LinsArt

Sketchbook 15 [pages 57-63]

2012-01-31T13:30:00.000-08:00

Fish, Birds and Porthole

2012-01-28T11:59:00.000-08:00

View from a porthole [cut out]

below is the full view

simple bird sketch

painted fabric and stitching

orange fish shapes cut from found picture of another sea creature

Forward [IF] and more Boat Pages

2012-01-27T12:05:00.000-08:00

Illustration Friday challenge - Forward

I was in quilt mode when I did the above, just the painting though, I didn't get around to doing a quilt. I did a series of polar bears and other wild animals.

Watercolours

Watercolours and collage

Pen, watercolours, collage

Pen background. The boats are made from painted papers and stitched

More pages from the Boat Book

2012-01-26T12:48:00.000-08:00

OO LA LA [TM]

2012-01-25T02:03:00.000-08:00

Three Muses challenge - OO LA LA

The background is Paris of course, a photo I took when I was there, the lovers are from a book of archive images. I thought you might also like to see this photo of a very large sculpture which I also saw in Paris.

Cretan Stitch [TAST]

2012-01-24T11:54:00.000-08:00

Take a Stitch Tuesday - this week's stitch is cretan stitch. I used this stitch a lot when I was doing my City & Guilds embroidery course. But I still had to look how to do it! [poor brain]

It is to be part of a fabric journal, which includes paper. I scanned this page first but the top left leafy paper came out all blurred, so then I photographed it but it is a bit dark.

Anyone in the UK see the Northern Lights yesterday? I didn't and I don't suppose I will today as it is very cloudy.

Two Art

2012-01-23T08:37:00.000-08:00

Today I have two very different kinds of art. First I have digital art, I used a photograph for the background [one I took on a trip to Scotland] and the bird is a lovely image from the Graphics Fairy

The other art is a very textured painting on canvas. Can you guess what I used under the paint to create the texture? [It's not texture paint or anything like that]

Moo [TAW] and Twirl [IF]

2012-01-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

Take a word challenge - Moo. I've not done a 'moo' before, I thought it was something to do with a cow but evidently not. It is a little card which measures 1.10 x 2.80 inches. The skirt, legs and blouse are from a vintage sewing book I have, the arm[s] was from artchive.com, the head and the background were from Karen Whimsy

Illustration Friday challenge - Twirl

The original shown below was a brush pen doodle which I altered in Paint.net for the twirl challenge.

Tiger Book [C&G]

2012-01-21T12:36:00.000-08:00

This is an old sketchbook in the shape of a tiger's head I did for a City & Guild's embroidery project. I painted the fabric, embroidered it, cut out some thick card in the shape of the head, then covered the card with padding as well as the painted fabric. I made a cord to keep the book and pages together. Inside I kept research for the project about tigers and markings. The research was for a fitted [?!] cover for a sofa bed.

This was another sketchbook with samples of painted fabrics for the same project. I made the finished sofa bed cover out of a pair of recycled velvet curtains.

Butterflies Flutter By

2012-01-19T12:55:00.001-08:00

TAST and 3M

2012-01-18T07:38:00.000-08:00

The stitch for Take a Stitch Tuesday is Feather Stitch. I've used a patchwork of vintage fabrics and transfer printed lace [not sure the green works]. This will be a page in a fabric journal eventually.

The Three Muses challenge is Animal Kingdom. This is a painting from one of my sketchbooks, I had quilting in mind when I did the background. I call him Snooty Bear.

Quilted Batik

2012-01-17T11:19:00.000-08:00

I did this batik last year and have been hand quilting it on and off since. The circular marks were made by dipping a kitchen whisk into the wax, and I also used a stick and paint brush. Then I painted it with fabric and silk paints. I'm thinking it could become a book cover.

Butterflies[IA] (Skele-shoes)

2012-01-16T11:44:00.000-08:00

Inspiration Avenue challenge - Butterflies

All images from the Graphics Fairy except the shoes which I drew.

(the bird is saying "I do like your new hat and shoes")

Fish [TAW]

2012-01-16T07:57:00.000-08:00

The Take a Word challenge is fish, so I thought I would share some pages from a sketchbook I finished recently.

All collages include found images except above which includes fabric, plastic and stitching and the picture below includes prints of my artwork [the lovely brown fish and text is a found image].

Ice and Collages

2012-01-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

We are having a conservatory built and this was the ice on the window this morning - hope it is warmer in there when it's finished!

