Cathy Nichols is known for her colorful artwork, and especially for the way she weaves stories into her art. In her January 2018 Art Lesson, Cathy shares how she uses selected words on a book page as a jumping-off point to create her colorful narrative collages. I loved the idea of starting with a book page, so I selected a few pages from a vintage children’s book and got to work.
I chose several words to build my story around, and circled them in pencil: “two girls,” “They were great friends,” and “we’ll go home,” envisioning young sisters who were also good friends. I adhered the page to the substrate and set it aside to dry.
I created several sheets of colorful prints with my Gelli Arts® printing plate, using colors that reminded me of flowers and the outdoors. I was pretty heavy handed with the paint, so there is plenty of great texture in the prints.
While the printed papers dried, I applied a watercolor wash to the book page, using blue and green, avoiding the circled words, and set the page aside to dry.
As the story grew in my mind, I started cutting and tearing the printed papers and other collage papers to bring my story to life: land shapes, a sun, clouds, tufts of grass, and flowers, and started adding them to the page.
Figures from Tim Holtz® Idea-Ology® Paper Dolls were perfect for my central characters. I added them to the scene and thought about what to add next.
I decided to add some colorful accents with gel pens to make the the black-and-white figures stand out.
The last words, “we’ll go home,” made a house on the hill a necessity. I cut the house from the printed papers, and highlighted the windows and the door with a white gel pen to make the house look welcoming. I used a brush pen to add a path up to the house, and gel pens to draw trees, grass, and flowers. I really enjoyed adding the details, and had to make myself stop.
Starting with words from a book page was more relaxing than starting with a blank canvas. As I chose the words, the story grew in my mind, and everything fell into place from there. Give it a try the next time you’re feeling creative, but don’t know where to start.
We’re starting 2018 with an issue of Cloth Paper Scissors that asks you to challenge yourself. Now, I know that’s not always easy—that’s why it’s called a challenge. But I think if you try some of these projects, you’ll see aspects of your mixed-media art practice change for the better. One of the projects features incredibly fun drawing exercises, and there’s a reason I wanted to include this article in the issue.
As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, I started learning how to draw a couple of years ago, and it’s been a revelation. And while you certainly don’t have to know how to draw in order to be an artist, incorporating drawing exercises into your practice can benefit you in tons of ways: They can sharpen your observational skills, make you less afraid of drawing if you’re fearful of it, and help you hone your unique style. But don’t just take my word for it—check out Carla Sonheim’s article “Let Go and Draw” in the January/February issue. I decided to take my own advice and try her three exercises, and I’m so glad I did.
I created a small, simple still life, composed on a vintage plate. Nothing fancy, but I included a few interesting shapes. I worked on inexpensive 90-lb. hot-press watercolor paper and used a black fine-point permanent pen.
The first exercise focuses on drawing with your non-dominant hand, looking at the subject more than at the paper. I knew this would be challenging, but it felt as if I was trying to guide someone else’s hand. I started laughing because my hand wanted to do its own thing, and my brain wanted it to rein it in. I’m not sure who won this round!
This is the result. You can see that the lines are shaky and unsure, but as I drew the still life I had to really focus on getting my hand to do what I wanted it to, and that taught me to slow down, really concentrate on what it was I wanted to accomplish, and coordinate what I was seeing with my hand movements. I do love the energy of the drawing, and the fact that the pitcher looks like it’s melting.
For the second of the three drawing exercises, I did a blind contour drawing. This time I drew with my dominant hand, but I looked at the subject the whole time, and not the paper. This was even more challenging in a way than using my left hand, since I’m so used to looking at the paper when I draw. I tend to be self-critical, and if I create something I don’t like it just puts me in a funk. Going into this I knew it wasn’t going to look anything like I wanted it to, so I abandoned myself to the process and instead concentrated on what I was drawing. When you get lost in the process you immediately loosen up and let go of expectations. This exercise was incredibly freeing, and the anticipation of seeing what you drew at the end was absolutely worth it. Here is the result.
For the third drawing exercise, I did a contour drawing, again using my right hand, and looking at the subject about 60% of the time and my paper about 40% of the time. I didn’t want to cheat, so I was aware of spending more time looking at the still life. This drawing is still pretty raw, but there’s definitely some improvement in the rendering of the elements. Still missed the boat on perspective and composition, but like the blind contour drawing, I focused on slowing down and coordinating my hand with my eye. Once I started doing this it was difficult to stop—I was having so much fun making these drawings and being smack in the middle of the zone.
But wait, the fun’s not over yet! Don’t toss these drawings when you’re done—Carla suggests using the drawings as a starting point for a mixed-media piece. With that in mind, I added watercolor to the contour drawing, painting loosely and adding a little bit of shading.
I wanted to give the piece a little more zing, so I added collage, first gluing book pages to the top and going over them with white gesso. I used some printed paper cut-outs to add depth and visual texture to the elements and the background, adhering everything with glue stick. For a border, I drew along the edges with a black Stabilo All pencil and went over the lines with a wet paintbrush.
