Real Estate & Sleep

 A new gadget 

Always looking

How many steps

How much sleep

Heart beat

Obsession! 

"In healthy adults, about 13 to 23 percent of your sleep is deep sleep. So if you sleep for 8 hours a night, that’s roughly 62 to 110 minutesTrusted Source of your sleep is deep sleep. So if you sleep for 8 hours a night, that’s roughly 62 to 110 minutes." Healthline.

What has that got to do with real estate? Nothing! Just been on my mind lately!

Also been thinking about real estate. Not the kind you buy, but the space you create on. Your substrate size. I would call myself a medium size painter. 5"x7" would probably be the smallest I would go. If I want smaller, say for cards, I have my trusty cutter. 

Last fall did an exercise on a full sheet of paper, roughly 27"x39" of a repetitive pattern with various pencils, graphite, charcoal, crayons, etc on newsprint. I chose the circle as my motif, loosely! Had it on my wall, mainly for inspiration, loved various sections. Masking tape isn't a good adhesive, and it kept falling off. Didn't want to chop it off, but I needed smaller real estate.

Then I viewed Helen Wells' video on one page sketchbook! 

Voila! 8 pages of smaller real estate, around 6.5"x10", that I can experiment with, fold in squares up, etc. In the photos you can see extra creases.

Full Sheet

Front

2-3

4-5

6-7

Back

Paper has tape stains, tears, etc, but I love it. Hope to start a new series of circle motifs . Click to enlarge files!

Trusted Source

 

Silly Absurd Funny Ridiculous Whimsical Humor

Silly Absurd Funny Ridiculous Whimsical Humor. Those were the concept words for our latest home project. WOW, what a project, I needed Jen here beside me with some great malarky ideas! Maybe Jen will make an e-course, I'll be the first to sign up! I don't think of myself as a humorous person, it is something that I should develop if one can. It certainly would make life a bit easier.  It was hard for me to relate. Wanted to do a comic of myself, didn't quite work out, thought of making myself into my animal soulmate, the owl. Then I did a Buddha painting in the Sketchbook Revival series, now sadly offline. (Can be purchased ). Stumbled on some laughing Buddhas and developed on that theme. More on the whimsical. I also did make an owl portrait. If I brought a smile then I succeeded!

Buddhas On The Line

Presentation

Buddha on RISD Alumni Bulletin 

Watercolor Pencil

8.75 x 10.75 "

The Magazine is intact!

Buddha

Pencil Sketch Watercolor Pencils

9.75 x 13.75"

Two transfers 

crayons

Pen 

9.5 x 12.5

Two Transfers

Crayons Pencil

 Pen

9.5 x 12.5"

Whimsical Buddha

12.5 x 9.25 "

Pencil and Crayon Sketch

Photo Montage

6.5 x 11.5"

RISD Cover Transfer on B&W Mandela Transfer

Crayons Colored Pencils

My Owl Soul Mate

Luckily I did these before my sprain. Used different materials and methods. At first, I didn't like the Whimsical Buddha but it has grown on me and is now my favorite.

Enjoy and smile

Haven't a clue why my lightbox has stopped working!

Brimming With Excitement

Have you heard about Sketchbook Revival? I got the link from artist Chris Lally Thanks so much, Chris! Well, I got hooked even though I am quite overwhelmed. Each day there are 2 artists with loads of tips and gifts, it's very hard to keep up and digest all the material. I signed up rather late so I have finished watching just day 5. Today was with Irish artist Amanda Grace and I instantly connected with her philosophy and technique, in short scribbles and chaos! I worked along with her as she demonstrated 3 journal pages. Never felt so FREE! Didn't care what came out! I just had to share!
They aren't really finished, who cares, I see now as I edited the photos that I can go back and tweak, Its just a sketchbook and only for me and you! No titles here.

Art Journal Page 1

8.75 x 12"

Canson Sketch Book 65lb

Mixed Media

About 3 layers of what Amanda calls "stream of consciousness" writing. Each with different drawing tools of various widths and strength. Veiled with either gesso or white paint, I used paint. Scribbles with watercolor crayons and puddled with water to drip. Added collage papers, figures, and just plain book pages. Scribbles around the figures. When pasting the figure collage it was face down on the wet so the face of the boy got a little paint. Those are what Amanda calls art making itself.

