Life, Art and Alteration

Unintentionally Flattering Self-Portrait!

2012-02-12T09:14:00.000-08:00

I've never tried painting a self-portrait before, so I decided to have a try today. My first attempt, using acrylics in 'realistic' colours, was dreary and horrible, and didn't feel like me, so for the second effort I decided to use pink and blue watercolours and make a dynamic feature of the hair, which seemed the most noticable feature in the photo I was using. I tried my best to make it look like me, but it turns out that's more difficult than it sounds! In the end it doesn't look anything like me, but I still quite like it.

Fish on Friday

2012-02-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

I liked the Amazon silhouette collage so much I decided to do another one, this time with Koi Carp. Same thing again - watercolour background with black collage on top.

I think I still prefer the green one, but I like this one too. Researching fish pictures was surprisingly interesting, and I'm working on some other fish projects too.

Sleek Art Journal Cover

2012-02-01T09:47:00.000-08:00

I'm quite pleased with how this book cover turned out. The silver shapes are embedded (I just found out it is called 'piece work'?) so the surface is smooth and flat, apart from the metal letter tags (and the embossing). Maybe a slightly unusual look for a book cover, but then I generally like 'unusual'!

Fresh Approaches to Collage - 'Amazon' Silhouette Collage

2012-01-31T06:40:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy having a go at lots of different techniques and media, but collage is my first love! This is an idea I had in the middle of the night. It's a watercolour background with a black collage on top.

I hand-cut the snake and the lizard. The rest are die-cuts. I'm pretty pleased with it because it turned out exactly how I pictured it in my head.

Hand Lettering - Journal Page

2012-01-27T07:25:00.000-08:00

I've been computer-printing a lot of my wording recently, and had lost confidence in my hand lettering skills. This troubled me, because I feel that hand lettering is a hugely important element of art journaling (because it is so personal, and unique to the writer). Always best to tackle a problem head-on, so I thought I'd go for it, and do a page with a major focus on hand lettering.

I'm quite pleased with the lettering, so hopefully if I keep at it my confidence will return. (And yes, the love affair with orange continues!) The white highlights are Posca paint pen, which is an absolute joy to use and has ended my quest to find the best white pen on the market.

Thinking about Personal Imagery/Style/Keywords

2012-01-25T05:31:00.000-08:00

Inspired by Corey Moortgat's book 'Personal Imagery' I've been trying to identify lists of themes, images, colours etc which I'm drawn to, or which mean something to me in my art work.

The page is just a watercolour background with collaged words and my trademark black/white stripes. I finished by drawing the peacock feathers basically to fill the empty space.

Another Hand-Made Stencil

2012-01-25T05:25:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty pleased with this page, particularly with the stencil, which I made from scratch from a photo. It's a bit more complicated than that last one (more positive/negative shapes). I used black acrylic paint with the stencil, but all the wording is computer-printed because I wanted a really crisp, graphic effect.

Here's the original photo which I started with:

More Orange! Back to Collage.

2012-01-22T06:31:00.000-08:00

I haven't done a purely collaged background for ages, so I went for 'colour/mood collage' here, and then added paint, stamping, distress ink and coloured pencil.

Music is My Drug - Using the Stencil I made

2012-01-21T09:23:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to make a journal page about the big effect music has on me (especially when I'm doing something creative). I had that in mind when I chose the design for my DIY stencil the other day.

I usually only use small pieces of patterned paper (cut up and collaged), but I thought this ethereal pink one would work perfectly as a background with the stencil. I put a simple page together quite quickly, using the stencil (with acrylic paint), a scroll design rubber stamp, and some ink spatter to finish.

Art Journal Covers

2012-01-21T08:02:00.000-08:00

I made some covers to keep my art journal pages in, using my new favourite colour...orange! (Notice the blog's zingy new look as well!)

Another Technique: DIY Stencil

2012-01-20T08:57:00.000-08:00

I have decided that my art-related goal for 2012 is to be more adventurous with techniques.

I tried the basic monotype print technique in my last post and this time I'm making my own stencil from acetate. The original picture which I traced the shape from is actually a design for surfboard artwork, by Stina Persson. I thought it would work perfectly for a stencil, so I traced it onto a sheet of acetate and cut out the negative shapes using a very sharp blade. Voila - a unique and very cheap stencil.