Whenever I feel the need to loosen up, focus, and have fun, I’m going straight for these drawing exercises. One of my goals for the year is do these at least once a week, and use them for a drawing warm-up. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did, and that you begin to see a difference in your artwork. Remember to enjoy the process, breathe, and keep going!
When contributors’ artwork arrives in our offices we can’t wait to open the boxes and see the treasures inside. Two artists who have projects in our January/February 2018 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors surprised us by including something else in their packages: beautiful postcards and greeting cards featuring fantastic photos of their artwork and tools.
Ailish Henderson and Rachel Hazell both live in the U.K., and used Moo, the online printing company, to create their cards. The cards are obviously a great way to market their work, but in asking what inspired them, we got some surprising answers.
First up is Ailish, who wrote Jumpstart: Stitched Collage Portraits, page 45.
CPS: How did you come up with the idea for these cards that feature your abstract self-portraits?
AH: I thought about how I could create a timeless sense for my work. My original art pieces are one offs, and I wanted to keep a visual archive of them. Capturing them in postcard format meant I could show my work to many more people than those who would see the real piece in exhibition (The cards were part of my first solo exhibition last year.).
CPS: Do you consider them a marketing tool, or a way to show more of you as an artist—or both?
AH: Although art is my job and how I make my living, I am a tad complacent when it comes to making things only for monetary gain. I made them as a way to give out special cards to those I care about, and also to sell. They are also useful when sending art to galleries for exhibition purposes, as they have a professional feel and can be used as a “thank you for having my work” card.
CPS: Did you take the photos yourself?
AH: Yes, with my digital SLR camera. Over the years I’ve gone through a lot of trial and error with photography, and it does take time to get it right. The right amount of daylight is needed, along with clear rooms and white walls.
Rachell Hazell, who wrote Books that Speak: Make your ideas come to life (page 80) sent cards that included photos of her bookbinding tools, plus examples of her work, such as sketches and tiny folded works:
CPS: What was the motivation behind creating these cards?
RH: I was looking for something more interesting than a plain compliment slip. Bespoke cards give a personal touch to a parcel and a bit of character to correspondence. I love sending cards at any opportunity!
CPS: Are the cards just for marketing, to show your range as an artist, or both?
RH: They are a subtle method of promotion. So, yes; they are an irresistible marketing tool for someone whose business involves stationery and who is surrounded by special papers.
CPS: What has the reaction been to these since you’ve been sending them out?
RH: Very flattering! Recipients appreciate special touches, such as custom-made cards and handwritten notes. I want people to feel that I’ve taken care of them, even from a distance.
Artful Experimenting
Seeing glimpses of an artist’s creative processes is fascinating and almost magical. Understanding what inspired someone, and viewing the progression from conception to creation, makes the finished work so much more impactful. So it was thrilling to see how Ailish Henderson created her abstract self-portraits (page 45) as documented in her sketchbook, which includes selfies, altered photos, sketches, copious notes about her experiments, and the paper and fabric scraps she used to make the pieces. She writes in the book that the collaged and stitched artwork was inspired in part by childhood memories, life experiences, and by the stories her grandmother told her while growing up.
One of the most exciting parts of the sketchbook is the presentation of her final sample pieces. She stitched pieces together accordion-style to show the progression of her work, from sketches to adding watercolor, then fabric scraps and stitching. Two of the accordions spill off the page vertically, and one stretches across a two-page spread. Detailing a special project or series this way makes sense, and results in a unique work of art on its own. We hope you’re inspired to record your own future projects this way!
As an avid art journaler and someone who devours new creative processes, I found great value in the video Top 10 Doodle, Drawing and Mark Making Techniques. This compilation video reintroduced me to forgotten drawing techniques, like pen and ink cross hatching, and showed me new ideas to add to my creative tool belt. The segments are varied, with clips from several of my favorite artists, so there’s something for everyone, from the true-blue beginner to the seasoned artist.
The video starts off with light and playful techniques, and I was immediately inspired to try Tiffany Lovering’s “windshield wiper” doodling pattern, which incorporates graduated teardrop shapes, as well as her “shoops” doodle flourishes. I used these in a couple of half-done pages in my art journal, sneaking them in here and there.
They worked well in the nooks and crannies of my designs, as they appear to emerge from the corners. I used black Sakura Pigma Micron pens for the doodles, and a lavender-colored Sharpie marker to add pops of color. The simple windshield wiper doodles are quick, easy, and oh, so satisfying, and I added some fun details, like dots and zig-zag lines.
Tiffany’s method of doodling on photographs (portraits of people or pets) was also very compelling. I had a photocopied picture of my great aunt that I knew would be perfect to use for this project, which is a fun way to enhance a black and white or color photo.
