{let's try this again, with sound}

Since people are getting better results viewing from the actual channel, I shall direct you there.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/studio-vlog-tuesday

And I'm using a different computer/camera/mic today, so there will be sound! And actual talking! And a journal being bound. Yes. All in ONE HOUR. Yes, I know I'm amazing.

I'm also going to be announcing my newest online workshop, the WISH Journal Workshop. [here are the shots of the last WISH Journal] This is a project-oriented workshop that has collaging, painting, binding, and fun. It'll have a 15 page PDF file and 3-4 videos hosted on a password-locked blog. Since it's all finished, you'll be able to access the information and videos at your own pace, giving you more time to really learn and play.

Next Monday I'll post a teaser video. And the workshop goes LIVE Monday, February 22, 2010.

The class is $20. You will receive a log-in for the site on Sunday, February 21, 2010, as the content goes live the next day. And if you pay after then? Then you get your log-in within 24 hours. Simple. Easy. And tons of fun!

{why being published is a lot like turning thirteen}

So yesterday, I'm driving home from my friend's house and I've told myself that I cannot stop anywhere because I don't have any money. Seriously. There is something like $30 in my checking account, and that's for my Lyrica this afternoon if I can get COBRA and some subsidy and whatever. I think I'll put the HR person on speaker phone and let Dad yell at them for me. Because he's a Marine. And thus scary.

Anyway, driving home, and I pass a Starbucks, sigh wistfully, and wonder if I should stop for my beloved green tea latte even though I just bought the powdered mix for it at the Japanese grocery store fifteen minutes prior (side note: I am drinking it now and it's fantastic). And my eye wanders a bit, probably controlled by the Critic's cousin Shopaholic, and I notice a Jo-Ann's. And this isn't your regular Jo-Ann's -- it's a Jo-Ann's Superstore.

This is where my rational brain kicks in and says, "It can't hurt to look. And you need yarn for those things you're crocheting."

"They're flowers."

"Sure. Yeah. Flowers." Except this part of my brain is totally rolling it's eyes at me. Or my eyes at me. It's kinda confusing, since all these aspects in my head are sharing physical space with me.

Ignoring the comment, I walk in. There are books along the entry asile, and then magazines. I scope 'em out. Seeing the pretty blues of Artful Blogging, I pick it up because I like seeing if there are people I know in there (because I like emailing them and saying YAY because we all like celebrations!). But when I open it up, I see this:

sneaking a photo. isn't the lighting here great?

Which is a total surprise, but welcome. So then, I'm standing up there near the registers, trying to take a photo without attracting attention because I've just entered the store, and while this is happy happy, I did want to, you know, shop a bit. With my eyes. Or maybe my walet...I can't be sure.

After taking my photos, I wandered. And while I wandered, I couldn't help but have a smile on my face; here I am, an anonymous shopper like everyone else, except I can walk up to a magazine on the shelf and point out my work. Yes, it is a wonderful feeling. But as I grabbed stuff I really didn't need, I realized that I didn't really feel any different. It's like turning thirteen or twenty -- yes, you feel like you should feel different, but nothing's really changed, has it? You didn't just become eligible to drive, or drink, and the world's still spinning the same way as the day before.

Just because my artwork's now in magazines doesn't mean I am a different person. I chat with more people and have replies on Twitter and love connecting with people, but no, I don't feel any different.

That's the moral of the story, folks. I remember reading a chapter in Anne Lamont's Bird by Bird about how you shouldn't focus on being published because it's not going to change you. Or, rather, you'll just become blocked creatively because you feel you have to live up to what you've already put out there. It doesn't make anything easier or more fun. So don't worry about if people are commenting on your Flickr photos or your blog, don't worry about making things just to be published. Just go with the flow. It will happen when it's mean to happen.

Wow. This post turned out more uplifting than I thought!

Until tomorrow, my dears.

EDIT: Jami brings up an excellent point. I feel somewhat different in that being published does change you. It changes you in the sense that your work is out there to inspire others!!!! It is out there for ALL to see, admire and recognize that their ideas and creations have merit as well.

I love that I can inspire more people because of publication. I love that I get more questions and readers and such. I ADORE helping. That is the reason I blog. And I love it. And yes, I get giddy when I think about it.