Weird Day Page - Improvised Monotype Print Technique

2012-01-16T04:37:00.000-08:00

I'm getting interested in basic printmaking techniques, so I had a first go at a basic monotype here. I liked the strange cats I sketched a couple of weeks ago, and thought they would work well with this technique.

First I wet the journal page a bit, then spread acrylic paint on a transparency sheet, and lay the paint side down on the wet page. Then I used a biro to write and draw on the top of the transparency sheet. The paint transferred more strongly in those areas where I had drawn, creating a diffused image. Here's how it looked before I added the final touches:

I think my paint was too wet this time (I used liquid arylic) so I'll try a thicker paint next time. You can do this technique on top of collage too - another nice idea.

Blue Sky Thinking...journal page

2012-01-14T16:55:00.000-08:00

We went for a walk on the beach today. It was cold, but the sun was shining and the sky was so incredibly blue that I couldn't help feeling wonderfully cheerful and positive. I wanted to make a journal page which captured the blueness of that sky, and the uplifting feeling it gave me.

I found the perfect colour and painted a background onto Yupo. Yupo isn't absorbent, so you can use a damp paintbrush to 'lift out' areas of paint, like this:

Then I drew in some cheerful floral-type doodles which I'd sketched a while ago. I didn't add any other colours to distract from the blue.

I could have just added the journalling in black but decided to make the blue 'pop' even more by matting onto a black background and journalling in white. Quick and easy, but I was pleased because it really does capture my feeling about that blue sky.

Return to Art Journalling

2012-01-12T03:20:00.000-08:00

After months of cardmaking and photography projects (plus the Sketchbook Project), I have finally got back into art journalling. It was great to crank up the music (African Guitar Legends - great background music) and get the paints out again after so long.

The compass is a Tim Holtz mask (which I failed to stick on straight!) and I used a lovely huge skeleton leaf on the other page, which adds a nice bit of texture.

Last Sketchbook Project Pages

2012-01-08T18:37:00.000-08:00

A couple more pages from my Sketchbook Project, which I managed to finish and which is now winging its way over to Brooklyn NY. I was trying out my new Rotring ink cartridge pen here, plus watersoluble crayons.

3D Wedding Cards

2012-01-08T02:28:00.000-08:00

I'm really enjoying my cardmaking at the moment and have been having fun making boxed wedding and anniversary cards. I've been giving the Cuttlebug a workout, using embossing folders and Spellbinders dies.

A bit of Nature Photography for a Change

2011-08-26T10:05:00.000-07:00

I've had enough of pylons and carparks and man-made stuff for a while, so I took my camera to West Dean Gardens near Chichester...

I loved the shapes of the flowers and the leaves of this blue Echinops flower.

(I held a sheet of white paper behind the flower to take the photo, and I have altered the brightness using Photoshop, but the flower really was very blue.)

Willow Sculpture

More Sketchbook Project Pages

2011-07-31T04:31:00.000-07:00

Koi Carp - Watercolour on Yupo Paper

Construction site with Crane - Ink/acrylic on Watercolour Wash (Yupo Paper)

Trees - Coloured pencil/ Ink on Watercolour Wash (Yupo Paper)

Sketchbook Project Pages

2011-07-30T05:19:00.000-07:00

Pylons - Indian Ink on Watercolour wash background.

Cranes - Indian Ink on Watercolour wash background

Floral fabric design - Stencil/stamps/ink on Watercolour background

Pink House Watercolour/Collage

2011-07-30T04:26:00.000-07:00

Urban Photography II

2011-07-21T07:25:00.000-07:00

I had another little photography tour, and here are the results...just as abstract as the last set.

Lens view at Ropetackle

Ropetackle

Random Worthing building which I took a fancy to!

Shoreham Rail Bridge

Sculpture at Ropetackle

Scaffolding on Worthing Pier.

(The most dense and complex scaffolding arrangement I've ever seen - strangely amazing.)

Demolition Site at Lancing.

