I'm Back Finally

 It has been quite some time since I posted last.

I started off doing cataract surgeries and my vision

was limited while healing took place.

Then the day after I had the last surgery,

I got a call from Florida that my mom was in the hospital.

The day after surgery, Mark and I were

in the air flying to Florida,

just barely ahead of a huge storm that grounded

all flights after ours at the Bangor airport.

Long story short - my mom didn't make it.

I've spent the past two weeks in Florida,

taking care of Mom, 

then planning a funeral,

then clearing out her room - emptying it of

furniture, clothes, everything she had collected

in the last eleven years of living there.

 Now that I am back home I am looking for some

motivation to art again.

I can't see well enough yet to do any detailed drawing.

I actually headed back to the eye doctor yesterday

to see if my retina had detached.

It had not, so now I just wait for continued healing.

For several years I have followed the art of 

Alisa Burke.

She uses beautiful, bright, bold colored backgrounds

which she fills with florals and designs. 

As I checked my email yesterday,

I had one from Alisa offering some of her

online classes for sale.

I may have signed up for five of them,

and she gave me an extra one for free.

 The first class I looked at was creating beautiful

water color backgrounds that can be used

to draw on, to cut into collage papers, to paint on.

There are many possibilities here. 

Alisa makes her living from teaching and arting.

It wouldn't be right for me to explain here how

I made these backgrounds from her class

but I did want to share them with you.

 I can tell you that I used some expensive watercolors

called Schmincke,

but I also used some cheapo watercolors

from the school aisle at WalMart.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to get

beautiful color unless you just want to.

 A couple of the projects used water soluble markers

to create water color.

I used Tombow markers and had a lot of fun!

 So much fun!

And I loved the colors, and texture, and drips

and runs, and all the blending.

 If you'd like to check out Alisa's artwork

or her classes,

just click this link.

It will take you straight to her website.

Alisa uses some of her backgrounds to make handmade art journals. I'm thinking that is going to be a happening thing here also.

Beautiful color. Texture. Inspiration. Now if I could just see. 

Happy New Year, 2017!

 Happy New Year!!!

In my Facebook group -

Zentangle All Around -

we are starting a year long adventure!

You should come on over and join us.

One of the features I'm adding to the blog

this year that we will incorporate into

the 2017 extravaganza is

Art on a Shoestring!

Art 101.

Art on a Budget!

Also known as Walmart school supplies!

 On Facebook, and here on the internet,

I am often called the Queen of Color.

And I have to admit I love it!

Bright, vivid, lovely color!

Can you get that on a budget, you ask.

Yes! You can!

In the top photo you see a simple pan watercolor set that came 

from the school supply aisle at Walmart. 

I paid $1.29 for it a long time ago.

It's one of my favorite.

Gather that, 

a watercolor/mixed media journal - or similar paper, 

some water, and a big brush.

Start by slopping a bunch of water all over

that paper.

I usually put splash guards (computer paper)

under the edges so the color doesn't get

on the rest of my journal.

 Once your page is wet, load some color onto your paint brush. 

Then just drag the color - swish it back and forth - through the water.

 If you have enough water on the page

you will notice the color start to move.

Movement is good.

 Then start dropping in some other colors.

Load that brush with water and have fun!

 I know there are lots of studies on the

color wheel and which colors go with each other.

I don't worry myself about any of that.

I know what colors I like and those are

the ones I use. 

 Add as many colors as you want.

I usually go with anywhere from 3-5.

Or so.

Depending on the size of my paper.

 Keep adding water as you need to.

If your paper gets too dry

just mop some more water onto it.

Or spray some with a spritz bottle.

At some point you may get too much

water in one place.

 Did I mention I keep a 45 gallon trashcan

and a 12 pack of paper towels in my

studio at all times?

And I usually fill that trashcan up each week.

Hahahaha!

When you have too much water you can

dab or blot it with a paper towel

or

you can even roll the paper towels right across

the top of the whole page.

 That's going to pick up a lot of the color.

 So you add water and layer more color on.

Layer.

Layer.

Layer. 

There's going to be a test later

Hahahaha!

 Keep adding back the colors you were using before.

