Challenge - Art

ART - What is art to you? What is your favorite type of art? Are you an artist? Just a few questions we can ask ourselves about art. We have probably all seen art that spoke to our hearts, or the kind where we think "A 5 year old could have done that", or something that probably touched our soul. And probably have had discussions with others about art. What is art to you? Think about that for a little while.
In this challenge I would like you to make a page

1: that describes what art means to you
-or-

2: using a quote or poem as your inspiration.

Feel free to read through the quotes, poetry, etc, below to use as your inspiration.

Art [link to wikipedia]

Art - definitions:

1: skill acquired by experience, study, or observation <the art of making friends>

2: a branch of learning: (1) : one of the humanities (2) plural : liberal arts archaic : learning, scholarship

3: an occupation requiring knowledge or skill <the art of organ building>

4: the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects; also : works so produced (1) : fine arts (2) : one of the fine arts (3) : a graphic art

5: a archaic : a skillful plan b : the quality or state of being artful

6: decorative or illustrative elements in printed matter

Titles:

1: Art Imitates Life

2: An Artist at Heart
3: An Artist's Apprentice
4: Creative Minds are Rarely Tidy
5: Just a Pigment of My Imagination

Quotes:
1: The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. (Aristotle)
2: Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. (Thomas Merton)
3: Art is a lie that lets us see the truth. (Pablo Picasso)
4: Art is the only way to run away without leaving home. (Twayla Tharp)
5: An artist never really finishes his work, he merely abandons it. (Paul Valery) (this is especially true with art journals).
6: Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. (Pablo Picasso)
7: Science is everything we understand well enough to explain to a computer. Art is everything else. (David Knuth)
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Put Something In by Shel Silverstein

Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-gumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a looney-gooney dance
'Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain't been there before.
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I hope you have fun doing this challenge.

REMEMBER: Art Journaling is not about the beginning or the end. It is all about the process. The Journey!

And if you feel up to it, please share pictures of your art journal pages at our Flickr gallery HERE

ATTENTION MEMBERS: Freebie Alert

My friend and your fellow AJfL member has finally agreed to start selling her products at my store. Today is her first day. And she already have her first kit ready in my store. To celebrate she decided to share Hillside Art #1 with you all.

You can find this cute art journal / scrapbook kit at Twisted Scrapper Boutique - Leslie Hill

Leslie is an Arizona based (yup we are almost neighbors) art journaler,  who for years have been making her own supplies for her digital and hybrid journals. We have learned a lot from each other the past couple of years, which you will probably notice in our styles, but we also have differences. Especially in color schemes LOL.
She never sold or shared any of her products before so this is all new to her :)

Your coupon code to use for picking up your free kit is: Leslies1stDay 
Please remember coupons are case sensitive, valid for one use per customer only.
And please do not share the coupon outside Art Journaling for Less.

Challenge - Week 09

One of the things in hands-on art journaling I usually have the most trouble with is hand-writing (sometimes referred to as hand-printing or lettering). My hand-writing has always been poor, but when I started art journaling I thought for sure I could learn. At least some techniques to make it look artsy. But I am still trying and I don't feel it has gotten much better.

This week I want you to explore hand-writing. Make a couple of pages with hand-written titles, and/or journaling.

I really can not teach you how to do art journal writing, because
   1: I suck at it LOL
   2: You have to create your own style

but, I can point you in the direction of videos, pages, etc that I like so you can get a few ideas how to get started.

The first I want to share is a few pages from someone who I believe has the whole art journal handwriting down. AND she is one of our very own members. Say 'Hi' to  Erin! If you check out her Flickr: Mimisgirl51901 She does both digital and hybrid art journaling.
A few of her pages with hand-writing:
Home
Be Me
Lightsaber

Links to pages with hand-writing I like:

Page by apartmentcat - it is definitely not neat, but I like the way she did the journaling in a spiral.

Page by iHanna - this is probably one of the most common techniques, but that doesn't make it bad. I love how she got such clean lines with the white and black together.

Page by miscellaneaarts - this is just so pretty. I would call this a doodle script, and I dream of learning this one. What I find to be the hardest is to make the lines flow.

Page by TMcFayden - the lines in this are so clean. Love the look of this one.

Want to see more? Go to Flickr and run a search for 'art journal hand lettering'.

YouTube:

Doodle Titles and Letter Art - this is a quick run through of different techniques and ideas using Sakura pens.