(Two houses were flattened in one day. I was lucky to catch this moment just as half this house was gone and half still standing. Big thanks to the lovely demolition man who got out of the way for me to take my photos!)

Shoreham Rail Bridge again.

And again, in detail.

Step-by-Step Watersoluble Crayons

2011-07-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

And for a break from the difficulties of Yupo, back to normal watercolour paper for some nice cheerful loose watercolour flowers! Here's a step-by-step...

Step 1 I drew some bold flowers on bigger-than-A4 paper, using just a couple of colours - quite scribbly....

Step 2 I added plenty of water using a large round watercolour brush. Also added some spatter with a smaller brush....

Step 3 I tidied up the edges and added definition with watersoluble pencils into the wet paper.

Step 4 - I could have left it like that but it looked a bit lacking so I decided to write on it to make it a journal page.

More Adventures with Yupo

2011-07-16T07:45:00.000-07:00

You can't really layer paint with Yupo because even when it's dry, a wet brush just lifts it away completely, leaving white paper. This can be very frustrating! It took me some time and a very light touch to get round the problem, but I'm quite pleased with the light and airy feel of this summery double page.

Here is the underlayer, for those who are interested in watercolour backgrounds.

Experimenting with YUPO

2011-07-13T06:43:00.000-07:00

I've been playing with watercolours on Yupo (synthetic) paper. It has no absorbency so you can do different things with paint compared to normal paper. I've decided I LOVE it!

Industrial Landscape Art Journal Page

2011-07-13T06:33:00.000-07:00

First Art Journal page for a long time. Just a warm-up really. Scrappy sketch and a bit of blah about my current love affair with industrial landscape!

Industrial Landscape Photography - Sussex

2011-07-12T10:32:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling inspired by Industrial and Urban Landscape at the moment, so I went out to take some pictures, for inspiration and reference. I'm really pleased with how they turned out. Some fascinating shapes and silhouettes, and I'm seeing a kind of beauty in this kind of landscape that I've never seen before.

Aggregates Processing Depot at Portslade

Gas Storage at Worthing

NCP Car Park at Brighton

Aggregates Depot again

Industrial Wasteground Portslade

Cylinders at Shoreham

I can't go out, I'm watching my hare...

2011-04-03T04:57:00.000-07:00

I have a fascination with hares and a little personal motto: 'Chase the Hare', which I have engraved on a silver pendant round my neck. It's a reminder to try and live life at full tilt, like a greyhound chasing a hare. Sometimes I have to remind myself to keep an eye on the hare, and that's what this page is about.

Journalling everything....

2011-03-28T02:27:00.000-07:00

I'm making pages about everything going on in my life at the moment, and now I'm even making them about what's going on in my friends' lives too.

Pretty Sandals Card

2011-03-23T07:34:00.001-07:00

I had to wait in all day yesterday for a delivery so I spent the day making cards, just using up scraps of paper and ribbon and bits. I think this was the cutest of the ones I made. I like these pretty little shoes so much, it's a pity they aren't real!

Another Personal Journal Page

2011-03-20T02:15:00.000-07:00

The words won't make sense to anyone except me, but I decided to blog this page because I was quite pleased with the look of the layers and the texture.
I used paint, collage, stamping, acetate overlay.

Public/Private Double Page Spread

2011-03-13T07:03:00.001-07:00

I came across the mugshot of Frank Sinatra and it made me think of the sides of our personalities which we show/hide. My usual combo of paint background and collage.

Watercolour Poppies Page

2011-03-12T00:18:00.000-08:00

During some freezing cold days last week, I was really longing for the summer to hurry up and arrive!

I did some loose paintings of poppies a while ago using watercolour paint and watersoluble pencils, so I cut one down to journal-page size. I didn't want to risk making a mess of writing on the picture, so an acetate overlay seemed a good solution. I like the simple summery feel.

Back to Art Journalling After a Long Break...

2011-03-10T13:35:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm back again, after another of my mysterious six-month disappearances, and I've been sketching and journalling and making collages for a week or so now. My creative mojo is gathering pace, I've got loads of ideas, and I'm enjoying getting my hands dirty and making art again.

The pages I've made this last week have been quite personal, and one even has several sentences of journalling (which is a lot for me!)

