A little bit of calligraphy

I like to take some of the paste paper pieces and some of the other stenciled papers in the stash and do a little calligraphy on them. I like to just add a quote or some words. It's mainly just an exercise in layout and design and where to put the lettering as well as writing it without lining it. I can't seem to do much lining up with my calligraphy anymore. I like it more free looking. SO, with that being said, for the next few days I will just do a few little quotes on some of the paper and post them. I will start my oil painting class on the 20th so I didn't want to start anything new. I think I am going to need all my focus for that! YIKES! I kinda nervous.

...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.

Green Day

More journal junkin' with left over green paint mixed with mat medium.  The mat medium makes it act like paste paper.  What is paste paper? Most of you know what that is but for those who don't-- it a process of laying acrylic or watercolor paint on paper with wheat paste or Elmers Art Paste which makes interesting texture made by sponges or other tools. I use paste paper a lot for backgrounds for calligraphy. This (images above) will not work for lettering because the mat medium is a plastic and the nibs will slide all around and the gouache won't stick. That's why we use wheat paste for backgrounds for lettering. It's all 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!) 

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year 2009 to all my sweet and talented blogger friends---across the big wide world!!

I actually did some calligraphy! One New Year's resolution on it's way. This is on paste paper--but actually I wrote it on another sheet of paper and put it on in Photoshop. I also put a little shadow behind the words because it was not standing out enough.

Hugs to everyone!

Poppies on Paste Paper

These Poppies on paste paper that was in my stash just waiting for something. It is really an interesting piece of paster paper so please do a close up. This is acrylic and I must say I felt like I was out of practice and kept reverting back to watercolor techniques. That's ok if you are using acrylics as watercolor but in this case that was not by plan. I will adhere it to an 11 x 14 Ampersand board and maybe put it into the ReddiArts Show in March.

Paste Paper

I guess I am in a gold and crimson mood today with the paste paper. The swirl is a Tim Holtz mask which I think will be fun to have and use. This paper is much brighter in person. It was late in the day so I guess my light wasn't as good but hopefully I will fine a use for these but for now they will go into the huge backgrond stash. It is three different cuts from the same piece. I did do somt other backgrounds but I thought this one was the best.