What's Your Secret?

“Curiosity is one of the great secrets of happiness.” Bryant H. McGill

Do you have a secret you would like to share? Do you possess an interesting quality waiting to be discovered? Do you have a sincere spirit of enquiry, a sense of curiosity about life? Does it lead you to unexpected discoveries? Do share...

Continuing the playing card Art Journaling Project I produced another set to add to my collection. Much of the materials used to create “A Holy Curiosity” collection found its way as a base for the new cards. I’m a great believer in the motto that too much of a good thing can be wonderful. How about you?

Working commercially for so many years, my art is usually much “cleaner”. I’ve long been curious about how it would feel to throw caution to the wind and let the paint fall where it may. The compact size of the cards have “given me permission” to explore and discover my messy side.

With the backs completed from the previous project I set out to begin the face design. The Curious Possibility clings by Tim Holtz feature in this set as well. But added to the images are lovely rubber stamps I purchased from Leavenworth Jackson in California. The company truly has an outstanding collection.

Building the layers on the face was enjoyable. The Artistcellar Blocks series stencils were a lovely counterpoint to the Halftone Dots series. As with all Artistcellar products the quality allows you to focus on creating your work, not worrying about damaging the stencils. I have used a variety of media and the stencils always wash up easily, making them ready for my next project.

Distress Crayons are wonderful to work with. The colours in the set I have are bright and stay true when applied to the substrate. The feel is soft, smooth, and luxurious. Subtle touches of crayon completed the work.

I hope you will give Journaling on cards a try. You may discover, as I have, the joys of following your messy, succulent spirit of enquiry. You may even find a new kind of happiness waiting for you!

MATERIALS USED:

• STANDARD PLAYING CARDS
• ARTISTCELLAR STENCILS: Tibet Series, Traditional Japanese Series, Marked Series, Blocks Series, Halftone Dots Series, Sea Foam
• TIM HOLTZ VISUAL ARTISTRY CURIOUS POSSIBILITY Rubber Stamps
• STUDIO G Alphabet Rubber Stamps
• HAND CUT STENCIL: Diamonds
• PUNCHINELLA
• ELMER’S RUBBER CEMENT
• LIQUITEX WHITE ACRYLIC GESSO
• LIQUITEX MATTER MEDIUM
• DECOART Crackle Paste
• MEMENTO DYE INK Tuxedo Black
• PLAID ACRYLICS: Blue Sapphire, Amethyst, Blue Pearl, Pure Orange, Perfect Purple, Violet Pansy, Sunflower, Metallic Rose, Bright Red, Aquamarine, Pure Gold, Plum
• DECOART: Splendid Gold, Sunny Day
• DINA WAKLEY: Lime
• NATURAL SPONGE
• SANDPAPER
• TIM HOLTZ DISTRESS CRAYONS
• DYLUSION SPRAY: Bubble Gum Pink
• POCKET PAGE PROTECTOR
• VARIOUS EPHEMERA: Paper, Rubber Stamps, Dover Publications Images, Rub-On Lettering

What are YOU Curious About?

“Never lose a holy curiosity.” -  Albert Einstein

Have you tried Art Journaling on playing cards? I enjoyed it so much I decided to continue with the project. I suppose my curiosity got the better of me.

Inspired by the saying “In The Moment” I found printed in a catalogue I made it my goal. I prepped the cards by lightly sanding them and then giving them a coat of gesso. I placed all of the cards face up on my table and began randomly layering acrylic paint. Whatever colours came to hand I used. Once dried, I flipped to the back and began working. I love the new Tibet Series by Artistcellar. I wanted to incorporate the Eternal Knot stencil in some way. Although too large to completely fit on a playing card, when dropped here and there on the cards the stencil certainly added interest.

It’s been a long time since I looked through my collection of rubber stamps and clings. The Curious Possibility clings by Tim Holtz was just perfect for what I had in mind! Combined with a few images I had in my collection I got just the right Victorian vibe I wanted. 

Many artists like to cover the images printed on the playing cards completely. I like to allow the flavor of the card to show through where possible, lending interest additional design elements.

To complete this series I highlighted portions of the back design with Tim Holtz Distress Crayons and DecoArt Crackle Paste. 

 

One word of advice: I used my heat tool to get the layers to dry faster. I believe I got a little too close as one of the cards “popped” and buckled. My guess is the plastic coating just didn’t like the heat.

As artists curiosity is the force that inspires us to create new work. Journaling was always a bit of a mystery to me. I suppose for me it’s “in the cards” using this technique. My question to you: What are you curious about?