Art Journal Page 2

8.75 x 12"

Canson Sketch Book 65lb

Mixed Media

 This started out with heavy scribbling various colors and crayons. Veiled and then scratched writing!
I AM HERE! More watercolor crayons with water. Started some ballpoint marks which I do not like.
I will probably tweak this because I feel it lacks contrast,

Art Journal Page3

8.75 x 12"

Canson Sketch Book 65lb

Mixed Media

This one is my favorite. Amanda started hers on a page that already had scribbles so I made some light scribbles and then started with transparent collage pieces, cut up a print of one of my works. Book pages traced figure, which you can hardly make out. More watercolor crayon scribbles.  Have to take another photo because I veiled some of that heavy blue. 

Really had a ball today!

Cookie's Album

Most every summer I would go to the Workman's Circle children's camp. They had an adult camp and a children's camp. This was an association that my grandfather belonged to.  I had a nickname, Cookie!

Each month we are given a topic to develop at home and bring in for a critique. Today was the day!
The topic was to try to paint/draw not in the style of but more to get inside their head. I decided to try to draw not as me but me as a child of about 10. I really didn't connect with Cookie, and I felt that instead of her doing the drawing, I was drawing her in scenes of my childhood. Even so, I got good reviews. I am NOT going to give up on trying to reach Cookie.

Reuven does not use the Hebrew word Bikoret (critique) but the word Bikor (visit) both built on the same root. It is not whether it is good or bad but rather the process which is important.

Cookie's Album 

8.5 x 11" Pages

Canson Sketch Pad 90gm

Children's crayons

Click on the link to get to the slideshow

if you only get the cover image

click on this to get to the album and I think

you can view as a slideshow

It was amazing how in almost every case we could tell who the "real" artist was. I learned a lot about myself and very little about that child on the cover. Reuven mentioned an Israeli artist that also painted in a child-like fashion. Meira Shemesh.

Next month, a work based on mythology, of our choice but related to our lives today. Have to give that a lot of thought.

That's How the Light Gets In

I recently took time off for a free online course hosted by Laly Mille called Into the Light. She is a very inspirational and creative teacher.and the course was very interesting. I learned many new techniques and processes. 

That's How the Light Comes In

13" x  9" 

240 gm paper

The project was to find our North Star to help guide us in our creative process. I didn't quite see my star in the meditation process, just a background of dark greens and orange light. The inspiration for this piece is from Leonard Cohen's Anthem, one of my favorite songs. The chorus was written with Posca pen.

I started this piece with green cutouts from a newspaper pasted in the form of a mosaic wall. Added piece of orange and yellow tissue paper, crayon work, acrylic paints, and charcoal stick

Exercise II Tweaks

Exercise II Tweaks

Did a few tweaks on Start 10. These will definitely be cut up. Not a very happy camper!

Hopes 

9" x 5.4"

Top Cut

Basically cleaned up some edges and made the blue stronger

Hopes 2

9" x 5.4"

Bottom Cut

Here I added more collage and crayons work,

Collage & Gelli-printing Exercise III

Collage & Gelli-printing  Exercise III

Start 11

I am feeling quite overwhelmed by the amount of starts and pieces that I yet posted about. So I am starting the day editing photos and trying to catch up.  Start 11 was done with start 10. The process was first collage and then  Gelli-print and then more crayon work and maybe more collage. Working on the photos and seeing the work on the big screen on I could see that I could do more tweaks here and there. Maybe cut them for cards!

Start 11

23 x 33 cm 240grm

Layer Collage

Layer Gelli-print

Above the Mountains

9" x 5.4"

Top Cut

And Suddenly a Peacock Emerged

9" x 5.4"

Bottom Cut

Collage & Mono-printing Exercise II

Mono-printing & Collage Exercise II

Start 10

There are many ways to incorporate collage and Gelli-printing. In lesson 4 Jane describes first printing some layers and then adding collage and the other way around collage pieces than Gelli printing. With both, there are steps where you can modify the prints and add other elements. These exercises were first collage and then Gelli printing, then more collage.

