Cynthia Emerlye, Vermont artist and kirigami papercutter

Cacao - Line drawing

2012-01-31T10:43:00.000-05:00

Here is the preliminary line drawing I've made from the sketch I showed yesterday. There are a couple of mistakes in it. Can you see them? These will be erased or corrected on the computer later. After I scan this drawing I will print it onto light-weight paper and transfer the design onto white scratchboard. The corrected line drawing will become a coloring page for my collection.

Cacao - sketch

2012-01-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is the beginning of a new engraving called "Cacao." First a sketch...

Colorizing Black Clayboard - Final

2012-01-29T14:17:00.003-05:00

Here is the final version of this clayboard experiment. I'm still not loving it. It seems rather too heavy and somber. I much prefer color on white clayboard. I also don't like using gouache - too opaque. Well, failure is what the scientific method is all about. Now I know more of what not to do.

Here's the evolution of this one again:

Cutting Kirigami at the Winter Farmer's Market

2012-01-29T10:12:00.000-05:00

I spent the morning yesterday at the Woodstock Winter Farmer's Market. It's the first time I've set up a table there. In fact, I haven't done any shows in a couple of years. Since this one was close to home, inexpensive, and in a good location, I thought I would try it out - mostly as research. I am trying to decide whether to get back into doing shows again. Last time I was selling my wearable art. This time it will be my kirigami and manufactured goods, cards, reproductions and such. Gift items.

It went OK, although everyone there said it was horribly slow. I sold enough to make it worth going and it was only three hours. Not a big deal.

While I was there, I decided to stand and cut kirigami cards and a mandala or two. It gives me something to do and customers like to watch me work. Here's one of the cards I cut:

Painting on Black Clayboard

2012-01-28T01:00:00.000-05:00

As you saw in the last post, I carved a design out of black clayboard and am now painting in the white spaces. This time I am using Holbein acrylic gouache. While it is a very nice product for other things, I am finding gouache a bit too opaque for my tastes in this application. I think for the next one I may try Holbein's liquid airbrush acrylic paint. Well, lets see how this works first. Here is the painted version.

Next I will be etching out details over the painted parts. Here is the first pass:

I'm not loving this. I think I prefer color on white clayboard to black. I'll finish this tomorrow.

Colorizing Black Scratchboard

2012-01-27T01:00:00.000-05:00

As you know, I have been experimenting with colorizing my scratchboard (clayboard) engravings. I've mostly done this by taking white clayboard and painting color on it, then etching, then perhaps adding some black.

This new piece will be an experiment in colorizing black clayboard. Beginning with a 5x7 inch black clayboard, I scratched out a very bold design, taking away most of the black on each element. This is the result, which could almost stand alone as a scratchboard engraving. (In fact, I need to remember to scan this in case I want to use it as a black and white.)

Next I will paint in the flower, leaves, and berries with ink or gouache... and then scratch the design again. Stay tuned.

Black Flower Square - Small Scratchboard

2012-01-25T03:00:00.001-05:00

Here's a little scratchboard - a 6x6 inch square panel which took me three movies to create. I need to practice different ways of laying down color on white clayboard and I haven't come up with anything that yet satisfies me. This one is done with watercolor. The colors are easier to manipulate but more difficult to etch. I'll just keep experimenting and practicing technique until I find what works for me.

Here is what I painted on the board before etching.

More Tapestry Tote Bags

2012-01-25T03:00:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I sewed up the rest of this lovely moss green tapestry fabric into three more tote bags. One of them is for sale in my EmerlyeArts.Etsy shop.

Yay! I've finished up all the fabric now and I can't wait to go to Burlington VT for some more. There's nothing more fun than going to a fabric store and having license to buy something!

Paisley - Final Colorized Clayboard Engraving

2012-01-23T22:30:00.000-05:00

Here is the finished scratchboard (8x10 inch colorized white clayboard engraving) I am calling "Paisley.)

Paisley - Step 3 - Colorizing White Clayboard

2012-01-23T03:00:00.000-05:00

I spent several agonizing hours last night trying to get this right. In this scratchboard engraving I wanted to lay down color first (before etching) with Ampersand ink and then engrave a design over it. What I found, however, is that if you water down the ink, it pools on the surface and makes ugly blooms. So I went over it with undiluted ink. But the ink color is often too intense for my liking. So then I tried watercolor, which performs better in some ways but is more difficult to scratch. Oy.

I guess this will be another practice piece. Maybe it will come out OK in the end. It's a mystery.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's progress.

Paisley - Step 2- Line Drawing

2012-01-22T03:00:00.000-05:00

Here is the line drawing I created from the previous sketch. My guess is that it will make a nice coloring page after I clean up some of the lines. (Can you see the mistakes? Before this becomes something I would sell or use in a book, I will run it through Photoshop and clean up the lines.)

Tonight I am going to transfer this design to a white clayboard and prep it for another colorized engraving. More than likely I will alter some of the details to fit the medium. Let's see how similar or different it looks from this idea in the end.
Stay tuned, mes amis

Paisley - Step 1 Pencil sketch

2012-01-21T01:00:00.000-05:00

This is a new floral design I am working out. This is destined to be a colorized scratchboard engraving on white board but I want to go through the entire process of creating a line drawing first. That way I can make the drawing into a coloring page and also have it on hand in case I wish to create something else, such as a watercolor or oil.

Here's the sketch I worked out while watching "The Help." (very good movie, by the way.)

Stylized flower - scratchboard v 5 - final

2012-01-20T01:00:00.000-05:00

Here is the final result for this 8x10 inch scratchboard engraving. I originally intended to colorize this one after engraving it boldly but I like it so much I'm going to leave it as is. I might try printing it out on watercolor paper and colorizing the print. If that is successful, I will show you.

I ran this photo through PS and created an inverted image, which I think is pretty cool. I guess I should actually scan this and work on it. Here's the inverted version:

Stylized Flower - scratchboard v4

2012-01-19T03:30:00.000-05:00

I've tried to be bolder in this scratchboard engraving. So far I like the result. Here's what a two movie session produced tonight:

...and here it is on the full board.

One more session and I should be finished with the black and white rendition of this design.

Stay tuned.

Stylized Flower - v3

2012-01-18T03:00:00.000-05:00

More done on this black clayboard (scratchboard) engraving . This was a one movie effort. Here is the leaf and flowers I did last night:

...and here is the full board.

Stay tuned.

P.S.... Scratchboard is pretty difficult to photograph well, as you see. Light reflects off the board but not the engraving. Sadly, I'm not a photographer. I'll try to do better.

Stylized Flower - Scratchboard v2

2012-01-17T03:00:00.000-05:00

With this black clayboard engraving, I intend to whiten all areas quite a bit at first, then color with clayboard ink, then re-etch to create more value. We shall see how that works. Here is my first pass, a one and a half movie effort.

Stylized Flower - New Scratchboard

2012-01-16T05:00:00.000-05:00

I'm trying something new (for me.) For this ilustration, I am starting with an 8x10 black clayboard. I am going to heavily carve into it, then paint with colored ink, then scratch again. Here's the design I drew tonight, then carved the outline:

Clayboard with Color - final

2012-01-15T05:00:00.000-05:00

This was a good exercise in using white clayboard as a scratchboard base. I'm calling it "Black Ribbon." This piece is 11x14 inches, ink on clayboard with engraving. All in all, this took about 30 hours to complete.

These are the details I put in last night. A three movie project!

Totes Now for Sale on Etsy

2012-01-14T05:00:00.000-05:00

I've been sewing like crazy for the past week to refresh my inventory at Arjuna and other shops. I've promised to put some of my bags in my online Etsy shop for sale and today they are up! Here's what you can find online at www.EmerlyeArts.Etsy.com.

