Latest Art Addiction

Ever have one of those days when you want to create but don't know what to do? Have you ever gone into a slump and need to find a way to kick start your creative juices? Well I had the same problem. It wasn't for lack of ideas, I just needed to create but didn't want to work on any of my projects. Sketchbooks were always a problem for me because I had a tendency to try to bring each idea and sketch to a final piece. Kind of defeats the purpose of a sketchbook doesn't it. Well Quilting Arts Magazine and Cloth, Paper, Scissors Magazine periodically run ideas for sketchbooks so I have found myself sketching in them more.




On the right are the sketches from the viewfinder onto tissue paper. After blowing them up on the copy machine (left side) I glue these onto pages in my sketchbook to create new and interesting pictures/designs.

The other day was my big, creative breakthrough day! I found an old piece of cardboard I had cut to create a viewfinder. It was out of white cardboard and the center opening was 2" x 5 3/4". I started dropping it over books with pictures and saw some interesting shapes. I became very excited. I hunted down some tracing paper and started sketching around the shapes in the viewfinder. I was able to get about 8 pieces on one sheet of the tracing paper!

Next step was cutting them out and enlarging. I blew them up on a copy machine (yes we actually have one in the house!) to 180%. Then I cut them out (you only get one per sheet this time). Next came the truly inspiring and fun part. Ok I might be just a little addicted - not as bad as that chicken guy - but close! You need one 8 1/2" x 11" spiral bound sketchbook, a glue stick and a pencil.



This picture was created from an outline of small sailboats and their masts.



These were from a small detail of a building. Reminds me of vases or maybe a musical instrument.



Another from a part of a building. Looks like jello molds.



Small architectural detail that was made into it's own building. Reminded me of Dorthy and the Wizard of Oz.

I started playing with the pieces and gluing them onto pages in the sketchbook. Then I started gluing two different ones to the same page. I cut pieces up to create comic book type pages! I started seeing a picture out of roots and created an entire cross section view of a pond from the lily to the bottom of the lake. I could see an art piece developing from this. Small mini pieces put together to create an entire picture.
Wow! Once I started I couldn't stop myself. I have started carrying it with me to piano practices to work on while waiting. After burning myself out on the gluing. I pulled out the pencil. Now I had to create pictures out of the shapes on the pages. I sketched and came up with some really fun and interesting designs. All you have to do is start extending the lines from the photocopy to create a new picture. Who knew a forest could develop out of small sailboats and masts.



This was a cross section of a part of a fish. I created a fish and bubbles hiding in the seaweeds.



This was an outline of some plant. I made two copies and glued them bottom to bottom and connected them to create a plankton looking piece.



This was from roots and a rock. I made two copies. I glue one to the bottom of the one page and the other to the top (reversed) on the next page. Then connected together. I colored with oil pastels and watercolors. Reminded me of a cavern under the water.



I glued different sized pieces to two pages. It creates a picture but is broken up into different sized squares.

I colored some of them in with colored pencils, watercolors and oil pastels. I think I may actually have some new and interesting pieces that will come from these experiments. Who knew working in a sketchbook could be so much fun?!!