Secret Sunday 7

Do you want to know a secret?


Welcome to the fourth edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals.


Over 200 (!) artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented as a series of online and print projects. And the first continues right now!

Join the The Altered Page every Sunday for "Secret Sunday." Here the secrets of all your favorite artists will be revealed. It could be a technique, a product, a secret source, a little-known website, a hidden shop, an inspiration, just about anything! If you missed any, no worries. You can find links to all the secrets on the sidebar of my blog.

Today's secret.......The Essence of Art!
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Carol Slade
Website: C.W. Slade
Cafe Press: CW Slade Gifts

My secret is to meditate everyday because it centers me and helps me fight distraction.

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Sarah Fishburn
Website: Sarah Fishburn
Etsy: Sarah Fishburn: Designs & Ragtags
Blog: Ragtags Studio Central
Lulu: Cartwright and Fishburn

Shhhhh...

I know way too many people who aren't making art because they have to, or even want to, for its own sake. They aren't attempting to say something important, necessary, heartbreaking, or funny. They don't even simply want to make the world a more beautiful place. Rather, they are so teeth-clenchingly determined to get something PUBLISHED that the true nature and meaning of Art, and why we as artists are compelled to make it, becomes lost...

Don't misunderstand, I believe in artists' work being discovered, being seen, being appreciated, even being copied (by someone who is trying to learn process and technique - it's an age old teaching method employed by masters from time immemorial), and certainly to those ends, being published. But I think we do ourselves a disservice if we let that end guide our artistic visions, choices, and finally, the art we make.
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Rhomany
Website: Rhomany's Realm
Ning: Willowing and Artist Friends
Etsy: Rhomany's Realm
You Tube: Rhomany's Realm

No one has to see your art journal. Ever.

Remembering this will help you to free yourself from trying to be like others, from trying to be perfect and from feeling that you can't just be yourself in your art journal. By all means share if you really want to. Just don't ever think that you have to, because there is nothing wrong in keeping something for yourself.
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Jacquelyn Berl
Blog: Ascender Rises Above
Linked In: Jacquelyn Berl
Squidoo: Ascender Rises Above
Art Bistro: Ascender Rises Above
Facebook Fan Page: Asender Rises Above
General Facebook account: search "Ascender Rises Above"
Twitter: Ascender Rises

Do bad art on purpose; place pen/pastel/paint to paper and just mix
colors around. Have no idea in mind when you do this. Stand back and
see what has popped out and use it to continue the image. Do negative
art to get it out of your system. When you don't you will find it
surfacing in a fine art piece. Don't criticize it, don't share it.
Keep an eye and see where it progresses as you go through your days.
You will find it bringing you answers to questions.
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Patti Sandham
Blog: Jazzgoil Ink

My fearlessness to experiment and play especially in my journals. Once I get motivated and jazzed up from working in my journals anything that comes to hand can get painted or collaged upon. This is how the Jelliglian came into being.

And notice his rich colours, it is obviously in breeding season! LOL! I experimented with using a paper towel for a background texture and “saw” the creature appear before my eyes and just accentuated it so everyone else would see what I “saw”. This is not my usual colour palette or type of image that I am drawn to, but I just went with it and I am happy with the results.
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Marion Bockelmann
Blog: Bockel 24
Flickr: Bockel 24
You Tube: Bockel 24

I think art should contain some secrets itself to be interesting.

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Jennifer Lorton
Website: Jennifer Lorton
Blog: Jennifer Lorton

For me, the biggest secret is the willingness to do something scary - Make the call to that gallery, submit a photo to a juried show, contact a publisher, write to that person that you admire, etc., you'll be amazed what can happen. The second part of this is not to allow rejection to derail you, just keep doing scary stuff and see all that you will accomplish.

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Kelly Kilmer
Blog: Kelly Kilmer

Don't give up. Push yourself. Keep an art journal. Play in it. Play more. Work hard. Learn everything there is to know about your subject. Just when you think you've learned it all, you'll discover something new. Ask yourself "what if?". Learn the rules and then learn how to break them. Give yourself permission. Don't EVER compare your work to anyone else's. Make work that looks like you made it. It's okay to copy to learn, but at some point you need to start making art that looks like you made it and art that you are most happiest with.

Make art for you, not to sell or to profit from but for you. If you make art from the heart, it will shine in its honesty and trueness. If someone asks why you made something or what you're going to do with it, or if you're going to sell it, move on. Stay true to yourself and do what you love.
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Jude Berman
Blog: Jude's Art Blog
Website: Jude Berman

I've noticed that most artists follow one of two processes. Either they observe the world around, select something of beauty or of interest, and attempt to enhance or reproduce it. Or they have an inner vision and try to replicate that, often with the use of symbols. I find it more satisfying to do neither of these. My secret, it there is one, is simply to be alert in the moment and watch as the art in essence creates itself.

As in the case of this detail from a watercolor, where I discovered the face already there, hidden in a larger swatch of color that had been applied at "random" to the page, just waiting for a small "touch up."
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As Night Falls...

As we leave 2009 and the first decade of the 21st century and enter into 2010, I want to take this special moment to thank everybody who has visited The Altered Page this past year. Thank you for stopping by. Thank you for leaving comments and sending emails. Thank you for participating in my online projects. And even thank you for lurking. I appreciate each and every one of you!

