Diana Trout's blog: Sketchbook Challenge

11/12/2012

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!

Nov 12, 2012 2:52:05 PM | Art Journaling, Art Supplies, Color, Color Inspiration, Journal Prompts, Nature Inspiration, Sketchbook Challenge, Tutorials

07/06/2012

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.