Collage Sisthars

Teesha Moore Journaling Videos

Oh my goodness, I am nearly hyperventilating over these! Teesha Moore has just published videos on her blog on her journaling process. Scroll down to Friday, October 30; How-to 16 page journal to start at the beginning. Be sure to allow some time when you start these, you'll want to watch them all together and there are about 9 of them, at about 7 minutes each. Plus, you'll want to run to Dick Blick for some Fabriano paper and start journaling.

No, that's not Teesha's journal, that's one of my blank ones - but not for long!

Mixed Media Madness + date change to NOVEMBER 14!

I'm so sorry we keep having to play date hopscotch, but we are at the mercy of classroom space at the Fine Line. The good news is that by moving to the 14th, there's an excellent chance that we'll get to use both the Painting Studio (our usual room) plus the Surface Design Room, so we can make twice the paper! (Great idea, Mary Beth!) Also, because we can't leave anything alone, we're going to try some Mixed Media Madness on fabric. So rummage around and bring along an old tote bag, apron, fabric yardage, pair of Keds and we'll apply our Madness to it. Even if it already has graphics on it, we'll be covering it up.

We're thinking that these fabric items will not really be washable, unless one of you fabric gurus has an idea for a coating that will make it washable? (I know there's a paint additive that makes acrylics washable, but I don't want to interrupt the Madness flow to mix up special paint...) So bear in mind washability (or lack thereof) when selecting your item. 

Oh, and you can choose which colorway your cloth item will be "madnessed" in.

I'll put a color poll up on the blog next week, so we can vote on a few colorways. If you have a colorway selection, please give me a shout or leave a comment and I'll put that up for consideration.

Anyhow, here’s what you need to bring:
Paint. Cheapo, acrylic craft paint works fabulously. Metallics seem to be particularly good for this process. Colorways will be announced as we get closer.

You’ll need something to apply the paint with: brushes, rollers, credit cards, corrugated cardboard, feathers, sponges – you name it. Texture is good, in this case.

Since you’ll be walking around with the paint, some sort of palette-y thing would be good: Foam plate, meat tray, etc.

Little torn bits of paper in the above colorways.

And gel medium and a brush for gluing the papers.
Also some sort of tray/palette to carry the papers & gel medium around.

Rubber stamps and stamp pads.

Bring it if you’ve got it:
Leaf – gold, silver or copper
Webbing spray
Any other sparkly stuff you think you can get to stick to the paper
Blow dryer or heat gun to speed the drying process (providing we don’t blow the fuses again!)

Don't forget your cloth object!

We’ll make tablefuls of each colorway and everyone will take home an oversized page of each.

Spontaneous Collage Serendipity

Just like last time, the work produced on October 24 was outstanding! And no one hyperventilated this time! Absolutely gorgeous work, ladies! You guys ROCK!

Despite a few minor problems with numbering, the calendar charm swap was a great success:

Cindy's awesome calendar.

One, two, three....

Nancy brought in her latest amazing quilt.

Thanks, as ever, to Jean for the great photos. 

Last month: Texture Time!

Before we overlap with the fun we are going to have today, here are photos from last month's texture session:

(thanks as always, to our paper papparazza, Jean)

 

 

 

October 24: Spontaneous Collage

Last year's spontaneous collages. Wowza!

Egad. It has been a long time - sorry for the absentia, life just got away from me. Think I'm back in control, or at lest as much as I'm going to be. Since I sent the supply list email out soooo long ago, thought you might want a handy reference (I know I do).

For this meeting we will be making spontaneous collaborative collages, right there, in the session. We'll paint backgrounds for 30 minutes, let them dry, then swap the canvases to start a collage, swap again, then embellish, ending with a group embellishment session.. then you get to go home with 2 finished collages.

Really, don't let the speed of this process scare you. It's a chance to stretch your collage muscles and tell that picky little over-thinking voice in your head to shut up. Last year's participants said that it was a lot of fun - and the results were stellar!

Okay, here's what you need to bring:

2 (only 2, otherwise the math gets hairy) canvas boards, bigger than 5 x 7, smaller than 12 x 12. You could bring a stretched canvas, if you've got them lying around.

A small selection of acrylic paints for background painting.
Applicators for the paints - brushes, rollers, credit cards, sponges - you don't have to bring all of them, pick what you'd like to work with.
Water container, if you require water for your painting process.
Paper towels, baby wipes if you are messy.