Below- pages from sketchbook 15- collage incorporating postcards and found images

Doodle Patterns and Prepare[IF]

2012-01-13T12:27:00.000-08:00

The challenge at Illustration Friday this week is 'Prepare'.

There always seems to be a meal to prepare.

Above - brush pens

Below - mixed media- painted fabric, metal, photo [fish head] plastic, stitching, paper, pen

Boats

2012-01-12T12:12:00.000-08:00

Three brush pen drawings, one collage and brush pens and one painted fabric with machine stitching, distressed and on a stamped, painted background.

TAST 1 & 2

2012-01-11T06:46:00.000-08:00

Take a stitch Tuesday is back on again.

The first week was fly stitch and this week it is buttonhole stitch.

This time I decided to make a fabric journal and include the stitches with patchwork of both fabric and papers, buttons, found items etc

Paper Dolls [IA]

2012-01-11T06:15:00.000-08:00

Inspiration Avenue challenge - Paper dolls.

I've always loved paper dolls and recently my daughter bought me [usually the other way round eh?] this land army doll with various outfits, a pig and chickens. he background photo was taken at Beamish [Open Air] Museum. Click on the image to enlarge.

Nature [TAW]

2012-01-09T12:11:00.000-08:00

I did two pics for Take a Word - Nature.

Above -own photo and sketch

Below - own altered photos, text from Graphics Fairy

[Click the images to enlarge]

More Doodle Ribbons and Lace

2012-01-08T08:55:00.000-08:00

Continuing from the last post - If you want ribbons with a more delicate pattern use transfer paints instead of crayons. These can be applied to the paper with a very fine brush. If you want text remember to paint the words on in reverse.

Besides ribbons you could also use other items to print on such as nylon lace or elastic. For the samples below I used transfer crayons and I did them very quickly, they could be better if more time was spent on them.

Transfer Printed Doodle Ribbons

2012-01-06T12:26:00.000-08:00

A friend gave me a roll of paper a while ago, looks a bit like a till roll but I don't know if it was one. Anyway I thought I would use it to transfer print some ribbon. I have a few different kinds of transfer crayons such as the ones shown in the above photograph. Most ribbons are ideal for transfer printing as they are made from man made fibres which is the kind of fabric you need for the most successful transfer prints. The colours always look different to the actual crayons. I used the roll of paper for the wide ribbon but for the narrow I just used a slice cut from a sheet of inket printer paper [don't use thick paper, the thinner the better]. After drawing your doodle on the paper, iron it onto the ribbon.

Crayons being quite fat, you'll not get delicate looking patterns, but you would not find any like these in a shop!

More Shape Challenge Doodles

2012-01-05T11:53:00.000-08:00

I used the plastic shape below to create the above doodles, something one would normally throw away.

and this one was created with a cardboard shape, although I did alter the shape with scissors. I used the shape in its original form the other day. [the one that looked a bit heart shaped]

Miscellaneous Doodles

2012-01-04T12:45:00.000-08:00

click on images to enlarge

Boats - Collage, Rolling Stamps 72-75

2012-01-03T12:17:00.000-08:00

A recent visitor said she quite often has problems with my blog freezing up and not behaving and I was wondering if anyone else has had problems too?

Pages from sketchbook 15, all about boats, sea etc

The boat above has been painted on fabric and a stitched outline. I attached the fabric to the page with stitching after I ripped the page out of the book, then reattached the page with hand stitches.

Below is a collage of vintage postcards and a found image. I removed the card backing from the photo by soaking it in water and then peeling off. It doesn't always work to well, hence the ragged look.

A visitor said she quite often has problems with my blog freezing up

Rolling Stamps 72-75

I've used textured wallpaper for all of these, some are the same wallpapers but different sections of it.

See my article in Cloth Paper Scissors about making rolling stamps, free download here

Shape Challenge x 3

2012-01-02T12:13:00.000-08:00

Shape challenge - the shape I used here was a freebie card magnet, almost heart shaped.

The design below was done with a shape I have used before, I thought the last one looked like fish so this one looks completely different.

This is the shape

This one was created with a scrap of paper which had a hole in it.

A Face in the Wall.

2012-01-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

We are having a conservatory built and every time I look at a certain part of the brickwork I see a face in the mortar. Can anyone else see it?

Below - I've drawn in the face. Below that is the face without mortar.

