Watercolor Sky

Here's the new cover for the wee bird book I am working on. It began as an idea for a fall themed pumpkin image but turned into a blustery sky scene. All of the pages are now complete so it's just a matter of finishing touches and it's ready to be put together! This has taken a bit of time as I've come up with 'page' designs so it will be easier to make more of these (with different covers of course!).
Have a look at more projects with many different artists. This is a fun weekly event.

Thanks for dropping by! *smiles* Norma

Tiny Bird Book on my workdesk...

On my front lawn (was on my workdesk!) lays a tiny bird book in the process of being made. It's about half complete and so for photographic purposes I inserted the covers for the original prototype that I started making last Christmas. I've only just now got around to it again. Here is a close up of the cover which was 'winter' themed. My new cover will be fall themed I bet.


I joined up to play in a paper swap and it's my first so I'm not completely certain about what I should be making but this will be my contribution as it is made of paper. Here is a photo of the pages loosely stacked along with the front cover of my prototype. I'll do a new watercolor painting for the swap.


Two pages from the actual book I am making.


Two more pages below.


First page with front cover. Notice the tea bag paper being used! I adore tea bag paper.


Front and back cover. The back cover features a cut paper scherenschnitte composition. I may use this actual piece or do a new one.


Well this gives you an idea of what I am working on today and these days. Much more work to go on this project. It'll need a Tim Holtz procedure for sure!

Well thanks for dropping by! *smiles* Norma

To see more fabby artwork and what people are up to go here.

Making Wings

Every morning for days now, I've been making wings!


These are for a set of fairy doll prims that I hope to submit to a magazine for consideration.


The delicate little things take hours and hours to make as they feature found text which then gets applied to the tulle and fashioned into removeable wings. I am also working out the finer points in the doll construction. They are slowly getting there...one step at a time. Hope to see you again soon! *smiles* Norma

I BELIEVE...

In front of me sits a 'storyboard' (a skirt hanger rack holding eight little sketches either drawn, colored, painted or collaged and with a given color as the only guideline for each.) They are done on used tea bag paper and now await their story. Up until this point the muses have had full freedom to express themselves. They have had their way and now it is my turn. It is up to me to bring the story to light.

I think this process has been about my beliefs. So what do I believe? Let's see what the pictures tell me about that.

As the story told itself to me, the order of the pictures changed. The bracketed number is the original order (for reference.)

[1] 1. If you spend some time alone dreaming, ideas will come to you. These ideas are important to you right now in the present moment. Remember these ideas.
[6] 2. There are helper beings that assist us in finding our way. We may never see these helpers. The important ideas are like little nuggets of valuable gold. They are like cash in the bank for our creative selves. We can withdraw the valuable ideas when we need them.
[2] 3. You do not have to travel far to find the valuable ideas you need. Wherever you go, there you are. Just open your eyes and look. There is one within sight this minute. Look for it. Believe you can find it.
[5] 4. Even if you don't know what to do with these ideas, pay attention to them. Honor them. Write them down. Keep them in a special spot for when you need them.
[4] 5. When the time is right, share your ideas with others. Listen to others' ideas. We are all teaching each other.
[3] 6. Feel free to fly without wings. You've been walking a long way amongst the golden nuggets and the gold has transferred to your feet. You do not need wings. Your feet will carry you as far as your imagination allows. Imagine BIG.
[7] 7. Even if your world is black with thunderous scary forces at play-you can find the silver lining. Even if it is not readily apparent. Look in the shadows. Mine the silver there.
[8] 8. With these beliefs you can attain great heights.

FINI

The Summer of Color has provided me with an amazing wonderful journey and I want to thank Kristin for her generous effort to allow us a magical summer. I thank you from the bottom of my heart!! *smiles* Norma

p.s. these pages will make up a little accordion book and have the messages somehow incorporated. It will take longer than a week for me to pull this together but I will blog about it when it is done. I have enjoyed the art that you all have made in this amazing journey together. So much fun!

TRUTH OR DARE

TRUTH!
This is my drawing table/light table/work table. It sits on my bathroom counter directly on top of my sink which I now don't use.
Truth: In the photo below you can see my laundry pile. It is truthfully towering over my work table.
Question: I ask myself "What is more important? Laundry or Art"?
Truth: Art


On my workdesk this day of What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday, are wings I am making for my artdoll prim fairies. They have removeable wings which tie on, made of tulle, with found text applied and made fancy with sequins, beads, etc. I cannot describe the enjoyment I get in making these. Hours of enjoyment. They take hours to make if you can imagine!! Finding the text is what eats up the time.


Here's a closeup of a wing with text. I am imagining a face in the style of Suzi Blu for this doll.

Thanks for dropping in! *smiles* Norma

Grace Under Fire

Found words on her removeable wings read:
"she still wore her black hair in an old-fashioned bun at the nape of her neck.
Because she had been complaining, between tight-pressed lips to express her feelings.
People would shout and wave right in front of the old lady.
and because she was certain
All will be lost but for the dignity of the black intensity,
she sat transfixed for the first time.


