All Packed Up and on Their Way...

Welcome to day 9 of Blogtoberfest!

Today, I finally finished and packaged my second submission to the Art-o-mat Project. I have been slow to finish, summer is just such a busy time, but today I brought the box to the post office...

 This project can be time consuming, there are a lot of little steps necessary to getting the blocks just the right size and thickness. They start with a piece of 3/4" MDF, but need to be 7/8" thick, so a layer of 1/8" Masonite must be added to each block. I came up with quick way to evenly apply wood glue using a small roller from the dollar store...

and clamped the layers 7 deep. These dry fairly quickly, and are then ready for the table saw. I carefully set the fence on the table saw at 3 1/4", and run the now 2-ply boards through, then reset the fence at 2 1/8" and run them through a second time. This sounds complicated, but really you can whip out a LOT of blocks quickly this way. I tried cutting the MDF and Masonite first, then gluing them together, but was left with uneven edges and gaps where the glue didn't fill. This is much quicker, I ended up with enough blocks for almost two shipments! ( They ask that you send 50 at a time.)

Then comes a light sanding, which smooths the MDF beautifully, and a light scuff to the surface of the Masonite, to give it some tooth for gluing on the artwork...

Next, I paint each block with a base-coat color. At this point, I am starting to group them by ten. It makes the time commitment more manageable when I work on only ten at once. After the base-coat, I use a brayer to grunge a second color over the first...

Then I start adding extra detail with stamps and ink. Now my blocks are that old, grungy, interesting look I like, and ready for my artwork...

I have been working on the art steadily over the last few months, so I have a decent variety to offer. I try not to include more than two of any one design. I use GIMP to re-size and enhance my art, as well as add some lettering. Then I cut it out and use Mod Podge to glue it to a block. I like to use the brayer again at this point, to make sure there are no air pockets. A bit more ink applied to the edges give a nice finished look to each piece...

The last step is wrapping each block in a band of cellophane, and boxing them to ship. They are fairly heavy, when you get 50 of them together, but they fit in a Medium Flat Rate box from the post office, so postage stays around $11. 

I hope that if you ever considered participating in the Art-o-mat Project, this little tutorial can help you streamline the process a bit...and should you be traveling and come across an refurbished cigarette machine selling tiny pieces of art for $5 each, I hope you will indulge yourself and give it a pull!

Until next time...enjoy!

Layered Background Canvases...

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am working on another 50 blocks for the Art-o-mat Project . Somewhere about block 29, I realized I was going to need a larger variety of backgrounds to work with. I really don't like the idea of sending in 50, or even 10 exact same pieces of art. So this week , besides harvesting more veggies from the garden, battling a swarm of hornets at the cabin and cleaning out yet another rental, I decided to focus on background canvases. The plan is to scan these into my computer and assemble collages digitally, using my own art work and some elements from my collection of purchased royalty free clipart. I kept the colors compatible with the MDF blocks that I already painted, and am pleased with the diversity.

  Deciding it would be more convenient to keep the originals small, for purposes of resizing, I dove into my stash of 5" x 7" canvas panels. These are very economical, and make a sturdy piece that is flat enough to scan beautifully on my flatbed scanner. I could have also used the 4" x 6" panels. The 4" x 4" are nice, but being square, I end up cutting off much of the fun detail in order to get them to the finished size of 2 1/8" x 3 1/4" required to fit the blocks. I also made a couple of the backgrounds on heavy watercolor paper, and even though they curled just a bit, they still scan just fine.

I watched the movie Clash of the Titans this week, and that got me reading my Greek Mythology again. I had the idea for a larger canvas, featuring the Greek Goddess, Athena. After all, she was in charge of not only wisdom, but also creativity, art and handcrafts. Here is my initial sketch, which will eventually be transferred to a layered canvas and painted. The sketch will change drastically, but you got to start somewhere, right?

The theme for Every Inchie Monday is "wind", and I found it a difficult challenge. I mean, how do you paint something you cannot see? Then I realized that, though you don't see the wind, you do see it's effect on objects. Since the wind singing through the trees is on my list of favorite things, that is what I painted.

Until next time...enjoy!

Across the finish line...

I finally finished my 50 little pieces of art for the art-o-mat project! I am so relieved, I have spent the better part of two weeks locked in my studio, long days of learning, playing and experimenting...

