Cath Sheard Art

Tag: art journaling

  • Staying with the process

    I committed to filling at least one art journal with ideas before starting on ‘good’ paper or wooden panels.

    Today I made a huge pile of gelli prints using leaves and grasses then accidentally spilt about 1/3 of a bottle of green ink on the pile of prints. They’re mainly ok though, and some of the layers are magic.

    I’m still working on my small Venezia journal and have taped borders on every second page in the A4 size one.

    I seem to be flipping between abstract and semi realistic. I know why … and it’s holding me back. I need to stick more firmly to my own artistic voice.

  • Setting artistic intentions

    I’m sick – probably not Covid (negative so far) but razor blade throat etc. There’s been a lot of bugs going round at work & in the community, so I’m tucked up in bed.

    I’ve been watching art videos by Orla Stevens, Louise Fletcher and Helen Wells on developing a solid sketchbook practice, finding consistency and setting your artistic intentions. I know, from past experience, that a new journal is not a cure-all, but I’ve just bought my first Fabriano Venezia journal and love it. The pages are thick and stand up well to the way I work. My intention is to add more “mixed” into my mixed media, so I’ve littered my desk with supplies to experiment with: paint, ink, water soluble crayons, Stabilo All pencil, oil pastels, Stabilo Woodys, collage materials, metallic inks.

    Some of the works below are from the new journal, and the square format works are ones I did last weekend when Alan and I stayed in the bush for the weekend. No light or noise pollution, only solar power, and cooking on a gas camp stove — so good! I’m not sure any of these are finished yet, and some are shown at more than one stage.

  • I’m back – and creating

    I haven’t blogged since March. It’s taken me all that time to figure out why WordPress wasn’t working properly. Once I figured it out, the solution was easy! Sigh…

    Pen and I are between exhibitions at the moment. I’ve got a few things I’m playing with but, so far, nothing has grabbed me enough to turn into a series or even hold my interest for long. I know to just keep playing – it’ll come. Helen Wells talked about this recently on YouTube Vrbo YouTube Occasions Wins & Losses NZ EN 16×9 15s

    I’m teaching a basic Dylusions art journal class. We’re meeting one night a week for 10 weeks. It’s lovely watching people have that “aha” moment when they realise how freeing an art journal can be.

    Alan and I have been out into the back blocks of Eltham twice recently, staying in a cabin well away from the world. Log fire, no noise or light pollution, surrounded by steeps bush-covered hills and deer, with the sound of a stream nearby. Bliss!

    I’ll share a of few photos of where I’ve been and what I’ve been creating. There’s no real rhyme or reason to the art at this stage, and that’s exactly the point.

  • Trying ArtStacks

    One of my YouTube favs is the wonderfully talented Claire Stead (Art_Journal Love). The other day she made a page using ArtStacks and I just had to check them out. They offer themed paper packs, so three sets somehow ended up in my cart. Got to love a quick digital download!

    I’ve used them in my 6×6 Dina Wakley Media Kraft journal, with DWM paints and stencils. I had printed them on 160gsm white paper, so they’re a bit sturdier, which I prefer. The colours are bright and the images are, mainly, easy to fussy cut. I’m thrilled with them and will no doubt be buying more.

  • Hand of the artist

    I’m going through a “strictly Dylusions” phase; my Dina Wakley journals haven’t been touched for a couple of weeks. Sometimes I work in both, using their products plus a few others such as Tim Holtz and Claire Stead. Other times, I feel compelled to just do one thing.

    I’ve been painting or inking, then stencilling dozens of pages in three journals. Once they’re dry I add borders with stencils, washi tape or collage. In the evenings I sit in the lounge doodling with black and white Posca pens while Alan watches tv or we listen to music.

    I outline all the collage, add stitch lines round some elements, doodle round the stencilling, and so on. I’m not fussy about it – if the line is wonky or goes over the collage it doesn’t matter.

    All of this means that, although I’m using products designed by someone else (a lot of the collage is straight from Dyan Reaveley’s own journals), the final pages are mine – they clearly show the hand of the artist. I love that!

    The pages below are sections from some of the ones I’m working on. I flip back and forth in the three journals, so I don’t have to wait for the pen work to dry.