..cos it's in the details...


Hey journally friends!

Challenge yourself to do something different in your next journal entry... this one is so small but it's fun to make intentional accents on your page backgrounds.


Simple circular marks (profound huh? hehe)

All you need is:

• White or coloured acrylic paint or gesso. I used gesso in this example.
• Something circular with a hollow center. I suggest NOT an Easter egg :) - the lid of my glue bottle worked dandy.
• A sponge

Sponge paint directly onto the circular edge of your chosen item. I apply it fairly generously because I like the goopy look. Press onto your page background prior to writing and allow to dry. That's it!

Yes it's simple. Yes you know how to do it. But have you done it in your journal recently??

Tips

• Vary your circle sizes
• Vary your paint colours
• Test first on a scrap of paper if you like
• Wash your sponge straight away - acrylic and gesso once dry will ruin your sponge if not removed.

About this page

I was fortunate to go see my friend Monique Rhodes play at Artworks Theatre on Waiheke Island just recently. I hadn't seen her play live before and WOWS! I knew she was a talented singer but I was completely blown away. She recently produced the Merry Christmas Baby Plunket benefit album featuring the talent of Shona Lang, Opshop, Jordan Luck, Hollie Smith, Annie Crummer (and herself!)... and was nominated for the 2010 New Zealander of the Year Award - how cool is that.

The night was fantastic, clear evening, fitting venue, good chit chat and laughs (hi Lara!). More than once I was moved by Monique's strong yet soulful performance. I especially liked the inspiration for 'Blue Skies' where she spoke of how the sky is always blue above the clouds (stresses of life) ... an insightful reminder on rainy days. She was touring with Jane Siberry and I'm ashamed to say I wasn't familiar with well all I can say was I felt like I was part of something really special. Jane's narrative expression was intimate, intuitive and profound.

Monique:



and Jane:



I will let you know next time Monique is touring here!
~Kathleen... makin white circles :)

Labels: Great People, Great-Places-Auckland-Region, Journal Tips and Technique, Journal-Pages, Music

Journal pages for Saturday 14th March (am) ...



Last Saturday was a fantastic day. Started the morning out at the Kumeu Show. This was always a highlight for us local Kumeu kids. Attendance, exhibits and even animals seemed down in numbers on previous years. Though my friend Sharon went on Sunday and apparently it was much busier.

I spent the morning wandering the exhibits, photographing and took some time sketching the giant pumpkins (always a popular exhibit) and in my quest for new I tried Scottish shortbread and whitebait fritters. At some point I'm sure I have had whitebait but can't remember specifically - they were doing a roaring trade by the way.

About the page:

• Pre-washed backgrounds
• Sketches using Sepia Micron 01 , a little black Micron 01 and watercolour
• Fold out page page made with handmade paper with photos machine stitched onto it. The stitching makes a natural fold line.
  

It is so easy to over work a sketch. Fiddling, working and reworking can lose the dynamics of sketching from life.

Usually there is something specific that catches your interest in a scene, it's what stopped you and made you take notice. It might be an interesting composition, subject, colours, light reflections, shadows, texture detail.. any number of things.

What caught my eye in this scene: Dimply bum shapes (hehe), light reflections, interesting subject and rich orange colour.
Recording all of those things was achieved by focusing my attention on the front pumpkins. This also solved some perspective problems for me too by giving my composition a foreground. By putting more emphasis (detail and working) on the front pumpkins it visually places them forward where I couldn't rely on perspective techniques of reducing size/angle as some of the rear pumpkins were larger and my slightly high veiw point.

So my tip for today is: sketch just enough without the pressure of completing every last detail and enjoy satisfying result of capturing your inspiration on paper.

~ Kathleen
PS: I'm looking forward to posting the rest of March 14th. That day totally ROCKED!

Labels: Great-Places-Auckland-Region, Journal-Pages, Sketching-Tips

Life happens faster than my artwork! Journal pages for Sunday 8th March...

