Sunday, September 29, 2019

A Haiku for a Lunar-tic


One of my ongoing obsessions has been with the moon. I share a Moon Goddess tattoo with my daughter which shows just how obsessed I am.
When it came to Pam's wonderful Haiku journal I had to do a spread honouring my love of all things Lunar.

I began the process with gesso, papering with music and book pages then some stencilling with model paste, circles to echo the moon...now to build. 


I really wanted to try to capture a full moon rising over the ocean, one of my favourite things to watch. I chose my acrylic paints and began doing some layers. I had masked a circle space for my moon beforehand.


Once I was happy with my sky and ocean I began on my moon...lots of greys, white and some blue. To create a sense of a sparkling lunar reflection I added some silver Liquid Pearls to my spread.
 Lastly, I smudged graphite pencil around the moon and the haiku piece.

The Haiku is not my original...it somehow disappeared. It took me a while to consider what I wanted to say. Having taught many Year 8 students during my teaching years all about Haikus it was time for me to come up with one of my own.


Historically, Haikus are about reflecting on the fleeting moments in Nature which help the poet to consider one's life-based reflections. As I had recently lost my father, his memory became an inspiration for the result. I hope everyone enjoys my artistic and literary attempt, but especially Pam xox








Friday, September 27, 2019

Memories of the Sea



My darling mama has had a bugger of a year, In March she was diagnosed with cancer and a month ago she had a stroke! Enough already!
Art to the rescue once again. 



Melissa's Under the Sea journal came into the hospital with me and mama told me a story of her favourite Sea memory and it was a holiday we shared about 15 years ago. I was her scribe and her assistant to create this page as mama only has one hand working I think she did very well. 

Diving Deep in Melissa's Magnificent journal



Melissa's Under the Sea journal is a truly beautiful creation.
 Her pages and construction are such a privilege to have around.



I took liberties and created 2 pages
 just because there are so many pages just waiting for play.


Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Who is Robyn?


This is my pages in Sally Ann Schofield's 
Who am I Journal 
it is me at 18 months 
14 years
 30 years 
and now at 74 
hope you like it, Sally Ann

Saturday, September 21, 2019

World Fashion for Robyn Osborn by Janie O'Brien. Only one photo this time of my completed project.

I changed my mind multiple times about various themes for this project and revised once again when I received it, as there was a fairly wide gap in the middle where two signatures met. Instead of having one wide page, I instead chose to do 2 separate pages which would would the layout better.

I have always taken an interest in fashion as my father ran a fashion house from the 1930s through to the 1960s in Melbourne. In the 1960s "the times they were a changin" especially for fashion and the beautifully tailored outfits Louis and Charles Noble created in Flinders Lane soon prompted the two brothers to take retirement, and let mini skirts take the reins. My interest remained and dad taught me to sew like a professional. I loved designing clothes but I was not a distinguished seamstress.

Current fashion tends to dismay me somewhat and has become somewhat OUTLANDISH and extreme by many so called artistic coutures. Poor dad would turn in his grave if he could see what was considered high fashion now.

The representations above have both been taken from AfroStyle on-line magazine which I follow with interest. It is an African and multicultural fashion and style publication which is a bit off-centre which appeals to me. The two pictures I have used represent this new outlandish style, the sort of thing that can be seen on the red carpet at events in the high couture industry.

Naturally, I added my artistic touch to embellish the pictures by adding 3D pearls, diamonds and gold. Robyn I hope you enjoy my pages. 

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Gaia and the Earth for Louise

For Louise's theme, Gaia, I've created a highly textured mixed media artwork with a "few" left over yarns, wools, ribbons, strings! The ribbons and yarns were used to create the hair of Mother Nature while texture paste was used to create the Earth. Most layers seemed to take forever to dry... normally my forever is 10 minutes, but some (the hair) took a couple of days! Well worth the wait :) She's turned out much better than anticipated (phew!).

Finished artwork of Mother Nature and the Earth mixed media made with ribbons, paint and texture paste
Starting out, I scribbled ideas and thoughts into my notebook and once I knew where I wanted to go, I sketched the idea onto a large sheet of Strathmore Watercolour Paper.

sketching out the plan for the mixed media artwork featuring Gaia Mother Nature
Above photo shows the sketched image with a few wooden embellishments. Normally I'd use a watercolour pencil to draw the outlines but as I needed face and hands to still be visible after the next few steps, I've used a 2B graphite pencil.
I worked on a loose sheet of paper as I didn't have the book yet :)

adding texture paste to the Earth for the mixed media artwork featuring Gaia Mother Nature
To create dimension on the Earth, use a spatula to spread the Tim Holt Distress Grit Paste (its a totally groovy sandy feeling, thick texture paste) for the land. This paste doesn't shrink so what you place down is what you get, whether raised for hills and mountains or smooth flat for the plains.
Left to dry... only for a short time while I gathered my ribbons.

