The Sketchbook Project

I've signed up for something called The Sketchbook Project. It looks like fun and it's a great way to get the word out that you're an artist. I think it'll be so much fun knowing my work is being displayed at The Brooklyn Art Library as well as many other places on the tour around the country. I might even take a trip to Atlanta when the tour makes its way there. I chose the theme, "This Is Not A Sketchbook". I thought it would give me more room to do whatever I want. I ALMOST chose nightmares, but I thought that might be a dark journey that I already have to go through in my dreams. I'd probably be drawing things like spiders, snakes, death, plane crashes, etc... That could be interesting, but I just don't feel like facing those things day AND night, ya know?

So, who's with me!? It costs $25 to sign up and they'll send you the journal in your color choice. I chose black only because they didn't have any more red ones. I can change the cover, though, once it's here. You also have the choice of paying more to get your work digitized for their web site so you can view your work on their site or send others to see it that might not be able to go to any of the tour stops. Of course, I always scan anything I make, but that wouldn't get me on their web site, so I figured it would be a good idea just to get more eyes on my work. Know what I mean, Jelly Bean? That will be a nice little link on my blog or soon-to-be web site.

In other news, did you notice the new (simple) header? I got tired of the boring font choices Blogger gives you and didn't really want anything elaborate. I chose Pointy for my font. Katie recently mentioned it on her blog and reminded me of how awesome it is. Thanks Cuz!

I'm still working on my two classes. The Flying Lessons one is over, but I'm not quite to the finish line, yet. Luckily she's offering PDF versions of it to her students AND she'll let us copy and paste into documents for us to keep forever, as long as we don't share, of course. The Gut Art class is going slowly for me. It's taken me so long to get the journaling pages right. I hope that's not a preview of how the Skethbook thing will go. Yikes! Naw, it has just been a really busy time here. That's all. I'll catch up soon. Here are a coupld of images from the book so far...

The unfinished cover: (which can be finished after class is over, btw)

And here's one of the journaling pages:

Both of these photos were taken with my cell phone, so sorry about the crappy photos.

I'm still working on ATC's for Christa and Sharon. I'll show those when they're in their recipients hands. I don't want to ruin the surprise for them.

I guess that's about it. I'll try not to be such a stranger. I know I've been slacking in the blog department. I just haven't felt really chatty lately. I have funks that I go through sometimes. The only few people I talk to are Joel, Kolby, and Christa when I get that way. Poor them, right? Ha!

Thanks for stopping by!

xoxox ~Rischa

My ATCs

For some reason it keeps slipping my mind to show the Artist Trading Cards that I've made and traded. Thank you for reminding me on Facebook, Candice! Sometimes I need a little push. It's funny, I seem to have surrounded myself with people that are willing to motivate me. Just this past week Christa got me all fired up to make some Frida Kahlo inspired ATCs for our next trade. We also trade art sites via email almost daily and talk about art even more than that! I call my friend, Sharon, my "Fairy Art Mother" because she's always prompting me to create. Which is EXACTLY what I need! Mom is right there with them, as well, with her motivational prompts. Thanks ladies! I really don't know what I'd do without you all!

Okay, so the first 3 ATCs that I made all looked pretty much like this:

I made the first one, the one above, to keep for myself. Call me sentimental, but I had never made an ATC and thought I should keep the first one. Plus, it was great practice at painting so small before I went on to make the two I made for Christa and Sharon. I'd rather mess up on mine than theirs.

For this one I basically just used Golden Acrylic paint and Matte Gel Medium to seal. For the back I simply adhered a pretty piece of scrapbook paper.

Here are a couple of Work In Progress Shots I took with my Cell of the Chickies being made. Sorry, the Blackberry didn't take very good photos.

After these I decided to try a Collaged ATC like Sharon did for the ones she sent me.

For this one I started with torn white tissue paper and pasted it using gel medium. Then I used watered down Golden Liquid Acrylic paint on top of the tissue paper in spots. I found the image shared on one of my Ning networks, I resized, printed, cut out, and pasted with more gel medium. I used clear embossing ink and powder to apply the letters D A N C E. I then realized it didn't show up very well, so I outlined it in waterproof ink. Then I wrote the words underneath and made a border with the same pen. I then sealed it and started working on the back. For the back of this one I just painted with a matching paint color and used gel medium again to adhere my biz card. Sharon said she wanted to see it, so I just stuck it right on there. I sealed it all with Golden Matte Medium.