Goodbye 2011

2011-12-31T08:06:00.000-08:00

Wherever you are I would like to wish you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thank you for all your visits to my blog and for all your lovely comments.

Leaf Prints

2011-12-28T07:37:00.000-08:00

I did these earlier on in the year, but didn't post them. If you are thinking that you have seen them before I did post some others I did at the same time but were done in a different sketch book. They started as leaf prints with emulsion paints and then I painted over the first two pages with watercolour paints and brush pens on the bottom page.

Needle Felting and Doodles

2011-12-27T13:40:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a happy week/Christmas/holiday. Above is my first attempt at needle felting. I've fancied a go at this for some time as I've seen lots of animals and brooches made with it which are really nice. [and I had some wool which needed using, (but had to buy the needles)]

Below are doodles from book 11

Audrey, Molly and Messenger [IF]

2011-12-23T10:57:00.000-08:00

Christmas Greetings from myself, Audrey the cat and Molly the dog.

The Illustration Friday challenge is 'messenger'.

The background cityscape - pen drawing, the doodle house - pens, brush pens, envelope - vintage image, owl - digital drawing

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

2011-12-22T12:28:00.000-08:00

A variety of Christmas trees.

Below is an altered version of the original pen drawing above, I've also included an image of children from The Graphics Fairy

and a Christmas cactus

more trees

Angel {TM}

2011-12-21T13:06:00.000-08:00

Three Muses challenge - Angel

The angel girl was from the Graphics Fairy, the statue angel is a photo I took in Rome, the song is Abba's, the stamp has been altered with an image of little angels from my stash.

Sepia [TAW], Christmas Cactus Lights

2011-12-21T08:11:00.000-08:00

Take a Word challenge - Sepia

The vintage photo is of a great aunt, the background is altered handmade paper, the other parts ?. I did [most] of the digital collage some time ago but altered it for this challenge.

Christmas cactus - there were buds on the plant when I took the photo a few days ago, which are now flowers. I love the lights which are like little flowers, they are just battery operated from a £1 shop.

Handmade Buttons and Book

2011-12-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

Continuing from yesterday - handmade gifts. I made buttons for two friends and a sketchbook for the other. I made three different kinds of buttons. The clear ones were hand drawn on shrink plastic, a great idea I first saw on this blog . I bought the wrong plastic and the wrong size punch so they are quite small buttons. Also some were not exactly round - but it adds to their uniqueness, or so I tell myself.

These are made up of French Knots sewn on a non fray fabric [fliselina/vilene] then glued to 'Dress it up' 'make-a-button' button shanks.

These I made with the 'prym easy cover button shells', lace on silk.

These are also on the easy cover shells, French knots and two kinds of fabrics inspired by Karen Ruane's lovely work

For the button cards I started with labels from The Graphics Fairy which I altered, printed and distressed. They looked like this to start with.

For the book I made, I used unused printed patterns {passap knitting patterns} and the insides of used envelopes - have you ever looked at these, there are lots of different kinds of patterns, great for collage and backgrounds.

All the pages shown below, click on the images for a better look.

Handmade Christmas Presents

2011-12-18T09:43:00.000-08:00

I went out with some of my 'creative' friends last night and we exchanged gifts - handmade gifts of course. These are the goodies I got.

A knitted mug warmer with mug and decoration including hand made heart and embroidered button. Also a chick and tag and cookie.

A handmade book with pockets for keeping bits and bobs.

A felted, layered Christmas tree

and a cute bone china brooch with a reindeer stamped on it

Lucky girl eh?

I'll show you what I gave tomorrow.

Sink [IF] and Rolling Stamps 76,77

2011-12-16T12:47:00.000-08:00

I have two offerings for the Illustration Friday challenge - sink.

Above - I think cup boats would sink

Below - Be careful, he may sink those teeth into you

Two more rolling stamps, both of them are textured wallpaper

Gel Printing Plate

2011-12-15T11:17:00.000-08:00

Remember last month I said I'd won a prize on the Sketchbook Challenge, well it came a couple of days ago. It is a 'Gelli Arts' gel printing plate - basically you put paint onto the jellylike surface and then create patterns by pressing objects into the paint or drawing on it with a stick or something. You then put the paper on the top, gently rub and pull the paper off. I thought I would have a quick play with it but ended up doing 35 pages, just with items I'd found to hand such as bubble wrap. The green paper was made with a hand whisk which is one of my favourites I use in batik. I like the plate and will find it a very useful tool and it will be excellent for making background papers or papers for collage. Since doing the above I wondered whether it would also be useful for fabric - I've had a quick try and I'm impressed with my first efforts. I've not taken photos of those yet but will soon.

