Diana Trout's blog

About Teaching Art

There have been several emails over the past few months asking for advice on teaching. Fresh from last Sunday's class at the Ink Pad, it seems a good time to begin to answer that question.

If you've taken a class with me, you may have noticed that I love to teach. I've "taught" 2 year olds all the way through to senior citizens and the common denominator is inspiration. To learn, students need to feel inspired, yes? 

Whether you are teaching math or art, inspiration is the central motivator. If you are passionate (inspired) about your subject the excitement spreads and suddenly hellz-a-poppin. 

Thorough, and I mean OCD level thorough, preparation is really important. You can have the coolest ideas, techniques and all the inspiration in the world but if you haven't planned the pace and the explanations, your students will glaze over. You've lost them.

(and I thank you, Sunday Student, for asking that the bookbinding demo be split into two parts). Which brings me to the last topic point for today: Listen To Your Students

Listen to your Students

Your students are your divining rod. Let them lead you, not the other way around. That sounds convuluted after advising you to prepare thoroughly for your class but teaching art is an organic, creative process for me. I make sure that the points planned have been covered but there is always flexibility in my curriculum and that is where listening to your students comes into play.

If you are thoroughly prepared and knowledgeable about your subject, you can allow the creativity and skill level of your class to guide you. Sometimes reigning back on techniques and pushing forward in experimentaion. This varies from student to student so you'll need your track shoes. 

Teaching art is exhilarating. The world really needs fabulous teachers so let's support that.  I'm adding a new category on this topic so it will come up from time to time. Questions and tips are welcome and will add to the pool of resources here.

I'll go into more detail about each of these three topics over time. PS: I took these photos at the tacket stitch class on Sunday. They are all student work. 

Bookbinding: The Tacket Stitch at the Ink Pad

Tacket stitch  is ancient, simple and wide open for interpretation. I think of it as the original staple. I'll be teaching this full day course at The Ink Pad in NYC on February 24, 10am to 5:30 pm.

Start the day off by making the decorative decorative paper for covers and interior using stencils, stamps, watercolor. Most of the papers in these samples are made with the techniques we learn in this class.  The afternoon will be devoted to putting this little gem together. A great container for favorite quotes, pictures, writing or journaling. 

You can register for this class by calling The Ink Pad at 212-463-9876. Class is at the Westbeth Center.

 Download Student Supply List, Tacket

Longstitch, 2 Ways, Opens 11/2/2012

Woot. Are you ready? I'm working on the final video edits, putting together all of the lesson pdf's, looking up links. I'm so thrilled to be able to share this straight-forward, versatile stitch with you. 

Create two basic books in this class: one 8" x 5" Hidden Spine and one 6" x 5" exposed spine. Learn the basic stitch and you can take it anywhere you want! There will be instruction for variations using beads, ribbons and different cover options. (Pictures next week). I've used a good art paper (Stonehenge) in the smaller book and text weight and junk paper in the larger book. These books are sturdy and lie flat when opened - a big plus for visual journaling. 

Here are the pictures again. 

8" x 5" Longstitch, DianaTrout

 

5"x6" Longstitch, DianaTrout

 Download Longstitch, Supply List

All of my classes are hosted on a private blog so that you can post any questions or comments. And I will respond to your questions! I've also set up a Flickr Group, here, so you can upload pictures of your beautiful books.

Videos (4-5), PDF's. 

Permanent access means that you can join anytime and work at your own pace. The blog is up indefintely (forever)

Once you register, I'll send you an email with the username and password.

 $40. Blog opens 11/2/12. 

More Longstitch

Thank you all for your emails, comments and well wishes, they really cheered me up. You guys are the best! My back is improving. It turned out to be a bulging disk - ewwww! All I've been doing is working on the Longstitch class, going to PT and resting. And the class will open on November 1! Yay. Yesterday's work ...

Longstitch, Hidden Spine, Diana Trout

I'm really happy with the way these books came out. The Fabric Cloth works so beautifully as a cover. Sturdy and lightweight. If you didn't see the Fabric Cloth free tutorial, look here.

Longstitch, Exposed and Hidden Spine Diana Trout

I'm SO looking forward to getting back to my new normal. Soon (I keep telling myself). xo to all of you my lovely readers. Thanks for stopping by. 

Longstitch Online Class Coming

The Longstitch is amazing! There are a ton of variations and I've been exploring and playing with a few of them. There are two variations that I'll be teaching in my upcoming online class. 

