What a week!

This was my week. We had an ice storm that was phenomenal, luckily that's the only real damage we sustained. Dad's doing much better being home and getting back into his routine. He's almost to the end of physical therapy. Yay! Thanks so much to everyone who asks about him. 

Dealing with the aftermath of the storm and the comments of people who criticize, pretend to want to help, then back out, and those who completely blindside you when you try to take a moment to help someone else were all catalysts for creating this 2-page spread in my art journal.

Those who stop growing start barking at others.

We should all be focused on growing ourselves, and lending helping hands to others that are trying to find their way. It's just too sad to see people bent on tearing someone else down because they don't desire, or are frustrated by their own growth. Yep. Even in the art world there are those that want to nip at others as away to elevate themselves (hint: that never works!). And no. This isn't aimed at anyone in particular. And yes, it goes beyond the art world. I'm doing it all wrong, caring for my Dad this way. Hahahaha! Bugger off.

She really has an attitude of perturbment (lookie, a new word!). Honest - she came out of my pencil that way. I didn't even have to encourage her any. She's just minding her own business, running her own little world of nightmares and inspiring chaos when this clashing noise shatters her focus. Hahaha! Sort of like SXSW, eh Lydia?

Now, some of you know I am one of the design team members for Splitcoast Stamper's Mix-Ability Challenge. We challenge you each Friday to learn and grow into mixed media art, and it's not scary or demanding. In fact, we'll hold your hand every step of the way if you need it. Jeanne Streiff is our hostess this week, and she's challenged us to use watercolors, blended and run together, to create our background. I chose Dylusions water-based ink sprays for the back ground. That's when it developed a life of its own and I was merely along for the ride.

Then the Documented Life Project challenge came, asking for a bird or wings, so suddenly I had butterflies from a Heidi Swapp stencil showing up, and a bird that sang to me about the art of Sunny Carvalho through a die cut of Tim Holtz. It got psychedelic, man! (George Carlin would be so proud)

The zendoodle bug hit (thanks, Kelli Jo!), and these graphic tails and swirls started popping up and turning into random bird cats and fern coils. Wow! What an adventure I had! I couldn't put someone in this spread without a nod to Alice (see that really long neck?).

Some random cat-woman named Lydia asked about the sharp lines and vibrant color. Lydia, this is my process: I started with Dylusions spray. I overlaid a couple of stencils (the ovals on the left, the florals on the bottom of both pages, the butterflies), 'cut in' with watered down gesso, then outlined with Copic multiliners, and shaded with Sennelier oil pastels, fixed with a quick light coat of Mod Podge. I kept layering things, shading around them, smudging them into the background with a little paint, some stamps, a bit of gesso.

I created a couple of images on separate paper (barking dog, annoyed artist, fern tails, bird) and glued them in, smudging them with charcoal pencils, smeared Copic markers, Faber Castell Pitt pens, and the like. Then I randomly applied some texture paste through stencils, colored them with Prismacolor pencils, oil pastels, Dylusions spray on a brush.

When things settled down and looked calm, I rocked the boat with some Golden fluid acrylics in a variety of colors. I stamped SU! images using Archival inks, and colorized with Inktense pencils. I, in plain, bald-faced fact, PLAYED. Once the chaos began to settle and reduced to smoldering embers, I went back in with letters cut by hand, using QuicKutz squeeze handle and dies, the sentiment. I adhered it, then cut it into the page with Copic multiliners, charcoal pencil, and popped them with a Gelly Roll white souffle pen. More SU! stamps, this time in Memories white ink. Finally, on the seventh day, I rested and called it good.

Seriously - it's all about the shading and brilliant colors. If the colors were soft it wouldn't work. If there were no shading, it would be flat. Sharp lines and vibrant colors blossom when detailed, lined, and shaded. POW.

I hope you enjoyed the drama and the art of this piece. I hope you will take a chance to step out on the limb and allow yourself to play. Just play without worry about the result. You never have to show it to anyone, but you won't learn anything if you tuck your safe supplies into their safe beds and safe and unused. Go. You deserve it. Play. Now. Then hug a kitteh and NO BARKING.

Big smooches!
~ky

Ingredients: 
Kitchen Sink.
(ok really)
Pan Pastels
Dylusions Sprays
Heidi Swapp, Prima, Dylusions, Plaid and Crafter's Workshop stencils
Gesso
Acrylic paint (cheap and Golden fluid acrylics)
Sennelier and Crayon oil pastels
Mod Podge matte
Liquitex light modeling paste
QuicKutz dies and squeeze tool
Copic multiliners, markers
Faber Castell Pitt markers
Gelly Roll and Pilot pens
Koh-i-Noor charcoal pencils
Canson mixed media paper (7 x 10 inches per page, base)
SU! Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge, Tape It
Archival Ink, coffee
and a dozen other things I probably forgot...

I'm Back in Black (and white)

I've been busy. Really I have. I've been working on the studio, and working on projects with limited supplies. A pen, some paper, a couple of Copic markers:

Tangle Patterns has been providing starting strings for us to use to doodle. All the patterns I used have been credited to their designer on my Twitter feed. I love doing this because it frees my mind to dream up new ideas.