In deciding what to post tonight, I looked back on my New Year's post from one year ago. It still seems so applicable and is one of my most favorite posts. So...I am taking the liberty of posting it again this year.

As night falls on 2009...



I remember the positives...



and the negatives...



the highs...



and the lows...



the moments of contemplation...



and moments of pain...



feeling calm...



and feeling alive...



climbing to new heights...



and being heard...



taking a chance...



and realizing the sky is the limit...



and throughout it all...



Wishing you all a happy, healthy and creative 2010. May every dream come true!

Dare 2 Reach

It isn't where you come from, it's where you're going that counts. Ella Fitzgerald

The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do. Sarah Ban Breathnach

Ingredients: watercolor paper, book board, altered paper, acrylic paint, metallic acrylic paint, silver leaf, calligraphy ink, gel pen, leafing pen, dry transfer, rubon letters. Reach approximately 4 5/8" x 3 1/2". Dare approximately 4 5/8" x 3 3/4". click to enlarge.

Available for purchase in The Altered Page on Etsy.

Reach -- Sold. Thank you!

Chance

Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building your wings on the way down. Ray Bradbury


Ingredients: watercolor paper, book board, altered paper, acrylic paint, metallic acrylic paint, silver leaf, calligraphy ink, gel pen, leafing pen, dry transfer, rubon letters. approximately 4 3/8" x 3 1/2". click to enlarge.

Available for purchase in The Altered Page on Etsy.

Sold. Thank you!

Imagine

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

John Lennon


Ingredients: watercolor paper, book board, acrylic paint, metallic acrylic paint, calligraphy ink, gel pen, leafing pen, dry transfer, rubon letters. approximately 4 5/8" x 3 5/8". click to enlarge.

Available for purchase in The Altered Page on Etsy.

Sold. Thank you!

Secret Sunday 6

Do you want to know a secret?


Welcome to the fourth edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals.


Over 200 (!) artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented as a series of online and print projects. And the first continues right now!

Join the The Altered Page every Sunday for "Secret Sunday." Here the secrets of all your favorite artists will be revealed. It could be a technique, a product, a secret source, a little-known website, a hidden shop, an inspiration, just about anything! If you missed any, no worries. You can find links to all the secrets on the sidebar of my blog.

Today's secret.......Techniques Too!
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Vivian Bonder
Blog: Desert Bloom

A while ago I played with glue image transfers and they worked really well. There is a link to my blog post right here.

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Roxanne Stout
Blog: River Garden Studio

This is not really a secret... just something I love to do... When I am doing a landscape and I want to put some buildings in it, I like to draw and paint them on watercolor paper first... I tear the bottom off in the shape of the shrubbery or the hillside, and then cut out the structure. Then I glue it on with matt medium and add several layers of mediums and paint right out of the tubes. This building is part of a house in Issigeac, France... a view from my brothers house...

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Olivia King
Blog: 4 Rooms and the Moon

I love drawing on brown paper. When I was a kid I could hardly wait for lunch so I could tear open the brown paper bag lunch came in and start drawing. So I suppose it isn’t surprising that one of my favorite purchased journals is a recycled brown paper sketch book by “earthbound” Cachet Products. The covers are brown paper too, and great to work with paint and collage.

This is my secret for building up surfaces, I coat the pages with Liquitex Gesso surface prep. (I find Golden Gesso has a more plastic surface film and I like the “tooth” I get from Liquitex.) The gesso coated brown paper holds up very well to all water media, and can take many layers of paint or collage without wrinkling or warping (be sure and coat both sides or the page will curl). The soft velvety texture the gesso gives the surface is a pleasure to sketch on with graphite. I have recently found you can buy these brown paper journals at Wal-Mart! And about half the price I’ve been paying!
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Linda Germain
Blog: Printmaking without a Press
Blog: Art by Linda Germain
You Tube: Linda Germain
Website: Linda Germain

Well I guess it would be a surprise to see the wonderful textured results that you can get by printing with moldy gelatin. As the gelatin ages it cracks, and gets holey and creates unpredictable textures. You can use newsprint to absorb the excess water and then print with water based inks and a thin strong paper. I have a slidshow video showing examples of prints made with old gelatin here.

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Martha Marshall
Blog: An Artist's Journal
Website: Martha Marshall Fine Art

My recently-developed intuitive collage process, whereby I create one huge seemingly-chaotic collage and then use a view finder to create compositions within the matrix of the image. It's been an endless source of fun for me lately.

I wrote about it in my blog here.
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Lisa Wright
Blog: The Wright Stuff
Etsy: The Wright Stuff

I’m still learning – aren’t we all! However, one of the best lessons I’ve taught myself is a little secret I would be willing to share. Painting faces has always been something of a trial. There’s so much to contend with – from getting the shape to the shading right… and let’s not talk about hair. So, I discovered an excellent way to practice which reignites all that childhood pleasure gleaned from colouring in books. Yes, that’s it. You colour in! Just select a striking pose from a magazine, paint over lightly with gesso so you can still just about see the original picture beneath. Then, grab your paints, pastels and crayons and get colouring. It’s more fun to use un-natural shades of blue, green, orange to resculpt the face and hair.

