Last friday I had to go the main land for a meeting and even though that is just on the other side of the Wadden Sea it takes an hour and a half by ferry to get there and it's the same way on the way back (who would have thought?). That's three hours of roaming on a boat people and I am not one to just sit there all that time. Therefore I am always armed with my necessities whether I travel or wether I am on one of my hikes. It's a backpack with some basic art supplies, a journal and an e-reader. Ah, who was the genius who invented that little gadget? I love the thing, especially when I am under way somewhere. Thanks to some very cool friends I now have a supply of e-books that will last the next ten generations and I never have to shop for any books again...Ahem....That's in theory only of course, because books and me cannot do without each other and I cannot imagine a house without books ever being a home. Still I love my little e-reader when I'm away from home and it has served me well in the six months that I have had it. But I am so degressing.
What I wanted to say was that when I don't read I sometimes doodle or sketch in a journal or on loose pieces of paper. Last friday I really felt like doing some patterns. So I made these two spreads:
They were done in neocolor and later overdone with a waterbrush (another genius invention by the way for the frequent traveler). The patterns in themselves I don't find very special, but they are relaxing to do. The way some people do these zentangle-things that I cannot really seem to get the hang of. But the making of them gave me an idea to start a special sketchbook for patterns and backgrounds. My idea is to then make color copies of these patterns/backgrounds and use them as collagepaper. That way I will have a slowly growing supply of personal papers available. So I have bought an A4-sized ringbound book and will use that solely for this purpose. Will let you know how it goes when the first patterns have been made.
A sucker for art supplies of any kind I recently bought one of those letter...jeez, what do you call those in english? ...they punch letters on plastic labels, literally in Dutch we say letter thongs, but that doesn't sound right to me. Come on readers there must be one amongst you who knows what it's called?
Anyway, I wanted to try the thing out and I made this little art card (it measures 10x15 cm, I think that's about 4x6 inches):
Now this card is a good example of a thing that I do with left over paint. I use these paper palets and when there is paint left after I am done with a project I will use any big amounts for the background of a journal or sketchbookpage, but the remaining layers I will spread out over the paper palet and then I will put down blanc cards on it and so print the paint on the cards. It gives a really nice structure to the paint. The printed on cards can then be used as backgrounds for new pieces of art or one can cut them up for collage fodder. This is one of those cards.
This card is called "Repeat after me". The words "All will be fine" are found on it over and over again as a kind of mantra to be repeated until you believe it. You can see the strip from the letter punch in the bottom left corner. Also for the first time I have used my round corner punch. It may be hard to believe but it has taken me years to actually find such a simple device and now I am glad I finally did, cause I think it gives the card a special look somehow.
Last, but definitely not least my niece must wonder what the hell is happening to her paintings! Well, here they come, full of beautiful poetry:
It was difficult to get the letters on. I have practically ruined a white paint marker on it, but well, she's family, so she's worth it, haha!
Finally a kind welcome to three new followers! Yay! I was off line for a few days and quite surprised by it. I am still in that stage where even one follower is a miracle to me, cause...where do they come from?! Also thanks to all the nice responses through flickr (not everybody responds on this blog), with a special mention of my ALMBH fellow journalers and the great Kelly herself who must spend half her days responding to all the flickr uploads of her students!
I'm off to do some art, before it gets too hot again!