In start 10 there are already 3 layers: collage, Gelli print, collage + crayon.

Start 10

23 x 33 cm 240grm

Layer Collage

Layer Gelli-print

Hopes WIP

9" x 5.4"

Top Cut

Added more collage + crayons

Hopes 2 WIP

9" x 5.4"

Bottom Cut

Added more collage + crayons

 Although I an NOT completely happy with the results I am posting. Still not feeling totally in control!

Mono-printing & Collage Exercise I

Mono-printing & Collage  Exercise I


Well, I welcome getting back to the shigra, routine. With September challenge over now, I can give full attention to my online course of Gelli printing and collage by Jane Davies. I have skipped around some so I have to go back a few lessons. However, I did 4 starts of collage then gel prints so I will post them first. These are definitely learning experiences. I need to control the amount of paint on the plate, I need more transparent paints, and I need a larger Gelli plate, which I have ordered! YAY!

23 x 33 cm 240grm

Layer Collage

Layer Gelli-print

I really could kick myself for not taking images before printing process. It would have been a great learning tool for me that I lost.

End of Summer

9" x 5.4"

Top Cut

Layer collage + crayons

Although I still have lots to learn with the combination of these techniques I rather like this piece.Thc contrasts of the lights and darks, The muted colors and the brights, The small collage piece work together.

WIP

9" x 5.4"

Bottom Cut

Layer collage + crayons

This piece seems to be at war. Each side fighting for my attention. I may remove that white piece that divides the image or maybe just separate the two!

Day 30 September 30 x 30 2017

Day 30  September 30 x 30 2017

Start 8 Cut 2 Bottom

Exercise 

23 x 33 cm 240grm

Collage + Gelli 

This is the second cut. Here I added some more collage pieces to hide some of the places where the paper was torn in the lifting process. That happens when the paint dries. Still not totally experienced with the properties of acrylic paint. 

Memories of Moosilauki

Collage + Gelli Print

Acrylic and Crayons

Day 29 September 30 x 30 2017

Day 29  September 30 x 30 2017

Start 8 Cut 1 Top

Exercise 

23 x 33 cm 240grm

Collage + Gelli Print

For my last 2 entries, I am using an exercise from my online course that I am currently taking Monoprint and Collage given by Jane Davies. Scroll to the second workshop on the page.

I love collage and am starting to learn the technique of Gelli Printing. I first started with collage pieces and then added the printing process. My substrate was bigger than my Gelli pad so I had difficulty placing the layers of printing. I am still learning so decided to cut these (made 4) in half and add collage pieces and crayon which Jane states is part of the process. I may add more! Sorry, I didn't take photos before adding the print, they were under some heavy books so they wouldn't buckle after the collage process. I got the muse and took them out and started... can't really stop the muse when it comes, and it was already evening anyway.

WIP

9" x 5.5"

Collage + Gelli Print

Acrylic and Crayons

Oil and Water Don't Mix Or Do They

I see painting as an evocative magic, and there must always be a random factor in magic, one which must be constantly changed and renewed. (William S. Burroughs)

Recently I received an online newsletter from Caran d Ache with an interesting video using both wax and water soluble crayons.  These small sketches were made using white wax crayon with charcoal and water soluble pencils with water medium.  Trying to discover how they react to each other. Both I would call WIPS because I may go back to these. This mixture is worth more experimentation!

Here are 2 sketches trying out this technique! Both done on watercolor paper in my sketch pad.

9.5 x 7 "

Water Color Sketch Pad

9.5 x 7 "

Water Color Sketch Pad

Working with Messy

When I paint, mysterious things happen. What starts with a void ends with a dialogue. (Jeet Aulakh)

Apple Anyone? WIP?

13 x 18 cm

Heavy Paper

Neocolor I Wax Crayons

Acrylic Background

A while ago I was intrigued by Dotty's starting with "messy" I certainly have a lot of those! Going through a pile of starts and old pieces found this odd piece. Wondered why it hadn't been thrown away long ago.
Below the various stages.