Clayboard With Color - v.5

2012-01-13T01:34:00.001-05:00

I'm finally beginning to like this scratchboard engraving (ink over white clayboard, engraved, then highlighted with black. ) This session saw work on the pink flower, butterfly, and dark berries.

Stay tuned for more tomorrow. I can't wait to tone down that orange fern!

Clayboard with color- v4

2012-01-11T23:52:00.000-05:00

I guess this is growing on me a little. I am enjoying experimenting with which techniques work the best. I like the flowers and leaves I engraved in the white clayboard tonight.

This had quite a bit of clayboard ink painted into it, with darks and highlights, like the unfinished pink flower to the left. Over the ink painting I etched the values into the flower. Only at the end did I add some black areas with india ink pen, then etched out some of that to soften it into the other color. The result was very subtle colors. This result is different from the central pink flower. For that one I started with everything covered in black.

And for a name: I kind of like the darkness of the ribbon so I am calling it "Black Ribbon."

Stay tuned. There's still a ways to go with this scratchboard etching. (... trying to get my key words in, don't ya see?)

Colored Clayboard- v3

2012-01-10T23:40:00.000-05:00

I worked on two more flowers in this clayboard engraving. Still not in love.

Practicing Colored Scratchboard - v.2

2012-01-10T00:42:00.001-05:00

I'm still playing around with this colored clayboard engraving. So far the method I prefer is a solid black shape, etched and then lightly washed with color rather than color first. Still, I'm not loving this yet. The result is less refined than I like.

Here you see I've worked on another flower

and finished the black ribbon.

Here is the whole. Somehow this feels more grim than the black clayboard. I don't know why.

Sewing Tote Bags

2012-01-09T09:34:00.000-05:00

Last summer I decided to use up some of the wonderful upholstery fabric I've been hoarding to (someday) make bags from. So I whipped up several large and small tote bags and offered them for sale at Arjuna.
Well, they've pretty much sold out now so this past weekend I re-organized my stash... and plan to sew several more for Arjuna and another shop that wants them and maybe add some to my Etsy shop. I'll show them to you every once in a while, as I make them.
Here is what I made this weekend:

I, like most sewers I know, have an ungodly amount of fabric in my stash, waiting patiently to be made into something lovely. Since I am determined this year to do a major clean-out of my office, art studio, and sewing room, I should make some progress in this endeavor.
Dare to dream!

.

Playing with Color in Scratchboard

2012-01-08T02:20:00.001-05:00

I'm experimenting with a new technique (new to me at least) in scratchboard. I've acquired some Ampersand inks and have been playing with them on a white clayboard ground. All this is pretty haphazard because I am experimenting with...

laying down the color first, then covering with black, then engraving to create depth.
creating the design in black, then engraving, then tinting with progressive layers of weak ink
doing both the above: color, then black, then engrave, then more color or black, then engrave.

I actually am finding this more difficult than straight engraving on a black board. We shall see. I seem to be having trouble with values so far. Stay tuned.

Hanging Kirigami Valentines

2012-01-06T14:02:00.004-05:00

... And here they are! These are the Valentines I just listed on Etsy. They look festive against a red background. In a day or two I will be putting some in Arjuna as well.

Kirigami Papercut Valentines

2012-01-05T00:20:00.000-05:00

Last night I finished cutting my last batch of kirigami Valentines. Now I will press, laminate, trim, string, and tag them to be sold. Look for some of them in my Etsy shop and at Arjuna in Woodstock.
I really like this year's crop of hearts. I hope you do too.

Kirigami Papercuts - Floral Valentines

2012-01-04T09:07:00.002-05:00

I'm on a roll. Here are five more kirigami Valentines I cut last night (a two and a half movie adventure.) They all have a floral motif. One more session and I will have all my Valentines done for this holiday. Look for them in my Etsy Kirigami shop soon.

More Kirigami Valentines

2012-01-03T11:35:00.003-05:00

This year I am determined to get my Valentines done well before February! Here are the ones I cut last night. These haven't yet been pressed or laminated - but they will be. They will become hanging decorations for sale on Etsy and in local shops.

More to come. Stay tuned.

Early Valentines

2012-01-01T13:02:00.003-05:00

I'm not one for going out and partying on New Year's Eve so I thought I would get started on some kirigami Valentines. I cut these while watching a Star Wars marathon last night. I kinda liked the "chocolate" bears so I cut two of them. Most of these were cut on heavyweight Langdell paper, which is handmade by a local Vermont papermaker and is deliciously flecked with sparkles or tiny flowers.

Happy New Year!

Getting Ready for 2012

2011-12-31T14:14:00.001-05:00

News From the Studio: In the midst of getting the tangle of my 2011 finances sorted out, I've been pondering the direction I want to take in the upcoming year. There are too many things on my Artist plate. I need to go on a professional diet and restrict myself to just a few areas of endeavor. (This is difficult because I like to do so many things and I am easily bored.) The way I intend to deal with this is to create "collections," in other words, do projects in series of at least four and up to twelve. Ideally, I would spend a season working on one collection, but that would be a stretch for me.

Here are some of the things I intend to work on (and show you) in 2012:

ADULT COLORING - I really really really want to get this off the ground. I've created one coloring journal so far, which has been quite successful even though I don't have it in many shops or on Amazon - something I want to rectify soon. I may create a new journal as well.
I have created quite a few new coloring pages but I am unsure whether to create more hard-copy portfolios to sell or to set up a digital download service. I'm considering talking about this differently as well because when I google adult coloring I come up with other "adult" sites which have nothing to do with drawing. Perhaps "Complex Coloring Designs for Adults Who Color" should be a subtitle. Look for me to get all this up and running this year.

CARDS & ILLUSTRATIONS - Unless you sell a minimum of 30,000 a year, greeting cards are not much of a money-maker. However, I like to make them and they are a wonderful way to get one's art noticed. I plan on making several new Quotation Card designs this year and perhaps use the many border designs I love to create, as templates for Ketubot or other Celebration/award certificates. This will be on one of my back burners.
As ever, I will take illustration jobs such as creating logos and, hopefully, do a story portrait or two, something I didn't get to do in 2011. If I get my act together, I will try to join an Illustration website to display my work for licensing.

ENGRAVINGS - I intend to continue working on a series of clayboard (scratchboard) engravings, experiment with colorizing them, and how best to frame them. These will be for sale at some point.

PAINTING - I am very excited about a new series of oil and acrylic paintings I want to get started on this winter. I'm not going to talk about it yet so I don't jinx myself. This new theme will be an experiment for me - so it may or may not be successful. I accept that. These will be large originals, in the Visionary style I was developing a few years ago.

KIRIGAMI - As ever, I will continue to fool around with kirigami papercutting. This has moved from a little hobby into... something else. I've sold a lot of this work in 2011 and have been asked to create an online course, was included in a book, and have been approached for another one. Sheesh. This has come a long way from making snowflakes with my kids for our winter windows. As with other things, I do papercutting intermittently or else I get tired of it - and my hands hurt.

TEACHING - Now this is an area I really want to develop this year. I've already begun to teach small classes and workshops in my local area. I want to take the time to develop more in-depth courses that can be offered for sale online. This will be a chore but something that can be easily replicated once its created.

EVERYTHING ELSE - I just can't help it. I will probably also entertain myself from time to time with sewing one of a kind wearables, making little crafty things, and learning new skills. I am a maker - kind of a busy bee. I just wish this tendency included the more mundane necessities, like housecleaning and bookkeeping.

All of this is, of course, in addition to my work as a Life Coach, which I would also like to expand. I really need another lifetime to do everything I want to. Any vampires out there want to bite me?

Stay tuned my lovelies.

Bellflowers - Scratchboard Engraving step 6

2011-12-30T00:44:00.002-05:00

It only took one movie to lay in the ribbon. Here it is so far. One more session and this one should be finished. I may go over some of it with a weak india ink, though. We shall see.

