Joy and Texture

Hello Folks!

I have my final Artmarks page to share today, for Rae's February Artmark Love challenge on Instagram. The final word prompt is 'Joy'. A perfect word to finish on, this challenge has been a joy to take part in!

Lots of collage, marks, and of course teabags.

I'm also sharing my Gelli prints for Birgit's March challenge, Day 4. The theme is 'Texture'. I found a great YouTube video by Cat Hand, showing Dendritic Monoprinting. Here are some process photos and the final prints.

Three little blobs of paint on my large Gelli Plate...

I used a small round Gelli plate to squish the paint...

Lifting off creates the texture...

I used a single little blob of pink acrylic to create some circle prints...

To take the prints, you lay your paper very gently on the paint, and press very lightly. If you've ever tried printing with inks on shaving foam, it's a bit like that. Pressing hard will destroy the texture.

Wishing you all a happy Sunday,

Alison x

Rest, Stencil and Teabags

Hi Everyone! 

You know I said I didn't like long posts, well I'm popping 3 different things on this one because I want to get out of the house this afternoon. Yes, the thaw has started! Yippee!

First, here is my penultimate Art Marks page. Day 27's word is Rest. I'm not planning to Rest anytime soon, I love making art and blogging every day! Actually, making art is my Rest.

Next, I'm sharing my Gelli Plate prints for Birgit's March Challenge. Day Three's prompt is to use Stencils.

And finally, here are my seven teabags for 365 Somethings, Week Nine. Doodles on a stencilled gesso base, with a little watered green acrylic added for some colour. My 'tulips' on the right, are bending in the wind! Hahaha

Happy Saturday Everyone,

Alison x

Replenish and Peek Through

Hello Everyone! 

It's still snowy and now icy outside, I believe, I haven't ventured out for three days. Plenty to keep me occupied though, Day 26 of Rae's Art Marks Challenge being one of them. Today's word is 'Replenish'. Apart from having a larder and fridge that desperately needs replenishing, I have replenished my creative heart and soul doing this challenge.

I used some gelli printed book page and a tea bag from yesterday's play, added some lines of red acrylic, some blue dots and circles, a cut out heart, black paint splatters and wrote the word.  Finished with some pencil scribbles. I love the white space on this page.

Onto some Gelli Plate play for Birgit Koopsen's challenge. Today's prompt was 'Peek Through', which is a great technique. I used torn and cut out circles and ovals as my masks, to get the peek through effect. 

Here are my little mask shapes, they'll be great collage pieces for an art journal page or two!

And a couple of pages, using up paint on the plate between prints.

Happy Friday!

Alison x

February Art Marks and March Gelli Prints

Hi Everyone!

First of all, I'm back with my Art Marks page for Day 25, and the prompt word is Root. I did some weird onions and roots, well that's what they look like to me! Lol! A bit of Bombay India Ink watercolour (left out from my calendar making), some collage circles, and a few marks. This page was very intuitive, and rooted in random creativity...haha...not sure if that makes sense, so cold here now I'm just sitting at my computer.

Onto a new challenge for March. Birgit Koopsen is running a 31 day Gelli Printing challenge on Instagram, with daily prompts. Today's prompt is circles. I used a circle Gel Press plate, PaperArtsy Fresco paint, and used bubble wrap and a plastic tube to make circle designs on different surfaces. Couldn't do circles without using some round teabags!

Time for some lunch!

I'll be back tomorrow,

Alison x

February Art Marks Love - Day 24 - Build

Hello Everyone! More snow overnight, so a perfect day to stay in and create.

The word for today is 'Build'. I loved this prompt, because I love to build layers on a page! This could be my favourite!

It started with a book page that had circles cut from it, that was lying around on my desk. Added a teabag, and paint with my fingers. Then a few marks, scrapes of paint, the word, white paint stamped with Lego, and more marks to finish.

Keep warm, and have a wonderful Wednesday,

Alison x

February Art Marks Day 23 - Invent

Hello Folks! 