How to draw type and letters - a list of several videos on how to draw cool type and letters. I think this is more advanced than just regular art journal lettering. Might work for just single words etc. When I work in my journals I usually dont have time to sit down and making things this complicated. But I thought I would share anyway, maybe you find something that you like and want to use.

Cool Writing - this one I could see used in art journals. Would take a little practice, but it is very nice. I might actually try learning this one.

How to draw grafitti letters - this one is not just for grafitti lettering. I think what he says about making the letters looks just a little more artistic than usual, and that there is no right or wrong way is exactly how we should do our art journal lettering.

Artful Lettering - this is the kinda lettering I would love to do. People make it look so easy, but when I do it, it never turn out so great. Will keep trying.

There are many more videos, websites etc dedicated to hand lettering, so if you want more, check out Google. Or maybe make up your own style.

When making digital pages I also feel it is important to make the lettering look as 'real' as possible. You can do that by adding color and texture to bold letterings. If anyone are interested in seeing how I like to do that in my digital pages, just let me know. I do use a mix of PSP and PSE6, but if you use PS or newer versions of PSE I am sure you can do similar things in your programs. At least you can get some form of ideas for how to use fonts in your art. Just let me know if you are interested.

I would love to see some of your pages made with your own hand lettering. I am going to go practice right now to see if maybe I can make something worthy of sharing ;)

REMEMBER: Art Journaling is not about the beginning or the end. It is all about the process.

Have Fun!

And if you do feel up to it, please share pages at our Flickr gallery HERE

Challenge - Beauty

Beauty - this is a word that has so many different meanings, depending on who you are. To some beauty can be a red rose blooming, but to others the beauty is not about the looks, but rather the fact that the rose is growing. Doesn't matter if it is red, white, or any other color. Just that it is here for us to enjoy.
When you hear the word Beauty, what comes to mind? Nature? Your child? Your mother? Or perhaps some actress or supermodel? Think it through. Perhaps write down the first words that came to mind when you saw the title of this post.

In this challenge I would like you to make a page

1: that describes what beauty means to you

-or-

2: using a quote or poem as your inspiration.
Feel free to read through the quotes, poetry, etc, below to use as your inspiration.

Beauty [link to wikipedia]
Aesthetics [link to wikipedia]

Beauty - definitions:

1: the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit : loveliness

2: a beautiful person or thing; especially : a beautiful woman

3: a particularly graceful, ornamental, or excellent quality

4: a brilliant, extreme, or egregious example or instance <that mistake was a beauty>

You can also try Googling 'beautiful' or 'aesthetic' 

Titles:

1: Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall
2: Pretty as a Picture
3: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
4: Everything is beautiful in its own way.
5: A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

Quotes:
1: Be careless in your dress if you will, but keep a tidy soul. (Mark Twain)
2: Beauty changes with the passing seasons except in the heart where the true beauty remains. (Unknown)
3: Don't worry about wrinkles, they're just antique smiles. (Unknown)
4: Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. (Confucius)
5: I've never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful. (Unknown)
6: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye. (from The Little Prince)
7: That which is striking and beautiful is not always good, but that which is good is always beautiful. (Ninon De L'Enclos)
8: To me, fair friend, you never can be old. For as you were when first your eye I eyed. Such seems your beauty still. (William Shakespeare)

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My Inside-Self by Rachel Field

My Inside-Self and my Outside-Self
Are different as can be.
My Outside-self wears gingham smocks,
And very round is she,
With freckles sprinkled on her nose,
And smoothly parted hair,
And clumsy feet that cannot dance
In heavy shoes and square.

But, oh, my little Inside-Self
In gown of misty rose.
She dances lighter than a leaf
On blithe and twinkling toes.
Her hair is blowing gold, and if
You chanced her face to see,
You would not think she could belong
to staid and sober me!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Please Look a Little Deeper

Please don't judge me by my face.
By my religion or my race.
Please don't laugh at what I wear.
Or how I look or do my hair.
Please look a little deeper--
Way down deep inside.
And although you may not see it.
I have a lot to hide.
Behind my clothes the secrets lie.
Behind my smile, I softly cry.
Please look a little deeper.
And maybe you will see,
The lonely little girl
That lives inside of me.
Please listen carefully to her--
She'll show that she's insecure.
Please try to be a friend to her
And show her that you care.
Please just get to know her
And maybe you will see
That if you just look deep enough.
You'll find the real me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope you have fun doing this challenge.

REMEMBER: Art Journaling is not about the beginning or the end. It is all about the process. The Journey!