I've ordered some clayboard ink. Perhaps I will experiment with colorizing the next one. Stay tuned.

Bellflowers - Clayboard Engraving step 5

2011-12-28T22:41:00.000-05:00

I am wondering if my typical complex floral designs are too busy for this medium (Scratchboard.) It works well in black & white ink drawings but the subtilty and depth of engraving has a different look altogether. Hmmm.

In any case, here I am with this piece after two more movies. (That's about a dozen so far - and I'm not finished.)

Bellflowers - Clayboard Engraving (Scratchboard) Step 4

2011-12-27T23:47:00.000-05:00

Now that all the toys, books, presents, food, and wrappings of a joyous, raucous holiday are over and the house is cleaned up, I am back to my Night Studio in the evening. Tonight this fern is what two movies produced. Clayboard engraving (scratchboard) is very slow work - a good way to practice patience and serenity.

This is the fern I etched tonight. It isn't finished. This is the first pass. It needs more definition. You can see the beginnings of my signature ribbon as well.

And this is how it sits on the board.

Stay tuned my little voyeurs. More to come.

A Winter Solstice Blessing

2011-12-24T10:10:00.000-05:00

Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, represents the ending of darkness and the beginning of new light. No wonder this season is a holiday time for many. This year I will share with you some images of winter that please me and, hopefully, will give you joy as well.

This winter scene by Donald Maier is the kind of landscape I live in. It captures both the cold beauty of winter and the clean, quiet somnolence of this time of year when we are meant to slow down and contemplate, renewing our strength for the coming new year. May you find refreshment and renewal in the quiet days of winter when the land sleeps.

Wendy L. Wilkerson's painting reminds me of the bright beauty of sunny winter days, when the light, unfiltered by a green landscape, sparkles from the icy trees like a winter wonderland. May you take the time to notice the beauty in a bare landscape and the clarity that can come from simplicity.

This painting of Lucia (which means "light") by Francesco del Cossa celebrates the patron saint of good eyesight. She is often associated with the Winter Solstice, a time when the darkness ends and new light begins. May you leave behind the darkness of old wounds and let your eyes be opened to the beauty all around you.

This winter fairy, fashioned by Nenufar Blanco, reminds me of how magical the world can be if we pay attention. May your heart be touched by the magic of the season.

I've always loved how Carl Larsson was able to capture the peace and love of family life. May you be warmed by the fellowship of friends and loved ones this winter season and always.

Blessings to you of love, joy, peace, and vision this holiday season.

Bellflowers - Scratchboard Etching Step 3

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

I've spent two more movies working on this scratchboard etching of flowers in my night studio. Here's the result:

What do you think?

Scratchboard Needs a Name Change

2011-12-22T05:00:00.000-05:00

I've just finished reading a nice post by another scratchboard artist who mourns the term "scratchboard," as I do. When I tell people I am working on a series of scratchboard etchings, they poo poo it and more often than not say "Oh, I used to do that in elementary school!"

Um... no. This is not the scratch art you remember making with crayons.

So, the suggestion by Susan Donley HERE is that we start calling this kind of work "Clayboard Engraving." She does stunning work in inked clayboard engraving, mostly of animals. (I haven't progressed to inking yet.) Take a look at one of my favorites:

This is the beauty of this medium: incredible detail and depth. I've seen beautiful portrait work, cartoon figures, and commercial design that I want to just gaze at for lengths of time. Here is another of my favorite scratchboard (eh, clayboard) engravers, Mark Summers, who does work for international magazines and is sometimes called the "Scratchboard god."

I've been reluctant to show my clayboard work because I have the above geniuses in mind as mentors. But, hey... practice makes perfect.

Enjoy.

Bellflowers - Scratchboard Etching Step 2

2011-12-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

This 8x10 inch scratchboard etching is larger than the 5x7's I have been creating of late. We shall see how many movies it takes to create this. This is what I've created during two movies so far.
Here is the closeup:

...and this shows it's position on the board:

Stay tuned my friends.

Bellflowers- step 1

2011-12-20T01:04:00.004-05:00

Here is the pencil sketch of the new 8x10 inch black clayboard (scratchboard) etching I am calling Bellflowers. I will be showing you the stages as this progresses. Stay tuned.

Butterfly Scratchboard Etching - final step

2011-12-18T12:18:00.002-05:00

Finished. This is a 5x7 inch black clayboard (scratchboard) etching on Ampersand board.

Butterfly Scratchboard Etching - Step 3

2011-12-16T00:31:00.003-05:00

Two more movies and I have the butterfly finished. Now on to the border.

Butterfly Scratchboard - step 2

2011-12-14T23:09:00.004-05:00

A couple more movies and here is where I am with this scratchboard etching. Stay tuned for more.

Butterfly Sketch - scratchboard

2011-12-14T12:02:00.000-05:00

I've been encouraged by a lovely gallery to do a series of scratchboard etchings to be carried by them. I want to do each size in sets of two or four, so I'm going to finish two more in the 5x7 size and then do a set of larger etchings. Here is the pencil sketch and initial layout for the newest one: "Butterfly." I was a bit unsure about the butterfly, so this time I made a sketch on paper and transferred it to the scratchboard simply by laying the paper on the board and going over my pencil marks with a stylus. That left a slight impression on the board which I could then go over with pencil. This is easier than using graphite paper, which tends to shift. I will be working on this now and then this week between Christmas presents. Stay tuned.

My Annual Snowflake Party

2011-12-12T11:52:00.002-05:00

I had so much fun with everyone at my annual Snowflake Party Open House yesterday that I forgot to take pictures of us actually cutting snowflakes. So I can only show you some I took before people showed up: The house smelled wonderful with Forest Path potpourri scenting the living room and Hot Mulled Cider warming on the stove in the kitchen.

The large table was set up for snowflake cutting. Some people came already knowing what to do and others wanted help. I always give tutorials for beginners and demonstrate at least one advanced cutting technique.

The Itty Bitty Art Show was set up in the living room. Pretty good sales this year.

All my miscellaneous creations were on display among twinkling lights.

Here are the three papercuts I was able to finish between gab sessions.

Come on over next year. It's a lot of fun!

Scratchboard Flower

2011-12-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

The center floral design is finished.

Now I just need to etch a border around it. I kind of like it as it is. We'll see what it looks like with a border.

Beginning a New Flower

2011-12-10T01:08:00.001-05:00

Here is step one and two of a new scratchboard flower design. It's coming along nicely so far. Stay tuned for the finale.

Scratchboard - Everything You Need

2011-12-09T10:08:00.001-05:00

Scratchboard is a medium with spare necessities. It is very portable - you can take it with you like your knitting. All you actually need to create a black & white scratchboard etching is black scratchboard paper or clayboard panel and something to scratch it with, like an exacto knife. Done.

Of course, since I love art supplies, I use several more tools in my scratchboard work. Even so, this is one of the least complicated mediums. In this post I will show you what I recommend for making a simple black and white scratchboard etching.

THE SUPPORT: I like to use Ampersand scratchboard panels, sometimes called black clayboard. This is a rigid melamite 1/8 inch panel with a layer of white clay on it that is very, very smooth. The clay is then covered with black india ink, which you will scratch off to reveal the white clay beneath.
You can also purchase scratchboard pages, the same idea as panels, only on a paper support. Paper is what we all used in the old days before the panels were invented. Paper scratchboard surfaces are easier to cut to size and etch but more difficult to manage and keep from being damaged. I use only rigid panels now. You can make your own panel either buy purchasing Ampersand clayboard and covering it with india ink or colored ink - or you can paint many white gesso layers on stiff paper or a panel, sanding it to a very smooth surface and then covering it with ink. This is a lot of trouble, though, for not much savings. I recommend buying the ready-made panels.