Well I am coming closer to what I wanted to do with this artdoll prim. She has all limbs and a decent dress (needs tweaking at the neck) and her hair is way scaled back but I think still too bold. I am going to try a more subtle color, or if I use this wild red then the hair 'do' needs to be more controlled I think. I am very pleased with her face. It hasn't had the 'encaustic' treatment yet and while I was working with it I managed to tear the left (her right) eye in two. Such is the fate of artdolls I guess. She stands a grasshopper head above six inches. Her dress is seersucker in a pastel polka dot. Her wings are tulle with sequin trim and with found words applied to used tea bag paper and then attached to the tulle.

Well I'll call it a day as it did take me all day to make her. Every stitch was done by hand with a needle and thread and I love not having to worry about sewing machine tension or threading the bobbin, etc.
Nice to visit with you, and we'll talk soon! *smiles* Norma

Week Eight: Summer of Color (Orange)

Here is a close up of this weeks' color offering of orange. Really, the only three things that are actually orange are the eye, beak and legs (oh yes, the toes too!) ~ but there is a reflection of golden pale orange from the hot hot sun that the crane is flying in view of, on the body and upper wing. This guy was painted onto used tea bag paper with sumi-e ink, india ink, acrylic paint and watercolor paint.


Here you can see the grouping of eight tea bag paper sketches which will compose the greater part of a little journal.

Pop over to the Summer of Color event hosted by Kristin, and see what other artists are up to! This has been a very fun event for all. I want to thank Kristin from the bottom of my heart. Due to having to come up with something every week for eight weeks running now, I for the first time really have some sort of grasp on using paint brushes and india ink and acrylic and just generally more able to let go of the fear of failure in an attempt to make art. If I fail the sky does not fall in. I just throw the paper out and start again. Every attempt teaches me something. Every attempt is a building block to where I want to go.

Thanks for dropping in! *smiles* Norma

Drawing faces...argggggh!

What is on my workdesk on this Wednesday? Faces! YUK! For those of you out there who think you can't draw? Neither can I! But I am learning. I sat in front of the computer screen this morning watching youtube and trying my best to draw a face on used tea bag paper.


This sheet of five faces was the result and I wish they would not all look like deer stuck in the headlights. It's a learning process. There is something I like about each one of these faces. But overall YUK. The next batch will be so much better and that is what keeps me going. I know I am very slowly learning.


What I learned today was the colors I like so I did a color key. Looks as though I like: light black, black, white, grey, burnt umber, berry, peach and olive green so I am going with that. I also learned that I like a soft fuzzy edge (hints of this in attempt no. one at the top left). Now I am going to try a thin vine charcoal for my next attempt.


These faces are meant to be used for my current art project which is 6 inch cloth artdoll prims with removeable wings.

Thanks for popping in! *smiles* Norma

Golden Ambition and Illimitable Dreams

Several huge bats with white heads darted in irregular flight over her. While in the unearthly starlit gloom, a shining, red-tinged dust cloud shrouded her soul. She saw through the eyes of golden ambition and illimitable dreams. She welcomed answering to some strange need in itself. Her unforgettable interpretation of that ~ love.


This artdoll prim started out to be a planning doll for myself to give to the Comfort Doll Project. The only rule is that the doll be no taller than six inches so as to be able to fit into a pocket. I'd planned to give this away and then make one for a giveaway on my blog and then to maybe make some for my etsy shop. The only thing I knew for sure was that the entire doll was to be hand stitched (absolutely no machine stitching) and that she'd have wings that were tied on so they could be removed or attached according to whimsy. I knew that the face would be adhered with acrylic gel medium and then encaustic, and she'd have hair but not necessarily a lot of hair. So I began. Sketched in the face on used tea bag paper and right off the bat she reminded me a bit of Amy Winehouse so I gave her big hair with a pouf. I wanted a quote for the wings that said "Tears dry on their own" or "My tears dry on their own." I sat at the kitchen table (I am house sitting for my daughter so do not have any of my art supplies so I am digging into hers...which are very different than mine...and very exciting really) and started pouring through the only two books that I could find in english that I could cut up to get the quote. Fast forward two hours. Still no quote. One was a dud sort of and the other was a Zane Grey mystery. Wowser! I never did get the Amy quote but some phrases jumped right out demanding to be used so I followed the lead of the muse and let it happen. Thus the quote in the first paragraph. I quickly made the wings (which tie on) and put a very makeshift dress together and called it a day. I am disappointed that I can't give this particular doll away [her dress is hideous and the colors of hair (way over done) and wings, etc. don't work]. She doesn't even have arms. But she will be my prototype and now I can plan better to make a nice dress with wings that at least match it and hair that is way scaled back.
Just wanted to show you what I am working on today. Nice to see you, *smiles* Norma

I am off to Value Village to look for Zane Grey novels! Wowser! Who knew? A goldmine of found words!