There was more motorcycle racing this weekend so the stitch camp piece got a few more lines of whipped running stitch added. I did quilt the top border of Naomi's quilt to see how the way I ended up turning the corner looked and it looks pretty good. Click on the photo for a larger view. I thought I'd get at least one more side quilted before the weekend and spend the race watching time tearing off the paper, but a bigger diversion arose keeping me from any more quilting. What might that be, you ask?
Another free class. Actually, this was billed as an online retreat which started on Friday. Laly Mille was offering this opportunity to create your own weekend retreat and learn how she approaches creating her lovely art journaling pages. I've admired these ever since she was one of the Sketchbook Revival teachers my first go round. But I've never figured out how to make my art journal pages look blended and ethereal like hers so here's a chance to learn how she does it. Leading up to Friday there were things to gather and think about and one of the things I decided was that I've been trying to do this journaling in a small space while she works in a large sketchbook she makes herself. Well, I know how to make sketchbooks now, and I had the size watercolor paper she uses to make her sketchbooks so I spent quite a bit of time cutting and folding and sewing together my big 3 signature coverless book to work in. The picture above shows my setup and some of the supplies I started to gather. I only made it through day one of the retreat, watching the "first layers" video and feeling very uncomfortable and out of my depth adding paint to the pages and totally freezing up when the next step was to collage a few things on the page. Not your main images which I had at the ready but background things that may end up being covered in the end. I struggle with this concept - spending time and thought to put things down only to have them disappear. What's the point? Guess I'll learn. I couldn't quit thinking about this though and between races, I kept popping into the studio as I thought of something else I had that might work, finding some papers I'd painted that could be collaged, adding a little gesso over the swaths of paint I'd applied (which helped more than I could have imagined). Laly warned not to be discouraged at this point if you thought your piece was a hot mess because it probably is, but it will get better. Thanks for saying that - I definitely relate to the hot mess! The good thing is though that she is giving us all this week to catch up, work through the videos, add touches to the page before a wrap-up session this Friday. So much for quilting . . .
While digging out my big pads of watercolor and multi-media paper, I stumbled upon yet another set of directions for a book from the Handmade Book Club, paper clipped to one of the pads so decided to cut the paper to size while I was in a cutting mood - more diversions!. I can't believe how many books I now have lined up to make, directions paired with paper. Of course, I want to know how I got so behind on the club projects, but I'm pretty sure it was the two years in succession of surgeries - first for cataracts and then for back. I don't want to put any of this back in the closet, so once I'm done with the art journaling retreat and the baby quilt, I may have to go on a bookmaking binge.
I noticed when I popped into Laly's website that she is still encouraging people to sign up for this retreat. See her blog here if you are curious.
4 comments:
I share your frustration with putting down layers of background that end up covered up. I am always annoyed at Instagram videos that start with the most beautiful papers and images that disappear as the project moves along. It just seems like a terrible waste of art materials! I just refuse to participate with that sort of process.
I know less than nothing about this sort of project. But, as Kathy said in her comment, it seems to me to be a waste of perfectly good materials when you cover them up with something else! It's a learning process so you'll most likely be happy with the final product when you get there! You have plenty of things to choose from in your line up of books to make! Are they like quilt UFO's where you need to make a list to cross off when you complete one? Jan in WY
Kathy, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your comment, a confirmation of how I've been viewing this type of art. I am such a waste not want not sort of person and this covering up of things you've found/bought/saved makes no sense to me, only if a ghost of it still shows through (which is supposed to add depth). It's no doubt why I rankle a bit when I hear people say "it's just fabric" or "it's just paper/paint/etc" adding you can always buy more. Well, not necessarily, if you are on a tight budget, or if the thing is unique or hard to find again. Anyway, I was so happy to see you feel similarly. Jan too!
Jan, I thought printing out the bookmaking directions would be enough of a system to keep me on track. And then I thought pairing them with the papers and cover materials would keep me on track. But apparently not! That's not a bad idea you have of listing them - I love making to do lists and crossing things off as I complete them. Haven't done that for awhile for my quilting though it was a great tool when I did. Maybe I'll have to start again.
And yeah, by doing in this art journaling class, I find I AM learning. Not sure about the being happy with the final product but even if not, I will have a better idea of where I want to go with this instead and lots of experience. :-)
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