I bound this book using fabric/paper covers. The detail of the woven binding is cool, right? I'm thinking of offering the fabric/paper class as a stand alone since there is so much that can be done with fabric paper.

Then I'll continue to expand on using fabric paper in art work. What do YOU think? What kind of classes would you like to see me offer online?

My {Im}Perfect Life

If you don't read the text in this post, it may appear to be a "perfect life" post. The photos are from around my studio. 

Looks can be deceiving. 

These lovely pictures are the surface. And I have a perfect life. You probably do as well.

Most days you start out with a plan, right? You get up all rarin' to go. Drop a glass in the bathroom and step on a shard. Spend the rest of the day limping around and cussin'. Get the jobs done. Keep going. Get a great email or see someone you love. Spill your coffee on your favorite shirt. 

Forget to bring the packages you need to put in the post. And then there you are driving home in the middle of a most amazing sunset and somehow you realize that you do have a perfect life. And this is it.  

Perfect has to be flawed. Or it wouldn't be perfect. Flaws are part of the wonder of life. So is hard work and problems. If there were not problems to solve, where would the challenge lie? If you hadn't been limping around (and cussin') all day because of that shard of glass in your foot, it wouldn't really be such a treat to stick your feet into a bucket of warm, sudsy water. 

This is real life. Don't believe everything you read on blogs and in magazines and what you see on TV.

Books in no particular order because it is fun not knowing what is going to come at you next: 

Photos in this post: Art Journals, More Art Journals, Mini art journals, part of my flip book collection, art supplies.

Bookbinding, Tacket & Longstitch

Tacket binding is an historic book form used in Europe in the Middle Ages (and most likely earlier). This is one of those bindings that is simple enough for beginners and just waiting for you to experiment with it.  These are the Dos-i-Dos that we made in Italy. Most of us used our own handmade paper to fill this small, ripe book.

The Longstitch is another one of those bindings that everyone does differently. The creativity in bookbinding is endless: a "problem" presents itself and the binder solves it. Or an opportunity to embellish a spine is taken advantage of. Here is Susan Cohen's woven longstitch.

Buying or making all of our papers in Fabriano was very neat: so many to choose from and very different from what is available to us here in the States or Canada. We had a lot of fun mixing patterns and textures. 

These stitches are so endless. I plan on building a couple of online classes for the fall. They are too good to keep to myself!

Sketchbook Challenge: Book Review & 2 Giveaways

Sue Bleiweiss has put together a really lovely book here. Kudos to her for herding up 24 woman artists and 12 interesting themes (eg, dwellings, circles, weathered beauty).

Sue is the force behind the blog The Sketchbook Challenge which is currently in its second year. Her keen eye for design is present in this appealing book both in its smaller-than-usual size and, oh man, I am a sucker for rounded corners on a book.

The book lays out the themes and then two artists address their process from initial sketches to finished artwork. This is a broad overview, naturally. There are technique sections within each theme but, largely, this is a book to inspire you to find your own process. 

At the bottom of this post you will find the giveaways with instructions, OK? See the list of "hoppers" down there too! All of the artists from the book are participating.

My theme for the book is Dwellings. Yes, it was perfect for me. I started out with small drawings and compositional sketches, expanding on my stones and little hut-like houses.  Here are samples of some of the patterns, textures and compositions I was playing with.

In addition to a regular sketchbook or journal, I like to use small portfolios when I am starting a new series. This portfolio is of the rescued book variety. The instructions are based on this video. 

and my finished piece ... 
Now for the giveaways! There are two of them

From The Artist Cellar  A complete set of Artist Cellar Stencils - that’s 28 stencils total! Total retail value $120.

and

From My Creative Classroom:  a free seat to any of their online classes  Total retail value $45!

Wow! This is like a game show! 

SO, throw your name in the hat by leaving a comment on this post. 

Please Note
One comment per person
Leave a contact address

Indicate which of the prizes you would like 
Stencils OR Free Class

I will draw names on July 10!

