the back even thought it does have a fabric backing. I tried to use my new walking foot so the fabric wouldn't move and apparently I don't know how to use that because it wasn't walking. I guess that will be trip to the quilt store for instructions. I had such fun making this though. I did the lettering then printed it on inkjet fabric by Jacquard. This is for daughter, Macaulay.

Calligra-FUN UPDATE!!  I love posting my students Calligra-FUN pieces. This is Jane at Painted Heart Studio and I love it!  Good work, Jane!!

A few nighttime backgrounds

Sometimes I just have to put some color on paper and create---something---and who knows what it will turn out to be. I love to try to do no-think intuitive painting because sometimes you get and gem and sometimes you don't. The ones that don't can be torn up and sometimes then the torn pieces turn into gems. The urge to do this usually hits me about 10:30 pm and I go into my "Closet of Creation" where everything is right at my finger tips but not much room at all. But I do create some fun things in this small space here at home.  This is a big closet for a closet but a small space for a studio. Our next door neighbors have installed a wine cellar in their closet area. We live in a condo and our neighbors have the same layout except opposite. His wine cellar is fantastic and it's mind boggling how he has figures out how to catalogue all the wines and go right to it. I should let him come over and catalogue my art supplies!  I'm sure I'd never find a thing ever again.

Calligra-Fun Marker Double Load Update

This is just a little quickie Calligra-FUN update. This is a neat double load trick with the zigs.  If you try it you will see the subtle variations in the color and it's pretty cool since the video can't really pick up the variations as clearly.  I hear that the Brushables Markers are now in at markersupply.com.  I just heard that--I haven't checked yet but I know that they were coming in so hopefully we will have a good supply now that is easy to get. 

Enjoy the double load ditty. 

...the duty of the artist.

I have been assembling another Artsy Stuff chunky book like the other one I did which is filled with bits and pieces of artsy stuff; paintings, calligraphy, etc.  I like to create these books because it gives a purpose to all the little bits that I have that are not ready for the Etsy shop or for framing. All of the pieces are originals. These are two separate pieces that encountered serendipity. Neither were created for the other but sometimes it's fun to combine pieces. And it's so fun to stitch around the pieces. 

 It's 5 x81/2 on Arches Text Wove watercolor paper. The background is paste paper.

Update "Twitter" Blog Alert #2

Well, I am a proud teacher for sure! Check out Sue Bleiweiss! She is doing such a great job and oh, my goodness---check out the box she made for her markers!  Then while you are at it you canscroll on down and check out her batiks. She is a great teacher too so be sure to check out all of her online classes on her blog. 

Twitter Blog Alert

What is a Twitter blog alert? ( I just made that up) Well, I guess it is an addition, addendum or a PS to today's post. I just wanted everyone to see a wonderful example from Sherry who has taken my class and has had great success. Check it out---I am so proud of her!

Calligra-FUN Started Today!!!

I am so excited to get started with the class today!! If any of you who are taking the class need to email me or send a blog comment question that will be just fine--or you can comment me in the ning site. I will be glad to help you in any way!!! 

Calligra-Fun Starts Soon

Hi! Just wanted to thank everyone for signing up so far and I am so looking forward to the class getting started.  I am only an email or blogpost away so  if you need any help at all or need any questions answered please don't hesitate to contact me. I love helping people learn to write with beautiful letters so--don't be a stranger!!!  :)

Art Quotes

I think I have gone crazy with iMovie. For all you PC users--iMovie is the movie editing software that comes with the Mac. I learned this really well when I was editing my online class which starts July 22nd. 

That was a shameless plug, I know.

It is so fun to make little movies. This is just some fun calligraphy lettering in an old half used watercolor spiral notebook. The images were stamps with water washes added. I used a pointed nib for the lettering and the paper was actually too rough for the nib but no matter--it was all just practice. My one goal in my art life is to be a lettering artist first--mixed media artist next then fine artist (hee hee, it's ok to laugh at that last one!)

    

Calligra-FUN Workshop Example

Here is another example of the calligra-FUN lettering you will learn in my workshop that starts July 22nd. You can learn to do this! I take you through all the steps.  Calligraphy is a series of strokes of your pen (marker) and when you practice these strokes it will become second nature. But you do have to practice. But with this lettering--practice is FUN...it's Calligra-FUN!!!

Paste Paper Bookmark--Lost but now Found

Since I have been home from helping our daughter with the new baby I haven't felt much like creating anything even though the itch is coming back to create some new things. So instead I have been organizing, cleaning out and going through some of the mounds of artwork and discarded artwork all jumbled up together stuffed in drawers. Sometimes I find a little special gem (gem is in the eye of the beholder!) hidden amongst all the mounds and I go--"oh, yeah, I remember doing that!" Well, this is a little paste paper hand-lettered bookmark that I probably didn't think much of when I did it but since I found it and liked it-- I thought I would blog it . Of course the Scripture is one of my favorites and is something that I pray for often (for me!) 

Filming the Brush Lettering Online Class

I have been pretty busy filming myself for the Brush Lettering online class. I have filmed 3 lessons so far out of the 4. It was quite a learning curve to do this!  The curve included learning how to use the camera, how to set it up, lighting, and iMovie. Many many hours! And I had a real scare because right in the middle of my filming I found out that EK Success is discontinuing these markers!! Yikes! But not to fear, I was contacted through my Youtube from Karetake.com who manufactures these pens. (That was surely a God thing!)--- and upon contacting them I found out that yes---they are still being produced and with rave reviews!  Thank goodness. So there are other places to find these wonderful Zig Brushables Markers.  WHEW! Anyway, just one more lesson to go and it will be in the can!  August 1st is the projected start date since Creative Workshops needs about a month to advertise.