Mixed Media Collage, Some Phases

Here's how this evening's creative time began: random alcohol ink spots on a paper.

Some layers were drawn on the computer and printed as layers. And some doodling by pens is a necessity for me to get really started!

I have recently been pretty obsessed about the composition. I used to aim for balance only but now I have began to want more. 

Here's the finished collage which I intend to include in a new art journal.

Digital Flow State

Here's a digital art journal page that I made for Art Journal Caravan's weekly challenge. The theme was "Machination".

I wanted to make a page with interesting asymmetric composition with both geometric and free shapes. As always I started with a plain white background and started adding my own digitalised elements and photos. While creating the page I thought about how powerful the nature is. It truly is the biggest machine of all and the greatest source of imagination!

Many people say they work with computers and do not want to create anything with them in their free time. So did I. But within time I have noticed that it is more the question of if you really can get into the flow state on a computer or not. For me, the big thing was to get to know the program very well (I use mostly Adobe Photoshop). After that I have been able to forget the tool and concentrate on creating.

Photo Album Art Journaling

I have tried to find easy ways to do art journal pages when I only have little time for it. I had a couple of small empty photo albums so I thought why not! People already scrapbook by inserting photos and journal cards to photo pockets so there's not much difference to that!

These are all 4 by 6 inches pages!I do still art journal in bigger size too. Here's a new page for my "pretty art journal". I think it goes fairly well with the page I made earlier.

And here are some greeting cards that I have made recently. The world really is full of color and that inspires me every day!

Getting Creative With Gel Printing Plate

I have been playing with some new toys. Gelli Arts gel printing plate and an electronic die cutter Silhouette Cameo. I made background papers by using die cut shapes and several layers of paint.

This one could work as a pattern itself:

The next one is a bit brighter:

The last one is a collage that has monoprinted papers in the background.While making this I realized that my love for fiber arts really shows in many of my collages. I think is like embroidered lace. But that was not what I was thinking about when making this. I thought about the creativity we all have and that we should cherish. It's always there waiting. Just let loose!

Be You!

I believe strongly that every person is unique and every one has their own unique style. It is only the matter of time and practice to find it.

This time I did not want to create anything particular, just let go and relax. I love ornaments and dig some from my treasure box. They were made some time ago using watercolors and markers. Then I grabbed black background paper and started doodling. Color pencils add extra interest. Using various supplies makes the collage interesting.

By using a variety of supplies and taking care of the composition is often enough for the eye. The only third thing you need to add is You!

Behind The Butterfly

I have spent most of the spare time taking care of the new puppy. It has been pretty difficult to find time for creative stuff. I have moved most of the art supplies to our dining area table where I can watch the puppy more easily. That way I have been able to make something, now and then, in small steps.

Stella's point of view can't be missed. She thinks the summer smells great. I might have got some inspiration from her for the illustration! And the butterfly might actually represent her in the picture, who knows!

Under The Spring Sun

There's spring in Finland and the first flowers are blooming in my garden!

I made this collage digitally from my scanned artwork. I tried to catch the power of the sunlight here.

My interview is published in ValeriAtelier's blog. Among other interesting topics, I was presented with the question: "What is your best advice for emerging artist?" Read the interview and my best advice for creative people!

Some Things Never Change

My favorite time in a normal working week is Friday night. That's when I turn the music on, grab the pens and brushes and start creating.

I often think about deep and complicated but the music I listen to is very ordinary pop. It really does not go along with my visual style. What I need from music is to create a kind of shield around me, assure that I can do it. It's been like this for tens of years.

Speaking of time over 20 years ago ...

These two old paintings are hanging at my home and I watch them every day. What I did then was pretty much the same that I do now: listen to bad music and get into a flow state. Back then I had just discovered cubism and some new hues of color. These paintings remind me how people stay same even if the years go by. New thoughts will appear, new colors and shapes will be discovered but the true identity stays.