I am getting tired of my beloved turquoise, so orange has recently taken over as my favourite colour. This is a simple collaged page with a watercolour background.

Night-time Art Journalling

2010-09-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

I am going through one of my phases of irregular sleep at the moment, so I've been getting up in the early hours and working on my art journal pages in the quiet of the night. I started this page at about 3.30am on Thursday morning. I actually felt fresh and inspired at the time, but the tiredness always hits the next day.

Soldier ATCs

2010-09-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

Haven't done any ATCs for a long while so took a break from the art journals to make this simple trio. I did make more than three but I didn't like the busier/fussier ones.

Week-at-a-Glance Journal Page Spread

2010-09-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

I don't normally write that much on my pages so I'm trying a bit of a diary-type approach for a change. I chose just one thing from each day that I did/saw/felt/noticed. There wasn't much room left for any images so I just stamped and doodled a bit (well, a lot). Very different from my usual style, where the focus is always an image or two.

Step-by-Step Journal Page (for J)

2010-09-14T07:12:00.001-07:00

Had a request for a step-by-step tutorial, so here we go... (Here's the finished page...obviously!)

Ingredients: Paints (I used liquid acrylics this time), lacepaper for stencil, handmade and patterned papers, alpha stamp set, watersoluble crayons, pablo pencils, fancy trim. (Oh, and grubby kitchen towel - that's crucial! Sorry - I should have tidied up before taking photos!)

I started with a patchy turquoise wash, then used a darker colour to stencil and outline the page.

The stencilled pattern didn't really match the image though, so I used gesso to tone it down to almost nothing, then added the collage elements, including stamped journalling. I stamped onto mulberry paper, which goes semi-transparent if you use wet glue to adhere it, so it blends into the background colours.

I brought it all together using watersoluble crayons and pablo pencils to scribble around and over everything, to create that scrappy/arty look. The final touch was a bit of turquoise trim, to add dimension and texture (and just because I really like it!)

You need to scroll back up now to see the finished page (seemed a bit pointless to post the picture twice).

Step-by-Step Journal Page Technique

2010-08-24T08:38:00.000-07:00

I meant to blog this when I did it I'm slow to get round to things! I started with a photo, altered to increase the brightness and contrast, and printed onto heavyweight sketchpaper. Then I framed it with a layered border of handmade and patterned papers. Next I painted in the scene using watercolours, and finished off by outlining all the detail with a fine black pen. Voila!

Paint Techniques for Journal Pages

2010-08-23T02:30:00.000-07:00

After a few of my background paintjobs went a bit muddy I decided to try a lighter touch with watercolours, to keep the white of the paper showing through (like proper watercolour painters - my Mum will be proud!) Here's the paintjob - which I was pleased with. It all went slightly downhill after that though, so I'll leave the finished pages to your imagination!

The background washes and 'feather effect' were done very wet, and the stencilled shapes and lettering added as it dried.

Moroccan-inspired Journal Pages

2010-08-20T02:20:00.000-07:00

I really love these bright strong colours and patterns so it was a joy collaging with them. I used some Lace Paper as a stencil for the paint effects. It got quite soggy but dried out OK after!

Smaller Art Journal

2010-08-14T14:07:00.001-07:00

A few months ago I started a new, much smaller journal (A5) but didn't really give it a chance. I've gone back to it now though and I'm absolutely loving it - it seems to suit the way I work much better.

I finished the pages I started months ago, and did some new pages this week.

Doodletastic Friday!

2010-08-07T06:37:00.001-07:00

Oops! I accidentally doodled the day away! The entire afternoon disappeared in a swirly haze of flowers and flourishes!

Black/White/Red ATCs

2010-07-13T05:32:00.000-07:00

Back to my favourite high-contrast style here.
Looks a bit like the tv's on the blink, but I love
it!

Cheerful Art Journalling

2010-07-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

OK, so I'm back! After six art-free months I have finally picked up a paintbrush, cranked up the CD player and kicked my creativity into action. I've eased myself back in with a bit of art journalling and a few ATCs to start with. Midsummer light and breezy is the mood here.