To start, I cut out my great aunt’s head and torso and adhered the image to a journal page using acrylic matte medium. I doodled several different patterns around her head, re-creating the look of her hairstyle. I also doodled on her face and neck, giving her jewelry and ridiculous glasses. For this project I used Micron pens, a colored Sharpie marker, and a white Sharpie Paint pen.
In another segment, Pam Carriker demonstrates a dramatic way to shade using Tsukineko Fantastix Coloring Tool, an amazing mark-making and drawing tool. I’d seen these little white sticks in the stamping section at my local craft store, but never knew how to use them. The sticks soak up water and fluid acrylic paint, allowing the artist to use them much like a big felt-tip marker. These unassuming tools are now a permanent part of my art journal toolbox.
I began by drawing a simple face with a sharp 2B pencil, using a photo as a reference. I drew the basic contour lines of the head: the eyes, nose, mouth, and the outline of the hair. A bit of shading was added with the pencil. For the next part, I poured small amounts of fluid acrylic paints on my palette: Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold, Yellow Oxide, and Teal. I dipped the Fantastix in water, and then soaked up some of the lightest value of paint, the yellow oxide.
Following Pam’s prompts, I began to fill in the shaded areas of the face and hair, using the Fantastix tool like a marker. I found I could easily adjust the lightness of the color by dipping the tip in more water, as Pam shows. She is a fantastic teacher, and really helped me make marks confidently when shading the face, something I often struggle with.
I deepened the shaded areas with Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold and Teal, using the Fantastix in the same way. The sticks clean up well too—just rinse them in water. Thank you, Pam for this amazing technique. My art journal will never be the same again!
This video has more fantastic clips too, like Dina Wakley’s ink throwing, an easy and super fast way to start off a journal page with large organic marks. That one is on my to-do list. In fact, I wonder how ink would work in the Fantastix? You’ll find a wealth of information and inspiration in the Top 10 Doodle, Drawing, and Mark Making Techniques video. Enjoy!
Mandy Russell is a full-time mixed-media artist with a darling little studio called The Painted Dog, in the heart of Brunswick, Maine. She has a menagerie of goofy pets, two fabulous children, and a super supportive husband. When life isn’t too hectic, she finds time to clean the house. Read more about her artistic adventures and workshop offerings on her website, mandyrussell.com.
Discover a great way to use doodles and scratch art to create whimsical animals in this blog post!
Where do you go when you’re looking for creative motivation? Mixed-media artist Rae Missigman turns to her vision board: a colorful collection of ideas that serves as an artistic prompt and reminds her to create every day. In this tutorial from our January/February 2017 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine, Rae shares a series of techniques you can use to create your own unique vision board. We hope your new vision board helps you achieve all your artistic dreams and ambitions!
Vision Board by Rae Missigman
My intention is to create every day. I have learned that even if I only get 15 minutes in the studio, it is more than enough to stay inspired, and it has been a great exercise in staying creatively active on a daily basis. My focus is always to incorporate three key elements in my work: color, layers, and texture. I have always had a vision board hanging in the studio as a reminder to stay creative. Using the board as a springboard to being inspired, I can glance at it while working and find myself realizing a component of color or texture is missing from a current art piece, or use it as a reference point for a favorite go-to technique. Keeping the board updated with new ideas, colors, fabrics, or trending techniques is a great way for me to stay ahead of my own creative curve. I decided to create a new vision board to use as an artistic prompt, and I wanted something unique. This board is a collection of simple, yet bold and colorful reminders of the things that motivate me to create everyday. I am happy to share three of my favorite techniques with you.
Materials
Background fabric(s)
Sewing machine and thread
Seam binding or ribbon
Scissors
Ruler
Shallow pan
Spray bottle with water
Spray inks, several colors (I used Ranger Dylusions Ink Sprays.)
Gloves
Small clip
Jewelry pliers (I used bent-nose pliers.)
O-ring (I used an 8mm jump ring.)
Watercolor paper
Stickers
Stamps
Pencils
Coloring media (I used Golden® Artist Colors acrylic paint and Derwent Inktense Blocks.)
Gel pens
China marker
Permanent marker
Expired credit or gift card
Yarn or heavy-duty string, a variety
Tape
Darning needle
Optional:
Corner rounder
Needle, for hand sewing
Small comb
Tree branch
Rag rope
Create the background
1. Choose a substrate for your vision board. I decided to use fabric in natural shades. I love the organic feel of a neutral background and the look of the raw edges against all my bits of inspiring color. I tore large scraps of linen and muslin fabric, layered them, and free-motion stitched around the border with a contrasting thread. Once the background was created, I added my inspiring bits.
2. Think about the things that inspire you. Determine which will be included on your vision board and how they will be represented. Is this board inspiration for a particular project, or is it to be globally motivating? For example, if your goal is to try hand lettering, you could incorporate hand-drawn fonts as inspiration.