Nature's Symmetry

I wanted to make an ornament that could be used as a starting point of fabric design. I usually begin to make an ornament by defining it's structure. The idea I had in mind this time was to create a long ornament where various elements are lined symmetrically. Symmetrically! I am not a big fan of symmetry, most of the times I find it a bit too conventional and boring.

Here's my end result. It is symmetrical but still not quite. I think it goes well with the plant theme. Even if the plants grow symmetrically, there's still some variation.

I made this card few days ago (available at Etsy) and its also a good example of rough symmetry. I especially like the black random plots on blue petals.

Creating Wood

My husband is into woodworking and he often shows me stuff that inspires me too. Like this box. After seeing it I wanted to work with papers like they were wood. Carve with my pen and all!

Here's my own little piece of wood, only on paper!

First, I only had an idea of how wood is constructed as a material. It's lots of layers. I made the bottom layer with inks and chose deep orange shades. Then I took one of my illustrations, converted it black and white with computer and printed it to a transparent film. It was pretty full of everything - as my work usually is - even in black and white, but of course it was not quite enough. I added some more doodling over it with a black marker. It already began to look like wood when setting the transparency over the orange background.

I was not finished though. The two layers were then scanned and manipulated digitally to make the black look like it's gone deeper into the orange layer. The result was printed on paper. I added "the carving" using white pen. Then back to the computer! I cut the piece in Photoshop and added the original scan as a background. Some fine tuning and there it was!

An american artist Georgia O'Keeffe said: "To create one's own world, in any of the arts, takes courage." I do not know about courage but it surely is the best art can give to me: to create my own world!

Faberge Revisited

Now is the time to grab those handmade patterned papers and make your own Faberge eggs! I used the smallest scraps here!

I begun with styrox egg and covered it with gesso. After the gesso had dried I glued the paper scraps with matte medium. Then I drew few extra doodles on it and added some faux jewels.

The stand is made from used tealight candle tin. I covered it with paper and added a decorated ribbon on it.

You can't have too many details here! The more the better!

Have a creative Easter!

There's a Little Girl In All of Us

Have you ever wondered why women's faces are so popular theme in mixed media and collage? For example Suzi Blu's book Mixed Media Girls has not even published yet and it's already high in ranking at Amazon.

I know the answer why drawing faces is so popular. It is getting back to the state where women where little girls. I was not a big fan of dolls when I was a child but still - I loved my paper dolls. And I also drew faces on small pieces of paper and gave them names!

So no wonder I still draw faces occasionally when I want to be playful. This page is for my "Pretty Art Journal" and it is about women loving drama with historical costumes. "The drama stays the same even if the centuries vary" I wrote here and made the text be part of her hair!

Masking Tape Magic

This is the old blog from Peony and Parakeet. 
Welcome to follow the new blog at www.peonyandparakeet.com
This post is also found in the new blog, go to: 
http://www.peonyandparakeet.com/masking-tape-magic/

While reading the morning paper I saw this painting from Paivi Takala. It is made using masking tapes. Masking tapes! Surely I can do something for my art journal with them ...

I made a page about Japan and wrote how I love all the tiny stuff they produce from bonsai trees to small boxes. Instead of layering with paint I used masking tape.

Here are some snapshots from the process.

Here you can see the masking tapes and how I have doodled over them. I started with black marker and color pencils.

Then I added some glitter paint.

Now I have removed the tape.

Here's the final page again. I have filled some of the areas with handdrawn patterns but used most for journaling. Will definitely used this technique again!

Pretty Art Journaling

This is the old blog from Peony and Parakeet. 
Welcome to follow the new blog at www.peonyandparakeet.com
This post is also found in the new blog, go to: 
http://www.peonyandparakeet.com/pretty-art-journaling/

I have started to wonder: is there only one style in art journaling? Is it only for those who are ready to explore with paint and who are not afraid of getting messy. And scrapbooking: is it about using commercial products and aiming for pretty pages?

Can't there be pretty art journaling?