closeup of colourful chunky yarn, ribbons and string to be used for hair
Wools and ribbons are the best inspiration for hair!

yarn and ribbon for hair of mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature and Earth by Jenny James
I used Ranger's Tim Holtz Multi Matte Medium to adhere all the strands in place, crossing my fingers that it would even stick the plastic shiny ribbon... which it did!

yarn and ribbon for hair of mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature and Earth by Jenny James
In the photo above, you can see how I've twisted and woven the ribbons, string and yarn to give an illusion of wavy hair. I used the gel medium to glue down the wooden pieces as well.
Left to dry for a few days...!

coating yarn and ribbon with gesso for mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature and Earth by Jenny James
I love texture... all the hair was covered completely with white gesso.

waiting for gesso and texture paste to dry
The above photo shows an overview of Mother Earth keeping an eye on the planet and her hair as it all dries. Took another day or 2... lucky I like to watch paint dry :) lol

creating the Earth with Texture Paste for mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature by Jenny James
Back to the Earth, added 4 or 5 drops of Finnabair's Liquid Acrylic Paint in Ultramarine (blue) to the whole area. Sprayed the blue paint with 2 or 3 splashes of water and encouraged it to spread using a flat wide paint brush.

creating the Earth with Texture Paste and paint for mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature by Jenny James
While the blue paint was still wet, I added 7 drops of Finnabair's Liquid Acrylic Paint in Pure Yellow onto the raised areas of the page.
Finnabair's Pure Yellow looked slightly green in colour until water or medium was added, then it turned a gorgeous clean yellow. Its quite amazing!

creating the Earth with Texture Paste and paint for mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature by Jenny James
More water was sprayed... I love watching paint blend.
The yellow got carried away so added more blue paint to the rivers and oceans.

hair texture for mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature and the Earth by Jenny James
Using Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks in the dark brown, I coloured the whole background and skin areas, added water and blended with a waterbrush. I added more dark brown paint into the shadow areas. Not quite enough so let it dry and started the hair.

The hair was painted using a paint brush with Finnabair Art Alchemy Liquid Acrylic Paint in Avocado Green. Even though all the strands were covered in gesso, they all took on different tones, some soaking in more paint than others.

hair texture for mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature and the Earth by Jenny James
I put on two coats of Finnabair's Avocado Green Liquid Acrylic Paint and it turned a beautiful dark green seaweed colour.

And because I'm so heavy handed with paint, it had to dry for an eon... not as long as the gesso or gel medium though! Only a few hours :)

Using the Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks, I coloured the background areas around the head and hands with dark pink and orange in the triangular areas.

hair painting for mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature and the Earth by Jenny James
Then with a waterbrush, wet all the pink and orange to dissolve the paint and make them blend.

hair highlights for mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature and the Earth by Jenny James
Added more dark brown (Scribble Sticks) to the face and neck leaving the eyes white. I like making the shadows darker to create a more rounded look rather than flat.

Highlights on the hair were painted on using Finnabair Art Alchemy Sparks Acrylic Paint in Fairy Wings... a gorgeous shimmery pearlescent green paint.
The valley areas of the hair was painted sparingly with the Finnabair's Ultramarine Blue Liquid Acrylic.

The two little wooden birds in the hair were painted using Finnabair's Art Alchemy Metallique Acrylic Paint in Pearl White. Then I added a smoosh of blue...

facial details for mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature and the Earth by Jenny James
Finished off the face with paint pens for the eyelashes, eye pupils and white highlights. Scribble Sticks were used for the green eyebrows and heart shaped lips.

I didn't do her nose very well but I figure its art, not a photo - and besides, Mother Nature isn't a human so can look however she wishes to look!

colouring birds behind the scenes of mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature and the Earth by Jenny James
Leaving the page aside to dry completely, I stamped out a bird from Dyan Reaveley's rubber stamp set "Clockwork". Coloured him in with Dina Wakley's Scribble Sticks (pink and brown) using a waterbrush to blend the colours.

painting leaves in behind the scenes of mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature and the Earth by Jenny James
I cut out some leaves from watercolour paper using the Tim Holtz Thinlits "Skeleton Leaves" die templates (and die cutting machine), trying to keep some of the leaves intact and separated the inners from a few others.
Coloured all the leaves and spare pieces of watercolour paper with yellow and green Scribble Sticks.

painting leaves of mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature and the Earth by Jenny James
Glued the leaves with separated inners to the spare watercolour pieces using the iCraft Mixed Media Adhesive (just like gel medium). I then scribbled on some dark brown to the edges of each leaf while the glue is still wet and encouraged the brown paint blend into the outer edges with a waterbrush.