3. Gather and use a variety of materials, tools, and techniques to complete your vision.
Make colorful tassels
When I catch a glimpse of these beautiful handdyed tassels, I see streamers of loose and beautiful color. I love the idea of creating color patterns that cannot be repeated. No two are alike. Each one inspires me to think outside the bounds of the color wheel, and pushes me to mix and blend colors in a whole new way.
1. Measure and cut 2 pieces of seam binding or ribbon, one 36″ and one 6″. Place both pieces in a shallow pan and spritz them with water.
2. Spray short lines of spray inks across the lengths of ribbon in several colors, overlapping the colors slightly as you go. (FIGURE 1) Spraying the inks in rainbow order creates a pretty finished piece.
3. Wearing gloves, gather the inked ribbons, and gently scrunch them into a loose ball. Over scrunching will cause your colors to bleed together. Set your ribbon ball on a protected surface and let it dry completely.
TIP: Save the leftover ink in your pan to dye your mini art journal pages.
4. Fold the long length of ribbon end over end until it measures approximately 6″ long. Twist it tightly at the center, and secure it with a clip. (FIGURE 2)
5. Open the O-ring with the jewelry pliers, and attach it around the twisted center. Use the jewelry pliers to close the O-ring. Alternatively, you can slip the gathered ribbon through the O-ring, if it fits.
6. Holding the O-ring, fold the gathered ribbon in half at the center and measure down ½″ from the ring. Wrap the short length of ribbon around the folded ribbon several times at this spot. (FIGURE 3) Tuck the ends in to hide them, or knot them to secure. Optional: Trim the ends of the tassel.
Design mini art journal pages
I love to hang miniature art journal pages on my vision board. They are a reminder that all I need are a few moments and a handful of easy-to-reach supplies to make something beautifully layered.
1. Measure and cut 2 pieces of watercolor paper. I used 3″ x 4″ and 4″ x 6″ pieces. If desired, round the corners before proceeding.
2. Mist a shallow pan with spray inks and water, or use the leftover ink from the tassel, and lay the papers face down in the pan. Allow the papers to sit for a few seconds to absorb the ink, carefully flip them over, and then lay them flat on a protected surface to dry.
3. Add stickers, stamped images, and loose pencil sketches and lines to the painted papers. (FIGURE 4)
4. Add more color, filling in around the work completed in step 3. I used acrylic paints and Inktense Blocks to add small sections of bold color. (FIGURE 5) Let dry thoroughly.
5. Make additional marks with a variety of tools, such as gel pens and china markers. Because this is my visual prompt for layering, I like to incorporate different markmaking implements when creating these small art journaling springboards. For instance, combining wet inks and waxy pencils can produce surprising and beautiful results. While the wax pencils do the simple job of mark making, they also create a colorful resist for the layer that comes next.
6. Add a pop of texture by machine or hand stitching the edges of your mini art journal pages, and finish with a bit of journaling. A permanent marker works well for this.
Other ideas for mini journal pages
• Drip permanent ink on your page and use a heat tool to move the ink around before it dries.
• Add a few drops of blending solution to your page, followed by 1–2 drops of alcohol ink. Tilt your page to allow the two to mix and move around.
• Dip an old toothbrush in wet paint and use your finger to flick the bristles, spattering the paint across the page. Or, dip a detail brush in wet ink and tap it to scatter the ink in small pools across the surface of the page.
• Pick up wet paint with a small piece of sponge and rub the sponge along the edges of your page to create a loose, colorful border.
Create a tiny weaving
I love to surround myself with colorful bits of fabric and yarn, two favorites when it comes to adding a tactile touch to a project. The texturized surfaces of small weavings flaunt their pattern and color, inspiring me each time I glimpse them to include some texture in my work. To me, texture is that one final detail that can’t be ignored.
1. Measure and cut slits approximately ¼″ deep and ¼″ wide on both short sides of an old credit or gift card. Bend every other tab slightly forward.
2. Weave a length of heavy-duty string or yarn around each of your tabs, leaving a 3″ tail on the back side of the card, going from one short end to the other and back again (This is your warp). (FIGURE 6) Trim the yarn, again leaving a short tail. Tape the tails down to the back of the card.
3. Cut short lengths of yarn or string, approximately 3 ½″ long, and create a slipknot over each warp string to create small rya knots. (FIGURE 7) Gently tighten the knots, and slide them down to one short end of the card. Repeat across the mini loom, creating as many rows of rya knots as you want. Use a variety of yarns, if you like.
4. Thread a large plastic darning needle with a length of yarn that is approximately 4 ½ times the width of your mini loom. Thread the needle under the warp closest to 1 edge of the loom and just above the rya knots. Pull through, leaving a short tail hanging off the side of the loom. Take your needle over the next warp string, under the next, and over the next. Continue weaving over and under each warp string until you reach the far side of the mini loom. (FIGURE 8)
5. When you reach the far side, loop around the warp string and continue working your weave back in the opposite direction.