It has been quite an experience, one that I would do again, if I am fortunate enough to sell most of these...

I learned a lot about leveraging my art, trying to create each block as a stand alone piece, without too much repetition, but still spending a reasonable amount of time on each one...

They are all labeled on the back, with four different ways I can be reached...

Now all that is left is to wrap each one in cellophane, pack them into a box and send them on their way. Just in time, since yesterday was the first day of spring, and I noticed the crocus are in bloom...

If you want to know more about the Art-o-mat project, Please click here!

Time to get outside and clean up the garden...it will be nice to get out in the world again. Then perhaps work on something larger. Until next time...enjoy.

Update March 22nd: I shipped the box out this morning. A medium sized flat rate box is more than big enough for 50 of these, and they were very heavy, so I saved money shipping that way...

Gadabout Artist: Home Again!

After a rather uneventful three day trip, we are finally home, safe and sound. The last few days have been all about emptying out the motor home, getting paper work together for taxes, and just generally trying to catch up on everything, and with everyone. The kitties seem to have fared well, they either missed me or not, cats are so sphinx-like, it's hard to tell. I haven't spent a whole lot of time in my studio yet, except to unload all my art supplies. The place is a bit of a mess, but I did stop long enough to make a birthday card for mom-in-love...

My main focus, now that we are home, will be to finish putting together my submissions for the Art-o-mat project. I am still trying to learn how to better leverage my art, but haven't had as much time as I would like to learn more about digital art, so I am using a bit of both new tech and old. Here is a raven I painted, and scanned into my computer...

I then reduced the size, printed it out and cut and added it into my finished piece...

The words at the bottom read... "Tempus edax rerum"...meaning; "Time devours all things"...which is a somewhat  theatrical way of saying time marches on...

I will start posting some of the works I made during my travels. Until then, enjoy...

Gadabout Artist: Playing in the Sunshine...

Well, we are firmly ensconced in sunny Yuma, AZ, and enjoying days of 70+ degree weather. I have no real complaints, we are hooked up to power and water, so no more batteries or sponge baths, very nice after dry camping in the desert for so long. There are many wonderful snow-birds to meet and I spent a lovely evening playing bingo with 253 of them! No beginners luck for me, though...too bad, it would have helped pay for all the extra beads and art supplies I bought in Quartzsite!

There are not a lot of art supplies available there, but a store appropriately named,  "Addicted To Deals" seems to be a clearing house for just about anything under the sun, and they had a wonderful assortment of scrapbooking supplies. The large rubber stamps were only 3 for $5 and the sets were under $2. I think they will be great for my ATCs and the art I am working on for Art-o-mat. Speaking of which, one of our new neighbors here is a wood worker, I am going to ask him later today if he might be willing to cut out the little blocks of MDF that I need for my first shipment to Art-o-mat. I have been working on the art, and had planned to affix them to the blocks once we returned home, but this would allow me to ship much earlier. There is a lot of trading of skills back and forth down here, and I thought I might join in...

Here are just a few of the beads I bought, there are hundreds of tents and stores selling them in Quartzsite, and you can find everything imaginable for jewelry making. I haven't been in the jewelry business for a very long time, but I just could not resist, old habits die hard. So when I finally get around to opening that Etsy shop, you will likely find a collection of jewelry as well as art. My sweet daughter has recently started making jewelry, so she will receive some as well. She likes the more ethnic/hippy style, so these pendants and wood and coral beads were purchased for her. Until next time, enjoy...

Travel Time...

   I have been away from my computer for a little while, and may be off and on for the next month as well because we are traveling! Yep, that's right, Mr. How2 convinced me, and this morning we are leaving for the Oregon coast and all points south. We plan to eventually experience all that is Quartzsite, AZ after hearing tales of it's grandness for years.
I have been reluctant to take this trip, I anticipate all hell breaking loose here on the home front as soon as we clear the border. But an incredibly wise and wonderful flier said to me, "Hey, think about it, all the time in the world to paint, and no housework! Bring your STUFF, Sally" Now, I may not be wise, but I know wisdom when I hear it! Thanks, Janet, this trip is because of you...hear more of her wisdom at...

http://tatterednworn.wordpress.com/

   This week has been a frantic mess, trying to organize and pack and take care of bills in preparation for this extended absence. I have never been away this long, and though I know that thousands of people snowbird yearly, I am new to it, therefore, a steep learning curve. I am dealing with the task of setting up remote bill pay and finding a house sitter as well as making sure we have most of what we need for the trip. You know how it goes, "he" says, lets take a trip, and as far as "he" is concerned, we are ready to go...:) Which brings me to the question of supplies.
   You see, as far as I can tell, the kind of things we need for a normal trip, we can purchase along the way. Other than warm clothing for the beginning and shorts for the far south, kind of a no brainer...Food is plentiful, and you really don't want to pack too much with you, the RV isn't that big...No, the difficult part has been deciding what art supplies to bring...