Collage elements. I might suggest, if you have some spare time (I know, I know), cutting out some elements ahead of time - it just makes things go a little easier, when you are in the heat of collaging. Images, ephemera, papery bits, you know the drill.

Gel medium for adhesive and an applicator.

Embellishments - no need to haul the whole studio, pick some faves and toss them in a box. Fibers, trinkets, gel pens, again, you know the drill.

Also, at this session the charm swap numbers and months are due.

More from last year's session - Thanks for the photos, Jean!

Speaking of Michael DeMeng...

Guess who's being interviewed on Craftcast this week? I actually gasped out loud (with glee) when I found out. No, you don't specifically need to have an MP3 player to listen, it will play right on your computer, though it (the computer) is harder to walk around with.

I should also mention that Craftcast is offering a number of new online classes this fall, only $34.95 each. Art workshops in your jammies -  that is a very good thing. I keep missing the live classes (where you can ask questions), but videos of the past classes are also available for only $24.95. Technology is a wonderful thing!

Hobby Lobby to the Rescue!

Here we are, trying to find Molding Paste, with nary a Joann's or Michaels' 40% off coupon in sight. But wait! Hobby Lobby is offering 30% off artist mediums (and canvas boards) this week. Whew!

As an alternative, if you'd rather shop at the hardware store, Jean B says Michael DeMeng uses DAP caulking compound instead of molding paste, due to the expense. I haven't tried the DAP stuff yet, but am going to get my hands on some for us to test on Saturday.

September 26: Texture Time!

This coming Saturday, September 26, we'll be playing with texture.

Here's what you'll need to bring:

A board or two: canvas board, stretched canvas, a piece of plywood (coated with gesso) - something to hold your textured stuff.

Small jar of molding paste - can find this in the craft stores with the fine arts materials, by the gel medium. I personally like light-bodied paste, because I don't embed heavy stuff. If you think you'd like to embed bigger things or be more bold with your texture, then by all means, get the heavy-bodied. Alas, it's not the cheapest stuff, like $12 a jar; in a pinch, you can use lightweight spackle you find at the hardware store. Mind you, the spackle is better suited to creating texture in and of itself, as opposed to holding bits onto your piece.

Something to apply the molding paste with - I like to use a plastic offset palette knife. I've seen it applied with a disposable plastic picnic knife, as well.

A piece or two of thicker paper; watercolor paper, cardstock

Gesso

Stuff to make texture: Found objects, aluminum foil bits, tissue paper, beads, cheese cloth, lace, mesh, buttons, string, punched bits of paper, stencils, pressed leaves, dig around your stash and see what treasures you can find.

Something kind of sharp to scribe your texture: bamboo skewer, awl, needle tool, dried up ballpoint pen

A piece of sandpaper

Paint - acrylics, maybe 3 complementary colors - in a light tone, medium tone and dark tone

Paintbrush(es)
Water container
Paper towels

Metallic - pearl ex, gold leaf, rub n buff 

Aside from the molding paste, most everything should be in your studio. Don't worry if you don't have every single thing.. aside from the molding paste, we can share. Share a tub of the paste with a friend, if you don't think you will be using gobs of it. I tried to think of a way around having to buy it, but it's really a necessary component.

If you created anything fabulous over the summer (aside from what you are entering in the show), please bring that along so we can ooh and ahh... you know how we love to look at stuff.

As always, any questions, give me a shout.

Sisthars here and Sisthars there

Sisthars have been busy this summer!

Here are a few notables:

Jean (our photographer extraordinare) had her mixed media assemblage piece (shown above) selected for Cloth Paper Scissors' upcoming 2010 calendar, "Life is Like a box of ...". Order your copy here. Way to go, Jean!

I know this Sisthar loathes the limelight, so you can just click here to see what's up with her.

Cherylyn is having a contest on her blog this week, so head on over and leave her a comment. She's also going to be teaching Bronze Metal Clay at the Fine Line. You can check out her class here.

I am sorry if you emailed me things and I have forgotten to post them. I will blame it on the freakishly cool summer, or just my old age. Resend it and I'll be happy to post, 'kay?

Right in our own backyard

Well, for most of us. The new Water Street Studios in Batavia is celebrating its grand opening this Friday. More information here.