Here is the blog hop schedule

June 26:
Jill Berry
Sue Bleiweiss

June 27:
Violette
Kathyanne White

June 28:
Kathy Sperino
Leslie Tucker Jenison

June 29:
Jamie Fingal
Lynn Krawczyk

July 2:
Jackie Bowcutt
Lyric Kinard

July 3:
Jane Davies
Kim Rae Nugent

July 5:
Carla Sonheim
Carol Sloan

July 6:
Susan Brubaker Knapp
Diana Trout

July 9:
Tracie Lyn Huskamp
Judi Hurwitt

July 10:
Jane LaFazio
Kelli Nina Perkins

The Sketchbook Challenge Blog Hop is sponsored by:

Mistyfuse
My Creative Classroom
ArtPlantae Today 
Gelli Arts 
Joggles
Sue Pelland Designs
ProChemical and Dye
The Thread Studio
Blue Twig Studio
ArtistCellar

Good Luck! And I hope you'll enjoy the book. 

Circle Journal Online, Open Registration

Circle Journal is a reformated class from last year's work-along class. An independent study class that you can work at your own pace. The material will be permanently accessible.

This is a LOT of information: a painting primer, a mixed media primer, art journaling primer: much more than I could cover in 2-3 full day workshops. And you always have me on the other end of your computer! 

Sign up and begin anytime you'd like. A total of 22 videos and a bunch of pdfs: one for each of the four lessons, plus symbol drawing, words to transfer, a tiny maze book zine. 

Lesson 1:  Painting & Markmaking. Using thinned acrylic paints, let the spilling begin. Brushstrokes, color mixing, markmaking with stamps, stencils, alternative items.  (5 videos, 2 pdf's) 

Lesson 2: Folding & Stitching your Maze Book. The possibilities are endless with this type of book. Make a mistake? No problem: stitch, cut, tape your way to a new bookform. Handstitching, machine stitching techniques and ideas are included (2 videos, 2 pdf's). 

Lesson 3: Line, Collage, Gesso & Paint. (8 videos, 1 pdf). Loads of spilling in this lesson in lines and images. Get the low down on using paint, gesso and portfolios. Creating your own stamps is simple if you've done the brainstormng on symbols. Includes creating foam stamps and symbol drawing. 

Lesson 4: Embellishments. (7 videos, and a bunch of pdf's). Includes tabs, blender pen transfers, simple lettering,  and other embellishments).

 $60.00 USD

Two Page Spread, Diana Trout, Circle Journal

$60/Join Anytime, Permanent Access
After you have paid for the class, you will receive the blog URL and password from me 

Complete Supply List:

2-3 Parent sized sheets smooth, heavy printmaking or watercolor pape paper, hot press, 90# (30” x 22”approx.)

Acrylic Paints, large flat brush : 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch, round brush #9
Heavy gel matte medium
Gesso

bottle of ink(s) or reinkers
small spray bottle(s) 
straw, Eyedropper
craft foam (available in the children’s area at the craft store)
small piece of heavy cardboard, or wooden block
Stamp pad(s)
craft knife
scissors
glue stick
pens, pencils
masking tape 
collage papers 
template plastic (old milk jug)
Plastic Wrap (optional)
Chartpak Blender Pen for photocopy transfers. This is a bit smelly - like nail polish remover.  If you are sensitive, you may want to skip it.
Crayons, children’s wax
Portfolios or Caran d’Ache watersoluble crayons

I hope you'll join me! 

Making Paper in Italy

Arrividerci, Italy. Yo! Philly! I am home. Eyes, sketchbook, heart, mind and clothes so much fuller. 

And so ... I will share with you and hope that you'll enjoy this virtual tour.

We begin with our papermaking adventure at the Museo della Carta e della Filigrana. And yes, the watermark was invented in Fabriano.

Georgio Pelligrini was our host while we were in Fabriano. He is director of the Museo and also of Tourism in the LeMarche region. Very handy fellow! 

The equipment we used has been around for Ages: Medieval, that is. Here is Cynthia with her mold and deckle scooping up a frame full of pulp. Master Papermaker, Roberto was our instructor. The molds that we used are handmade with handstitched watermarks. You can see some of the screens on the walls behind us. 

Here is Roberto showing us the beginning motions of tilting the screen after scooping the pulp. This is a very revered and honored craft. We all took this seriously and Roberto was quite exacting and patient.

Maggie Brew, owner of the elegant B&B Fonte Fresca was our tour guide and translator. She is moving the screen both to remove the water and knit the pulp fibers together. More about Maggie and Fonte Fresca in a few days. 

Here is a very quick video of Denise with the final motions that will take the paper from pulp to couching. After we had made stacks of paper, Roberto and I carried the stack to be pressed and then we all peeled the pressed paper from the couching felts to be dried. 

Holy Pulp, Batman!