The other method is to transfer the image using gel medium. This is a bit more hit and miss as you never quite know how well the print will stick to your surface but it creates some unexpected surprises too. As long as most of the image comes over you can paint back in the rest. You don’t get so much paper wrinkling with this method and it seems to work best on canvas. I like to paint the canvas a bold colour beforehand so it reflects back through your image.
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Steph Brouwers
Blog: vLaDtHeBaT’s aTTiC

I am crazy about beads and I want to share a technique. If you want to make faux dark amber beads (like Tibetan amber), use translucent polymer clay with a hint of orange and leave it longer in the oven (same t° even a bit lower ).
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Lisa Sarsfield
Blog: Lucky Dip

Now and then I find myself stumped with a collage. I often only have 1 main piece plus 3 or 4 smaller elements but that still equals many possible combinations! Sometimes I also have extra pieces that I'd like to use but I am not sure if they 'belong' there. I usually get stuck when I can least afford to- either when pushing time or when using the last of something I really like! It can be very frustrating and I am sure I am not alone in that!

One technique I've found to really help is to assemble the collage (or altered book spread) in all of it's possible combinations (without actually gluing or stitching it in place) and to then photograph each one individually. That way I can take it apart to try another idea with out actually loosing the first one and I can use the photos as a reference for re-assembling the collage once I have decided which one I like the most. I'm sure most of us have tried a layout and then decided the 'other one' was better but can't quite replicate it the exact way it had been done earlier!

There's two more advantages I feel you get when you photograph your work like this. One being the ability to flick through the images as often as you like and in your own time (with a coffee, on a walk, when waiting in the car...). The second being the ability to compare them directly. Sometimes you just know when you've got a winner and other times it takes a little more searching and it helps to have something to compare your designs with.

One collage I needed to employ this technique for is this one I made for the International Collage Exchange and the process can be found in this blog post. The photographing process really helped with the decision making and the final piece above was my end choice, and one I am very happy with! At the end of the day being happy in your creating and with your art is what matters the most!
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Mary Layman
Blog: Joyful Ploys

I discovered this quite by accident---I was using acrylic paints plus Caran d'ache crayons in a floral composition. I used black India ink to accent some of the lines in the piece and decided they were too bold so I then used Caran d'ache crayons to go over the lines to soften the ink. Here is one of my pieces using this technique:

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Theresa Martin
Website: theresa mARTin
Blog: theresa mARTin
Etsy: Eve Crowe Studios
Cafe Press: Theresa Martin

Here's a Photoshop tip:

If you want to turn an image into a sepia tone, or any monochromatic color here's a good way to do it while preserving the color of your original image. With your image open in PS select Layer, New Fill Layer, Solid Color. Select the color you want. You can change your choice later. After, go to the layers menu and select the Solid Color Layer and choose Color from the blending mode menu. It provides a nice color overlay giving your piece any monochromatic color you wish. You can select the color in the layers menu and change it to any other color or level of transparency. This way you have preserved the color of the original image and given yourself many options for a color overlay.

Before:

After:

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Contain Me

I continue to work on "Self Contained" - my collaboration with Viv and Step. Each of us have created our own art structure that all three of us work in three different times. It is all about what lies within. Things that may be unspoken and things that are often hidden. Raw, grungy, rough, messy, and all our selves. One very special and unique aspect to this project is that we all create on and over each other's artwork. A true collaborative effort!

A few glimpses of my most recent work in Viv's piece. Click to enlarge.

Solstice Moments

silver stars shimmer

lighting the crowning glory

enveloped in peace

the ease of the trees

holding the weight of the world

balanced with beauty

a sense of wonder

blankets the surface of all

look toward the new day

Secret Sunday 5

Do you want to know a secret?


Welcome to the fourth edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals.


Over 200 (!) artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented as a series of online and print projects. And the first continues right now!

Join the The Altered Page every Sunday for "Secret Sunday." Here the secrets of all your favorite artists will be revealed. It could be a technique, a product, a secret source, a little-known website, a hidden shop, an inspiration, just about anything! If you missed any, no worries. You can find links to all the secrets on the sidebar of my blog.

Today's secret.......Book Ends!
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Gwen Buchanan
Blog: DESIDERATUM

Ornament...from the Industrial Revolution to Today by Stuart Durant, Overlook Press, pub. 1986 ISBN: 0879512199, hardcover

... sourcebook of decoration and design elements... beautifully produced with an exceptional amount of illustration, color and black and white... this is my most reached for book... I believe it is out of print... worthy of a search... I have seen it in second hand online book shops...


...isn't the cover beautiful!!
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Maj Hoenborg
Blog: Second Nature

Books are my addiction and here are two sources of inspiration:

F.S.Meyer, Handbook der Ornamentik

An out of print series of books with wonderful illustrations and wood prints of animals and beasts from 1670 by Conrad Gesner (mine are reprints from 1981)
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Joanne Archer
Blog: The Crow Road

I don't think I have a technique that is new to anyone reading this. I get a lot of inspiration from literature; I have a degree in Literature and Art History and that is my first love. My house is filled with books and my guilty pleasure is rummaging through charity shops for old ones to add to my collection. Sometimes it's the content that attracts me, sometimes the cover, or the foxed pages. One of the reasons I love Judy Wilkenfeld's work so much is that she creates the most beautiful, altered books that also tell a profound story. Sorry, it's not a secret, but it'll have to do!