I have a few more in the works. I'll show those when someone prompts me to do so. LOL I'm just kidding. I'll try to get them up as soon as they're done.

Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo,
Rischa

PS. Did you notice my new snaggable badges? Grab one for your blog, why don'tcha? They have a transparent background, so your blog's background will show around the scalloped edges. Just copy the code underneath and paste it into the sidebar. For Blogger blogs you'll just add a gadget, choose the HTML option, and paste my code into the large empty field. Save and you're done!

ATC from Christa

I've been meaning to blog about several art related topics for a while now. I don't blog every day, normally, but recently, over on my personal blog, I've been a daily blogger. That has really taken a lot of attention away from this blog. Even before then I was slacking on my art blog, but when I actually had several things in mind to post here I got busy over there with the 30 Days of Tumblr thing.

So now that I have the excuses out on the table I can get on with the matter at hand. And the matter at hand is ATC's! They're proving to be SO much fun! I've already shared the ATC's that I received from Sharon. I'll share the ones I've sent to both Christa and Sharon in a separate entry. Right now I'm sharing the second of the two I've received from Christa. I can't share the first one because it would give away our secrets. She's really very good at making them personal. So personal that I almost want to keep them BOTH private. But, I won't. I'll share the second and keep the first one for myself.

Check out the front!

...and now the back!

So cool, right?! I couldn't love it more! You should have seen me reading the back. LOL It was fun. If someone didn't know it was written in circles they'd have thought I was crazy if they saw me flipping it all around.

She also always makes the coolest cards to send with them. Those are quite personal, too, though, so you don't get to see those. Sorry Charlies!

See ya soon!
xo
Rischa

ATC Swap With Sharon (SkiesArt)

My friend Sharon and I have started an ATC swap. We've completed our first round. I'm so glad we decided to do this because it's been SO much fun. You should've seen the look on my face as I was opening the package she sent to me. She ALWAYS makes it so fun to receive her packages as she's so creative with every little detail. Here, see for yourself:

After I opened the big, yellow, plastic envelope I see this:


Isn't that sweet? I don't know where she found a Mary Engelbreit folder, but I love it!

I then opened the folder to find...


...a beautifully wrapped gift and a decorated card envelope complete with small felt bedazzled flowers and her pretty handwriting.

Inside was the card and the ATC's. I'm saving the ATC's for last as they're the big finish. Here's the neato burrito card...


I don't know if you can tell by the photo, but it's wire and stands up off the paper. So cute, right? The writing on the inside is personal, so I'm keeping that to myself. Sorry. ;)

Now for the gift! You probably won't believe me when I tell you that I had plans to buy this next time I went to Books-A-Million, but I really did! I've been wanting this book ever sense I got interested in ATCs and just never decided to make the purchase. But now that I'm actually making them I had planned to get it. Sharon MUST be a mind reader! I was so happy to get....


I've already started reading it and I'm half way through. It's so inspirational! I should be writing down all of the ideas I've got from this book, because I'll never remember them all!

And last, but certainly not least, the ATCs themselves!
Here's one titled, "Caged In Ropes"...


It's great, isn't it? I love that she made it 3D with the rope. She knew I loved birds, too. Very cool looking background, as well!

Here's the back:


The second one is adorable and humorous at the same time. She did a little snagging off of my blog or Twitter for this one. LOL I love it!


That's Sharon on the left and Me on the right. She with her pooch and I with mine. She even dressed me as I was originally wearing a swim suit in that photo. LOL

...and the back....


Isn't she the coolest package sender EVER?
She's a very talented artist and happens to also be a great friend.
Stop by her blog or web site to check out her creations and tell her Rischa sent ya.

If you've ever thought you might be interested in swapping or making ATCs you should go for it. It's so much fun and it's great practice for your imagination and artistic skills.

I've already posted my ATC on Twitter, but I will also make up separate post for that. This one's all dedicated to Sharon and her package....*snicker* You know what I mean.

...and yes, I said "neato burrito". I'm a dork! What of it?

xoxo
Rischa