ETCHING TOOLS: You will need a sharp tool to etch your design onto the clayboard panel. There are scratchboard artists who only use one tool: an exacto knife. I have tried making a whole etching with just that tool. It is possible but I prefer using two or three more. Shown below in red are the scratchboard tools which come in the basic kit sold at art supply stores. There are several other tools available but I find them unnecessary. Save your money.
From top to bottom: a large carving tool for making deep gouges and scraping away large areas of black. (I rarely if ever use this one. One slip and you've made a big boo boo.) The curved scraping tool below it is great for making a variety of cuts from delicate to wide. It is good for gently scraping away at an area to gray it down. The bottom two red tools are the ones I use the most. These make your regular cuts from medium to fine. The metal tool at the bottom is an exacto knife with a #18 blade. You can also use a standard #11 blade. With practice, you can make all the cuts you need with an exacto knife but I find it faster to use the stronger red etching tools.
I've also tried pins, pens, knives and dental tools. They work... sort of.

DRAWING TOOLS: If you want to draw your design onto the scratchboard before you begin etching, you can use a graphite pencil (I like mechanical pencils) or a stylus with a ball tip, which will leave an impression but not etch out a white mark. In either case, you will have to hold the board at an angle to see the sketch. I like this better than drawing with a white pencil, which, if you go outside the lines, will leave a white mark which cannot be easily erased.

Some people like to use graphite or white transfer paper to transfer a drawing onto your board. If you do this, be sure to wrap the transfer paper around the board and either clip it around the edge or tape it to the back so it doesn't move. Never tape anything onto the black surface; it will leave a mark.

If you are going to make any straight lines, you will want to use a ruler. The clear one is great for seeing where to put a line. I sometimes use this to measure out a border and then mark it in pencil. When you are ready to scrape the line, however, you really must use a metal ruler. The scraper tools are little knives and will gouge into a plastic or wooden ruler and spoil the edge. I like this metal ruler with a raised handle. It is easier to hold in place.

OTHER THINGS: Your etching tools are sharp, so please keep them in a sturdy box. I've stabbed myself a few times, never mind accidentally scratching my board.

Gloves: Your hands are oily, even when dry and will leave fingerprints and smudges on your scratchboard. Some people protect the area under their hands by laying a piece of paper or plastic under their hand. I find this cumbersome so I like to use fingerless gloves instead. I use a standard glove (like the white photographer's gloves) on my left hand to hold the board. On my right (drawing) hand I wear a fingerless glove so my palm doesn't rest on the board and mar it but my fingertips are free to grip the etching tool. You can buy fancy ones or just cut the fingertips off an old glove (the black one above.) When my hands are hurting from too much use, I use a therapeutic glove, which helps a lot. You can also use thin medical gloves to protect your surface while you work.

INK: What I haven't shown here are tools to erase your mistakes. Regular erasures won't work. Instead, you want to renew the black ink by painting over your mistakes or pencil marks. You will want a jar of india ink with a fine-pointed round brush for broad areas. You will also need a fine-tipped permanent black ink pen to repair fine lines. Sharpie pens leave an undesirable purple-black shimmery residue which shows up at certain angles. Instead, I recommend Micron archival ink pens or Staedtler Mars pro pens or any india ink pen.

Good luck with your scratchboard project!

Celtic Star Scratchboard Border

2011-12-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

...and here it is! This is the final version of this etching on a 5x7 inch (1275 x 1790mm) size black clayboard panel.

Celtic Star Scratchboard Border - Nearly Finished

2011-12-06T23:17:00.001-05:00

This border is taking much longer than I expected, probably because the detailing is more subtle than my previous scratchboard border design. Here are my two iterations from tonight's two-movie session in the Night Studio. (I'm going backwards and showing you the latest version first.)

And these were the two stages from a few nights ago.

One more session and I should be done. I want to fill in the vine that travels around the entire border.

I think with this kind of medium I need to work larger. While it looks wonderful in its original size, it it is impossible to enlarge this and have it look decent - too many messy crosshatch lines. My eyes get tired working so small as well. Perhaps I will try a larger format for the next one.

Teapots in Kirigami

2011-12-06T09:25:00.001-05:00

I've taken a wee detour from scratchboard to cut a gaggle of kirigami ornaments for Arjuna, a shop in the village, which has sold out of them. Here is last night's one and a half movie project: a set of teapots.

This is what my ornaments look like after they are laminated and before they are trimmed, strung, and packaged.

Obsessed With Scratchboard

2011-12-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

Oh Lordy. I've got the bug. I'm obsessed with practicing scratchboard so I've started a new one. This will be another border drawing, suitable for a quotation card. Let's see what comes of it. So far, this has been a three movie sketch:

One more session and this border will be finished. Ah, the beauty of small works.

Scratchboard on Ampersand panel is rather hard on the hands. If I am wise, I will take a break after this. I've been wearing an elastic glove to etch this one. I don't know whether it is helping. My hand hurts. That's the problem with obsession. Pain is no deterrent. Oy.

Stay tuned.

Anemone Scratchboard - final steps

2011-12-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

I loved this sea anemone design when I first sketched it (see previous post) but it proved very difficult to define well in the execution. This turned out to be nearly a five movie project! Thank goodness I've been watching comedies. Here it is (below) in nearly finished form. I still have to create a border for it to be consistent with the others in this series. Normally I do the border first but this time I had a clear idea for the flower and I'm a bit perplexed about what will compliment it. Hope I don't wreck it. (That is always a concern with this unforgiving medium. There is no easy fixing or turning back with scratchboard.)

And here is the final result. It is a 5x7 inch black clayboard etching.

Anemone - scratchboard

2011-12-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

I'm on a roll here so I've decided to make a series of scratchboard carvings. Here is the beginning of the newest one, Anemone.

...and here it is partly done:

So far three movies have gone into this. One more and I should be finished. Stay tuned amici.

Dancing in the Sun - Scratchboard

2011-12-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

Here is the scratchboard "painting" I did a year ago, which I will be putting in the miniature works show at Artistree gallery in Woodstock, Vermont this month. The challenge is how to frame it. Even though it is on a 5x7 standard sized panel, it needs some room around it. Perhaps I will attach it to a board. I don't yet know.

Fallen Leaf Scratchboard Drawing

2011-11-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

I really love the delicacy of this scratchboard medium. Here is the piece partly done.

And here it is finished:

This is a three movie piece, 5x7 inches on Ampersand black claybord. I will be framing this today and entering it into the Fine Works in Miniature gallery show which opens this weekend. Come by and see it if you can.

Oh, it does look nice when framed:

Starting a New Scratchboard

2011-11-29T09:41:00.001-05:00

This is a one-movie outline I did last night on a 5"x7" Ampersand black claybord panel. I will show it to you as it develops.

This is the perfect time for me to get the scratchboard bug. I will have something new to put in the Small Works show which I'm about to enter. Also, I have just contracted to create two new logos, one for a foundation in DC and the other for a small cottage industry here in Vermont. Scratchboard gets me back in the black and white mode.
Stay tuned, Amigos.

Scratchboard Love card

2011-11-28T06:30:00.000-05:00

I took my scratchboard design downtown today and asked several people to vote on different kinds of applications. This card or poster was the one most people like.

Scratchboard really is a wonderful medium for me. It lends itself to detailed work, which, as you can see, attracts me. Perhaps I will do a series of scratchboard borders as a new card line. Hmmm.
(I can hear Jimmeny Cricket chirping in my ear: "For crumb sakes, Cynthia, not another project!")

A Scratchboard Border

2011-11-27T08:44:00.001-05:00

After visiting Judy Jensen's Studio the other day and being inspired by her gorgeous illustrations, I am inspired to practice my scratchboard work again. Since I found myself unexpectedly babysitting all day, I retrieved a 5"x7" rigid Ampersand scratchbord from the closet and began sketching. My little ward was fascinated, so I had an observer most of the time. This little piece was a three movie affair. I took some (bad) photos of it in process and then scanned the finished design.

