Art Quest Challenge

Taking A Break

2008-07-19T05:53:00.000-07:00

Taking a short break from the Art Quest Challenge, in the meantime why not check out my other blog for the aRtbUzz cHallenge?
http://artbuzz.wordpress.com/

Cracked Glass

2008-03-11T05:52:00.000-07:00

For this challenge I want you to have a look at the following technique page:

http://trishbee.co.uk/techniqueszone/archives/crackedglassnature.html

Basically it is a technique which involves using utee or clear embossing powder to create a faux cracked glass technique, you can either follow the exact instructions on the link provided or google for the Cracked Glass technique and see what sites you can find out there! Or if you want to you can tweak the technique and them and come up with your own variation on the cracked glass technique - its up to YOU!

Use the Cracked Glass Technique to create either a sketchbook or altered book page spread and share what you make!

Heres some links I found to other Cracked Glass Tutorials for you to look at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCJYa7D8BGU

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pTWx0eAG7q4&feature=related

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/crackedglass.php

http://www.rubberstampsclub.com/tips/cracked-glass.html

http://inkblots.webseitler.com/blog/2007/03/tutorial-tuesday-cracked-glass.html

Food Labels

2008-02-20T05:51:00.000-08:00

I dont care if people throw things at me for having too many challenges Im having another one!! :)

The theme this time is 'Food Labels & Packaging'

For this challenge I want you to recycle some food labels or packaging and use it on an altered book or sketchbook page in some shape or form.

The actual label or packaging must form part of your design - in other words you cant take a cereal packet and rip it up and then gesso it and cover it up and make it into something different.

The actual design printed on the label or packaging MUST be visible and play an important part of your page and be used to influence the overall theme and mood of the spread.

Think wine labels, tea packaging, coffee packets - or any unusual and bright labels and packaging.

Go forth and make art using this theme and dont forget to SHARE it with me or I'll cry :(

Customised Stencils

2008-02-05T05:48:00.000-08:00

Time for another new challenge theme!

This months challenge for Art Quest is 'Customised Stencils'

For this challenge I want you to think about cutting and making your own stencil from scratch.

Before you begin your going to need some kind of image to make into a stencil - you could doodle or draw something and make a stencil from your own drawings. You could even use clip art images if your not very good at doodling - some clip art is available in silhouette form already if you wanted to cheat a little :) Why not try using large printed letters or even words to create unique wordy stencils in a nice bold font.

Once you've decided on the image your going to use; print it and cut it out and then transfer the image outline onto either a sheet of acetate or a sturdy sheet of card. For acetate you can trace the image through the plastic with a permanent marker pen. On card you'll need to draw round the image with a pencil onto the card.

Tip: When making stencils I like to use sturdy recyled food packaging boxes for this because they are usually colour printed and laminated on one side which seems to make the stencils a little sturdier.

Once you've transfered the stencil image you are ready to cut it out! Use a sharp craft knife - prefably with a new blade on a rubber cutting mat and slowly cut out the image to make your own unique customise stencil.

Thats the stencil made - now the fun part!

Make ART!

You can stipple paint using a stippling brush, use oil pastels, use spray inks or even use some thick embossing paste - anything at all! Why not try it all! Experiment and play and have fun and create artwork using your unique customised stencil in your books!

And dont forget to SHARE what you made with us :)

Heres a link to a customised stencil page I made earlier:

http://trishbee.co.uk/?p=405

Faux Chip Board Technique

2008-01-02T05:24:00.000-08:00

As promised to many of you have emailed me heres the next theme in the Art Quest Challenge!

For this challenge we are going to work the the Faux Chip Board Technique!

I dont know about you guys but I love the look of chipboard! Theres something about it I cant put my finger on, its so easy to paint and embellish and distress! My only gripe about it is that it can become quite heavy if you use a lot of it, especially if you want to spell out words on altered book pages!

If you have Bernie Berlins Artist Trading Card Workshop you've probably already come across this technique because thats where I first saw it and fell in love with it. Its a very simple yet ingenius technique which anyone can do!

All you need is some shaped fun foam stickers - if you dont have stickers you can use the craft sheets and cut your own shapes using a die cutting machine or craft punches. Foam stickers come in all shapes and sizes - theres variety packs featuring alphabets, animals, celestial, hearts even festive shapes and flowers too! They are pretty fun and usually in very bright day glow colours!