As previously mentioned, I'm winding my way through Metro Magazine's Top 50 Cafes. Man, cafes WANT to get on that list, such great exposure... I wonder how many other nutty people like me plan to visit them all??

Takapuna Beach Cafe was the supreme winner so I figured I might as well start there. Wow! Is this a cafe or a restaurant with a cafe label? Coffee was great (a given for any cafe on that list) but the food - oh my. I had granola 'bix' which hardly describes what was served... I'm talking Brazil nuts, honey, poached stone fruit and big wide coconut peels. Heaps of staff and quick service, I'm glad I went early - the place was packed!

After that, I needed a good walk. Takapuna Market is on every Sunday Morning so I wandered up. I'm not sure there are many places you can buy antique glassware, Ben10 watches and a jar of tadpoles all at once.


These kind of locations are great for image collecting for future artwork and inspiration. The range of items, colour, combinations and groupings is huge.


Use your viewfinder to crop away unnecessary backgrounds. Get close and ask yourself what is it that I wish to capture with this photograph. Make sure that element or idea is the main focus without any distracting items that dilute its emphasis.
Example: Light reflecting off a table of apples. Cropped to include only the apples, photographed low to get the light hitting the surface.

Repeated shapes, items of similar types make striking imagery. Look for colour combinations and textures that catch your eye.
Example: Buckets of waterlilies. The colours of these were clear and sharp, also the spiky shaped petals seemed almost plastic like. I haven't seen waterlilies grouped like this before - a must photo!
If you wish to photograph someones stand, or items on someones stand its just courtesy to ask first.

This journal spread:
Left page - Prewashed background, magazine cutting photograph which folds out, business card, turquoise pearl embellishments.
Right page - Sewing machine stitched photos including a fold out flap of photos stitched onto copper fabric mesh and a tassel to complete.

My favourite buy of the day was a red tipped sunflower...hmm and the piece of fresh raspberry fudge! What's your fav market buy?

Labels: Great-Places-Auckland-Region, Journal-Ideas, Journal-Pages, Restaurant-Review

Hi all,
There is so much happening in Auckland at the moment. Its like the last available month of decent weather has multiple activities all over town available to the willing.

Last week I went to ZooMusic. I'm a bit of a fan of Pluto (this won't be the last you hear me mention them...lol) and they were the featured band along with Mint Chicks. So I decided to turn the experience into a bit of an excursion. Turned up at the Zoo a bit early and set about taking photos and doing some sketches.

Sketching animals is super fun! I am going to buy myself a years Friends of the Zoo pass so I can go whenever I like and practice. I would have liked to have finished sketching the elephant, except when a elephant walks away there is no convincing him otherwise ;) What to do? Sketch of his backside as he walks away!


In the examples from my book, the Rhino is essentially a large rectangle with a smaller rectangle on a 45degree angle (the head).
The flamingos are ovals - or even better, eggs. Eggs are dimensional rather than flat so seeing them that way makes it easier to show their form with shadow and highlight.
The elephant, a combination of rectangles and squares. Even his backside is a square with the corners chopped off.

Try it, it's easier than you think!


This journal spread:
Left side - Pre-washed background, animals sketches, photos and notes, piece of bark tied to the page.
Center insert - Zoo Music advertising eyeleted and attached to the spine.
Right side - Pre-washed background, notes, a sketch of the harsh late afternoon shadows from the line of people waiting to get in, photos of the band and photo of late night dinner at GPK.

Note: Bombay Pizza from GPK is the best - Indian spiced chicken, red onions, cashews (!), mango chutney, yoghurt, coriander and....banana. Fantastic surprising combo of flavours.

By the way, I stayed for a bit of the Mint Chicks but really Pluto is where its at. Music must accompany this post! ....