Odd Bod [TM]

2011-12-13T12:20:00.000-08:00

Odd Bod in the Land of Odd

for the Three Muses challenge - click here to see more entries

One of my drawings on one of my photos [altered of course]

Tis the Season [TM] and C&G Books/Quilts

2011-12-13T12:11:00.000-08:00

Take your pick - I did two for The Three Muses challenge - Tis the season

Below is some old City & Guilds work. The top two images are books, for the top one I painted on fabric and covered a big file, the lower one is a handmade book.

The two images at the bottom are little quilts made with hand painted fabrics. All four items were inspired by tigers.

Rolling Stamps [72-75], Sketchbook Pages

2011-12-12T12:51:00.000-08:00

The green marks above were made with a rolling stamp [no 83], which I then outlined in pen and colured the rest of the page with brush pens.

I've posted a couple of pages from book 15 but this is the first page.

Rolling stamps 72 to 75

The first two are from different parts of the same wallpaper

The bottom two are parts of the same wallpaper too, but the top roller is made from two torn areas of wallpaper.

Leafy and Flowery Doodles

2011-12-11T13:13:00.001-08:00

Faces and Chair

2011-12-10T12:25:00.001-08:00

it doesn't look very safe to sit on, does it?

Separated [IF] and Shape Art

2011-12-09T12:45:00.001-08:00

The Illustration Friday challenge is 'separated'

These are separated by an arm's length.

A double challenge as I used a coaster as a shape challenge.

More shape challenges below...

A wheel like shape and triangular shape. I used a rolling stamp for the background.

This one looks like the letter J but was in fact a plastic hook from something I was throwing out.

This shape reminded me of a door, it was a piece of cardboard with a hole in, but I can't remember what it was from.

More Sketchbook Doodles and Texture Plate

2011-12-08T12:46:00.001-08:00

More doodles from sketchbook 14

The two above were drawn with pens and brush pens, for the one below I used paints as well. I also used a wallpaper texture plate to print to start with. [blue paint]

To make a texture plate simply glue a piece of textured wallpaper to board as shown below. Apply paint and then put your paper on top and press down with a roller to transfer the design.

This is a print from the texture plate

The Other Side

2011-12-05T12:38:00.001-08:00

Today I've chosen two pages from sketchbook 14 and the other sides of these pages to show the bleed thru. I think the backsides are probably more interesting than the 'proper' side. I used promarkers.

Numbers [TAW] and Rolling Stamps 68-71

2011-12-04T12:12:00.001-08:00

The Take a Word challenge this week is 'Numbers'.

The numbers I drew in a sketchbook individually, the background was created with a rolling stamp and paint. Then the numbers and background were digitally joined together and altered.

Click the image to enlarge.

The top two rolling stamps were made from fun foam, etched with something sharp, and the lower two are textured wallpapers.

See my article in Cloth Paper Scissors about making rolling stamps, free download here

Flowers in a Jug, Rolling Stamps 62-67

2011-12-03T09:56:00.001-08:00

The top three rolling stamps are made from wine bottle stoppers - corks or plastic

The cork one directly below has not been carved, it is shaped, so I used it as it is.

The three below have been cut from fun foam and stuck on rollers

For a free download to see how to make rolling stamps such as these click here.

[Printing Technique number 4] They were featured in Cloth, Paper Scissors magazine.

Willow Pattern Knitted Blanket and Doodles

2011-12-02T11:47:00.001-08:00

Another blanket made from the knitted samples which were try outs of new patterns knitted many moons ago, but made into a blanket a few months ago.

Miscellaneous Pictures

2011-12-01T13:30:00.001-08:00

Above - collaged, stamped, real plant, paint

Below - old C&G artwork - Snakes and Ladders

below - doodles from sketchbook 14

Imaginary Animals Revisited Again/Shape Challenge

2011-11-29T11:30:00.001-08:00

I thought I would post a few more imaginary animals for the Sketchbook Challenge as the theme should be changing in a day or so.

I also did this creature using shapes as a shape challenge, the shapes are shown below.