Red, Gold and Collage

2010-01-16T10:18:00.000-08:00

Altered photo, acrylic paint, collage, ink, gold foil.

New year - time for some new techniques and a fresh, bold new attitude! I'm working a little bigger at the moment, and trying to develop some new layering effects, starting with acrylic paint effects.

I might change the photo for another one if I find something I like better, but I'm pleased with the background.

Christmas Cards

2009-12-20T03:47:00.000-08:00

Some of this year's cards. Actually they will probably be next year's cards too - I thought I wasn't going to have enough but in the end I went a bit mad and made way too many!

December - Street Style

2009-12-10T09:56:00.000-08:00

I've been exploring different artwork styles in books and blogs recently, and am finding lots of new inspiration for my own work. At the moment I'm loving the cool, unpolished and immediate feel of Street Art. I'm no street artist but I've tried to bring some of that edgy street flavour to this altered book spread. (Acrylic paint, collage, pablo pencil)

November Journal Page

2009-11-22T01:10:00.000-08:00

Collage, acrylic, ink, pablo pencil, stamping.

I'm excited about this page for a couple of reasons:

Firstly, it should not work (vintage photo V orange/black acrylic paint - what was she thinking?!)....but I really like it!

Secondly, it was one of those 'accidental' pages. The background was part of an acrylic painting which didn't work out, so I was feeling a bit disappointed, but I never waste anything so I cut it up to use for collage. My feeling of failure disappeared when I realised it might still make something interesting. I love it when art just happens.

Beetle ATC

2009-11-20T04:12:00.000-08:00

I can never stay away from insects for long, and this exotic beetle is one of my favourite insect images.

Collage, ink, acetate, hardware.

Vintage Again - ATC

2009-11-20T04:00:00.001-08:00

I'm planning on starting some very large-scale work next month, so I'm doing the opposite at the moment and making some ATCs. They are such a great way to try out images and ideas, and stimulate creative thinking.

Collage, script stamp, ink, pablo pencil.

Be Free, Make Art

2009-11-06T13:33:00.001-08:00

(12x12 Scrapbook Page)

Prima Paintables watercolour sheet; photocopy picture, transfers, tape labeller, mixed media.

I'm feeling quite bold and brave at the moment, and I want to translate that feeling into my artwork, using vibrant colour and high contrast design.

This is a rework of a page I started ages ago but was never happy with. I like it better this time round!

Vintage Ladies

2009-09-04T04:29:00.000-07:00

I sometimes struggle to use vintage pics effectively, but the lovely texture of these handmade papers works really well with glamorous ladies. The combination of the two creates some really feminine, tactile-looking journal or altered book pages.

Birdy ATCs

2009-08-07T11:39:00.000-07:00

Artists Trading Cards - sheet music, acrylic glaze, birdy stickers, flourish stamps, pablo pencil, distress ink, bronze gel pen.

For some reason I've never tried making ATCs before, but once I got started on these I found it was relaxing and fun to work on such a small scale. I think I might make some to use as business cards!

Home Sweet Home

2009-08-06T13:34:00.000-07:00

Now that I've started art journalling again, I'm really enjoying it and find I can't stop! I wanted to try using some super-bright colours and create a child-like feeling for this page about how much I love being at home.

It actually took a lot of reworking and several layers of collage before I was happy with it, but I hope the effect is spontaneous and energetic.

Art Journalling

2009-08-01T10:51:00.000-07:00

After a break of several weeks I've finally got my art journals off the shelf, and am having fun experimenting with ideas and techniques.

'Make One Mark' is a favourite prompt to help me get over that 'blank page/blank mind" feeling!

Girly Handbag Cards

2009-07-27T08:55:00.000-07:00

I'm going through a card-crazy phase at the moment. My altered books and art journals are sitting on the shelf gathering dust because I'm having so much fun making cards.

I created a template for this handbag-shaped card on my PC (using autoshapes) and sized it so it can be printed directly onto A4 card/paper, ready to cut out. It works best with heavyweight double-sided scrapbook papers. Inside the card (which fastens with a tiny velcro dot) is a birthday greeting embossed on a mirri plaque.

Perfect for girly birthdays!