Here is the result after one movie: ("The Last Unicorn.) I laid out the design as an eight panel border piece, sketched on the board with graphite pencil, and began scratching out the design.

After the second movie ("Spiderwick") I finished the other side panel and the top center area.

At each corner I sketched a critter representing one of the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water.

Finally, after sitting through "The Last Airbender," here is the final result. Perhaps I will make this into a card or enlarge it for a frame. I don't yet know.

More practice to come. Stay tuned.

Snowflake Party 2011

2011-11-26T10:17:00.001-05:00

The weather is frosty, snow is on the ground. It's time to turn our attention to winter's holiday celebrations...

Any of you who live in the area or travel to Vermont for Christmas, please feel free to stop by at my annual Snowflake Party. This is an open house event where we get together and cut paper snowflakes at the dining room table, while snacking on goodies, listening to holiday music, and enjoying each other's company. It is a very relaxed event, appropriate for anyone who can handle a pair of scissors - ages 10 to 100. Offerings of finger food are nice but don't stay away if you don't have any to bring.

The Itty Bitty Art Gallery is in the living room, full of my creations to admire and buy! Feel free to look around.

As usual, the Snowflake party is at the end of Wassail Weekend, a wonderful winter celebration in nearby Woodstock, VT, with a horse parade on Saturday and beautiful handmade gifts in our many village boutiques. Happy Winter!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

I love this painting by DaVinci.

This scene is familiar to me here in Vermont, where I often see wild turkey flocks roaming through woods and across pastures.

For those of you in the USA, here's wishing you a joyful Thanksgiving holiday. And to everyone else, may the spirit of this season fill your heart with gratitude for the beauty in the world and the abundance we enjoy.

Dona Nobis Pacem.

.

What Scissors to use for Kirigami Papercutting

2011-11-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

Many people wonder what kind of scissors I use in kirigami papercutting. Unlike Scherenschnitte, which is usually done on a single, unfolded piece of heavier paper, kirigami is paper that is folded and cut so the paper needs to be thinner and the scissors heavier. Remember, when you are cutting a snowflake or mandala, you are cutting through six or eight layers of paper. Tiny embroidery scissors which might work well for scherenschnitte will be useless. Here is what I recommend:

The sewing scissors (above) are perfect for this kind of work. These are medium size, not too heavy, with a sharp tip and slightly bent angle. I used these for years until I found something better.

In comparison, the ones below - everyday scissors - are great for many things but too large and clunky for kirigami.

Most people imagine that I use tiny embroidery scissors. Not so for kirigami. They aren't substantial enough to cut through many layers of paper. I keep a pair handy, though, in case I am working on a bifold (two layers) and want to snip out a detailed bit. Don't make the mistake of buying crappy scissors in small sizes. You can get away with lower quality in larger scissors but not in small. Of course Gingher (the top pair) is wonderful, but expensive. The Fiskars (red handle) are great as well. While these smalls are the preferred size for Scherenschnitte, these are not essential to have for kirigami.

Here are some scissors I bring to my workshops for people who forget theirs. Can you tell which pair are not good for kirigami?

It is the paper shears, the long ones on the right. They are too long to handle well. They are for making long straight cuts through a single sheet. Below you can see the difference between the sewing scissors I prefer to use and the paper shears.

If you are going to do a lot of cutting or cut for a long time at each session, spring-loaded scissors can really help your hands. When I first started cutting, if I cut for more than three hours I would have to wrap my fingers in tape to keep from getting blisters until I discovered spring-loaded shears. The large pair on the bottom are wonderful for many things - but not kirigami. They are large sewing scissors, too big and don't have a sharp point.

My favorites are the pink ones from China (which I can almost never find) because they have a comfortable handle. What is more commonly available are the Fiskars craft scissors above them, found in any craft or sewing store. They are somewhat small for large hands, though.

I try to have my handy-dandy sharpener with me when I work. This is a lightweight Fiskars. A few swipes after every project will keep your shears in good working shape. Have fun cutting!

A Garden Full of Ornaments

2011-11-22T08:23:00.001-05:00

This is a set of ornaments for a customer with flowers, butterflies, and horses as motifs.

This may be the last of the kirigami I will be doing for a while. (I've said that before.) I am considering doing another three dimensional one for an upcoming show but that's all for now. I'm way behind with my illustration work and I've had an exciting idea for this winter's oil painting project. Can't reveal that yet, though. Stay tuned.

Preserving Digital Art Images

2011-11-21T10:47:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I bought myself another portable hard drive out of paranoia about preserving my art images.

While I have my originals safely stored in cello sleeves in my closet,

much of my real work is in the form of digital images - various versions and adaptations of the original artwork. For example, I may have an original watercolor painting in the closet, from which I've made a greeting card, print, poster, or other work. All those adaptations are separate digital files, along with various versions or iterations of each one, such as ones with or without watermarks or in different sizes or file formats. I may end up with two dozen digital files for one painting, each of which represents my time and effort. I find it scary that these files can be so easily corrupted or destroyed - hense my paranoia.

I am currently exploring ways to put my files in "the cloud," in an online file storage facilitie such as Carbonite.com. Remember Han Solo preserved in carbonite?

In the mean time, and for purposes of everyday work, I have files stored on disks and hard drives. I began years ago by putting each of my designs on a separate CD. Unfortunately, this is tedious and I often don't keep up with this method. I guess I'm still old school, meaning it feels good to have an object which I can hold in my hand.

I also have a large backup drive, which backs up everything on my computer. It does this automatically so I suppose if my computer crashed, a smart young techie the age of one of my kids could retrieve things that way.

What I use every day is a portable external drive on which all of my art images are stored. This makes it easy for me to access all my art in one place. I take it with me when I travel or work downstairs in my "night studio." Note the address sticker on it and a "reward if found" note. I have indeed had things I've lost returned to me because of these stickers. Not everyone is evil.

But I've become wary of so much being stored in one place - besides this drive is pretty old and has begun making weird noises when it is activated so yesterday I bought a new one. Similar price as what I paid for the old one with nearly ten times the capacity.

My geeky friends remind me of the golden rule: Redundancy. Have several ways your digital files are stored so if one fails, there will always be another way to retrieve it. (Unless, of course, a terrorist hits my house with an EMP and everything is wiped out. But that's science fiction, right?)

The Nativity Papercut is Finished!

2011-11-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

Finally! Putting this Nativity set together was so much more work than I anticipated. I'm pretty happy with it, though. It will make a very nice piece for someone's mantle.

First I made paper triangular stands for the back of each figure. I used acid-free Tacky glue this time, as the Guess glue I've used for books probably wouldn't hold up over time in this format.

I glued each piece to a foamboard base the exact size of the bottom of the triangular shadowbox.

Unfortunately, the light I bought for the inside, while a good idea, didn't work out well. Instead of illuminating the pieces, it just shone in your eyes. The hole in the box where the star is and where the light would have been makes a novel kind of "light" though.

The scene depicts Mary and Joseph holding the Babe up for all to see. Shepherds and animals come to look. Overhead an angel trumpets the news and a star shines brightly against the black velvet sky. I used genuine sheep fluff at the base to cover up the foamboard and to look like snow (even though Jesus was probably born in April.

And... Voila!

This will be for sale at Arjuna in Woodstock, VT. or can be purchased through me. I am taking it to my kirigami workshop at Artistree today. Perhaps my students can help me price it. Look for it in my Etsy kirigami shop online.

This is the end of my kirigami adventures for a while. I will be turning my attention next week to finishing another coloring portfolio and then on to painting and sewing after Thanksgiving.

