Diana Trout's blog

Taming the Critic with Clouds

This month's Taming the Critic post is about free writing (and yes, I can hear y'all groaning out there.) 

Here's your mission: print out a few copies of the Clouds picture (pdf is linked below). Sit down with your favorite pen and write. Whatever is on your mind can be your starting point. *Nothing* could also be just fine. Write for 20 minutes straight through, no thinking. Just spill the beans. Julia Cameron suggests starting with "I don't know what to write." Thoughts will tumble into your mind. Write big and sloppy. Pay no attention to grammar or spelling

Here's what your printout will look like

For instance: I've been thinking about altering some clothes. I just can't seem to let go of my fear of messing them up so I'm procrastinating. Our minds get clouded and it's time for clarity.  

 Why Am I Procastinating?

Free writing is theraputic. Fold those papers up, put them in an envelope marked "PERSONAL and PRIVATE." Although people rarely take the time to read someone's writing, especially when it is sloppy.

If you like origami, here is a little video that shows how to make an envelope from a single sheet of paper. I wrote on the back of my papers and folded them into an envelope. Like Fort Knox. 

I wrote on the front of my papers too. I folded them all up and put them into a bowl. You could put them in your journal.

Face your critic. He/she is probably very familiar and less scary than you think. Have a great weekend.
xo - Diana 
Download Clouds journal page

In the Sketchbook, Taming the Critic

An idea for you and your journal for this long holiday weekend. 

Firstly, go through your magazines and look for patterns. Cut out some strips. Or get out your patterned tapes.

Next just get some color down on the page. It could be markers, watercolors, thinned acrylics. Whatever you have. My caran d'ache were handy.

I washed out the watersoluble caran d'ache. Let it dry and used a fat black marker to make the first pattern: stripes. Washi tapes were the easiest thing so I used 'em. My intention is to fill up the spaces between the strips of black and washi patterns with hand drawn patterns.

My mind has gone into a quiet state. Crocheting and letting my mind rest as I contemplate the "what" of it all. As in: what is my intention. Just walk away for awhile. I'll finish that page and post it next week. Here are some of the colors I created using the windfall papers as source. Always an interesting exercise.

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Day Off

After a fantastic day teaching at The Ink Pad on Sunday, I treated myself to a couple of days off and after some nice time with my sis in Princeton (Paper Source!), some "must do's" and a nap, I put in some play time with my journal.

One of my students told me about the ghosting technique using Dylusions ink, water spray and a stencil and I was playing around with it. Here is the video.

A lotta bang for your buck with this technique.I tried (briefly in class) with watercolors and technically it should work since both watercolors and Dylusions inks are liftable. We'll see. 

I felt an urge to paint some stripes with watercolors. It was a colorful messy afternoon. The overspray and drips made for a lovely "drip catcher" paper. I'm using nicer paper for that these days. Dividend. 

Now that the house is dusted, the laundry done, bring on the rest of the week! Why is it that cleaning the house and fresh sheets feels like self-care? Is that pathetic? And here's another question. I have plenty of art supplies but have been lusting after some of these Dylusions since I saw them last year at Ink Pad. I bought a bunch. Self-indulgence? I'm calling it a treat. 

Pics from my class on Friday!

Self Care; Finish This Journal Page

A journal page for you to print out and finish. 

After reading your responses to the Self-Care post, I wonder... how do you think we can slowly change our ways and give better messages to our daughters?

So for your journaling enjoyment, here is a journal page for you to download and print.  There is space to write and finish in anyway that you'd like. Perhaps on the topic of self-care? Write, color with markers, tear into pieces and glue back together. 

PS: the word "bloom" at the side is from one of Keri Smith's books. 

Download Bloom, Printable, DianaTrout

Self Care and The Critic

Over the summer, I wrote this post about not being well and honoring it. 

Ally commented that she is not very good at self-care. I've wondered why so many women are missing out on the tender nurture we give to so many others. And I have to guess that it's the critic at work again. The critic suggesting that if we (for instance) eat the last two pieces of bread, we aren't taking care of our families. We should leave that bread for them. 

Suggest to yourself a walk, a bit of journal play, a day off without any reason at all. What is the first thing that pops to mind. A year ago, I would have said .. "oh I should be *blah, blah, blah-ing*."

Where does that little voice come from? I'm clearly thinking about this as I write because this is new territory for me. I'm really not sure. At all.

But how about it, wise readers? What do you think?

More Gelli Prints

I am rolling with the Gelli Artz gelatin printing plate and water soluble oil paints. The paints are heavy body (Golden Open) and have an extended dry time which make them perfect for this. I used a variety of papers including printing paper, heavy vellum and inexpensive cardstock.

I used a stencil that was hanging around doin' nothing. Not sure where this one came from. Was it a chunk of something else? And a handcarved stamp - a stone flower.