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Mary S Hunt
Blog: Working Projects
Etsy: Mary Hunt Studio

1. If you can't get to his camp for one on one...get his 3 books for working with warm glass...Boyce Lundstrom...the glass master!

Kiln Firing Glass: Glass Fusing Book One

Advanced Fusing Techniques

Fusing, Fusing, Fusing

2. Might be out of print...The Art of Painting on Glass by Albinas Elskus...is the ONLY source to use when mastering staining and enameling with glass.

3. Arteffects is my favorite painting techniques source book.
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Sally Turlington
Blog: Imagine This

My best secret for motivation & idea generation is my collection of Graphic Design Annuals.


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Tracie Lyn Huskamp
Blog: The Red Door Studio

I LOVE the book Beautiful Gems of Thought and Sentiment by Northrop.
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Pam McKnight
Blog: Every Little Thing
Flickr: Pam McKnight

Zen Seeing, Zen Drawing: Meditation in Action by Fredrick Franck...this is a great book to read when you are feeling "uncreative" and stuck and need a boost. I have read it 3 times and I don't usually read a book more than once.
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Judith Stadler
Blog: ARTISTICANEUM

For resources to make art: You can find really great, interesting old used books for altering or collage papers in some local libraries in Manhattan. They often cost less than $1 each.

The book in Hebrew is A Little Town in Germany, by Le Carre. The Macbeth was published in 1889 and is also notable for the title on the spine being upside down. The Fearful Passage (the book to the left of Macbeth) was published the year of my birth.
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Foundtography

Courtesy of Foundation Tichy Ocean

The first North American museum exhibition of the photography of Miroslav Tichý will be held at the International Center of Photography (ICP) in NYC beginning January 29 and running through May 9.


Courtesy of Foundation Tichy Ocean

Tichý is a Czech photographer and artist with a fascinating history. Born in 1926, Tichý is often described as mysterious and eccentric and is known as much for his cameras as for his distorted photography.


Courtesy of Foundation Tichy Ocean

Tichý studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague but left the Academy following the adoption of communism in Czechoslovakia in 1948. After that, he led a reclusive and nonconformist lifestyle.

In the years between the 1960s and the 1980s, Tichý took thousands of photographs, primarily of women. Many of his photographs were taken without his subject's knowledge. Tichý images were often distorted, blurred, ripped, and scratched. Furthermore, he often hand altered the surface of his photographs with pen or pencil.

His style was quite unique but what has fascinated me the most about his story is the fact that his cameras were all hand constructed....


Courtesy of Foundation Tichy Ocean

...out of found objects such as tin cans, shoe boxes, toilet paper rolls, clothing elastic, and cigarette boxes! His lenses were Plexiglas and polished with toothpaste, ashes, sandpaper, and the like.


Courtesy of Foundation Tichy Ocean


Courtesy of Foundation Tichy Ocean


Courtesy of Foundation Tichy Ocean

The ICP exhibit will not only feature Tichý's photographs, but will also include several of his cameras as well. Definitely a must see for me!



Courtesy of Foundation Tichy Ocean

For examples of his work and more information, please visit Tichy Ocean.

Secret Sunday 4

Do you want to know a secret?


Welcome to the fourth edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals.


Over 200 (!) artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented as a series of online and print projects. And the first continues right now!

Join the The Altered Page every Sunday for "Secret Sunday." Here the secrets of all your favorite artists will be revealed. It could be a technique, a product, a secret source, a little-known website, a hidden shop, an inspiration, just about anything! If you missed any, no worries. You can find links to all the secrets on the sidebar of my blog.

Today's secret.......From the Inside!
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&rew Borloz
Blog: &rew's Wanderlusts & Explorations
Blog: &rew's Creative Life
Blog: &rew's Urban Paper Arts

Do the opposite of what others would "normally" do or think. Go in the opposite direction of where others would go. Always carry a camera with you wherever you go as you might unexpectedly find something interesting.


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Barbara Kleinhans
Website: Barbara Kleinhans
Flickr: Barbara Kleinhans

I enjoy being an artist much more after I let go of it being my primary income source. Instead of concentrating on how many sales I needed to make or what to paint that would sell, I feel gratitude at the connection others have with my artwork, relish the process of painting (even when it doesn't turn out quite right), and am happy when a painting goes off to a new home.


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Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart
Blog: Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

My art secret is not exactly a technique or process but more of an attitude. I live with a chronic debilitating progress disease and have tried to seek a harmonious balance in my spiritual and physical worlds. Daily I strive to find calm quiet movements, quiet calm moments and recognize my body is my temple. Given a correct balance I am privileged to be able to keep making my sacred marks. The medium seems to be evolving and that is a gift in so many ways. On days when I am out of remission I allow my body to listen with my heart and try a new avenue for sharing my stories and legacy. I do not dwell on the financial rewards even though when this is available I feel a sense of relief to be able to give back to my family, my community and my global world. Being an artist is a privilege that comes with the responsibility to make the world a better more equal community where diversity is not only allowed but totally desired.
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Brian Kasstle
Blog: A Man Who Crafts

Keep learning, take classes, seminars, stretch your boundaries and comfort zone. You never know where it will take you.


