Completed: Pixiedust journal (+ video!)

Yesterday I finished the last pages in my Pixiedust Journal.
These pages:

Two small flaps were left over to fill with collages...but I managed to squeeze in some images.

Of course I made a video for you in which you can see a flip through the completed journal:

If you would like to see detailed pictures of all the pages in this journal, please click HERE.

So, it is time to start a new journal now! Normally I bind my own journals, like the one above. But since my favorite size to work on is A4 (8,5x11 inch) and I wanted to try something new, I ordered this one:

I have heard so many good things about this journal already and now it is on its way to me! Can't wait to start working in it!

TFL!

Sandra

The Sketchbook Project 2013: update!

In this blogpost from June I wrote about my participation in The Sketchbook Project 2013. I showed you some finished pages and some work in progress.
Here is an update, since I finished a few more pages lately:

Still four pages to work on and the cover before I can start binding my Sketchbook.

To be continued!

TFL!

Sandra

A journey of a thousand miles...

...must begin with one single step.
Last week was a school holiday for my kids. My hubby took some days off from work too, so we spent a lot of time together this week...which also means that I hardly spent time being creative.
On Wednesday I went to Madame Tussauds in Amsterdam, with my girls. We had so much fun there!

I managed to finish a page in my Pixiedust journal:

Tomorrow we will get back into normal daily life. Hopefully more time to create!

TFL!

Sandra

New portrait and some digital scrapbooking

I finished this portrait of my daughter Danique already a week ago but wasn't 100% satisfied. Somehow, just like with the previous portraits of my kids, something was missing...I got some advise from people who know how to draw on a forum I've started visiting more and more. I followed their advise and made some corrections to my drawing. Now I'm 99% satisfied!
This is the picture I used as an example:

And this was my drawing before I did the corrections:

And my drawing, after the corrections:

I did some digital scrapbooking last week. Simply, because I felt like doing this! I haven't done any scrapbooking (traditional or digital) for a long time but when I saw this scrapkit I really had to play with it.
I used a template as a base for my layout.

Template: My cookbook by Damayanti Studio
Scrapkit: Just a teenager by Damayanti Studio

It seems like I like too much crafty things at the moment....Working in several journals (collage, daily, Sketchbookproject), drawing portraits (in graphite and anxious to start with colorpencils again..) and now I have a small virus which makes me want to do digital scrapbooking again...
So much to do, so little time! Help me! (lol)

TFL!

Sandra

Some art journaling...

Although I have been drawing portraits a lot lately, I still try to do some art journaling every day.
Some days I work on collages in my Pixiedust journal (hope to show you another page soon!), some days I just make backgrounds, prepare pages with tape and gesso or cut out pieces from magazines.
I started journaling in an old book which I bought in Sweden during my last summer holiday. The book is about A5-size and over 150 years old! My intentions for this journal was to write more personal things on my pages, instead of the quotes I mostly use. Thoughts, dreams, little conversations etc.
Sometimes I still struggle to get some words on to my pages but I'm learning...
This is my journal:

And here are some pages. I assume you understand the fact that I blurred the text now and then...

Inspired by Dyan Reavely's leaves-stamps. I used an old stamp I found in my stash.

The image is from a collage-sheet 'Just so Bossy' from Hidden Vintage Studios.

Dylusions ink, acrylic paint, watercolorpencils, Neocolor II, markers. The title letters come from an old stickeralphabet, I believe it was from Doodlebug.

Title: alpabet-stickers.

Image: Hidden Vintage Studios.

This page was an experiment with a color I normally don't use: brown!

I experimented with Dylusions inks in brown, yellow and orange. Tried some dripping of the page...

Than I scraped some white and orange acrylic paint with an old creditcard through a stencil.

Somehow I saw some trees appaering..which reminded me of the autumn in Sweden, with all the bright colors in the trees. 

Experimenting with Neocolors II, stamps, bubblewrap and cut out hearts...

Trying to combine a painted background with random collage...

Another collage...more into my comfort zone...

And another one...

TFL!

Sandra

A new direction?

As you all could read in my previous blogpost, I bought some Prismacolor colored pencils. I had in mind to start drawing more faces, girls, fairy's and more in my art journal.
I saw a lot of You Tube-tutorials on how to draw faces, mouths, noses and this way I bumped into the tutorials of Darrel Tank and his 5 Pencil Method. This man really knows how to draw!!!! Beautiful, realistic portraits!!! I want to draw like that too....but since I don't have 50 years of experience yet, I can at least try to get close to that level and start right away.... So when I'm 90 years old I must be able to draw like that, right? (lol)
After seeing a lot of free tutorials and the basic lessons (free after registering) I made two portraits.
The first 'victim' was my youngest daughter.
This was my example:

And this is my drawing:

The second victim was my son....Here's the picture:

And this is my drawing:

Although I was very surprised about my own drawing skills I'm not 100% satisfied. There's still something 'not matching' in the drawings. It's hard to explain but somehow I get the feeling that both my kids look a little bit older in my drawings than on my pictures....
So, much more practice needs to be done! I decided to order Darrel Tank's series on 'How to draw a portrait'. I've seen the first lessons now and can't wait to start on a new portrait.
By the way, my goal is to combine this technique and all the things I learn about drawing portraits with my Prismacolors. I thought it would be a good thing to start learning about values, contour, depth, proportions etc. first. before adding the color.

And...don't worry, my dear followers! I will still make collages in my journal and show you some colorful artwork here! I promised myself to finish my journal for The Sketchbook Project this month...which means lots of collages! Can anyone tell me where I can find somebody who knows how to put 48 hours in one day???

TFL!

Sandra