That being said, I think everyone's stuff should have merit whether something like it is published or not. Then again, reading this comment, all I could think was, "What if this page isn't as good? Will people still like it? What if it inspires people to NOT do something?" It's a lot of pressure, sometimes, knowing people know your work. And I speak from my fangirl I've-written-popular-fanfic self, where something may be amazing and well-recieved and inspire others, but that doesn't help me when I sit down to start something new. Which may also be why I haven't written in awhile. That, and I am horrible at finishing things. I swear, I have unfinished stories. And journal pages. And lists. Sentences and

{points of two week #4: kindness mission}

 

Points of Two is an experiment in journaling with myself and Roben Marie! Check out our archives to see the previous weeks' pages.

This week was based on the following quote:

"I learned long ago that those who are the happiest are those who do the most for others."

Booker T Washington

And what's funny is we both brought someone cookies!

This week, I've been focused on setting the groundwork for a more consistent blog, starting stock for etsy, working on custom projects, doing samples for classes -- anything BUT journaling. So when the opportunity arose to make this page, I just sat down to play...and how nice it was!

I often go between randomly-spread paint and using a brush; for this page, I wanted chunks of color that I then wrote on or layered with papers. And I found my labler!

Part of getting ready for classes is using photos, which means I've been taking many, many more. I took this shot of my friend J (also seen up there in the banner!) while she was concentrating on beading her necklace; I loved how into it she was and her hair was really cute, so I snapped a pic. I then went on to take tons of super macro shots of beads because they looked pretty. What can I say? I do what's fun.

Blues and golds and stripes! All things I did to relax into my art. And stamping, because they were there. Nothing too deep; I kinda just went with what I liked and somehow pulled it all together.

Roben-Marie's Page:

Next week: Around the House. Take a pic of something in the house that's meaningful and journal about it. Won't you join us?

{Journal Thursday: What to do if your critic gets too drunk and starts yelling}

There’s really nothing like starting a new journal. The page is there, and you’re super excited that -- look! shiny and new! -- you just start working from a place of joy. And when you finish, it’s amazing and awesome and you hug your new journal to your chest and sigh, “Ah, a new pretty journal for my adventures.”

That’s totally a sign for your critic to come out. He’s (I say he because mine’s a he, seeing as I’m NOT a he, and therefore, my arguments with him are more amusing) the complete opposite of your muse; picture him as the big guy who comes in and always causes trouble because he had a bad childhood and no mommy and finds it fun to make others feel little.

So this critic comes bumbling in already drunk so he knocks over a few chairs on his way across the room and your muse, bless her (because my talks with her are more amusing), stands up and is totally the bouncer in this situation when she pokes the critic in the chest and tells him to get out.

“Dude,” says the critic, “all your pages are the same colors. Can’t you, you vary things up or something?” He shouts all this over his shoulder as your muse pushes him out the door.

“Don’t listen to him, sweetie,” your muse soothes. “Use your favorite colors all you want.”

But the damn critic’s gotten to you, and all you see when you page through your journals are the same colors used together over and over and over again and gah could there be something to the stupid critic’s comment? Not that you make a practice of listening to the advice of drunk people -- most of the time, it doesn’t even make sense (which is why this is in your headspace; do you think a drunk critic could form a coherent criticism when drunk in reality?).

the good page, full of awesome colors

So I’ve got this drunk critic (yes, this is my headspace because I am not psychic or a vampire or whatever can see into your mind; your secrets are safe)  running around spreading rumors about how I only use certain colors and it’s kinda pissing me off.

“Fine! I will use different colors.”

I shall be honest with you: the page? It SUCKED.

The colors got all muddy because I wasn’t used to blending them. And then, it just looks off because it’s full of stuff I usually don’t like.

See, we’re all drawn to art we like, and we like it all for different reasons. It may be the imagery. Or the composition. Or, yes, the colors. And then when we sit down to create, we replicate what we like. That is the point. The fun of it all. And in a journal, who’s to say we can’t other than a belligerent, tilting inner critic?

Oh.

Anyway, I created this next page with colors I usually don’t ever use and tried to make it work, tried to bring color variety to my journal, my work, and it totally backfired. I really, really hate the page I made. I’m sure there’s something there I like, but overall, not a fan.

uck. what a mess

And this is what happens when you stop listening to yourself and try something you don’t like. Okay. Yes, you have to branch out and create and experiment -- how else will you find something new you like if you don’t try? -- but if you’ve already done that and know you don’t like it, don’t do it just because your critic can’t hold his liquor. Your journal is for you, so make sure he can’t get it. I’m sure simple locks will do (at least in my case. but I don’t give my critic much to go on most of the time.).