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Cyn Richardson
Blog: Two Blue Crows

My only secret to share is the ability to "let go" to "play" and let the art come from the inner source found in everyone if they can just let it out.


"Sunrise Through the Storm" Acrylics, 5" x 7"
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grrl & dog
Blog: grrl & dog

There will be a thread to your work. It could be a persistent thought or line that surfaces again and again, it may manifest in a color or a certain fabric or way of doing something that for you is so natural, so completely unconscious, you don’t even know you’re doing it.

That is your style...that is what will grow up to be your style if you allow it to rise and say hello to you. It won’t be a major thing, it will be just a little something; others will spot it before you do. When they do, you will be slightly puzzled, and say “oh..that...”.

But that is your style. Once you get to know each other, to trust each other, wonderful things will happen.
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Fran Meneley
Blog: Fran Meneley

Ok, here’s my big secret – PAY ATTENTION. No, really. It’s the biggest addition to your mixed media arsenal. How much goes by us unnoticed? The smallest thing can make the biggest difference. Paying attention involves slowing down and tuning in. Breathe. Look around. Really look and see. All kinds of things come into focus; there is so much inspiration around us. I think as artists we are always looking, always on the lookout. But there’s no big secret, it’s just about paying attention. What we notice and what comes to us and how we interpret the world is what makes each of us unique – and it’s what makes our art interesting and engaging and compelling.

This was brought home to me in a very big way, in a way that I somehow finally got "it", in Oaxaca, Mexico a couple of years ago. I was sitting in the courtyard of a potter’s studio. We’d seen a wonderful demonstration, it was toward the end of the day. My day had been filled with so many wondrous things, I was kind of on overload. A couple of us sat on a bench in front of a table. It had a group of “random” fruits and vegetables and flowers – at first glance.


But one of the women said, “oh look what a beautiful still life.” And when I took the time to really look, to tune in, what I beheld was indeed a beautiful still life.


This idea of tuning in and Paying Attention, really crystallized for me in that moment. So my big art secret is PAY ATTENTION – it’s all there, all the time, it’s all happening, just pay attention.

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Julie Prichard
Blog & Website: The Land of Lost Luggage

I have learned to let go and be myself; to ignore my inner critic.


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Michelle Smith
Blog: My Green Gravity
Mixed media challenge blog: Reality Scraps

I have found art mistakes are some of the best ways to achieve a delightful and surprising end result.
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Patricia Anders
Blog: Patricia Anders
Website: Art Propensity
Etsy: Triciajoy
Flickr: Tricia Anders

I look for opportunities to surprise people with small artworks or prints by leaving things on the street for free. Like easter eggs with mini art inside or treasure boxes or small prints.


Here is an image of "thought bubbles" that are like mini pinatas with a message or thought inside and a mini piece of art, they can be opened by pulling the string. I will randomly drop this here and there for passer bys to find.
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Final Exam

A review of the recent exhibition "Below the Surface" which included two of my artist books (Billboard and Underground) just appeared online on examiner.com and can be found here. The review also includes a brief slide show highlighting some of the books that were exhibited.

Hand it Over

What do you get when you add this...



and this...


to this?


You get this...








This past summer I was lucky enough to be able to take a weekend workshop with Judy Wilkenfeld. The class focused on making books by hand with a binding that allowed for the attachment of three dimensional objects to each page. Click images to enlarge.



It was there that Handbook was born.





This has been a labour of love. And, much like the objects, I feel attached to each and every page.











Thanks to everybody who has followed along as I worked on this book. I have appreciated your wonderful feedback. And stay tuned...Handbook II is on its way!

Brick by Brick

Way back in February I had begun a collaboration with Julie Prichard and Lynne Hoppe. Called Graffiti Wall, we each created hand painted papers which we mailed to each other in two rounds. Then we got to do something that at first didn't come easy but quickly became fun and freeing: tear all the papers into pieces! After that, we each began our own project interpreting the theme Graffiti Wall. You can read about and see pictures from the start of the project in this post.

I chose to create a literal brick wall, on a 3 foot by 3 foot canvas. The canvas was covered with torn vintage book pages, slathered with a light coating of gesso, and inked with multiple colors. This would form the mortar between the bricks. Each brick, over 90 in total, was then collaged from the torn art papers.

As often happens however, life got in the way. Long after Julie and Lynne completed their projects (click the links to be taken to their final postings), mine remained a work in progress. And it still is. But...I am making headway. Here is my Wall as it stands today...


And some details of the brick work...






The face of the wall is complete. I will next "brick" the sides and, following that, will add my own graffiti to the surface of the wall. Stay tuned...

Secret Sunday 3

Do you want to know a secret?


Welcome to the fourth edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals.


Over 200 (!) artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented as a series of online and print projects. And the first continues right now!

