Cath Sheard Art

Tag: Dylusions

  • Going back to go forward

    I’ve talked about this before, but didn’t get any forward momentum … until now.

    My art journals were always a combination of the ‘craft’ side of art journaling that grew out of scrapbooking, and a place to learn about materials and develop ideas. For lots of reasons, they became almost solely product-based; Tim Holtz, Dyan Reaveley and Dina Wakley.

    I miss the part of art journaling that’s internally driven, and know the habit was good for my art practice. Projects such as the tiny squares help, but the scale is limiting.

    I started following Denise Love on YT recently. I like what she creates but I *love* her art practice. After a few weeks of watching, I had an aha moment (no one can accuse me of being a quick thinker!). I ordered a Color Cube from Sarah Renae Clark – I’ve been seeing a lot of artists use them and knew it would help.

    I’ve started two new art journals, both my fav small Dylusions ones, and am doing seperate but connected projects. I’ve set an additional rule that, aside from setting up the colour swatch pages, I can only use my neglected StencilGirl or other stencils. No reaching for my Dina Wakley or Dylusions ones as they’ll take me back to my usual post-scrapbook style again.

    In the first I pick a card then choose two of the colours and swatch them onto pages I’ve prepared with Dylusions stencils or Dina Wakley Stamps so there’s a framework to work in. On the right hand page I do a small piece using just those colours.

    In the second journal I choose a card, and record the six colours on the left hand side then do a small on the right.

    My aim? More practice with colour mixing, developing my mark making, exploring my interests in shapes and composition, and hopefully working looser.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Starting the year with some art

    I try to do something art-related or crafty every day … I call it moving my hands and downloading my head. New Year’s Day is no exception.

    We slept in, then I went through to Hawera and picked Tony up. He sat in the car while I did a couple of quick errands, then we had McDonalds at the park. He was tired as he’d stayed up to watch a movie last night, so I took him back to the rest home sooner than usual.

    I’ve spent the afternoon at my art desk, emerging occasionally to talk with Sandra or check on the ASB Tennis with Alan. I’m working in a Dina Wakley 6×6” kraft journal. When I finish this one I think I’ll swap back to Dylusions for a bit – I feel like changing it up a bit.

  • A stack of journals

    I decided to have a quick count of how many journals I’m using at the moment. It was more than I expected! I’ve got 10 journals on the go, but each one serves a specific purpose.

    I’ve got a weekly diary journal. A small journal we’re recording Tony’s journey in. A 6×6 heavy Kraft journal I’m using to explore colour combinations; there’s something lovely happens to colours when you leave some Kraft showing.

    A huge Dina Wakley journal that has 3 different types of paper – I bought that size by accident. A small Dylusions one I’m doing this year’s Creative Jump Start in; CJS2021 was in January and February but with Tony’s health I’m doing it slowly this year.

    I’ve always got a basic Dylusions and Dina Wakley journal on the go because they are where I play just for the fun of it, but also where I “download my head”.

    My current stash of journals
    Some of what I’m using my journals for at the moment.
    This is what I’ve been playing with today.