Kirigami Reindeer

2011-11-19T07:30:00.000-05:00

I like cutting reindeer so it was a pleasure to make these hanging papercuts. I will laminate them and string them with gold cord to be hung from my tree branch or in the window. These will either be for sale in my Etsy Kirigami shop or at the Itty Bitty Art Show. The first two are larger, 7 inch mandalas. The last one is a tiny kiri ornament, about 3x5 inches.

Tomorrow: see my finished Kirigami nativity set.

Hanging Kirigami Angels

2011-11-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

'Tis the season for holiday motifs and angels are one of them. Here are the angel mandalas I've cut this week to refresh my inventory of hanging kirigami ornaments.

All of these are 7 inches in diameter.

Refreshing My Kirigami Inventory

2011-11-17T09:25:00.001-05:00

I've sent so many hanging kirigami ornaments to shops this year that I have few left for the Itty Bitty Art Show, the little shop I set up here every year during my Snowflake Party. So, for the past three nights I've been cutting like mad in my Night Studio. I've cut mandalas in three motifs. Today you can see the "Other Things." The next two days will be "Angels" and "Reindeer." Several of these will be for sale in my Etsy shop later today or tomorrow.

This bird one is my favorite. I like it so much I may keep it for my own collection. (As my cutting has evolved, what I once thought was wonderful I now think is rudimentary. So my private collection keeps changing. Pieces seem to hang for a couple of years, then get replaced with something better.)

More and More Mandalas to Color

2011-11-16T09:03:00.001-05:00

Over the past few months I've been slowly creating mandalas in line format for coloring. I have enough now to create two new coloring portfolios or a mandala coloring journal. I haven't decided which. I suppose, if I create a few more, I could do both. I would love your thoughts on this. Here are some of them:

My first coloring journal, "A Tangle of Flowers" sold out for the fifth time at my local bookstore. At least in this region, it is a best seller. Yay!

One Final Coloring Mandala

2011-11-14T22:47:00.001-05:00

This is the final drawing which will complete 16 new coloring pages of mandalas. I havent' decided whether to create two new sets of coloring pages or another coloring journal. This drawing is named "Eyes" because there are 32 eyes hidden in the design. I've neglected this project for a while but now I hope to have these sets done before Thanksgiving. Stay tuned.

Beginning a Kirigami Nativity Set

2011-11-10T07:17:00.000-05:00

Someone at Arjuna saw my three dimensional kirigami garden scene and suggested I make a nativity set. Great idea! So I've begun a papercut of the Nativity to be placed in a triangular shadow box. So far I've been working on this for three evenings. Because these will have to stand up, I've worked in more rigid paper, (Arches hot press) which make this a bit more difficult to cut. Here are some of the pieces I've cut so far:

I will probably have this put together in the next day or two so... stay tuned.

Using a Printer to Transfer a Sketch onto Watercolor Paper

2011-11-09T06:41:00.000-05:00

If you want to paint several versions of a drawing or to just save time when transferring your sketches to watercolor paper, I have found that it is easiest to use a printer to transfer a light version of the line drawing onto your paper. Although the drawing will now be permanent and not erasable, once you have filled in an area with paint, the lines disappear and nobody is the wiser. Purists may not like this idea but as long as I am the one who did the original drawing, I feel no guilt about using modern technology to aid my creative process. So here goes:

First you take your sketch and create a line drawing by tracing over the pencil with permanent ink. I like to use a technical pen. Erase the pencil and scan the line drawing into the computer. Format it using Photoshop to the desired size. Now fade the drawing down to 20-30% opacity and print it onto a sheet of watercolor paper.

At this point, it is important to stretch your paper before painting so that it doesn't warp. As I have illustrated in previous posts, I like to use clamps and a non-porous surface such as acrylic, glass or a plastic cutting board. (Wood lifts when wet, cardboard warps.)

Soak your paper in a room-temperature water bath for about 15 minutes. You should see the paper expand somewhat and become soft. The printer ink should not run or fade. Be sure not to handle the paper with your hands very much, especially where the design is. The oil from your fingers can rub onto the paper and present a problem for watercolor.

Lift the paper out of the bath and let the water drip away for a minute or two. Do not brush the paper with your hands to make this process go faster.

Gently lay the paper onto your board and fold the top over the edge, clamping it down every three inches.

Now lift the other end of the page with both hands and gently stretch it toward the opposite end of the board and clamp that down as well. (Clamp the center first, then both ends, then fill in between.)

Now clamp down the sides of the paper - not too close to the design as the clamps will leave pressure marks on the paper. (Please note: my wide format printer is broken at the moment so I had to cut this paper to fit my other narrow printer. This is not ideal because you want to have a good blank border around your design. )

Let your wet contraption sit for a day (or at least overnight) to dry thoroughly. I like to leave it on the same board to paint it, removing all but a few of the clamps to make holding it more comfortable.

Another note: I usually stand my wet paper up to dry. For some reason my cat loves to walk across a horizontal "field" of wet paper. She probably wants to put her artistic stamp on it as well.

Gallery Show: "Reflections"

2011-11-07T17:29:00.004-05:00

The opening to the Artistree Gallery show in Woodstock, VT was a fun, well-attended event.
I was delighted to see that my pair of oil paintings, "Turquoise Duo," was hung front and center in the first room, where the refreshments were. It got lots of attention, which was wonderful for me, although I feel pretty awkward with praise.

My two kirigami pieces were hung upstairs in the hallway. The three dimensional one seems to have been well received as well, although as a novelty.

Kudos to Adrian Tans for putting together another great show!

Eye of Beauty Border - line drawing

2011-11-07T08:23:00.003-05:00

I've finished the line drawing for this border illustration. My daughter likes this one - a rare compliment.

If you are wondering how long it takes me to do these.... I drew the sketch in about four or five hours ( two long "Lord of the Rings" movies.) It took half that time to draw over it with a technical pen. (While watching "Water for Elephants.") So far this is about a three movie deal - just to finish the line drawing. I suppose I could go a bit faster if I didn't watch DVD's while working - but that would be so much more boring. This kind of work, while pleasurable, is tedious.

Here you can see the work half done:

Eye of Beauty Border - Sketch

2011-11-05T23:49:00.004-04:00

I am beginning a new series of border illustrations. Here is the sketch for my newest one. I was watching The Fellowship of the Rings when I sketched this. Do you think there is an influence here? It's rather romantic looking.

Flower Border - Line Drawing

2011-11-04T10:02:00.001-04:00

I've completed the line drawing of my newest flower border. Now I have several options for what to do with it.

Stay tuned, mes amis.

New Border Sketch

2011-11-03T09:04:00.001-04:00

This is the new sketch I rendered last night while caught in the grip of "24." This will be a new border, both for coloring purposes and as a painted piece which may make a new greeting card. I don't know yet.

Inspired By: Kako Ueda

2011-11-01T11:18:00.000-04:00

I came across Japanese papercutter Kako Ueda while doing some research for an upcoming commissioned work. Her lacey nightmares blow me away.

Many of the images below come from her show at George Adams Gallery called "New Cut Paper Studies." This work incorporates colorful, painterly elements within the lacey webs. Her latest work explores the idea of fright, and features such beings as clowns, ravens, spiders, and ghosts. But the nightmares are truly lovely to behold, embellished as they are with careful detail by the artist. Would that we could all approach our fears with such honor and grace.

You can find Kako's website HERE at www.kakoueda.com. Enjoy!

An Imperfect Solution

2011-10-31T10:22:00.004-04:00

After trying several things, I came up with an imperfect solution to framing my 3D kirigami piece. First, I placed the acrylic box onto the piece of glass in a standard frame and glued it down.

I inserted some similar colored paper behind the glass with a quotation by Abram Urban: "My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams." The show is called "Reflections" so I thought this quotation fit the theme.

At first I used a standard glue but it didn't hold so I finally relented and used aquarium sealant glue. This means that if you want to remove the papercut you will have to break the seal on the box. I did not glue the papercut or its backing to anything. It is held together by the pressure of the box on it.

