We often get stuck in a rut, sometimes without even realizing it. We may drive the same way home from work every day. We might cook the same things for dinner month after month, perhaps we’ve bought the same color mascara or eye shadow for a couple of years now? These routines may seem like the glue that hold our lives together, after all in our ever faster paced society something has to remain constant.However, many times these routines dull our fabulous minds, they don’t stretch us and encourage us to learn new things, or allow us to try daring new choices!To discover the artist within youthis week try taking the long way home (or at least a different street!), try something you’ve never eaten at the grocery store, write with your left hand for an hour. Maybe you can even fix a fun dinner for your family where everyone has to eat with cooking utensils! Be crazy, be daring,do your brain a favor and try something different this week!
To try something different, I grabbed a magazine off my desk, some watercolors and set the timer for 15 minutes! I had such a fabulous time being inspired by another artist! (I also listened to a new audio book!)
PS! Newsletter subscribers get to read these posts first (minus the images), make sure you are signed up [here].
I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone tell me they aren't an artist because (and I quote) "I can't draw a straight line to save my life!". I must admit that I can't help the huge grin that spreads across my face when I hear this. You see, that means you are awesome. That's right, awesome, better than awesome, more like awesomesauce. You don't have to unlearn how to draw straight lines (how many truly straight lines are there in nature anyway? Some argue none?). So here's to us who like to scribble and feel a bit insecure when it comes to drawing. Your assignment this week is to scribble, just for the sake of scribbling in your art journal (or on a piece of paper if you haven't got a journal yet). Just allow yourself to let go and just enjoy scribbling, because seriously when is the last time you got to do that without someone questioning you?
Discover the artist within you today by scribblingand having fun doing it.
Here's to us who won't be saved by drawing straight lines,
PS! Newsletter subscribers get to read these posts first, make sure you are signed up [here].
Hello artsy friends! I can’t believe the month is almost over and we are heading into June. Susan here with some brand spanking new Art Journal Emporium Gallery goodness!
First up is Lynn. Her little gal is wonderful and looks like she could walk right off the page.
Our next bit of goodness is by KAPOH using AJC Itinerary No. 21 for inspiration. The quote is one of my favorites and the sweet little birds are perfect.
Credits: AJC Word of the Week and Quote of the week, Tinted Fragments, 365 Synergy March by Booland Designs; FONT: Cursive
Wendy’s page is our last stop of the week. Love how her gal has her arms wide open to celebrate life and all it’s possibilities. The hedgehog is just darn cute.
The Art Journal Emporium membership includes Tangie Baxter's Collage Workshop for the current month BEFORE it's released in the TB & CO store. In addition to the digital downloads there is a video tutorial and some wonderful sample projects. Collage Workshop materials need to be downloaded before the end of each month.
Tangie Baxter & CO’s Art Journal Caravan is going strong and we’d love for you to join us on the adventure!
Don’t forget Monthly Grab Bags are only available for a limited time once a month and priced on asliding scale. Act fast for the best deal. For more information visit TB&CO Grab Bags.
A big thank you to Lynn, KAPOH and Wendy for sharing their wonderful work with us. Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy day to stop by and peruse this week’s Gallery Gems!
This Saturday we're all about Junque Journals. What are Junque Journals? Tangie has a great definition:
"Junque Journals are composition notebooks turned epically awesome. They hold anything and everything and with a little know how, don't fall apart! They can hold so much "junque" that you collect in your life that you just don't know what to do with! A place for ticket stubs, letters from friends or loved ones, Christmas cards, ribbon from a package, gift cards, receipts, lucky pennies and anything else you might "pick up" along the way and not know what to do with!"
Below are some videos from Tangie Baxter showing what a Junque Journal is and how she made hers from a composition notebook. She also has a self-study workshop Junque Journal Workshop with detailed instructions, even more video tutorials, digital collage sheets and lots more!
Over the years we've been fortunate to have Julie Ann Shahin share some wonderful art journaling series with the TB&CO readers. We will be re-posting some of them here on this blog. Please note these may be altered from the original posts to update links, provide information on newer programs, etc.
The following is Part Two of a fabulous post on typography. If you missed Part One you can read it here. Enjoy!
I believe many of us in this industry collect fonts as a passion. Tangie has picked up on this passion when she started her Foundry with her own fonts for sale. Not only that, she has given exclusive video tutorials on how to make the most of these fonts in art journaling to the Art Journal Caravan™ Workshop 2011 (now available as a self-study workshop) to watch at your own pace.
Today let’s look at some of the talented Art Journal Caravan members and Studio Tangie Creative Team members, and how they’ve made the most of typography and font use. We’ll see the use of rhythm, energy, repetition and scale. We’ll see the use of contrasting fonts, casual fonts and fonts used for readability. We’ll see text paths, text circles and fonts that guide your eye through the design. We’ll see fonts that offer mood, hierarchy and emphasis. We’ll see fonts with a crackled effect, decorative fonts and handwritten fonts. Also we’ll see typography and fonts that break all the rules! Here we go….
The typography on this page by SpunMonkey creates {energy}.