Join the The Altered Page every Sunday for "Secret Sunday." Here the secrets of all your favorite artists will be revealed. It could be a technique, a product, a secret source, a little-known website, a hidden shop, an inspiration, just about anything! If you missed any, no worries. You can find links to all the secrets on the sidebar of my blog.

Today's secret.......On the Net!
_______________

jaihn
Blog: truly spacious
Website: spaciouscraft

Father's photography on Made By Jack




2nd Grade Visual Journals gallery on Dispatch from LA

jaihn's 'Muse-yum' gallery


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Elizabeth
Blog: Altered Book Lover
Yahoo Group: ABC - Altered Book Club

Not sure how much of a secret this blog is, but I often go there for inspiration. Although Randal Plowman’s blog is designed specifically to sell his collages, they can be very inspiring: A Collage A Day
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Inge Bekaert
Website/Blog: pinkepinke
Etsy: pinkepinke: handmade treasures

It's hard to find good art workshops in the neighborhood, but my secret for my huge evolution the past four years are the online workshops. They are mostly very affordable, you get direct information from the artists, they "teach" with videos and answer questions... These workshops are perfect to learn new things right at home and open a world you hardly could have imagined and get you connected with artists and fellow-students from all over the world.
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Rachel Whetzel
Website: Rachel Whetzel

JOIN. Join in with other artists!! The very FIRST thing I ever joined here on line, was Emily Falconbridge's Deck of ME art journal prompts. Most recently, I participated in Stephanie Hilvitz' Dia De Bloglandia on Nov. 1st and Rebecca Brooks' benefit auction. Taking part in these types of events has brought me into contact with some AMAZING artists!!


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Dave Dube
Blog: Old Paper Art

Paper & Ink Arts When I want to buy one of everything...
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Azirca
Blog: Speak Without my Voice

I adore Mike Rivamonte's work. He cleverly assembles whimsical robot type sculptures by recycling old scientific instruments, mechanical devices and discarded vintage objects. Each piece that he constructs has it's own uniqueness and charm.
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Robyn Gordon
Blog: Art Propelled
Flickr Photostream: Art Propelled

Up until this moment, the coaching I have received from life coach Leslie Miller has been a secret but now the cat is out of the bag! It really has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of my life.

Create Your Best Life Coaching


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Veronica Funk
Blog: Simple Pleasures

My art secret is not so much a secret as it is a wonderful resource ~ Robert Genn's online newsletter at The Painter's Keys is a twice-weekly newsletter that is inspiring and encouraging for any artist in any medium, with thousands of subscribers around the world...I definitely recommend signing up.
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Sally Turlington
Blog: Imagine This

One secret is the website I go to first to locate a particular book - in or out of print - to get the best deal: Book Finder


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What Lies Within

Ingredients: cardstock, acrylic paint, calligraphy ink, marker, dry transfer, rubon letters, vintage keyhole, brads. approximately 4" x 3 3/4". click to enlarge.

Available for purchase in The Altered Page on Etsy.

Sold. Thank you!

I Have Been Thinking About...

From a post dated April 27, 2008:

I have been thinking about…hands. The importance of hands. The utility of hands. The beauty of hands. The meaning of hands. I use my hands to draw. I use them to paint. I use them to write. I use them to turn the lens on my camera and to press the shutter button. I am using them to type this post. Hands as nouns. Hands as verbs. Hands as adjectives. Raise you hand to ask a question. Raise your hand to answer a question. Lend a helping hand to your neighbor. That piece is handcrafted. This piece is handmade. And what beautiful handiwork they both are.

Hands up. Hands down. Hands on. Hands off. Hands across America. Clap your hands to show appreciation. Handles open and handles close. Handle with care. I can’t handle it anymore. He is handy. I've got my hands full. One hand washes the other. Employees must wash their hands. All hands on deck. The winning hand. Hand out. Hand it over. I want to hold your hand. On the other hand...

Secret Sunday 2

Do you want to know a secret?


Welcome to the fourth edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals.


Over 200 (!) artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented as a series of online and print projects. And the first continues right now!

Join the The Altered Page every Sunday for "Secret Sunday." Here the secrets of all your favorite artists will be revealed. It could be a technique, a product, a secret source, a little-known website, a hidden shop, an inspiration, just about anything! If you missed any, no worries. You can find links to all the secrets on the sidebar of my blog.

Today's secret.......supplies!
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Erin Perry
Website: Altered By The Sea
Blog: Altered By The Sea

Cheesecloth!! I love cheesecloth! Slather canvas or red rosin paper with gesso and then embed cheesecloth in it for the most marvelous texture. Use lots and let it hang off the sides. Use brigh colouted Portfolio water soluble oil pastels on it to create areas that POP off the painting.


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Ingrid Dijkers
Website: Ingrid Dijkers
Blog: Ingrid Dijkers

I get a lot of emails asking about how I go about my work, where I get my supplies and often they say that they would love to make books and journals but find the cost of materials and supplies very prohibitive. I share with them that I have found that for the type work I do that I don’t require expensive materials. Most all my books have been salvaged from library book sales, most costing under a dollar. My binder books are made from old school loose leaf binders, the pages out of cereal boxes from the recycling bin and a lot of my paints are just craft paints and left over household paint. A few supplies I don’t skimp on such as watercolor pencils and crayons, but for the most part I use what I have on hand.