In the photo, the colours look a bit murky but the glue dries completely clear with a matte finish, allowing all the colours to show beautifully.

behind the scenes of mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature and the Earth by Jenny James
On the craft sheet I added some gold metallic watercolour paint and both dragged the side of the leaf across the gold paint as well as used a brush to paint it onto edges of the leaves.

In the above photo with the leaves, I've also applied gold watercolour paint to Sizzix Tim Holtz Thinlits "Adorned" shapes and have saved them for another day.

bird close up mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature and the Earth created by Jenny James
Once the leaves were completely dry, I trim off the excess using Tim's Mini Snips. My fave sharp and easy to use scissors for detailed fussy cutting. 
Using the dark brown Scribble Stick, I roughly coloured around all the cut edges of the leaves before glueing them and the bird to the page.

finished mixed media artwork featuring Mother Nature and the Earth created by Jenny James
Using the black paint pen, I wrote some words, drew some leaves and added curly tendrils all around her head and hands. The hands also have dripping blue from when I took photos while the Earth was still wet :) Looks like water!

Thanks so much for reading and checking out my artwork. I do love creating with so much colour and texture. I hope it makes you smile!

Have a wonderful, happy creative day!
:)
Jenny

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Art Deco - clean lines and stylish women

I adore Art Deco and was looking forward to Roz's journal. Sadly, my health wasn't the best as I had undergone facial surgery for skin cancer so I spent much of mid to late August in recovery mode.
My one page spread uses Couture Creations cardstock and images with added embellishments of acrylic gems and feathers. My aim was to mimic as close as possible the image on the right so that this fashionable young woman could easily mix with the theatre crowd on the right.
Your journal is stunning Roz xox








AASJ7: Sharon's Pages in Robyn's "World of Fashion" Journal

Hi Everyone
 
 
Sharing my pages in Robyn's "World of Fashion" Journal.
 
I was going to do something more "traditional" and probably what would be more "expected" but LOL it's ME and I don't do normal and standard LOL!
 
 
Sooooo I've gone with Victorian "Science Fiction" AKA "Steampunk" fashion and I've done a spread which is pretty much the same as I did for the August 2017 "Dot to Dot" challenge we had at the group! I added wording for a more "fashionable" quote!
 
I started by black Gessoing the pages in Robyn's Journal - black is a fab background to work with for a change! When the gesso was dry I adhered a strip of torn encyclopaedia page to one side and trimmed once dry.
 
 
I added a thin layer of white paint, black coloured texture paste through a stencil and a text rubber stamp by Blank Page Muse to the background. I added some bits of washit tape and edged the pages with a blank ink pad.
 
 
Main image is a collage element from Gecko Galz and the wording was computer generated.

 
Hope you like what I have done in your journal Robyn!
 
Sharon
 


Monday, September 2, 2019

What! No bucket list

Some of you have mentioned that you have found my journal topic of "who are you " a bit of a challenge. 
Well this is the topic I have found the most challenging. 

I'm not really a planner, I'm more of a go with the flow type of person. 
So while I was giving this subject some thought, I came up with this poem, which became the focus of this page.

It's called "What! No bucket list ".


Roll with the punches,
go with the flow, 
I've never been one for plans 
you know......

The past has gone,
to late for lists.
The future they say 
doesn't exist.......

There is only the here, 
the now, the way. 
So embrace what you have 
and seize the day!

And when you have come to the end, 
when all is send and done. 
No matter what you do in life, 
just don't forget to have fun........







Then all I had to do was create a fun background for the poem. 





It had to be light and bright as my poetry style is more Spike Milligan than Keats. 












And there you have it. I hope it brings a smile to you all. 

Sunday, September 1, 2019

AJS Group Round 7 Lisas Book page book by Meg Atkinson


Lisa's Book Art Journal by Meg Atkinson
Australian Art Swap Group Round 7



Received Lisa's wonderful Book Art Page Journal, so many wonderful pages .... Amazing in real life!!

Decided to use a crossword page for my Book page Art 

I Started with the Blank Journal page and having joined Birgit Koopsen for her class recently decided to channel her creativity in Bold and a Bright style.. using my Happy colors


Started with the Crossword puzzle and a round Gelli plate
I rolled paint onto the Gell plate and transferred the crossword onto the Gelli plate, then  onto the page..
used stamps and coloured pens and paints

Made marks and doodles with stamps to create a lively colourful page