Loose Ends

Welcome!  For those who worked on single watercolor papers, we will learn how to stitch all the loose papers into a journal or a book. This is great method to stitch anything together.

I created my own YouTube video, but then found a really awesome artist who has many great videos on bookbinding. My job is to share knowledge with you so you can learn to express yourself. Please view Sea Lemon's link to learn Coptic Stitching. Her tutorial is much more simple and clearer than mine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04vt8YfT7XM

I highly recommend you stitch extra blank pages to your project for future art journaling. If you find time after stitching everything together, your writing prompt for this week is called, Loose Ends:

1.    What loose ends do you need to tide up before the Holidays? I know I need to unpack all my boxes since my move to New York before friends and relatives come to visit.

2.    What would you like to accomplish before Halloween? Thanksgiving? Christmas?

Just a reminder, I'm giving away this watercolor kit. Name will be chosen next week, so please share your work on the Secret Page.

Next week, we will work on creating our own Cinderella and her pumpkin.  Print out a black and white picture of a pumpkin; enlarge it big enough to fit Cinderella. We are going to tell our own Cinderella story.

All About Face

Welcome back to our third week. Here is my final product for last week:

First, please take time and paint the background to your journal first with watercolor or ink as you please. This week, you will learn the basic way of drawing a face. However, for our prompt, this is the face of your superhero/superself.

The book I am referencing is a book about make-up. It’s not the best for basic face drawing, but it has a lot of good examples. https://www.amazon.com/Making-Rex-Diana-Lewis-Jewell/dp/0517569558/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1476741955&sr=1-1&keywords=making+up+by+rex

Watch this video on how to draw the basic face:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJdDxHWVn1w

Then write today’s Prompt:

Write what your superhero can and can't do. What are her superpowers to help with everyday lives?  People, in general, feel better when they try to help others. Think of ways she can help. To whom can you help? How will people benefit from knowing you or your superself?

Think of this exercise as creating a mask. With that mask, you are able to be self-expressive. Use whatever color, medium you want. I'm trying to use minimal supplies, because art supplies can be expensive.

On that note, I'm giving away one (1) a travel side watercolor kit by Koi (Sakura XNCW-24N, 24 Assorted Watercolors Field Sketch Set with Brush –a value of $25 plus shipping and tons of happiness.)

To enter for the kit, please join the secret page on Facebook, and post one of your doodles or art journal pages with a sentence or two on what you have learned so far.

Contest ends Oct. 30. Winner will be announced on Oct. 31. I will mail out the watercolor kit on November 1, 2016.  I now live in New York, so it might take a few days to get to California.

Also, I mentioned gratitude in my video. Watch this video if you want to learn more:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHv6vTKD6lg

Items needed for next week. You can buy then anywhere, but these are examples of what I am talking about:

--Lion Brand Yarn 400-5-5002 Large-Eye Blunt Needles, Set of 6
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0021GN2BA/ref=ox_huc_add_on_msg_title_1?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

·  
           -- Waxed Threads

https://www.amazon.com/Colors-Cotton-Strings-Necklace-Making/dp/B00SWLE18Q/ref=sr_1_24?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1476754796&sr=1-24&keywords=waxed+thread

--Washi Tape (optional)

--Watercolor paper

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Happy painting, everyone!

Linh

Open Mind

Items needed:

• Art journal along with the 
• B&W photo of a face
• Watercolor pencils
• Ranger Ink (Tim Holtz)  3 colors that are next to each other on the color wheel, 1 opposite color
• paint brush
• glue
• water

Your prompt is to list positive words to replace any negative words in my mind. I do this to help me thing more positively. Dr. Emoto did an experiment where he froze water after speaking negative and positive words to it. He then looked at it under the microscope and discovered that negative words turned the water muggy and positive words made the water look like snowflakes.  See his site for more info: http://www.masaru-emoto.net/english/water-crystal.html

Since our body is made of over 65% water, can you image what we could be doing to our body if we say positive things?

Next week, I will teach about color and how to use your color wheel. 

Please watch my video for this week and share on our Secret Page, if you feel inclined.  Also, please understand that I am not a professional video editor. I teach in person, but since I am now in New York, I cannot teach in Palo Alto so my videos need to be short rather than our usual 3 hour class.
I don't know how to create a "subscribe" icon yet, so please send me an email directly for questions.

Thanks for stopping by!

Please view video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzEkQqLzMlg

Intro Week for BCConnection Art Journaling

Maybe participants requested that I give them an additional week to purchase the art supplies. Today, we will do ZenTangle which is mindful doodling. Once you get into the "Zone", your mind resets and you feel as if you had a refreshing nap.

The prompts to write on the back of your ZenTangle piece is to write a sentence or two that will make you feel happy when you read it. (For example: You are beautiful and you deserve good things in life.)  Now, the special surprise is that if you feel inclined, give your ZenTangle to a random person. See how that makes you feel and share it on the secret group. Make sure to take a picture of the doodle and the message first so you can post it on the secret group.

Items needed are:
Paper 4" x 4"  
Pencil
Micro Black Pen (or any ink pen)

I started a video of my own until I found this YouTube video from the creator of ZenTangle. It is much better than mine and I felt you would get more out of watching them than me. Trust me, you will thank me for introducing you to this.  The Founders are Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h0XuK95omE

Next week, we will start on our Art Journaling, so make sure to purchase your art journal book!
Look for magazine photos of faces and make a black & white copy of the face you like. You'll also need glue (Mod Podge Matte) and watercolor pencil or watercolor paint.

Thanks for stopping by and happy doodling!

Linh

BCConnection Art Journaling Group

Thank you for joining me. I was asked by a non-profit organization to offer a complimentary online workshop created to help with self-expression, alleviate stress, and bring back some fun into your life. 

Once a week, you will be given a prompt for your journal writing along

with videos on YouTube for various techniques such as, color theory, mixed media, collages, doodling, hand lettering, and much, much more! 

There is a Secret Group on Facebook for you to post your work and share your process. (Please send an email to Linh at IyasuArt@gmail.com to be added). Hopefully, you will find a safe and supportive community to share your work and find some joy in journaling.

Before we start, you will need the basic items:

v Watercolor paper: You can purchase from the range of Strathmore 300-500 Series Mixed Media Paper. http://www.dickblick.com/products/strathmore-400-series-mixed-media-pads/

v Gesso: White, not Clear

v Sponge Brushes (1”)

v ModPodge Glue (Matte)

v Stencils  (Check out various art stores and online) Start with one or two of your favorite stencils.

v Magazines  (for collage and ideas)

v Old Children’s book with fun photos – avoid glossy pages.  They don’t absorb the paint well.

v An Awl or thumbtack for poking holes in papers.

v An old phone book (this is to help with the hole punching)

v Waxed thread

v Large bookbinding needle: This is cheap on Amazon - Lion Brand Yarn 400-5-5002 Large-Eye Blunt Needles, Set of 6

We will learn how to make our own art journals, but if you want to make it easy on yourself, you can purchase my favorite Ranger Dylusions Creative Journal. You can do a search on the web for the best price, but I highly recommend you look at Joann Fabric for discounted journals.

Prompts are posted by 5PM PST every Monday starting October 3, 2016.