Start

Found this in my collection of exercises. Acrylic background

II

Used some alcohol to lighten up some areas and continued with my wax crayons 

III

More crayons

Cut Cut Cut

Remember my  "Love Love Me Naught". Well decided to cut it up, ala  Dotty. Never would had had the courage. Thanks Dotty!  Made a frame and cut 3 pieces and made some neat cards.

Before

Three Cards Cut 

5" x 7"

 From a another small piece from one of my lesson exercises made 2 smaller cards. Getting to like the cutting idea LOL!!!

5.5" x  4.25"

Doodle Colored I

Every morning is a new garden. (Leza MacDonald)

Old entry. 

Isn't it wonderful when you discover a new flower in your garden! My garden isn't really specially cared for.  We dried our lawn when the water prices got too high. Its mainly wild grass, lavender, perennials, and in this season lots of wild poppies.

Today

I started this blog maybe a week ago. Wow how life manages to change so fast. You get into a routine and everything falls into place that is till you get the jolt. That's what happened to me last evening when I received a surprise call from brother-in -law Tommy.  My baby sister had suddenly passed. She hadn't felt well and didn't sleep well so decided to take a morning nap, and quietly slipped away. They say a sudden heart attack. Right now as I am writing this I feel as if I am "robot" mode, trying hard to digest it all. Debbie was our miracle baby, born 68 years ago at the weight of 1lb 6oz!!! No more short sweets posts, just a hole in my heart, These flowers are for you Debbie!!!

36 x 25

Crayons  Oil Pastels over Doodle I

Brown Paper

Out of the Box

When you come to a roadblock, take a detour. (Barbara Bush)

Each year Heleni prepares a special project that we work on at home and bring in for a general critique.  This year was a bit different. We were to prepare a presentation verbally and visually about a subject, concept, or idea, not necessarily about art. We all drew lots and each week, we take a break from our work for the presentation. On the 18th of April, my turn came.  

Instead of giving a talk about getting out of the box I decided that it would be better to have them do it as part of an exercise.  I brought paper, crayons, colored markers, charcoal etc. So I told them to start a drawing and timed it to 5 minutes. Then instructed them to tear the paper in two sections. Place one section face down and continue on half that was shown for 2 minutes. Then do the the same for the second half. Then I asked them to cut the halves in half and gave another 2 minutes on each quarter. 

Neomi and I made a collage of the work on a cardboard format. 

100 x 70 cm

We mixed them all up for this collage,here is an Album link where you can see the work as well as some general images. All had a grand time and I hope that somehow I helped them look at their art with a new perspective.

My Visual Display

10 x 20 x 6 cm

I got out of the box by making small statues in small boxes. Haven't done this type of work since my college days!

Extreme Composition Lesson 5 I

Real courage is displayed by those who are afraid to go, but go. (Anonymous)

On large cheap drawing paper make marks in various methods
Make a viewfinder and isolate and develop one area and then another. 
Connect those areas, and then connect with the whole. 

I made about 6 starts here are first 2

50 x 36 cm

Random marks 

Spread with credit card

50 x 36 cm

Random marks 

Worked two areas with lines

veiling, transparent collage pieces

View-finder 19 x 19 cm

50 x 36 cm

Random marks

Large brush stroke 

Lifted and blotted with small paper

Bristol

50 x 36 cm

Random marks

Large brush stroke 

Two worked areas

Crayon work and penwork

View-finder 15 x 20 cm

Please excuse photography, I see now part was in shadow.

Final resolutions coming! Para Para!!!

Jane's advise!

Finally: resolve the piece. This, of course, is the hard part, and it is up to you to find a way to do this. Take your time. Each piece will be different, and some will not lend themselves so easily to resolution. Do your best. If your piece is at a standstill, unresolved, leave it. Move on. Don’t agonize, and feel free to post pieces that you feel are unresolved. Just don’t say “This Piece Sucks” or anything like that!

Dotty's advise!

Find your brave spot!