In addition to the foam stickers you need some of that good old trusty artists friend otherwise known as GESSO! You need the coloured variety of gesso not the clear - white, black or grey would all be perfect.

Next your going to need acrylic paints - the colours you pick are entirely up to YOU!

Got your basics? Got your book ready? Lets go...

1. Get your foam shapes and stick them down onto your altered book or sketchbook page - arrange them across to make a pattern or use alphabets to spell out words - its up to you (as always!)

2. Apply a generous coat of gesso over the entire book pages and also across the foam shapes. Let the gesso dry. If the colour of the foam shapes are still visable (the colours are pretty strong) you may need 2 coats of gesso.

Once the gesso is dry you'll probably notice that the foam shapes are now almost solid and also resemble chip board - now you see why its called 'Faux Chip Board' huh ;)

3. Once the gesso is dry, paint over the entire book pages and gesso-ed shapes with one colour of acrylic paint. Let dry.

4. Next dry brush some paint over the top of the actual foam shapes in a contrasting colour of acrylic paint - ie if youve painted your entire book pages in deep maroon; dry brush over the top in a light pink to create a contrast between the background and the foam shapes. Let dry.

Once dry you can leave your foam shapes as they are or you can actually use your rubber stamps to stamp over just the foam shapes!!

Decorate your page how you wish to finish this challenge and share your artwork by leaving me a link to your artwork!

Heres some links to atcs I made using this technique last year so you can see what this technique looks like:

http://flickr.com/photos/trishbeedesign/1424071076/in/set-72157603503430788/

http://flickr.com/photos/trishbeedesign/1423187877/in/set-72157603503430788/

http://flickr.com/photos/trishbeedesign/1424070710/in/set-72157603503430788/

http://flickr.com/photos/trishbeedesign/1424070514/in/set-72157603503430788/

http://flickr.com/photos/trishbeedesign/1424070366/in/set-72157603503430788/

http://flickr.com/photos/trishbeedesign/1424070232/in/set-72157603503430788/

http://flickr.com/photos/trishbeedesign/1423187019/in/set-72157603503430788/

http://flickr.com/photos/trishbeedesign/1423184405/in/set-72157603503430788/

http://flickr.com/photos/trishbeedesign/1423184983/in/set-72157603503430788/

http://flickr.com/photos/trishbeedesign/1423183617/in/set-72157603503430788/

Enjoy!

Random Words Dictionary Challenge

2007-09-17T09:41:00.000-07:00

Time for another challenge - ok so we were supposed to be having em monthly but since when did I ever follow my own rules??? Never! Rules are meant to be bent and broken at every opportunity....

Im itching to get going on a new page so heres Challenge Number 2 :) And its another easy one!!

Random Words Dictionary Challenge:

Now is the time to grab hold of that dictionary I told you that you needed!!

For this challenge its very important that you dont cheat!! Believe me I'll know if you do!

1. Take your dictionary, and without looking - no peeking, no cheating, no nothing!

I want you to flick through the pages of the dictionary totally randomly, no looking and no thinking - clear your mind....

Then suddenly STOP on one single page without looking, and tear that page out of the dictionary.

Now look at the page you've torn out and pick one word which is on the dictionary page - it can be from either sides of the page. Dont go for the typical obvious words like Dream or Voyage or Art or Giggle and so on - I want you to pick a word you wouldnt normally pick - something obscure if you like or challenging.

Whatever word you picked from your dictionary is now going to be the theme of your next Altered Book/Sketchbook Spread!

You will need to glue the dictionary page on your book so that the word you picked is visible - you can paint over the other words if you wish so that only that one word is highlighted or you can leave it blank - that part is up to you.

Now using your chosen word on your dictionary page as your inspiration decorate and create your book art using the word you picked as your main theme and inspiration.

Once youve finished - upload your creations!

3 Steps Texture Challenge

2007-09-08T07:30:00.000-07:00

Ok here goes - a nice easy one to start you with!!! This requires that you get nice and messy :D My favourite type of thing to do....

3 Steps Texture Challenge:
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Basically for your first 2 page spread in your book I want you to make a fantastic TEXTURED BACKGROUND somewhere on your pages - its up to you how much of your 2 page spread you make into the texture, but it wants to be the main influence on your page. You could cover the entire surface with the texture, or you might want to do one side of the page only or make a strip or a collumn of texture instead - theres no rules on that score....but.....