I just got back from my usual Tuesday Silver Screen cinema trip. Today I had the company of my lovely friend Jan. We went to see 'Film Stars Don't Die In Liverpool', a lovely film about the relationship between ageing Hollywood actress Gloria Grahame, and young Liverpudlian actor Peter Turner. We both loved it. 

Getting back to today's art marks page with the word prompt 'Invent'. I believe this past year I have been re-inventing myself through art journaling. I love the direction I'm taking on this current adventure too.

I used iris images from Vision Express (opticians) junkmail, added teabags, stencilling, and marks. I'm entering my page for MOO-MANIA's Think Of Spring Challenge. Spring is a great time to re-invent ourselves!

We've had a few inches of snow here during the day, so I'm now turning up the heating, and bunkering down till it goes away. Hope you're all keeping warm!

Alison x

February Art Marks 2018 - Day 22 - Less

Hi Everyone!

Today's Art Marks word is 'Less'. What are your thoughts? More or less? I think I tend towards more, but it depends on my mood. This is not a 'Less' page! Hahaha

Painty scrapes and marks, and the legendary teabag.

We've hit a cold spot here in the UK, with snow showers and the odd bit of sunshine, so it's not settling too much thankfully. Hope you're all keeping warm.

Happy week,

Alison x

Art Marks Day 21 - Grace

Hello Friends.

The word for day 21 of February Art Marks Love is 'Grace', which naturally makes me think of my faith, and the Grace of Christ. I could say a lot more, but in a nutshell, I'm grateful for the gift of creativity that I've been given, and so many other things.

I went back to the comfort zone of my favourite colours for this page, using tools to scrape on the layers of paint, before adding just the word, some marks and a scribble border with pens. I couldn't resist a few white paint splatters to finish.

Hope you have a lovely Sunday! The sun is shining here. We have our son visiting, and we're off for a woodland walk to a country pub, for Sunday lunch with friends.

Alison x

Art Marks Day 20 - Learn

Hello Everyone!

Today I learned I don't like a lot of yellow on my page, hence the orange circles. I'm also learning to let go when I make my art journal pages. It's a sunny page though, and reflects the sunshine outside.

Oops...forgot to doodle around the little starflower! Hahaha

Happy Saturday,

Alison x

Balance

Hi Everyone! Here's my page for Art Marks Day 19, 'Balance'. 

Happy Friday,

Alison x

Art Marks Day 18 - Tend

Hi Everyone!

I'm up to Day 18 of Rae Missigman's February Art Marks Love Challenge, and today's word is 'Tend'. It made me think of Spring seedlings, but also of tending to my daily art needs.

I started by scraping some Pea Coat PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paint onto my page, then added some scrapes of Snowflake paint. I glued some teabag papers on top of the white paint, then painted some flowers and marks with Sargasso, Cerise and Magic Moss. The teabags were vanilla chai and blackcurrant, which makes my page smell delicious.

I'm linking my page to MOO-MANIA's Think of Spring Challenge.

Happy Thursday,

Alison x

Dotty

Hello Folks! I went a bit dotty on today's Art Marks page. The word prompt was 'Poise', and I used an image from a hand cream tube. I just peeled it off, and stuck it on my page, together with some book and music page scraps and bits of teabags.

I used PaperArtsy Tracy Scott paints again, as I love the bright colours, and a sakura black glaze pen to add scribbly marks.

Happy Wednesday!

Alison x

Art Marks Day 16 - Notice

Evening Everyone! 

I'm just back from another solo trip to the cinema. I watched Battle of the Sexes, a film about Billie Jean King's fight for equal tennis prize money for female and male players, and her famous match with Bobby Riggs in 1973. I thought it was an enjoyable film.

Here's my February Art Marks page for Day 16's prompt 'Notice'. It's very pink page for that cute little pup. 

I used a new PaperArtsy Tracy Scott set of Fresco paints, which includes these beautiful brights, Cerise, Slimed and Sargasso. The pup image is mounted on a fennel teabag, with paint and marks added. Looks like she's resting on a pink polkadot bed spread.

I'm linking my page to Rike's Animals from A-Z challenge at Art Journal Journey.

Have a wonderful evening,

Alison x

Wild Animals and Teabags

Hello Friends!