Sumi-e papers printed and made into papercloth.

and what next? I have the deadline coming up for MamaCITA's Miss Representation (more here if you are in the Philly area): choose a woman I admire and make some art honoring her. EEEEK! Too many choices. Eva Hesse? Emily Dickenson? Helen Frankenthaler? Rachel Carson? Right now, it's looking like Rachel Carson. I've been endulging myself by reading poems, looking at Eva and Heln Art and learning more about Rachel (who is currently at the top of my list). 

Who is your favorite woman? Top three? Top ten? Nice journal prompt. Happy weekend. We are on a snow watch here.

Art Journal: Stencil As Prompt

Jessica Sporn has a delightful new set of stencils out with StencilGirl, MaryBeth Shaw.  I have a great fondness for squares so am attracted to random squares stencils.

Using Jessica's stencil as a prompt, I began with layers of ink and the stencil. You don't need to use the entire stencil, using parts of it with different colors of ink makes them more painterly. 

For a bit of pop, I pulled out my gel pens. Nice warm colors on such a cold day cheers me up.

Next came a hand-carved stamp.

How about some gesso?

A picture of seed pods literally fell out of my journal. Oh! That is where I'm going. 

And so it goes. Try using a stencil for a journal prompt. Using Jessica's Random Squares stencil lead me in a direction and the process pulled me along for a ride. I'll add some writing and drawing to this page next.

Here are all the blog hoppers in Jessica's hop. Jessica will have a giveaway on her blog as well.

Seth Apter, The Altered Page, http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/

Carolyn Dube, A Colorful Journey, http://www.acolorfuljourney.com

Kristin Dudish, Art & Stuff, http://kristindudish.blogspot.com/

Corinne Gilman, Sparkle Days Studios

 

Small Seeds

Inside my journal ... 
are some flowers (watersoluble pen such as a Flair and gesso)

 and  some Sharpie flowers

and sometimes someone else's flowery vision.

It doesn't have to be grand or important, you see? It can be a about a line that meanders across your page with whatever tool is handy. It doesn't have to be a "session" with your journal or a complete sketch. You don't need to put this pressure on yourself. 

I'm thinking of a friend right now (you know who you are). She has a beautiful blank journal and very little time for artmaking. I get that. Her drawings and paintings are "for real." And I get that too. But really? A simple line won't go to waste. 

There is never a wasted moment in life. Every single moment - at the end - is worthy.

Spicy Colors: DIY, from Sketchbook Challenge

You can see this post at Sketchbook Challenge today as well. Get in the fun over there. This month's theme is Spice of Life. Check out this month's giveaways as well! 

... Look no further than your kitchen and neighborhood for this journal entry. Based on my experiments with botanical dyes last year, I decided to whip up some DIY stains for this month's theme. This is a great way to explore nature. 

Paprika, Turmeric, Walnut Ink & Pokeberry, Journal Page, Diana Trout

 

Paprika and turmeric are readily available at your grocery store. Add about 3:1 water to spice and let them sit for a while. You may need to add a bit more water as the spice absorbs and it won't absorb completely. It will be grainy.

Please note, this is just for playing around. The "paint" will be full of undissolved spice. I painted the colors on (see above), let it dry and just brushed off the undissolved spice.

Pokeberries grow wild and are usually in full berry right about now here in the Mid-Atlantic, US. The snowstorm we had last week clobbered our neighborhood bush so I was only able to gather a few. Put the berries in a little bowl and squish them with a fork (or your finger) to release the "ink." I don't mind getting messy, so I pick up one of my berries after squishing and pushed it around on the page. Great fun for adults and kids.

If you have a black walnut tree around, you can find the nuts on the ground in autumn. Smack one with a hammer (if it's not already broken) and then cook the outer hull in about 1/2 cup water. Just bring it up to a boil and simmer a bit. It is very intense! Badda-Bing: home-made walnut ink.

I did the little drawings and writing on this page with the DIY walnut ink and a dip pen. 

There is a clip at the end of this video showing me-self making and using pokeberry ink (the above page. The clip begins at 6:32 so skip ahead to that (unless you'd like to see my daughter in action at her post-grad job a couple of years ago :)

Enjoy!

Tame Your Critic with Collage

Do you love paper a little too much? I adore the stuff. In any color, size, pattern; old and new, tattered and yellowing, crisp and fragrant; handmade, junk mail, envelopes, labels. My studio reflects this. How about yours?  There are boxes of paper stored everywhere in my house.

Let's do some 5 minute collage and use up some of that stash. 

I just keep a box of loose paper - intentionally disorganized because it is such fun to see what will happen. Dip in and grab what you want without thinking: look quickly and make instinctive choices. Then glue 'em down. Try to do this in 5 minutes. Set your timer! Yeah, not so easy, is it? Try it again. 

You may sometimes feel, as I do, reluctant to just use up your paper. I try to keep in mind that there is plenty out there. When you sit down to play with art supplies, it doesn't have to Become Art. I usually regard this sort of play in the same way as you would a sandcastle: impermanent, unprecious. And you can cut these up and use them in your journal, returning them to collage fodder. 

I've been painting over some of these collages to push them further. Using pencil and crayon to scribble. There may be another round of collage. Who knows? Just move forward.