Sheesh! When will I ever learn to consider the mechanics of finishing and framing during the design phase - before I create the work? I am forever barreling ahead into some new piece, and only as an afterthought do I think of how I will display it.

A New Way to Frame Kirigami Papercuts

2011-10-30T08:30:00.000-04:00

I cut this kirigami papercut tonight (a two movie project)...

and placed it in this new floater frame I found last week. The papercut is pressed between two pieces of tempered glass which slide into the frame together. Whatever background it is hung against becomes the backing color. I love it! Obviously, it looks better against a dark or colored wall but even against a beige wall (as shown) it looks magical.

I'm going to look for more of these frames or try using this principle with a traditional frame.
This piece is going in the Artistry Gallery show next week. I finished it in the nick of time. Whew!
I think I may have figured out a solution to framing the 3D piece as well. Stay tuned.

3D Kirigami Scene - Step 3

2011-10-29T10:38:00.000-04:00

I finished cutting this three dimensional papercut last night. I perfected small details, like the people's clothing, bars on the shed doors, more greenery, and two goats in the shed.

I glued it all together with zots.

Now my dilemna is how to attach the back to the plastic box. That will be the task rolling around in my head today. Until anon....

3D Kirigami Scene - step 2

2011-10-28T08:49:00.000-04:00

Last night, while it was snowing heavily (in October no less) I sat comfortably in my night studio and cut another two-movie piece to the kirigami scene I am creating for the Artistree Gallery show.

This layer depicts two gardeners resting on their implements in the garden. The man has a bucket of berries beside him.

The woman has a (huge) butterfly on her dress.

Next I will be perfecting the couple's clothing and I will put something behind the shed door. My dilemma is how I will attach a backing to all of this to make it stay together in the frame. Well, that is tomorrow's problem.

Nature's Snow Painting

2011-10-28T08:35:00.000-04:00

It isn't even Halloween yet and this morning I woke up to this:

The temperature is below freezing, so this won't just melt away either. Brrrr. I'm not ready for winter yet, beautiful as it is.

A 3D Kirigami Scene - Step 1

2011-10-27T12:21:00.000-04:00

I am creating a three dimensional kirigami piece for the new Artistree Gallery show here in Woodstock, VT. I've used much heavier paper this time - Arches hot press watercolor paper in off-white. This makes it much more difficult to cut but it should stand up better. Here is my first cut, done last night - a two movie project.

My intention is to mount it in a plexiglass case like this one.

Stay tuned, amici.

Purple Ribbonwork Hat & Coat Ornaments

2011-10-26T09:50:00.003-04:00

Two more ribbonwork pins done. My daughter is hounding me to create some flower headbands, which are all the rage right now. But I am putting this work away for a time while I create two kirigami entries for the Artistree show. Yikes. I can't keep up!

Bright Ribbonwork Pins

2011-10-25T10:15:00.001-04:00

All my ribbonwork pins are either sold or in stores. My inventory here in the Itty Bitty Art Show gallery is completely empty so I plan on making another dozen in the next few days. One or two dozen should get me through the holiday season. I can create more next spring for the summer. With this batch, I focused mostly on bright reds and oranges. Here's what I've made so far:

Preparing for the "Reflections" Show

2011-10-25T10:04:00.002-04:00

Artistree Gallery in Woodstock is having another show next month called "Reflections." I've submitted an application and photos of the paintings I will submit but I also want to create a dimensional kirigami "painting" for the show as well. I've bought a shadow box and a clear acrylic box to see which one works the best. I will be cutting the piece soon so... stay tuned.

Teaching Ribbonwork at Fletcher Farm School

2011-10-24T09:09:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I spent the day in Ludlow, VT at the Fletcher Farm School for Arts & Crafts. I taught my second Ribbonwork class to a great group of women who came from all over New England. We talked about making this a two day class in the future because I had to rush through a lot of it in order for us to finish a flower pin before it ended.
In the morning we reviewed materials and equipment, then practiced making three different kinds of leaves. After lunch we made three kinds of flowers, then put it all together onto a backing.

Here are the pins my students made:

Adult Coloring Journals Arrived Today

2011-10-21T08:50:00.000-04:00

Finally. My third printing of "A Tangle of Flowers," my adult coloring journal arrived today. Despite the fact that I haven't yet dedicated myself to selling this book, it has flown off the shelves. A second journal was completed at the end of the summer but after getting some good feedback from customers, I want to tweak it a bit before I print it.

A bit of shameless promotion: These journals were designed to be a meditation aid, as coloring is such a quiet, relaxing, attention-filled activity. They make wonderful gifts for Christmas, birthdays, etc. and many people buy them for friends or relatives who are sick or in hospital. I carry them in my Etsy shop HERE. Take a look.

The Last of Autumn

2011-10-20T08:30:00.002-04:00

Vermont is typically a wonderland in autumn but this year the land has been so ravaged by bad weather that it came late and left early. It is glorious right now but the leaves are falling from the trees quickly. These few days are the last of it, I reckon.

In Memory of Avery

2011-10-19T17:28:00.003-04:00

I spent the day today on a sad task: creating a memorial brochure for my beautiful infant granddaughter who died. While I can't show you the whole thing, here is the photo which will go on the front. Quite a lot of work went into altering it to look more life-like. Her parents chose the most beautiful poems for the service so much of this work was done through tears.

Life Symphony Card

2011-10-17T22:57:00.001-04:00

It's been a long time since I worked on this greeting card design. I liked the painting but have had difficulty with the border text. At first I hand lettered the words but was never happy with the brightness and heaviness of the text. Today I returned to this project, changing the border colors and eliminating the hand-written text in favor of a computer font. I will probably have a few cards printed up to see how it looks in person before committing myself to a larger printing. This still needs to be cleaned up on the computer before it is ready for the printer.

I need to create many more card designs to fill out my quotations line.

Combination Cuts - Hanging Kirigami Mandalas

2011-10-16T17:37:00.006-04:00

In preparation for the holiday bazaars, two upcoming kirigami classes, and to renew my Etsy stash, I need to cut some more hanging kirigami mandalas. I am enjoying cutting wide borders right now, with bifolds in the center. I'm getting a little tired of doing so much crafting but my inventory is nearly renewed. Here is what I cut last night (a pretty long night of cutting. Three movies worth.)

I just received a new commission for a logo, so I will be working on that for the next few weeks. Also, my Facebook fans and others are starting to complain that I haven't been drawing enough so I will definitely be getting back to painting and doing more black and whites as well. Please bear with me and Stay Tuned.

Making a Star of David Papercut

2011-10-14T11:26:00.001-04:00

Making a papercut of the Star of David in a bifold is a bit complicated, so I was practicing last night. I've been cutting wee little holiday ornaments while resting in my Night Studio and I thought these would make nice gifts for some people I know.

Normally, I don't draw before I cut, but these must be geometrically precise, so I've sketched a bit. Hopefully, I will eventually be able to cut them by sight - but not yet.

First I make a regular four- fold base, as I would do on any other eight-sided mandala...

and then cut a design around the edge as a border.
I will be cutting the Star in the center, so now I open up the piece to a bifold (folded only once. and lightly sketch half a Star onto it.

I cut along the outside edge, leaving a band at the side as a connector.

I cut out the inside center and the top and bottom.

Now I must use a knife to cut out the two side triangles.

And... Voila! The Star appears when you open your paper.

Can you tell which one of these was my first attempt?

These will be laminated today along with two dozen other tiny ornaments. I almost have enough kirigami ready for the Chandler Gallery Holiday show. Too see my current work for sale, go to my Etsy shop at www.EmerlyeArtsKirigami.Etsy.com

Ironing Kirigami Papercuts

2011-10-13T09:07:00.003-04:00

Many people have asked me how to safely flatten their kirigami snowflakes once they are cut. Since I am preparing a gaggle of tiny kirigami ornaments for a holiday show, let me demonstrate what I do.