Yep, a busy bee. See you soon!

~ky

Zen Living

I've been enjoying a lot of zen time with my doodles in my old mixed-media journal. The journal was last year's calendar and note space for doctors visits and other obligations. I've gone through and picked pages that didn't get much notation, erased the notes that were no longer necessary, and turned them into tangling space.

I'm really liking Linda's new string challenges over at Tangle Patterns. You should play along - you just start with her string, and fill it in with your favorite tangles. It's a blast!

I filled this one with the fantastic K-Ning pattern by Sandra Strait. She is a wonderful source of ideas so check her out on Flickr, and her Blog. As usual, this is a 3.5 inch square tile on mixed media paper with my Copic multiliner pens and Copic markers for shadowing.

Treasure Dragon pattern ©Kyra Sanders 

I have used this pattern many times, but I haven't documented it until now. I love the motion it gives to any project, and how varied you can make the 'fill' or treasure the dragon leaves contain. If you use it, let me see!

Daisy Chain pattern ©Kyra Sanders

Another tangle I created is the daisy chain. It reminds me of summers when I would sit and pick asters and daisies and patiently split each stem to weave together a chain. If you use this, link me up - I want to see how you adapt it for your work.

So this is what I've been up to lately. I have some other things I'm working on for you to see soon. I hope you have a beautiful day. Thanks for stopping by!

~ky

A Zen Frame of Mind

Since I'm living in a tiny bedroom, I've got a bit more time but fewer supplies. I'm really getting pleasantly reacquainted with my zen doodling. Here are a few items I've created since being fired as a wife.

Puffin Maze
©Kyra Sanders

I started this 8x5.5 inch journal page while at Copic Certification in Milwaukee. I just randomly scribbled Copic markers all over the page, then started following the doodle muse as it guided my Copic Multiliner. There are some credits for patterns and some patterns I've just created. You can see the details of the Puffin Maze here.

Modern Cube Zen doodle
©Kyra Sanders

I learned Linda at the Tangle Patterns blog has begun issuing starting string challenges. I think it's really cool how everyone starts from the same design, but no two even come close to being the same. You can play along too! There are 9 patterns in this one, and you can see the credits at this link.

If you're looking for a neat way to keep track of things in your life, check out what my friend Samie Kira Harding is doing. She's created a mini-tutorial with downloadable art journal starter pages and she's putting it out there for... get this... Whatever You Can Pay! It's a great chance to document your health concerns, your diet plan, or even a project you're working on. Check it out at the Journal Girl!

Thanks so much for stopping by - I am thrilled you came to visit!

Ta for now,
♥ ~ky

It's not complicated, it's Tangled!

I have been restored to one of my favorite pastimes - zen doodling. You might call it zentangling but that is a copyrighted word, so I choose zen doodling. Here are some of my latest works.

Down the Drain - Copic multiliners,
and Derwent Watercolor pencils

Peep Eye - Copic multiliner on kraft cardstock

Spain Rain - Copic multiliner on kraft cardstock

Bunny Treats - Copic multiliner and
Derwent watercolor pencils

I will be turning a few of these designs into tangle patterns very soon. I hope you enjoyed visiting today - try your hand at it!

Ta!
♥ ~ky

IFJM Post #3 - Reflection

Tessa is moving forward, but is still stuck in the past as the artist she will no longer be.

{click to enlarge}

Text: I used to love to doodle. Here's an example. I think doodling would be good therapy for my hand. I'm sure it will be awful to start. We walked about 200 yards today. I'm tired! April 9, 2011.

Doodlebugs

I remember as a child being confused about one object having 2 or more distinct names. Like doodlebugs and ant-lions, or Siamese fighting fish and beta etc. Now we have a new 2-name thing in the art world (yes, I know there are tons of doubles out there, but just roll with me!).

ZENTANGLES/ZENDOODLES

This week's challenge is two-fold to celebrate the multiplicity of word meanings. First, create an art journal page based on a dream you've had. In this example, the Moon is watching over my sleeping fairie. When I was little, and life wasn't what a child's life should be, I always knew the moon would be there. How did I know? I had a moon shadow of course! I still dream of cool nights and a comforting moon.

Secondly, use Zendoodles in your piece. Here, the moon is made from zendoodle components. Don't know how to zendoodle? Need some fresh patterns to excite you? Check out this site - Flickr Freehand Doodle patterns. There are lots of other sites, too. Like Zentangles.com , Zentangles on flickr, even Italian artists have a site!

Did I mention the prize? Yes Prize!! Up for grabs this week is a Univenture 1/2 inch binder! Trust me. You really should play along!

Last week's winner was Kimber! Kimber's page must have impressed Random.org as much as it impressed me! I love her funky skeletons! Send me your address, Kimber!

Note to past winners - I apologize for the delay in getting prizes out. We did a major reorganization of the studio, so I finally have access to my prize goodies. They will all go out this week: Sheri, Darcy, Julie and Ketsia! Thank you for your patience. I will add a little extra something in the packages!

Now - get off the computer and go create!!

~ky