Credits: Tangie Baxter's A Door Just Opened, Fonts- Mock Turtle, Walrus (included in the Fontastic Grab Bag) and Paperworn Art Styles & Bonus Action
This page by joamosatcharterdotnet demonstrates several typography details. One is {scale} as the fonts go from larger to smaller to create heirarchy.
Credits: Tangie Baxter's AlteredArt Sheet65, She Journals Kit, Fonts- Mock Turtle, TweedleDee and Dinah (included in the Fontastic Grab Bag); TumblefishStudios-East is West Extras and Juno-Note Paper Oldies
This page by Tangie Baxter {breaks all the rules}. She flips words along the same line. She also outlines fonts and fills in the centers of certain letters.
Credits: Tangie Baxter's Compendium of Daydreams(included in The Vault), daydream & pause splatter graffiti, Celtic Traditions (included in The Vault), Call of the Gypsy, Fonts-Dodo, Mock Turtle, Plum Pudding, Tweedledum (included in the Fontastic Grab Bag); Rebecca McMeen's Merritt; Metal Momma by Holliewood Studios
This page by Grace shows us a {sunburst} design placement of the text.
Welcome artsy friends! It’s time once again to partake in some scrumptious offerings with today’s Art Journal Emporium Gallery Gems!
Let’s jump right in with Kay’s wonderful contribution to the AJE May Challenge and Goodies. Notice how the subtle tones and circles so wonderfully help to convey the theme of celebrating all of life’s possibilities.
Next we have Donna’s self described "everything but the kitchen sink" page, using the prompt colors and quote from the AJC Itinerary No. 19 - Fortuity. The rich color palette beautifully compliments this mixed media beauty.
Credits: Everything but the kitchen sink...
And finally, we have Rese’s light and airy take on AJC Itinerary No. 18 - Confidence. Love the paint brush, the flowers, the doily - simply lovely!
The Art Journal Emporium membership includes Tangie Baxter's Collage Workshop for the current month BEFORE it's released in the TB & CO store. In addition to the digital downloads there is a video tutorial and some wonderful sample projects. Collage Workshop materials need to be downloaded before the end of each month.
Tangie Baxter & CO’s Art Journal Caravan is going strong and we’d love for you to join us on the adventure!
Don’t forget Monthly Grab Bags are only available for a limited time once a month and priced on a sliding scale. Act fast for the best deal. For more information visit TB&CO Grab Bags.
Many thanks to Kay, Donna and Rese for sharing their incredible work with us! And thank you for taking time out of your busy day to stop by and peruse this week’s Gallery Gems! See you next time...
Over the years we've been fortunate to have Julie Ann Shahin share some wonderful art journaling series with the TB&CO readers. We will be re-posting some of them here on this blog. Please note these may be altered from the original posts to update links, provide information on newer programs, etc.
The following is Part One of a fabulous post on typography...
I believe many of us in this industry collect fonts as a passion. Tangie has picked up on this passion when she started her Foundry with her own fonts for sale. Not only that, she has given exclusive video tutorials on how to make the most of these fonts in art journaling to the Art Journal Caravan™ Workshop 2011 (now available as a self-study workshop) to watch at your own pace.
Today let’s look at some of the talented Art Journal Caravan members and Studio Tangie Creative Team members, and how they’ve made the most of typography and font use. We’ll see the use of rhythm, energy, repetition and scale. We’ll see the use of contrasting fonts, casual fonts and fonts used for readability. We’ll see text paths, text circles and fonts that guide your eye through the design. We’ll see fonts that offer mood, hierarchy and emphasis. We’ll see fonts with a crackled effect, decorative fonts and handwritten fonts. Also we’ll see typography and fonts that break all the rules! Here we go….
This page by sparklyduck75 demonstrates creative fonts use with {rhythm}, which is appropriate for the lyrics.
This fun page by Yvonne55 demonstrates a {casual} use of a font mixed with doodling. She’s backed the font with color and patterns.
Credts: Font is Jabberwock by Tangie Baxter, All papers (fillings) are by Tangie Baxter.
This page by jonee uses {contrasting fonts} for ultimate impact.
Credits: Gesso2 by Studio Tangie, ARTistrokes by Studio Ztampf, Femme by Birgit Kerr, Wordstrips by Birgit Kerr, Art Mask Addon by Phuong Ton, Kaleidoscope by Lynne-Marie, creations, Leona Sanford at Catscrap. True to Yourself by Pink Reptile Designs at Zig Zag Scrap. Fonts: You are Loved, Old Typewriter
Quote: source unknown.
In this page by janeagain, the fonts {guide} your eye around the design. The distinctness in font weights help to achieve this effect.
Credits: Dream and Discover, Deconstructed Journals vol. 2 and 3, Steampunk Bandwagon, and Prose by Tangie Baxter Fonts are Five, Seven and Two and Knave by Tangie Baxter and !Paul Maul
This page is an example of giving {personality/mood} to typefaces.
Credits: AJC Parcel 25 by Tangie Baxter and Beth Rimmer; Catch Splatter Graffiti by Tangie; AJC Deconstructed Journals Papers by Tangie; Water droplets from Field Notes: Spring kit by… guess who?; Swirls and leaves from Sweetums Garden by Maya. Fonts: Tangie’s Art Journal Font Chesire and AJF Jabberwock; also 2Peas_Goofball.
