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Online Class: Life Book

My next lesson, was to make a dreamboard. The instuctor's sample showed images cut out from a magazine and glued down. She then wrote her dreams and hopes. The collage was not calling out to me because of the magazine images.

At first, I wasn't interested in making a dreamboard because it was one of those ideas, IMHO, that is touchy feely. I am definitely not a touchy feely type of person; however, after I saw Tam's dreamboard, a spark ignited. I need more practice with my drawing skills and her idea fit my needs.

I used 140 lb watercolor paper, stencils, hand carved stamps, Derwent inktense and Prisma color  pencils, paints, ink pads, graphite pencils, water soluable crayons, rubber shelf liner, and gesso. I also practiced doodling which is another online class I'm taking.

The images, below, show my dreamboard's progress from start to finish. 

    

  

 

 

Online Class: Pet Dreams

I love online classes and especially love them when you can download the videos and save them to your computer.  

In a previous post, I wrote that I am taking Tam's year long class Life Book 2012. The second (dreamboard) and third (goddess light and dark) assignments weren't connecting to me (aside from the fact that they seem too touchy/feely and I'm not into that) until I saw Tam's interpretation on facebook. She drew and painted her dreamboard. The dreamboard in the assignment included glueing down magazine imagies. You can see Tam's dreamboard on her blog.

The third assignment, goddess light and dark, wasn't connecting because I'm not into the goddess concept nor am I interested in looking and reading up on the 'history' of goddesses. However, when I saw Ady's light/dark interpretation on her blog, it set off ideas in my head and I can now tackle the third assignment.

Back to the reason i was writing this post....Pet Dreams. I have signed up for Ady's Pet Dreams class which begins in February. Ady also allows you to download and save the videos and her printed handouts are filled with details. I signed up for another one of her classes in the past and was stuck when I downloaded the videos. Ady responded to my 'help' emails right away and she and Kathy (her technical guru) got me going with the class. You know, I talk about Winston a lot. I'm hoping to learn how I can draw him. He is not that easy to draw because his fur is black and he has brown eyes. My drawings of him look like a black blob...no shape let alone looking like a dog. 

So now I have three online classes, so far, for 2012....Pet Dreams, Life Book, and Letter Love.

 

 

Heureux Nouvel an Chinois

Happy Chinese New Year

New Online Class: Whimspirations: LETTER LOVE 101: Class Supplies Preview

Here's a little video elaborating on the supplies we'll be using in the first part of the Letter Love Art Journals class starting February 1st. Hope this gives you a better understanding as to WHY we'll be using certain items.  Students will be introduced to an extensive list of materials during the course.  It's my intention that students LEARN about and UNDERSTAND the features and benefits of certain materials before PURCHASING!  We all know  how easy it is to "COLLECT" art supplies that we NEVER use again??  Am i right??  LOL! This is going to be great FUN!

via joannezsharpe.blogspot.com

My printing and writing sucks which is why I love the computer. I've been playing in my journals and you just can't feed a journal through the printer so I signed up for this class. Looks like fun, don't you think!!

Art Journal

Since I'm retired and have oodles of time to play, I decided to begin 2012 working in a new art journal. I'm using a Strathmore mixed media visual journal that I found at Michael's for 50 cents. For that price, I bought all they had. The journal is 5 X 7 and I've come to realize that it is easier for me to work in a larger format. I may be forced to visit Dick Blick for the larger size.

The centers of the flowers are the shipping tags I watercolored, stamped, and punched. Using the punched out tags as stencils, I rubbed on the portfolio watersoluable pastels and then blasted them with the heat gun to set. The heat gave them a slightly raised textured. 

Life Book

I signed up for Tam's Life Book Class. The class runs all year and in Tam's words "...is joined by 14 incredible art teachers who are all gearing up to share their mixed media techniques, tips and tricks with YOU! Themed around self-development and healing, you'll be creating a minimum of 2 loose mixed media art journal pages per month (through a minimum of 2 lessons a month) which by the end of the year you will bind into a glorious journal (a Life Book)!"

Our first lesson is a celebration of our Goddess Superpowers. I had trouble with the word Goddess. Me a Goddess...nah but I am working on being Goddess-like. We worked on 9X12 watercolor paper plus a fold out page. I learned how to draw a 3/4 face (Tam makes it look so easy) and then we painted. During the lesson, we listed our superpowers or our positive traits. My traits sound mundane but they do describe me. 

I am enjoying the class and with practice, I'll be able to refine my drawing skills. I can't wait for the next lesson which will be up on January 16th.

Happy New Year. Party Time.

(were you expecting a lampshade on my head)

Merry Christmas to all two legged and four legged family and friends. 

Paw Note: Mom dressed me up. I think she's spending too much time hitting the eggnog. Whoever heard of a dog with antleers!?

Christmas Exchange

Now that my secret Christmas exchange gift has been opened, I can post a picture of it. I made, yep you guessed it, a beaded ornament. I also made a winter Christmas box for it to travel in.

  

From Ms Karen O, I received my first Tussy Mussy. I have been admiring the ones I've seen on the 'net for quite sometime and now I have my very own.  Karen also sent the cutest card. It doesn't show in the scan but the train is dimensional and 'stands' above the card.

What is a Tussy Mussy, you ask?  Here's a definition "The Tussie-Mussie is a flower arrangement that dates back to Victorian times. Originally used as bridal bouquet, it is now used for many different occasions. It is a round bouquet with a small cluster of flowers with the stems bound together. They can be held in the hands or displayed in a vase.

Read more: What is a Tussie-Mussie? | Answerbag http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/2019197#ixzz1hDZibf8e  "

  

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