6. Use a small comb or your fingers to gently push the weaving down, close and tight to the bottom of your loom, after each few rows.
7. When you reach the end of the length of yarn, tie on a new piece and continue weaving. As you work your weaving you can tuck the knots to the reverse side.
8. Stop weaving approximately ½″ from the top of the loom, trim the weft yarn, leaving a 6″ tail, and give the weaving a final comb down.
9. Lift the warp strings gently off of the tabs at the bottom of the loom, and then lift them off the tabs at the top, pushing your weaving down one final time. Snip the warp strings, (FIGURE 9) and knot them toward the back of your weaving. Use a needle to tuck the tails in on the reverse side of your weaving. Tie a piece of yarn or string onto the top of the weaving for hanging, and attach it to your vision board.
10. Finish your vision board with a hanger. I crocheted over a branch and added some handcrafted rag rope, which made a pretty and vibrant hanger. (SEE OPENING IMAGE.)
My vision board is a colorful and collective reminder to get creative and stay creative. For me, this means staying true to what I love. As I create, I change. I am constantly learning and morphing, and my work changes along with me. Because of this, my vision boards change over time as well. Bits and pieces are added and taken away until eventually the panel is new, inspiring me to create something unique all over again.
Rae Missigman is a self-taught mixed-media artist, who loves to create, blog, and instruct. She has a passion for repurposing found items and turning them into something beautiful. She has a fondness for both pattern and color that has led her to create outside the lines, resulting in artwork that is both complex and polychromatic. Rae‘s new book will be published later this year with North Light Books. Visit Rae’s website at rae-missigman.squarespace.com.
Instead of a choosing a word for 2018, I am adopting a phrase: What’s old is new again. This phrase has been echoing through my head for a couple of months, to the point where it was begging to be explored. The phrase applies to several aspects of my life, but with art, it is specific to revisited ideas and techniques, with a special focus on my art journals.
My art journals are one area of my art making that have evolved dramatically through the years. I recently had an opportunity to review a big stack of my older journals, and even watched a video that demonstrated how I addressed the journal page back in the day. It was fun to consider these options with fresh eyes.
I made a “note to self” about many of the things I saw in my older art journals; certain techniques I wanted to try again and incorporate into my present style. I even took photos of some pages and made comparisons across the years and tried to analyze how I had achieved certain results.
Looking back and thoughtfully considering older work is something that can benefit artists at any level. It’s often quite helpful, especially when you’re working to develop your own voice or move to the next level with your art, to compare and contrast your work over the years. You might be surprised at how consistent you have been, be it with a color palette or compositional choices. You might notice that a certain type of mark making appears over and over in your work. Noticing these similarities can help develop a language and symbolism that is all our own. Through this language we can truly develop our own voice.
Revisiting older pieces in my art journals feels like spending time with an old friend. In my case, this has prompted me to circle back to themes that I don’t believe were finished for me, themes that are worthy of further journaling. I also want to consider some of my previous color palettes, especially within the context of my newer work. There are even supplies I was using that I had forgotten about—oh, perish the thought!
I encourage you to gather older work, or even unfinished pieces, and see them with new eyes. I feel sure you’ll learn about your own art making in the process and perhaps even agree that what’s old is new again.
Mary Beth Shaw worked in the insurance industry for 18 years before she quit her job in 2000 to re-ignite a childhood love of art. She is now a full-time painter and internationally known workshop instructor. Her creative process is largely self-taught, spontaneous and joyful. She is author of Flavor for Mixed Media and Stencil Girl, both published by North Light Books, and is a columnist for Somerset Studio magazine. In 2010, Mary Beth recognized a need for artist designed stencils and created StencilGirl Products, which has quickly grown into a respected supplier of high-quality stencils for all media. Living with her husband and three cats, Mary Beth is passionate about every moment of life. See more of Mary Beth’s work at mbshaw.com.
Choosing a word of the year is something artists love to do; it signals an intention and provides focus for the year ahead. In the January/February 2018 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine, we asked our readers to send us their word of the year interpreted in mixed media, and the results were phenomenal. Words like “persevere,” “reach,” and “possibility” were incorporated into handmade books, stitch projects, collages, and abstract paintings. The challenge inspired me to come up with my own word of the year, and to build a pop-up art journal page around it.
Why a pop-up? It adds such an element of surprise, and there happens to be a great sophisticated pop-up card project by Debi Adams in the same issue that you must check out. It reminded me how much I love making pop-ups!
My word for the year came to me in a nanosecond: strive. It hits so many key areas of my life, including my job (endeavoring to bring you the best mixed-media projects and ideas in every issue of Cloth Paper Scissors), my own art practice (being motivated to draw every day), and even little things, like remembering to be kind and patient with others and myself. Once I had the word, a pop-up seemed so fitting—it’s something extra, requiring more thought and energy, but with a huge payoff. I chose a butterfly as my focal image because of what it represents: striving to transform, to become something better than you were yesterday.