And if you feel up to it, please share pictures of your art journal pages at our Flickr gallery HERE

ATTENTION MEMBERS: Challenge Suggestions

Hi Friends
So I am sitting here this afternoon working on getting some challenge up for you and it hit me that maybe I should ask you what YOU want to do.

Are there any specific words you would like to work with in our Word Challenge (the one for digital members) or maybe there is something specific you would like to try out in the hands-on section. Please let me know.

Makes me happy when you are happy, so let me know what YOU want out of the challenges.

Also, be sure to take a look in the Flickr Gallery. Our wonderful members (YOU) have uploaded some AWESOME pages. Great inspiration for the rest of us!

ATTENTION MEMBERS: Download Links

Please do NOT share the download links with non-members. I have noticed lately that I have many more people downloading than I have members. This is not good.

Of course this could be a glitch from Box, and I just don't know. I will contact Box and inquire about this to see of they can clear it up.

If they can't I only have 2 other solutions:
   1: get a paid account with Box so I can track who downloads. I don't want to do this because it will cost me a lot to do and I just can not afford that.
   2: I can start issuing coupons to the store so I can see who downloads through there. I really dont want to do that because it is just such a hassle for you.

So I ask that you please keep in mind that these "FREE" downloads are included in YOUR membership ONLY, so no sharing of links or files. If you have friends who are interested in my products, they can purchase a membership, or purchase the products individually in my store : Twisted Scrapper Boutique

Thank you for reading!

Challenge - Sun

Sun - Monsoon has just started for us here in AZ. A little later than usual, and a lot more needed than usual. It has been so hot and dry here this year, and with the very low snow levels last winter, we really need the rain. Yeah, I don't live in the desert, so we do get snow in the winter LOL. Anyway, we love the sun, and we still get a lot of it in between the rain showers. You can do so many thing outside in the sun. Activities with the kids, hiking, camping, playing. Or just hang out, and maybe do some art journaling. Do you love the sun? Or maybe you don't? Or perhaps the sun means something entirely different than just summer and fun to you? Could be it symbolizes a time of happiness in your life? Does it represent the person you are now compared to a darker period growing up, your youth? Try thinking past just the summer and fun and see if maybe there is a different meaning.

In this challenge I would like you to make a page

1: your relationship with the sun or what the sun means to you
-or-

2: using a quote or poem as your inspiration.
Feel free to read through the quotes, poetry, etc, below to use as your inspiration.

Sun [link to wikipedia]

Sun - definitions:

1

  a: the luminous celestial body around which the earth and other planets revolve, from which they receive heat and light, which is composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, and which has a mean distance from earth of about 93,000,000 miles (150,000,000 kilometers), a linear diameter of 864,000 miles (1,390,000 kilometers), and a mass 332,000 times greater than earth.

  b: a celestial body like the sun : star

2

      the heat or light radiated from the sun <played in the sun all day>

3

      one resembling the sun (as in warmth or brilliance)

4

      the rising or setting of the sun <from sun to sun>

5

      glory, splendor

— in the sun

      in the public eye

— under the sun

      in the world : on earth

Titles:

1: The Sun'll Come Out Tomorrow
2: New Sun Rising
3: Follow the Sunshine
4: Let There Be Light
5: Looking for the Sunshine
Quotes:
1: At first a small line of inconceivable splendour emerged on the horizon, which, quickly expanding, the sun appeared in all of his glory, unveiling the whole face of nature, vivifying every color of the landscape, and sprinkling the dewy earth with glittering light. (Ann Radcliffe)
2: Keep your face toward the sunshine and the shadows will fall behind you. (Unknown)
3: Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves. (James M. Barrie)
4: Give me the splendid silent sun with all his beams full-dazzling. (Walt Whitman)
5: The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do. (Galileo)

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The Sun by John Drinkwater

I told the sun that I was glad,
I'm sure I don't know why;
Somehow the pleasant way he had
Of shining in the sky,
Just put a notion in my head
That wouldn't it be fun.
If, walking on the hill, I said
"I'm happy" to the sun.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Sunrise by Pollyanna Sedziol

This
is the only gold
I'll ever possess . . .
I treasure it,
counting its glory
each dawn.
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I hope you have fun doing this challenge.

REMEMBER: Art Journaling is not about the beginning or the end. It is all about the process. The Journey!

And if you feel up to it, please share pictures of your art journal pages at our Flickr gallery HERE