Altered "book" art

I have been so busy and now I have popped my head up and taken a look around; unbelievably, January is coming to a close already! Where did the month go?

I thought that I would post the "altered book" piece that I finished a couple of weeks ago. I had to have it ready for my very good friends wedding celebration on January 15th. That day is snowed across Ontario and we had to stay home. I sent it to her via snail mail.

It all started with an "idea".... to make something... to make a "wedding card" for a friend.

The idea morphed from the sketchbook to the actual art piece. I took an ugly children's story book from the charity chop and gutted it and gessoed the whole thing.

I think that it looks very pretty with the tissue paper texture on the front. I used some tri-Art paint on the front called "Liquid Mirror". It is super expensive so I only painted the front of the piece with it.

I think that my piece of art turned out even better than I had imagined. Since I didn't have a "how-to" or any instructions it took quite a long time to get to each step in the process. At each level I had to "think" what would work so that I could get to the finished project.

The only information that I was able to glean from a journaling website (I wish I could remember which one now then I would post it here) is that I should not have used a book with a shiny cover. Unfortunately, I had already started the process and found this information to be very true. I had a hard time getting the gesso to adhere!!

I think my friend liked it but I wasn't there to see her face. Says that she thinks that I am so very "imaginative" and that I am talented. So, that being said, I think she means she liked it. I'm glad because I just didn't have the heart to buy some of the store bought type with their banal sayings.

A "Cut" Above

I received a drawing Zine that I ordered from Etsy in the mail the day before yesterday. The author is a woman from England and I read her blog several times a week because she always has something interesting on it. I was so excited to pour through it and get some inspiration. However, my body had other ideas; a headache blossomed and just wouldn't go away no matter how many milligrams of pain medication I took. I managed to reduce the pain enough to make this small and simple drawing.

The round dots in the picture are replicated from the envelope that she sent all the way from the UK - the Royal Mail!!! The artist had covered the envelope with these to spark up a plain white envelope. Very cool!

Turning a New Leaf

Honestly, I hadn't actually consciously thought about this when I drew it since often in the new year we are all interested in "turning a new leaf". I just had three leaves left over from fall. I had kept them aside because I loved their shape. I started it on the last day of December last year but didn't get it actually finished to my satisfaction until this new year.

However, it is quit poignant I think since I have wanted to be more diligent with my drawings. I have now decided that a "quick sketch" is better than no sketch. I'm a bit tardy with posting this but better late than never. In a round about way I'm trying to not say that I have NOT made a new years resolution to "do more art". If nothing else, to sketch more since it is important to make a mark on the page. But I am naught going to make new years resolutions because I am prone not to do this and set myself up for failure.

I try to keep the drawing within the confines of 4" x6" but this time the shadow took over and I had to extend it out into the margin. Really there is no problem there, in fact it makes me chuckle since I had to break my "drawing rule".

New sketchbook

I got a fabulous new sketchbook for Christmas! It is handmade and I am totally delighted with the results of my friends labour. The photographs do not do it justice but you will get the idea.

I love the handmade Christmas card as well! I'm so impressed and slightly envious since I have not taken the time out to make anything this year.

I've been somewhat lazy in the art department. I have been trying to keep up with the needs of my elderly dad and that seems to be where my extra time has been going.

Currently I'm trying to "craft" up a wedding day card for a friend who will be married in a few weeks. I am in the midst of it now and I hope the product I am working on is not the "proto-type" but the end result.