I started the journal spread by tearing pieces of torn book and ledger pages and adhering them with acrylic matte medium. I love this collage background technique because of the interest it provides, and the fact that you can minimize the boldness of the text with gesso or paint. When the papers were dry I trimmed the edges with a craft knife.
I chose gesso to knock back the contrast a bit, brushing on two coats of Prima Art Basics Heavy Gesso in white. Between the first and second coats I wrote some phrases in pencil to go along with my word—my cursive is exaggerated, so only I know what it says. You can also scratch into wet gesso with the end of a paintbrush to write words or make marks and designs.
When the gesso dried I added some color with thinned-down acrylic paint in shades of teal (Ranger Dina Wakley Media Heavy Body Acrylic in Ocean, mixed with white) and green (Golden Artist Colors fluid acrylic in Green Gold, also mixed with white). After mixing the colors with water I dripped the paint from spoons down the pages, then used my fingers to add pools of color in various places. I mixed each color with a little Payne’s Gray to get some darker values, and added those shades to the pages as well. Spoiler alert: You’ll see more of these fun art journaling techniques in the March/April issue of Cloth Paper Scissors! Stay tuned!
When that dried I added back some white with an abstract design stencil (I used “Let’s Doodle” from Red Lead Paperworks). I wanted the overall effect to be loose and somewhat abstract, as a contrast to the carefully drawn vintage butterfly illustrations.
Now, how to add the word…I tried out a few hand-written versions and wasn’t crazy about any of them, so I printed the word in a cool font (Emmascript MVB Std) and turned it into an image transfer. After flipping the word horizontally in Photoshop, I used a Chartpak AD Blender marker to add it to the bottom of the page.
To pop up the butterfly I created a floating (or table) pop-up for the butterfly, which allows it to appear as if it were hovering over the page. This is super easy and has a big wow factor. One important thing to note: If you’ve never done pop-ups before, making mock-ups is an absolute necessity. There’s no worse feeling than cementing your pop-up in a journal spread or card, only to realize it’s too large, not in the correct position, or doesn’t work at all. The time you spend doing this is well worth it, trust me. I speak from experience.
For the pop-up mechanism, create two open boxes from a strip of cardstock, making sure they’re exactly the same size. You’ll have to measure your image to determine how large the squares need to be. I first created a 1″-square box, but it seemed to high off the page, so I made it ¾” instead. I cut two strips of cardstock 1″ wide and 3 ½” long, marked the strips along the length at four ¾” intervals, and made the last one ½” (see ‘A’, below). It helps when making pop-ups to fold the mechanism with the paper grain; in this case, the grain runs parallel to the short side.
I then accordion-folded the strip at each mark (B). I reversed some of the folds to create a box, and glued the ½” tab to the first fold, using extra-strength glue stick (C). I made one more box exactly the same way, and glued them together along one side, again using glue stick (D). One other important thing to note when making pop-ups: Allow the glue time to dry and set. If not, as you manipulate the pieces they may come apart if they’re not solid.
I chose a vintage butterfly image from The Graphics Fairy and changed the color in Photoshop to bright pink, a nice contrast to the blue-green background. After printing it onto white cardstock and folding it in half, I glued the double-box mechanism to the back side of the butterfly.
When that was dry I glued up the two bottom panels of the mechanism, placed it in the gutter of the spread with the seam in the middle, and closed the journal. After a minute I opened it again to make sure everything was working, then closed it until the glue dried.
In addition to the big pop-up, I wanted to incorporate smaller flip-ups that would reveal my specific goals for year. I printed out more butterflies from The Graphics Fairy onto cardstock and cut them out, adding small tabs on the tops of the wings for the flip-ups.
The backs of the butterflies were painted so they wouldn’t be stark white, and the undersides of the tabs were adhered to the pages. Here’s one of my intentions:
For a thoughtful inspiration word, I think this spread is pretty fun. Have you chosen a word of the year? If so, try creating a piece of mixed-media art around it, and make sure to see the results of our reader challenge for great inspiration!
Get more techniques for turning flat paper into 3-D art in this blog post, which shows you easy ways to sculpt paper.
Set your goals for the year, and achieve them! We have fantastic books, videos, and magazines to help you become the best artist you can be.
Before I started making my own handmade metal jewelry, I stalked every art fair, craft festival, and artisan shop, looking for signature pieces that could make an outfit. Then I started working with metal, and realized I could make pretty much anything I wanted—any style, color, shape, design. And no one else would have it!
One of the things I love most about handmade metal jewelry is that it doesn’t take a ton of expensive tools and materials to make something fantastic. Something as simple as wire is extremely versatile and easy to work with, and can become anything you need: a necklace, earrings, bracelet, ring, or pin. Also, the techniques you learn making jewelry can be applied to other areas of mixed-media art, like handmade books and collage.
