365 Day 311

the moose-creature with the monocle just wasn't doing it for me

I was playing around with the red repurposed canvas and I just wasn't happy with the moose-creature with the monocle. I wasn't all that fond of him to begin with, but today he reeeeeally looked wrong for the picture.










Because I am trying to incorporate some things I haven't used very often/recently, I pulled out this great handmade paper. It is red with gold leaves on it.

I turned it over because the leaves were too large to go with the creatures and because I wasn't sure how to deal with the gold ink (paint?) later on.






To my delight, the leaves kinda show through like I hoped they would.

Oh yeah...I like newsprint a lot and I laid some of that down first to help cover up the moose-creature's Sharpie marker image...then I used gel medium to adhere the paper to the newsprint.






I like the white halo of the newsprint.

I am starting to see new guys coming up already.












I also wanted to use a not-so-great block print (the print itself is not-so-great...I love the image) that I made back in relief printmaking class.

Another reason I wanted to use this particular image was that it is so finished and stark compared to the other creatures that are still just penciled in. I am hoping it will give me painting or finishing ideas.

One more reason I added this new guy was in contrast to the other creatures -- this guy was one of the images that came from the automatic drawings from my sketch book...so I kinda sorta fell like I drew him...as opposed to how I feel like I am just coloring in the other guys that are emerging on their own...like I don't really have a say in how they look or who they are. There is an element of that to the sketch book guy, but I feel like I had more input with him...on some level.




This is where the new guy is located on the canvas in relation to where the moose-guy used to be.















And here is an overall view of the entire canvas.
For now.

365 Day 303

adding a layer



Hmmm...remember a few days ago when I glued a few block print test prints down to cigar box lids? I really liked the simplicity of this guy on the lid with the stark border and some of the images just barely showing through on the bear and down at the corner. Tonight I was looking at it and trying to figure out what else I could do to it to add some dimension but not totally busy it up.






The bear is printed on pale green mulberry paper. Tonight I tore a vaguely bear-shaped hole out of a piece of white mulberry paper. I like it a lot so far...it isn't totally dry yet so maybe it will change a little.


I like the way the inclusions in the white mulberry paper tone down the border on the lid. I like the way the two papers blend together. I like that you can see the green paper's inclusions under the ink in (and around) the bear and that the bear's outline is light green because I am used to seeing it only in white.







I like the green inclusions in the green paper and the white ones in the white paper at the bottom of the box lid.












What can I say -- I like this a lot so far!

365 Day 301

repurpose-ing cigar box lids and test prints

I have a number of cigar box lids that Leann Meixner gave to me. Tonight I am beginning to repurpose three more of them.




This box lid is a long rectangle.
















I used one of my test prints for my block print called "Kitsune" and wrapped the lid like a present.






















I like the images showing through the paper.












This almost looks like it could be made into the cover of a book or sketchbook or something.
















Here is another one of the cigar box lids. I love the bright yellow color with red wood grain pattern.



















I tore around the image and glued it to the lid.
















Again, I really like seeing the images and words coming through the white areas on the test print.










One more box lid tonight.















I almost like this just as it is. I like the colors and the border on the lid.



I have no idea how I will finish any of these yet. I just wanted to get started on them.

365 Day 296

un-fuzzing yarn -- and -- trying something new

This morning I did more prep work for the Tookies. I usually do this step individually with each Tooky (and I also usually do the soft bottom edge at the same time) but today I was thinking I could go in a more assembly line fashion if I broke down the yarn steps, too.

For the colorful side seams I use Sensations - It's a Wrap yarn from Jo-Ann Fabrics.
I realize I am totally defeating the purpose of the yarn, but for my use I cut the fuzzy part and strip if off the strand.

















That leaves me with the soft, colorful part and creates these little cocoon-like pieces. (This time I saved the "cocoons" and gave them to Juana for use with her art.)



















This yarn comes in several colors -- I use three of them.











Here are the three color variations I use plus another colorful yarn that I don't know the name of.












And here is how that yarn looks as a side seam.

1 down, 89 to go!










Also today...



I am trying something new (for me, anyway). Ruth suggested I might try doing other things with my prints. She also gave me a basket FULL of cool stuff I can use in projects. Leann gave me the lids of the cigar boxes that she didn't use when she made her small voodoo shrines. Today I put some of these things together.








I used gel medium to secure one of my prints to the cigar box top. I like how you can see through parts of the print. I also like how the ink ran a little in places.









I also laid down some color registration dots with gel medium. You can see through those, too.















Again...using the gel medium and a little Yes! glue...I used a small section of honeycomb-like paper from the stuff that Ruth gave me.



This is not done yet...but I like how it is looking so far.