Monday, November 20, 2017

Diva Challenge #342 and other stuff...

Diva Challenge #342 
Duo Tangle featuring "Paradox" and "Bunzo"

I had this idea early on in the season to do a series on eco-printed tiles and they've been looking a bit like cosmic gardens. "Paradox" was a challenge to this idea but after taking a  peek at Margaret Bremner's blog post on Paradox, I was determined to make it work. I always have trouble shading Paradox to my satisfaction and I can't say I'm all that crazy about the results but, true to Zen form, I enjoyed drawing this.

One Travelling Tangle this week:

My finish...

...to this fun start by Annmarie Slaby

I finished my concertina sketchbook:




I'm really proud of myself for attempting and sticking through this. This type of drawing was so far out of my wheel house but as with anything you just gotta make the time and practice, practice, practice. I really liked this format and I'm gonna do one of these again, but next time use it to it's full potential of seamlessness and more panorama drawings. I really had a good time with this and learned so much.
Today I've been home nursing a cold and I made my next sketchbook, trying Coptic binding (following this tutorial on the Sea Lemon You Tube channel). This is my second attempt making a  bound sketchbook and I have to say I've impressed myself with the improvement.

This is a 4 x 6 inch book
bound in a landscape format

Front
I used pages from a Crate and Barrel holiday catalog
to cover the cardboard covers
I really loved these photographs
and there was no text in the way;-)

Back
the catalog pages were pretty thin 
so the paper wrinkled from the gluing process

Inside the covers
I used a sheet of paper from a Disneyland Hotel notepad

I like how flat the pages lay



Aimee's not impressed

Thanks so much for stopping by. Your thoughtful and generous comments delight and inspire me 😉







32 comments:

  1. I really, really like what youd did with Paradox and the 'starry starry night'! A seethrough Paradox is something that never came to my mind, but I'm defintely gonna try this myself some time. Thanks for the inspiration!
    Your other work is as pretty and stylish as always :-)

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    1. Thanks so much Ilse! Opening up the centers of the Paradox came to me at the very end, after I'd blackened the "sky". I do like that effect and want to explore it more;-)

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  2. Well, I loved how you handled Paradox with Bunzo. It is a treat to look at.

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  3. Stiking Diva challenge tile and it was great to se the end of your inktober book and the lovely new one you are starting. Hope that you will continue to let us see your journey in the new one.

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    1. Thanks so much Kate! I'm looking forward to the next sketchbook. I'm overthinking it right now, trying to figure out a theme. I suspect it will just be collage style journal.

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  4. Gosh, the skill you display with the art in your concertina sketchbook is IMPRESSIVE! Love the drama of your Diva challenge tile, and of course, if Aimee ever met my Becky cat, then she would know what impressed IS. ;) have a lovely Thanksgiving!

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    1. Many thanks Heidi! the journey through that sketchbook was such a great confidence builder, especially when I let go of perfection. The Diva challenge was one of those "I have no idea where this is going" moments;-)

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  5. I love your diva challenge. The paradox looks like the delicate paper of a hornet's nest or some kind of parchment. And all of it set against the starry background is so lovely.

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  6. I love the color in your Duotangle challenge - really vibrant!

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  7. Thanks for the tip about Margaret Bremner's blog post about Paradox - I've not seen Paradox explained so well. And I love your work.

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    1. Thanks so much Karen! Margaret's tutorials are always a revelation;-)

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  8. I am overwhelmed by the energy that emerges from your tile. And your concertina sketchbook seems to be beautiful.

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  9. LOVE, love, love that Diva tile!!!! And the book impresses me a lot. Take care of that cold!

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  10. I really like your eco-diva tile. The Paradox looks like woven palm leaves. I'm still working out where to go with my Duotangle!

    Love your book too - so fun to draw in the book you made. It's one of those things on my 'do one day' list!

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    1. Thank you Jem! Paradox has always been one of those problem patterns for me. I like the idea of it but my execution of it has left me wanting. This was one of those AHA! moments for sure;-)
      The handmade sketchbooks are a fun project. The first one I made was a trainwreck but I'm enjoying my way through it because I don't feel precious about anything I put in it. I'll post some pics next time;-)

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  11. Your diva tile is so beautifully celestial. And the binding looks terrific.

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    1. Thank you Lorna! The stitching of the book is so much easier than I thought, once you get the hang of it. The tutorial is great.

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  12. I can only echo what everybody else has already said, Michele. The diva tile is so vibrant, and your concertina book in amazingly impressive. Well done, indeed!

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  13. I like your DIVA tile in wonderful colors, your sketchbook and your not very impressed cat!

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  14. A wonderful Diva Dance tile with very nice colours for this time of the year.
    Thank you for the link to the Coptic bindung, very beautiful what you did, you can be very proud of the result
    I believe that Aimee is not impressed at the moment, she has seen already so much beauty but I can see in her eyes she is satisfied!!!
    Thank you for sharing all your gorgeous work.

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  15. Gorgeous Diva tile! Your work is impressive, your sketchbooks are wonderful, and I always enjoy seeing Aimee!

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