Recently I needed a necklace to go with a new bohemian-style blouse, and decided to incorporate some techniques from the book Making Metal Jewelry: How to Stamp, Forge, Form and Fold Metal Jewelry Designs, by Jen Cushman. I started with some pre-annealed wire I had leftover from another project. Annealing is simply heating metal with a small torch to a certain temperature to soften it and make it easier to work with. As you work with metal, hammering and bending it, you’re smashing those molecules together, making the material stiffer and more brittle. In jewelry making, that’s called work hardening. Heat loosens up the metal again, allowing you to continue to work with it.
For this project, you can also use regular jewelry wire without annealing it. I cut a 7″ piece of 18-gauge wire and hammered each end with a ball-peen hammer to create a little paddle. This is a great design element and helps to create a smoother end that won’t snag your clothes.
If you still feel some burrs after hammering it, sand the tip of the wire with a flat metal file until all edges are smooth. Always file in one direction, not back and forth.
When both ends were paddled I wrapped the wire around a wooden dowel about 3/8″ in diameter. I did a messy wrap, overlapping the wire as I wrapped it. If you find the wire difficult to bend, grab one end with flat-nose pliers and then wrap. You can also use the pliers to tuck the ends in if they’re sticking up too far.
I slid the coil off the dowel and made two more. I suddenly realized I needed jump rings—the ones I had were too small. Making your own is so easy, and you can create them in any size, in any color of wire. I found another smaller dowel, wrapped the wire around that, slid it off, and cut rings with a flush cutter.
For the pendant, I wire wrapped a pearl and faceted stone, connected it to a jump ring, and then to one of the wrapped coils.
Two more jump rings were attached to the center coil, and chain was attached to the jump rings. Two more messy coils were added, and more chain. Here’s the finished necklace:
Those coils can be used in so many more ways for handmade metal jewelry. I used them as the focal point of a pair of earrings with pearl drops:
I also made another necklace with three more coils. I cut a 2″ piece of the annealed 18-gauge wire and hammered it a little to work harden it. I formed a small loop at one end with round-nose pliers, threaded on three coils and two large beads, and then formed a loop at the other end. After adding jump rings on both ends of the wire, I attached some chain and a closure.
Isn’t it amazing what you can do with just a few feet of wire and some basic tools? I now have a whole new jewelry wardrobe that I made using one simple technique.
These great instructional resources we have on metal jewelry take you through each technique so expertly that you’ll soon feel like a pro. You’ll learn to etch metal, stamp designs, connect pieces, and more. You’ll also quickly discover there’s something so satisfying about making handmade metal jewelry—especially when you get lots of compliments on your designs.
Looking for some mixed-media inspiration for the new year? We have just the ticket. Carolyn Dube’s artsy dice are a fun and surefire way to get your creative juices flowing. The concept is simple: write down different art prompts, techniques, and products you have in your stash on each side of each die; when you’re feeling stuck, roll the dice and create away! Learn more in Carolyn’s article below, originally published in the November/December 2014 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine.
Roll the Dice by Carolyn Dube
What stops me from creating most often? Me. I get in my own way. I judge. I criticize. I overanalyze. All of which trap me in my head and keep my creativity buried.
One day I started taking note of some of the defeating chatter in my head. It was guilt chatter. I imagined all the unused products and tools I had bought over the years ceaselessly whispering at me like disapproving relatives. There was also guilt because I wasn’t creating art every day . . . and I felt shame for all the projects that I’d meant to do.
There was obviously only one way I could stop all that chatter, and that was to make something and use those supplies. I started thinking, and then headed right back into the chatter of indecision. Which supplies are best to use? Which ones will work best with which? But the one that pushed me over the edge was: What if I use it all up? At that moment I realized how ridiculous all this was. I realized that to quiet the noise I had to remove all the decisions, so I created a set of dice. Each side of each die has a different product from my stash written on it: slide mounts, Dresden, vintage ephemera, bead gel, game pieces, brads, etc. I included all of the things that I have in abundance, and things I have been hoarding and saving for the “perfect” project. One die just wasn’t enough, so I made five.
I wanted more of a challenge, so I added a “no” die. All 6 sides have “no” statements to prevent me from using my go-to techniques: no paint, no spray ink, no stencils, etc.
But I still found myself trapped in my head, trying to decide what the art journal page was going to be about. I created another die with commands such as, draw a building or draw a face. Now there would be no excuse—no way that the chatter in my head would stop me from creating.
When I roll the dice and create art in my journal, it doesn’t matter if the art turns out pretty or nice. The goal is to quiet the mental prattle, get out of my own way, and get creating. Being limited by time and required to use specific items forces me to see things differently than I did before. The dice take me from being stuck to being creative.
The Rules of the Dice:
One roll for each of the dice
You have to use all the commands on the dice. But, when I roll the dice, my inner attorney comes out to interpret the dice as needed. When it says, “No paint,” I might use acrylic ink just like paint, since ink technically isn’t paint.