Labels: Great-Places-Auckland-Region, Journal-Pages, Restaurant-Review, Sketching, Sketching-Tips

This is the view looking west across the harbour estuary at the Manuka Road boat ramp. Interestingly there is a sign there referring to it as Hells Creeks - I never knew that. I pre-wash paints across my journal pages so it was quite delightful to find the highlight in the middle was in a complimentary spot of my sketch! Actually find that happens all the time. Makes me love pre-washed backgrounds even more.

~Kathleen

Labels: Great-Places-Auckland-Region, Journal-Pages, Sketching

Another first! Well kinda - I remember going to Speedway as a small child once. No real memory, just that I went. So pretty much arriving at Western Springs Speedway and walking up the brow of the hill to see a race underway my initial reaction was "These guys are INSANE!" .. turns out, not just guys.. there's a number of girl drivers too racing at CRAZY speeds in nutty vehicles! It was very fun to watch. A couple of big crashes and lots of dirt!


This was an interesting journal page to make. On the night I had managed to collect a souvenir checkered flag, speedway badge, driver visor rippy off thing, ticket stubs, promotional tattoo, card sized season calendar, bumper stickers plus a took a whole heap of photos!

To make it all fit I ended up making the pages on separate card that I glued into my journal - that way I could stitch the flag onto the backround and the fabric of the flag was strong enough to be the spine of my fold out page. Also be leaving the edge of the flag open it formed a pocket to hold another card with info and photos.

One of my favourite things to do is learn about some of the things I notice or these new things and add that info into my journals. I was pretty much taken with the flag guy. Talk about enthusiam leaning virtually INTO the track - more in the track than not and he flag waves (there is probably a proper term) FAST! Consequently took quite a few pics of him so when I made this page I also searched for info on the meanings and origins of the different flags. Pretty interesting!

Labels: Great-Places-Auckland-Region, Journal-Pages

This was one of those great days where each thing on its own was good and combined together a day rich in experience.

Started off the in Devonport. Devonport is one of those places that has that fullness of activity and leisure about it. Over looking the harbour to the Auckland CBD, I enjoyed capturing photos of people about their activities... coffee and cafes, retail, bike riding, walking, a sculpture workshop, young teens goofing up for the camera, kids at the playground.

Our activitives was walking Les's dog and calling in to an exhibition at the local gallery. LOVE seeing peoples art!

Next stop was heading out to the West Coast to Piha. On our way we saw a fair at Titirangi so stopped and checked it out and picked up some lunch to enjoy at the beach. Early strawberries are such a treat!

I had a fantastic time photographing and sketching the contrasting textures and dramatic colours. Nothing like the wild waves and spray, black sand and rock. Lots of future art fodder!

Labels: Great-Places-Auckland-Region, Journal-Pages

Some Dutch Delight!

One of my favourite things to do is try new restaurants and visit new places. One night in search for somewhere to eat out Les and I found ourselves at Dutch Delight in Birkenhead (North Shore of Auckland).
Looking around it is a rather unusual shop space type restaurant crammed with Dutch memorabilia - posters, dolls, postcards, little clocks - all kinds of things! Being a collector of all sorts and always inspired by groupings of similar things, the kitchy style was quite inspiring.

We sat at the table looking at the menu having no idea what we were ordering. For fun we chose a sampler entree and had guessing games as to what it was that we were eating.

For our main we chose Dutch Pancakes. Looking at the menu the names were Farmers Pancake (with beef, bacon, mushrooms), Salmon Pancake, Indonesian Pancake... all with meats and cheese so we were expecting a pizza base type dish to come out but no! When they say pancake, they mean pancake - WITH maple syrup!

After all that, you would think we were full wouldn't you?? Well we couldn't try something completely new without sampling a dessert could we. Sticking with the unknown theme we shared poffertjes... oh my.

Very fun, very yum. Would seriously never fit my jeans again if we made it a habit.

Would love to hear in the comments if you have been to Dutch Delight!

By the way, visit their website to see photos on their website of lots of diners having fun. Might have to visit on a night with the live music.

Take care!

Labels: Great-Places-Auckland-Region, Journal-Pages, Restaurant-Review