Seem wasteful?

Not really.

As you add the color back, it will pick up

some of the color that was left behind

and you start to get beautiful combinations

that you didn't have the first time.

 I didn't even use yellow the first time

but it just seemed right at this point.

 And any time you keep adding water

you are going to get a puddle.

There are other ways to handle that puddle

but for the sake of this post,

dab it up with a paper towel.

 I just dabbed.

I didn't roll.

So most of the color is still showing.

 You can use a heat gun

(or a hair dryer - budget tip!)

to dry your page.

You could let it air dry

but I am just that impatient.

 Voila!

You have a beautiful background 

to tangle on,

or to use as a base for an art journal page.

And it was affordable.

*** Notice I made this page directly

in my art journal. ***

 Sometimes it is more fun to work on 

individual sheets of mixed media paper.

I like to keep a stash of them to use

for collage, or to tangle on - they travel well,

to make journals out of (we will do that later.)

And while I'm thinking about it -

never throw your scraps away.

Get a ziplock bag or envelope and stash those

beauties away for later.

This particular watercolor set runs about

$3.99 at Walmart.

And I added in a spritz bottle of water.

An old plant mister

or an empty and washed out hairspray bottle

will work just as well.

 This little page is going to be a tip-in

page for my art journal.

(That will be another post.)

Cover it with water.

 Load your brush with your favorite color . . .

 . . . and drizzle it across your page.

 Start adding more color.

For this page I went with larger sections

of color to start with.

 My paper was getting too dry

so I just dropped more water onto the page

with the brush.

No fancy technique here.

 I didn't used to use yellow

but I noticed it brightens up any page.

 We will work more on this in 2017,

but

here when I added too much water

I tipped the page and let the color run.

Love it!

 And I didn't blot up the color this time.

I used the heat gun to push the color

and to dry it.

Well, that was fun.

But wait.

There's another side to this paper

and I still have water in my cup.

Hahahahaha!

There you have it! What I did on the reverse side. A second background of beautiful color, interesting texture, cost effective, and super  easy to make. And since I will use it as a tip-in I will be able to use both sides of the paper.
Added after post was made: I was asked on Facebook what kind of pen works on top of these watercolor papers. Any pen you use to tangle with will work. I have never had a problem with microns, Pitt pens, Sharpie Fine Liner, copic multiliner, Staedtler fineliner -  I've pretty much tried them all. AND before you tangle,  feel the surface of the watercolor. If it feels rough or gritty or dusty - buff it with a paper towel before you draw.
Art on a Shoestring is where it's at in 2017. Check it out in Zentangle All Around on Facebook. Knock on our door and I'll let you in.

Remember Your Roots

Way back when I first started mixing color with zentangle - about 2 years ago - the only watercolors I had were in our home school supplies. Basic little watercolor pans from the school row at WalMart. And though I've since advanced to some pretty nifty watercolors  from big name art suppliers, I still like to go back on occasion and try my hand with those basic little home school supplies. Such is the case here.
I covered the paper with a good layer of water first, then I used two colors- blue and purple. If you have enough water on the paper, the colors go down as a good wash. That's how I did the blue. I was a little more controlled with the purple, just drizzling it here and there. Tangling was added after the color dried well.
You see, even though I now have nicer - more sophisticated - supplies, I can still get a nice attractive artwork even with the more basic art supplies. It is always good to go back and remember your roots. No matter what you're doing.

One of My Favorite Times of the Year

You are probably going to think I'm crazy, but I'm going to persevere and make this post anyway! Hahaha! One of my favorite times of the year? Heck, yeah! School supplies now at your local WalMart (and a bunch of other places, but these photos happen to be from WalMart.)

OK, little know facts about Alice: after retiring from my real job I homeschooled my daughter from grade one through grade twelve. School supplies got to be a way of life. Now that I'm retired (again) and am on this wonderful journey through the art world, school supplies take on a whole new life and purpose. I went into WalMart yesterday to pick up some cat food for the outside herd of kitties and shortly I was singing "Hallelujah!" in the school aisle section, much to the consternation of the 18 year old working those aisles.