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Jean Zoss
Blog: Bluebirds Living in the Meadow
Etsy: Bluebird Meadow

My art secret is supplies....I use cosmetic sponges on almost every piece. I love them for applying Stayzon inks, Lumiere paints and my favorite Golden acrylics. They also work well for applying glazes of medium without brush marks. When I studied watercolor, I spent a great deal of money on brushes, now I use the Royal brand children's brushes which can be purchased at Michael's. They stand up to the worst of brush abuse (leaving them in the water tank) and still come out ready to go. For about a buck a brush, they can not be beat. I also work with a dry brush in almost every step of my process so I need lots of brushes. I also get a thrill from finding things around the house like scraps of sandpaper, clothes pins and safety pins which become indispensable aids in the creation process. I also have a stainless steel palette knife I use quite a bit.
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Karin Bartimole
Blog: Beyond Words
You Tube: Karin Batimole: art & life

Not being the least bit secretive with what I find or learn makes it hard
for me to try to come up with something I haven't shared openly and repeatedly! I especially enjoy working with untraditional materials from places like hardware stores. Roofing felt is a fabulous paper to paint and draw on, for it's saturated black surface and strength; joint compound for creating textured surfaces to paint on; copper flashing for embossing. Explore your neighborhood hardware store with an artist's eye and you'll be sure to find inexpensive unexpected art materials.



This is the first book I ever made - and it's out of roofing felt (aka tar paper). It's versatility is clear - I also have used it in a line of jewelry, drawn on with colored pencils and sealed with varnish. It's survived an accidental wash through the laundry!
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Kim Palmer
Blogs:
Merlin's Musings
Pulp Redux

Umm, patience and determination, they usually solve anything and everything, LOL! ‘Weldbond’ glue from the hardware store. Its sets everything, fabrics, ceramics, metal, concrete, you name it, and it stays stuck! Dries clear, takes extremes of temperature and won’t get brittle, always a plus!


This adhesive was used to glue every item to the pages of this book construction. From the fabrics to the metal embellishments, papers, shells etc.
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Marilyn Gallas
Blog: Studio 274

It’s not really a secret, but it was a great discovery for me. I learned from D.J. Pettit that I can do a sketch in pencil and then apply a light skim of molding paste to prevent it from smudging when I paint on it. I can still see the image through the molding paste. Voila!!! Gesso would also work but the molding paste has a smoother finish.


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Lani Gerity Glanville
Website: Lani's Alternative Arts
Blog: Lani Puppetmaker's Blogspot

Bee's Wax, Citrisolve, & Baby wipes (not all at the same time - don't know what that would do)


Collage with citrisolve and baby wipes over top.
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JoAnna Pierotti
Blog: Moss Hill Studio
Etsy: Moss Hill Studio

Buy re-bar ties at a local hardware store for about $10.00 (you get a 1000 in the roll) - throw them outside in the winter and let them rust. A damp place is the best and will rust rather quickly. They make great hangers for your art projects. Easy to hook together to make larger hangers.


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Nelda Ream
Blog: Nelda Ream

One of my favorite materials to use in making art journals is cereal boxes. All it takes is a coat of gesso on both sides of this recycled cardboard to turn it into a great substrate. Then, it is ready for all your collage and acrylic painting techniques.
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Marie Dante
Cinnamon Studio

I have just discovered Min Wax polyshade stain and polyurethane as a terrific way to preserve and restore vintage paper and book jackets, (or any paper for that matter). I have the pecan stain and have used it on a ton of paper college materials. It drys fast and leaves a clean/flat satin sheen. It also adds a bit of color and further aged appearance to paper. I have some very old (1800's) newsprint that I have "Min Waxed" with good results, but some of the paper is so very fragile that it becomes translucent & the other side of the paper shows through. I like this effect. This product is probably not for "properly" archiving vintage ephemera but I have used it for my college purposes & am very satisfied. I found it at Home Depot.


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A Little Bird Told Me...

Lawendula at Woven Letters has recently begun to sponsor a monthly paper exchange. When you sign up, she pairs you with a partner and you each exchange paper based on a monthly theme. The first month was simply paper. The second month was tags. The next exchange will be after the holidays in January. I participated in the first swap and was happily matched with Robert Stockton, whose wonderful collages can be seen on Absolute Arts. He and I have similar likes and the package I received from him, as you can see below, was full of paper treasures!




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Who says DisCo is dead???





Those of you who were following my blog over the course of this past year will remember DisCo -- my Disintegration Collaboration. Kris Henderson has set up a project based on DisCo which she is calling the Erosion Bundle Project. So if you missed participating through my blog this past year or you want to have another go, head over to her blog. You have until January 1 to sign up.

For more DisCo news, head over to these posts on Laura Lein-Svencner's blog Lonecrow Art and Collage. Beginning in October, Laura organized a Paper Bundle collaboration through the LaGrange Art League in Illinois. As you will see, she even got some great press!
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Thanks to everybody who has recently bought my Pulse Zine that I had made from the
3rd edition of The Pulse. I just wanted to let you all know that there are currently three copies from the second printing left in my Etsy shop. I will be printing another set of copies but given time limitations, these are not likely to be available until early 2010. So if you have been thinking about getting a copy for yourself or as a gift...strike while the iron is hot!