Another one using shapes

and the shape used [the yellow is ink bleed from the other side]

and another creature I created without using shapes

The Wrong Egg and Round [IF]

2011-11-28T07:02:00.001-08:00

Above for Illustration Friday challenge - Round

Below - altered photograph taken at Beamish Museum

The rooster, egg and bird images are from the Graphics Fairy

click the image to enlarge

Flowery Four

2011-11-24T11:56:00.001-08:00

If you like decorative tea towels Carolyn Saxby is having a giveaway for one on her blog here

the tea towel website is here

Imaginary Animals Revisited [SC]

2011-11-23T12:01:00.001-08:00

gone a bit crazy with the imaginary animals for the Sketchbook Challenge

Umbrella [TAW]

2011-11-21T06:21:00.001-08:00

Take a Word - Umbrella

Not much time today so I'm using this one which I did earlier this year. it is part of a set of frog paintings finding shelter in different places. I've included a rhyme, although that's not my strong point.

Underneath the stripy brolly

Perfect place for a frog called Polly

No need to climb up high

Stay where you are to keep dry.

Bag Winner and Boats

2011-11-19T08:54:00.001-08:00

The winner of the Snowman bag giveaway, chosen by a random number generator is

Sherry Edwards

I started a sketchbook earlier this year with the intention of filling it with things boat/seaside connected, so far I have but I'm not finding it very slow going at the moment. The drawing above is from a different sketchbook but done around the same time [probably was the nearest to hand].

Two collages below

Vanity [IF] and Curly Doodles

2011-11-18T11:45:00.001-08:00

The Illustration Friday challenge word is 'Vanity'. I've used a vintage postcard on some altered art, with an altered rhyme. The curly black frame is from the Graphics Fairy. Click the image to enlarge.

Below - doodles from sketchbook 14, the bottom image is actually the back of the middle image where the pens have bled thru the paper, I think I prefer it to the 'proper' one.

C&G Artwork, Penguin Blanket

2011-11-17T11:08:00.001-08:00

More C&G art work

Above - these are lino prints, inspired by the marks on a turtle. The marks are etched into the lino with a tool and then used with paint to print onto paper [or fabric]

The marks on this paper were made with cling film, acrylic paints and brusho

Rows of honesty seed pods glued to the paper

Watercolour painting

And another blanket made from knitted samples

The snowman bag giveaway ends tomorrow so if you want a chance of winning don't forget to comment on that post. Click here for details

Mail Art [TM], Silent [IF]

2011-11-16T08:40:00.001-08:00

Above for Three Muses - Mail Art

drawings, vintage postcard, recycled postage stamp - arranged digitally

Check out my Mythical Mail book for more mail art, as you can see I love doing it - link at the side

Below for Illustration Friday - Silent [at the moment!]

liner pen, brush pens

November 15th Doodles

2011-11-15T11:22:00.001-08:00

The 'a' Challenge

2011-11-14T12:46:00.001-08:00

This you can see is the start of skectchbook 14, now I have already posted some pages from this book - some were for challenges and they had to be in by a certain date. The rest of the pages usually find their way on here eventually, not in date order or sketchbook order.

Below is a shape challenge - I was given a large wooden letter 'a' by a friend. I think I like the flower the most.

Moonstruck [TAW], Brusho

2011-11-13T07:01:00.001-08:00

Take a Word - Moonstruck

my altered photographs

Below more old C&G work, this time papers and Brusho powders

Tiny amounts of brusho powder was dropped onto wet paper

If you missed the chance of the snowman bag giveaway click here

or scroll down to the last post

Snowman Bag Giveaway

2011-11-11T13:03:00.001-08:00

Winter is well on it's way so I thought I'd have a giveaway of this snowman bag. The image is one of my own designs which was digitally printed onto a cotton fabric. The back, sides and strap are a velvet fabric. It has a zip fastening and it is lined. When flat the bag measures about 10" across by 8" down. Click on image for a bigger picture.

If you would like to own this cute little bag just leave a comment below.

The winner will be chosen by random.

Competition open to anyone, anywhere.

The closing date is next Friday 18th at 8pm [UK time]

I will contact the winner by email.

Good luck!

Imaginary Animals [TSC]

2011-11-10T12:04:00.001-08:00

A few doodles for the sketchbook challenge- this months theme is 'imaginary animals'

Window [TM]

2011-11-09T12:12:00.000-08:00

Three Muses challenge - window

The broken window is an altered photo. I took the original picture, shown below a few years ago. The sky is also a photo and the lovely bird is from Graphics Fairy.

Below is a covered book [A3] for keeping research on a C&G project. I painted fabric before covering, the project was about animal skins.