This is an example of using a {textpath} or perhaps distorting the text path by Serenoa.
Credits: Elements and papers from Tangie Baxter kits – Golden Ocean, Briny Deep, Seaside Art Dolls, and Parcel 22.
This is a beautiful page showing a bold font with a {crackled effect} by jonee.
Credits: Splatter Grafitti Celtic, AJC 11, AJC 33 by Tangie Baxter. She Follows her Heart by Studio Rosey Posey, Gypsy Rose collab by Studio Rosey Posey and Gypsy, Naturally by Pink Reptile Designs, Creation 23 by Catherine Designs and Createwings, ReCreation 23 by Catherine Designs and Createwings, Natural Abandon by Gypsy, Cozy by Lynne-Marie, Quote by Rabindranath Tagore, Font (with effect) Cracked.
This page by DALE shows us a {decorative} font from Tangie’s foundry.
Credits: Tangie Baxter's Knave Font (just love it!!), Rebecca McMeen's Merrit. Studio Lori's Artist Faeries.
That's the end of part one. Please join us next Flashback Friday for more fun with typography!
Hello, Katrina Rollings here again with my regular monthly project for those who love their cut and paste.
I have been doing cut and paste projects with digital kits for many years now. Even though I try very hard to only print out the elements I think I will need for the project I am about to work on, no matter how much you plan and measure to get the right size, colour and type of elements you want to use, you will always end up with the odd paper or collage pieces you don't use. As crafters are all the same at heart I know you, like me, have a growing pile of these pieces that we just can't bear to throw away but what can we do with them?
Well, you could hang on to them until they will fit into a project you are working on of course, or you could start a glue book, which is what I do. That is the project I have to show you today.
"But what is a glue book?" I hear you cry! All it is is a book you glue things in, in a style that pleases you. You can use any book, any glue and any scraps but I like to use all those bits of collage you have spent ages cutting out along with any other little gems you happen to find.
So, grab a book, some glue and that pile of collage bits you have been saving up and perhaps a cup of tea and a biscuit and we can get started.
The book I am using at the moment is one I have made up myself. I found a nice old book and took all the pages out of it. I then stitched some plain card pages into it instead. The collage pieces I am using today are all from the grab bags and collage sheets we have had so far this year. The glue I use is just normal PVA , white school glue in the USA I think, I use that for all my paper projects and art journaling but a glue stick will work fine too.
All you need to remember is there is only one rule - use glue and paper - the rest is up to you.
The way I go about it is to first cover the page in paper.
I like to lay it all out first then cut to size and glue it down.
I cover all the background with pieces of paper, even the tiny gaps.
Then I add other elements over the top until I feel it is finished. It's as simple as that!
I do warn you though, you may find you just can't do one page……. It does become slightly addictive but it is so easy and great fun to do. It is a great thing to get the children doing and a different way to use old comics and magazines too.
As I said I can never just do one page, so here are two more pages I made using some of my leftover collage pieces.
I really hope you give a Glue Book a try, they are really easy, great fun and can be done anywhere.
There are so many places you can play in your Glue Book, here are a few-
I like to do mine in front of the TV and in the garden.
When you want to do something creative but haven't got the time or space for a larger project.
I also like to take mine on holiday with me as it doesn't take up much space.
If you had the collage pieces cut out before you left home, it would be great to do on a flight, you could tear the papers to size.
A great project for the children to do with you, everyone can have their own book as you can use any book, even junk mail booklets.
It is a great way to get your creativity going or introduce someone to collage and art journaling.
As I think you can tell I love my Glue Book and have really enjoyed sharing mine with you today.
Did you know last year as part of the Art Journal Emporium Tangie did a Glue Book Workshop? That's just one of the many member benefits as part of the AJE.
The Art Journal Emporium membership includes Tangie Baxter's Collage Workshop for the current month BEFORE it's released in the TB & CO store. In addition to the digital downloads there is a video tutorial and some wonderful sample projects. Collage Workshop materials need to be downloaded before the end of each month.
Monthly Grab Bags are only available for a limited time once a month and priced on a sliding scale. Act fast for the best deal. For more information visit TB&CO Grab Bags.
I will be back again next month with another cut and paste project, till then, take care.
Next up is this fantastical piece by Diane. Inspired by the Artist Joan Miro. I love that she took her pencil for a walk and ended up this. What do you see?
A big shout out and thank you to Georgayne, Marilyn and Diane for sharing their wonderful masterpieces in the gallery.
The Art Journal Emporium membership includes Tangie Baxter's Collage Workshop for the current month BEFORE it's released in the TB & CO store. In addition to the digital downloads there is a video tutorial and some wonderful sample projects. Collage Workshop materials need to be downloaded before the end of each month.
Tangie Baxter & CO’s Art Journal Caravan is going strong and we’d love for you to join us on the adventure!
Lastly don’t forget Monthly Grab Bags are only available for a limited time once a month and priced on a sliding scale. Act fast for the best deal. For more information visit TB&CO Grab Bags.
