Inspired by Van Gogh

I was wondering what to paint when I saw my friend, Betty's Facebook post about a Van Gogh exhibit.   I have a large paperback book, "Vincent Van Gogh The Drawings" that I hadn't looked through in some time.  In looking through the book again,  I fell in love with his work all over again.
Everytime I see the movie, "Lust for Life", I'm amazed at the number of  paintings that were brought to life in the movie.  
I sketched from "Old Man with a Top Hat" and painted him in gouache,  then I covered the rest of the two pages in black acrylic.
I love the lines in the face of his "Head of a Woman".   I  started sketching with white pencil and wound up painting her with gouache too.   I highlighted with a white gel pen and stamped around the background.   I liked how the second painting came out better,  gouache over acrylic background.   I won't be putting this book back on the shelf for awhile now.

Steampunk Girls

I drew and painted these girls then printed them out.  I liked how the opened zipper shows she's not  empty headed!

 But I really like carving my own stamps! I used Dick Blick ready-cut plates.  The small one is from Teesha Moore, I highlighted it a bit.  

Making an Art Journal from cardboard packing materials

I'm not going to say this spoke to me, because it goes without saying.  Opening a box can be very inspirational, like when I found this gem.   A book cover, already folded for me.

I wasn't sure where to start, so I started gessoing both sides, one at a time.  I knew I wanted to have a hook and closure of some sort.   As I've become a fan of  Steampunk art,  I've been making my own stamps.   I drew a template and cut out a design for the cover.   I found a metal button on Ebay and poked a hole through the front to secure it.  I used a cord for the back cover, braiding it and using a glue gun on the back.

I used Fabriano Artistico hot pressed watercolor paper .

I found some old map pictures and sketched a Compass Rose.  The clock face is from Ebay.  I had the skull sketch laying around and I went over it with some acrylic.  The binding is duck tape painted with Lumiere Metallic bronze.   I sealed it all with Dorland's Wax medium, I only let it sit for about 4 days before buffing it.  

The inside cover wasn't smooth so I built up a light layer with a collage of tissue papers using gel mat medium.  In hindsight I could have used a black and white theme, or even brown tinted newspapers for the inside cover.     The tissue paper was a quick fix.

The book closed.   I like it better open.   A clip and chain from Tim Holtz and a key and clock face from Ebay.

Inside the front cover,  showing where I sewed the button.

The back cover where I used the glue gun to secure the loop,  it could have had a better fit.

Acrylic, Gouache and Collage Art Journal Page

One of my most favorite artists, Roz Stendahl,  rozwoundup.typepad.com does beautiful gouache work in her journals.
I was looking for some inspiration yesterday and found some of her you-tube videos that I hadn't seen.
I loved her latest journal from the 2013 Fake Journal.  The 2014 begins in April, (www.officialinternationalfakejournalblog.blogspot.com
I looked up one of my favorite shows on you-tube, stopped at spots  I like and tried different sketches with the Pentel brush pen.  Eventually I did one I was happy with and cut it out.  Then I painted it with gouache after I glued it onto the page.

I had already done a background page in acrylic.   I stamped the flowers and then filled them in with paint, it took awhile, I had fun doing it.    The Prince and his bride seemed a perfect fit for the background.

Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas

I couldn't find a large cogwheel for a steampunk page,  but I had one more piece of Dick Blick ready-cut plate.  I liked the zipper for a mouth.  Have to remember that in case I sew up a steampunk doll. After I took the photo I was able to slip a needle and thread under the snowman's neck to attach the two metal arms.

Pop-up page

I joined Teesha Moore's Astronauts Club recently and there are lots of videos to watch.  After watching  the one on pop-up books I set out to do my own.  Pop-up books are fascinating.   I  haven't quite got the hang of it, still figuring out how to fold it so it pops up easily.
I was so engrossed in the pop-up dilemma, I spelled scissors wrong and didn't notice it.  Henry pointed it out (English major).

Steampunk Art Journaling

I first saw the steampunk art of michelelynchart.com in Art Doll magazine Nov/Dec/Jan 2012,  I loved the expressions on her dolls and the use of vintage items.  

Years ago I tried my hand at sewing my own Raggedy Ann dolls, every piece from scratch, and it took several days.  I thought that was the last of my doll making days until recently.

After painting background pages in a new journal I had made, I sketched a few dolls, copied them on my inkjet printer and started a steampunk page.

I googled the clock faces and cut one out for her dress.  I had painted borders and made copies.

I cannabalized a musical greeting card that reminded me of huge headphones.   Then I gave her a friend,  would've like a real zipper for her clothes.  But another clock face doubled for a hat.

I'm nuts about steampunk- for now!   Dolls in the future.  Thank you, Michele Lynch