Use your favorite color on every page. I’m pretty sure each one will look different even if you have the same three colors. THAT is experimenting, is using your limits to find something new. It’s like this: if you don’t like Thai food, you’re not going to go into a Thai restaurant AND order something completely foreign. That’s just a waste of money because it’ll have peanut in it and you hate peanut in anything but your sandwiches so you make a funny face and wonder why the hell you agreed to this dinner in the first place. Oh, right. That stupid critic again.

So I’m giving you permission to use whatever colors you want all the time no matter what anyone else says. Take that, critic!

{DIY Wednesday: The Yudu, Part #1 - The Frustrations of Emulsion Sheets}

Over the holidays, I was lucky enough to get a Yudu screenprinter. 

Score!

After seeing a demonstration, I just knew I had to play with one myself. How can you not want to? You can take artwork, photos -- just about anything -- and transfer it to fabric, bags, journals.... Just imagine me with a dreamy sigh just about now. 

Before starting, I did the following:

+ read the quick start guide. twice.

+ watched the demo videos on the website.

+ consulted yuduforums.com

The demo videos make it LOOK incredibly easy, but I will tell you this:

You WILL mess up your first screen. You will PROBABLY mess up your second. 

Applying the Emulsion

Sorry, guys, but this is the truth. It is NOT easy to apply the emulsion sheets to the screen. Not at all. You will need more water than you think. But there’s a delicate balance and unfortunately, the only way you’ll learn the perfect amount is by experimenting. For this reason, I suggest you cut the emulsion sheet that comes with the Yudu in half or even quarters to practice. Those suckers are expensive, so you want to get as much out of the one in the box as you can before shelling out the $20 for two new ones. 

Next, you’re going to need help. While one demo video shows a person doing this all on their own, the one on the DVD shows two people. When you’re starting out, grab someone else to work with you. At least you’ll have someone to laugh with when things don’t work out according to plan. 

Out of everything, everything that you do with this system, the hardest is applying the emulsion sheet to your screen. If you don’t get it wet enough, it won’t stick to the screen and you’ll have huge holes. If you get it too wet, it’ll get all liquid-y and too thin and when you go to wash it after burning an image, you’ll get holes. 

Maybe I should just say it that way: you will get holes. Not in the screen, just the emulsion. 

You see, the way this works is this: when you dry the emulsion, it forms a shell on the screen that doesn’t allow any paint to get through onto your item. By “burning an image” you’re breaking through this shell where you want in order to create a design. So making sure you use the right amount of water really influences how well your screenprint image will transfer onto whatever you’re printing onto. 

I tried a sponge at first and, well, that didn’t go so well. Firstly, it didn’t put nearly enough water on the screen. Second, when I added more water, it smeared the emulsion. We tried anyway, going through the whole process of applying it and drying the screen. 

The best method we’ve found is using a spray bottle and sponge. Here are the steps we follow:

1. Run the screen under your sink. 

2. Pat it so it doesn’t drip all over your floors but not so much as to remove much water.

3. Hold it up to a light source or window. You should be able to see the difference between holes filled with water and those without. You want all the holes to be filled with water. 

4. Apply the emulsion sheet and use the squeegie a few times to evenly apply it. 

5. Turn the screen over. There, you also will see a difference between where the sheet has stuck and where it hasn’t. Carefully spritz some more water here and there and pad with the sponge. (It helps to have another person with this step; have them put their hand directly on the screen under the not-quite-done parts to give you a solid surface to pad onto with the sponge.)

Do NOT make ANY strokes with the sponge! This will cause the emulsion to move around, too! Pad GENTLY with the sponge -- don’t let any extra water bubble up! 

6. Place the screen shiny side DOWN into the dryer. You’ve probably got some too-wet areas, and drying it this way will keep those areas pooled instead of dripping around. 

The instructions say dry it for ONE cycle in the drying rack. PLEASE do it for THREE. 

If you try to pull off the “shiny” side after one cycle, you will pull off emulsion, and we don’t want that. Please please put it in for THREE cycles. That’s an hour. More than enough time to create an image to burn. 

Next Week: Transparencies Are Expensive and Hard to Use (most of the time)