Before you run off to make a textured background there IS some rules involved! (wouldnt be too much of a challenge if there wasnt)

The rules are - Your not allowed to use more than 3 steps/items to make the texture!!

Each Textured Background should consist of:

1. The first item your need must be whatever you are going to make your texture with - now this can be ANYTHING at all - Im not going to list obvious choices yet so that I dont influence you too much, as I want you to put your thinking caps on for now... If you get stuck for ideas just shout out and I'll throw some suggestions out there...

2. The second item you'll need for the 3 Steps Texture Challenge is some kind of binder to glue or affix the textured item to your page - this can be anything at all, some suggestions are: ordinary glue, amazing glaze, diamond glaze, glossy accents, gesso, mod podge, double sided tape, beeswax and various art mediums etc... anything at all!

3. Your final item for the challenge must be the colour - you can use more than 1 different colour to colorise the background but it MUST be the same colour type - ie all acrylic paints, or all alcohol inkss, or all watercolourss, all lumieres etc etc....

Once youve made your textured backgrounds, upload them on your blogs or in your photo album add a comment to this post with your link to your background to show us what youve done and dont forget to tell us how you did it...

THEN when you've done this; you need to complete your page to make it into a completed piece of altered book art - you can go for any theme at all so long as the textured background is the main star on the page (ie. dont cover it up TOO much)....when youve finish scan that in too and upload and post the link so we can all come and drool over it!

Relax and have fun with this challenge - theres no rush, theres no competition and theres no grand prize!! Your only reward is the sheer joy of making something just for the fun of it and experimenting with things which you can make cool textured backgrounds with!

I'll release another challenge in approx 3-4 weeks time - I'll probably throw out a new challenge every month (more if requested) And Ive got a list of 80 different challenges in my book to get through yet!!!

Any questions just yell out!

Trish

Art Quest Challenge Info

2007-09-08T07:20:00.001-07:00

Here it is as promised the all brand spanking new ART QUEST CHALLENGE!

The idea behind this challenge is to create a book full of wonderful creative play!

Should you decide to embark upon this new journey with me, your completed ART Quest Challenge Book will be a cross between a sketchbook and an altered book all rolled into one! It will feature lots of themes, experiments, techniques, colours, altered arts & collage thrown in for good measure too!

Each challenge theme will represent a 2 page spread which will feature different techniques, mediums, experiments and styles! I will be announcing themes, techniques & mediums that you will have to use for each book spread one at a time and I really hope you will want to play along too!

Are you brave enough to go on an ART QUEST!?

Preparation For The ART Quest Challenge Book:

First of all your going to need to get hold of a new book for this challenge!

Theres 2 routes you can go down for this challenge - you can either buy a brand new sketchbook -OR- you can get hold of a second hand book and alter that instead….that choice is up to YOU!

The only restrictions Im going to impose for this challenge is that the book you use has gotta be approximately about the same size as your scanner bed when you open it up! This is so your book will fit on the scanner and we will be able to see it!

For this challenge you’ll be creating ’spreads’ - these means you’ll be working on both the left and right hand sides of the page to make a double page piece of artwork.

General Guide For Buying A Blank Sketchbook:

Choose a hard back book if possible because this will protect your pages. You want one with thick good quality pages, watercolour pads work exceptionally well for this, if your pages are on the thin side you can glue 2-3 pages together to make them sturdier.

Guide For Choosing A Book To Alter:

The best place to pick up second hand books for altering are second hand shops, thrift stores, charity shops and even car boot sales. You can also pick up books from Library book sales too, or you might find one cheap at your local dollar/pound shop.

Pick a good sturdy quality hard backed book, check the spine - you want a book with a good strong spine and you want the pages to be sewn together if preferable.

The pages of your altered book will be too thin on their own to withstand paint etc, so you will need to glue the pages together. As a rule you can glue between 2-3 pages together depending on the thickness and quality of the book paper. In other words if the paper is thicker you only need to glue 2 pages together but thinner paper will require you glue 3 pages together.

Cheap pva glue works wonderfully for gluing your pages together, or you can use any clear drying gloopy glue. To prevent bubbles and buckling you can spread the glue evenly across the pages using an old credit card.

So thats all the details you need to get started on your ART QUEST!

Go and get your books and then report back for your first theme challenge!