Take Aim

Here is my January tag inspired by Tim's 12 Tags of 2015. This month, it's a play on words and I chose mine from the pages of a book. The background is his new tissue paper and I modified one of his index labels to make a bull's eye.

I really like using Tim's tissue paper: It's tough but thin so it's great for pasting, it stands up to abuse and I like that it's barely transparent. But initially, I found it a bit challenging to tint (especially with dye inks) under certain circumstances.

Click to Enlarge

So I'd like to share a new technique I worked out which you may also wish to try. The tissue colors on this tag are distress stains applied to the back of the paper. Since the paper is transparent, they show through and won't be disturbed when you paste or paint on the top side.

I'm so happy the tag tutorials will continue again this year, it's great to see everyone's creations and it makes me feel part of something really special. And, of course, I love making tags! 

Giselle in Print

Giselle was the name my French teacher gave me in the 8th Grade. All my classmates received a French name and it was the only one we were allowed to use (no English of any kind spoken ever, please). This is why, when it came time to name this piece, Giselle came to mind.

I'm proud to say she's on Page 121 of the January/February, 2015, issue of Somerset Studio magazine, a publication that features mixed media artwork. The call I responded to was the color lilac which may help to explain why there's so much of it!

I've blogged about this work previously (here) where you can read about the techniques I used. I almost hate to mention it because you'll see the drastic difference in the quality of the photos. Granted, Somerset has professional photographers but I REALLY must improve my skills. No more excuses!

Polaroids

It's cold in many places this New Year's Eve--even at my house (in the desert southwest) where my frost tender plants have been tucked in for the night with a layer of blankets and I'll be celebrating in a quiet way with the cozy comfort of a space heater.

I'm sharing a journal page (linked to Art Journal Journey, where this month's theme is Collage) that I made today with left over paper scraps pasted randomly to fill every inch of the background. I washed it out some, applied color, added scrolls, visualized a carriage, image transferred a horse, and stamped the face and wheel spokes.

I added the lines of script just to see what it would look like and it's an interesting effect. In white are the lyrics from a song I discovered this year that's become a favorite. It was released in 1992 (I don't know how I missed it) by Shawn Colvin called Polaroids. I wrote some personal thoughts about the new year in black.

This holiday is another reminder of how quickly time passes and I've noticed a common thread among the bloggers I follow who wish they had more time to make their art.

So, as I express my thanks to you for stopping by to see my creations this year (I really do appreciate it) I'm also sending my wish that you find all the time you need to be creative in the new year.