Friday, March 19, 2010

GPP Street Team Crusade #38 - Grab A Tissue

So I am working on a slide show of my lasted art journal - March 2009 through March 2010. The thing is, creating a slide show is very time consuming and means lots of computer time. It is too beautiful and springy to be stuck doing anything too taxing ! I am making other art, getting out with some pals and soaking up the sweet sunshine as much as possible while I have lots of energy. This spring feels so good to me !

I did want to complete the black covers of my spiral book (from Barnes and Noble - Canson All-Media Book - beautiful watercolor type paper that takes a beating but looks gorgeous !). I decided to include a piece from within as the front cover. I framed it with bits and pieces of paper scraps.

The back cover has another scrap paper frame, a piece of fancy card stock and a photo of the artist...

I liked how they turned out but I definitely needed a title.

I have also been wanting to try out the fun challenge that Michelle Ward proposed in her GPP Street Team Crusade this month - "Grab a Tissue".

I have played with tissue paper before - especially using it to add texture to a page - the wrinkles can be great. Michelle changed things up though and encouraged us to paint on the tissue paper.

It doesn't really matter what color you are using for this part as the first step is to add some gesso to the paper. This is best done as dry as possible as the tissue or course tears and bunches when wet in any way. I has this dark burgundy paper and gave it a thin coat of white gesso with a dry brush.

After it was dry, I went to town with the painting techniques. I dry brushed, rubber stamped, used stencils with acrylic paint and a make up sponge, etc...again all trying to keep it relatively dry.

This shot doesn't do the paper justice ! The tissue holds the paint beautifully and has this strong yet so flexible feel to it when the acrylics and gesso dry. I like that it is thin enough to add to any collage and not stick up off the page in spite of multiple layers of paint.

Michelle used this great rubber stamp alphabet to stamp on her painted tissue papers, and creates gorgeous letters to serve as titles on her pages. Most of my alphabets were too dainty or small for that but I did use my favorite alphabet stencil and a make up sponge to create some letters.

(sorry for the lousy color in this shot too - it was too sunny in the studio ! ;) )

Then I cut them out, added them to black rectangles of card stock...

and added them to my cover page on the front...




and on the back...

I think the tissue paper letters were just what I needed to finish the pages off.

I am now working in my new journal - feels strange to have so many blank pages to fill. I have lots of other wonderful pieces of tissue that will serve me well in the new book too, I am sure !

Today is another beautiful Spring day in NH. In the mid to high 60's and sunny ! Woo hoo ! I am off to take a drive down to Ikea in Stoughton, MA - about an hour and a half drive. My pal Sonia and I are sure to have fun on our Friday afternoon girl time.

I hope you have lots of play time scheduled too. Nothing better !

Happy Friday, Lovely Ones !

PS - Head over to the GPP Street Team Crusade page and see what other great things Michelle and the Crusaders are creating with toys and tissues ! Cheers, Crusaders !

26 comments:

michelle ward said...

hey rf, love your covers! bravo for finishing a journal - looking forward to the slide show! thanks for sharing your tissue work, and *in process* tissues. love your enthusiasm, and appreciate the reminder to work dry so we don't get a wet mess to make us crabby :) xo

rachel awes said...

i love these! & you have come far! just beautiful!!

Anonymous said...

Love how the tissue letters turned out and they really work on your journal page. Enjoy the sun.
I am off to play with my rabbits and duckies.....and just be in the sun.

Kate Robertson said...

Kim,

I really like the idea of doing those letters and then cutting them out. Also like the idea of taking a page from inside to do a cover. You always give me such good ideas.... Have a great afternoon.

Kate

jgr said...

Brilliant! I love the front and back covers of your journal--I'm a journal-decorating-kind-of-girl too, as you know! Love the tissue paper letters, I may have to try that! Glad you'll be out and about enjoying this great weather. I'm looking forward to seeing your slide show and your framed portrait!! Have a great weekend!

Lynn Cohen said...

Awesome job on your covers front and back! Love it all...tissue paper is fun and you did it up royally cool.
Your art rocks too.Thanks for sharing and inspiring! A years worth of art to sit and enjoy and yes, I too love the feeling of I've come a long way...even though I am just starting...

lyle said...

kim, your covers look great!I'm glad to see you stamped on the painted tissue. looks good ,lyle

Anonymous said...

Beautiful. Your artwork always makes me feel good.

Julie Prichard said...

Soooo pretty, Kim!!

beth said...

I'm telling you...you are the queen of journal pages !

and did you know I know michelle ward....well, I picked her up at the airport one day and drove her to valley ridge and we acted like we had known each other forever...she's pretty darn cool !

Deb said...

So...when you and I finally get together in real life can we play in your studio? I would love to be able to do what you do ~ you are one talented artist. LOVE your covers ~ thanks for explaining the process.

Nicola said...

Hi there what lovely beautiful artwork you are making, I love those covers and your use of tissue paper is fantastic!! Wonderful work!

Dawn said...

wow! i love that you documented your process. i think of doing that, but then get distracted by painting :) Your tissue letters turned out BEAUTIFULLY. I love love love 'em. I am going to have to try that sometime. And thanks for commenting on my blog!

Dawn

Regina said...

Beautiful journal! Inspires me to push myself harder to find time to get this one done.

Elizabeth Halt said...

Oh! Thank you for sharing your tissue work. My first attempt to create texture (long ago) used dabs of paint. Which worked fine, but then I had to wait until that paint dried to paint over it. A while ago, I tried duct tape, which I folded. But duct tape doesn't hold paint well, and I am worried that it will come off the canvas eventually. Anyway, I am intrigued by the tissue paper idea.

Also, I love the scrap paper border. It looks amazing!

Sueann said...

I am loving your journal pages...awesome. And the tissue paper is wonderful...so textural!! I love it!
Hugs
SueAnn

goudenregen said...

Love your journal, it looks so good with the letters on the tissue paper. Thanks for showing how yoy did it. Helen

Cheryl Connell said...

Kim, I love your journal covers! And you're right.. the letters make them.

Isn't this weather wonderful?! Even up here in north Ontario and the snow is finally melting.YAY!

Cheryl

Sherry said...

Good grief...I can't even say I'm impressed because that's so lacking...I'm blown away? Much better!!! I love what you did on the tissue paper and I love how you embrace the challenges at GPP...and then use the challenge in some other way -- this is perfect for the covers of your journal. You inspire me!!!

Bethany said...

oh, i love your tissue paper magic and the letters. your cover and back pages are fantastic. The back one especially glows. you're so pretty.

Lisa said...

I love this technique, and how you truly made it your own!

Definitely heading over to that page to check out more.

MB Shaw said...

I love this. Never would have thought to do that with the letters and they look so amazing! Makes me wanna go paint some tissue :-)

Marilyn said...

Woo hoo! I love what you did with the tissue, and I love your journal. Tissue paper letters did just the trick. Your use of color is wild, girl!!
Thanks for checking out my entry and leaving a nice comment.

Susan Sager Brown said...

Gorgeous Dear Queen Kim! I love all the stencil and painting on the tissue. Your journal is such a wonderful expression of "you"!! xoSusan

Mona said...

I loved the way you used the painted paper and your journal is very nice.

Michelle said...

Love your painting on the tissue paper - seems such a shame to cut it up!