I normally carry travel supplies in this vintage make up case. (No, Storm is not coming with us! I think she will be happier and safer here at home with a sitter.) There is enough room in it to carry all the basics, and a few extras. For a single class, or a long weekend, hey, no problem. But there is not nearly enough room for an extended trip. So I have had to sort, pick and choose which supplies I use the most, and which ones I can leave behind. For instance, I plan to work on my Artist Trading Cards. Nice, compact projects I can pull out and do, then pack away quickly, right? But, I usually cut the bases out of mat board, and for that I use my massive paper cutter.

I can't see dragging this with us, so hmm, how many cards should I cut and bring? A couple dozen seems doable. Then there are the surfaces for my submissions to Art-o-mat. I have sent off my samples, and, if I am accepted, I would like to work on my inventory while we are traveling, again, tiny enough to easily work whiles on the move. Well, there is a minimum of 50, so that means I had to cut 60 2" x 3" cards, in case I mess some up. These are now packed in the RV in a plastic storage container. Now we have the issue of glue, paper, ink pads, ephemera, text, pens, pencils, paint, brushes, etc...I also have my new shipment of small canvas boards, 4" x 4" and 5" x 7", so I have to bring some of those. Who knows what I might need! I had to stop somewhere, but every time I sit down, or heaven forbid, look at another blog by my beautiful fellow fliers, I think of yet another "thing" I cannot do my art without...

   Shhh, don't tell Mr. How2 this, but I think there are more art supplies tucked away and hidden around the RV than there is food...I am trying to calm myself by telling myself that there will be stores along the way. So now I am done, I have filled every little tote, nook and cranny with everything I can think of for a traveling artist. I just hope I actually get a chance to make use of most of it.
   Everything is packed, the house-sitter is arranged, and there is a loose travel plan in place. One last meeting to go over the household infrastructure, and a quick stop to see the family and we are off! I am dragging along, not only my computer, but also my printer, since so many of my graphics are in digital form. I have even signed up for an online class with Traci Bautista called "Doodles Unleashed" that begins January 1st.
You can sign up for the same free class here:  

 http://www.strathmoreartist.com/workshop-reg.html

 So hopefully internet access won't be too spotty. I will keep in touch along the way, and plan to take tons of photos and post my art as it is completed. If I forgot anything, it's too late now, I will just have to live without it. See you out there, and happy trails...

Oh wait, I wonder if I should bring that basket of cancelled stamps...

Small projects...

   I have been working very small lately. For some reason the universe is throwing very strong hints my direction, and I am forever trying to turn them into something I can understand. Lately they have been about small. Small canvases, small art, small space. Mr. How2 and I are planning to travel this winter, this will be our first attempt at snow-birding. I am not sure how long it will last, but for now, I am trying to think small. I do not want to be away from my art for the duration of the trip, and I am the kind of person that needs a reason for doing things.        

   I am working on a set of ATCs for an online exchange with my Flygirls ATC Group. This is also turning into a learning experience for me, since I have been asked to teach a class about ATCs in the spring. So I am trying to document my process, so I can explain it to my students.
  I also recently rediscovered a interesting project on the internet called Art-o-mat; (go to this website to learn more about it);

 http://www.artomat.org/home.html 

a group that gathers small pieces of art from artists all over the world. They place the art in refurbished cigarette machines throughout the country, and make them available to the public for only $5 a piece. It looks like a fascinating program, and I am working on samples to send them now. If I am accepted, and I hope I am, they will ask me to make up 50- 2 1/8" x 3 1/4" pieces of art. Again, a great size to work on in the RV. I will keep you posted as on my progress, in the mean time, check out their website, and see if they have a machine near you...Enjoy!