Machine Embroidery Book[3], Boats and Mermaids

2011-11-08T11:40:00.000-08:00

More pages from the C&G machine embroidery book.

Mermaid doodles from an old sketchbook

I started a sketchbook earlier this year all to do with a theme of boats, these are the first pages. The sea was created using a handmade stamp.

Sewing - TAW

2011-11-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

Take a Word challenge - Sewing

I've used a page from a vintage book, parts of which have been rearranged. The sewing machine is from Graphics Fairy. The hand embroidery is my own from various projects.

Click to enlarge - it is interesting to read what people used to do in the 'olden' days.

Machine Embroidery Book[2] and IF[Stripes]

2011-11-04T13:40:00.000-07:00

Above - my entry for the Illustration Friday challenge - stripes

Below - more images of the C&G Machine Embroidery Book

The embroideries below were stitched on hot water soluble fabric

Machine Embroidery Book and Doodles

2011-11-03T13:42:00.000-07:00

Two pages I missed from Sketchbook 9. The page above is a shape challenge using the metal cutters and the one below I did for a sketchbook challenge called 'pathways' - except I didn't post it.

More C&G work, this time a machine embroidery book, experiments of different stitching techniques. I used to have a machine that did small embroidered motifs like the flowers on the front of this fabric book. I don't have that machine any more, as I broke it by sewing through lots of painted collaged papers which were very stiff and they weren't dry enough. I think the glue stuck to the needle which made it hard work for the machine and eventually it wore the motor out. I still sew collaged papers but I am more careful.

there are more pages which I will post another day

Vintage Collage/Memories and End of Sketchbook 9

2011-11-02T13:12:00.000-07:00

The Three Muses challenge is Vintage Collage/Memories and I have to confess the two above that I am showing are old ones but I do still like to look at them. They are actually part of an altered book, a vintage sewing book, which had some informative and very amusing pages in it. The face in the top collage is my grandma who died in 1993 and the girl in the lower collage is my big sister as a tot in the fifties so they do bring back memories.

Below are the last pages of sketchbook 9

Shapes and Pleats

2011-11-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

Two more shape challenge pieces - you can see what I used at the bottom of each page. They are very similar shapes except the bottom one is longer. I prefer the tree doodle.

I'm also posting pictures of another C&G sample - different kinds of pleating with calico fabric. My sister wants me to make it into a cushion for her.

Skeleton Dance and Time

2011-10-31T09:17:00.000-07:00

Still messing with skeletons.....

Below is my entry for Take a Word challenge - time

My own photos with flower clock drawings. The song is an old one by the Bryds ['Turn, turn, turn' which was from the Bible -Ecclisiates 3:1] although I remember the version by the Seekers more, but since doing it I keep thinking of the Freddie Mercury song 'Time waits for nobody'.

Skeletons on Holiday

2011-10-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

Been having a bit of fun with some plastic skeletons and fluffy toys, but I'm afraid my photography is not that good today.

Two Doodle

2011-10-29T10:44:00.000-07:00

I used a plastic shape stencil for the doodle below and promarker pens on both

IF-Scary, more Weird Creatures, Patchwork

2011-10-28T12:40:00.000-07:00

The word is 'scary' for the Illustration Friday challenge

pen drawings, digital background, digital collage

Another sample from C&G work, this time patchwork

And some more weird animals, elefishsquid or eleoct?

Flower Doodles and Insertion Stitch Sample

2011-10-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

A couple of flower doodles and a sampler of insertion stitches from the C&G course. I don't know why it is the shape it is?

Wings and Web

2011-10-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

Three Muses challenge - wings

The sky and squatting man are my photos - the man is a wooden sculpture and was seen in the Chocolate Museum in Bruges, he's sipping hot chocolate and gazing at the world. His wings are part of a butterfly from The Graphics Fairy as are the toadstool and bird and insect, both of course with wings.

I thought I would also share this old piece of art, from a C&G project as it also has butterfly wings, not very good ones I may add, I prefer the web background to which they are attached.

Girl and Cat Collage

2011-10-25T12:23:00.000-07:00

I recently completed this collage and the various collaged papers are on a canvas. The girl, cat and tree are painted with a thin wash of acrylic paints. You can see more images here.