After watching me walk up and down the aisles several times, she happened to ask if she could help me find anything. I told her no, that I was enjoying all the new school supplies. She looked at me like I was crazy. (Point taken. I probably was a bit crazed looking.) Then after a few more passes up and down one of the rows, she said, "You know, you should come back tomorrow. We are going to get new items in every day."

I laughed to myself. Kali and I have a friend named Katrina who stocked and maintained this section a couple years ago. After awhile the section looks like a train or a tornado went through it, and that was when it looked its best. Yesterday it looked great. Even today when I did go back (and yes, they did have new items, thank you!) it was still looking pretty good. But - I know that in a few days it is going to look like a bomb went off in one of the aisles and it will look that way till the end of the first week of school. 

So. What do I do with all these supplies now that I don't homeschool any longer? Other than drool on them. Well, in those first few photos you see a wide variety of spiral notebooks. You actually see some as low as 50¢, today I saw a whole section of spiral bound, one subject notebooks for 25¢ each. I use these to keep track of notes I take during online classes, as well as notes from tutorials, and how-to articles I read on blogs and on pinterest. I keep track of youtube videos (I use pinterest a lot for this also.) I sketch out art journal ideas, tangle pattern ideas, and practice drawing ideas.

This journal is a little pricier than most - but in my opinion (that and $3.75 will get you a tall strawberries and cream frappuccino at Starbucks) it is worth every penny. This is a full size, 8 1/2" x 11" thick journal. Nice sturdy cover, sturdy pages. I like to use this one to keep track of art journal and painting ideas. I love paints, inks, crayons, watercolors, and I think I own stock in joggles.com . This is where I keep track of all the cool little tips and tricks for making awesomeness happen in the wild color department!

Obviously these would be - far and away - some of my favorite notebooks. You just can't get any better than minions and Hello Kitty. I mean . . . really! (And did you notice, they are the exact same notebook? The only exception being you have to pay 97¢ more to get a cover with minions on it.)

I did come home with a new 3-ring binder. Two inch thick variety in teal :D happy dance!!! I love teal!!! As you can see they have a load of variety here, too. Organization central. For you CZTs, a notebook will keep your Zenthology nice and safe. They even have page protectors conveniently located. Or tangle artists in general - just sayin' a binder may be the way to go.

I took a picture of this just because it is sooooo cute! And isn't that saying awesome? And only 97¢ for a two-pocket folder. Pretty cool! I keep all my receipts for tax time stashed in folders. I use an accordian file because of my etsy store, it's just easier, but if you didn't need a separate file for each month - this might be the way to go.

Need an economical way to keep track of all those tangle patterns? Or a place to layout art journal page ideas? This might be your thing. (No idea why this box is so mangled up, they had literally just placed it on the shelf.) Graph paper works well for design, it works well for keeping track of patterns, and I even use it on occasion for blocking out art journal pages.

Inside. Ta-da!

WARNING. Serious cuteness to follow. Pencil boxes. All sizes, all shapes. Traveling zentangle kits. Portable watercolor kits. Convenient art journaling stash organizers. 

These were a little pricier, but oh my goodness! Isn't that butterfly gorgeous? And you can almost see the hanging pencil/pen/marker/paintbrush pouches just behind these cases.

These I am going to keep an eye on. Right now they are $3.97. That's a little steep. Once school starts, these will drop to at least half price, if not more. They will make great kit boxes for zentangle supplies to sell in my etsy store :).

So here is what I came home with yesterday. A new pencil box to travel with. It will have microns, markers, pencils, a ruler, an eraser (shhh! don't tell), a waterbrush, and some zentangle tiles and ATCs. Last year I had a Tinkerbell pencil box, but I think that trip to Ontario did it in. Hahaha! Baggage handlers got a little rough on that return trip. Got some new notebooks and a composition book. I didn't get into those - but they make great lettering books. And some spiffy colored pens! Today I picked up some fine Sharpies. I use those a lot! I could get two for $4.00, or I could get four plus a sharpie marker for $5.00. Tell me that makes sense. 

So. School supplies? It's totally where it's happening right now! I need to go look again - before they get all picked over, and before that tornado hits!