12/2 update: 2nd printing sold out. Thank you! Email for info on 2010 availability.
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The newest issue of Pasticcio Quartz has just been released. I sing the praises of this zine every time it is published because it is a spectacularly creative publication that is filled with unending information and inspiration. Angela Cartwright and Sarah Fishburn must work overtime for each issue. You can get more information about Pasticcio Quartz here!


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Do you know about the Inspiration Station icon on the sidebar of my blog?


When I come across a blog post, an artist, a video, a book, an artwork, or anything else that inspires me, I update the Station with the new link. The date of the update is also listed so you can keep track of when they change.
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Thanks to everybody for the positive feedback on my first Secret Sunday post. Remember, that was just the first of many. Visit The Altered Page every Sunday for a new post. This Sunday November 29, keep your eyes and ears open for secrets about products. And who doesn't need more of those???

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Secret Sunday 1

Do you want to know a secret?


Welcome to the fourth edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals.


Over 200 (!) artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented as a series of online and print projects. And the first begins right now!

Beginning today, join the The Altered Page every Sunday for "Secret Sunday." Here the secrets of all your favorite artists will be revealed. It could be a technique, a product, a secret source, a little-known website, a hidden shop, an inspiration, just about anything!

Today's secret.......techniques!
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Alicia Caudle
Altered Bits
Altered Bits' Altered Blog
Digit 13's Altered Bits on Etsy

Many people who know me are aware of my huge allergies to all things chemical and/or unnatural. As such, I have come up with many unique ways to texture, rust, crackle, adhere and distress my projects in a non-toxic manner. For example, rather than using chemical patinas, a safe (but obviously slower) alternative is a vinegar, salt and water solution spritzed over the item(s) you wish to rust or patina. This is particularly beneficial when you place your items in a container of salt and vinegar potato chips. The results are generally a brilliant green, blue or red, depending upon the type of metal you are wishing to age.


I welcome anyone who wishes to find a non-toxic alternative to contact me if desired as I'll oftentimes be able to make a suitable suggestion.
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Marianne
Marianne's Art Blog
Boise Trail Dog Blog

Elmer's caulk & apollo transparency transfers- for me, this technique provides the cleanest, clearest transfers to many surfaces- metal, glass, plexi, canvas, wood... email Marianne at dswissy@yahoo.com for more info on how to!


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Ange
Signed by Ange

I love masking and even writing with drawing gum and 'writing' with narrow glass syringes (minus the needles), a technique made famous by Denise Lach. Using unconventional objects to write with is a favourite occupation.


Taking a gex sponge or fine steel wool and scrubbing out layers of paint to avoid using chemicals - particularly effective on wood and metal but NOT on paper...as I'm sure you can imagine!
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Lynne Hoppe
heART & LIFE
Lynne Hoppe shop

I think that my favorite 'secret' these days is how well oil pastels and colored pencils work together. Between the two of them you can color everything from the tiniest parts of your drawings to the largest. You can combine colors from each, and blend them or not. They're very simple to use and hugely satisfying.


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Don Madden
Fully Flummoxed

Roll a Selectric typewriter ball on a clay surface to make random letters.


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Gillian McMurray
Gillian McMurray: Artist & Craftperson

When doing a detailed drawing with graphite, instead of starting to shade with the harder, lighter grades of pencil (H grades) working your way to the darker shades, start with the softer, darker shades (B grades) and work up to the lighter shades. That way you burnish the softer graphite into the surface of the paper with the harder grades. You can make darker shading and build depth with this method. This is ideal for shaded areas like the dark areas between undergrowth or the pupil of eyes.
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Mary Hunt
Working Projects
Mary Hunt Studio on Etsy

When soldering with lead...touch the iron TO the foil as you solder...don't hover. The heat setting is the most important part of having smooth solderlines and the heat is also imperative to control when scultping with lead...be it leaded or lead free.


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Jane Royal
Painted Heart Studio

Warm-up technique for watercolor painting: Take a large sheet of watercolor paper and mark off six 5" x 7" rectangles. Choose a 'subject' to paint. Paint the subject 6 times working quickly and altering your technique, colors, and approach each time. Do not think about it! Limit is 4 minutes per rectangle. The results don't matter b/c they are just a warm-up exercise (this takes the pressure off). It's a great way to discover new techniques, color schemes, etc.


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Shirley Ende-Saxe
In the Name of Art
Ohio Collage Society News

Glazes, acrylic glazes, I love the way it layers, reveals and hides just a little.


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Marie Dante
Cinnamon Studio

I use a good art magazine paper like Communication Arts in my printer. I print photos of my art work over text or whatever & have come up with images that look like transfers and some really surprising and serendipitous results.


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**If you have left a comment on one of my previous posts asking to be a part of The Pulse and have not yet heard back from me, it is because I do not have your email address. Please email me directly so I can send you the information you need to participate. And if you have not yet commented and are now interested in being a part of The Pulse, it is not too late. You have until November 30 to join.

Handcrafted

"Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art”
Leonardo da Vinci



Handbook continued...