I bought this pink Smash book some time ago. The pages were so pretty I could not put any mess over them. And my style of making scrapbooks was not suitable for them either. But after getting fed up with messy mixed media, I dared to open it and just make it pretty!

So why not glue all the pretty stuff to your art journal? Add lace and frills and anything you find beautiful!

I added both commercial products and my own handdecorated papers to the page. Even my handwriting is a bit more controlled than how I usually write.

Happy journaling!

Easter Is Coming!

And how do I know that? Without Pinterest I probably would have not noticed it yet. Last easter I made an Easter themed illustration and people have been pinning it now. Also I love Faberge eggs and discovered via Pinterest that many other's do that too.

So, thinking of eggs like a minute or so, I had to begin to make my own ones!

Emerald and Bigger Prints

Emerald, original collage available at Etsy

Prints available at DeviantArt

When I make expressive art like this work I often start with an emotion. It is a certain feeling I have an idea of and often connected to a very precise hue of color. I had the idea for Emerald for weeks but was able to make only small components due to the lack of time. Now I finally painted the background, made the detailed drawings on it and assembled the elements I had made earlier.

This work is about inner power and going one's own way. There's some selfishness, some stubbornness and an introvert attitude. But it is not all negative energy. I think that sometimes it is needed to get back on track. I am interested to know, what does this work speak to you?

I have been getting enquiries of how to buy prints of my art with bigger size than what's available on my Etsy store. You can now buy some of my art from DeviantArt store, sizes and products of each artwork vary a bit but there are large prints, mousemats, coasters etc.

Thank you for your support and lovely messages I receive every day! It feels super great and keeps me going!

Home and Warmth

I hate houses with no textiles. It seems to be a trend now. At least I have seen many lately in my favorite tv show Grand Designs.

For me, creating fabric is one of the main goals whatever I create. I like to study texture and structure and it never bores me. Before I grab my pens I can feel pretty uninspired but after thinking about fabrics, I am soon creating in full speed.

As seen in the pictures above, I've lately been into rugs. There are many beautiful rugs designed in Finland in the 40s to 60s that I adore. Like this Leena-Kaisa Halme's rug that I saw in the rug exhibition in Helsinki many years ago.

Textiles make home. When I need to escape from the world I take a romance novel and read few pages and get extra warmth from a homemade quilt. This digi layout is about me reading romances. I think my love for fabrics shows on the page as well.

Ornaments All Over The Place

The Rise of Ornaments

I have been making this collage piece by piece and it's finally finished. What can I say, I am hooked in ornaments of all kinds and new ones burst from my mind every day.

My next goal is to design a new line of fabrics. I have prepared for it by signing up Rachael Taylor's pattern design course. I hope that the course will keep me motivated to do the task! Not that it's unpleasant one, but even if I love designing patterns, it is also hard work and requires a lot of thinking.

I have got a lot of new visitors this month. Thank you! It means a lot to me to share all this with you!

In Progress

A new ornamental collage in progress!

Where To Find Inspiration

This little piece of collage is an example of how the less obvious things can really be inspiring. It is all about the interpretation.

Here's what I do.

When I find something that gets my attention, I analyze it into pieces. For example, if I see a photo in the newspaper that I find attractive, I try to find the reason why I do so. It can be a color combination, an atmosphere, a composition, a small detail that looks nostalgic for me etc.

Let's assume I have now found that very thing that caught my eye. I then start seeking for analogies, the stuff that has that same factor. Soon I am filled with ideas that I am really enthusiastic about!

The story about the insect? I was thinking about the curtains of our library room (Compton by William Morris) and how I love them. They have very detailed floral ornaments that I absolutely adore. Actually, they reminded me of botanical plates. And I never had thought before how ornamental old botanical drawings really are! I went to a local library and browsed some botanical books, then accidentally found the book about insects and was totally hooked: I wanted to draw insects with ornaments, sort of go back to the concept used in the curtain. I would never have thought insects being so ornamental without deriving one thought from another!

Hopefully my method is useful for you too!