Monday, January 31, 2011

Travel Art Journal Page Leaving On A Jet Plane

Travel journal drawings trip to Sanibel Island in Florida























I recently took a trip to Sanibel Island in Florida (these drawings are from the first 24 hours) and this sketch was done at the airport. My husband kept singing "leaving on a jet plane". The bags are my carry on suitcase, camera bag, and a large zippered bag I bought in Hawaii. We got to the airport at 6:00 am for a 7 o'clock flight.

Travel journal drawings trip to Sanibel Island in Florida























Never say at the airport "at least I never had to sit near the rest rooms", it's not wise to tempt the seating gods. The good news was we were as far away as possible from the crying baby and the seat between us was empty.

Travel journal drawings trip to Sanibel Island in Florida























It was so nice to hear the surf and see palm trees again; I missed it. It was particularly sweet when the temperature was -23 in Minneapolis (without wind chill). Fort Meyers Beach was a nice way to start the vacation but we preferred the more quiet beaches that Florida has to offer.

Travel journal drawings trip to Sanibel Island in Florida























Dunkin Donuts has left Minnesota but we remembered it fondly and had to stop for a dozen.

Travel journal drawings trip to Sanibel Island in Florida























The sea gulls spotted me taking a bagel out of my bag and swooped down; I was really impressed since it was wrapped in a paper napkin. I should have brought the rest of the donuts.

Travel journal drawings trip to Sanibel Island in Florida























Sanibel Island and Captiva are home to over 250 varieties of shells. The pristine beaches are a joy to walk along. The airport screener wasn't happy when he opened our suitcases and had to go through the shells we brought home. The suitcases are still airing in the garage.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Duck Camp T-Shirt Design

Duck Camp T-Shirt Design

















 I was asked to make a t-shirt design for the guests and owners of a Palisade, Minnesota duck camp.

I drew a mallard drinking long neck beer while sitting in front of a camo print pup tent. The client thought that 3 beers weren't enough so I added a couple more.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Kleenex Box Book

Kleenex Box Book
I look the cardboard from a box of Kleenex, backed it with acid free comic book backing board for comic books, then bound it into a art journal.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Cabbage, The Vegetable of Mystery

cabbage painting























I had done this previously as an art journal page but decided to try painting it with lots of transparent acrylic washes. It was similar to watercolor but a lot more work. It would have been easier to paint on resist and do a water color.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Extreme Close Up Of A Pine Tree Abstract Painting

Extreme Close Up Of A Pine Tree Abstract Painting















I enjoy puzzles where the item has such an extreme close up it becomes difficult to determine what the image is.

These abstract acrylic paintings show pine bark, a pine cone, and the tip of a pine branch.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Handmade Art Journal From The Book The Winged Horse

Handmade Art Journal From The Book The  Winged Horse























Found this lovely vintage book, The Winged Horse, and turned it into a new art journal. The end papers are green toned mythical scenes. It's nice to find a use for some of the art tablets have sitting around. 50 pound paper would not be a first choice for a serious drawing but it works well for a journal.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Acrylic Portrait of A Young Man

Complementary Colors Portrait of A Young Man Interpretation of Sandro Botticelli's Portrait of a Young Man
I liked attitude of Sandro Botticelli's Portrait of a Young Man 1482-83 so I reinterpreted him with a more modern twist. He has a backwards cap, purple t-shirt and was painted in acrylic black, white and the complementary colors purple and yellow.

What caught my eye the most from Botticelli's original was the way he held his hand, the gesture had a hip hop attitude.

Sandro Botticelli's Portrait of a Young Man

Monday, January 24, 2011

Sunday, January 23, 2011

3 More Recycled Book Art Journals

Recycled Book Art Journals























I debated turning this old book into a journal but I loved the gold paw print despite the ring mark on the cover.

Recycled Book Art Journals























They couldn't sell this old Gregg Shorthand Book since it had so many ripped out pages and the numerous notes written inside. It's nice to find a use for misfit books.

