ATC Swap

Hello creative friends.  This week I participated in an ATC (Artist Trading Card) swap with Life Book 2014.  The idea is to create mini works of art the size of a playing card and trade them with other artist.  This is the second time I have participated in an ATC swap.  The first time was while participating in Life Book 2013 last year.  They select a week to do a swap, post a theme and then match up everyone who wants to participate.  Everyone gets a partner and you and your partner trade cards.  It is a lot of fun and you usually get some other bits, that come with the cards that are sent to you, to use in your art journal later.  The theme for the cards this year was daily ritual.  I have coffee every day and I am an avid reader.  Here are the ATC cards I created for this years swap.

Here are the two ATC cards I created for the 2013 swap.  The theme was Stardust.

The artist puts their information on the backs of the cards - name, date, theme, website, etc. so you have a record of who created the cards, their website and other information.  If you do enough swaps, after a while you will have a full deck and then some.  I would like to get more involved in ATC swaps and collect more of these wonderful works of art.  Have you or do you participate in ATC swaps?  If so, I would love to hear about it and see what you have done.  Until next time, happy creating.
  

Journey Daybook and Gypsy Gold Tour

Hello creative friends.  This week I had the opportunity to join a group of very talented ladies, who are a part of the Journey Daybook group, on a tour of the Gypsy Gold Horse farm.  After the tour we had lunch and then everyone had the opportunity to do some art journaling while at the farm.  Afterward we all got together to see everyone's page and each person was able to talk about their journal page.  I had a great time and am looking forward to joining the group on their next adventure.  Here are some pics of the Gypsy Gold Horse Farm.  It was interesting to hear about the history of these beautiful horses and where they come from.  And there were quite a few colts in the fields, too cute.  I took hundreds of pictures, but unfortunately only able to share a few of them here.

Here are pics of the journal page I completed.  The first pic is what my page looked like at the farm.  The second pic is of my page after I got home and did some more work to it, and I am much happier with the second version.  I used lead and colored pencils at the farm, but once I got home I was able to use markers, acrylic paints and watercolors to finish the page.  I do not typically put so much writing on a page, but it was fun to write about my day and my experience at the horse farm.

 

Here is some pics of everyone sharing and talking about their journal page.  It was interesting to be a part of a group of creative women sharing and talking about their artwork, which is wonderful and very inspiring.  And it was fun to see everyone's perspective and style of art journaling. 

 

 

 



I also started drawing the barn while onsite, but did not get to finish the drawing.  So I took a picture of it while onsite and finished drawing and coloring it once I got home.  I used water colors and a black pen on this page.

 

I've never had the opportunity to just sit and draw onsite like his before, but had a lot of fun and would love to do it again.  It is something I have always wanted to do but have never had the opportunity or the time to do.  I usually take lots of pics and then create my journal pages once I get home.  I have also always wanted to join a group of other artists like this in creating art and sharing this experience.  I am looking forward to other future endeavors with this wonderful group of women.  Do you ever get to create art onsite?  Also do you have an opportunity to do art with a group of other artists in your community?  I would love to hear about your experience in creating artwork.  Until next time, happy creating. 

More Drawing Faces and a Journal Page

Hello creative friends.  This week I continued my journey of drawing realistic faces.  Here are a couple of more faces that I drew. 

 

The second drawing I thought would be easy compared to the other's I've done, but it proved to be the most difficult one and I am still not sure I am completely happy with it.  I also decided to complete a journal page with a more realistic face.  I have also been wanting to do some journal pages using quotes that I have found and like.  So I created the following journal page using one of those quotes.

 



I completed this two page layout in the art journal I made and used some leftover flowers I made from a Life Book page I completed.  When I started this page I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it, but it evolved into this and I really like the way it turned out.  What journal pages have you completed lately?  I would love to see it and hear about it.  Until next time, happy creating. 

Drawing Faces and Living in the Moment

Hello creative friends.  I hope everyone is doing well.  I did not have anything to post last week and could not get into the creative mood.  I had my granddaughter last weekend and she did some art journaling, but I could not seem to get the creative juices flowing.  This week I did some drawings.  I have been wanting to draw more faces to practice drawing faces, so I found a couple of pictures in a magazine that I wanted to draw.  Here are the two pictures I drew.

 

I think these drawings came out pretty well considering this is my first try at drawing realistic faces.  And I completed another Life Book page.  This week was about Honoring and rituals and living in the moment and being more present.

 



I had fun creating this Life Book page and using techniques I have never used before, like doodling the pattern.  I think I might do more doodling in my art journal pages going forward.  Do you doodle on your art journal pages?  If so, I would love to hear about how you use doodling in you journal pages.  Until next time, happy creating.