The picture is now in my website shop here

The original doodle from my sketchbook is below

Black and White

2011-10-24T08:06:00.000-07:00

Take a word challenge - Black & White

all my own bits & bobs put together this week

Beaded Fringe and Shape People

2011-10-23T06:56:00.000-07:00

Another C&G item, a beaded fringe. I remember with this one we had to follow the colours from a small section of artwork.

Below are two more shape challenge pictures.

I used little metal cutters for the face details, shapes are shown in bottom right corner.

And for this one I used a regular plastic stencil sheet which had a variety of circles, ovals and rectangles.

And Shirley of shirleystwistedthreads - if you are reading this I cannot see your blog posts, it says it is open only to invited readers only, so I hope that will help you solve the problem.

Fuel and Mixed Media Embroidery

2011-10-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

Illustration Friday challenge - Fuel

Some kinds of fuel are fun!

Paper collage and digital collage

The mixed media picture below is an old one from my City & Guilds Embroidery days.

I cannot remember what the coils are exactly but they look like giant pencil shavings. The picture includes fabric painting and embroidery.

Circles and Squares

2011-10-19T14:17:00.000-07:00

For the Three Muses challenge - Circles and Squares

Weird Creatures

2011-10-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

the weird creatures find a home

Childhood and Rolling Stamps 62-64

2011-10-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

Take a Word - the challenge this week is 'childhood'.

I've used a vintage photo from my stash and a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson. The background is one of my games creations which were originally designed to be printed on fabric with a digital printer.

Three more rolling stamps, all made with fun foam. Cloth, Paper Scissors are offering a free download of the article I wrote them about rolling stamps which you can get here

2011-10-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

This weeks Illustration Friday challenge is 'scattered'. I used an older drawing but have altered it digitally and scattered shapes from the trees onto the ground, like leaves. Topical too as this is what is happening outside at the moment, that is leaves falling from the trees not shapes.

I said a few weeks ago that I had a sort out in the loft and some of the things I found were from my City & Guilds embroidery course. I've enjoyed looking through the stuff, quite funny some of it like this plate of cakes. We were given the bronze coloured metallic scourer to do something creative with and I came up with cakes.

Another strange item was this, can you guess what it is before I tell you?

there are lots of fabric strands..... and beads, sequins and some paper beads too

not forgetting embroidery

Below is a photograph, its not a very good picture as it is a photo of an old photo. But it is a seaweed covered rock, and that was my inspiration for the above piece. Did you guess?

Shape Challenge Pattern and Rolling Stamps

2011-10-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

This colourful pattern was created using a found object, a metal thing with a shaped hole in it. The same pattern was altered digitally, below.

Rolling Stamps 59-61

This one is made from fun foam

this one from a small piece of table protector

and this one is just cling film

I had an article in Cloth, Paper Scissors about making rolling stamps a couple of years ago. The article is now available as a free download from CPS available here

Home Sweet Home

2011-10-12T12:20:00.000-07:00

Three Muses challenge Home, Sweet Home

A few years ago I did a collection of work all to do with houses which I enjoyed very much, so I thought I would revisit some old work and revamp it. I did one, then another, then another and another, guess I got carried away.

The house is made from playing cards, painted and stitched. Own photo background.

Partly drawn with pens and background are found papers like bills, envelopes digitally arranged.

An original artwork, hand drawn houses, altered and altered again. The 'home' is a hand made, painted, stitched house.

The tree house is painted and collaged fabric, stitched. the tree trunks are old nails, I used old bills, magazines atc on the rest of the background, arranged digitally.

Shape Challenge - pebble, stick and rectangle

2011-10-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

I've used found objects as a starting point for these sketches.

A friend set the challenge above which was a small stick.

The one below was rectangular shape with a corner, cannot remember exactly what.

I did these a while ago, but now I try to remember to draw around the item as a reference, like in the flower picture below.

another one set by a friend, this time a pebble

I created both of these using the pebble.

Blackbird and Bottles

2011-10-10T11:54:00.000-07:00

The Take a Word challenge this week is blackbird. Bet you didn't expect to see a chicken. Well it is black and is a bird and it is trying to be like a regular 'blackbird'.

I used a label from Graphics Fairy to put on these bottles. The bottles are actually a photograph which I took at Cragside House, but it would have been nicer to have had the real bottles in my possession.

Shape Collage and Doodles

2011-10-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

I used a free download from shapecollage to arrange 199 of my flower photos in the shape of a teddy and the flower below. Click the images to enlarge.

More doodles from a sketch book. I used a letter/number stencil in this one.