Fresh Daisy Birthday Card on a Budget

2009-06-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling very summery at the moment, and am having fun playing with my new Nestabilities. Having bought the Nesties, I'm now on a strict no-spend, so I'm busy using up all my scraps of card and patterned paper which have been sitting around for ages.

Large Patchwork Collage

2009-05-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to make a new piece of framed art for my living room wall for ages and was keen to try working on a larger scale (2ft x 3ft). Inspired by my love of patchwork quilts, embroidery and exotic textiles, I decided to go for a patchwork effect, but also included lots of gold to reflect light and create a sumptuous feel. Unfortunately the gold does not photograph well, but you get the idea!

Beaded Easter Cards

2009-04-19T02:48:00.000-07:00

I love glass in all its forms - from sea-glass pebbles on the beach to fancy hand-blown ornaments. I've never stopped being amazed by the fact that something so clear and perfect, fragile and modern, is a natural material made from sand. Glass is fascinating and beautiful stuff, and glass beads add a unique quality to cards or artwork.

Personal Imagery

2009-03-18T05:17:00.000-07:00

I quite often use images of myself as a child in my work, but I've never really thought about why.

I recently came across a lovely book which deals with just this topic. It's called 'The Art of Personal Imagery' by Corey Moortgat, and it's full of interesting ideas and techniques to help the reader find their own personal imagery and symbolism, which can be used in any kind of artwork. Here's a simple page using collage and some gold foiling over a pink wash.

Scrapbooking Meets Altered Art

2009-02-12T01:46:00.001-08:00

I'm a scrapbooker as well as an altered bookmaker, and at the moment I'm really enjoying the experience of fusing and mixing up the two crafts in this book.

I wanted to make something really personal, so the book features altered photos of myself, my friends and family, combined with the usual mix of collage, stamping, paint, fabric etc..

I particularly like to use high-contrast black and white images, cut from their background and set against new (more interesting!) ones. Here a 'reject' wedding photo gets a new lease of life.

Floral Birthday Card

2009-01-13T10:15:00.000-08:00

With all this grim wintery weather I've decided to look forward to spring, and have started making some Easter, Mother's Day and Birthday cards - all with a floral theme.

I love these pretty Crate Paper patterned papers (Katlin collection). Thave have a slight shabby-chic look but are still colourful and pretty enough to work with a touch of glitter.

Look Deep

2008-10-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

Look Deep (Left Half)
Ink, collage, acetate, mixed media, pablo pencil.
I'm fascinated by the tiny and complex beauty of many insects, and I use their images often in my artwork. Butterflies, moths, beetles and bees...I love them all!
The inspiration for this page comes from a wise and wonderful quotation from Albert Einstein - "Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better."
The beetle image is so striking that it only needed a simple frame to complement it. I inked over the text, then collaged a frame and mounted the beetle under acetate.

Deaths Head Moth

2008-10-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

Death's Head Moth

Image printed onto page, collage, stamping, ink, pablo pencil.
Please don't mention Silence of the Lambs! It's a shame the association between this moth and that film is so strong, because it is a strange and fascinating creature. The unusual markings on the moth's body really do resemble a human skull, giving it a slightly mystical quality, which I have tried to reflect in the collage. I'm also feeling autumnal at the moment and enjoying the changing colours of the trees, so those seasonal colours and textures are featuring in my work.

Magenta Door

2008-10-20T07:49:00.000-07:00

Magenta Door

Acrylic glaze, altered photo, collage, pablo pencil

I find the architecture in Brighton quite inspiring, particularly the grand seafront buildings. I took this photo because I loved the weathering on the doorway, as well as the patterns of the brickwork and tiles.

I altered the photo using Photoshop and carried the aqua/magenta colour scheme through the rest of the page using acrylic glaze and some red/pink collage elements.

Books and Bees

2008-10-20T04:38:00.000-07:00

Books Bees (Left)

Collage, mixed media, pablo pencil

"Books are the bees which carry the quickening pollen from one to another mind".
I love this notion of books as bees, spreading knowledge like a dusting of pollen, and I wanted to interpret the idea in this page.
I combined images of educational text and a honeycomb pattern, then added some embellishments and pencil detail.