5 Tips to Integrate Your Collage My goal for every collage is to take a group of distinct elements and turn them into a single, unified whole. One of the ways to do this is by integrating all the individual pieces so that your collage looks like something more than simply small bits of paper (or other material) glued to a larger surface. Here are 5 easy ways to create a collage that is cohesive and a seamless whole. Splatter: Mix acrylic paint with a small amount of water and add random splatters by either flicking a paint brush or... Read more →

Blue-5: 8”x8”, acrylic and collage Blue-7: 12”x12”, acrylic on canvas Red 1: 9”x12”, acrylic on paper I love simple formats, such as grids, abstract landscapes, and stripes. Keeping the format simple and consistent allows me to explore other aspects of abstract art: color, edge, proportion, line, etc. I’ve recently been fascinated by the endless possibilities of simple stripes – rather, they look simple, but (as is the case with almost anything in art) the simplicity is deceptive. Just try it: Monochrome Stripes. Choose a color and start painting stripes. If you choose red, for example, get out all your reds:... Read more →

I'm delighted to bring you another episode of the Adventures in Arting Podcast! If you do not see the podcast player above, please click on this link. You can listen to a podcast anywhere and at any time. It is a recording that is available to you whenever you'd like to listen. If you'd like to download it to your iTunes library, click here. You can also pause and rewind or fast forward as you desire. I like to listen to podcasts while I'm making art. It's a little like hanging out with friends while you art. In today's podcast... Read more →

If you're new to Art Journal Every Day, there is a short introduction here. All of the previous posts can be found archived here. There is a flickr group for sharing right here. Remember, it's just ten minutes of nourishing your creative self every day! No need to finish anything or even like it. If you've done some art journaling this week and you've blogged about it, or put it on flickr, please leave a link in the linky list at the end of this post. Thanks! My big move day is coming fast. I'm busy packing and cleaning and... Read more →

On my way out of New York, I've been ticking things off of my NYC bucket list. While I've been to the library many times in my sixteen years in NYC, I somehow never made it to the main branch building on 5th Avenue -- the one you see in movies. It's a research library and event space nowadays, not a lending library, but totally worth a walk through. It's a beautiful building. Unfortunately, due to ongoing repairs, we weren't able to go into the famous and glorious Rose Reading Room, so I guess I'll just have to go back... Read more →

Making beautiful custom name tags is super easy with the ScanNCut Sticker Kit. Watch the video for the how-to: In the sticker kit you get: 3 Printable Stickers sheets 3 Laminate Overlay Sheets (this is what makes the stickers waterproof) Scraper (aka ruler) Lifter (this is a little tool to help you pull the stickers off the sheets once they're cut) Activation Code for ScanNCutCanvas Printable Sticker Function (this gives you 100 designs, like the ones you see below) And as I mentioned in the video, you can set your ScanNCut so that it only cuts through the top two... Read more →

I've been traveling and as a result my little mola has been progressing! As you can see, I'm adding color. Some of it is in traditional mola style (reverse appliqué -- cut away to reveal the layer of color underneath) and part of it is simply appliqué added on top. The good news is that my stitching is getting better -- curves are curvier and points are pointier, with plenty of room for more improvement. The bad news is that as I progress I realize how terrible my early stitching was. In the end, I just have to shrug my... Read more →

Recently I taught a new class at The Ink Pad called "Hand Lettered." You may be able to guess from the title that it's a class all about lettering! I loved teaching it and I hope you will enjoy the photos from our day of hand lettered explorations! I don't have an online class that offers an equivalent. There is a taste of this class in Getting Started with Lettering. If you'd like to take an in-person class with me, here are the upcoming dates and locations: April 8-10, 2016: Mixed Media Workshop: Art Journal Adventure at Artified near Melbourne,... Read more →

If you're new to Art Journal Every Day, there is a short introduction here. All of the previous posts can be found archived here. There is a flickr group for sharing right here. Remember, it's just ten minutes of nourishing your creative self every day! No need to finish anything or even like it. If you've done some art journaling this week and you've blogged about it, or put it on flickr, please leave a link in the linky list at the end of this post. Thanks! Hooray and hurrah! New Balzer Designs stencils have finally landed in stores! To... Read more →

I'm delighted to bring you another episode of the Adventures in Arting Podcast! If you do not see the podcast player above, please click on this link. You can listen to a podcast anywhere and at any time. It is a recording that is available to you whenever you'd like to listen. If you'd like to download it to your iTunes library, click here. You can also pause and rewind or fast forward as you desire. I like to listen to podcasts while I'm making art. It's a little like hanging out with friends while you art. Our guest today... Read more →