The art has to be created in 60 minutes or less. No dragging it out.
When I take too much time, I end up right back where I started, stuck and not creating. When I am really stuck in my head, I make myself create something in 30 minutes. That really pushes my creativity, especially when I have rolled something like bead gel and there isn’t much time to let it dry.
Carolyn Dube is an art adventurer and educator. She encourages you to get in touch with your creativity with the entertaining and inspiring tutorials on her blog that invite you to play and laugh along with her. Visit her website at aColorfulJourney.com.
There’s something about winter that makes me so eager to create fabric collages. Must be the cold weather and long nights that compel me to rummage through my fabric scraps and get into the rhythmic calm of hand stitching. For a recent project I decided to create a fabric collage with something practical in mind—a handmade book cover. I incorporated a variety of new and vintage fabrics, stitching, and two types of printing. I love how it turned out!
The textures and dimension of a fabric collage make you want to touch it—another reason I decided to turn this collage into something that could be handled. Despite the fact that fabric is the main material, for fabric collage no special sewing skills are necessary. A simple running stitch (hand or machine) will serve you well, and you can even go stitch-free, holding fabric and other elements in place with fabric glue or fusible web. Or devise other ways of connecting pieces using materials like wire, brads, or by needle felting. You can also create in any style and palette you like: contemporary, with pops of bright neon; nature-themed, with neutrals; or vintage, with a subdued color scheme.
Printing is a great way to start a fabric collage. You can create custom patterns and visual texture, and it’s easy. I started with a piece of hand-dyed blue linen that measured 14″ wide by 5″ tall, for a 7″ x 5″ book. There are tons of options for printing fabric (stamping, gelatin plate printing, image transfers, eco-printing), but I decided to go with a collagraph. I glued a piece of crocheted lace onto a piece of corrugated cardboard. Dark blue fabric paint (you can also use acrylic paint) was applied to the lace with a cosmetic wedge, then pressed onto the fabric for an allover design. I always do a few test prints to make sure I have enough paint applied to the plate, that I’m using enough pressure, and that the color works. I love that the printing comes out uneven—it looks so funky and rustic.
When the paint dried, I adhered a piece of fusible cotton batting to the wrong side of the linen.I like book covers with a little heft, and the batting did the trick. You can use regular batting or felt for this, too, with or without a piece of lightweight fusible webbing in between.
Next, I auditioned pieces for the collage. I always try to trust my intuition when choosing items for collage, and I leave myself open to changing something if it’s not working. Sometimes I start with a palette in mind, and other times I let one or two standout items dictate the color scheme.
I tacked down a piece of vintage lace to the cover, using sewing thread. To that I added a vintage stamp image fussy cut from some Tim Holtz fabric, holding it in place with a bit of glue stick first, then blind stitching around the edges. When that piece was attached I realized I had my color scheme: French blue, muted red, and ivory/taupe.
For a little extra texture and interest I embroidered a few feather stitches and French knots in deep red perle cotton, then attached some sequins, using French knots to hold them. Mid-way through a project I often find myself digging through my stash again, remembering some great bit of something that would be the perfect fit for what I’m working on.
I fussy cut a red flower and some leaves from more fabric, tacked them in place with sewing thread, then added a few French knots to the flower center.
For a closure, I tore strips of beige linen and sewed them on to the front and back with ‘X’; stitches, adding an antique mother-of-pearl button to the front.
To give the back of the book a little interest I fussy cut an airmail letter from another piece of Tim Holtz fabric, and blind stitched it in place.
I used a different printing method for the fabric covering the inside of the book: rust printing. This method can be used on fabric and paper, and the results are incredible. I placed a few rusty hardware bits on top of a piece of linen, folded it up, placed it in a zip-top bag, and saturated the piece with vinegar. It’s best to let this sit at least 24 hours; I was impatient, and removed it after about six hours. I still got a nice print, though, and a great jumping-off point for further embellishment. And don’t worry about that vinegar smell—after you rinse the fabric, it disappears.
The wrong side of this printed piece was adhered to the batting with Mistyfuse. I then sewed around the perimeter of the cover by hand with a running stitch.
For the inside pages, I tore 140-lb. watercolor paper into three 13 ½” x 4 ½” sheets, and cut two pieces of the beige linen the same sizes. I folded the pages and nested them together, alternating fabric and paper, and sewed them into the cover, using a pamphlet stitch and sari ribbon. The fabric pages will make great substrates for more collages.
Looking at the book the next day, I decided to add a few stitches to the cover in dark blue thread. Since I sewed through the cover, I hid the stitches on the inside cover by appliquéing a few pieces of an antique quilt block and some fussy-cut flowers.
Even though the book is ready to be worked in, I may continue to add to the covers. Sometimes collage is an ongoing process, and I like leaving my options open.