MATERIALS USED:

STANDARD PLAYING CARDS

ARTISTCELLAR STENCILS: Tibet Series, Traditional Japanese Series, Marked Series, Block Series, Halftone Dots Series, Sea Foam

TIM HOLTZ VISUAL ARTISTRY CURIOUS POSSIBILITY Rubber Stamps

STUDIO G Alphabet Rubber Stamps

HAND CUT STENCIL: Diamonds

PUNCHINELLA

ELMER’S RUBBER CEMENT

LIQUITEX WHITE ACRYLIC GESSO

LIQUITEX MATTER MEDIUM

DECOART Crackle Paste

MEMENTO DYE INK Tuxedo Black

PLAID ACRYLICS: Blue Sapphire, Amethyst, Blue Pearl, Pure Orange, Perfect Purple, Violet Pansy, Sunflower, Metallic Rose, Bright Red, Aquamarine, Pure Gold, Plum

DECOART: Splendid Gold, Sunny Day

DINA WAKLEY: Lime

NATURAL SPONGE

SANDPAPER

TIM HOLTZ DISTRESS CRAYONS

DYLUSION SPRAY: Bubble Gum

POCKET PAGE PROTECTOR

VARIOUS EPHEMERA: Paper, Rubber Stamps, Dover Publications Images, Rub-On Lettering

Are Your Days Filled with Sunshine?

"Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows

Everything that's wonderful is what I feel when we're together…" 

Lesley Gore/Marvin Hamlisch, Composer

And who said crayons are just for kids?

Included in my most recent box of delight from Artistcellar was a set of Tim Holtz Distress Crayons.  And with names like Peacock Feathers, Twisted Citron, and especially Mermaid Lagoon I couldn’t wait to start using them.

I have long been a fan of the Tim Holtz line of Distress Inks. I love the wide range of colours and the deliciously descriptive names. The quality is always consistently high and I expected the same from the new line of Crayons. I was not disappointed.

Of late, I have been working with my metallic acrylics or watercolours. Receiving the Crayons was a good excuse to bring out the Distress Inks once again. Opening the box I keep them in was like opening a door and visiting with an old friend. The Tim Holtz line was my first purchase when I ventured into Mixed-Media. And what an adventure it has been!

A new addition to my supplies is a Strathmore Mixed-Media Journal – 300 Series. The compact size is perfect for working with my Artistcellar stencils. I am now well on my way to building a library of background images…all easy to find and in one place! Now if only I could get a Mineral Paper spiral bound notebook. That would be Nirvana!

I started my work on Strathmore Watercolour Artist Trading Cards. I chose to keep the colours warm and bright. I covered the card with a wash of Tim Holtz Spiced Marmalade Ink and flat Royal Langnickel watercolours using my Sakura Koi Waterbrush.  The waterbrush is a great tool to have in your collection. It saves time, can be taken on the road if you are an en plein air artist, and can give you everything from a swath of colour to a thin line. It’s great!

With Journal in hand I chose my favourite Artcellar stencil series: Halftone Dots and Seafoam. I wasn’t sure which applicator would best compliment the crayons. I applied the colour with a natural sponge, cosmetic sponge and the Tim Holtz Blending Tool. The crayons are soft and it’s easy to transfer colour to your applicator.  When pushed through the stencil the natural sponge gave a spotty textured effect. The Blending Tool and cosmetic sponge were equally successful, giving me the soft gradated look I was after…all sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows.

Getting out my Distress Inks was truly like visiting an old friend and reminiscing about happy times past at the start of my Mixed-Media journey.  This explains my choice of using this fashion photo from a 1950’s collage sheet. The women look so joyful…sharing a secret, spending time together, and capturing a moment that will stay with them forever. I am sure you have similar memories. Aren't we shaped and molded by the memories we hold closest to our hearts? And the friendships nurtured through the years are always the sweetest…like sunshine, lollipops and rainbows.

 MATERIALS USED:

ARTISTCELLAR HALFTONE DOTS SERIES STENCILS

ARTISTCELLAR SEAFOAM STENCILS

TIM HOLTZ® DISTRESS CRAYONS – SET #1

TIM HOLTZ® BLENDING TOOL

TIM HOLTZ® DISTRESS INKS

NATURAL SPONGE

MAKEUP SPONGE

ROYAL LANGNICKEL WATERCOLOURS – FLAT & PEARLESCENT

SAKURA KOI WATERBRUSH

STRATHMORE MIXED-MEDIA VISUAL JOURNAL 300 SERIES

STRATHMORE 400 Series Watercolor Artist Trading Cards

DIGITAL IMAGE – FASHION OF THE 1950’S