Girl with Roses and Knitted Blanket

2011-10-06T12:15:00.000-07:00

For the Collage Obsession challenge - Sepia+pastel

I started with a sepia photo from my stash and introduced some pastel colour on the flowers and background.

Last week I also removed bags full of knitted swatches from my loft. These were not to throw out this time but to make into a blanket. My sister who was staying with me, helped sew the first one which she will keep for her own use. I've already made a few blankets a long time ago and given most of them away. If you're wondering why I have so many swatches ... I used to design machine knitting patterns for home knitters, mainly motifs and these swatches are the practice runs.

Proof that my sister helped. She says she looks like she know what she is doing. The swatches are quite a challenge to stitch together as they are all different shapes and sizes and in some places they do look a little puckered.

Liberty Bottle and Embroidery

2011-10-05T12:26:00.000-07:00

For the Three Muses challenge - Bottles or Jars

The background is a drawing and the bottle is a photo of an old vinegar bottle, the label was from Graphics Fairy. The Statue of Liberty photo I altered, I've had the original photo for years and I can't remember where I got it from.

I got the embroidery below from my loft when I was clearing out, a sample from when I did my City & Guilds. It is stitched on fabric and stitched around a CD. What may look like shisha glass is actually the CD where I have cut holes in the fabric. It is just one CD enclosed in the fabric.

Lollypop, and Flower Doodles & Rolling Stamps

2011-10-04T11:50:00.000-07:00

This doodle reminds me of the big lollypops on sticks that you see at the seaside.

Rolling Stamps 56, 57, 58

The top one is made from textured wallpaper stuck around a card roller. Use recycle containers such as you would find inside foil, cling film, granules etc. As you can see the top one was just a section of paper ripped off, so not a repeat pattern. You can see where the repeat starts on the one below. This one is made from fabric and has holes cut out.

I used offcuts of fun foam for this roller. If you don't have sticky foam use double sided sticky tape or glue. A strong glue is probably best if you want to reuse the roller over and over again.

Wall and Sculpture

2011-10-03T08:09:00.000-07:00

For Brag Monday at Graphics Fairy -

The fan & postcard were from GF, the photos are my own. The background was made up from a photo of some stonework.

For Take a Word - Wall

Made up from my own photos of 3 different walls and drawings of lizard and ladybirds.

Click picture to enlarge.

Album and Hibernate

2011-09-30T12:24:00.000-07:00

For the Take a Word challenge - Album

I thought would create a stamp album. The stamps I already had and were hand created using a variety of paint techniques, collage etc [apart from the digital one the angel is holding], the album is made from a vintage postcard and the background was created from a photograph of some stonework.

For the Illustration Friday - Hibernate

I've recently painted a series of polar bear studies so I thought I would use one of those.

Watercolour Paint & fine liner

Moon

2011-09-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

Digital collage from the Three Muses challenge - Moon

The face shape on the moon was from a penny black stamp, the vintage photo from my stash, the poem is one of Byron's.

I've got to hand it to you

2011-09-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

I've used a photo I took at Hatfield House, I think it is Sir Walter Raleigh & Queen Elizabeth 1. He had a hand missing so I've replaced it with another complete with fan, and below the place is overrun with squirrels. The fan & squirrel images are from the Graphics Fairy.

Ferocious and Tassels

2011-09-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

The theme for Illustration Friday is 'ferocious'. I had a spell of drawing weird creatures so I thought I would use one of those.

This week I've been having a sort out in the loft as we are getting some more insulation, actually it needed a good sort out anyway, but the insulation was the incentive. I evidently did tons of work when I did my City & Guilds & Degree, boxes of the stuff, so some of it has to go and I thought I would photograph it before I say tarar to it. Some I've already dumped, not photographed, some I'm hanging onto until I do photograph it and some I don't know whether I will actually part with when push comes to shove. Below are the photos of some tassels I did for City & Guilds [embroidery]

Doorways and Rolling Stamps 53-55

2011-09-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

This is to take part in the Three Muses challenge which this week is 'Doorways'.

I photographed this wonderful doorway at Belsay Hall, Northumberland way back in 2003 and it was an entrance to a room full to bursting of linen. The nurse wasn't there. Some more photos of the room and another doorway into it shown below.

More rolling stamps - the first & third are made from fun foam, the second from wallpaper

Anyone for tennis?

2011-09-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

I did this digital collage for Take a Word, the challenge word this week is Male.