Since kirigami is folded as it is being created, the finished product will be heavily creased. This is OK if you are doing it for fun and will be taping them to windows for holiday decorations. But if you want to frame your work or display it more neatly, it will have to be pressed.

Papercuts are very delicate, so you never want to place an iron directly on the paper. You are more likely to tear it than scorch it. Open your papercut and place it on a piece of heavy white cardstock paper. (Don't use colored paper. You know why.) Press the folds open with your fingers, dabbing instead of smoothing. Then cover your work with another piece of white cardstock.

Now you are ready to use heat to press your work flat. I use a commercial dry mount press, set on medium heat for about five minutes.

You can use a household iron with these caveats:

1. You must press on a hard, flat surface. Do not use an ironing board or your work will warp. You will need something as a slight (though not too cushy) barrier between your hard surface and the paper. This is mostly to absorb some of the heat. I recommend using a layer of heavy woven wool or felt - or go to a thrift store and find an old, dense woolen army blanket, cut off a large square, and use that as a cushion between your table or counter and your cardstock. ( Be careful. Don't iron on a surface that could be damaged by heat.)

2. Place the cardstock with your papercut on the wool and press straight down. Do not slide the iron over the paper or use a swirling motion. This will cause the cardstock to shift slightly and you could be pressing wrinkles into your work.

3. Never use steam! Make sure there is no water in your iron and the steamer is turned off. Use a hot setting but make sure it is dry.

When taking your work off the white cardstock, try not to pick it up with your fingers. Instead, let it slide off one piece of paper onto the next surface.

Now your papercut is ready to be mounted, framed, laminated, or hung.

Be brave. Have fun!

Greeting Card Making Behind the Scenes

2011-10-11T12:46:00.000-04:00

People are forever saying to me, "I love your card designs. You should be making more of them." This always sends me into a guilt-induced fantasy where I have more money and a business partner who can take over the tedious, organizational parts of this enterprise so that I can indeed spend more time painting wonderful designs.

There is so much "invisible" work to be done to get products ready to sell at shows, holiday bazaars, and for stores and galleries which carry my things. For the past few days, I have been ordering, sorting, packaging, and talking with shop owners about their needs. I thought you might be interested in seeing some of the invisible work that goes into creating greeting cards to sell.

Assuming that all the work of designing, painting, scanning, formatting, and printing the cards is already done, there is quite a bit of work involved in preparing them for market. (This doesn't include the marketing and selling itself, just the preparation.) Here is what I have been doing for the past few days:

Packets of cards arrived from the printer two days ago. Right away I noticed that they must have changed the paper stock I normally use. I emailed the woman in customer service to ask about it and sent samples of a previous card and this new one to show her the difference. Something has changed and I need to make some decisions about it.

Also, the folding was a little off this time and, to save time and aggravation, I re-folded some of them myself with my trusty bone folder, making a note to discuss this with the printer. When one uses a local printing company, oversight is easier. My printing company can do short runs so I have to put up with communicating long distance -- a trade off.

I must now package each design into sets of 6. Cardmakers usually sell wholesale in dozens or half-dozens. I chose half dozens in order to sell to smaller businesses.

I must include envelopes with the cards, which I get from a paper wholesaler near Boston.

I must have a way to package each half dozen, so I put them in clear plastic sleeves, which I order from another wholesaler. I often re-use these if a store has me re-stock cards myself.

When packaging card sets, I must print up a page for the back of the box showing what is included. Then collate six designs, package them in clear boxes, and label.

I warehouse my inventory of packaged cards in large boxes according to design in a large closet. I have created an inventory spreadsheet to keep track of how many packets I have of each design. In addition, I have an inventory page I bring to stores to keep track of what they have and need to order.

It is easy to get behind on this kind of work when one wants to be spending time doing the creative part. You often hear me vowing to "get back to painting" but so often the day to day business of art gets in the way.

A Kirigami Wedding Heart

2011-10-10T00:55:00.000-04:00

I have finished a custom kirigami heart for a woman in Athens, Greece who is giving it to her daughter as a wedding present. The papercut is a bifold in the shape of a heart. It depicts the bride and groom, a couple who already have twins, a little boy and little girl. I made them children instead of babies, however, as babies don't come across as well in these kind of designs/

A wreath of flowers surrounds the papercut. In the center is the loving couple holding a star, symbol of bright happiness and light. Under their arms are the twins gesturing toward a seashell. Beneath the shell is a branch of coral. Above their heads are two birds, symbol of love, peace, and spirit. The children are surrounded by another heart.

I like the challenge of doing custom work. Novelty and uniqueness pleases me.

A Trip to Rags & Riches

2011-10-09T16:47:00.004-04:00

I drove to South Burlington, VT yesterday and let myself swim in several rooms of gorgeous home fabrics at Rags & Riches, the largest discount designer fabric outlet in New England. It is difficult to get out of that place without buying too much. I had a nice chat with the owner who said, "When you work here you go nuts the first couple of years and buy everything. Then when your attic, drawers, under your beds, garage and every available storage nook is full, you settle down to simple enjoying things visually. All of our employees have outrageous stashes of fabric." I related to that.

I bought a few tapestry fabrics and began sewing some more totes when I arrived home. I have the style down now so the time spent is more productive. I will probably sew these for one more week and that will be enough for this year. Here are three of my newest creations:

They will be hanging with the others in Arjuna, Woodstock, VT or in Rochester.
Stay tuned.

More Tote Bags

2011-10-05T12:52:00.001-04:00

I've made four more tote bags for Arjuna and have pretty much used up my stash of heavy fabric. These totes are medium sized, perfect for carrying everyday items. Here are two of them:

I have had a bit of difficulty letting some of these go. My daughter nearly wouldn't let me leave with the red one. She wants it.

I am going up to Burlington this weekend. Since I'm still having fun with this project I plan to visit my other daughter and... renew my stash of upholstery fabric from Rags & Riches in order to make more bags.

Oh Lordy Lordy. I am becoming my grandmother. We used to tease Nana Silva about her stash. She liked to knit and had converted a small bedroom into a huge closet for crafting supplies. She was always saying she was going to use up her yarn to make one last afghan. Then she would run out of yarn in the middle of the project, buy more, have some left over and say, "I have to use this up to make one last project. Then I will clean everything up." This circular pattern continued to the end of her life.

I seem to have inherited it.

Sewing Tote Bags

2011-10-03T07:46:00.003-04:00

Every year around this time I get the urge to sew. Usually I make a new collection of jackets and hats. But I don't have the energy to do that kind of complex work right now so I've decided to use up my stash of heavy fabric to make some tote bags.

You can never have too many totes. I have several myself. So many people have asked me about this one (my favorite) that I've decided to make some this week.

I've brought three to Arjuna, the shop downtown, and here are two more I made yesterday.

Perhaps I will let myself make some more this week and then put this little diversion to an end. I've got to start painting again.

Well, I'm Sort Of Back

2011-10-02T08:13:00.003-04:00

I had thought that when I arrived home from the tragedy in Boston that I could resume my life as before. I see now that I have some more mourning to do. While I've started to catch up on old work, I've not been able to do anything new yet. Sorry. Nothing to show you right now - but it is my intention to start painting again soon. I hope that any day now my heart will open up enough to do it. Please stay tuned.

In the mean time... I've ordered a third printing of my adult coloring journal. It is selling well as a gift. I'm exploring the hospital market now. I've gotten some interesting feedback. Here are some images of previous work I've done for a new coloring journal:

These were designed a year ago while sitting in a restaurant waiting for my daughter to arrive. I was thinking of food (no surprise there) and began sketching. I finished them when I got home.