Recycled Book Art Journals























The Red Badge Detective has a wonderful graphic that speaks to the designer in me; the funny part is is the name is red badge but the color is actually purple.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Carved Angel Folk Art Whistle

carved angel whistleThis cherub is demurely dressed in blue and she's blowing a golden horn. The carved, wooden whistle actually works.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Recycled Art Journal With A Sailboat Cover

sailing book recycled into an artist journal
This book was written by Minnesotan who wanted to sail across the Atlantic now it sails across my shelf. The book had lovely endpapers that add a lot to my new art journal. I filled it with recycled vacation themed printed paper that is also acid free.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Rootin Tootin Art Journal

western book recycled into an artist journalWhat can I say, I'm on a journal making roll. My father is always reading a Western so I thought I'd give him one he doesn't have.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Hand Carved Flying Santa With Horn

carved flying wooden Santa blowing a horn



































Santa is flying along while blowing a golden horn. I was in a whittling mood and I only had pine; basswood work much better.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Manga Art Journals

Recycled Manga Bound Into Art Journals












Alethea developed journal envy when she ran across these hard cover Oh My Goddess books from Japan. She selected several original pages from the books and we included them along with the drawing paper. It's interesting that the order is reversed and the cover is on the back; they would be perfect for a left handed person.

Alethea designs jewelry and these will be fun for keeping her drawings and records in.

Monday, January 17, 2011

The Frogs Zine

the frogs Zine
the frogs Zine


the frogs Zine


















































This frog visited our yard 2 years ago and he was so huge he merited B movie monster treatment. My husband was a little horrified when I did a version where the dogs were being chased by a giant frog so I stuck with 1970's style creature feature shots.

The pages are laid out in a signature and the finished zine is 4" x 5"

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Snowman Kit

snowman kit























I like putting quirky (nondestructive) things around town such as fake lost posters, hanging paintings from bushes along a walking path and this was today's. I filled a basket with snow, added a carrot and scarf. The sign says Snowman, some assembly required.

The snow is truly this white today.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Portrait of Nissa Dressed As Link

Painting of a young woman dressed as Link form Zelda






















My daughter Nissa, enjoys cosplay and this is her Link costume. The pop art style painting was done with acrylics and took considerably less time than it did to make the ensemble.

We made her shield from foam core, the sword is carved foam, the scabbard rests on her back. She has an orcarina on her belt along with a fairy in a bottle and a pouch for essentials. The gloves and boots were made from faux leather and the boots were hot glued over an old pair of tennis shoes. She found the elf ears online which was wonderful since I had no good ideas for making believable ears.

She attended the Chicago Comic Con and won Fan Girl of the month by winning all the challenges.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Handmade Art Journal

Artist Journal made from a vintage book























I complete a sketch book about every 2 months and have recently started making my own. Miss Pickerall On The Moon was a vintage book that my daughter Nissa spotted at Half Price Books. I cut the spine off and bound it with a spiral binder. The paper inside was cut from drawing tablets that were bundled in a back to school selection at Blick.

An old book was upcycled, a neglected tablet found a purpose, and I have a fun new art journal. It's a total win.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Feather Christmas Trees

Feather Christmas trees


















The light was beautiful on these feather Christmas trees. I made them a few years ago using natural and dyed goose feathers.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Upcycled Video Box Book

Book made from a VHS Box























I've been making journals with vintage books using the covers and some of the interior pages but today I repurposed some old VHS boxes. The Nightmare Before Christmas book was from the interior sheet that was inside a plastic VHS box. The sheet was only heavy paper so I backed it on acid free cardboard. The Benny and Joon book was too thin so I included the spine and was also backed on acid free cardboard since it wasn't as heavy as I prefer. I keep art journals in my purse and that's a challenging environment for a thin cover.

Book made from a VHS Box























The paper inside is acid free sketching paper that came in a back to school bundle from Blick. I used a paper cutter to cut the paper to size.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Tropical Crooners

painting of a couple with a ukelele in front of a tropical moon
I saw an old shampoo label from the 1930s and turned it into an acrylic pop art painting.