More in my Venice workbook

Last week I showed you the gelli prints I had made using Michelle Ward's stencils.  I scanned some of them into my computer which enabled me to print them in different sizes.

When I was doing the gelli prints I put the excess paint on the stencils into my sketchbook.

These pages also have bits of stencils pressed on the paper.

I cut up parts of a gelli print and glued it only at the top on the left hand page.  I may stick the strips down completely but at the moment they can be picked up so that I can do something underneath if I wish.  I printed out the quarter size image of the original I had just cut up and stuck it down on the right hand page.

This page consists of gelli prints using the same stencil.  The top image was printed on paper and the lower one is on Deli paper.

I had dyed two pages with fabric dye and I rather like the contrast between the dark gelli print and the bright page.

I cut out parts of the print and stuck down the negative and positive.

I cut out the quatrefoil shape from another print on Deli paper and stuck them down.  I drew round all the shapes with a black pen which grounds the shapes on the page.

All of these pages need more work and I will blog my progress.

Thanks for stopping by.
Bernice

Collage Camp & Dimensional Stenciling

I'm just back from a glorious three days at Art from the Heart in Harrogate doing three separate workshops with the amazing Seth Apter.  Today I will concentrate on the first two days.

I love Seth's teaching style.  It really suits me.  Friday's class was Collage Camp.  The morning was very structured.    Seth went through his 8 principles of making collages and we made 8 mini (6 inch square) collage samples.

Later in the day Seth showed us how to make backgrounds using two of his techniques.

And then we were let loose to play - to use what we had learned in the morning to make one or two larger collaged pieces.   Seth went round the room talking to us individually - encouraging and guiding us.  He was so generous with his time and his knowledge.

This one isn't finished.   I worked on the page this way.

But when I was asking Seth's advice about what more to do with it, he suggested turning it the other way up!  And it makes such a difference!

This is the other collage I made

The second day was Dimensional Stenciling.  And the format was the same as the day before.  Seth took us through products this time that you could use with stencils and we made samples.

We made a couple of backgrounds and then we started using what we had learned about stenciling for a larger piece.  I found that what I had learned in Collage Camp was also very useful.

I had worked on the one above as a landscape but when I turned it up the other way I could see shapes that looked a bit like a New York skyline.  You might need to use your imagination.

I used some of Seth's stencils to make the buildings.   It isn't finished yet but I was thrilled that I got this far.

 I also have a couple of other unfinished papers.

And this is from the excess of paint on the pages above plus rubbing off the graphite from the stencil.

I might make all the samples into a book so that I don't lose them and perhaps use the paper above for the cover.  I'll let you know what happens.

Come back on Thursday to find out about the third class I took.

Thanks for stopping by.
Bernice

Introducing . . . . .

Me!

I survived a long steep walk on a hot day 

I am on day 15 of the 30 day blog challenge and I would like to welcome new subscribers and readers who use other types of blog reader.  I am so excited that you are here.

I thought it would be good to tell you a little about myself.

I was born in ......

Never mind, I won't make you read through the whole of my life!

I was under the impression that I don't share a lot about myself on this blog but maybe I have let slip more than I thought.

In brief, Roger and I have been married since 1983 and we have one son, Andy who lives in Sydney, Australia which his beautiful wife Naomi and their new baby.   Roger & I are both retired and enjoying ourselves.  We like to travel and go walking.  I love to visit Stately Homes especially those belonging to the National Trust as I have a Lifetime Membership which means we don't have to pay for us to get in!   Many of my blog posts have included photos from our walks, visits or travels.

As you have probably gathered I like to take photographs and lots of them.  I discussed my love of photography in a post about Why Photography? in two parts: part 1 and part 2.

I tend to sign up for online classes which I never finish.  I did try to cut back this year on the online classes but have attended real life workshops.  I was really thrilled to finish the fabric book I started in a Steph Redfern class.  But that was back in February 2014 and I'm not sure I've finished anything since.

I suppose that's not strictly true!  If it's a daily art challenge I've set up then I will always have finished the project as I blog about my pages every day for that month.  All of my art challenges can be found at the top of this page and can be done in your own time.

I shared about my struggle with depression when I described my choice of one word for 2014.

And random bits:
I'm totally addicted to Strictly Come Dancing and It Takes Two.   I like watching NCIS, NCIS Los Angeles and NCIS New Orleans.

I have never seen an episode of Downton Abbey or watched the film Titanic.

That's probably enough for now!   If you want to keep up with my art and my travels please subscribe to my blog via the Subscribe by Email box at the top of the page.  Or you can follow me on Twitter,  Instagram or Pinterest.

Thanks for stopping by.
Bernice