Altered book pages with ATCs

While I am still working on my first altered book,  the second one is coming along nicely also.  I am not good at waiting for things to dry, so the second one gives me  bit more time to play before I have to walk away as both of them dry. The second one started out as "Getting to Know Nature's children" (the muskrat and salmon edition.)  Mostly it was dull, there is one lovely two page photo that I may leave except for some embellishment to the photo. 

However, for today I will show you two pages that I covered with painted papers and then added some of my ATC stash onto it. It was difficult to decide which ATCs to use, but these two matched the colors nicely, I think. 

The face was done using a stamp that I carved. (it is a self portrait stamp.)  I colored it with Sharpie markers.  I still have the stamp so I can possibly add one to each altered book I make as a type of signature. 

The ATC on the facing page was just fun doodle work. (or should I say "doodle play"  hmmm?) 

You may see some bits of red on the upper side edges.  That was an "oops" when I was playing 

with acrylic inks. I have decided to leave it as an artifact of the process.

Linking up to Sunday in the Art Room.

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Pens on Paper

I have been trying to fit in a little art work during the times I stay with Mom.  I have found that a sketchbook and some pens seem to work well as I can sit in the living room with her as I work.  

I have been using Micron pens and brush markers -it is purposefully limited so that I don't have a lot to corral when I need to stop.  I have both a regular sketchpad and a mixed media pad that I am using. 

Both of pieces I am showing today were made in the mixed media sketchbook. 

First up is a face - for the Friday Face Off.

I started with one of the larger nibs of the micron pens.  Then I went back

with the brush pens and added color.

If you look closely there is a lot of design in the hair area.  I do wish I had

taken a photo before adding the color.  (next time, maybe) 

Her skin with the brush pens was blotchy (more than it is now! You hush!)
At home, I used some Inktense pencil and water to smooth it out as 

best I could. 

Next up is a black and white creation.  

I didn't want to risk messing him up with color.

I may photocopy it and then play with color on it. 

He actually has a face of sorts also.  

I had no plan when I started this one, but he sort of called to me.

I did the head part first - not planning a head or ahead.  

But I saw a face and couldn't resist making it into a creature. 

I suspect Nicole will enjoy this one.

Happy Friday Folks!

                                                       Linking to the Friday Face Off.

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

                                                                    

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible.

 Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. 

  Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

ATCs and an Altered Book Page

I have been playing with ideas for my altered book -errr...books since I have started a second one. 

After doodling on one page, I remembered that once upon a time I made lots of ATCs (artist trading cards.)  They had to be somewhere since I made many more than I traded.   Looking around,  there they were in an old wooden cigar box.  I missed the last FFO (Friday Face Off.)  So here is one that I found in my stack of cards. Do you see a face?

There were some cards that were larger than ATC size.  I found one that paired nicely with another standard size one.  Both were place on a page where I had glued in a "roll off sheet" - i.e. where I roll my brayer to remove paint from it.  I have been using an old training manual on Leadership as a roll off book."   I really liked how this page looked so I used it as the background. I purposefully created torn edges  before I glued it onto the page.  Then I glued the two cards onto it.  

I really like this layout. I am sure that more of my ATCs will show up in future layouts. 

Linking to SITAR - Sunday in the Art Room.

FYI,  If I am missing your posts, I apologize - The feed for blog reader is acting up.

They are not showing in my reading list. I know that others are having the same issue.

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Paper Work in the Studio

This type of paper work is not the boring kind - although some may find the process boring because it is a bit repetitive.  

I was looking at various altered book techinques.  That prompted me to find a webpage where this technique was explained.  I love surprises in books, so of course I want to add some to my altered books. 

This technique involves folding, cutting and gluing the papers to created a lovely pop-up in the book.  

You have probably seen something like this in a party store or at a party or  festive restaurant. 

First I made the circle construction and left it to dry overnight. 

I glued two pages together on each side of the layout to give it a bit more structure. 

Then I gessoed the pages, but added a bit of blue to the gesso. Okay, honestly, the blue was still in the brush I used for the gesso and blended with it - Happy accident. 
(Crafty Cheapskate note:  I use foam brushes for gesso, PVA glue, and a few other things. These brushes are "disposable" but seriously - if I can use them again without washing them, I will.  So I decided to put them in separate ziploc type sandwich bags.  I spritz in a little water - they don't dry out and I can use them for the same thing again. I label the bags with what the brush was used for.)  

Once the gesso was dry, I dropped some acrylic ink on one page (mostly on one page) Then I closed the book to make an inkblot design.  I didn't put any in the very center since the "ball" was going there. 

Then when everything was dry, the ball was glued into the book. 

That one book is taking quite a while to finish because there is a lot of waiting.  I have prepped another book and started gessoing pages in it. 

Sharing with Sunday in the Art Room (SITAR) 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.