Here's my Day 15 Art marks page, with the word prompt 'Evolve'. Needs no explanation...we are evolving constantly.

I used an old credit card and new PaperArtsy Seth Apter Fresco acrylics, to create layer after layer of colour and lines. Painted the word, adhered some postage stamps, then finished with circles stamped with a lids and white gel pen marks.

I'm linking my page to Rike's Animals from A-Z challenge at Art Journal Journey.

Almost forgot... here are my teabags for 365 Somethings, Week Seven...

I originally did some stencilling and marks on the bags, but didn't like it, so I painted all over with black Fresco acrylic, then stamped and embossed some PA Ellen Vargo images with Stampendous Frantage EP in various colours. Finished with some splatters of white Bombay India Ink. Now I love!!! I really ought to use these EPs more!

Have a great week everyone!

Alison x

Art Marks Day 14 - Connect

Hello Folks!

I'm back with my next Art Marks page. We had a visit from my folks yesterday afternoon, and to be honest, I didn't feel a creative urge all day. I'm much better today though, after a lovely cross country walk to a nearby village for Sunday roast lunch.

I began with some PaperArtsy stencils, and used new Seth Apter Fresco Finish acrylic paints. I adhered some teabags, added some Tim Holtz rub ons, then finished with some marks and doodles. It was lovely to connect with nature today on our walk, but there were no butterfles, only dogs, horses & birds.

I'm linking up to Rike's Animals from A-Z challenge at Art Journal Journey.

Wishing you a creative week ahead,

Alison x

Art Marks Day 13 - Whittle

Happy Friday Folks!

I'm sharing another Art Marks journal page, and today's word is 'Whittle'. It's another minimalist page with lots of white space. I rather like this whittled down look.

The image of the lady blowing a bubble is from a packet of hotel soap I saved. I used acrylic paints and pens to paint more bubbles and add marks.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Alison x

Art Marks Day 12 - Unfold

Happy Thursday Everyone!

Day 12's Art Marks word is Unfold. Until recently, I'd rarely unfold on my blog, and share personal details. It was all about showing the art, and as few words as possible. I don't really like writing to be honest. Haha! Today, the bosses of the company who are taking over the rail project hubby is working on, are coming in to meet the staff. It will be interesting to see what unfolds from this!

On this page, I adhered torn book page, teabag, and Gelli Print scrap, then added marks and doodles with acrylic paint and pens. It was a 20 minute page, as it's a sunny day, and I was going out for a walk and coffee with my best friend and her son. 

I'm linking my page to Country View Crafts Challenge Anything But Cute.

Enjoy the rest of your day,

Alison x

Art Journal Journey - D is for Dog

Hello All!

The Artmarks word for Day 11 is 'Change'. Not sure what the word 'Change' means to me, have to think about that one. Although, there are changes with my Hubby's work of course, with his employer in liquidation. We're still waiting to see what will happen. 

My page started out like yesterday's, with some paint, teabags, and book page scraps. Then I added some pictures of dogs that I tore from Age Concern junk mail, painted hearts, words and splatters. I only found out afterwards that it's Chinese New Year, and it's The Year of the Dog...spooky and appropriate for today! I'm linking my page to Rike's Animals From A-Z Challenge at Art Journal Journey.

I spotted a heart on my coffee paper this morning...appropriate for Valentine's Day.

And finally, I was excited to see this fox sleeping by the debris of our daughter's old trampoline in the garden last night. I couldn't get a very good photo with my little old camera, as it was getting dark.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Alison x

Moo Mania - Love

Hello Folks! 

I was in a minimalist mood for today's Artmarks page, just some book page scraps, teabags, pink/white Fresco Finish Chalk acrylic paint, and black/white pens.

The word for Day 10 is quit. Quit that self-doubt...Heart your art!

I'm linking today's page to Moo-Mania's Love/Valentine's Challenge, and as it's teabag art, I'm also linking to Elizabeth's Tuesday T-Day.

I've got a filter coffee dripping/brewing at the moment, I might have to warm it up in the microwave! Lol!

Happy T-Day!

Alison x